Finding Fuel-Economy Ratings
For Motorcycles

Q: Is there a site that can show me the expected gas mileage for motorcycles? In order to conserve gas, I want to look at all of options. I assume the smaller the bike, the better the gas mileage but I want to see if it is worth the expense.
-- Terry Schroepfer,
St. Louis

Associated Press

Oscar Gonzalez, an automotive technician, fills up his motorcycle with $8 dollars, enough for more than a 100 miles, at a Shell station in Los Angeles in March. Mr. Gonzalez bought his motorcycle six months ago to save on gasoline and time spent in transit.

A: I do not know of a single site that covers all motorcycle models, but there are some that come close. One site I visit for fuel-economy and other information about motorcycle models from several different makers is Total Motorcycle (www.totalmotorcycle.com)

Magazines like Cycle World (www.cycleworld.com), Motorcycle Consumer News (www.mcnews.com) and Motorcyclist (www.motorcyclistonline.com) regularly road test the latest models and typically include fuel economy in their reports. Reading the reviews can also help narrow your shopping list if you decide to buy a motorcycle.

I have heard from a number of drivers who are considering swapping four wheels for two in an effort to save gas. The motorcycle industry is responding with a growing variety of models including many with relatively small, frugal engines. I recently rode a Kawasaki model with a 250 cubic-centimeter engine that easily logged more than 50 miles per gallon and was great fun to ride (many popular bikes have engines of 1,000 cc or larger). Most of the major motorcycle makers offer at least a few small- and medium-size bikes with especially high fuel economy.

Q: My wife currently drives a 2003 BMW 325 wagon, and now we are expecting twins. We already have a toddler so we have been considering trading up to a 2007 BMW X5 because of the extra cargo space and seating capacity (seven seats with the third row). Is it possible to put three child seats on the second row or any child seats on the third row?
-- J.M. Gonzalez,
Raleigh, N.C.

A: BMW says it is possible to install three seats in the second row, but your success in doing so depends on the design of the seats. You can also install two seats in the second row and a third in the last row. However, the X5 does not have the built-in anchors and tethers that work with the Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children (LATCH) system built into most child-safety seats.

Most three-row SUVs and crossovers I have driven lately lack Latch hardware in the third row, which is a pain because the omission can make installing the seats more difficult. However, you can use lap and shoulder belts to secure the child restraints. I tried both methods on two recent test vehicles – the Ford Flex, which has third-row latch hardware (though only on the right side) and the Dodge Journey, which has none in the third row. I think using Latch is easier and gives a more secure feeling as a parent. Since we have just two children, though, we typically keep them in the middle row. If we had three, I can't imagine having all three in the same row.

Q: On a recent trip to France I noticed that 60%-70% of passenger vehicles are diesel powered. Is there any difference between French diesel fuel and U.S. diesel fuel? Their estimated highway mileages seem to be much better than ours. Why aren't these vehicles sold in the U.S.?
-- Jim Spears,
Clearwater, Fla.

A: Diesels for decades have been far more popular in Europe than in the U.S. The few diesel vehicles available in the U.S. today, like those from Mercedes-Benz, have about the same fuel economy as the European versions. But, testing methods differ enough that it is sometimes difficult to make direct comparisons between U.S. and European fuel-economy ratings.

Manufacturers who sell diesel models in Europe haven't offered them in U.S. largely because demand, until recently, hasn't been high enough to make them profitable.

Also, diesel is taxed less than gasoline in many European countries so diesel owners benefit from both better economy and cheaper fuel.

Q: I am ready to do my bit for the environment and save money, but I find the hybrids like the Toyota Prius so unattractive, as if they're aggressively proclaiming "I may be aesthetically displeasing, but I am so virtuously green." Should I hold off buying until the industry develops something I like? Or would the now-snazzy Honda CR-V be an acceptable option to my retiree's budget and my civic conscience? I have a history of holding onto my Hondas for over 10 years and over 200,000 miles.
-- Judith Navarro,
Alexandria, Va.

A: I you don't like the Toyota Prius or the Ford Escape hybrid, I think you would be fine with the CR-V. You might also consider a Honda Fit, if you can get by with something smaller. By the time you log 200,000 miles on you'll have a wider, more attractive range of hybrids and other vehicles that will seem extremely fuel efficient by today's standards.

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