Commuting by Motorcycle

[SWriverstone]

Being down to a single bike these days (my Wee-Strom)...I'm really conflicted about commuting on the bike.

On one hand...I love the excellent fuel efficiency, the ability to go as fast as I want (e.g. pass at will in any situation), and just how much fun it is to ride.

On the other hand...I can't stand putting (in my case) 60 miles per roundtrip commute on the bike and rapidly squaring off my tires in the process (it's all slab for me).

What do you think?
Scott

[Mrs. DantesDame]

I commute on the KLR. It's more fun than a car and the tires are (relatively) cheap. And I get twice the fuel mileage  

Hell, even without the better fuel mileage I'd take the bike. I really don't enjoy driving to work (and yes, my commute is 95% interstate too, but only about 15 miles worth)

[sammyseaman]

I commute as much as I can  

[SWriverstone]

Good!   If I hear a few more people say "Sure I don't mind the added miles and square tires" it'll help me feel better about commuting on the bike all the time.  

Scott

[kendenton]

I live in the flatlands of southern New Jersey, so I'm going to get square tires no matter what.

[Cablebandit]

My commute was about 50 miles round trip.  I rode it everyday.  I could take the highway (typical concrete job here in PA) that would cause flat spots in about week.  That route is very abrasive on tires.  The other way is all twisties and zero traffic.  Hmm tough choice.

Lets face it, You're going to flat spot your tires regardless of your commute.  You just spend too much time straight up and down because that's how 95% of the roads are.  Just think of all that fresh rubber on the edges for when you finally hit the twisites.  

The Wee is also pretty easy on tires.  You know I ride mine like a raped ape and can still get 8000 miles out of relatively sticky rubber.

Just ride.

[sleazy rider]

I commute the nearly 65 miles every chance I get, but my route is not all slab either.  The added benefit is my wife gets off 3 hours later than me, so I get to take the long way home when I feel like it.

[Cablebandit]

my wife gets off 3 hours later than me.

Sig worthy.  

[sammyseaman]

Good!   If I hear a few more people say "Sure I don't mind the added miles and square tires" it'll help me feel better about commuting on the bike all the time.  

Scott

  This is my commute: Total Travel Estimate: 11 minutes/ 3.90 miles. That's not round trip  

[Bryan217]

I commute as much as I can. A little over 15 miles each way, no highway. Even at the last place I lived, all slabbing, I commuted. It's a lot more fun than the car, especially with my current commute. There's not much in turns, but a little.

[bomber]

I like to ride.

Commuting is riding.

YAY motorcycles!

[Blue Bye You]

I'm retired, so I don't commute anymore. There have been times though, when I was younger, that I have had only a motorcyle for transportation. I had a 78 Suzuki GS1000 that I put most of those commuter miles on. I bought it new and just sold it last year. It had accumulated almost 250K mi. 200 of it without any work on the engine other than maintenance. I put a Yosh 1100 kit in it a 40K and ran the piss out of it, trouble free, for all the miles after that. I would say 30% of it was commuting to work. Alot of it was superslab and I did square off a few tires, but I can't say that it was neccessarily from the commute as I road it alot on trips accross the superslable as well.

I would say that if the old 78 Suzuki could hold up for all those miles, the newer bikes with better materials and water cooling should have no problem absorbing the miles. Assuming you maintain it well. Your going to be using up rubber no matter what you drive/ride. But you'll be saving gas and having more fun on the bike. I did make a point of hitting the twisties pretty hard and often on the days off to try and balance out the tire wear.  

[JReazor]

I like to ride.

Commuting is riding.

YAY motorcycles!

Yep

[SWriverstone]

You know I ride mine like a raped ape and can still get 8000 miles out of relatively sticky rubber.

 

Okay...I officially don't give sh*t about commuting wear-and-tear on the bike anymore.  

Scott

[Skee]

Only ride to work now when I'm leaving on a long ride after work, or when I'm trying to squeeze the last few miles off my tires before changing them out.

Used to enjoy commuting.  Had a great ride home.  Problem is my current commute is all 4-lane and it's a boring ride, so what's the point?

[Squareman357]

I like to ride.

Commuting is riding.

YAY motorcycles!

That...

[SWriverstone]

Well there's no doubt that on my 30-mile, all-slab commute, my one-way commute times are easily 10 minutes faster on the bike, because I don't put up with any crap from other drivers (going slow, camping in the left lane, etc.).

When I drive my SUV...I'm sorta stuck in the slow lane as it were (no get-up-and-go power to get out of those moving traffic jams...)

Scott

[Oxblood]

I commute daily. Its a short commute, 13km or so. But even if it is cold and raining, riding to work beats driving. So much so I sold my car.

[mugwump58]

My commute is 80 miles a day. I have poured over county maps and have developed a couple ways to get there and back. Suburban sprawl has killed some great roads, I'd rather be on the slab that putt at 35 for miles on end.

Changing tires is good therapy too, really.

Yay motorcycles

Winter  

[PirateT7]

  This is my commute: Total Travel Estimate: 11 minutes/ 3.90 miles. That's not round trip  

ditto, and that's if I don't take the direct route home. 3.5 if I do. So, especially when the wx is good, I don't. Take the direct route, that is. If it's over 35* and not pouring rain, and if I don't have a bunch of stuff to carry, I ride.