The hyper-efficient Honda NC700X equipped for commuting by Twisted Throttle

With gas prices continuing to climb and free time being a limited and cherished resource, riding a motorcycle to work just makes good sense. Check out these points below to see how and why to make motorcycle commuting work for you:

Save Time, Save Money

According to the Ride To Work website, the average U.S. commute is a mixed route, meaning it requires workers take a combination of open roads and city surface streets. It’s 29 miles long and takes, by car, about 55 minutes to complete.

Now compare that to commuters who ride motorcycles they shave an impressive 33 minutes off this same commute. Add that up coming and going, and that’s an extra hour-plus every day and who couldn’t use that? Add to this the fact that passenger cars have an average mpg of 22.3, but motorcycles get an average 50.1 mpg. That’s more than twice the fuel mileage, which translates into some big savings each week at the gas pump.

Accessorize

If you’re concerned about any inconveniences riding a motorcycle to work may present, investigate the variety of motorcycle accessories that are available and convenient for riders to use. There is gear to keep you safe, warm and comfortable during commute times.

Perhaps the most vital accessory is a good, sturdy helmet. Helmets protect your brain from injury and decrease the likelihood of death. They come in different styles, including open-face, half-coverage and full-face just make sure to wear one that fits snugly. To lessen the helmet-hair effect, get a ventilated helmet, which decreases how much your head sweats.

There are in-helmet earphones that enable riders to enjoy music and still be able to hear traffic and sirens, and radio and stereo features that work with your MP3 device. Garment cases enable you to pack work clothes on your bike and keep them clean and wrinkle-free.

Be Safe (and Save on Insurance)

New riders should take a motorcycle safety course. Not only will it make you a safer rider, but successful completion usually gets you a break on insurance costs, too. (just make sure the course you enroll in is recognized by your insurance provider).

Safety courses teach riders how to start and stop, how to inspect a motorcycle and how to maneuver in varying traffic situations. They also teach riders how to recognize and avoid potential hazards, including blind spots.

Nick Ienatsch of SportRider.com explained, If you can’t see the driver’s face in the car’s mirror, that driver can’t see you and you simply don’t exist. He suggests motorcyclists use acceleration, deceleration and lane position to “ride in the mirrors” of the cars around you, adding, The Highway Patrol teaches its riders to constantly move through traffic, to ride slightly (slightly!) faster than traffic and move through blind spots rather than sitting in them. Good advice.

Commuting can be Cool… No, Really!

If you think motorcycle commuting has to be drudgery, then you’re missing the point. Check out this video of Twisted Throttle’s fully ticked out urban commuter, the Honda NC700X. The hyper-efficient adventure styled “soft roader” makes 64-73mpg, and does it with a fair bit of fun.

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