There’s no getting away from it; life is getting more expensive by the day. It always has, of course, but since political turbulence in America began shaking global markets, the cost of living has rocketed, leaving many of us struggling, and nowhere is this more noticeable than at the petrol pumps.
There was a time when driving a diesel-engined car was the sensible choice; diesel cost just about as much as petrol, but a litre of diesel took you further than a litre of petrol. Diesel now costs as much as R10 a litre more than it did at the beginning of the year, while petrol has also increased by around R5 a litre, and there’s no guarantee that it’s not going to get worse before it gets better. It’s no secret that fuel purchases were down a huge 35% in April over March 2026.
This is affecting the way we are using our private cars. We’re thinking more carefully before making any journey. Is it really necessary? Can we combine two trips into one? How can we drive more economically?
These measures are all well and good, but are they going far enough? No matter how little you use your car, the finance repayments stay the same, as do the insurance costs and the annual licence costs, not to mention depreciation. It’s not a pretty picture.
For those open to a more fundamental shift in transport solutions, why not opt for a commuter motorbike? A 125, 200 or 250 cc motorbike can reduce monthly transport costs to a fraction of what they were while, at the same time, saving you (potentially) hours on your daily commute.
Indian motorcycle brand TVS, newly reintroduced into South Africa by The Nexus Collective, has released some figures comparing car and motorcycle purchase and running costs, and they make for very interesting reading indeed.
Let’s take a TVS Apache RTR 200 4V, costing R44,999 as a representative sample, and pitch it against an entry-level hatchback costing R220,000. The details are laid out in the tables below, but look at that bottom line; the car will cost you R9,530 per month, while the bike costs R3,000 per month. That’s less than a third!
| Entry hatchback |
| Purchase price: R220,000 |
| Monthly finance (60 mo): R4,800 |
| Fuel (1,500 km @ 6.5 l/100): R2,600 |
| Comprehensive insurance: R1,100 |
| Annual service (prorated): R600 |
| Tyres (prorated): R300 |
| Licence & registration: R130 |
| Est. monthly total: R9,530 |
| TVS Apache RTR 200 4V |
| Purchase price: R44,999 |
| Monthly finance (48 mo): R1,250 |
| Fuel (1,500 km @ 2.6 l/100): R1,040 |
| Comprehensive insurance: R380-R500 |
| Annual service (prorated): R150 |
| Tyres (prorated): R100 |
| Licence & registration: R80 |
| Est. monthly total: R3,000 |
Then factor in your time; how much is that worth? How long do you spend in traffic to and from work every day: an hour, two hours, more? How much time can you save if you’re not stuck in traffic morning and night? That’s time you could be spending with your family, pursuing a hobby, staying fit, seeing friends or simply relaxing.
There is just no area of comparison where the bike doesn’t make owning a car look like a serious extravagance. Put it this way: you save R6,000 every month. By the end of the year, that’s R72,000 saved; that’s enough for a holiday for the family, a cost that isn’t over and above paying for a car.
It is well known that riding a motorcycle has mental health benefits. Sure, you might not think so when riding in a downpour or in freezing weather, but dress appropriately and the weather need not be a barrier.
Safety on the roads? Yes, our roads are dangerous, but ride sensibly and defensively, and you need not be taking your life into your hands every time you leave the house, and you’ll still get home way before your neighbour. Another drawback is the lack of carrying capacity. But if you can balance the negatives – weather, load capacity and safety – and still find the benefits more appealing, then the decision has been made for you.
Just because we’re talking about a relatively inexpensive, small-displacement motorcycle, don’t think that we are talking about some budget piece of trash that’s going to last you maybe a year before it needs to be replaced.
The aforementioned TVS Apache RTR 400 comes with Showa suspension (a brand found on the best sports bikes), a slipper clutch (safer downshifts, especially in slippery conditions), dual-channel ABS (meaning it works on both wheels), riding modes (to regulate throttle response depending on the road conditions), Bluetooth connectivity and a top speed that will keep up with highway traffic if it is running freely. If traffic is at a standstill, the Apache is narrow, light and easily manoeuvrable, so you can squeeze through gaps that car drivers can only dream about.
South Africans have historically viewed the car as a social necessity as much as a practical one. Rising fuel prices, rising insurance premiums, and rising interest rates are quietly but forcefully revising that calculation. The 35% drop in April fuel purchases is not a blip – it is the beginning of a structural rethink. For those with the flexibility to embrace it, two wheels may be the most rational financial decision available in 2026.
TVS Motorcycles
For more information on the TVS models, click on the links below…
