Should your daily transport be fun?

[craigs23]

Because I'm finding my normal commuter a bit too, erm, bland. It's okay, does exactly what I ask of it, but seems a bit mundane to ride. I don't get excited about riding it, it doesn't eliviate the stresses of daily working life. It's also the bike I spend most of my time on.

But then again, should it be like that? I don't worry about parking or security as much as I would a weekend toy, or if it gets the odd sign of wear or tear. It's cheap to run and insure too.

To be honest, I'm quite tempted to trade it in for a Street Triple...

Your thoughts?

[kitty kat]

What do you ride? I only have the one bike, it does everything, commutes & plays.
I am more than happy with my choice of transport, MK1 Fazer 600, maybe I am just easily pleased
____________________
Enjoy everyday, tell those you love everyday you love them
Life is too short to fall out with people

[craigs23]

My daily bike is a Hornet 600.

[killa]

Don't want to sound harsh Craig some people dont have the option to have a nice looking bike and ride everyday. You do, so stop fucking about and ride something nice.


____________________
Cleverly disguised as a responsible adult.
Bike:- Yamaha TRX850 | Killas Biking History | Killas Gaming History | Killas autmotive history

[craigs23]

Please don't get me wrong Killa, I am kinda lucky to be in the position I am.

The thought is quite open ended. i.e. non bike specific. I just wondered whether members rated fun factory over practicality, or whether there should be a compromise between the two. I presumed my current steed is that compromise, but it feels a little too souless to tickle my fancy. Or maybe it's just the way I ride it.

[killa]

I guess i have the option for any power machine.
All bikes can be fun, but personally i wont buy a commuter and i wont have something that bores me.

I'd say an R1 for me would be mental for what i use it for, i really cant justify the £££ spent on that machine and the power is far too much for what i use it for.
I dont want a 400 now because of the age.
My ZX7R was a nice compromise, speed, looks, fun to ride and not too costly on consumables and fuel.
____________________
Cleverly disguised as a responsible adult.
Bike:- Yamaha TRX850 | Killas Biking History | Killas Gaming History | Killas autmotive history

[Kickstart]

Hi

It should be fun, but that doesn't necessarily mean fast or good handling.

I am surprised that the Hornet isn't fun.

For a while I decided to be sensible and have a 600 Divvy for commuting. While perfectly good as transport it just was not fun. Felt like it regarded accelerating as a bit of a chore. Like a diesel car : capable of going reasonably quickly with no effort, but not much more to come if you try and not that much fun to push.

All the best

Keith
____________________
Traxpics, track day and racing photographs - Bimota Forum - Bike performance / thrust graphs for choosing gearing

[veeeffarr]

That's why I bought the VFR instead of a flat 600 to commute and hoon on, it's a fucking scream when I want it to be

[craigs23]

It's strange. I found my CB1 more fun to ride than the Hornet, and on paper, I presumed the Hornet was going to be a 600cc CB1. I also found a 70s KL250 quite fun when I borrowed one a couple of winters ago, despite the fact that I didn't breach 65mph on it. I guess I'm too picky, but I am commuting a lot further than I had before these days.

[kitty kat]

Guess I am kinda lucky then, I have great fun on my bike and even the commute to work is enjoyable. I have the acceleration when I want it, great handling on the twisties (now I have had the front wheel bearings replaced) and it has done 135mph with some more still available.
I don't think I have made any compromises as the bike was bought as an extra to the car, but the car is now a very poor second to the bike
____________________
Enjoy everyday, tell those you love everyday you love them
Life is too short to fall out with people

[Fisty]

any bike can be fun, from a 50cc moped to a hayabusa. Its how you ride it that makes it fun.

Best fun ive ever had was a cg125 i had for a week, 13 miles each way to work had me giggling like a fool!
____________________
Quietly and consistently taking the piss.
TL1000R | Hayabusa | ZXR400 | TL1000S | Bandit 400 V
Fatter and faster than Fret

[killa]

I had a right laugh on my RXS100, blatting past exotic 125's at 70+mph
____________________
Cleverly disguised as a responsible adult.
Bike:- Yamaha TRX850 | Killas Biking History | Killas Gaming History | Killas autmotive history

[LeeR]

I suppose it depends on what you do most and whether it's the right bike for the job. I mean my 650 1cyl was great for the 'B' road to Stroud but crap for the M5, wrong tyres, vibey, and the suspension was too soft. Whereas the 1L V-Strom is excellent for the M5 but I can't chuck it around on the 'B' roads it does a good job but it's well... different.
____________________
My claim to fame: Austin Vince nicked my pen...

[Wafer_Thin_Ham]

[BlastThemAway]

[Whosthedaddy]

I'm a simple bloke that likes simple things, but theres nothing that bores me more than the thought of an SV or the mundane Bandits / Hornets. I have no idea why, maybe its because they look like a learner bike or the styling? To me they have a snooze factor of 10.

I love the 7R as a commuter even though its like a barge and sort of tricky sometimes to filter through a space that you'd zoom through on a more traditional commuter bike.

However today with a mixture of...

it pissing it down making the white lines like an ice rink
using Diablo III's in winter
changing down a gear and being a little quick on the clutch
looking too far forward at the traffic lights
being too close to the cars in front (that started braking harder than thought originally)
having a brown trouser moment at the above and then grabbing the front brake locking the front wheel

...meant that the bike started to slide sideways towards the lorry that I was filtering past so ended up riding like a granny.

The morale of the story being, its nice to have a bike that sets your pubes alight on a daily basis as long as you remember this and treat it with some respect.

I had almost dropped the bike twice 5 minutes earlier due to the fact that Sidi boots have no grip in the wet when paddling the bike about
____________________
Current : MSX 125 Past : CBR 900RR Monkeybike : c50 LAC : ZXR750 H2 : FZR600 : ZX7R P3 : YW100 : TRX850: Trophy 900 T309 : GSXR 600 L0: Monkeybike : XJ6S Whosthedaddy

[Andy C]

TBH, when i get to the position of commuting everyday i will try and get something that excites me, even if that means i have to only have the one bike.

I found when i was going a 50mile round trip to college that the journey was a highlight to my day. It was only a SV but i was none the wiser and although after winter it really showed i had so much fun.

I really don't see the logic of only having a bike to take out on the weekend. I dont use mine everyday at uni as i walk and just feel bad that shes never used (still 2-3 time a week).

I understand not talking the 400 out everyday but an older speed triple does sound like a very exciting commute!
____________________
99 RS125 --> 02 SV650s --> 03 Speed Four --> 92 RXS100 --> 93 CB400sf --> 01 CB600f Hornet

[neatbik]

i commute on my speed 4 everyday, and i always look forward to either going to work or (even better ) coming home.

[iooi]

[Reppyboyo]

I would like my daily commute to be fun but in reality it isnt, its quite dull.
I also commute on a Speed Four, bars instead of clips ons for comfort.
I find the bike is only fun to ride fast and/or in the twisties, neither of which Im able to do in my commute due to increased police presence on the faster roads.
Its also a pain in the ass to ride in town with the fueling glitch.

Im looking towards a Speed Triple sometime next year, would get a Street but the waiting list is huge.

[17-in-87]

My commute is now around 50 miles round trip each day, on the GSXR. I've been thinking about getting something more sensible to commute on, but there are parts of my commute where I can 'make progress' quite well, so I find it ideal for my needs at present, even if the running costs are mounting up.

I'm looking at getting an R1 sometime next year for weekends only, as I've decided I'm going to run the gixxer into the ground, maybe when it's finally given up I will have to get something more sensible for the commute, but hopefully I'll have a few more years of loonyness on the gixxer whenever possible left.

I must admit though, getting a bike you can actually manouevre easily at slow speeds does seem attractive sometimes...

Anyway, on topic, if you can afford the running costs and depreciation of a triple used for commuting - go for it!
____________________
K1 GSX-R 600 - blue n white of course....

Growing old is compulsory - growing up is optional...

[jimbothe]

I bought the Transalp for my daily commute and really like it. It's slow top end and 'sensible' but nippy enough to have fun and easy to throw around the bends.

It's actually replaced my FJ for the work commute for it's cheaper running costs and general durability and to be perfectly honest it's a lot more fun to ride too

Sold the Ninja last week so the empty void will be filled with a Thunderace I think
____________________
Check out our tackle shop on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/#!/JklTackle

[Andy C]

...
____________________
99 RS125 --> 02 SV650s --> 03 Speed Four --> 92 RXS100 --> 93 CB400sf --> 01 CB600f Hornet

[Andy C]

[keyser soze]

i've only got the xb9sx and it ticks all my boxes. i'm out on it every day, the guys at work always say i've got a silly grin on when I get off it! lol