Gain time by motorcycle commuting - Commuting tips - page 2

How much you save

You can never have enough time. Ask any millionaire what he'd like more of. It won't be money, more than likely it'll be time. And this is what the motorcycle offers you.

We polled our readers to find out what their commuting habits were. This is what we found:

• The average commuting distance was 15 miles, 30 miles return.
• The average travel time by bike was 23 minutes
• The average (winter) suiting up time was 7 minutes
• The average alternative travel times were 56 minutes by car, 77 minutes by public transport
• The average time saving for each journey by taking the bike was therefore 23 minutes over the car (a 48% saving) and 44 minutes over public transport (a 65% saving).

So compared to the car the biking commuter saves 46 minutes a day, which accumulates to a substantial 7.6 days over a working year. And compared to the train the biking commuter saves 88 minutes a day, which accumulates to a staggering 14.6 days a year -nearly two years over a working lifetime!

As we've already said, motorcyclists are also saving around half the fuel bills a car's racking up. We compared the fuel economy of our own Corporal Hogan's Suzuki GSR600 with that of an 1800cc family car over his 15-mile urban commute. John was making his commute in half the time, using half the fuel, puffing out half the atmosphere-killing CO2s and gaining a full seven-and-a-half extra days to spend with his two young daughters (oh, and wife).

So what's stopping you?

We've made the case. Of course if you're just a big girl's blouse and think you're gonna get your hands cold, gonna crumple your hair, gonna be ridiculed by your workmates, then take stock and think again. You have the means to making your own life, and those of others, much better. Do it.

Top tips for successful commuting

• Make commuting an art, not a chore.Clothing selection, route variations, bike maintenance, even getting dressed and undressed all become pleasurable if approached with something   approaching a zen-like state of mind 
• Heated grips are ace  
• Heated clothing is even better, as long as your bike's battery is up to it
• Don't get complacent riding a route you know well. Always be on your guard 
• Have a look at exactly what sort of surfaces are where on your route. The drain covers and white lines you've been ignoring all summer could catch you out come winter. Look for where leaves are settling - in a few weeks that could be a big pile of slippery mush waiting to catch you out 
• In winter, don't start the journey with cold hands - they'll never warm up. 
• If you've got to handle cold metal to unlock your bike or get it out of the garage, do it with gloves on. 
• Ditto when filling up with fuel
• Keep a spare set of gloves at work. It sucks riding home in wet gloves. Use your computer monitor to dry moist, not dripping, gloves 
• Wear a clean neck tube every day or winter salt and road grime gives you spots on your neck. Pus-tastic! 
• Try not to get sweaty indoors getting kitted up on a cold day, you'll quickly get cold when you go outside 
• Don't be put off by rain - riding in the wet is good for you. As long as your kit keeps you dry it can be a rewarding challenge
• Change sticky summer tyres for touring/rain orientated ones. Might cost you a few quid but will definitely be cheaper than repairs caused by inappropriate rubber not working in the rain and cold
• Don't use a Walkman/iPod/iPhone/etc - it takes the edge off concentration
• Look for indicators, big gaps, direction of front wheels, side roads. All tell-tale signs a car driver will turn out of or pull into a gap. All of which they will do without looking for the bike 
• Be courteous. When a car moves in for you during filtering, acknowledge with a wave if you can
• Keep your visor clean and mist free. Pinlocks or Fog City inserts are essential bits of kit
• If you're holding up another biker who wants to filter faster than you, when possible move over and let them through. It's hellishly difficult to pass another bike in heavy traffic, and it's hellishly frustrating to get stuck behind one