Commuting on a road full of average speed cameras big bike?

[Samsbike]

my commute is about 17 miles into C London. Most of it is average speed camera and then slow into C London.

The speed limits are 50,40 and then 30 (reverse on the way out).

For those that commute on anything bigger than a 250, do you ever get out of second gear?

I want a bigger bike but I can see how frustrating it could be to use it everyday - do regular commuters get frustrated?

[tom_e]

Going in and out of central London, I can see the traffic being more of an issue rather than the posted speed limit.

[owl]

quite impressive seeing an overall average speed of anything above 30mph through Central London.
____________________
Observation is the greatest source of wisdom.

[M.C]

Define bigger. I'm normally in 3rd, sometimes 4th on a 660cc single.

[NJD]

[Rogerborg]

Not average cameras, but my route is limited by traffic, lights, and Kojaks with Kodaks on the few spots where I could open it up.

I'm actively favouring my slower bikes over my 800 at the moment.

Granted, I'm riding the Nazi Tractor today and banged in a rare overtake, which got me a full car length ahead at the next set of lights. It's not faster door to door, and it's not funner either. Nothing wrong with it, but there's no real advantage. Do whatever best constitutes your happiness.
____________________
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

[kgm]

For slower, shorter commutes I generally prefer the tiddler. I get a lot more frustrated on the bigger bike where as I can still feel like I'm enjoying the 125. Exception to that is when it's really windy. The bigger bike is a lot more relaxed.

[notbike]

On the R6 in central London I'm always in neutral because of traffic lights.

Unless there's a bit of road and some movement, then I'm in 1st.

I rarely hit 2nd because by the time I've revved it up high enough to warrant shifting from 1st, I might as well brake to a halt because there's either red lights or more traffic.

Central London is shit on a big bike, you barely move while your balls heat up and your fan comes on every 5 seconds. Riding through central on the Ninja 300 was a bit more bearable than the R6 but even that thing's fan would come on and it's a 296cc parallel twin ffs.

I need to get out of this shit hole city. The constant lack of room makes me speed like a nob when the roads clear up, if I keep it up I'll probably lose my licence. Need summer, country roads, track days, self control and maybe a slower bike at some point.

[stevo as b4]

There's a bloke that goes the opposite way to me in mornings, and commutes probably around 15miles on 40 and 50mph roads on his ZZR1400. I can't think of any reason why it would be fun or economic to do so, unless you were one of these people that:

a, couldn't justify two bikes, and all your other riding was long distance high speed two up touring?

b, only had space to keep one bike, and you've always had big cc steeds forever?

[c_dug]

I commute down the A13 and across to West London daily. Average speed cameras on that road are front facing so I ride as I usually would.

Once in London unless the traffic is really very bad I don't have much trouble keeping moving. I get up to 50 or 60 between blocks of traffic so for me a big bike is worth it.

That isn't to say a big bike is quicker. My commute time is virtually identical no matter the bike (and I've done it on many), and it's certainly more expensive on a big bike, but it's far more fun and for me that counts for a huge amount when I'm going to spend a day in the dark and gloomy depths of work!
____________________
I am a bellend, I am a man of constant sorrow, I am a gummy bear, I am a rock.

[Pete.]

I don't struggle too much on my bike and it's wider than most. average speed cameras all down the A2 now but on the way in there's a huge gap between the Black Prince one and the Eltham tunnel. Good job they can't see through coaches and lorries....
____________________
a.k.a 'Geri'

132.9mph off and walked away. Gear is good, gear is good, gear is very very good

[natefz6]

Maybe I am lucky but I do M4 from junction 7 then on to the A4 to Piccadilly hang a left and I am at work. No average speed cameras for me yet (M4 is going smart motorway soon though ) but there are about 6 speed cameras and loads of red light cameras, I tend not to gamble on lights anyway as I have seen that go very wrong for people a few times.

There are a couple of bits that get sticky (Hogarth and the bit after north end road) but on about 50% of the days I can do just about the whole route without putting my foot down apart from lights.

Its a bit trail and error I find in London, some times its better to ride round the houses on roads with bus lanes or wider lanes that try to squeeze along some of the wider roads that TFL have shoehorned 5 lanes in to the space for 2, if you can that is.

And no I don't normally get frustrated and not any more than I would on a smaller bike. I see some bikers get properly wound up in traffic but for me its nice if I get to work early but I'm not that fussed if I get there 10 mins late, it all comes out in the wash.
____________________
"no I didn't steal it that's just the way I ride"

[Kris]

Very dirty or partially snapped number plates help.

Or so I'm told.
____________________
NSR125RR - ZXR750H1 - ZX9R E1 - GSF600S - GSF600SK3 - VFR400-NC30 - SV1000N - ST1100-R - CBR900RR-R - GSF1200SK5 - GSF600SK1 - VFR1200FA - GSXR1000K2 - ZZR1400 D8F
www.prisonplanet.com

[Samsbike]

Tbh I really want a larger bike for fun but the little 125 does go through tiny gaps and is OK to ride, so I guess I may as well stick with it.

Parts are relatively cheaper as well, so a win-win.

I think I should just ride for a year or two and see how I get on. Also need to sort my back out as well, as it does like sit up and beg bikes

[Rogerborg]

[G]

And a GSXR1000 will be narrower than a Duke 390.

Ergo; get a S1000RR .

[supZ]

I sometimes do a stint on the M3 average bit when I've not left in time to take the back roads instead.

It's not the end of the world, just a bit dull.

My journey is about 12 miles total.

That's on the blade.

I avoid it when I can, and thankfully it's only for a couple of junctions but it's not the end of the world.
____________________
CBR954RR - Daily toy
CBR600RR - Trackbike

[Samsbike]

[techathy]

For the London jaunts I really miss the KTM RC390, this takes in rural B roads, a long stretch of M11 & a fair bit of Outer London commuting.

The KTM had enough power/torque to not get phased by motorway work even when a burst of higher speed acceleration was needed. However, it also had low enough gearing around town to not need constant clutch feathering at lower speeds. It was all small which made filtering a doddle.

My Daytona is an okay substitute, I think it's narrower than the RC390, but not as stable at low speed. The tall gearing on the lower half of the 'box & very aggressive riding position gets irritating quickly at very slow speeds as well. Honestly I think stick to 1st and 2nd most of the time with occasional forays into 4th on rare 40mph speed limit sections of road.

The R1200RS is okay as well, better than the Datyona if I'm honest, but for different reasons to the Daytona. It's wealth of torque from... well... idle to the rev limiter means gear selection is almost immaterial once rolling. Being much wider than the other two mentioned loses a lot of filtering points when it gets tight &the lane width restrictions start kicking in. It's probably the more stable at walking pace than the other two, so claws back a fair few points there. That said, the RC390 being much lighter was a doddle to balance against with small body position changes.

Hope that gives you a few insights.
____________________
Bikes: '17 Zero FX ZF6.5, '16 BMW R1200 RS, '12 Triumph Daytona 675

[stevo as b4]

I know you need to suck it to see, but I can't see how an urban or city commute will ever be that much fun or even efficient/VFM on a GSXR 1000, especially one like G's that allegedly was stuck in first gear?

I'd personally ride a cheap scooter for serious commuting in a city on.a daily basis, and for a summer fun commuter if I had a 20ft high steel fortress to park it in at work, guarded by 6angry dogs, then maybe a KTM 125/200exc?

It would depend on if I was a shop floor or office worker though, as I can't imagine Eau de two stroke goes down very well with suits and Secretary's?

[M.C]

So are the 390's better than the 125/200's which had all the issues?

[techathy]

The one I rode didn't have an issue but a sample of 1 is hardly indicative. I also don't London commute regularly, once or twice a month. Normally I'm going the opposite direction much earlier in the day on mostly free-flowing NSL roads with a short section of town traffic where filtering space isn't an issue.
____________________
Bikes: '17 Zero FX ZF6.5, '16 BMW R1200 RS, '12 Triumph Daytona 675

[G]

[thx1138]

[G]

Anyway - to answer the original question - the GSXR1000 I had would indicate 103mph in first gear.

However, you could also stick it in sixth, which was geared for nearer 200mph, but it'd still out accelerate a lot of vehicles in town even without changing gear - and generally felt a lot smoother than smaller bikes often would.

Also, appropriately nippy for filtering.