So the price of petrol is again on the rise and has breached the $4 per gallon barrier here. Shortly I will also be losing my garage parking privileges at work, and will be sent to an outdoor lot, which costs about $10 per week.
Therefore it is time to upgrade the motorcycle (free parking in the internal garage)
The GS750E is not cutting the mustard in terms of efficiency with around 35MPG, which I can achieve in my car. Private garage parking is about $7 for a day, so even if I bring the car in one day a week for bad weather I would still be ahead. Once next winter comes I will no doubt have to pay the weekly sum and use the outdoor lot but for now Spring/Summer beckons.
So the choice now is between the 2012 CBR250R Tri-color with ABS:
Or the 2012 CRF250L, which was just recently announced, not yet officially in the US (uses the 250cc engine from the CBR):
The CBR250R should be good for about 75MPG, the CRF250L will no doubt get less due to lack of fairings and knobby tires but 70MPG should be doable. Either should be around the $4K-$4500 mark.
My leaning is towards the dirt bike, more flexibility to go anywhere I need to. Downside is less wind protection but I have bugger all now with the Suzuki so no big adjustment there. I imagine I will get blown around a lot more when passed by a semi on the thruway with a 360lb bike as opposed to my current 550lb one. Any thoughts?