which bike for a long commute?

WITH any luck (plus skill and charm), I may be getting a new job next month, in Macclesfield.
A mere 55 miles away from my home.
At present, I have a 50cc scoot and a car but I intend to commute by smokeycycle.

Bearing in mind that at present I have no money at all and next month will have have a very small amount of money, what bike would suit my needs and be able to take all-weather abuse for 100+ miles a day?

---

www.definitivedesigns.co.uk - Canvas printing to order




Lurker Extraordinaire
Bajaj? We don't need no stinkin bajaj...



...:smoke:

diceman wrote

..........

Train till you get some dosh init.

---

TiT#107D WINO#1 MOL

Celebrity Beer Belly Twin

Honda C90 and a gameboy to keep you awake.

It'd help if you gave a clue to your budget FFS. To some people a grand is very little money. To others it's a fortune.

---

'flat' twin

XJ600/900. Should be able to get one cheap.

I assume you have a full licence ?

---

SG# 67

Steve Jordan Motorcycles Gerbing Heated Clothing Hein Gericke HooD Jeans Are you a complete PC n00b ?

Pussyhorse wrote

To some people a grand is very little money. To others it's a fortune.

Before I was married with children, I wouldn't have thought it that much at all.

Now, it's a fortune.

Foxile wrote

XJ600/900. Should be able to get one cheap.

I assume you have a full licence ?

for about 8 years.

---

www.definitivedesigns.co.uk - Canvas printing to order




Lurker Extraordinaire
Bajaj? We don't need no stinkin bajaj...



...:smoke:

In that case look for a tatty BROS 400. Saw a reasonable looking one go on eBay for 270 quid yesterday. I was tempted, but want a 650.

You can get high mileage NTVs for buttons too.

Same basic engines and go on for ever.

---

'flat' twin

Pussyhorse wrote

In that case look for a tatty BROS 400. Saw a reasonable looking one go on eBay for 270 quid yesterday. I was tempted, but want a 650.

You can get high mileage NTVs for buttons too.

Same basic engines and go on for ever.

thanks,

will do.

---

www.definitivedesigns.co.uk - Canvas printing to order




Lurker Extraordinaire
Bajaj? We don't need no stinkin bajaj...



...:smoke:

BMW R80 or 65 go on for ever and comfortable as well easy to maintain but you can forget pulling any birds under the age of 50.

---

"THINK" it's not illegal yet.

How about buying two bikes?

Get an ultra-cheap one for now that just "gets you there". No fairing, no screen, no heated grips. Just and engine and a couple of brakes will do for the summer. Ah, some wheels too.

Hopefully you'll have a few months to put some money aside and buy something a bit more protective for the winter. I wouldn't consider that kind of distance without at the very least a screen. Hard luggage wouldn't be a bad idea in a downpour.

something old with a shaft (I do the same mileage (roughly)) - it equates to 550 miles a week, 2,200+ a month.

GT550
XJ900 (shaftie)
Bros 650

You don't want to go smaller than 500cc imho cos otherwise you'll be ragging it everywhere and it'll get bloody tiring. Factor in "time" - you'll be spending 3+ hours at least in the saddle every day so make sure the bike is comfy, but fun, otherwise you'll end up hating it.

Also think about buying clothing that is intrinsically waterproof. One pieces are fine for occasionaly use (I have one for utter downpours), but if you're struggling into it daily it becomes far more hassle than you'd imagine, Look at Hein Gericke stuff - especially the GoreTex ranges. Get clothing that's not too warm in summer, but has a liner for winter. Do NOT buy it tight - you'll want to get a jersey underneath on those really cold mornings. ALso - do NOT buy the clothing off the rack - ask the salesman for something fresh out of the box (it won't have been tried on by 30 different people and the seams won't leak )

See if you can get hold of a WindStopper fleece - they're FAR thinner than normal fleeces but just as warm - makes a BIG difference because they're not bulky.

Also factor in the costs of maintenance. You may well find that a season ticket is equal, or LESS cost than the overall cost of bike, clothing, insurance, maintenance, fuel, tyres etc.

Mine certainly is over a year - by about £500 - BUT I enjoy my ride to work every morning and the ride home. I get to work awake and fresh, as opposed to half asleep and bored after a train journey, and I can time my arrival FAR better than I can on the train. The ride home allows me to forget work, and release any frustrations.

---

Great Prophet of Veedism.
non quod sed quomodo
"BBQ fluid is a sweaty one night stand compared to the long term relationship of a properly burning wood fire."
Cool in a fuddy-duddy old fart kinda way - Wingnut

RiceBurner wrote

Also factor in the costs of maintenance. You may well find that a season ticket is equal, or LESS cost than the overall cost of bike, clothing, insurance, maintenance, fuel, tyres etc.

Yep, train is cheaper for me too

BMW R80 is worth a look. A friend has one, and it gets washed & serviced once a year, has been going well on it for the last 5 years and will probably go on for at least the same again.

Start with a cheap car and save for a reasonable bike.

RiceBurner wrote

Also think about buying clothing that is intrinsically waterproof. One pieces are fine for occasionaly use (I have one for utter downpours), but if you're struggling into it daily it becomes far more hassle than you'd imagine, Look at Hein Gericke stuff - especially the GoreTex ranges. Get clothing that's not too warm in summer, but has a liner for winter. Do NOT buy it tight - you'll want to get a jersey underneath on those really cold mornings. ALso - do NOT buy the clothing off the rack - ask the salesman for something fresh out of the box (it won't have been tried on by 30 different people and the seams won't leak

The Spada Range is very good, i use it all year round.

Also get soem Muffs, yes you will look like a courier, BUT you will stay nice and warm!!

FJ1200. Brilliant for comfort and an excellent commuter. You can get a decent one for around £1000. They are also dead simple to work on and engines are bullet proof. Just change the oil every 2000 miles.

Season ticket for me is the same as running the bike annually. I'd rather take the bike as I'm not at the mercy of public transport gremlins and have to suffer the sardine can environs of the train. Bike is quicker, you can use it door to door and you can go to other places too! Train ticket restricts you to one line of transport.

aceboy wrote

The Spada Range is very good, i use it all year round.

Also get soem Muffs, yes you will look like a courier, BUT you will stay nice and warm!!

I'd agree with that. I was doing 600+ miles a week on the commute but I did get to f*ckin hate it.

I was really glad when I managed to get a job locally. I don't mind wasting an hour of my day getting to work but 3 hours does grind you down after a while (I spent 3 years doing it and hated it - mind you, it wasn't helped by the fact that I didn't like the companies I was working for).

---

Anything typed by 'knee_boarder' is likely to be (C) Stephen Wilkinson, who asserts his right to be identified as the author under the Copyright, Design and Patents Act 1988 It may be quoted only as part of a post within the Visordown bulletin board by another board member. The author should be contacted for written permission before any other use, storage, transmission or recording, by any means.

TSSC#1

choc-ice wrote

BMW R80 is worth a look.

The most unreliable bike I've ever owned. The Guzzi's I've owned look positively Honda like in their reliability compared to the R80. A piece of utter shite.

A CB500 will out perform one, cost less and last a lot longer.

Ideally something that's both a shaftie, and has a decent fairing on it. Having done a similar commute (but the opposite way*), they really are important.

btw, consider having a cheap hack car for the winter - it REALLY REALLY isn't a great deal of fun commuting 110 miles/day by bike on a motorway in either snow, frost, or spring/autumn torrential rain. Even with good kit.

*The opposite way though - have you any idea how bad the traffic will be the direction you are going?!

EDIT: I used a CBR6 for donkeys years for this commute, brilliant apart from the chain!

---

BUY ONE A4 PRINT - GET ANOTHER OF YOUR CHOICE FREE!!
Visit my website! 10% discount for all VDers
Rainmaker Nature Photography

I now accept Paypal too!

VD SCAB-34 No.1 T.W.A.T.

Pirahna wrote

The most unreliable bike I've ever owned. The Guzzi's I've owned look positively Honda like in their reliability compared to the R80. A piece of utter shite.

One swallow doesn't make a summer. Or a night for Atlas

I thought the R75, R80s were pretty long-lasting. Fair point about the CB500 out performing it though

Pussyhorse wrote

In that case look for a tatty BROS 400. Saw a reasonable looking one go on eBay for 270 quid yesterday. I was tempted, but want a 650.

You can get high mileage NTVs for buttons too.

Same basic engines and go on for ever.

The bros would hit the mark on price and reliability but, sorry, you'd have to love it to be arsed with a lot of motorway miles and bad weather. Summer twisties is great fun, mind.

Honda Deauville?
Ebay?