[dhgeyer]

For me, the really big difference is that almost all the maintenance on a bike is doable by the owner if he/she is willing to make the effort. My new BMW R1200R is in for its 600 mile service right now, and for just having the 3 oils changed (engine, transmission, and final drive) plus a tune up it's going to cost $250.00 or so. For warranty reasons it's smart to let an authorized dealer do the first one, I am told. Of course Max's BMW drove a truck 50 miles to pick it up, and will do the same to return it at no extra charge. But, I asked them to put together all the consumables and the special tools needed to do the next several services myself. Most expensive item is a Twin-Max vacuum gauge to synchronize the throttle bodies. Total extra charge will be another 150 or so. After that, service will cost me almost nothing. I keep my tires at a relatively high pressure for the warm riding season, and buy high mileage tires. I remove the wheels myself, so the labor charge for mounting them is very little. Insurance is way less for even a new bike than for a car, here in NH anyway. The 2 bikes I have now get as good or better mileage than even our Priuses (which are not subject to the brake recall, in case you were going to ask).

Bottom line is, I could never maintain a modern car, as they are too electronically sophisticated, and routine services run around $200.00 - $300.00 or so if I recall correctly. The average person, if they are willing to take the time to learn, can maintain a motorcycle, at least all the routine stuff. I think that if you do that, the bike comes out way cheaper in the end. If you don't, it's more like a toss up, and some bikes actually cost more to own and operate than some cars.

In a way it's a moot point. Most (not all) of us own cages, so all the overhead on the bike (depreciation, insurance, registration, taxes where applicable) is extra money that wouldn't be spent if we only owned a car.