What is eco-driving on a motorcycle?
When driving a motorcycle, the practice of “eco-driving” aims to reduce fuel consumption and CO2 emissions , by encouraging responsible behavior on the road.
This driving strategy is based on basic principles such as reducing speed , accelerating and decelerating smoothly, maintaining a safe distance from other vehicles and anticipating changes in traffic patterns.
Significant advantages
The benefits of eco-driving on a motorcycle are numerous. First, it reduces fuel consumption, which translates into long-term savings . In addition, it reduces CO2 emissions and protects the environment.
Finally, it can make driving safer by increasing driver concentration and foresight, while reducing the likelihood of traffic accidents.
Eco-driving on a motorcycle: which techniques should you use?
For all motorcycle riders, there are several eco-driving techniques they can use to reduce their fuel consumption and minimize their environmental impact.
Anticipate road behavior
This first technique consists of anticipating road behavior by reducing speed when approaching a red light or an obstacle, rather than braking suddenly.
Maintain a constant speed
For efficient eco-driving, it is strongly recommended to maintain a constant speed , avoiding sudden accelerations to save fuel.
Change gears quickly
According to a study by éco-drive.ch, the higher the gear ratio, the greater the reduction in fuel consumption. It is therefore recommended to shift into higher gears at around 2000 rpm for diesel vehicles and 2500 rpm for gasoline vehicles.
Check tire pressure
Another technique is to not neglect to check your vehicle’s tires . Indeed, when the tires are under-inflated, they tend to cause much higher fuel consumption than if they were at the correct pressure.
Avoid overloading a vehicle
Having a vehicle that is rather loaded in terms of additional weight leads to greater rolling resistance of the vehicle, which leads to excess fuel consumption.
Plan your trips
The last technique for practicing eco-driving properly is that you need to organize your trips in order to avoid unnecessary detours that would hinder more ecological consumption of your vehicle.
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How can eco-driving improve safety?
Eco-driving can improve driver safety in several ways. Motorcyclists can reduce their risk of accidents by adopting a smoother driving style, better anticipating hazards, and minimizing harsh braking and rapid acceleration.
Slowing down is another important safety feature, allowing motorcyclists to better control their braking distance and react more quickly to unforeseen circumstances. Furthermore, by properly maintaining your motorcycle and riding more sparingly, you reduce the risk of breakdowns and accidents related to mechanical failures.
In short, eco-driving can enable motorcyclists to ride in a safer and more sustainable manner.
Eco-driving statistics
The benefits of eco-driving are often touted. However, it’s helpful to look at some statistics to demonstrate that this practice is effective.
The figures according to Bison Futé
The Bison Futé website is a public road information service organization. Practicing eco-driving by driving more slowly helps reduce:
by almost 15% its fuel consumption. A speed reduction of 10 km/h allows you to save 3 to 5 liters of fuel over 500 km;
the risk of road accidents of 10% to 15% in a typical situation;
CO² emissions. 10 km/h less reduces CO² emissions by 12.5%, or 12 kg, over a distance of 500 km.
A reduction in consumption
According to this field study, an average 13% decrease in fuel consumption was observed between normal and economical driving. All drivers who participated in the experiment consumed less fuel during their journeys with economical driving, with this decrease reaching up to 26% for some.
The other observation highlighted is that there is a difference in maximum consumption. The latter is 8.3 L/100 km in normal driving while it is only 6.7 L/100 km in economical driving .
These results demonstrate that it is relatively easy to reduce fuel consumption simply by following a few basic eco-driving guidelines. In fact, it’s important to remember that before the trial, half of the participants had little or no knowledge of this practice.