Riding frequency - who commutes?

Started by NoisyDante, February 18, 2010, 09:42:22 PM

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akmnstr

I have an 8 mi commute on rural county roads,16 mi round trip.  Most times I take the BMW F650 but sometimes the monster just has to go, it is those days that I just want to keep going on the ride home.  On bad days, in the time it would take me to gear up, I could be there so when the weather is bad I drive the pickup.
"you may all go to hell, and I will go to Texas!!" Davey Crockett & AKmnstr

"An American monkey, after getting drunk on brandy, would never touch it again, and thus is much wiser than most men."
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Autostrada Pilot

I commute as much as I can (lack of sleep, lots of stress, or rain-and I'll take the car) as long as it's at least 40 degrees in the morning. If it's much colder than that, it's not worth being frozen when I get to work.  Riding season is March/Apr-Oct/Nov.

15 miles each way, mostly freeway, but traffic isn't bad.
2003 Monster 620 Dark - Sold

1999 Monster 900 City - Sold

After 7 years of Monsters, I'm sadly bikeless right now.

grunte

I commute 45 miles each way.  As Austostrada said: 40 degrees and under is not worth being frozen when you get to work. 

Triple J

10 miles each way, as long as there isn't snow or ice. Lots of rain though.

jsd2

I commuted until late fall when the deer dodging got a little crazy. I will start again in May when it stops snowing. My commute is about 40 highway miles each way but when I ride the bike I take backroads instead. I also often take the long way home and get a nice ride in after work. Saves me money in gas and makes the commute a lot more fun.

Jim ;D

accrocker

12 miles a day, rain or shine, unless the wife is feeling charitable and gives me a ride in the beemer
07 monster 695, tail chop, custom flashed dp ecu (no more immobilizer!!) high mount marving megaphones, pod filters and an Acewell 4000 gauge set

nicrosato

I ride whenever I can here in NY. Not in the winter. Since I am self-employed, I could be doing a 50-mile round trip to Queens one day, and a 180-mi round trip to Connecticut another. Or, working at home.

I do telecom stuff, so I am now heavily into netbooks and multi-tools- less weight to carry. I have a large backpack (an Ultimate model called the "Journalist", now discontinued) so I can bring a rain suit and a snack.

The only negative is there's no lane-splitting in these northeastern states, so getting caught in rush hour sucks.
Nobody said that I did. Everyone says that I would.

hunduc

15 miles each way, march-october.

i want this winter to be over!!!!

DucofWestwood

7.5 miles each way, here in LA.  Year-round.  All surface streets. 

My rule is, if it's not raining at time of departure (and sometimes even if it is, a little), I ride.  I put zero faith in the weatherman. Worst case scenario, I either ride home in the rain, grab the bus, or get the wife to pick me up.  We own 1 car between us.

If I drove, I'd miss out on great experiences like the one I had last night, where I ran into (not literally) duc750 on melrose on my ride home!

I hate to be a thread-jacker (and will understand if you choose to ignore this question) but for those of you who do it, is commuting in city traffic with a dry clutch a PITA, or is it no big deal once you change the clutch slave / remove springs / etc.  Plan to upgrade from the 620 soon.
'06 S2R1k - black - SOLD
'03 620 - red - SOLD
----
yeah

Privateer

I did commute for about 3 years on the bike.  But my commute recently changed from 3 miles (one way) to 19 miles (one way) and I got sick of it.  Made me not even want to get on my bike later.  Almost 20 miles splitting traffic the whole, I was mentally exhausted by the time I got home.

Plus racking up 12k/year was eating into my bike maintenance fund.

So now I take the train most days and take my bike 1 or maybe 2 days a week.  I find my weekend rides are much more enjoyable that way.
My fast lap is your sighting lap.

hunduc

Quote from: DucofWestwood on February 19, 2010, 04:14:35 PM

I hate to be a thread-jacker (and will understand if you choose to ignore this question) but for those of you who do it, is commuting in city traffic with a dry clutch a PITA, or is it no big deal once you change the clutch slave / remove springs / etc.  Plan to upgrade from the 620 soon.

changed clutch slave cylinder, commuting in city traffic - no pain at all. and i do not have a death grip either, i am an average guy.

ROBsS4R

Quote from: hunduc on February 19, 2010, 04:30:27 PM
changed clutch slave cylinder, commuting in city traffic - no pain at all. and i do not have a death grip either, i am an average guy.

2 Springs removed  [thumbsup] [moto]
SOLD 03 - Ducati Monster Dark M620

05 - Ducati Monster Blue/white S4R

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Triple J

Quote from: DucofWestwood on February 19, 2010, 04:14:35 PM
I hate to be a thread-jacker (and will understand if you choose to ignore this question) but for those of you who do it, is commuting in city traffic with a dry clutch a PITA, or is it no big deal once you change the clutch slave / remove springs / etc.  Plan to upgrade from the 620 soon.

No big deal. No need to do anything IMO...you get used to it. The new dry clutches aren't that heavy anyway...at least not compared to the old ones in my experience.

DarkDuc696

So far anything above about 20 degrees in the morning and not snowing in the afternoon (although ive had more than one snow catch me) is riding weather to me... That being said, I'm rapidly modifying my winter gear to accomodate my insanity...

Spidey

I used to commute daily, rain or shine, year-ropund.  About 3.5 miles through the City.  Now that I take 'Lil Bastard to day care (and b/c the Blonde won't let me stick the wee beastie in my messenger bag), it's either public transport or the yuppie cage.  I only get to ride when I'm not responsible for beastie transport.

Quote from: DucofWestwood on February 19, 2010, 04:14:35 PM
I hate to be a thread-jacker (and will understand if you choose to ignore this question) but for those of you who do it, is commuting in city traffic with a dry clutch a PITA, or is it no big deal once you change the clutch slave / remove springs / etc.  Plan to upgrade from the 620 soon.

It's fine.  Particularly if you lane split.  The worst I've ever had it was south on PCH in Malibu/Santa Monica in LA during rush hour.  Even splitting, the splitting lanes were so narrow and we had to go so slowly and it went on for so long that my hand nearly fell off.
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