Good motorway commuter bike?

[trevoriv]

I'm contemplating moving house but my main problem is that i will be around 40-50 miles from where i work.

Im currently getting around 100 miles from £10 of petrol from my ZX636R which would mean £50 per week of petrol which is a bit excessive.

Are there any decent commuter bikes that have the pace to sit at 80-90mph on the motorway and use a decent amount of petrol/tyres and other consumables?

Cheers.

[extreme3d]

GPZ500s? You would get better fuel enonomy and still have a fairing to keep the wind off you. Tyres would also be cheaper, as would insurance and tax. They are also very cheap bikes to buy.

However are you planning on keeping the zx6 and running a second bike or selling the zx6 and replacing it? If you are contemplating keeping the zx6 then run through the amounts to see if it would still be cheaper to run the zx6 than owning two bikes.

https://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a129/extreme3d51/GPZ500s6.jpg

[Pte1643]

How about an SV650?

I'm surprised Extreme didn't suggest it.

[extreme3d]

[Itchy]

NT650V , bit bland though
the original NTV was bland but this is worst steady as a rock though at 80mph (less so @ 115mph) ,

CBF600 is good
____________________
Spain 2008France 2007Big one 2009 We all die. The goal isn't to live forever, the goal is to create something that will. In the end, your life will flash before your eyes. Make sure it is worth watching.

[0ddball]

The GPZ's sit up and beg position isn't brilliant on the motorway. It's not unbearable but i wouldn't fancy 50 miles on a windy rainy day.

Still, the ~200 miles to a tank should make up for it.

[Gruffy]

I've got an NTV 650V ( Alias Honda Deauville and some say Dullsville)
It does me ok for small commuting (30 mile/day) and occaisional longer rides and they have been widely used by couriers and instructors.

I'm fairly new to biking but I find it ideal for me now I'm more used to the weight.
It's also comfortable and the fairings and screen keep much of the weather off.

Cruises nicely at 80-85 but gets a bit vibey at 90. Also comes with standard panniers big enough to put your sandwiches in + a bit more.

I get around 55 mpg some claim they get 60+

Hope this helps

[veeeffarr]

[Simple]

I'm behind Extreme 3d here on the gpz point.
Tax is £45, a rear battalax bt45 has just cost me £75 fitted and wil last 6000miles.
I get 160 miles to reserve, which then costs me about £8 to refil ready to go again (monetary values I think are better than talkin litres)

though it works out around 50mph,

mines 33bhp but pulls 110mph and is speedy to 90mph.

The fairing provides excellent protection from wind blast (if you duck behind it you get more wind noise and blast it also knocks 2mph off the top speed )

Spark plugs havn't got alot to do with anything on 4t's unless they're uber expensive. I spend more money on good oil and regular oil changes, the spark plugs are 10 000miles old and are still correctly gapped.

I managed to get two free spark plugs at Heine Gerricke as they hadn't got an air filter to give me for any of the 20 different models of bike I asked for.. (they just wanted me to leave) so I said well could I have the spark plugs instead...

anyhow rambling on....
go for an older 500 - there is a gpz in my paper 2 years older than mine for £500 with T&T
for that money you could cover it in waxoil for winter and ride it into the ground. or spend a little keeping it good and sell it for what you paid when you're bored of commuting/move house/ change job/win the lottery


I love my little GPZ, it's cheap, reliable, nips through town, you can carry alot of stuff on it as the bungy hooks are excellent (see below poor quality picture).
when work is done at the weekend, with a restricted 31.1bhp it's good for peg scraping and embarrassing many a larger capacity sports bike rider.
____________________
Insta - FemFeral

[Simple]

[bazza]

GSX600F. Faired, comfortable, can feel a bit heavy at first, but you soon get used to it. I do around 300 m/way miles a week for about £35. Stick some touring tyres on and you're set.

Plus it always annoys the tits off Colin1 when someone gets one...
____________________
"That's it. You people have stood in my way long enough. I'm going to clown college."
'98 Ducati 750SS, '08 Suzuki GSX650F ©2004-2014, Bazza's Harmless Banter

[mrtEE]

[Simple]

[extreme3d]

[trevoriv]

300 miles on £35 i can do that on my zxr :/

I would be selling the zxr and getting something else, i cant afford two bikes at the moment.

The GPZ sounds like a sensible option, hows reliability on em? Would have to test ride it first though as im 6'4" :s

I may try a few mway runs without thrashing the tits of the zxr and see how long the fuel lasts, id really miss the bike if i got rid

At the risk of sounding like a complete tit, what are the bigger scooters like on fuel say a silverwing for example?

[extreme3d]

[0ddball]

[kawakid]

My bike might be an ER5 (hmmmm 8-( )

But one thing going for it is its fuel consumption, recently got 76 miles out of £4. (Thats exact cos I filled up before I set off and when I got there). That was all motorway miles all at no more than 75mph.

It is a commuter bike after all.

Saying that it is my first big bike and I like it.

____________________
I've a twin and a 4.

[JonB]

[Simple]

[map]

[bazza]

[dodsi]

Complete pish posh, I get better MPG on my ZX6R than I ever did on my 2004 bandit 600s.

Use your ZX6, no excuse not too. Just be gentle with the throttle and dont go above 70mph and your looking at 170+ miles to 15L of fuel (or to reserve) which is MORE than I could get out of the bandits 17L to reserve tank doing the same thing.

[krebsy]

Going to take the new ZZR 600 out for a run to Bradford and Back (320 miles all in) with Mrs. K. this weekend so will let you know how it fairs If I remember to.. .

K.
____________________
What's my New Year's resolution?

1280 x 1024.

[doggone]

I'd look out for a shaft drive.
Any shaft drive would do.