Do you....

[rac3r]

use your bike for journeys which are less than 5 miles? Any affects on the bike?

Just wondering because I've been using the bus to get to uni and costs £1.20 each way and to do that 4 times a week costs quite a bit especially when I have a bike in the garage doing feck all! I've tried walking and that takes about 30/40 mins and isn't fun when it's freezing cold or raining.

What would you do?
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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

[chris-red]

I normally do, because I'm lazy for those sorts of journeys I normally don't bother with kit either.
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[t121anf]

i can't imagine you would see the possible adverse effects until it was so old you wouldn't worry about it.

its just a bike, get on a ride it

[Tom_B1H]

Bit of a no brainer, petrols going to cost less than bus fare.
I use my bike to get to work, exactly 5 miles each way.
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[Howling TerrorOutOfOffice]

I only have bikes
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[rac3r]

Yay! I'm becoming very lazy
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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

[The Shaggy D.A.]

[Kickstart]

Hi

Depends on the bike, but I wouldn't worry about doing 5 mile journeys.

I might use a short journey as an excuse to push me into some exercise if I wasn't short of time and didn't have to carry much, but otherwise I would have no qualms about taking the bike.

You will cause more engine wear, but I suspect most bikes are wrecks long before this is an issue. Just don't go off thrashing it when cold.

All the best

Keith
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[rac3r]

Just did a google maps and found it's more near 2 miles! Might have to take the long way round

The short journeys would be 4 times a week with a longer commute to work on Friday and Saturday. If the weathers OK I go for a ride mid week too
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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

[Kickstart]

[JAMSXR]

Push bike?
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[J D]

Only 2 miles then you might as well cycle
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[rac3r]

[D O G]

[Paxovasa]

My commute is 6 miles

I take the long way home now and again, just to get the battery charged up to the max
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Suzuki GSF600 K3 (in the fastest colour, black).

[Polarbear]

Short journeys like that I either take the Landrover or borrow the wifes car. Its not worth getting togged up, warming up the bike and then riding it for five minutes.

The other thing though, where I worry about warming the bike up properly, making sure it has a good run etc. to charge the battery, I don't give a toss about any of cars and they never seem to suffer so perhaps its all in the mind.
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[Ariel Badger]

[rac3r]

The longer route becomes 6/7 miles each way. The bus IS more expensive for me because it's £1.20 per bus every time and without the Oyster card it's £2

Full tank on the Monster is about £8 and lasts about 100 miles until the reserve light is on. Can't use a car because I have no licence or parking at uni
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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

[pinkyfloyd]

If I have to walk further than the distance to the bike and back then I take the bike.

In other words I walk the 100 meters or so to the bike and go everywhere else on it
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[bacon]

my uni is about a mile and a half away and i ride in every day because:

1. i leave it to the last minute normally to leave, leaving little time to walk
2. i dont like walking up massive hills, hate feeling sweaty when i get to uni
3. bikes are cooler
4. if it does rain, it is suffered for 5mins instead of 15-20 (no textile gear)

[Charlie]

Just cycle you lazy begger
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[jimspeed]

my commute (if i can call it that) is exactly 4 miles (3 if i go thru town) and I used my bike all thru the summer (will do in winter as soon as i sort out its "house" too)
you may find that the exhaust suffers from not getting hot enough for long enough to burn all the condensation out and personally i would change the oil more regulary (if its a 4T ? ) due to the same not getting hot enough to burn the moisture out of it.
generally i give mine a decent run a couple of evenings on the long way home like 25-30 miles or so
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[Tom_B1H]

Sorry for my ignorance, how does short journeys equate to engine wear?
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[jimspeed]

[Pernig]

Only thing I found annoying when having a short (2 mile) commute was that it knackered my battery after a while where the journey wasn't giving it enough charge.
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