Well, now that we're at 4 Bucks and climbing...

Now that we are at four bucks and climbing, how's everybody holding up ? Any major changes? Still riding a lot ? Or are you riding " smarter "? Just wondering. I rode about 250 miles Saturday to Natchez, MS. and back. Didn't see many bikers out. Saw more out today. Traffic seemed kinda lite to me. How 'bout you guys ? Oh.. one thing I have done is switch to 89 octane. No problems so far. 42 mpg. 12 cents per gal. cheaper. rather it be in my pocket than theirs. ;)

[mojo]

Good Golly Miss Molly.........250 miles for an old guy like you ? Now thats pretty darned good buddy. Must of been a Hooters stop some where along the line to help recharge your batteries. :)

We are just getting ready to put the bikes up for the summer and hit the road in the bus. Would like to take the bikes with us but have to leave them behind and take the car.

We have a 7,000 mile trip out West planned for June & July and with this coach we get 6.5 to 8.5 mpg. The fact its a diesel add's another 50 cents to the cost of fuel. Its going to be one expensive summer. :)

But what are ya going to do ?

Glad to hear your enjoying the Nad Frank. Say hey to the fam for me brother.

Ride often and ride safe,

Chris

[Cajunrider]

I've rolled up 1,800 miles since 4/3. Two - three weeks of love bug season slowed me down a bit probably around 400 miles or so. There were less bikers on the road yesterday over here also because there were still some lingering showers hanging around. Today was beautiful even though it was pretty warm. I wouldn't have wanted to get stuck in traffic anywhere today as hot as it was. Take care.

[ringadingh]

I was out today and paid 1.27 litre, thats $4.80 a US gal. for 87 octane, and there were thousands of bikes out today.

[MarkG]

No mass transportation to speak of in this area. The standard joke, we drive 30 minutes to an hour just to get started driving someplace.

No major changes for me. The cars get 22/26 (mine), 20/24 (kid), and 18/24 (wife). The wife and kid drive around a bunch more than I think is practical. I have learned to keep silent, if I say anything they just drive more. The two of them will be leaving in a couple of weeks for a 9,000 mile trip this summer. Still going to be cheaper for them than flying to the various places. I have no clue where they are going for whatever organization they belong. I get peace and quiet for a couple of months, it is worth it regardless of the gasoline prices.

The Nomad is 36/43, so I can't complain too much. I just can't bring myself to drive the Nomad a whole two miles to work. The engine doesn't even get warmed up. Besides the number of intersections, which are always red lights, are a real pain in 110 degrees. Went out on a short run, 90 miles, to Tortilla Flat today. Motorcycles everywhere, even the HDs and the Wings were waving instead of being stuck up. I'm going to Mesquite in a couple of weeks. I'll take several day runs on the weekends throughout the summer just to get out of the heat. Then I have a nice 3,000 mile run through Colorado, Wyoming, South Dakota, and Utah planned for September.

I'm looking forward to the yuppies having to give up the Tahoe, Durango, over sized pickups, and other way too big SUVs. In this area, the drivers are insane when it comes to crowding and cutting others off. Always in too much of a hurry. The people driving these things would never consider taking them off road, they might get dirty. It won't hurt my feelings a bit if these yahoos can't afford the gas and not on the road. It will be safer for us.

Just for trivia. My car, 1000 miles @ 26mpg would be $138 at the present gas prices. The gas price will need to be $5.55 a gallon for the Nomad over the same distance to equal out. With apologies to the females of the group, "See honey, I'm saving money by driving the Nomad, we can't get rid of it!" http://s2.images.proboards.com/cheesy.gif It gets even with them for coming home and saying "Look what I bought on sale, I saved you money!" http://s2.images.proboards.com/grin.gif

I bought the Nomad to ride, it is going to take more than gas prices to keep me off of it. http://s2.images.proboards.com/cool.gif

[pirate]

Gas here in town hit $3.96 yesterday. I really don't think the price will effect my riding schedule this summer. Our riding season here is pretty short compared to other parts of the country, so I can't let those prices keep me from riding. Two summers ago, a group of us rode to West Yellowstone, MT. We filled gas in a remote mountain town, and the price there was $3.31 a gallon. I remember being shocked and blown away by that price, but it seems like a bargain if it was available now. But, that's exactly what the oil companies want us to think. Eventually they will lower the price to $3.50 a gallon and we'll all be thankful that it's "cheap." Just look at the promotion that Dodge is running now: $2.99 a gallon gas for the next three years. That would have seemed ridiculous a couple of years ago, but now we are looking at it as a great deal. Wow...

Here, we're paying $4.30 for premium. It sucks, but if it goes to $10 I'm still gonna ride. There'll be more room to ride as well, once people start staying home more. ;)

[ringadingh]

Premium here is $1.40 litre or $6.35 Cdn Gal. I run regular in mine and the last 3 weeks my fillups are all $21.00 to $24.00 each.

[redeye]

I drive truck & I've noticed that there was no spike in traffic due to the holiday. Friday was just like any other friday night. I paid $4.35 for premium on friday & diesel is at $5.25 here in Sacramento. I've parked my '08 dodge diesel, the wife is driving the Kia, (35mpg) & I HAVE to ride the bike to & from work............

[cactusjack]

We've cut back on unnecessary driving. We don't go much of anywhere during the week other than to work. Weekends is when we do all our running around. I'm trying to teach my 17-year old that we don't make a special trip to the store for soda. I have been riding my bike more to work than usual, but I'll only do that until it starts getting really hot. I'll bite the bullet and eat the gas bill in exchange for air conditioning.

It's not like the higher gas prices are going to make us go hungry, I just don't want to enrich the oil companies out of principle.

[dantama]

I don't ride as much, but still ride a lot. Come on you guys, you wouldn't ride a bit more if gas went down to $1?

If you would ride more if gas was a $1, then you are riding less because its $4.

I hate that it cost me $4.50 to fill up my first Nomad, and now it costs me over $17. That $17 of gas only last a few hours.

To go on my typical good day ride, it cost $40 in gas, not the $10 it used to.

I still ride a lot, but it is less than it would be otherwise. I stopped going to concerts as often when the price there did similar.

[trip]

Premium is running about $3.90 here in ETex. Did some figuring and found that it costs me .18 a mile to ride in my 4Runner (reg octane). It costs about .10 a mile to ride the Nomad, even at premium octane. So, it's a no brainer.

I have been riding the Nomad to work more than before.

[coldfingers]

We only have one station in town that has premium and they used to be .15 a gallon higher than the next grade but now they are .25 so I have been alternating tanks with regular then high test with no bad results so far.

The price of gas has had zero effect on my riding now. On my driving niether. I get around just as much as I want to, and I'm either lucky to be able to afford it, or getting too old to travel as much. (Or both.)

[Top Cat]

The price of gas has had zero effect on my riding now. On my driving niether. I get around just as much as I want to, and I'm either lucky to be able to afford it, or getting too old to travel as much. (Or both.)
If I hadn't seen CaddmannQ 's name on that post I would have thought I wrote it. Thats exactly how I feel. http://s2.images.proboards.com/grin.gif

I went out again today riding, and one thing I really noticed is that people, especially in SUV's, and other fuel inefficient vehicles, are literally flying down the interstate. They must be going at least 80. I saw a ton of bikes out Saturday, Sunday, and today. I agree with CaddmanQ's post. I feel fortunate that I can afford to ride, and I guess I'm gettin too old to go very far. http://s2.images.proboards.com/grin.gif http://s2.images.proboards.com/grin.gif http://s2.images.proboards.com/grin.gif http://s2.images.proboards.com/grin.gif

[rflnomad]

We have been practicing smarter driving & riding for the last 2 years. After the last price blast; we made changes.
I ride to work most everyday. 30 mile round trip. Wife drives our VW Rabbit ( 2.5L )and goes about 25 miles round trip. We plan our driving/shopping/dining around standard driving schedules.
I don't see oil prices coming down so the best way to fight back is to ... BUY LESS.
We have even thought of buying a house closer to our work to minimize time! And I have not forgotten about wanting a KLR650 either. My friend has one and swears he gets 55+mpg.
And yes, I still see SUVs and big trucks FLYING around on interstates and other roads. ??? Go figure.

[tomk]

The price of gas has had zero effect on my riding now. On my driving niether. I get around just as much as I want to, and I'm either lucky to be able to afford it, or getting too old to travel as much. (Or both.)

+1

Come on folks, if you want gas to be cheaper, let's quit complaining and drill for oil where we have it.

Counting on the Saudis to increase production to maintain our cost of gas is silly. They want to make as much as they can.

Vote for it!

Tomk

[coacha]

I have parked the truck most days now and we have traded the mini van in for a Focus. We take the bike now when the wife and I are going to go somewhere if possible.

I ride because I enjoy it. It won't change on iota.

Come on folks, if you want gas to be cheaper, let's quit complaining and drill for oil where we have it.

Vote for it!

Tomk

Drill for it where WE have it!

I don't know how many of you watch/listen to Glenn Beck....he's had some shows about this subject on the headline news ch... the expert he had on said it will take 10-15 yrs to drill for it here...even IF it were approved right now!!

Thats what clinton said too (10 years) He also said it wouldn't make a difference by then. I sure wish we would have started 10 years ago. The whole operation would be about the size of the SLC airport and it wouldn't even be on National forrest. Last I heard was about an oil well in Alaska the people who have oil rights are waiting for crude to go up to 300 dollars a barrel before they start pumping it.

Thirty years ago, Brazil set as their goal to become totally imported oil independent. Well, they've done it !! We, the wealthiest and most technologically advanced country on the planet, can't seem to find a way to do just that. If we had been wise in the '70's when we had gas lines, we could be in the same position as Brazil today. IMHO, there is a simple reason. Collusion between the automakers and the big oil companies. We are the poor b&sta*#s that are taking the hit.

...there is a simple reason. Collusion between the automakers and the big oil companies....

You're forgetting that our congressmen etc. are being bribed to look the other way, or just plain have a conflict of interest because they are heavily invested in the industries that benefit from the situation.

I paid $4.48 for premium here tonight. That's an $0.18 jump since the 16th.

There are plenty of laws against what's going on. They're not going to get enforced as long as people keep voting for Republicans and Democrats. They're both in this up to their necks, and most of the country's too stupid to see it, or just too scared to try and do something about it.

Vote Libertarian people. They don't want to cripple business, promote business, or float the country on welfare. They do want to enforce the laws.

[ringadingh]

Its all greed, no more no less.

[dhelfritz]

When gas hit 3.90 a gallon, I started riding the Nomad to work every day. In 5 weeks, I have saved about 150.00 by not driving my Toyota Tundra and it is a 6. I leave real early and enjoy the ride to work. I dont like the stop and go traffic on 95 on the way home. At least everyone is going the same direction.

[waterman]

Gas is around $3.95 here. I try to ride the bike to work more but the weather hasn't cooperated. Rain + 1 mile gravel = not fun. However 10 mile round trip doesn't take much. But the truck sits when I need to go on longer trips.

I totally agree, Caddman Q, all of our congressmen HAVE been bought. The oil companies have paid them dearly, campaign contributions,trips, etc., to put on blinders. Those people aren't going to help us. We need to help ourselves!!

[jussmatt]

Like most...we're driving smarter in my household. I drive 75 miles a day round trip to work...wife drives roughly 17. Our modes of transportation are '07 Nomad, '07 Nissan Titan, '05 Ford F250 4x4 Diesel. We try and take the Nomad most of the time..and I take it to work just about everyday...rain or shine. I'm getting roughly 38mpg out of the Nomad since i drive a lot of city traffic. F250 gets about 14mpg. Titan is somewhere around 20-21mpg city. My break out is below.... in 2 years of owning the Nomad, it not only paid for it's self, but the cost of Insurance and maintenance added!!!

Nomad - 38mpg - $220 a month in Gas
F-250 - 14mpg - $995 a month in Gas
That's $9300 a year in savings on 1 truck alone...without counting Insurance and maintenance on the truck!

I guarantee you we'll start to see more bikes out there!! As for voting... I think it was Audiogooroo that used the expression "Sheeple".... until they pull their heads out of their asses and stop relying on a TV for education...it's not going to make any difference!!

[buckeye]

We're paying $3.99 for regular------that's $1.00 a quart!!! It would be cheaper to run on Beer ---- wait a minute, I need the Beer to make the Gas seem reasonable. Oh crap, I give up, I might as well shut up and pay up, it's going to get worse before it gets terrible.

I saw self-serve premium for $4.51 at the Texaco this AM.

At this rate you'll be able to build an electric car that runs on flashlight batteries, just toss them out when they run down, and still come out ahead.

[tomk]

I totally agree, Caddman Q, all of our congressmen HAVE been bought. The oil companies have paid them dearly, campaign contributions,trips, etc., to put on blinders. Those people aren't going to help us. We need to help ourselves!!

I agree. They've been bought. But not by who you think. They've been bought by the likes of Al Gore, Mr. Green, and all the other tree huggers.

They've been putting us out of business -- very slowly -- since the early '80's.

Look at your industrial base and see when they started getting smaller.

Even though Bush is unliked, he still tride to get them to open the Alaska areas to drilling. This crap has been going on for over 25 years in CA where they don't want to pollute the environment or ruin their ocean views.

Wake up folks -- 10 yeas is not too far away, again.

I totally agree, Caddman Q, all of our congressmen HAVE been bought. The oil companies have paid them dearly, campaign contributions,trips, etc., to put on blinders. Those people aren't going to help us. We need to help ourselves!!

I agree. They've been bought. But not by who you think. They've been bought by the likes of Al Gore, Mr. Green, and all the other tree huggers.

They've been putting us out of business -- very slowly -- since the early '80's.

Look at your industrial base and see when they started getting smaller.

Even though Bush is unliked, he still tride to get them to open the Alaska areas to drilling. This crap has been going on for over 25 years in CA where they don't want to pollute the environment or ruin their ocean views.

Wake up folks -- 10 yeas is not too far away, again.

+1 We need an old fashion revolt !!

[bigjohn]

I totally agree, Caddman Q, all of our congressmen HAVE been bought. The oil companies have paid them dearly, campaign contributions,trips, etc., to put on blinders. Those people aren't going to help us. We need to help ourselves!!

I agree. They've been bought. But not by who you think. They've been bought by the likes of Al Gore, Mr. Green, and all the other tree huggers.

They've been putting us out of business -- very slowly -- since the early '80's.

Look at your industrial base and see when they started getting smaller.

Even though Bush is unliked, he still tride to get them to open the Alaska areas to drilling. This crap has been going on for over 25 years in CA where they don't want to pollute the environment or ruin their ocean views.

Wake up folks -- 10 yeas is not too far away, again.

California is the second most ecofriendly state in the union. Second only to Washington. My position?

http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b111/jhprice/MiscStuff/pave500.jpg

[coacha]

I heard on a news clip yesterday that the oil companies will make almost $100 billion this year. That is BILLION. When is enough enough? Exxon turned the highest ever profits by any corporation the last couple years, more than probably 90% of most countries GNP...some combined. That is totally insane.

Oh well, gotta go fill up again. LOL!

Anybody have this thought? Maybe, just maybe, we are victims of economic terrorism. Most, if not all, of the oil producing countries don't like us. They don't have to fly planes into buildings, blow up ships, blow up trains any more. All they need to do is increase the price of oil, which is drives our economy, to the point that it shuts us down. Makes us extremely vulnerable. Just a thought. Any one else have any thoughts along those lines?

[cactusjack]

I've thought about it, yes. I was watching the morning news yesterday and the statement was made "that even if Americans drive less and the demand for gasoline is reduced, gas prices will not go down". It is my assertion that this is because every aspect of the petroleum industry in the USA is controlled and manipulated by a handful of large corporations who will simply reduce production if demand decreases to maintain the record profits they currently enjoy. They have us by the short hairs. As publicly-owned corporations, they have an obligation to shareholders to maximize shareholder profit. As I've pointed out before, in doing so, those shareholders are paying more for their gas, too. It's a zero-sum-gain.

The American public has its breaking point where there will be no choice except to open up drilling in Alaskan oilfields as well as anyplace else they can get a drilling rig set up. On the news today they were talking about the amount of oil in the Los Angeles area and even though some wells there have been producing for 70-80 years, there are still substantial reserves in the LA Basin, especially around Long Beach.

[tomk]

I've thought about it, yes. I was watching the morning news yesterday and the statement was made "that even if Americans drive less and the demand for gasoline is reduced, gas prices will not go down". It is my assertion that this is because every aspect of the petroleum industry in the USA is controlled and manipulated by a handful of large corporations who will simply reduce production if demand decreases to maintain the record profits they currently enjoy. They have us by the short hairs. As publicly-owned corporations, they have an obligation to shareholders to maximize shareholder profit. As I've pointed out before, in doing so, those shareholders are paying more for their gas, too. It's a zero-sum-gain.

The American public has its breaking point where there will be no choice except to open up drilling in Alaskan oilfields as well as anyplace else they can get a drilling rig set up. On the news today they were talking about the amount of oil in the Los Angeles area and even though some wells there have been producing for 70-80 years, there are still substantial reserves in the LA Basin, especially around Long Beach.

In CA where I live, they have a huge debate about new rigs on our coast. They keep saying that it kills the environment. Anyone here who fishes the coast will tell you that you catch the fish under the rigs. They are natural reefs. So much for that argument.

They are worried about oils spills and that is a possibility. The rigs themselves create habitat that the sealife flourishes in. Now, they have safeguards that didn't exist 20 years ago. Do you know that a bacteria was developed by the oil companies that feeds on the oil in a spill?

In CA, they save a fish or bird or (and this is true) a damned mouse and financially ruin some poor bastard and his family that has to commute for a living.

We need to look at and vote for those that are not zealots for green. Some green is good but the extreme is just that.

OK, sorry, no more soap box.

It's worse than than idiots spending millions to save a bird or a mouse. Even bugs are more important than us.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Delhi_Sands_flower-loving_fly

Here's a little pest that cost business developers millions, delayed hospital construction, and basically ruined the economy of its locality, because ecologists were concerned that a freakin sand fly would go extinct.

What' next? Save The Mosquito? Preserve Our Pirahannas? Fines for smashing spiders?

It's hard to believe what goes on here sometimes.

[ringadingh]

They delayed building a bridge here for two years because of a plant that grew only in that area.

Don't forget about anti-biotics! Bacteria are cute little critters that have feelings too ya know!

[tomk]

It's worse than than idiots spending millions to save a bird or a mouse. Even bugs are more important than us.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Delhi_Sands_flower-loving_fly

Here's a little pest that cost business developers millions, delayed hospital construction, and basically ruined the economy of its locality, because ecologists were concerned that a freakin sand fly would go extinct.

What' next? Save The Mosquito? Preserve Our Pirahannas? Fines for smashing spiders?

It's hard to believe what goes on here sometimes.


Yup, that's bad. BTW, how in the world did you find that?

The problem in this country is we try to be all things to everybody, because we want everyone to be happy campers. Well, life ain't like that. Sometimes you have to make hard decisions without worrying if someone might be offended. If we would have learned our lesson in the '70's, done the right thing, and not necessarily the politically correct thing,we would be independant of foriegn oil today. We have too many greedy people in and out of power that only think of themselves and not the whole country. That kind of thinking, my friends, is what is going to bring this country down........selfish greed. IMHO

[dantama]

I checked the gas milage on my Lexus SC (v8) for the first time today. I was disapointed to find that I'm only getting 17mpg.

The Nomad gets twice as good.

[audiogooroo]

Don't forget about anti-biotics! Bacteria are cute little critters that have feelings too ya know!
::snicker::
Nice sentiment wolfman. You could run for office! ;)

I checked the gas milage on my Lexus SC (v8) for the first time today. I was disapointed to find that I'm only getting 17mpg.

The Nomad gets twice as good.

I see a Toyota Prius on the horizon for you, Dan. :)

It's worse than than idiots spending millions to save a bird or a mouse. Even bugs are more important than us.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Delhi_Sands_flower-loving_fly

Here's a little pest that cost business developers millions, delayed hospital construction, and basically ruined the economy of its locality, because ecologists were concerned that a freakin sand fly would go extinct.

What' next? Save The Mosquito? Preserve Our Pirahannas? Fines for smashing spiders?

It's hard to believe what goes on here sometimes.


Yup, that's bad. BTW, how in the world did you find that?

I read it in the paper, way back then. that was not long after they jailed that poor farmer that plowed over a kangaroo rat.

Don't forget about anti-biotics! Bacteria are cute little critters that have feelings too ya know!
::snicker::
Nice sentiment wolfman. You could run for office! ;)

Snicker if you must; but just remember that every time you take a dump, billions of E-Coli are driven out of their home to die in some fascist sewage treatment plant.

Even using Purell should entail a heavy fine.

Recall the words of (I think it was) Phil Proctor who said, "We're all on somebody's food chain." So what right do we have to hold ourselves better than other lifeforms?

[dantama]

I checked the gas milage on my Lexus SC (v8) for the first time today. I was disapointed to find that I'm only getting 17mpg.

The Nomad gets twice as good.

I see a Toyota Prius on the horizon for you, Dan. :)

Maybe I'll just move to Venezuela, where gas is under $1 a gallon. Then I'll floor it everywhere I go. :)

[jussmatt]

The problem in this country is we try to be all things to everybody, because we want everyone to be happy campers. Well, life ain't like that. Sometimes you have to make hard decisions without worrying if someone might be offended. If we would have learned our lesson in the '70's, done the right thing, and not necessarily the politically correct thing,we would be independant of foriegn oil today. We have too many greedy people in and out of power that only think of themselves and not the whole country. That kind of thinking, my friends, is what is going to bring this country down........selfish greed. IMHO

+1111111110000000000000