Recommendations for a commuting bike

[TonUpTimes]

How come no one seems to care about mpg? I have a personal thing against bikes that get worse mileage than a civic.

 

[barts]

How come no one seems to care about mpg? I have a personal thing against bikes that get worse mileage than a civic.

This depends a lot on where one commutes.

Carpool lane on 101 between Menlo Park and Santa Clara runs 80 mph+. While I might find a bike that did significantly better than my Super Tenere (40 mpg average at those speeds), it's not going be even 2x, so instead of burning 1 gallon/day it might be 3/4 gallon/day. Meh. I'd do better if I slowed down, too, but then I'm stuck in the stop and go. I'd also lose comfort and acceleration on a (much) smaller bike. It would make lane splitting easier, but I can do that by just removing the Jesse bags .

- Bart

 

[sckego]

How come no one seems to care about mpg? I have a personal thing against bikes that get worse mileage than a civic.

For me, it's not so much mpg, just that low mpg + small tank + long commute = gas stops every other day (or more), which drives me crazy. My FZ1 and Duc both got about 30mpg with 4.x gallon tanks, which didn't really bother me at all when I was doing 25 miles per day. When that changed to 60 miles per day, I had to find something else...

 

[svern]

Thank you again for the suggestions. Rough week at work and just responding now. I am new to the forum ....

Responding to some questions.
I have just completed a CMSP (?) safety school which was a helpful refresher.
Cost for the bike - Since I am not getting a Ducati Corse (which I really want), finding something to suite my needs and looks half decent, I can swing it
New/Used? - That is a good question. See below

A few follow up questions.
Triumph - A friend of mine recommended a Triumph Triple but no one has yet to mention Triumphs. Are they maintenance prone? All my cars have been of euro origins so I am familiar/accustomed to frequent maint. Or something else?

New/Used - Are the risks in buying used any different than a car? Assuming I took a used bike in for a full look over and tune up before riding. Does common sense prevail?

Where to buy used - Dealership, BARF, Craigslist? Do people typically list for sale here first? DO dealers typically just get trade-ins? Craigslist seems best suited for buying used furniture.

Sorry for so many questions. This forum lacks the sales pitch I expect to get at the dealership, which is highly appealing and informative.

 

[nakedape]

How come no one seems to care about mpg? I have a personal thing against bikes that get worse mileage than a civic.

I LOL'd for real. My bandit 1200 used to get 33mpg while my 1993 Civic sniffed at 40 on the freeway. "Oh you must get great gas mileage though..." Yea, when I drive my car.

+1 for the FZ1. You can have an adult-owned, pristine stock example of the gen 2 variety for $4K and change. Leaves a lot of cake for cases, fresh rubber and custom seat. 25,000 valve adj. intervals. 35 mpg real world.

Edit: "Triumph - A friend of mine recommended a Triumph Triple but no one has yet to mention Triumphs. Are they maintenance prone? All my cars have been of euro origins so I am familiar/accustomed to frequent maint. Or something else?"

Nothing wrong with a sorted Triumph. Adult owned! That's a good choice.

 

[glooey]

Triumph - A friend of mine recommended a Triumph Triple but no one has yet to mention Triumphs.

If you're not tied to 800+ cc and like nakeds then the Street Triple could be a good option. Light and easy to ride, and very versatile. 50 mpg is feasible in commute mode.The 2013+ version seems to be doing ok reliability-wise and is easy to maintain (though valve checks are a pain). My '14 has given me 17k trouble-free miles.

 

[rebekahlynn]

OP,
You haven't said if you have a budget or want to finance your new Moto.
Also, are there limitations? (such as a 28 inch inseam)
Do you plan to wrench it yourself? Are you comfortable buying used?
Do you think you will be bored or impatient with something smaller than the VFR you had before?
You are older and wiser now, but are you wise enough to take a moto safety course?

I have a 29" inseam -I don't consider it a limitation

Thank you again for the suggestions. Rough week at work and just responding now. I am new to the forum ....

Responding to some questions.
I have just completed a CMSP (?) safety school which was a helpful refresher.
Cost for the bike - Since I am not getting a Ducati Corse (which I really want), finding something to suite my needs and looks half decent, I can swing it
New/Used? - That is a good question. See below

A few follow up questions.
Triumph - A friend of mine recommended a Triumph Triple but no one has yet to mention Triumphs. Are they maintenance prone? All my cars have been of euro origins so I am familiar/accustomed to frequent maint. Or something else?

New/Used - Are the risks in buying used any different than a car? Assuming I took a used bike in for a full look over and tune up before riding. Does common sense prevail?

Where to buy used - Dealership, BARF, Craigslist? Do people typically list for sale here first? DO dealers typically just get trade-ins? Craigslist seems best suited for buying used furniture.

Sorry for so many questions. This forum lacks the sales pitch I expect to get at the dealership, which is highly appealing and informative.

New/used - I have bought all but one of my 15 (16?) motorcycles used- you just have to do your due diligence when shopping. Is the deal too good to be true? Probably is. You mentioned you're not mechanically inclined- pay someone to go with you that is. Or meet at a shop for a pre-inspection purchase.

Triumphs - all of my friends who have had one, had maintenance issues. Just my personal experience.

Barf vs CL vs dealer - you'll see the highest prices at dealers, generally. Barf is a great source because you have to be a member to sell here, and generally our members are responsible sellers, or get called out quickly if they're not. I've bought a lot of bikes on CL and as mentioned before, it just takes diligence on your part.

I will vouch for my commuter- a cbr1000rr. Lots of power but not so comfortable of a ride for your passenger. Also, probably a waste of power for a 5 mile commute. With that in mind, I have heard very good things about the Nc700x

 

[russ69]

5 miles? I'd get a scooter.

 

[doc4216]

Also look at F800 st/gt. 60mpg, belt drive.

Second this. Belt drive, no chain maintenance, comfortable, lightweight, and easy to filter with. God, why did I sell mine!

Or what about another VFR?

 

[svern]

The 5 mile commute is three days a week. The other two days are into SF (bay br), Peninsula, or Napa (top of Atlas Peak), so tons of traffic....that is the main reason I need this.

Used bike sources - thanks

The BMW F800 St/GT Belt drive sounds like a great option. I need to go for a test drive.
Might skip the Triumph
The others which appeal NC700x and FJ09.

Have yet to look at VFRs.

 

[cleverusername]

i have commuted 40 miles each way, 5 days a week, on a 690 SMC (47 mpg), fjr1300 (42 mpg), tiger 1050 (41 mpg), and 2nd gen FZ1 (36 mpg)

i would not recommend the FZ1, but that is my preference. power band, mileage, and range not really to my liking.

-visibility for commute and splitting: 690, 1050, then fjr.
-wind management: FJR, then 1050 close 2nd (once i had the calsci screen on the 1050), 690 last
-general comfort: with the proper screen, the 1050 had the best combination of wind protection and seating position. but ergos is a personal thing.
-motor for commute purposes: fjr, then 1050 (needed exhaust and a reflash of an off-the-shelf tune, with those it's a tie), 690 felt strained in comparison when holding 85 mph

the fjr had a more planted feeling, not a surprise given the weight. the tiger had the more lively feeling, given its power to weight. the 690 was not as ideal for slabbing, but more than made up for it in the excitement department on the weekends. the other two were not close.

of the 3, the fjr had me the least fatigued when i got to wherever i was going when making the commute run. the biggest contributor to that was the headlight modulator - it parted the sea of traffic and helped people be aware of me being the vicinity more effectively than the loud-ish exhaust on the tiger. annoying and dorky, many would say, but situational awareness on the part of the cars you're splitting by reduces stress. the 690 had a screamingly bright HID and was positioned much higher than the fjr, and that helped too, but not as much as the modulator.

shaft drive means no chain maintenance. at 400 miles a week with just the commute, that is actually worth something, between the chains you won't go through or the grime you don't have to clean off. the fjr was also the least affected when saddled with junk.

for insurance, 690 was cheapest ($400 less than the FJR), then the FJR, then the 1050 (+200 over FJR).

i also think the fjr's suspension is better than the 1050 for fun riding.

none of the mentioned bikes had any maintenance issues with the year-round commute. that was more of a pleasant surprise for the 690, given KTM's reputation for being low on the reliability totem pole, and maintaining that thumper at speed for so long. valves remained in spec on the 2nd and 3rd adjustments.

 

[random_bmw_13]

When I got back into it I got a DR 650. Cheap, hard to break. 45K on mine, turns 20 soon. Don't ride it much anymore, got a BMW.

 

[SimbaDC650]

fz07

 

[MotoCat]

fjr

Nice writeup and comparison. Where were you commuting to? Did you use the cruise control much during your commute? Was storage a consideration in your choice of commuter, and did you find the stock bags sufficient?

 

[zanshin]

All the good moto suggestions aside, 5 miles is a fast and easy bicycle commute - a nice healthy boost twice a day.

 

[cleverusername]

Nice writeup and comparison. Where were you commuting to? Did you use the cruise control much during your commute? Was storage a consideration in your choice of commuter, and did you find the stock bags sufficient?

thanks!

commuting to moutnain view. i wish there was cruise control, best i had was a throttle lock by throttlemeister. if i was on 280, then i used it regularly. 101 only allows for that in the morning.

storage is critical for me. i commuted on the 690 with touratech bags, that's how much i wanted storage.
-stock bags on the tiger were the worst, near useless, save for a pair of running shoes in the smaller pannier. the larger pannier might carry a 6 pack - if you placed each bottle in there individually. the topbox carried the day and the majority of my stuff.
-the fjr's stock panniers are ok, not nearly as good as the reviews say. they were good for the time when the fjr was first released, but after having an r1200gsa, all the ST style bikes' luggage seems flimsy and are definitely poorly shaped for practical purposes.
-of the 3,, i liked the touratech luggage on my 690 the best.

the common theme is top loading luggage. side opening requires you to use the bag liners, and even at that, it kind of flops out. top loading, you just throw junk in and don't think about it. less likely to drop a beer bottle, or a laptop.

btw, i would also throw in the gs as a strong contender for a commuter. i didn't commute my r1200gsa in the bay area, i actually used it for adventuring about in NM. i really didn't like that bike off road, but it was a good slabber. best wind management of all the bikes listed here, 43 mpg, 2nd best suspension, 2nd best brakes. excellent vis and riding position (tied with 690). tank range of 300+ is double the 690, or an extra day of not getting gas vs the fjr. negatives: battleship heavy, tank splays your legs (i don't like that, be it standing still, standing up, or trying to corner fast), engine vibes at speed gave me a tingle in my wrists. i was worried that it would break, as my other bmws have in the past, so all the money saved on chains would really just be spent replacing the final drive and probably some other stupid item. then there's paying that much for a bike to do something as mundane as commuting. i would describe it as competent in the twisties, but not as inspired as a 990 baja i demo'd. i found it boring. so i sold it.

another fjr1300 is coming my way soon, these things are a bargain especially when you factor in their low maintenance costs even for the high mileage / cheap ones. and for a commuter that's putting on 19k in commute miles alone per year, it's a more solid choice than the bmw. if the two were the same price, i'd pick the gsa because i think the luggage, wind protection, and riding position are definitively better for commuting. but in reality, the price difference is substantial - enough to get an entirely other additional bike that specializes in fun, or a 990 adventure (which is probably my next bike anyway, being that it's more commute worthy than a 690, and a lot more fun than either the fjr or the r1200gs).

 

[littlebeast]

didn't read all of this - and may have been mentioned, but don't make any decision before you check out a ducati multistrada. from tame to full on fierce, it does it all. i don't ride one myself, but my SO has kicked several awesome bikes to the curb in favor of it.

 

[infraboy]

VFR is my pick for ride, versatility, fuel economy, reliability.

FJR is a good pick as well. If you need luggage you can add a givi case to nearly any ST bike

 

[Titus58]

Welcome back to riding OP

I did the same thing about five years ago after a 25yr break - as already noted, todays bikes are AMAZING and quite an improvement over our old bikes - today almost all modern bikes handle well, have adjustable suspension, have lots more torque/HP, and can actually stop

In addition to the many good bike recommendations above (I'm in the vstrom/NCx700/versys camp for a good and highly dependable commuter bike) I would recommend you consider used 3-6yrs old, because you won't know for sure what you want/need until you've been back riding a while...a used bike in good shape will be easy to resell if it's not the right bike for you.

Also go on some barf rides, read lots on the forum, and also consider some of the free Doc Wong riding clinics...I found they were great for re-educating me and helping me return safely into motorcycling...and the barf rallies are awesome too

Good luck on your search, don't be afraid to ask questions, and keep us posted of your progress


T

 

[2strokeYardSale]

A commuter really should have good mileage and shaft or belt drive. Then you want fuel injection, which eliminates all the cool older bike possibilities (VX800, GSX1100G, GS850G, Nighthawk). That really narrows down the candidates.

Moto Guzzi V7 II + windscreen? Not enough wind/rain protection, maybe. Just throwing it there because I don't think there are enough options in this thread

I got a small block Goose for commuting. 50 mpg, big tank, shaft drive, easy maintenance, plus hard bags. 56cc shy of OP's displacement requirement.

Hey how about a Vmax?