Gas! I live about 40 mins from the crags and the gas is just killing me. Was wondering who else is REALLY feeling this and it's really playing a role in how much they get to climb and what they are doing about it? I've really been thinking lately about buying a 150CC scooter or small motorcycle (250 cc range) just to travel between the crags and back after class and on the weekends.

Anyone else out there just getting killed in this area? (I'm a super broke college student)

Pretty much there is one answer. The Honda Trail 90. You can find one from the 60's through early 80's on Craigslist for $400 to $1100 dollars. I don't like the 60's models because they take a few minutes to switch to offroad gearing and dirty hands. The 70's and newer just flip a lever and boom, low range. Avoid the 1980, it doesn't have a low range.

So you have a full occupation and the extra 35 minutes does not even out?

I think at 3.50ish a gallon It's ok to complain.

So you have a full occupation and the extra 35 minutes does not even out?

I think at 3.50ish a gallon It's ok to complain.

Complain all you want, but you're not going to change anything that way, which is exactly my point - you could be using that complaining time climbing.

I think you missed the entire point of my post. It really wasn't to compare the price of gas around the world and the distances others must drive to get to their local climbing spots, the point of the post is I was looking for creative idea's to go cheap on gas mostly just for climbing. Obviously if I lived 3 hours away from my local climbing spot I wouldn't be considering a scooter.

If you need creative "idea's" to go cheap on gas, you need mental help. The concept is pretty easy: Use less per person.

Gas! I live about 40 mins from the crags and the gas is just killing me. Was wondering who else is REALLY feeling this and it's really playing a role in how much they get to climb and what they are doing about it? I've really been thinking lately about buying a 150CC scooter or small motorcycle (250 cc range) just to travel between the crags and back after class and on the weekends.

Anyone else out there just getting killed in this area? (I'm a super broke college student)

Cut the kid some slack, he just wants to climb.

I'd suggest thinning out the gasoline you do have by pissing in your gas tank. Probably get an extra mpg out of that.

If you need creative "idea's" to go cheap on gas, you need mental help. The concept is pretty easy: Use less per person.

Unfortunatly I dont think the concept is that simple.

Unfortunatly I dont think the concept is that simple.

Its been $4-5 a gallon in Canada and going up.

I heard that Astro Vans get good gas mileage and can be found at a reasonable price. I'm going to look into it.

my friend has a small buel motorcycle that gets around 70 mpg. its a single cylinder. not much umpf to it but he says it goes 70 safely. he paid about 1.5k for it too. i been looking into getting something similar.

Ha! I used to do construction/remodeling for a guy whose other job is to distribute beef jerky to convenience stores around east Texas (he makes bank, don't laugh). 3 days out of the week he drives all day to stores; different routes each day. During his 20 or so years of doing it he has gone through three Ford Astro vans. A white one, a red one, and a brown.

White - 1,000,000+ miles
Red - 600,000+ miles
Brown - 450,000+ miles and counting

Of course he rebuilt the transmissions a couple times, but omg.

Gas! I live about 40 mins from the crags and the gas is just killing me. Was wondering who else is REALLY feeling this and it's really playing a role in how much they get to climb and what they are doing about it? I've really been thinking lately about buying a 150CC scooter or small motorcycle (250 cc range) just to travel between the crags and back after class and on the weekends.

Anyone else out there just getting killed in this area? (I'm a super broke college student)

Climbers must be the cheapest/poorest lot ever. So, worst case, you drive 40 minutes each way, at 60mph the whole time and get 20 mpg. You'll use 4 gallons of gas a day. At 3.50 a gallon that's a whopping 14 dollars. What other hobby can you do for 14 bucks a day? Try owning a boat, or small plane, or racing cars, cripe, most scrapbookers will use at least 14 bucks worth of material in a day

$8.30 per gallon so you all can quit bitching.

he had....a nice body, too, which is also a perk from biking!

Astros aren't Ford, they were Chevy. And they have been discontinued since 2005....but we are invited to look at the new Uplander .
http://www.chevrolet.com/uplander/

but having strong legs and a tight little ass just seems to bring the ladies in.

I don't have much to brag about my firm athletic ass, but I DO drive a XR250 dual sport motor cycle. My girlfriend drives an NX250 dual sport. Mine gets 65mpg, her 75mpg. They were both under $1000 used.

There are many great dual sports to be had out there for around a grand or so. Search: klr250, NX250, XR250 XL250, TW200, ect...

With a dual sport bike, you can get off the road and camp where ever you want. It's very nice to have offroad capability as a climber ya know? With a dual sport, you don't even need a road or a trail even. As long as your handlebars fit between the trees, you're good to go!

I think everyone capable of driving one, should own a motorcycle/dualsport. One nice days, you can leave your car at home and save a ton on gas. I have an hour commute to and from work every day. My truck costs $15 a day, my bike costs $4 a day. My bike saves me $55 a week in gas! And on top of it all, it's way better for the environment.
Consider a small motorcycle man, and if you have any questions about them, PM me.

Motorcycles use less gas but actually, in most cases, polute more than a newer model car. They don't have as many emmission control items as cars.

Cars are actually increadably clean burning nowadays. The majority of polution comes from dust and small motor equipment like lawnmowers and off road vehicles.. Yes, that includes dirt bikes.

Astros aren't Ford, they were Chevy.

You have to define "way better for the environment"..

Motorcycles use less gas but actually, in most cases, polute more than a newer model car. They don't have as many emmission control items as cars.

They are better for the environment BECAUSE they use less gas. Did you forget oil is finite?

Besides, a 250cc motor is 10 times smaller than a 2.5 liter engine, which is small by todays car standards. Is the car putting out 10 times less emissions per liter? Not by today's standards. Most greenhouse gasses come from cattle anyway, so I'm WAY more concerned with saving gas, which is what this thread is about.

Get a dual sport. My XR250 takes me AND my girlfriend to the crag, and will do 70mph on the highway with two ppl. no prob. It's definitely more fun on twisty dirt roads though!

This demands a source. I call BS.

saving gas is not an environmental problem. Its a personal problem.

size of the engine is also not important. There is a huge push to get rid of gas powered lawn mowers and lawn equipment because they put out 10 times the polution than a car....even though the engine size is ten times smaller...

I ride on a daily basis. I like it and it is more gas economical. But that solves a personal problem not an environmental problem.

I was in Italy recently and was just floored by what polution had done to all the historical buildings. They spend Millions of dollars cleaning these buildings up on a regular basis.

If you take a survey, the majority of people in Italy use small motorcycles and Mopeds that all have a stream of black smoke coming out the back.

Just bringing a point up that has been a peeve of mine for a while since I love bikes too.. the industry needs to do more about cleaning up the smaller engines as well. Otherwise we will have a bigger problem when everyone switches over to them because gas prices are so high..

If you question thoughts, check with your local power company. Many are offering rebates if you will turn in your gas powered lawn tools.

saving gas is not an environmental problem. Its a personal problem.

OIL IS FINITE and it's production is destructive to the environment.

You didn't answer my question.

I asked you to cite sources that motorcycles pollute more than a car.

In reply you said that European cities have bad pollution. Could this possibly be from the massive population? The prevalance of diesel (particulate matter vs. dangerous gasses, another debate)? Or scooters. Yep, it's the scooters.

As dingus would say, that's a strawman.

Then you went to lump lawnmowers in with motorcycles... You do realize that in America it's almost unheard of to see a 2 stroke motorcycle cruising the streets don't you? I bet that many dirtbikes and sportbikes used for racing on the track are 2 cycle. Everything else is 4. Big difference in pollution.

If I owned a power company, I would also offer rebates to gas powered equipment. The more I could do to get my customers to plug more things in, the better.

Still, I want to see a report, or a link to a report, that a 150cc scooter is putting out more pollution than a 1.5L car (Toyota Corrolla size).

I'll grant you that the scooter certainly is putting out more than 1/10 of the 1.5L car. Have you factored in the polution caused to refine and transport 3 times as much fuel (assuming 90mpg vs 30mpg) or the pollution caused to create a 2000 pound car (rubber, steel, aluminum, plastic) vs a 200lb scooter.

I'm not going to lay off you until you either come up with a source, or admit you made it up.

Um, it surely is an environmental problem... OIL IS FINITE and it's production is destructive to the environment.

Um, it surely is an environmental problem... OIL IS FINITE and it's production is destructive to the environment.

...I dont understand your point about it being finite. When its gone you will have to do without. ...

Only the naive are not at least thinking about alternatives to standard automobiles, whether for cragging or in general. Of course I understand this means the majority of the population hasn't yet considered making changes.

Smart move - to the bike. And I'd think some people would appreciate the research, as they begin making their transportation changes. Let me ask a question - can you rig it to carry stuff or do you do a backpack, or what?

I always fantasized about having an oooold Indian motorbike with a sidecar for Teddy and my gear.....

Most greenhouse gasses come from cattle anyway, so I'm WAY more concerned with saving gas, which is what this thread is about.

Just to piss you off.

Gas in Burnaby is about $1.20-1.25 but it is only $1.10 in Squamish, so I go there just fill my tank up, and then there is climbing.

the two-wheel versus four-wheel pollution debate basically comes down to whether the scooter/motorcycle engine is a two stroke or four stroke.
two-strokes are traditionally more polluting. however, most new scooters now come with a chip that regulates the amount of oil being mixed with the gasoline.

i drive a four-stroke manual bajaj that gets 100mpg.

higher fuel prices are the only way americans are going to change their driving habits. unfortunately, unlike europe, we do not have a public tranist system to fall back on. so, we are basically screwed.

per liter?

If you look at the fuel economy of some of the newer cars lately, you will find that the average motorcycle isn't even more fuel efficient. My fjr1300 gets about 40mpg. Many cars are getting that economy nowadays

saving gas is not an environmental problem. Its a personal problem.

And an economic problem, and a foreign relations problem, and, oh... actually, yes, it is also an environmental problem.

If you look at the fuel economy of some of the newer cars lately, you will find that the average motorcycle isn't even more fuel efficient. My fjr1300 gets about 40mpg. Many cars are getting that economy nowadays

That is a horrible example. You are driving a 4 cylinder, 1298cc motorcycle that weights over 500 lbs! Of course it is going to have horrible gas milage. There are plenty of motorcycles on the road that get twice the gas economy of that.

I lot of your statements have been far stretches, and some flat out untrue. That is why I am being negative.

crimpandgo wrote:

If you look at the fuel economy of some of the newer cars lately, you will find that the average motorcycle isn't even more fuel efficient.

That is a false statement. On average, bikes are way more fuel efficient. Simple physics. 400lb bike vs. 4000 lb car.

Look, this guy is just trying to find a cheap efficient way to get to the crags. A small motorcycle is a great choice.

Yes

That would be $1.10 x 3.78 = $4.16 per gallon.

happiegirl....they let you take your dog on the bus/subway/whatever? That's pretty cool....I'm surprised.