Ask Jack: A Six-wheeled Solution to a Four-wheeled Problem?
Everybody knows motorcycles are faster than cars, right? Except, of course, when they aren’t. On a dragstrip, under perfect conditions, with an immensely skilled rider and all the planets aligned, most of the modern literbikes can easily dispatch a Dodge Demon, McLaren P1, or Tesla P-whatever-Ludicrous-mode. If you can raise seven or eight thousand dollars in ready cash, you can walk into a motorcycle dealership and walk out with a new bike easily capable of breaking into the tens. On the roll, something like my Kawasaki ZX-14R can accelerate to a degree impossible with something like a LaFerrari — I know, because I’ve driven a LaFerrari and ridden my ZX-14R on the same roads.
So why isn’t the whole world, or at least the male half of it, on a sportbike every morning? You know why. They’re dangerous, even if you take pains to ride safely and sanely. They are sensitive to weather, road condition, and high winds. They are remarkably maintenance-intensive. They get stolen. You can’t carry much on them and you can’t travel spontaneously on one. Comfort is an issue. If you’re a track rat, then you know that mistakes on two wheels are far more likely to put you on the LifeFlight than their four-wheeled equivalents.
TANSTAAFL — There Ain’t No Such Thing As A Free Lunch, particularly when it comes to using a motorcycle to do a car’s job. Yet the rush of riding a truly fast bike with all cares thrown to the wind can be a needle to the main vein for adrenaline junkies. Which brings us to this week’s question, in which a complimentary pairing of the Most Sensible Vehicle On Earth with something considerably crazier is considered.
Fredro writes,
Hey Jack, I know you’re a long-time motorcycle enthusiast and owner who also likes to spend money on cars. I’m 26 years old and living in the outskirts of a major Midwestern city, which I think is your deal, too. No wife yet and no kids. I have a budget of about $600 a month for a new car, and I think I could do this one of two ways. Either get something like a Mustang GT, or get the “combo pack” — which is to say something like a really sensible Corolla or Civic plus a motorcycle. I’ve got dirt biking experience so I’m comfortable with something like the Yamaha FZ-09, Triumph Speed Triple, or even a BMW S1000R. Obviously insurance is going to be expensive. What do you think?
This is the sort of calculation that haunted my twentysomething years. When I was 28 I got what I thought was the perfect combination: a Saab 9-3 and a Yamaha YZF600R, both brand new and both in glossy shades of black and grey. Looking back, I should have continued with the modestly priced car and modestly priced bike instead of dialing up an ever-more-expensive succession of frustrating German uber-sedans. Oh well. Hindsight is 20/20.
Here’s my suggestion: Start with a 2018 Toyota Corolla iM. Stick shift, of course. You’ll have a car that will give you an easy decade of service and be worth real money at the end. With the right steelies and snows you can conquer most weather at a total cost of maybe $800. The hatchback form factor will suffice for most home-and-garden tasks. There’s only one downside: it’s not a fast car by any means.
You can rectify that with the addition of the cyberpunk Yamaha FZ-10. Faster, meaner, and more comfortable than the FZ-09, it’s all the bike most people will ever need and it’s still somewhat less expensive to insure than a conventional literbike.
I’m thinking that a five-year loan on the Toyota will run you $345/month with nothing down and a four-year loan on the FZ-10 should be $275. A Mustang GT Premium with all the discounts would cost you $676 or thereabouts, so you’re ahead of the game. Insurance for the two should be about what you’d pay to insure the Mustang, depending on your record and your local susceptibility to theft. This gives you the best of both worlds: an absolutely worry-free commuting box for the average day and a vicious near-as-dammit-to-hyperbike for Sundays and holidays.
There’s just one problem: If you’re single, a Toyota iM isn’t exactly a chick magnet. The good news is that putting a woman on the back of your motorcycle is sort of like a cologne made from real panthers: 90 percent of the time, it works every time. So what are you waiting for? Your six-wheeled solution awaits.
[Image: Ford]
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- Alan Years ago Jack Baruth held a "competition" for a piece from the B&B on the oddest pickup story (or something like that). I think 5 people were awarded the prizes.I never received mine, something about being in Australia. If TTAC is global how do you offer prizes to those overseas or are we omitted on the sly from competing?In the end I lost significant respect for Baruth.
- Alan My view is there are good vehicles from most manufacturers that are worth looking at second hand.I can tell you I don't recommend anything from the Chrysler/Jeep/Fiat/etc gene pool. Toyotas are overly expensive second hand for what they offer, but they seem to be reliable enough.I have a friend who swears by secondhand Subarus and so far he seems to not have had too many issue.As Lou stated many utes, pickups and real SUVs (4x4) seem quite good.
- 28-Cars-Later So is there some kind of undiagnosed disease where every rando thinks their POS is actually valuable?83K miles Ok.new valve cover gasket.Eh, it happens with age. spark plugsOkay, we probably had to be kewl and put in aftermarket iridium plugs, because EVO.new catalytic converterUh, yeah that's bad at 80Kish. Auto tranny failing. From the ad: the SST fails in one of the following ways:Clutch slip has turned into; multiple codes being thrown, shifting a gear or 2 in manual mode (2-3 or 2-4), and limp mode.Codes include: P2733 P2809 P183D P1871Ok that's really bad. So between this and the cat it suggests to me someone jacked up the car real good hooning it, because EVO, and since its not a Toyota it doesn't respond well to hard abuse over time.$20,000, what? Pesos? Zimbabwe Dollars?Try $2,000 USD pal. You're fracked dude, park it in da hood and leave the keys in it.BONUS: Comment in the ad: GLWS but I highly doubt you get any action on this car what so ever at that price with the SST on its way out. That trans can be $10k + to repair.
- 28-Cars-Later Actually Honda seems to have a brilliant mid to long term strategy which I can sum up in one word: tariffs.-BEV sales wane in the US, however they will sell in Europe (and sales will probably increase in Canada depending on how their government proceeds). -The EU Politburo and Canada concluded a trade treaty in 2017, and as of 2024 99% of all tariffs have been eliminated.-Trump in 2018 threatened a 25% tariff on European imported cars in the US and such rhetoric would likely come again should there be an actual election. -By building in Canada, product can still be sold in the US tariff free though USMCA/NAFTA II but it should allow Honda tariff free access to European markets.-However if the product were built in Marysville it could end up subject to tit-for-tat tariff depending on which junta is running the US in 2025. -Profitability on BEV has already been a variable to put it mildly, but to take on a 25% tariff to all of your product effectively shuts you out of that market.
- Lou_BC Actuality a very reasonable question.
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I like the ideal of a car and a bike but neither need be new and I kinda like to have some excitement while driving. The IA is a nice car but wouldn't be my choice. You could pick up a very gently used, 2016 Fiesta ST for around 15 large. You could also pick up one of a number of late model motorcycles, such as an FZ-07, for five grand. If you're looking for something smaller to get acclimated to street riding allow me to suggest the 2017 KTM Duke 390. This year's bike received significant upgrades, which is why I wouldn't recommend a 2016 or earlier. As a bonus the Duke 390 is $5100 new. I've seen leftover 2016 models going for a grand off sticker. The 2017 should follow suit. So that's a car and a bike for right around twenty large. And I have another suggestion. Take some of the money you saved and learn to fly. You can get a Sport Pilot license for around five grand and you'd be surprised at the influx of new and fun aircraft you'll have access to and the wonderful experiences you'll have. Many of the B&B were commenting on a motorcycle's effect on the fairer sex. Imagine, if you will, riding the bike to the airport and taking your SO on a leisurely glider ride. Or flying to Mackinac Island. Or any one of a number of interesting and exciting things you could do (to include becoming a card carrying member of the mile high club).
Since I just witnessed a horrible accident when a Harley and versa tried to occupy the same space, I'll refrain of a motorcycle recommendation. Get a used Jeep. Fun enough and your future dog will attract the women.