New job, new bike?

[eifion]

In three months time, I'm likely to be not working where I'm working now. Currently, I car share with Mrs E, as we both work in the same building, but that's not likely to be the case anymore, so I need my own transport.

As a new job might well mean going into Oxford every day I don't fancy sitting in a car for an hour each way so I'd be commuting on the bike. At the moment I just use the bike to get around and weekends, or occasionally to work when I know I'm going to be working different hours to the Mrs. But for day to day commuting I don't want the hassle of the chain cleaning, checking, adjusting that doing that sort of mileage on the SV would mean.

So I'm looking for something low maintenance, efficient, practical etc, which points me towards a Deauville. Or does it? what else would fit my bill as a reliable daily commuter that doesn't need loads of looking after? I did half suggest that I could commute on a Deauville and get something sportier for the weekend, which was met with a definite no, so it's one bike for me. Looking to spend around £2k plus whatever the SV is worth.
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SR125 -> 6 year gap -> SV650 -> Deauville -> NC750X -> Vstrom 650

[G]

Chain oiler on the SV and that solves half your problems.
Brake servicing (at least on the mk1) is more of an irksome task, I'd say.

However, saying that; get a GSXR1000 and a chain oiler in your budget for commuting fun along with a bit more 'sporty' .

[Mudshark]

F800S belt drive, reasonable mpg and performance available from 2k up

https://www.motorcyclenews.com/bike-reviews/bmw/f800s/2006/
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R1250RS
XT660X

[bamt]

Yamaha XJ900S Diversion, should be able to get a decent one with full luggage for under 2 grand. Much more fun than a Dullville, and you can keep your SV (or get something else) for weekends without blowing your budget.
As a year-round commuter, I like having more than one bike available; if I'm doing work on one I can take my time and don't need to worry about having the right tools/parts to hand rather than needing to rush it for the following day's commute.

[andyscooter]

What he said ^^^^^^^^

If you are commuting on it what happens of you need parts

No bike to get to work on while you wait
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gilera runner vxr200 (chavped)
if its spelt wrong its my fat fingers and daft auto correct on my tablet

[Rogerborg]

[drzsta]

[Rogerborg]

Indeed, "overlooked" means you can bag a bargain. I'd go as late as possible since I believe BMW have done their usual trick of fixing issues during production while maintaining a resolute steely denial that they existed.
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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

[stevo as b4]

How far's the commute? What roads and speeds?

If it's mainly towns/city and a bit of A-road but no motorway stuff id just get a tidy and cheap 125-300cc scooter and have a nice sunny weekend bike, like a Daytona 675R, R6 etc, or follow G's wisdom and get a cheaper sports bike and maybe a noisy orange beast if you fancy some dirty fun?

have you space for 2/3bikes before we all get carried away though?

[Rogerborg]

[RhynoCZ]

If commuting is the main purpose, I'd be looking at something rather smaller with better MPG.

Are CB500's (modern, twin cylinder) still around? Get an early one. Indestructible engine, good MPG, tons of spare parts, reliable. Go for the Brembo calipers version only (44kW, better brakes). The earlier model was about 37kW and drum at the back.

https://www.motorcyclespecs.co.za/Gallery/Honda%20CB%20500E%2098.jpg

https://www.motorera.com/honda/h0500/cb500s/cb500s-98a.jpg
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'87 Honda XBR 500, '96 Kawasaki ZX7R P1, '90 Honda CB-1, '88 Kawasaki GPz550, MZ 150 ETZ
'95 Mercedes-Benz w202 C200 CGI, '98 Mercedes-Benz w210 E200 Kompressor

[eifion]

[stevo as b4]

Ok well with more info supplied and your needs and preferences strongly weighted towards a proper bike, not a scooter, or a hack or a little 100mpg wonder, then you can eliminate quite a few ideas I would suggest.

1, Sports bike, would be a waste of time, money and running costs. And you'd have to factor in the type of commute/how heavy and slow the traffic might be, and how much stuff you might need to carry? There's also the aspect of leaving a desirable sports bikes parked at some unknown work locations and security.

2, The one bike ruling, means you'd need it to do the week day commute thing well, but be sensible to run and maintain, and not be too boring to put you off using it at weekends or for getting to your other hobbies.

Just my thinking is that you can throw out adventure bikes, dedicated big capacity tourers that are heavy and cumbersome (ST1300/ FJR/GTR1400) and also the really fast sports tourers like the Blackbird/Busa/K1300 etc.

So does that leave some decent middle weight 600-800cc shaft drive bikes that have some appeal and fun factor beyond commuting, carrying stuff, and mile munching? I think shaft or belt drive is an advantage over the much more frequent maintenance of a chain drive bike, and this could depend on how many miles a week you will clock up?

There aint no right or wrong bike I guess, and you could make anything work, but id want some simplicity and ease of use, so for example if I was clocking up big miles a chain drive bike could annoy me, as could something complicated and time consuming to strip the clothes off to service or fiddly like a VFR750 etc.

[eifion]

I suppose realistically looking at the mileage I'm unlikely to take anything that gives me more than a 30-mile round trip a day, so that's 150 miles a week. Add another 50 or so for weekend stuff and we're looking at 200 a week tops, or 800 a month.

So what's that in chain fiddling business - clean / lube once a week, check + adjust tension once a month, which I'm probably already doing anyway.

Maybe a scottoiler is the way to go. Did like the screen, though...
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SR125 -> 6 year gap -> SV650 -> Deauville -> NC750X -> Vstrom 650

[Wonko The Sane]

I thought about getting a faired SV650 to replace the ZZR600 when it got smashed into.

fixed the ZZR in the end but why not commute on the SV, or is it a nekked one and you'd like a fairing?
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They're also on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/pages/Focus-Rider-Training/196832923734251

[talkToTheHat]

Have you considered luggaging up the SV or newer/faster/nicer/more comfortable half-faired middleweight? Check out the sw motech quicklock evo racks and some thin bixes like the givi e21 or kappa equivalent. I'm doing similar with a faired bandit, fazers were also considered and more fun. Deuville is not particularly big but having followed a few in the twisties, i dont tnink they are that chuckable or can carry that much lean angle. Rear integrated luggage is very neat and slim though.
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Bandit. does. everything.

[monkeybiker]

I'd just keep the sv to be honest and get a chain oiler for it.