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These days, just about anything on the road are getting terrible gas mileage, and not because of the manufacture, it's because of fuel prices that have sky-rocketed! However there are a few motorcycles that do better than others. To start with the obvious here, size does matter when considering a motorcycle as your means of transportation and fighting back at the oil companies.

As our nation shifts its gears towards a more fuel efficient car to drive, the motorcycle industry is racing to keep up with them, if not beat them to the finish line. Motorcycle Companies are spitting out more and more electric cycles, but do they really save at the pump?

These electric powered cycles hold a few of the same qualities as an electric car, but do we really want car quality when cruising the highway on our rumble and roar machines? Motorcycles get extremely high gas mileage that is just a known fact among riders. However though, they do lack some of the oh-so-important emission controlling components. No need to be a brain surgeon to know what that means, pollution and more of it! A shocking report stated that they actually produce 95% more pollution than a sport utility vehicle.

Most motorcycles are getting upward of 50 miles for every gallon of fuel; this comes at the price of clean air. Switching to an electric powered motorcycle would not only reduce gas emissions, it would also cut the demand for oil in the US. But how well are these quieter, friendlier motorcycles doing and how well do they rate with their riders?

Many manufacturers have designed a more economy motorcycle but have since failed at bringing them up to the font of the line, when it comes to demand. Harley Davidson fought the oil companies by introducing their first electric motorcycle, but quickly lost that fight. Let's face it, a Harley is a Harley, electric or not! These are "work horse" bikes that roar power and feast on fuel. The bigger the engine, the bigger the gas price, hands down.

One thing I will say in Harley Davidson's defense is that kudos to them for attempting to clean the air, but the reality of it is this; No way man! The Harley owners like how loud their bikes are, plain and simple. Often times, these guys and gals modify or remove their mufflers as soon as they get their bikes. Just take a look at a parts catalogue for Harley; there are hundreds of customized parts to make the bike louder and more powerful, not quieter and more fuel efficient.

Half the fun of owning a Harley is the ability to set off car alarms, wake a sleeping baby or make grandpa's false teeth fall out! No amount of fuel economy will lure these riders into a quiet and polite fuel happy cycle, might as well ride a tricycle! Nice try Harley Davidson, but time will tell if these babies are here to stay.

During break in, your gas mileage will be a little lower than normal on any motorcycle and by the way the fuel industry is looking, you will be lucky to get 45 mpg on the highway! I guess it would be fair to say that the worst motorcycles for gas mileage though, would be front line sport bikes or bikes with FI, these bikes get absolutely the worst gas mileage.

Learn more about this author, Erinn Soule.
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