Commuting Distance

First topic message reminder :


Just wondering how far us good folk commute on their Bandits if you ride to work? Currently I can stretch mine out to 10km
I ask because come early Oct we’re moving and I’ll be looking at 40km each way.

We will be able to share a car a few days a week but to be honest riding keeps me sane and I’d like to ride as often as I can but factor in the tyre usage and extra servicing and wear and tear and it becomes uneconomical. I wouldn’t even consider it on the FZ1 with the Power Pures that are on it but even PR2’s (current) or PR3’s in the future on the Bandit would be turned too trash a bit quickly for my liking.

If it becomes too much I guess I’d be looking for another type of bike. A cruiser maybe.

I know Kaupy travels about the same distance and his is all freeway. Mine will be similar with only 4 or 5 turns involved.

So how far do you commute?

40 click round trip, a little burbs, mostly freeway and through Melb CBD. All weather. Avg 250-300 clicks per tank. OEM Bridgestone's do the trick but will probably get Sport Smart's next. The FA is the fourth bike I've had for the same commute and by far the best, most days wish the commute was longer.

2Ks Whenever I do take the "Girl" to work I always head in the opposite direction for starters.

Hammy wrote:2Ks Whenever I do take the "Girl" to work I always head in the opposite direction for starters.

Bloody hell, I think I'd walk!

Just retired - all miles are now for fun

barry_mcki wrote:Just retired - all miles are now for fun

Funny I both hate and envy you.

As I dont have employment (havent for the past 14 years) all my riding is mostly to the post office and coffee, 10 kms, the short way. Just to spice up my day, I may take one of three ways 6 ways home, anywhere between 15kms to 35kms.
If I had to ride to work, i wouldnt want to ride much further than that, cause I like my aircon too much...

Shame on you. There's just as much air- con with the bike. Wind in your hair, bugs in your teeth. I'm an all year rounder. Rain, Hail (as long as it's not the size of golf balls), Shine.

ooohkayyy, how about when its 48C, dust storm, and shit roads? I have ridden through major dust, pelting cold rain on crap roads, and sorry, i love riding, but I love my health too

SuzySuzuki wrote:ooohkayyy, how about when its 48C, dust storm, and shit roads? I have ridden through major dust, pelting cold rain on crap roads, and sorry, i love riding, but I love my health too

I'm pretty sure Kaupy was just giving you a razz mate.
I call it quits in the 40's too. I once did 500km in 42+ heading to Shepparton.
It was a cool 39 on the way home the next day. The Bandit loved it but not me.

SuzySuzuki wrote:ooohkayyy, how about when its 48C, dust storm, and shit roads? I have ridden through major dust, pelting cold rain on crap roads, and sorry, i love riding, but I love my health too

I wouldn't even go out in a car on such a day.

We regularly see 39 here in the NT rural area at this time of year ("the build up"), but I agree that once it breaks into the 40s it all gets a bit tedious. Thankfully we never see those nasty mid 40+ dry heat bursts here in the top end. Monsoonal downpours sort of compensate in the "I'm over it" arena however. Australia....gotta love it!

@2WA: Have you test ridden that VZ800 down at Verne Graham's yet still waiting for a ride report?

Ewok1958 wrote:@2WA: Have you test ridden that VZ800 down at Verne Graham's yet still waiting for a ride report?

No but I do like the M109R but I'd be worried about tyres again wouldn't I

SuzySuzuki wrote:ooohkayyy, how about when its 48C, dust storm, and shit roads? I have ridden through major dust, pelting cold rain on crap roads, and sorry, i love riding, but I love my health too

Just Teasing.
I did a ride to S.A. once. 47 degrees at Bordertown we were in leathers and had to scrape the bitumen off the tyres before we could get going after refuelling. The guy in the servo said it wasn't that bad as it was 56 in Mildura.

Depending on which office I go to and which way I go I do anywhere between a 50km day to a 80km day.
Most days are the 50km one which is all 50/60kph plus one 70 zone. The road may get closed to bikes sometimes tho and if that happens I am stuck with the car as the only option.

From memory on the bandit
If i do the 50km day then I would fill up once a week.
If I was doing the 80km day all week then I would fill up after the third day. This depended on how "enjoyable" my rides to/from work were.
If the weather is crap for one day then I was cool with that, after the third day of crap weather in a row it got me down a bit but I kept riding anyways and would still be smiling at the end of the trip.
Tyres were a weird thing for me as you may have read somewhere here but if commuting then try to pick a harder compound for the longevity I reckon. The BT21 seamed to be lasting pretty well but I was hard on fronts with a BT21 lasting only 6 or 7k before I junked it due to having a weird profile. The BT16 I replaced it with seamed to wear better but I think it would have only lasted 7k, maybe up to 9 at a stretch

I ride the strom each day to work now and think it is a much better commuter than the bandit could ever hope to be. Almost get 2 weeks out of a tank if I do the short trip. Can't comment on tyre wear at the moment but it seams even so far and things I've read indicate satisfactory milage.

Having said all that and knowing I'll still ride to work, if you want to save a few pennies, buy a shitbox and drive that as it will end up cheaper in the end.

As i am a chauffer for a teenage girl, most days I have no choice but to drive.

I know what you mean about the chauffeur bit Suzy

SuzySuzuki wrote:As i am a chauffer for a teenage girl, most days I have no choice but to drive.

I have one of them too.
She will txt me asking if I took the bike or car? lol

A very good friend used to take his daughter to school on the back of his Beemer 1150GS for years. Tegan would be perched pillion doing her homework on the back. (pretty much grew up on the bike).
Used to make me laugh every time I saw the homework getting done on the way to school. They did a 100 km round trip daily commute. She's all grown up now.

Neither of my kids are interested in riding motorbikes, so def no taking her on my bike, let alone doing homework on way to school, her writing would look like chicken scribble

Never saw her writing, just reading.

That'd be interesting enough, what, with the pages getting blown around etc

Hi Gents

I do an 8 and 6 day roster and fly out of Perth. I ride down from Geraldton and park the bike at a mates shed. The trip is about 430km each way. I do the run down in the day and the return trip from about 8:30pm at night (not good, but that's life and money). Mine is the naked 1250 (2011), I bought her in the last 2 weeks of December and so far the bike has been faultless. Touring has added 2 spotties, heated grips, soft luggage and a chain oiler. Tyre choice so far has been Mitchy pilot 2's with 18 to 20k out of the front and 12 to 14K out of the rear.

I do 180km to my first fuel stop and then straight through for 265km (fuel light comes on @ 260km) to get home with the reverse on the way to work. At 105 on the GPS she gets 19 to 20.1 per liter, at 115 she's down to a flat 18.

I would be interested in hearing from guys who do the miles and there opinion on seats as mine is going to be redone for a comfy ride.

Cheers
Rob

senoj wrote:
I would be interested in hearing from guys who do the miles and there opinion on seats as mine is going to be redone for a comfy ride.

Cheers
Rob

Buy a Sargent seat

Low height version http://www.sargentcycle.com.au/index.php?route=product/product&path=42&product_id=327

Normal height version http://www.sargentcycle.com.au/index.php?route=product/product&path=42&product_id=330

Thanks Mate

I've looked at these seats. I should have been more descriptive, in that I am interested in hearing or receiving feedback from owners who have had their seat redone. I am looking for a 1" higher option to open out the knee's a little.

Cheers anyway.

Rob