Do you enjoy your commute?

[Nai]

Odd question. I got asked if I was enjoying my bike after 4-5 months of owning it today. I had a rather mixed feeling. I enjoy the weekend ride into town and back. I already hate my commute. The whole thing is just solid filtering, all the way up th A40 and A406. Today I had a more enjoyable ride as I had to leave early, get to South London for 7ish, pick up a check, then get into work. It was still a lot of traffic in Central London this morning (maybe due to bike demo?), and I still ended up doing a lot of filtering but god at least it wasn't on the A40 and A406....

So anyway, yes, I don't enjoy my commute at all. I would love a commute around a nice area with quiet B roads or something....

Do you enjoy yours? And if you do, where do you commute?

[The Artist]

Approx 50% of my travelling is commuting as it were to college and back. Other 50% is going around town etc and probably less than 10% ride out just going out for a ride.

I enjoy my ride in the morning, wakes me up, I know the route so well I can do most of it with my eyes shut. 6 miles each way.

Also, I don't get to do much hardcore filtering, not living near a city but when I have been around the UK and come up behind some long traffic queues, I loved filtering, I mean over a mile of stationary traffic, proper mental workout, constantly focusing 100% on all the stuff going on.

[pinkyfloyd]

I have about 5 miles to go which is great fun, even though its city riding. The only time I dont enjoy it is Friday because I start at 6 and it takes almost an hour to do them 5 miles even filtering because of the traffic.

The ride home is great because I finish at midnight and theres very few people around.
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[Nb]

Sometimes I enjoy my commute, it's all dual carriageway so it only takes about 10 mins in total. My bike is fairly boring I suppose but suits the commute quite well seeing as everyone round here does 90mph + lol
It's not as much fun coming home In the dark though
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Cbr1100xx blackbird gone, mk4 golf gt tdi chav now
Colin1 wrote 'Im grateful for what i can get, which isnt all that much.'
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[Alex A]

Mine's about 2 miles of wide sweeping A roads and 3 fast roundabouts. Good fun even in the worst weather and not so far as to make it the least bit miserable in Winter.
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Current: Ducati Panigale R / Ducati Streetfighter S / Suzuki GSX-R1000 L5

[27cows]

Depends on the traffic and weather. Today was a nightmare. Mostly I quite enjoy it, particularly coming home.
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The RXS100: vehicle of choice for Chuck Norris

[pepperami]

I would enjoy my commute, cos that would mean I have a job!
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I am the sum total of my own existence, what went before makes me who I am now!

[yen_powell]

No
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Blackmail is a nasty word........but not as nasty as phlegm!
XT1200Z and a DR350 in bits

[Alexio]

Yes and no. Now I have a bike again it's heaven in comparison to cycling but there are lots of hills my C90 struggles to get up at a quick speed (it hits a whole 25MPH in a 40 zone!). During rush hour I am now experiencing several people overtaking me even though I am in the middle of my lane, giving me just inches to spare. I can't exactly move to be defensive, I would definitely lose in a fight, and I get the feeling they wouldn't have a problem swerving in to me to avoid the oncoming traffic they are also inches away from.

The rest of it is hilarious though. It's such a crap bike it's very fun during the slow commute. And it's best I go slow because the brakes are terrible. I doubt I'd ever take it out of town.
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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?

[Tenantry13]

Love it! just hate arriving there

[nokiakeys]

Mine is cool, going from east london to south via tower bridge.

I think it would be odd if there was no filtering to do
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CBT: 04/2010 -> Theory: 09/2010 -> MOD1 & 2: 10/2010 (That's right baby, both on same day)
Honda CBF125 -> Honda CB600FS

[Redoko]

Since being at uni the most time im on my bike at any one time is my commute, it gives me a good time to enjoy it.
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"Let's face it, this is not the worst thing you've caught me doing."
Sudika Sportsman SK50QT > Gilera DNA50 > Honda CBR125 RW7 > Kawasaki Zephyr750 > Suzuki GSXR600 > Honda Hornet CB600F '51

[Whosthedaddy]

[Beelzebob]

I fookin love my commute. Mind you, I have just passed my test so still a healthy 'new biker' glow.

It's either a blast round the Edinburgh city bypass or a more sedate ride through town at 30, but either way I love doing it.

Bike is not charging at the moment so having to use the car - and I really REALLY miss the bike - probably partly cos I can't have it...

Just waiting for a multimeter to arrive in t' post so I can diagnose the problem
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'09 YBR 125 -> '92 XJ600 S Diversion -> '99 Hornet 600

"Stronger than your average female lifeguard"

[Rogerborg]

Love it, wish it was longer.

I don't like filtering though - every car passed feels like an opportunity to get mashed up.

[Nai]

[rac3r]

On the way there it's fun but on the way back it's jammed with traffic and now it will be dark too

I take the local routes instead of the A406, much better
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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

[Dazbo666]

Not sure I'd describe my commute as enjoyable, because although the shortest route is only a 10-15 minute ride from the outskirts / suburbs into the city centre, the majority of it is often being caught in bumper-to-bumper traffic with not enough filtering opportunity.

I actually enjoy filtering, but usually only when there's plenty of room to manoevure, like a dual carriageway etc

Whenever I've got the time, I'll often take a different route that goes round the back of the main city roads, if only to play with some roundabout surfing on the way to work
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[c_dug]

I still enjoy mine I think

As long as the weather isn't too crap I just make it fun via the right wrist. Every now and again you get the odd car (recent play with a BMW M6 comes to mind) that wants to play silly buggers with me, that's when it becomes really worth it for the shits and giggles.

Oh and also playing "lets make a fuckton load of noise" through the dartford tunnel every day improves the journey home, would love to follow myself through there

Commute is usually 1.5 miles through town, about 12 miles on the A127 and M25 and another 3 miles of other assorted roads at the other end.
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[G]

Generally I have enjoyed commuting to some degree.
I don't like the act of a commute, but I do enjoy the riding a bit too much, often.
Getting used to what the bike and you are capable of - getting through gaps that cyclists have avoided, always making progress, general challenge.

Oh and yea Hills definitely aren't the C90s forte!
Are you using both brakes at once; even coming from the GSXR I've not found them a massive problem (though having done a decent stint 'racing' them might help getting used to it!).
Definitely worth checking the adjustment as the front did seem a bit weaker than I expected - very easy to tighten up. Stick it on the main stand and do up the adjuster until it starts braking with the brake off, then back it off a bit.

[andys675]

commuting's the most I get to ride these days, so I make it fun by straight lining islands as much as possible, filtering up to the front at lights, learning the light sequences and burning off just as they change, scraping my pegs and riding off the edge of the tyres (weather permitting) and ignoring the speed limits between the cameras, also having a bit of aggro with car drivers.

[Nai]

Ahh if we some A40 - A406 users around then, how would you make this journey more 'fun'?

Its done from the current rush hours 7am-8am on the way to Finchley, 5:15/30ish - 6:30pm on the way home near the hospital. No I don't live in a hospital, but not keen on giving out my home or work addy

https://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=N+Circular+Rd%2FA406&daddr=Pield+Heath+Rd&hl=en&geocode=FbBgEwMd1Vz9_w%3BFQo8EgMdbff4_w&mra=dme&mrcr=0&mrsp=0&sz=13&sll=51.591043,-0.209255&sspn=0.080626,0.135784&ie=UTF8&ll=51.510879,-0.288391&spn=0.323073,0.543137&t=h&z=11

[owl10]

I hate my commute to uni, of a 60 mile round trip, 56 miles of it is motorway.

Boring as hell, squares off the tyres a treat and the bike is now covered in salty road crud.

Used to enjoy my 6 mile round trip to work when i lived in portsmouth though, and wished it was a bit longer.

I think for most people, who dont get to ride sweeping a/b roads to work, variability is the key. Even if your commute is the same route every day varied types of riding will tend to keep you more interested, so a bit where you can get you speed up, a bit of traffic and a few corners and most seem to be fairly happy.

[Alexio]

[G]

I've had plenty of bikes with no indicators; maybe got used to it a bit.
Remember, only need to indicate if it's going to be of use to people. So passing solid traffic, say, I generally wouldn't bother.

You do get used to the 'sitting up' thing after a while.
If you want to see the exactly what the bike is capable of, I believe there appropriate video evidence of how fast it can corner, etc .

Check facebook if you haven't - you have front indicators now, at least .