A European study has confirmed that motorcycles are the quickest means of commuting.
Fifteen cities in eight countries took part in practical tests – arranged by Fema, the European umbrella organisation for national motorcycle groups – comparing journey times from the suburbs into the centre for car, motorcycle, public transport, moped and in a few cases bicycles as well.
Journeys were mostly between 12 and 21 miles, with one of just four miles. Oddly, no cities from the UK took part.
Out of 16 tests (Marseilles set up an extra one), the motorcycle set the shortest time in 13 of them, the moped in one other. In the Marseilles tests, the cyclist was fastest in one, public transport in the other. Otherwise, powered two-wheelers came out overwhelmingly on top – in Dublin and Oslo, the bike took 27 minutes, less than half the time taken by car. The Dublin biker would have saved an hour and a half commuting time every day.
Fema also pointed out that riders saved money when they reached the centre, with most cities not charging for two-wheeler parking. They were also exempt from the congestion charge in Stockholm and Oslo (and London, if it had taken part).