Short Journeys

[rac3r]

From a thread a while ago it seems quite a few people use their bike everyday for short journeys. I want to as well but i'm not sure how it will affect my bike.

How long is your journey? Have you had/got any problems with your bike?
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Bikes : 2006 CBR125R - 2004 Monster 620ie - 2004 ZX-6R B1H - 2005 Monster S2R 800 - 2011 Street Triple - 2009 Streetfighter 1098 - 2014 ZX-6R 636

[MarJay]

Depends how short is short.
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British beauty: Triumph Street Triple R; Loony stroker: KR1S; Track fun: GSXR750 L1; Commuter Missile: GSX-S1000F; Cheap project: CBR900RR FireBlade
Remember kids, bikes aren't like lego. You can't easily take a part from one bike and then fit it to another.

[apple tango]

Bit of a strange question.

You're wondering how a short journey would affect your bike. Probably the same as a long journey but not increasing your bikes milage quite as quickly!
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CBR125 -> Bandit GSF600 '99 -> SV650 02

[rac3r]

I mean really short as in less than about 5 miles
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Bikes : 2006 CBR125R - 2004 Monster 620ie - 2004 ZX-6R B1H - 2005 Monster S2R 800 - 2011 Street Triple - 2009 Streetfighter 1098 - 2014 ZX-6R 636

[Ste]

The bike will explode if you make too many short journeys.

[The Original Muzza]

AFAIK, even if you're only doing short journeys every day and "not allowing it to warm up", on a mid-engine 4-stroke this isn't really a huge problem. I say this with haste as neither of my bikes have particularly high mileages on them, and may well go boom before their time.
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Current Bikes: Husqvarna Svartpilen 401 (2020)
Former Bikes: Honda MSX125 (2014), BMW Funduro (1996), Honda VT500 (1983), Yamaha FZR250 (1989), Suzuki GZ125 Marauder(2005),:Triumph TT600 (2002) (stolen)
From then on, I and the bicycle feelings deeper.

[Devils Advocate]

i`ve heard that short regular trips damage/drain the battery but that`s all.
Found it to be true for big cc v-twins...dunno about il4s and smaller cc bikes though.

[Feasty]

I was about to respond but my journey is 10 miles twice a day, 5 days a week so perhaps more than you were looking at?

I've had absolutely no problems with the bike doing my mileage, I would be more concerned if I was only doing 5 miles a day though as to wether the bike was warming up enough to perform at it's peak and also the battery was getting enough charge each time.
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Previous: Aprilia Habana Retro 50cc (beauty), Yamaha SR125 (fell apart), Honda XR125 (nippy little commuter), Honda SLR650 (Geewhizz), Yamaha Diversion 900S (Smoooooth) written off courtesy of a stupid escaped horse.
(7 year gap), BMW F650 (Relaxing ride). Aprilia Caponord ETV1000 (Big and bold). Yamaha FZS600 (got me in trouble too quick!).
Current: Yamaha TDM 900 (Comfy, light but big, power when needed).

[yuri2085]

[doggone]

Particularly in winter there's a chance of condensation moisture getting in the oil.

If you are only getting the oil slightly warm for day after day it can cause an emulsifying effect where your oil begins to resemble mayonnaise.
Oil like this is bad for engines, it doesn't lube well and can block oilways and foam up rather than pump.

It would be rare for it to get that bad but worth looking out for.
If you did a good hot run once or twice a month it would be enough to drive the moisture out.

[ben_wheely]

I do 6-7 mile commutes and then back a day.

Never had a problem with bike or battery. Then again i do almost a full days riding during the weekend when im offroading/green laning.
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Rides: '05 Yammy WR290-F

[Alexio]

I sometimes do 4 or 6 half mile or one mile trips on my motorbike every day of the week (it's a small town but I'm lazy) and I've never had it affect my 125 4 stroke engine. I've never had battery problems and I've never had the oil going "bad" but that's probably because I also go on much longer journeys each week as well where the engine gets to be warm and running for a long tie.

I do believe it is recommended to leave your bike running at idle for a while before using it to warm it up if you're concerned about this... especially in the winter.

Or you could totally invest in a blow torch and attempt heat up your engine the fast way each time.

Alexio takes no responsibility or liability for the advice givein in this post
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will never give up his CG. I look at my fuel gauge more as a progress bar than a fuel gauge.
G: With my GSXR I do often effectively use it as a scooter with a clutch in town.
ms51ves3: why does it need 500 miles? Are you teaching it how to be a piston?

[Barry_M2]

3 miles to work for me, but I dont take it every day, only when its nice out.

My ZXR is running a full race kit top end + big bore kit (793cc) and full factory race cams.

My bike get pampered big time though, it's very well looked after. sits in my garage/shed under a cover when not in use.

Short journeys wont be a problem, just maintain it.
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ZXR750R (M2) - For the road.
CBR1000 RR4 - For the track.
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[rac3r]

Barry_MC21 > Any particular things to pay attention to for maintenance?

As for alternatives it's either a 30/40 minute walk or £1/£2 for the bus each way and some days I have to go there and back more than once
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Bikes : 2006 CBR125R - 2004 Monster 620ie - 2004 ZX-6R B1H - 2005 Monster S2R 800 - 2011 Street Triple - 2009 Streetfighter 1098 - 2014 ZX-6R 636

[J D]

Push bike? 30 minute walk on a push bike is what 15 minutes max?
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m0l0t0v wrote: Chris, just so you know, JD is a nutter

[Digitalize]

i go about 3 Miles to School, and 3 back, do some detours back sometimes, but generally does short trips in the week, then gets ragged on something longer during the weekend.

Probably terrible for a 2 Stroke doing short trips lol

[wizzzard]

You could always take a longer route if the short one is worrying you.

My journey time by bike would only be seven minutes but I tend to take the long way round just because I enjoy it more ( twisty country roads ) and it stretches it to half an hour.

A pointless use of petrol to some perhaps but I cant think of a better way to spend money than riding the bike
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And did you exchange a walk on part in the war for a lead role in a cage?
Zeitgeist / Addendum / Moving forward

[Muscle Bike Rider]

I do 12 miles each way Mon-Fri and sometimes dont use the bike over the week end, its a Honda 125 four stroke and seems to be fine and thats mostly town driving. Even when the bike was stood for two weeks whilst I was away it started 1st time on my return, oil looks fine and battery is good.

[Barry_M2]

[rac3r]

I can't make my journey longer I live in London! All bloody boring roads

I have Fridays off so I might be able to take it on a longer ride. Anothering which might make it a little different to others mentioning Honda four strokes and so on is the fact that my bike is Italian When I had my Honda I didn't really think if it was good or not I just used it
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Bikes : 2006 CBR125R - 2004 Monster 620ie - 2004 ZX-6R B1H - 2005 Monster S2R 800 - 2011 Street Triple - 2009 Streetfighter 1098 - 2014 ZX-6R 636

[Clanger]

[kitty kat]

I do 1.9 miles to work, then same journey back home at least 4 times a week and then about 250 miles at a weekend. I have never had a problem with the bike and it now has 75000 on the clock.
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[dodger]