Most Fuel-Efficient Motorcycles: Your Guide to Greater MPG

The subsection of riders who select their ride with fuel efficiency as their primary concern is quite likely infinitesimally minute. That said, with all other factors equal, it can certainly be not just a nice bonus but a very real differentiator in selecting which motorcycle to purchase.

Who doesn’t want to get the most out of their ride? Better efficiency means longer stints between stops and a fatter wallet, not to mention it’s generally better for the environment.

Now, some of that is down to you, the rider, and the ways and places in which you choose to ride. Tire pressure, throttle application, altitude, and road conditions can all have a significant impact on miles per gallon.

That said, the motorcycle does play a major role. So assuming all else is equal, what bike should you pick? 

Here’s a quick guide to some of today’s mileage champs broken down by category:

Scooters

Some may consider this cheating, but at least in terms of miles per gallon, scooters truly are the kings of the road. In this category, you can pretty much go ahead and take your pick. The Honda PCX125 and Yamaha NMax 125, for example, will both give you well over 100 miles per gallon of fuel.

Electric Motorcycles

Speaking of cheating, electric motorcycles forgo MPG altogether and can grant huge savings in that regard as a result. That said, range limitations are still very much in play.

The Zero SR/S and SR/F is a standout in this area, offering in the neighborhood of 160 miles of city riding and 100 miles at highway speed between charges.

Small Displacement Bikes

The Honda Grom provides scooter-like 100+MPG fuel efficiency in a more conventional motorcycle-like package.

The 125cc single with its four-speed gearbox also makes it a fun, affordable ride that is great for beginners.

Commuter

Commuters are among the most fuel efficiency conscious, as the associated advantages and savings rank as major reasons they’ve elected to go with two wheels over four in the first place.

Fortunately for them, Honda offers the NC750X DCT, which is a sporty, versatile, and fun ride that’s super convenient to ride even in stop and go traffic thanks to its dual-clutch automatic transmission technology.

And despite having a much larger capacity engine than the 125s listed above, it still offers as much as 80 miles per gallon.

Sportbikes

Last month, we covered the appeal of entry-level bikes for beginners and experienced riders alike. The best of them are lightweight, maneuverable, affordable, and increasingly stylish machines.

They also happen to be super fuel efficient, even in their sportiest guises. The Kawasaki Ninja 400 and Honda CBR300R, for example, will grant you close to 70 miles per gallon of fuel.

If you’re looking for a little more punch, the Yamaha YZF-R7 provides close to 60 mpg in a bigger package.

And if naked sportbikes are more your style, the Yamaha MT-07 features the same 689cc DOHC fuel-injected parallel twin engine as the R7 and thus extremely similar fuel efficiency. 

Cruiser/Retro

Here too entry-level bikes are the key to high efficiency in the cruiser segment.

The Honda Rebel 300 and Yamaha V-Star 250 provide nearly 80 miles per gallon, as does Royal Enfield’s Classic 350 retro machine.

And similar to the sport market, Yamaha offers a bigger bore offering in the Bolt R-Spec that’ll get over 50 mph despite packing a 942cc V-Twin mill.

Dual Sport/Adventure

The Suzuki DR200S entry-level dual sport bike is a lightweight bike renowned for its ease of use. It also pushes the scooters and smaller displacement bikes listed above with a MPG hovering near 90.

If you’re looking for something bigger in the category, Yamaha offers the same 689cc parallel twin featured in the R7 and MT-07 in its Ténéré 700 Adventure bike.

Ride Farther, Ride Safer with Law Tigers
Fuel-efficient bikes let you stretch every mile and spend more time exploring the open road. But even with great mileage and careful riding, accidents can still happen.

Before your next long ride, grab your free rider benefit kit and save 1-800-LAWTIGERS.