Naked or not?

[FakeIrish]

Hi all

After having no bike for 8 years (don't ask), I'm looking to get another bike - mainly for commuting into London (45 miles each way). There is approx 35 miles motorway each way.

I'm looking for a bike with enough power to make it enjoyable, but at the same time, it has to be "cheaper" to run compared to my previous bikes.

I want a naked bike (love CB1300!) and probably looking at a Bandit 650 (15,000 major service intervals) rather than 8,000 miles for most other bikes.

I used to commute on VFR800 (my first bike), CBR600 and ZX9R (loved it!). All had fairings but I remember commuting in winter freezing my nuts off despite the fairings and expensive GoreTex clothing...

Problem is, I hate the look of the half-fairings on Bandit and prefer the naked look - will the naked bike with the right gear (heated grips, bar mufflers etc) be manageable or should i consider fairings?

I'm 6ft tall and 15 and a half stomes (!) so I prefer a "sizeable" bike.

Naked or not?

Thanks.

[MarJay]

If you buy a naked bike and plan to do 70 motorway miles a day I think you'll end up regretting it. Naked bikes are COLD in the winter.
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[FakeIrish]

[Blackwolf]

CB1300s are nice but crap on petrol

Ive found while riding my T its a little colder but not a huge amount, afterall it all depends on the kit your wearing.

I did find my hands got expreamly cold riding a CB1300 though.

HTH
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[Tenko]

I've had an 885 Speed Triple for about 12 years now and I love it, even on long rides. It helps that the bars are low - wouldn't want to do regular long journeys making like a sail in the wind...

Naked bikes are easier to maintain but harder to keep clean. They are also cheaper to crash. Swings & roundabouts I guess...

[chillyman0]

Good kit and you will stay warm, gloves probably being the most important, no matter how good the rest of your gear if you have cold hands you will feel cold in general...
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[MarJay]

[Tenko]

Good thing about a naked bike though is you can cuddle the engine whilst sat at the lights...

[G]

Commuting in town (30/40s) the fairings doesn't seem to make such a difference, but it really does help on the motorways.

However, if you're determined to go that way, it's a case of having even better kit for the rest of you - consider heated trousers and jacket definitely.
Decent muffs and heated grips.

Oh and I'm just under 6' (5'11.6" according to the Doctor's measury thing) and in January was 16 stone. Still prefer smaller bikes generally .

[FakeIrish]

[lozzypop1]

If you're that concerned about the cold... I'd recommend you get a biketech heated jacket liner.
Thread about it HERE!

Worth it's weight in gold. Although that doesn't mean much as it's very very lightweight lol. I wouldn't be without mine now.
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[weasley]

Also factor in that on a naked you're likely to get wetter, thus colder for longer. A big fairing does keep some rain off.
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[Razzy]

Vstrom 650, transalp are the kinda bikes for this, good on fuel, great on weather protection, cheap too run and can still reasonably put a grin on your face at times.
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[abs]

I ride a suzuki gsx1400 (naked) for my 40mile (80miles return) ride to work everyday. In the winter it is cold but heated grips really help. I just have a windproof jumper and goretex gear and managed it for 3 years so far. So a naked is possible but cant compare with fairings as never had one yet.
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[bombom]

I currently commute 30miles each way on the motorway on a bandit400 and have been doing it for the past 3monthd or so and am now on the look out for something with fairings as the wind blows me all over the place.

I once owned a honda vfr400 which was a great little bike for motorways

[jay12329]

I used to do 90miles a day on my hornet in all weathers, good gloves, heated grips and muffs made it bearable but not fun. But keeping hands and feet warm was always the issue not my core so doubt a fairing would make much difference to me.
As of friday I no longer have a car and will be commuting on my naked Z1000 daily!

hth
J

[FakeIrish]

Thanks all for the replies.

Seems the consensus is go for it. Yes it will be painful at times but the seriously cold episodes are only a few weeks in duration.

Like I said before, I was on faired bikes previously and still got painfully cold but I still used to love riding into work rather than the train.

Now I need to find a naked bike that will be reasonable to maintain financially, whilst still enjoyable to ride. But as I prefer the bigger bikes, the options are small if I'm looking at the mid-ranges.

Thanks again.

[jjdugen]

Just a quick cautionary about heated gear. Most bikes alternator / reg-recs arent up to the job. Given that its already cold, you will be using your lights, you run the risk of cooking your charging system. (Certainly on most Hondas, dont ask how I know).

[FakeIrish]

The only heated item I will consider is the grips.

It will be a case of a quality textile suit, followed by the principle of lots of layers underneath to resemble the Michelin Man!

But like a previous poster says, it's not the core temperature that I'm worried about, it's the hands but with decent gloves, under gloves, heated grips and mufflers, i'm confident all will be well.

[UnspeedySam]

[FakeIrish]

[UnspeedySam]

[Blackwolf]

[KLR600]

I think it all depends on you as a person really. I've been riding naked bikes for 7 years now through all winter as well and I've found it to be fine. You just grow slightly bigger neck muscles and get on with it

A lot of people don't find wind blast at 80mph fun and would rather tuck in behind a fairing but I'm just not bothered, I've ridden fully faired bikes and just found that they always seem to direct the windblast straight into my face instead of my chest!
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[hmmmnz]

im about your size, and commute similar distances,
i only ride naked bikes, fairings require too much effort when servicing comes about, and when you inevitably slide off, they cost you a fortune to replace.

i have a cb1000 and bandit12 that i piss about on,
neither would i say is particularly good on gas, and the bandit is a menace of a bike, far too easy to be pulling wheelies willy nilly,

but on the plus side a "service" on a bandit is a max 2 hour job including valve clearances the cb isn't much worse, (just a little more awkward)

i survive with heated grips, and hand guards even well into th sub zeros,
being a big lad, fairings do sweet fuck all,
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