Big single as commuter and fun bike

[flyer]

I need a commuter for 70 mile each way journeys, but want to stay away from big bikes, (Im trying to grow up).

I swapped in sports and naked bikes for enduro bikes a couple of years ago, and currently have a Xr400 Ill be selling to fund this.

So what Im wondering is, does any one have experience of doing journeys of about this size on bikes like, XR650's, XT660 FMX650, etc.

Ideally Id like a Honda or a Yam for reliability and ease of outdoor storage at times. Im a little put off KTM due to not wanting to be precious about this bike. It will also get some light off road use as well. (fire road, double track, not rugged single track stuff - probably)

Any advice, experiences much appreciated
____________________
Stand up paddle surfing wales Caravan decking wales

[G]

For the most part, you'll find they aren't too far off your 400, just with a fuller midrange and a god bit more weight in the case of the latter two.
The XR650R was of course designed for winning the Baja 1000, so is a different proposition.

I wouldn't choose to do 70 miles each way regularly on a big single - I have done a good number of long journeys on them at various times.

Usual suggestion; GPZ500s.

[flyer]

Thanks for that. Is it just a case of vibration hell? I had a drz400 a while back, fairly new one and didnt mind 20 mile road trips on that, never did much further. The XR just isnt fun on the road.

Maybe having a bike I can still take off road and a commuter isnt really a good option?Hhmmm.

KTM duke2 maybe and a cover for when I cant get back to my garage could be a poss, but I would like to keep off road on the go

Thanks again, food for thought
____________________
Stand up paddle surfing wales Caravan decking wales

[G]

Vibration, lots of wind and thus poor economy/performance at commuting speeds.

Again, something like a GPZ has similar sort of power to a Duke, but is smoother, lower and less windy. Not massively faster.
Much better servicing and less likely to grenade (and less costly if it does go wrong).

I'd get that for the commute and consider if you want other 'fun' options.

[stinkwheel]

KLE500?

Paralell twin in a roadgoing offroad-style chassis?

Likewise a transalp? Or a TDM750/850?
____________________
“Rule one: Always stick around for one more drink. That's when things happen. That's when you find out everything you want to know.”
I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles.

[Major Doss]

TDM850 '92 on. All good, but fit a oil pressure switch!

[KLR600]

I used to commute around 10-12 miles each way on my old KLR600 and my commute had B roads, A roads, dual carriageways and town riding. When it became clear that I would be commuting more than riding for fun I chopped it in for an XJ600N. I doubt I would have lasted as long as I had if I had been commuting 70 miles each way on the KLR. The big single was fun up in the lanes and forestry roads where my mates lived in the woods but I was doing 80/20 commute/fun and the vibes on the road were getting annoying.

My advice would be cheap IL4 for commuting then keep a fun off road bike for the weekend. You can get divvy's very cheap with long MOT and it satisfies the not being precious over it bit. It'll also be better on fuel, smoother, cheap insurance and offer some weather protection if you get one with a bikini fairing. If you're looking at KTM's then you could definitely afford an XJ and a decent enduro bike with a similar budget.
____________________
Now: '00 Kawasaki ZRX1100R - Past: '84 Yamaha DT125, '89 Kawasaki KLR600, '97 Yamaha XJ600N
<My Bikepics Page> <My Yootoobes> <My Websites> <My Photos>
<Take Cool Photos!>

[flyer]

Cheers everyone. Really good advice. Having done a lot of commuting by bike, its as I expected but didnt really want to hear. haha. WIll start hunting out one of the larger road traillies as mentioned or a cheap road bike.

Thanks again
____________________
Stand up paddle surfing wales Caravan decking wales

[smallfrowne]

Hmm I've been using a DR650 to commute 21mile each way, which is mostly motorway and 60mph roads. It's completely fine but I have fitted a bit of a screen to the headlight cowl and stay below 80. This is with big mitas e09 knobs on the rear - which are lasting a fair while, if a bit square now (I reckon they'll have done 4/5k by the time they are done) for £38. Apparently they are noisy but pfft I hardly notice.

For 70 miles though hmmmm. Never ridden another big single but the vibes don't seem bad at all, it does have 2 balancers though, not sure what the other bikes mentioned have, it could be comparatively smooth. Did a trip round the top coast of scotchland and back over 5 days last spring and no complaints, so I'd say it'd be fine. but as it's been said, there's probably a better bike for the single job of commuting. Also MPG seems to hover about 52mpg which wouldn't be great when doing that many miles, could probably get something a bit better on that front. And it is a bit heavy for chucking around (and picking up) in muddy stuff - but I am a pussy on this front and haven't really done much greenlaning stuff.. yet.

Oh one other thing since you asked about long rides, me and a mate made an attempt at doing the Hastings run last year as well, I ended up doing (exactly) 500miles that day. We went down the m1, through central london, down to the coast and then back up. Wouldn't of felt a thing, but due to my fault and not the bikes, the last 150 miles weren't great. I stupidly wore an open face helmet and it chucked it down so I had to hunch behind the small screen to see. Apart from that the bike was fine and comfortable up till then.

[Mario_Kempes]

I use an Xt600e as a commuter and have travelled around on it on holiday etc. Cost me €1000. Got it as I was trying to sell my other bike and didn't want to increase the mileage any more.

I love it. It's bulletproof. I've dropped it umpteen times, scraped it down the road. Bash it straight. Done

Get great fuel economy. 20 km a litre which equates to 56.5 mpg.

I've always had naked bikes so I don't notice/mind windblast. I rarely go over 70mph. Vibes aren't that bad but obviously seem more extreme if you're coming from an IL4.

Thing is, my commute's a total of about 22 miles round trip. I've done long trips but that's special occasions. 70 miles every day is a different story.

[LustyLew]

Commuted on a XT660Z (Tenere) for about 6 months...

Loved the bike for small adventures. But in snarled up traffic I found it a bit lumpy.

Now on a Versys 650 (twin) and it's much, much easier (and forgiving).
____________________
Like a Yorkie - I'm not for the girls

[Moxey]

I used my Skorpion 660 (MZ that uses the old 5 valve XT lump) to commute 46 miles to uni, involving at least 30+ miles of open A-road along the A66.

Let me tell you now the initial novelty of it being my first big bike (first fully functional, excluding the Bandit) wore off quick, it soon became boring and tedious, with the vibrations, decreasing economy and expense (cost me more to insure and tax than my more powerful Bandit).

It was fairly competent at back road scratching although benefited from better tyres (a discovery made by the guy I sold it too) but suffered from lack of power (only 47bhp), ultimately the guy I sold it too, considered it a less powerful, more vibey and less economical SV 650 (MPG is roughly similar although the SV can get better on a run at higher speeds) which I would agree with.
____________________
Current: 02 FZS 1000 & 91 Royal Enfield Bullet 350 Some Bike Pics...
'I was too busy paying attention to pay attention'

[MC]

It's a bad move in terms of fuel economy. I was getting 40mpg with the MT-03 (same engine as the XT660), fuel light coming on after 90 miles (with a 15L tank ) although that's urban riding.

I also believe the fuelling issues are worse on the XT660, and they're bad enough on the MT-03. It's not a smooth experience, fun but I found I really enjoyed going into work, then coming home when tired wanting something smoother & easier.
____________________
Yamaha MT-03 '08 (crashed)
Honda XR-125L '04

[Aspire]

With that commute the only bike for you IMO is a big tourer.

FJR1300
Pan
Triumph Trophy 900/1200
etc

All have massive fairings and torquey engines, easily can cruise at 90mph all day in comfort. That's what will be for the best. Also in the right hands they hand very well.

Commuting to Manchester on my dads trophy is so much easier then on my cb5/speed four.

[stinkwheel]

[stevo as b4]

I'd probably rule out the FMX650 just because it has a limp wristed version of the old 44bhp Dominator engine. I think having a 50bhp bike for a 70mile each way commute would be an ideal minimum.

Most of the big singles you've mentioned I have no experience of, but for many off road style/trail/ enduro bike's I would say the seat is more of a limiting factor than any vibration, unless your holding it strung out at 80/90mph on big roads for ages when it might shake a bit?

I've done say 130miles on a 200cc trail bike before, and had a very sore arse after. Many are uncomfortable after 40miles id say, and any trail or off road bike aside from a Dakar desert replica will have a small 50-100mile tank range at best. Couple that with the fact that most off road bikes have long travel fast diving suspension and brakes that are not great for high speed road use. Then there is the riding position being sat up high and wide like a sail, so a sustained 70-80mph won't be comfortable day in day out.

You may be better off with a more road biased machine, and as others have said a 500cc twin for example is capable of some very good mpg, probably 2/3 that of what a 125cc can manage.

[G]

Number of wheels/size of bike depends on the traffic for me.

Incidentally, I should note I've done reasonable distance on a variety of big single 4 strokes; KLR650, DR600 (x2), CCM404, KTM690 (lots of distance), twins and fours and some bits and pieces on triples.

For dirt bikes, singles do make sense.
For a commuter, especially a distance one; I wouldn't choose one if there were other options.

[Shaft]

My XL600 is a terrific commuter, in town with odd bursts of speed. Nice upright riding position (and a thick comfy seat) the wide bars make it very manoeuvrable and it's got point and squirt power delivery, which is handy for firing through traffic.

I've a done a few longish runs on it, I might even be tempted to do a tour on it, if there was some mild offroading to be included, but a 140 mile round trip every day?

Nah, too vibey for sitting at speed for long stretches, not enough top end to be comfortable and it would need much better wind and weather protection.

You want at least two cylinders really, which is a shame because I'd like to sell it to you
____________________
Things get better with age; I'm close to being magnificent........
20 RE Interceptor, 83 Z1100A3, 83 GS650 Katana
WooHoo, I'm a Man Point Millionaire! https://www.bikechatforums.com/viewtopic.php?t=234035

[stevo as b4]

I suppose a seat is easily fixed though, so that could be a non issue. My KMX125 has got more padding in the seat than std, and it's far more comfortable than any similar bikes I've ridden before.

If I wanted a tall bike with an off road style riding position for 140miles a day, then an Africa Twin or XTZ750 Super Tenere would be in my Ebay search's. It's a shame that both these old bikes have a cult following and thus are expensive for their age used, but then again I bet either of them are so superior and more agile than a Charlie&Ewan 1150/1200GS, and so people probably pay silly money for them to avoid having to ride a nasty old tractor with a boxer engine.

[Pigeon]

Don't the BMW G650 GS and KTM 690 do 60-70mpg and 100mph.
You did say not a KTM though to be fair.

[G]

I've had 108 on the GPS on my 690 with passenger, big panniers and a DIY fairing.

Didn't get great economy, possibly because of things like the above.

[stonesie]

For 70 miles each way I would be after something comfortable with a decent fairing, triumph Sprint springs to mind, or even a faired bandit/gsxf. Add a chain oiler to anything with a chain to oil for that kind of use.

[Aspire]

As others have reiterated look for something that is more fit for purpose you will be grateful that you choose a touring bike.

I rode our family's old Gilera RC660 for a bit, great fun for a blast about etc then rode it on the motorway for 30 odd miles and never did it again. So can talk from experience a little.

IMO a big engine tourer is easier to ride then a revvy 600/cb500 type, just slot it in 5/6th and ride it like a ped.

Also shaft is easier I suppose but if you have a decent chain they don't need adjusting that often so to me its a non issue.

You literally have loads of options.

Dual sports type - Suzuki Vstrom 1000 etc

Big tourer - Pan euro etc

Sport tourer - Bird/vfr750 etc

Little tourer - Faired bandit/ fazer etc

Even a big CC scooter !!!

[Eddie Hitler]

I did something similar on my first bike, really gets old having to commute on a wheezy single at higher speeds. No wind protection, upright position, crap fuel consumption (on mine anyway).

Any 90s sports would be a perfect commuter (cbr, fzr, zzr, etc etc).