What would you go for? Moved offices a week ago and it's taking over an hour to do less than 20 miles in the car. Last time I tried this was on an fz6 and I got knocked off the thing but I get so frustrated sitting in traffic going nowhere. Just a thought at the moment but though I'd ask what you guys would go for. Been looking at honda groms but dont know if that's going a bit far. Maybe a gsxr1000 that can be doubled as a track toy to keep the blade nice.
My view is that the grom hides you from a lot of the traffic. Would you consider an earlyish VFR 800? Reasonable price and super reliable.
Anything is up for consideration. The grom seems to offer the cheapest for commuting when you consider purchase insurance petrol etc but as you say they aren't the easiest to spot and big bikes get missed never mind the little ones. I'd have to go a particular route to mix with less lorries etc. The best option would probably be to stick a sensible set of tyres on the blade but I've made the effort to keep it in good nick so it would be a shame to stick it on the winter commute! Need a helicopter lol.
Buy a shed - something cheap and cheerful like a 600 bandit that way you’ll not be too bothered if it slips from under you on a patch of diesel in the wet or a bit of frost. Not wishing anything bad to happen but you’d be gutted if your blade went over
. . . or a CBF600? Also very respectable prices - and you could perhaps adapt that to a trackie also!
If you're going to be filtering, the blade will be fine - as will any other sports bike - the clip-ons are generally lower than door mirrors on cars so you wont be forever stopping, waiting or faffing around wiggling through the gap; just pin open the throttle and bwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr off you go
I used to commute 28 miles to work on a CG125 leaving my blade (in 1998) at home in the garage. I was a young,fit, machine at the time but getting to work everyday suffering from the early symptoms of hypothermia was no fun. I am delighted to say I will never commute on a motorcycle ever again.
After coming off the fz6 I don't think my knee could take the abuse of cycling! I commuted on a pedal bike for 2 years and I think it might kill me these days I'd prefer to do it on a blade or a sportsbike but after going to the effort of keeping mine in fairly good nick it would be a shame to spray winter muck all over the new exhaust and suspension etc. I thought maybe an older daytona 675 which could be turned into a track toy at some point might be an option. Got a couple more routes to try in the car but I think a bike is looking the best option.
