What's the best Commuting tool?

[Valver]

I've spent all my life living in the country. I used to commute 30 miles every day on a sports bike but for the past 18 months my missus and I have been sharing the car as we work very close to each other and her uniform doesn't mix too well with my pillion seat. Come September we'll be living just outside Aberdeen and travelling in opposite directions in the morning. The road into the city is busy so I'll be travelling by bike to save being stuck in traffic.
I'm going to be looking for another bike, purely for commuting on, something that will do heaps of miles with very little attention, servicing and cleaning. £1800 is about the limit cash wise.
I was thinking along the lines of a bandit12 but something a little less greedy on fuel would be prefered. I don't want anything too ugly. Any ideas?

[kawakid]

I have an ER5 that I use for commuting.

Quick enough, parts are cheap and does about 70mpg .
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I've a twin and a 4.

[veeeffarr]

NTV650 fits your bill, sir.

Honda, Shaft, Twin (Low down power)

T

[JonB]

CB 500.
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Be careful whose advice you buy, but, be patient with those who supply it. Advice is a form of nostalgia, dispensing it is a way of fishing the past from the disposal, wiping it off, painting over the ugly parts and recycling it for more than it?s worth.

[Itchy]

NTV600 :

can hit 130 when you NEED it
shaft drive
can get up to 65mpg
handles well on twisty bits
narrow for filtering
£47 tax
grp 10 ins
nobody'll nick em,
huge tank range
comfy ,
looks semi cool with the single swing arm (good for maint)

bad

>zilch wind protection
>pegs can be a bit high for an upright
>need to be a big guy to ride one , since according to Sickpup small blokes have loads of offs on them.
>Zorst collector box is easily holed (but my 30K hasn't holed on yet)
>bit heavy

OTOH

GT550 (a late model say 99?)

IL4 65mpg possible
shaft drive
cheap to drop
utterly indestructable (watch out for carb burn and tank rust)
cheap tax £47 year
grp 9 ins
fugly nobody will nick

OR

CX500 which is virtually an NTV but with two brakes up front and a drum rear and heavier,

Bad points Mr Z will become your stalker only kidding

for more modern bikes:

CBF500,
CBF600,

At a streach maybe the NT650V which has great wind protection , luggage capacity shaft drive again and ABS , depending on your experience you may or may not want ABS (which the CBFs above both have in their modern forms)

10000+ couriers can't be wrong! , Sickpup had a Bros and a red NTV, which is a testament to how erm indestructable these bikes are. (just keep up with oil changes and brake pads)


the NTV/CX/GT can all be had for <£1000 if cosmetics don't matter

with the CX for £1800 you can buy 3 , just don't get the turbo version , I've seen a couple of turbo versions , parts for these bikes do not exist , you want parts you canibalise them from other bikes, which is ok I suppose.
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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.

[Itchy]

[mr.z]

(stalks)

Another one worth checking the the deauvalle (or however its spelt) these can just about be got for that sort of price.. (which is really the ntv but the newer incarnation of it with a big squashy faring and panniers built in)

Hell you can get a pan euro for under £2000
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>RidingSkills<->Tech Tips<->MyBikes<

[veeeffarr]

[bish777]

I did a bit of courier work on my GT550.

Great bike, motor has enough grunt and is quite economical. I was averaging 50-55 mpg.
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GSXR1100J

[DaveH]

The wee GPZ500S does it for me

Comfy, very robust, gets 50-55+mpg, pretty much regardless of how hard its ridden, copes very well two up. I change the oil every 4000 miles or so, have just got a new rear metz ME77 tyre fitted to the loose wheel for £45. Rear shock is a bit on the bouncy side, but its still great fun round the back roads

EDIT: Then again, given that the ER-5 can get 70+ maybe it does depend how its ridden Unless the engine was revised for the er?
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https://www.timhastingsracing.co.uk/

ZX7R & ER6F

[carlmalibu]

cb500 +1
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Shine on, you crazy diamond
CB500, woop.

[St0rmer66]

[iooi]

I chuck a divvy into the fray.
900 would be better as its shaft drive and a bonus of semi faired, can also be had fully faired.
600's are nice, mine does just under 70 mpg... Will get 70 mpg one day.. Good solid inline 4 engine no real vices.
Good active members club with a few in the north of the country.
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Just because my bike was A DIVVY, does not mean i am......