I am thinking Suzuki Bandit 600, but what do others recommend?

Deauville?

Something boring, not too fast, fairly economical, with a fairing of some sort.

Dueaville
BMW F800
Honda CBF 600/1000
Older 600 Fazer
Faired Bandit
GSF 600/750
Maybe an older CBR600 or Thundercat

I wouldn't buy new, to be sure, because at that milage it'll loose money very fast. I'd buy 2-4 years old with a low milage. Then when you put a lot of miles on it, it won't seem too higher milage at 4-6 years old when you sell.

Whatever you fancy. I know someone who uses an early R1. if you want it to be cheap buy a small car.

Murray – car is ruled out due to parking costs.

BMW F650
Old monster
royal einfield
cb 500
ER 5
GSE 500
XT 600

old second hand stuff with a reputation of being in breakable

royal einfield

Now, I like them, but I wouldn't want to be doing80 miles a day on one…

cb 500
ER 5
GSE 500

I did 35,000 miles a CB500 and, yes it'll be cheap to run, but if it's going to be doing 400 miles a week, I'd want a bit more poke and a few more luxuries.
But it's easily the best of that bunch. GS500s are G.R.I.M.!!

Uncool maxiscooter?

SV650.

Cheap, plentiful and fun

Sprint RS
Cheap, run by older blokes so less thrashed(Me),50-55mpg, 220m/tank, 150mph.
Capable of high mileage.Good lights, good brakes,Fun

Deuville, it's basically a 2 wheeled car. Brilliant at this job. Though not usually as cheap as you'd hope for that reason. Or, an older Fazer maybe, before they ruined it. The Bandit'll do the job but it has Legendary Suzuki Build Quality so if you run it through the winter you'll come back one day and discover it's completely melted.

I love my SV650 but not sure it's ideal here, it'll munch miles with ease and cruise at 100mph fully laden no bother but it's not the comfiest and the weather protection and fuel economy's not great either- even with the full fairing and screen it's not exactly weatherproof. And again, the build quality's gash, like the Bandit, though they're reliable as long as you sort out the basics. Well, OK, slightly better than the Bandit, there's less steel in it to rust.

Call me stoopid, but I'm doing 60mile a day on a PX150 clone (LML Belladonna/Stella). Gets 100mpg if I ride sensible, but falls to 75mpg if I cane it. Happy to do 55mph, will break 60 flat out! (Carb is rejetted and a Sito Plus pipe).

J series zx6r – plenty comfy and quick

FZ6, mine does that everyday and it's fine. It's the newer model, too – I can't understand the people on this thread complaining about them.

Basically: any of the newer Japanese (approx.) 600CC models: SV650, FZ6, Bandit, GSR, Deauville, etc. etc. AFAIK there aren't any really bad jap bikes out there, at this price point.

SV650.
Cheap, plentiful and fun

…and lumpy low down in the revs, PITA in traffic.

and lumpy low down in the revs, PITA in traffic.

Easily fixed… Smaller cog…

Bikes are cheap and really don't lose cash if you look after them, irrelevent of miles.

Buy nearly new, change the oil/filter every 4k.

For a fair few years I did +100 miles per day commute, started on a zx9r then Fazer thou and then Tiger 1050. All bought new.

Big bikes aren't particulary cheap to run (esp tyres), but cost nothing to park and you'll often get back 1-2 hours per day through no delays – so for me it was really free due to increased hours.

It really depends on what you've ridden before, if someone was asking for advice I'd suggest a nearly new 4 cylinder Jap bike – if I had to go back to my old commute, probably another abs Tiger 1050 (very safe, comfortable and a good tall riding position, plus nearly 60mpg on a fast commute) or equivilent.

Don't underestimate the benefit of a fairing, heated grips (I've put them on all my bikes, plus bought the Tiger with them on as an extra), a top box (don't run panniers, too wide – many a time I've been stuck behind a Beemer in a queue…) and good lights. Also sort out your riding gear.

I'd look at service costs/intervals/tyres etc (and take into account how much you'll do yourself) – that's high mileage for a bike

Consider the desirability of a fairing – I hated fairings until I started communting a fair distance all year round….. handlebar muffs may look crap but your hands will still work on cold days….

Consider the route characteristics, drop bars are great at 70, small/medium trailes are great in traffic but I wouldn't fancy 35 miles each way on a motorway.

Kawasaki KLE/Versys (twin 600ish)etc range seem to be great bread and butters.

Not being funny but could you have a car and park a bit out and walk/bike. (A diesel car doing 50mpg and taking into account better tyre life, MUCH longer servicing etc etc might be worth evaluating)

Not being funny but could you have a car and park a bit out and walk/bike. (A diesel car doing 50mpg and taking into account better tyre life, MUCH longer servicing etc etc might be worth evaluating)

Point = Missed. 🙂

Why would you get a car when you want a bike?

cbr 600 they will go round the clock if looked after

cbr 600 they will go round the clock if looked after

Anything will….. 🙂

Commute will be to the centre of Glasgow along motorways. Trust me – car is not an option here. Plus – the wife is letting me buy a bike – I dont want a car – I am sick of cars.

Any other bits of kit I should be looking at? Hein Gericke will be taking care of clothing. What is a good quiet helmet?

Having had both, Shoeis are quieter then Arais, because the Arai side pods cause turbulence. But on a regular journey of that length, you'll be waring earplugs anyway (I hope!!) 🙂

what ever you get it MUST have heated grips. 🙂
I found my BMW F650GS was brilliant for commuting, nippy, handles well, sensible fuel consumption, the upright seated position improves your visibility and conspicuity, but the best bit in winter was the warm hands.

My old F650 single is good for commuting but not for motorways, gets a bit of a rattle on above 70. The new twin version would be good though I imagine. Dullville would be a more sensible choice too.

I have a Caberg V2 helmet which is a reasonable price (120ish) with an inbuilt sun visor and is fairly quiet, ear plugs and a buff around the neck really cut down win noise. Its a cheap enough helemt to replace easily which is better than an expensive one you will keep for too long IMO. (5 star safety rating too).

Odd. I had a Caberg flip front helmet. It was the noisiest piece of crap I've ever had on my head.

My open face lid is quieter than any full-facer I've ever had, because it seals so tightly round my head/ears. Great on the scooter (I have a Vespa GT200 at the minute) but a bit, err, umm, prone to flys in the face and flappy lips, shall we say on a motorbike!

The V2 whilst still being a budget helmet is a lot quieter than the flip fronted version my old man has, trip or something its called. You have to remember its half the price of a Shoei

+1 replacing helmets regulary.

I use to buy a new one every Ally Pally or Brum show, usually last year's race-rep at less than 50%.

Not much dearer than replacing a top-end visor, and you got a nice new clean lid.

Also recommend Daytona boots and you will need two pairs of gloves, and a good lock – ignore alarms, they are just too much hassle.

Buy earplugs in bulk, replace at least weekly, if not more.

Dullville as a bike (or an old BMW), HG for clothing, HJC helmet. Enjoy!

These days it takes so long to get into all the motorbike gear that the car driver has already arrived and had their first cup of coffee – before you've left.

There's an old rule – don't confuse your transport with your toys.

Ignore it – if you're having fun on the way to work it's even better. 🙂

You have to remember its half the price of a Shoei

My XR1000 was £195 at the BMF show….

These days it takes so long to get into all the motorbike gear that the car driver has already arrived and had their first cup of coffee – before you've left

Absolute carp! Jacket, lid, gloves, gone. 🙂
By the time you're stuck in the first queue, the bike will be ahead of you.

Goldwing

does anyone here use moulded earplugs or just the disposable ones? worth it?

If you've a big head I've a half day old RST helmet, was one of 2 that fitted in the shop, but this one was only £90 (down from ~£140)as opposed to £200 (down from something ridiculous).

Wore it for half a day and had to swap back to my old one.

I know the rule of thumb is never buy a used helmet but this has honestly spent 2 weeks in a cuppboard, 4 hours on my head and 8 in the footwell of the midget (in its box).

If your near Reading feel free to make a silly offer on it.

400mile week you need shaft drive and a fairing to be honest. Hardly sexy, but try Yam Diversion 900. 8 valve air cooled lump and will come with panniers I expect. Boring, but oh so practical…

George – a pal of mine is selling his Bandit – one owner from new – want his email ?

hels – looking at the bandit a bit more and speaking to folk that have done a lot of miles on one, I don't think it'll be the best bike for me.

Also – trying to talk the father inlaw into giving me his bike that he doesn't use.

Long time since I road a motor bike why the ear plugs

So you don't get deafened by wind noise at high speed

Konabunny – i got two sets of moulded ear plugs made for me, both with different inserts. TBH i don't rate them that much, i prefer the disposable foam ones most of the time.
Think the bespoke ones cost about £100 a set and they are only good for about 3 or 4 years due to the changing physiology of the ear canal.

OP – if you are on motorways or dual carriageways,as most have said a mid capacity Jap bike would be easiest to buy, maintain and sell. Half fairing for the pissy wet days, good set of waterproofs, boots, gloves etc.
Helmet is a very personal thing, try before you buy, but 2 minutes in the shop is different from an hour or so on the bike. I alternate between my Soei's and Arai.
Gloves will take a few weeks to break in, and usually rub across the knuckles where the armour is – this willease off after a bit.
Boots – some don't like race rep type boots to begin with, but they are the best thing to have on if you are unlucky enough to come off – i've just bought a new pair of TCX RS Comp boots, hated them for the first two weeks and was going to go back to my Sidi Vertabrae's, but persevered and now they are broken in they are superb.
Back protectors – me and the missus use Halvarsson / Force Field / Oddel davis stuff – not cheap but the best in impact energy transfer testing, and comfy when worn in.
I use armoured jeans most of the time i ride, again Halvarsson with their armour in the knees and hips, the quality of their jeans is far superior to the likes of RST, Arlen Ness, Bering etc.