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What Motorbike to Commute on?

93 posts & 42 voices | Started 2 years ago by giantjason | Latest reply from hopefiendboy

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Ti29er - Member

The Deauville .... It's not the most exciting but it's highly competent, handles well, is reliable, comfortable, has good luggage capacity and best of all has shaft drive.

ZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzYou see what I mean?
Steve was one of my first patients.
How are the stitches Steve? I' told you the hair is unlikely to grow back now, it was 10 years ago.
You know the drill (no pun intended) but you still do have to change your surname to Dullard, it said so in the Deauvzzzzzzzzz labotomy contarct.

Posted 2 years ago #
epicsteve - Member

This is what replaced the Deauville as my hack tourer/commuter:

It'd also be worth a look as CBF1000's aren't expensive new and can be had cheaply 2nd hand. The Deauville was better in some ways for the type of work you're after (shaft drive, cheaper insurance, better fuel economy and perhaps a little better comfort) but the CBF's engine is very good, plus mine has ABS which my DV didn't (although the newer ones do).

Posted 2 years ago #
Ti29er - Member

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zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzville

Posted 2 years ago #
epicsteve - Member

ZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzYou see what I mean?

By your reckoning then the more exciting the bike the better commuter it makes? I'd rather commute 60 miles a day on a Deauville than on a GSXR1000 or a Ducati (I'd keep them for weekends and evenings). I've always had other bikes as well as the Deauville (CBR etc.) and for anyone doing 120 miles a day (which is going to be close to 30K per annum) that's a sensible idea.

60 miles each way every day is a lot for a motorbike and after a year of that a sportsbike would be worth next to nothing. I've also owned bikes like the Bandit 600 and SV650 and overall I preferred the Deauville for practical stuff. So what if it's not exciting.

Posted 2 years ago #
epicsteve - Member

Ti29er. I've just checked back and given your recommendation was for an R1 I can see you're clearly not serious...

Posted 2 years ago #
richcc - Member

I borrowed a Yamaha TDM (Tedium). Very capable commuter and pretty dull. What we'd all be riding if we bought bikes with our heads not with our hearts.

Definitely worth a look as a commuter

Posted 2 years ago #
Ti29er - Member

Ladies & Gents.
Please move right along.
Nothing to see here.

Steve, as I promised, tomorrow we can visit the zoo.

What you ride speaks volumes about who you are and the choices you make in life. We covered this in the post op meetings. This is why you sold the Dzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz. Remember?

Posted 2 years ago #
epicsteve - Member

I've decided to retaliate by posting a picture of my beloved Deauville on it's final spin before being traded in on the CBF1000GT.

Bought 2nd hand for £4500, ran it year round for nearly 10 years and still got £1500 when I parted with it...

Posted 2 years ago #
Ti29er - Member

I bet those flower boxes will look a treat come the summer and that roof line looks like it'll need some attention before the winter.

Posted 2 years ago #
anagallis_arvensis - Member

my commuter, cost 900 quid ( Thread hijack my newly re made lap top is giving my # not a pound sign, what can do)

Wouldnt do all year round 60mile motorway commute on it though, would cost a fortune in getting my fillings replaced

Posted 2 years ago #
Northwind - Member

It's already been said, the correct answer is a Deuville. As reliable and economic as it is dull and ugly, perfect. I don't think there's any better bike for simple transportation.

That said, for a 120 mile round trip I wouldn't use a bike at all, I'd have a comfy car with a heater, a roof, and a good stereo.

"If you want cheap, reliable and decent enough for a 120 mile round trip you need a minimum 600cc Jap 4, and TBH I'd suggest bigger."

This is such a daft comment it makes me wonder if it's actually a joke that nobody's getting? Particularily when the next paragraph was complaining about how expensive it is to run a big IL4 as a commuter...

Posted 2 years ago #
molgrips - Member

Right, I know nothing about motorbikes. So why would a bike weighing 1/6 what a car does and with an engine half the size get only slightly better fuel economy?

Posted 2 years ago #
solamanda - Member

Obviously most people, including myself, will recommend what they use. I bought a new ER6-F for commuting 3 years ago. I bought it to commute in central London but I now use it for a 90+ mile a day return commute on the motorway. After 25k bar a couple minor issues dealt with under warranty, (exhaust manufacture fault) its been solid. It's still running on the original chain/sprockets with tons of life left, scottoiler = WIN. It goes from A- B fine, exciting enough for going the B road way home and manageable on crappy gripless winter roads. I keep a superbike for summer days.

It provides good protection from the weather, you NEED a full fairing for motorway commuting if you want to ride in the cold. Heated grips or gloves essential. It returns 55 mpg at worst and upto 70mpg, I average around 60mpg most days. For that high mileage it's really worth considering MPG as most bikes struggle to do more than 50mpg. That really costs alot over a year.

As a comparison I ran a ZX9r for nearly 50k, mainly commuting, and it worked out at 44ppm (including depreciation), a later Fazer 1000 came in at 45ppm. Both these would be higher now, as fuel then was sub-90ppl.

I manage to run my bike for alot less than half that including depreciation, running costs and allowance for stuff like clothing etc. How the hell did it cost you that much?! I do benefit from DIY servicing but still that's a big difference.

Posted 2 years ago #
Northwind - Member

"Right, I know nothing about motorbikes. So why would a bike weighing 1/6 what a car does and with an engine half the size get only slightly better fuel economy? "

Not all do... You can get a lot of mileage from the newer BMWs frinstance, and my old Virago could beat 100mpg. Mainly it's because most motorbikes are built for performance though, so it's not like comparing with a family car, more like a 15mph supercar.

It's also got a lot to do with usage, bike engines are often high revving and tend to get ridden relatively hard. It's easy to see how a 600cc engine can have poor economy when it's running at 15000rpm, especially if it's being thrashed on the road.

Most bikes are basically pretty inefficient fuel-wise though. Carbs have only recently died out and fuel injection is still pretty basic on most bikes.

Posted 2 years ago #
Ti29er - Member

If you are of the "Evo" bent, every ride should be an event, take the back roads on sunny days and enjoy the whole experience.
If your commute to work is so dull you are thinking about a dull bike, then please, set your hair alight and opt for some excitement in your 60 mile trip.

Just a thought & hang the extra expense!

Posted 2 years ago #
epicsteve - Member

I doubt Ti29er has even ridden a motorbike. Possibly he's 12.

Posted 2 years ago #
bananaworld - Member

Thread hijack continued:

Thread hijack my newly re made lap top is giving my # not a pound sign, what can do

My laptop does the same, but that's cos it has an 'American' keyboard layout, I think, with no pound signs to be seen. If your '3' key actually has the £ symbol on it then you should be able to change your keyboard settings (Control Panel>Keyboard, or something like that...) to a UK keyboard layout. Otherwise, do what I have to do and type Alt+0163 each time. Ho hum, it was a cheap laptop.

Back on topic, I wish I had the guts to get a motorbike...

Posted 2 years ago #
rickmeister - Member

Had my ZZR 11 for almost 100k miles since 1993. Done most things on it from commuting through courier work to track days and multi week euro tours... and its still going strong.

You can commute on anything that has an engine pretty much, C50 to GTR1400,,, Get a bike you like, one that moves you in more ways than a to b, stuff a bit of extra expense and enjoy every ride. The bike will buy you independence and that precious commodity, time. Use it for commuting. And weekends. And holidays. And just for fun.... Just don't forget a reality/practicality check for those cold wet dark mornings.. the kit can make a great deal of difference too, get good stuff. And a fairing.

Not an actual recommendation, just get into it! If you want a durable low cost low maintenance bike, look what the couriers use and copy it. Nuff said really.

HTH

Posted 2 years ago #
b r - Member

To answer Northwind and Solamanda

"If you want cheap, reliable and decent enough for a 120 mile round trip you need a minimum 600cc Jap 4, and TBH I'd suggest bigger."

This is such a daft comment it makes me wonder if it's actually a joke that nobody's getting? Particularily when the next paragraph was complaining about how expensive it is to run a big IL4 as a commuter...

I wasn't complaining about the cost, just pointing it out. Unlike the majority of people I know exactly how much vehicles cost me, because I keep a record. I buy m/c's new, dealer service during warrenty and then a combination of DIY/dealer. Service at 1/2 intervals, never have a problem selling them on.

To actual commute decent distances in all weathers, and then do a proper job at work requires that you arrive fresh and unstressed - therefore you cannot beat big-engined, reliable and comfy m/c's and good warm, safe and waterproof gear - so add Rukka, Daytona, BKS etc.

I'll leave the 500's and DullVilles to the paupers - you're a long time dead!

Posted 2 years ago #
Ti29er - Member

Epic.
Don't be sore.
You chose a Dzzzzzzzzzzzzzzville.
I raced a 748.
Life-choices, nothing more, nothing less.

This is what Rick & I are trying to illustrate, if you are a Dzzzzzzzzzville, then by all means, get a bike that suits your personallity.

Don't make the (hopeless IMHO) mistake of buying something because it has a greater range in the tank, or it's got 2/3rd rivets as opposed to 1/3rd, or it's comfortable on 1000 mile rides, or it's nimble in treacle.

Buy a bike that fires your imagination, that inspires you, that you want to sit in the garage and just look at, something you'll want to take care of, to have experiences with and which you'll ulitmately be one-with. A bike for B road blasts is what you require, not a commuter, but a bike you love, that sets your hair alight every single time you thumb the starter motor and a bike that just happen to take you to work you.

Invert this entire debate; choose a bike you want as a screen saver and go and try her out.

Posted 2 years ago #
giantjason - Member

crikey......didnt expect that many response. in fact i had to check to make sure i hadn't posted on MCN!

problem is that my previous bikes have been gsxr, R1 etc and am finding it difficult to now go and get something sensible to commute on and be reasonably cheap.......will probably end up boring to ride.

as suggested previously i could drive a car but then that would mean stuck in stationary/stop-start traffic for ages.

Posted 2 years ago #
Northwind - Member

"To actual commute decent distances in all weathers, and then do a proper job at work requires that you arrive fresh and unstressed - therefore you cannot beat big-engined, reliable and comfy m/c's "

You'll arrive fresh and unstressed on a Deuville or similiar. Nonsense to suggest otherwise. And they're a damn sight comfier than the bikes you mentioned, and have far better weather protection. It's just simply a better bike for this job. Terrible bike for weekend blasts and roundabout chasing but that's not what he wants.

"Buy a bike that fires your imagination, that inspires you,"

This is great advice for someone that just wants a bike. but for someone who wants a bike for a 60 mile commute it's not. This isn't a "life choice", it's a transport choice.

To put it into a biking context, this is a bit like someone coming on and saying "I want a cheap reliable road bike" and you turning around and recommending an Orange Five because it's better at flying down rocky trails in the alps. "Life's too short for boring bikes maaaaaaan".

I wouldn't personally get a deuville just now but if I had a 120 mile commute then every bike that I actually want would be the wrong tool for the job, and I'd get a Deuville. Then, I wouldn't buy a 748 either, don't like the weight and the relatively slow steering. Tried one, wasn't too impressed, threw the budget at dymags and a fork revalve for the SV's GSXR forks instead.

Posted 2 years ago #
smudge - Member

Ive got a CB500, cheap insurance, cheap to run 50+mpg and had *cough* 120 out of it. ultra reliable too. if youre doing alot of motorway mileage i'd suggest the S with the fairing.

Posted 2 years ago #
rickmeister - Member

Didnt know you had bike history with the Gixer R1.. so...

CBR 600.
Fairing.Tick.
Loads around. Tick
Reliable. Tick
Commute/Fun Tick
Build Quality Tick.

At the end of the day I reckon you probably know what's what...

Let us know as this thread is a hardy perennial and we need info for next time !

Posted 2 years ago #
JACKTHELAD - Member

get the bmw f650gs you can add panniers,top box bigger screen,is a real joy to drive and also returns between 60-70 to the gallon.On top of this bmw do a lease scheme £500 down £70 a month for 3 years then you can hand it back and get another brand new one ,with the deposit coming from the equity left on the bike.Two years warranty with roadside assistance comes with the bike, and the insurance is a pittance.Along with cheap road tax

Cheap to service,has abs, asc and heated grips for the winter months

what else do you need for commuting

jackthelad

Posted 2 years ago #
epicsteve - Member

I've got a CBR600 (a fuel-injection one) and while it'd tick many of the boxes I've found it quite expensive to run as I only average around 35mpg on it.

I've also done a fair amount of mileage on a CB500S and it'd be a decent choice however the Deauville is faster, handles just as well, has a better fairing, is more comfortable and most importantly for the mileages concerned - has a shaft drive.

For 120 commuting miles a day a shaft-drive would be very close to the top of my list. A Scotoiler on a chain bike helps but it's no substitute.

I've ridden a Ducati 748 and anyone who suggests one for a 30,000 a year commute is an idiot. It'd bankrupt you as well as putting you off motorcycling all together. Lovely track bike or for sunny Sundays but uncomfortable overy any distance and in town and with terrible build quality and reliability. Commuting on one through the winter would be like burning a stack of tenners each day.

Also ridden an F650GS (including off-road) and that'd be a reasonable choice and very good at any town bits. Nowhere near as good as the Deauville for this sort of thing however. One of the BMW F800's would be a good choice - I considered one of them when replacing my Deauville but went with the CBF1000GT instead.

On the "buy a bike that fires your imagination, that inspires you" - I'd agree but suggest instear thatyou buy one of those for the weekend, not for the commute otherwise you'd hate it.

Posted 2 years ago #
rickmeister - Member

Good points being made here...

Back to the Beemer then.....

Posted 2 years ago #
PeterPoddy - Member

Buy a bike that fires your imagination, that inspires you, that you want to sit in the garage and just look at, something you'll want to take care of, to have experiences with and which you'll ulitmately be one-with. A bike for B road blasts is what you require, not a commuter, but a bike you love, that sets your hair alight every single time you thumb the starter motor and a bike that just happen to take you to work you

I can't argue with that, well put. That's basically what I had with my Monster 696. I loved it, it was wonderful. But I couldn't have brought myself to do 120 miles a day on it.... It would have been fine most of the time, and pretty economical too, but it would have ruined it and I couldn't do that to a bike I loved so much.

Posted 2 years ago #
bensales - Member

My 2p worth...

Over the last 15 years, I've commuted on the following over the same sort of distance as the OP:

Yamaha FZR400RRSP
Suzuki SV650S
Suzuki GSX-R750W
Suzuki GSX-R1000K1
Suzuki GSX-R1000K8

The SV was the cheapest to run out of that lot. The GSXR750 the most expensive (mainly because I kept crashing it). The K8 is my current toy, so it gets used for a commute in the summer for fun, but never in the winter.

However, I bought a new Bandit 1250GT last September and have been using that since. Full Givi luggage (2x 35l panniers and 45l top box), hugger, taller screen, heated grips, handguards, touring Scotoiler, and lower fairings, £6700 on the road. Bargain.

Been tracking the running costs since new, and it's costing 16p per mile to run. That is petrol, tyres, and servicing, but not insurance as the company pays for that. Although, that's only 250 quid a year inc business use.

Using it for a weekly run up to York from Birmingham at the minute and can comfortably get a weeks gear and two laptops into the luggage. Excellent bike.

Posted 2 years ago #
bensales - Member

Just seen the OP's bike history.

In which case I'm going to change my recommendation to what I'm switching to next year...

A Hayabusa with a full set of Givi luggage and heated grips.

40+ mpg, all the performance you want, and comfy over distance. You can get a clean early-2000s one for 3k.

I'll be swapping both the Bandit and the GSXR for a new one next Spring to save on space. A-road antics, steady commuting, and continental touring in one bike.

Posted 2 years ago #
PeterPoddy - Member

Hayabusa for commuting? 2000 mile tyre life? OK, explain that one!

Posted 2 years ago #
iDave - Member

OP - what bike for commuting?

Assorted STW - don't get a bike for commuting get an exciting bike...

why? its for commuting? weirdos. you may have ridden a 748 but have you commuted 120 miles a day on it? 5 days a week? no, thought not.

what would plod do? they spend a lot of arse on seat time.....

Posted 2 years ago #
epicsteve - Member

Plod buys Pan Europeans, BMW tourers and, on some forces, Deauvilles.

Posted 2 years ago #
iDave - Member

i'm really surprised plod aren't on 748s? everyone knows they're ace for the long haul

Posted 2 years ago #
Dibbs - Member

I commute on a KTM Duke 690 sometimes, but to be honest my car is probably cheaper to run, does better MPG's and is less likely to get me killed.
The downside is all the pisstaking I have to put up with for driving a Smart Fortwo CDi
Edit: Just seen the comment above about tyre life, 2000 miles, I wish, I managed 1500 miles and much of that the bike was running in.

Posted 2 years ago #

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