Bike For Uni

[numark1]

Been thinking about getting another bike for uni instead of flying. Have relatives i can stop at on the way but its about a 400 mile trip to uni. London to Aberdeen.

I have been looking at SP1's (my fave bike) however i dont want to hate the trip then regret getting the bike when i could have just had plane tickets instead.

Also the insurance is £1,290 TPO which is cheaper than what my ZX6R was, although i will be 19 then.

Anyone reckon its worth it?

[MarJay]

SP1 aint exactly a tourer. I rode to Skye via Aberdeen over three days in the summer. Took two days to get to Aberdeen (including stop offs). I wasn't exactly itching to get back on my bike and that was a 'comfy' bike like the TT600.

I think you'll end up resenting the bike, especially as the SP1/2 is known for being uncomfortable.
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Remember kids, bikes aren't like lego. You can't easily take a part from one bike and then fit it to another.

[Bendy]

It's more like 500 miles to Aberdeen. You'll get pissed off doing it by bike, especially sports bike.

Why don't you just buy something and keep it up there in term time, you're near a lot of bloody good roads up north?

Make the trip by bike to take it up and bring it back but don't use it for nipping home for a few days. Or just buy up there and sell it if you're coming home for the summer months.

[McGee]

I say do it.
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[Silver]

That mileage is gonna hurt. SP1/2s aren't exactly built with comfprt in mind. They're pretty compact.

Would have thought your old ZX6R would have been a better bet.

[mchaggis]

I'm doing 400 and odd miles to Inverurie in a few weeks, even then I'm stopping off at Dundee after less than 300. I'd hate to do 9 hours on the trot, make that more like 10 or 11 with lunch, coffee, pee and petrol breaks. It's 150 miles from where I live to London, so to Aberdeen would be getting on for 550 in total. Not something you'd really want to do in one go and certainly not more than once or twice a year on a VTR I'd wager.

I'm still contemplating the virtues of doing the trip on my Chinese 125 too, it'd only cost me £20 in petrol! It might cost me a bit more than that in patience, blood, sweat and tears though...
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[numark1]

I can do 1 1/2 hours to my grandma's. 3 hours to my grans then 4 1/2 hours to uni.

[VTR SP1]

Buy an SP1. Great bike.

If you ride to Aberdeen it will only cost £50-60 in petrol and you will have to stop for fuel 4 times.

Maybe not the best bike for the job but still a great bike.
Get some high level Leo Vinci pipes if you want people to hear you comming.

SP1
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I rode the Nurburgring backwards.

[VTR SP1]

Would you have to restrict it at 19?

SP1
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I rode the Nurburgring backwards.

[mchaggis]

[numark1]

Nope my restriction ends the day after my birthday (11th may)

[stinkwheel]

Frankly mate, I wouldn't. You'll get a flight for more or less the fuel cost. Not to mention 500 miles of motorway riding knackering a set of sports tyres.

If you want to do it by bike, get a big lardy tourer. You can get a ZZR1100 pretty cheaply these days, they are far from slow but damned comfy.
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“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.

[Keen]

I did 900 miles in a long weekend once, gainesville to miami, about 450 each way to stay with a friend for thanksgiving.
I'm sure it only took my 5/6 hours each way with fuel stops every 100 miles and that was on a little kawasaki 250 ninja.....

just do it, it'll be an adventure
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"he who makes a beast of himself gets rid of the pain of being a man"- Dr. Johnson

[Rookie]

I'm going to do it, probably on something like an SV or a Hornet. Similar distance; Somerset to (hopefully) Edinburgh.

I assume you want to keep it up there to buzz around on? What would you do if you didn't ride it up?

[Groove]

I dont believe he mentioned what he said in MSN.

He said he would only be going home 3/4 times a year!

Get the damn bike woman!
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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

[stinkwheel]

It takes two and a half hours to get from north of Aberdeen to Perth. Another two hours to get to Carlisle. So that is four and a half hours and you are only just in the North of England. Maybe another five hours to London with a clear run through? So a 9 1/2 to 10 hour journey.
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“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.

[Annabella]

On the cost front, whilst it may appear cheaper to ride the bike, you have to consider the complete cost of using a bike like that to make such a high journey.

Work out how much it costs to run your bike per mile.

So, add the fuel cost, to tax and insurance (divided by the number of miles you do per year), then add the cost of replacing tyres - which as Stinkwheel said, on a journey like that will completely destroy them and finally the cost of depreciation of the bike. Totting up miles on a bike like an SP will lower the value of it.


The other thing to consider is the fact that you will be at university. Theives target university areas because they know that students have all of their worldly belongings in one room, and someone looking a little bit dodgy hanging around won't look at all out of place. Your bike will be more likely to get stolen unfortunately.

I have to agree with Bendy, get a bike to use up there
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[Keen]

[Annabella]

[Keen]

[dainesefreak]

I wouldn't do it, you'll get to the point where you even hate the thought of the journey. You won't want to use the bike for anything else because you're pissed off with riding.

My bike is fairly track focussed but not to the extent of the SP's and I wouldn't do the journey on it, unless it was a relaxed holiday pace.


VTR SP1 - wouldn't you recommend the bike under the circumstances Bendy suggested rather than those that Mark is considering using it for?

[numark1]

Im not fussed on the money side. I reckon it would be fun doing the journey but not in the cold etc.

Have looked at a few R1's and the insurance is pretty much the same. If i just get a bike up there then i will have to pay full wack for everything so it is going to be one or the other.

[Annabella]

Out of interest, how many long motorway journeys have you made?


I used to ride between Cardiff and home quite regularly (a mere 120 miles, and 80 of those were on the M50 which is actually quite twisty for a motorway). It was the most boring journey ever. I hated it! I used to ride back roads through Wales to avoid doing it, thus increasing my journey time by two to three hours.

Motorways aren't fun.
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Avast! Pirates ahoy!
I did Cadwell!
www.bikepics.com/members/bella

[numark1]

Did newcastle and back by myself once. Don't really go out of my own county.

Wasn't too bad about 4 hours of driving.

[EuropeanNC30R...]