The debate between two wheels and four has raged for years, as motorists and bikers both argue that their mode of transport is superior to the other. Regardless of which vehicle you prefer to drive, there is no denying that motorbikes have a certain appeal. The combination of this appeal and the current economy means that typical two car families are transforming themselves into one car, one bike families, but why? Here's a rundown why losing two wheels is becoming more and more popular for families.

Garage space

Space is a precious commodity, especially for larger families. What this usually translates to is your two car family will only have a single garage or driveway to share between both cars. Not only does this present a security risk for the poor motor being left out on the street, it can also mark you as a higher risk and hike up your insurance costs. The one car, one bike family needs not worry about such things, as motorbikes take up little space and so can usually fit in a garage with a car. Safe as houses.

Fuel efficiency

Do you use the car to nip to the shops or pop to the local newsagents? If so, you probably notice the increasing amount you're spending on fuel in making these little trips. Swap the car for a bike, and you've immediately found yourself a more economic and fuel efficient way to travel, meaning you can nip and pop to your heart's content. Keep the car for longer distances and family trips, and use the bike for the weekly shop (you'd be surprised how much you can fit in the panniers of a motorbike). A greater level of fuel efficiency means fewer emissions, and fewer emissions means less road tax. There's a definite pattern of savings forming here.

Back and forth

Motorbikes are increasingly becoming the choice of transport for the modern commuter. If you've a family with a teenager, university student or older child in work, giving them the use of a motorbike or scooter will give them a sense of independence and allow them to commute to school or work without making the pennies mount up too much. Plus it will stop the over reliance of "Dad's taxi".

On the flip side

So having a motorbike as opposed to a second car generally comes out cheaper, but there's another side to the argument. Cars are generally built to be sturdier than motorbikes, and have a lot more in the way of built in safety features (seatbelts and air bags come to mind), so for a full family outing you can't beat the robust nature of a car. Also, the image of the two car family is still popular, meaning that car insurance companies are offering discounts for adding multiple cars under the same policy. There are some specialist 'six wheel' policies floating around, but they are still quite uncommon.

If you're a one car family looking to gain an extra set of wheels, or a two car family looking to lose a set, take a look at how much you could save by opting for a motorbike instead of a car.

This guest post was written by Jamie Gibbs, the resident blogger for multi car insurance comparison site, Confused.com.

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