Bike for Commuting and Fun

[Stil]

So I've decided to make the leap and get rid of my car, so will be bike only. I do have access to a car if required.

The question which remains is... Which bike? I know some well known YouTube commuters use sports bikes. Just how comfy are they for commuting?

I've looked into the Gsxr600 and mt-07. Both are great bikes I'm sure, I do love the supersports style, but still want a somewhat comfortable commute.

[Andy_Pagin]

I find Fazers do both jobs well
Not surprising since the Fazer was designed to be a more practical cousin of the Thundercat.
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They're coming to take me away, ho-ho, hee-hee, ha-haaa, hey-hey,
the men in white coats are coming to take me away.
Yamaha Vity -> YBR125 -> FZS600 Fazer -> FZ1-S Fazer

[barrkel]

You've left off most of the information that would help people give you suggestions.

What kind of distance, what kind of roads, what % inner city traffic vs motorway, why you want to commute by bike - as a fashion accessory, to save money, to save time, to get parking, because you love riding, etc.

BvG probably rides a litre supersports for the combination of decent motorway cruising and narrowness for filtering. It seems clear he's commuting to central London from outside the M25.

RoyalJordanian prefers naked bikes, and I suspect he lives inside the M25. Far more of his ride is in 40 zones and congested dual carriageways.

I live relatively central to London and commute on a scooter. None of my commute has a speed limit above 30. I'd be slower on a big bike on bad traffic days because it's easier to wriggle through gridlocked traffic on a scooter.
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Bikes: S1000R, SH350; Exes: Vity 125, PS125, YBR125, ER6f, VFR800, Brutale 920, CB600F, SH300x4
Best road ever ridden: www.youtube.com/watch?v=s2MhNxUEYtQ

[Val]

[MC]

[ADSrox0r]

VFR is made for 'all round' duties. Pick up an old Fi pre-VTEC if you want to save a few quid and jobs a goodun.
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Current bikes: '08 VFR 800 VTEC(yo) , '07 ZZR1400 Winter hack: '95 Aprilia 650 Pegaso Currently lusting after: RC30

[Troy92]

I've got an r6 and use it for both. I've never been uncomfortable with it and its nice and easy for filtering. Ive found it alot easier compared to my hornet. It's all personal preference remember
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99' Hornet

[P.]

I have a street triple. It does the job really well.

To me it's a perfect mix of comfort, fun and usability.

[Wafer_Thin_Ham]

[P.]

I genuinely reckon everyone should have one. Anyone thats ridden it says the same

[Pigeon]

[Wednesday Biker]

Only thing that stops me getting a street triple is that I can't afford one
Would absolutely love one but i always end up with a cheapo bike.

[Slacker24seve...]

My Daytona is currently slogging 60 miles per day of A road, motorway and urban in reasonable comfort at 45mpg, which I will accept as quite good from a supersports.

You can do it on anything if you really want to though at either end of the spectrum, ie a Sumo or Goldwing you have to be a glutton for punishment.

Try a few, make sure they are fairly comfortable (to a certain extent you will adapt to a new bike) and then base your choice on the following criteria:

How fast it goes
Tank range
Fun-ness
How moist it makes you

That last point is very important. Many times on a shite day I have been cheered up by walking out to my bike and getting a stonk on at the thought of thrashing it home.

I should point out however that this may all change if I save enough to buy a bucket of bolts 500 and then throw many pounds worth of track bits at the Daytona over the winter. Both head and heart are telling me that is the way forward.
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Triumph Daytona 675 track bike + girlfriend's Honda Hornet 600
Selling a hack/winter bike for less than a grand? PM me.
Banger rallies are ace

[Northern Monkey]

I normally commute on my msx125 and my royal enfield, but then my commute is only 7 miles

Without more information we can't really advise.
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Fisty: after polishing the tank with the glistenng beads of sweat from my full hot scrotum, I filled the headrace bearings with 10cc of my manmilk

[map]

As said above. Get VFR.
Meets commuter and fun criteria of thread title.
So end of thread.


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...and the whirlwind is in the thorn trees, it's hard for thee to kick against the pricks...
Gibbs, what did Duckie look like when he was younger?

[woo]

i used to commute on an R1 for 8yrs now i commute on GSXR 1000 k4
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Elen sila lummen omentielvo!

[Knacker]

I second the Gsxr 1000 vote K1-4 Models, Comfy enough depending on what you call a commute fuel consumption is not terrible either. Although if I had the Money I'd get a Speed Triple or Something similar for something different.
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Current: Gsxr 600 Srad - GS125 - DT125
Previous: K1 GSXR 1000

[P.]

[Tomoose]

Lots of suggestions for VFR, why not also consider a Triumph Sprint? A Sprint ST 955i is all the bike anyone could ever need, and a stonking engine too. Well worth a look, and incredibly cheap to buy!

[P.]

[G]

[Lazysod]

*Power Tuned* Honda NC700S/750S DCT.

I've just added one to my collection and it's hands down the best bike I've ever owned. Not the fastest or the nicest looking bike but by far the most comfortable, ecconomical, fun and commuter agile bike I've ever owned.

It has a DCT gearbox so no clutch or gear shifter which equates to more fun and focus on the road with race starts off the line every time and seamless computer controlled speed shifts.
I wouldn't reccomend the manual version of this bike or keeping it at standard power because they are flat and boring with an annoying rev limiter on the manual version. I've changed the exhaust system and air filter on mine which gives me a 0-60 time of just under 4 seconds which was about 6 seconds previously. I lay it down and scrape my pegs often as well as smoke many 600 sports bikes.

I get 80mpg when I'm riding like a bender filling the storage compartment with delicate cargo and 60mpg when I'm not, the false tank storage which I often use for my helmet really is a revelation. I could carry on about this bike, ABS brakes, computer dash,,,, but I'll finish by saying if you're not offended by the auto nature of the bike you'll love it coming from a car and looking for fun and comfort, forget wheelies and wind protection though.