does anybody commute on the motorway on a 125?

[locked]

as per title, anybody do it regualry as I am just a little concerened the top speed is about 65-70mph with no overtaking power left.
I don't plan to buy a bigger bike just yet, trying to save for it etc.
____________________
on the look out for my next bike....
CBT Passed - 13/09/09 Theroy Passed - 19/12/09 Mod 1 Passed 04/05/10 Mod 2 Passed 14/05/10 - Free to ride ANYTHING!
Motorcycles are perfectly safe as long as you remember they're dangerous.

[neil.]

I do on the A13 which is basically a motorway - NSL, 3 lanes but no hard shoulder. I have also done the M25 and M11 a few times. I don't get why people are so terrified of going on motorways/NSL roads on 125's. In my experience, I have more trouble on urban roads with blind drivers etc. Just stay on the inside lane with the trucks, and if you're lucky, get behind one in the slipstream so you save some petrol! I think it's just a case of accepting you're not part of the faster moving traffic and adapting your riding to suit that fact. Plus, when there's a jam, your 125 does what it's best at and becomes a killer filtering machine! Squeeze through the gaps that bigger bikes can't! Win!
____________________
CBT February 2008 | A2 June 2008 | Yamaha YBR125 (written off) | Honda CBF125 (current)

[doggone]

The lack of speed isn't really a problem, as above you just need to know your limitations.

A lot of vehicles on the motorway can't travel any faster than you - most of the trucks, landrovers, caravans etc are all barely able to top 60mph.

[angryjonny]

Rode my other half's YBR back from London via the motorway (not ridden a bike with less than 100bhp for years) and it was a lot of fun, riding at full throttle, planning each overtake several minutes in advance. It's not what 125s were built for but you won't get eaten alive.

Now, watching folks riding 50cc peds in the gutter of a 60mph road - that terrifies me.

[defblade]

I did it a few times after passing; didn't like it. It's not the natural habitat of a 125. If there's a parallel road A road, you might be surprised how little extra time using it takes - and it'll be a lot more fun.

If you do go for it, get used to riding at 56mph with the lorries a lot of the time...
____________________
Honda Varadero 125cc => Suzuki Bandit 650 33bhp => 77bhp =>
BMW K1200R Sport 163bhp => Aprilia Shiver GT 750 95bhp

[calyx]

Shouldn't be a problem. Just find a lorry doing 60 ish. Overtake him and stay in front of him.
____________________
Boris - London

[The Shaggy D.A.]

No, but I used to do it on my Enfield, which has the same performance. Find a lorry that's doing 60 and stay behind him, NOT in front of him, and enjoy the mpg benefits of slipstreaming.
____________________
Chances are quite high you are not in my Monkeysphere, and I don't care about you. Don't take it personally.
Currently : Royal Enfield 350 Meteor
Previously : CB100N > CB250RS > XJ900F > GT550 > GPZ750R/1000RX > AJS M16 > R100RT > Bullet 500 > CB500 > LS650P > Bullet Electra X & YBR125 > Bullet 350 "Superstar" & YBR125 Custom > Royal Enfield Classic 500 Despatch Limited Edition (28 of 200) & CB Two-Fifty Nighthawk > ER5

[skatefreak]

Hey,
I cant do motorways but i'm guessing your talking about big fast roads anywho...

Having to ride from cambridge to luton i end up spending a lot of time on dual carridge ways (A-roads) and find this can be just as bad really.

Firstly i never felt very confident in the import bike i was on (it was a sitty up enduro which made life worse), the bike would be revving like crazy at 10k around 60-65 but would only make it there downhil or on a flat in Perfect conditions...

I gave up and got an NSR because there are many hills on my rout and i absoloutly hated riding home as most hills would cut me back down to 45-50
maybe it was just a poor import 4t 125...

Anywho, if we'r talking 2t, i'm a lot happier, can keep up with the traffic and the NSR should be plenty capable on a motorway derestricted (but still no 600 lol).

Best regards

-Jvr

[locked]

ok cheers for the response people, I guess Im just use to doing 80 - 90 ish in the car.

65mph on the 125 is fine but as soon as it starts to touch 70 it vibrates like hell!
____________________
on the look out for my next bike....
CBT Passed - 13/09/09 Theroy Passed - 19/12/09 Mod 1 Passed 04/05/10 Mod 2 Passed 14/05/10 - Free to ride ANYTHING!
Motorcycles are perfectly safe as long as you remember they're dangerous.

[johnsmith222]

I used to ride on the motorway on my CG125 every day.

Nothing wrong with it as long as you stay at around 50 or 55mph. You don't want to be wringing it's neck.

[T1z3R]

used to do it regular along the M8 near glasgow on a geared bike and a twist and go scooter.

i can echo a lot of the comments above.
____________________
duck my sick!

[smegballs]

I did M3 and M25 while delivering my sisters bike to her in Harlow from Cornwall.

I managed fine, it would have been nicer if I had working indies though, the switch had somehow jammed earlier on the A303 so I pulled out the relay to stop permanent right signalling.

Hand signals didn't work so good when overtaking as of course, as soon as the throttle was released speed would plummet.

Still, not too bad.

[Nai]

I have to do a stretch of the A40 everyday thats national limit and motorway size. Hasnt botherd me so far but I am a slow rider

[fiveus]

Have done midwales to newquay cornwall a few times on the vara 125.quite happy at 65 most of the way.no probs at all .just be wary whats around you

[Alexio]

When ever I'm on a "motorway" - actual or three lane NSL A road - I often hit trucks and caravans going 56MPH which I'm forced to overtake at 65MPH before settling back in to the slow lane, or sometimes just the middle lane. It's not a problem. If I'm not in a hurry to get anywhere then settling for the caravan speed (even if there are none of them around) is probably best to be honest, great for fuel economy.

The only thing I would be concerned about is maintenance, good oil, chain tension and lubrication, inflated tires and working brakes!
____________________
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?

[G]

I never liked it - a 2 stroke sports you'd be ok, but not on a 4 stroke.

Surely having a 2009 bike your bike must still be worth more than you could get a reasonable bigger bike for?

[Teflon-Mike]

As said, plenty of traffic on the M-Way cant go 70 anyway. Trucks I think are supposed to be governed at 56mph, and err.... yeah, as an impoverished student I used to enjoy doing the M6-M5 run from Manchester to Plymouth for about £3, thanks to the slip-stream!
Brave..... but foolish... but it works!
Big-bike, it's not SO bad you can up the pace, and you do have a bit more mass under you to damp out the buffeting side-winds and stuff. Passing trucks on long hils on a 125 is an act of faith!
You get it wound up, move to the middle lane, hit the turbulance off the back, and swerve accorss the lane and back again, then CRAWL past, as you aren't going that much faster than the lorry, AND struggling up the same hill he is, with ANOTHER artic up your chuff... THEN hit the wake off his bow!
To be honest, I dont really like the M-Way on teh bike at ALL, and the elevated sections of M6 and M5 round us.... well, I've riden smoother trials courses!
NOT nice, stuck up in a cross wind, banked over, fighting truck furrows AND banding in the pouring rain, as well as contending with the psycotic comuters in cars.
I mean I've been in a two-ton Range-rover and had cars calving accross my bows when they have come off or spotted an exit... and you would have thought that a two-ton shed on wheels traveling at 70mph with an iron five bar gate on the front MIGHT just get noticed AND give them pause before jumping in its path.....
Talking to artic drivers, aparently NOT!
Rather take the A-Roads almost every time; CERTAINLY at commuting time, when they are half asleep!
BUT, if you are brave enough, certainly no reason why you shouldn't or couldn't, and I have to give credit to a lad I see quite often on the M6 risking the wrath of the Brummie commuters on a I hate to admit this on an open forum...... a very nice ........ Lambretta........ There are folk that do it regularly, and I guess its needs must or what you get used to. NOT having to do the peak-period-parry for a long while, has made me wonder a bit, when I've found myself in it, whether its could REALLY have got SO bad so quick, or if its ALWAYS been that bad, but I just got used to it.... but either way, from a non-comuting perspective, I dont envy you the prospect in ANY vehicle, on ANY road, in ANY way.
But, answering Q. If you have the confidence, give it a go.
____________________
My Webby'Tef's-tQ, loads of stuff about my bikes, my Land-Rovers, and the stuff I do with them!
Current Bikes:'Honda VF1000F' ;'CB750F2N' ;'CB125TD ( 6 3 of em!)'; 'Montesa Cota 248'. Learner FAQ's:= 'U want to Ride a Motorbike! Where Do U start?'

[Alexio]

Dear Teflon-Mike,

I enjoy the content of your posts very much but I am a little bit disappointed about it's presentation and grammatical problems. If you endevour to make a nicer looking post then I shall give you karma. If you are already doing your best or are simply not concerned about what I am saying then so be it.

I feel like we should attempt to keep these forums looking nice and as easy to read as possible.

All the best,

Alex.
____________________
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?

[locked]

[G]

Why would you go Fully Comp?

Even claiming on your current bike, unless it's pretty much a total loss, I expect you may well lose a fair bit more money in high premiums over the next few years than how much it'd cost to fix your bike.
So I'd go TPO or TPFT on a bigger bike.
FC and TPFT are for people rich enough to afford the higher premiums when they make a claim .

[locked]

[Alexio]

[27cows]

Frequently on my RXS, but I wouldn't recommend it. I have 20 years experience of doing it, though I try to avoid motorways where possible. The main problem is nearly everyone doing 90 and more. If people did 70, I would almost be able to keep up lol
____________________
The RXS100: vehicle of choice for Chuck Norris

[T0MMY]

[locked]