New Job - New Commute?

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Evening all.

Today I was offered a new job (Thank god! I've been stuck in the same crap for way too long!). With this new job comes a new commute.

I am currently located in Bournemouth, and the new job is in Dorchester. It's around 35 miles each way, and works out between 50 mins and 1:30 hours, depending on the time of day. The worst part of the journey is getting through Bournemouth and Poole, because there is no bypass or main through road.

At present I only have a car, having sold my bike at the end of last year. The car does around 30 mpg in town, and 35-38ish on the open road. The journey is probably half town (stop start nonsense) and the rest on a single track A road. Doing some rough calculations, it's going to cost around £15 a day in fuel costs.

What I'm wondering, however, is would a cheap commuter bike save me enough money for me to able to justify the initial cost? I've been trying to get mpg figures for the common commuters and it looks promising, but I just wanted some opinions.

I don't plan on getting rid of the car, because some days I will need to travel with and for work, so a bike won't be ideal. However, the travel time and cost could be cut down quite a bit in terms of to and from work.

So does an £800 CB, ER, GS, GPZ, B6, ZZR6 make a worthwhile investment? Or would I just be best sucking it up and dealing with the traffic and fuel cost.
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Current bike: ZX6R J1
Previous bikes: CLR 125 | GS500 | ZX6R G2 | SV650

[spikenipple]

It would be worthwhile simply because that sort of bike will hold it's value, so you can sell it on when you want and get your money back.
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C50 > GN250 > XJ600 > SV650S K7 > 2001 RSV Mille R > MT-09, XR400R > 2005 Fireblade (trackbike) + 2022 MT-09 + ZXR400 race bike

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[Scythe]

And the time saving filtering through traffic.

I had an 50 mile 60 minute commute in which I was considering getting a commuter bike for, but it's dual carrageway the whole way and fairly smooth so I didn't save any time, and the car is comfier.

I'd definitely get a cheap bike for the summer months, then once the weather goes bad, take the car.
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2009 Yamaha YBR125 -> 2000 SV650S -> 2005 Kawasaki ZX6R 636

[Rogerborg]

How much is your time worth to you? Every minute filtering is a minute earned.
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Biking is 1/20th as dangerous as horse riding.
GONE: HN125-8, LF-250B, GPz 305, GPZ 500S, Burgman 400 // RIDING: F650GS (800 twin), Royal Enfield Bullet Electra 500 AVL, Ninja 250R because racebike

[Clutchy]

It probably will be a small saving and will take time to pay for its self.



However the positives are:


You get to ride a bike which is fun, you don't have to sit in traffic, stop start really annoys me... and you get to spend more time doing other stuff rather than an extra 30 mins sat in traffic.

I would buy a bike. ZZR sounds good.

Plus you now have a back up vehicle
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Malaguti F12 Phantom-Dead, Suzuki AY50- Dead, NRG power DD LQ, CBR125.
*33 BHP restriction up on 10/12/14* Current bikes/car: SV 650 S/ MKIV GOLF
Guide to pass your test with no lessons!

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The time is a major factor too. I did the run today (to the interview) in almost exactly an hour. This wasn't during rush hour traffic. It will take potential 1.5 hours in serious traffic, and with only a few miles of dual carriageway, gaining any ground in a car isn't really possible.

Doesn't anyone have any MPG figures for certain bikes. The 500's are always going to be a safe bet, but I'd much prefer an IL4 and some fairing (ZZR).
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Current bike: ZX6R J1
Previous bikes: CLR 125 | GS500 | ZX6R G2 | SV650

[Clutchy]

Bought my sv for commuting, which has a loud full system can on it and that averages 55/60mpg and is faired/fully faired which can be had for quite cheap these days. One more to consider perhaps.


The low down grunt is handy in tight/stop and start traffic I found.
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Malaguti F12 Phantom-Dead, Suzuki AY50- Dead, NRG power DD LQ, CBR125.
*33 BHP restriction up on 10/12/14* Current bikes/car: SV 650 S/ MKIV GOLF
Guide to pass your test with no lessons!

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[JonB]

Would it not be cheaper and easier to move?

I know the roads well between Dorchester and Bournemouth, it would never be a fun commute.
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Be careful whose advice you buy, but, be patient with those who supply it. Advice is a form of nostalgia, dispensing it is a way of fishing the past from the disposal, wiping it off, painting over the ugly parts and recycling it for more than it?s worth.

[yambabe]

A 500/600cc commuter should get you about twice the mileage of your car I reckon (I get about 65mpg average out of my 550 zephyr) so based on that I would say you are probably going to save in the region of £7 per day in fuel costs on the days you commute.

[Johnny Ball]

So let's do the maths. Out of a 48-week working year (allowing 4 weeks for holidays) let's say you do 2/3 of the journeys on your bike.

So 32 weeks x 5 days is 160 days of bike commuting which at a £7/day saving gives you an annual saving of £1120.

[/Johnny Ball]

I reckon the saving in the first year will just about cover buying the bike, insuring it and stuff like tyres. May I recommend a shafty to save on service costs? After the first year you are quids in, AND you have more time to yourself too.

No brainer IMHO.
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Sod falling in love, I wanna fall in chocolate.

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[Groove]

Costs of running car:

70 miles per day @ 33MPG at 133.9p per litre (guessed this as i cant remember the last time i actually looked at the price of filling up) is £12.91 per day.

5 days a week £64.55
50 weeks a year £3227.50

Expense of running a bike along side:

70 miles per day @ 50MPG at 133.9p per litre is £8.52
5 days a week £42.60
50 weeks a year £2130

Difference in fuel alone - £1097.50

So say £1100 minus insurance and tax at maybe £350-£500 a year. Servicing and tyres etc will be required by both car and bike so i didnt take those in to consideration, although bike tyres are needed more often and are usually more expensive. Its only the insurance and tax that would be a direct extra expense.

You will also find yourself taking the car on rainy/cold days so the difference in fuel cost would be less.

So very roughly, you may have an extra £30-£60 a month in your pocket by running the bike alongside the car. And maybe a little more time.

EDIT: Beaten to it, that would teach me for having a wank break mid post.
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|| Past: 1991 Kawasaki ZXR 250 ~ 2003 Honda CBR 600 F Sport ~ 2004 Kawasaki ZX6R B1H 636 ~ 1999 Yamaha R1 ~ 1999 Kawasaki ZX6R J ~ 2004 Kawasaki ZX6R B1H 636 ~ 1998 Honda VTR1000F Firestorm ~ K1 GSXR 600 Track bike ~ K6 GSXR 1000 ~ 2006 Speed Triple 1050 || Current: 2005 R1 https://www.adrucore.co.uk

[Robster]

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So the general consensus is that running a bike and a car will not cost anything more than I currently pay, but would in fact save me money.

Win. Win.

But, and it's a big but. What bike. Stick with cheap and cheerful 500 commuter, or spend a little extra and ride something less frugal and more exciting.
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Current bike: ZX6R J1
Previous bikes: CLR 125 | GS500 | ZX6R G2 | SV650

[JonB]

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[Groove]

[bamt]

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[Groove]

Not sure how your working out the costs but;

https://www.fuel-economy.co.uk/calc.shtml
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|| Past: 1991 Kawasaki ZXR 250 ~ 2003 Honda CBR 600 F Sport ~ 2004 Kawasaki ZX6R B1H 636 ~ 1999 Yamaha R1 ~ 1999 Kawasaki ZX6R J ~ 2004 Kawasaki ZX6R B1H 636 ~ 1998 Honda VTR1000F Firestorm ~ K1 GSXR 600 Track bike ~ K6 GSXR 1000 ~ 2006 Speed Triple 1050 || Current: 2005 R1 https://www.adrucore.co.uk

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[-Monty-]

[Wonko The Sane]

Don't forget, if it hasn't been pointed out, that bikes need servicing etc more often than the car does

I do 40 miles a day round trip on my ZZR and since last easter it's had two services and a new set of sprockets and chain. The car on the other hand is just coming due it's service, the wife does the same millage to work, but then uses the car to go from school to school for her job, the car then gets used on weekends.

I get about 50-56mpg out of the ZZR on mostly motorway runs, often filtering but also often clear.
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