Motorbike travel: carbon footprint per km
Live factor value
0.11367 kgCO2e per km
Source: UK DESNZ greenhouse-gas conversion factors, 2026 (revision 2). Factor set desnz-2026-r2.
An average motorbike emits less per kilometre than an average car — the official DESNZ 2026 figure is shown live below — because there is simply less machine to move. But the advantage is smaller than most riders expect: motorbike engines carry less emissions-control equipment than modern cars, which claws back much of the weight saving.
DESNZ also publishes small, medium and large splits: a small commuter bike undercuts the average comfortably, while a large tourer approaches a small car's per-km figure. Against coach and rail there is no contest — those passengers travel at a third of a motorbike's per-km footprint or less, though an average local bus actually sits slightly above it.
Worked example
A year's motorbike commuting (~4,000 km): 4,000 × 0.11367 = 455 kgCO2e.
Measure your own with the free commuting calculator.
Frequently asked questions
- Is a motorbike greener than a car?
- Than an average car driven solo, yes — roughly a third lower per km on the official 2026 averages. Against a full car or any public transport mode, the motorbike loses.