[SPLIT LIP]

Though he doesn't "ride" the car, he drives it. The name still remains somewhat of a misnomer.

Having a car instead of a bike means absolutely nothing in regards to what you're describing. If they wanted the bike to be more prominent, they could've made it more prominent. Likewise if they didn't want to make the car prominent it could just as easily be written into a role of obscurity. Being the source for the tires could also have been given to a bike. Bikes have tires, too. The car exists purely as part of the motif, and it's usefulness is dependant on the show writers wanting it to be useful, not it being any more inherantly useful than bikes.