Riding frequency - who commutes?

[IZ]

4/2003-10/2006..55,000 miles.  Approx. 80% of those miles were just riding in the East valley of PHX for work.  


Only 23,000 since 11/06.  Obviously, I'm not a traveling therapist anymore but still my main mode of transportation.  I ride about 4 miles to work now.

[somegirl]

Until this past week, almost every day, rain or shine, the last year has been mostly twisties + freeway with a bit of city (depending on where I'm going as I don't have a fixed commute).  Since our commute involves so many twisties I typically don't ride as often on the weekends, that's my bicycle time.

I already miss it, my 1.5 hour one-way commute to Berkeley by moto turns out to be a 2.5 hour one-way commute by car (driving + walking from the parking spot).

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.

For my smaller/weaker hands and a stock dry clutch (MrI's S4R) it really sucked.

[DucofWestwood]

thanks to all those who responded to my question about the dry clutch!  good to go!!  [moto]

[IZ]

BTW..mine is an '03 620..like yours DofWW    

What dryclutch bike you upgrading to?

thanks to all those who responded to my question about the dry clutch!  good to go!!  [moto]

[NoisyDante]

I hate to be a thread-jacker . . . .

Who dares to threadjack my topic!     Imagine a big booming giants voice and it's funny.  That was a good question, my bike is a wet clutch, so learn something new everyday.

I only go 10 miles one way to work on the 405 and 10 LA freeways, but it isn't a very enjoyable ride.  I am envious of you guys who get some twisties or pleasant views on your way to work, I get trucks and drivers middle fingers as I lanesplit. 

I've been trying to get a job at a place up North for 4 years now, and now that I have a bike it's actually a HUGE motivation to get hired.  It'd give me an amazing 10 miles through the hills of Marin, that's a commute I'd love to have.

[DucofWestwood]

BTW..mine is an '03 620..like yours DofWW    

What dryclutch bike you upgrading to?

hey IZ - i've spent the better part of the last couple months combing ads for an S2R1k.  several available, only a couple around LA.  haven't pulled the trigger yet but i'm sure enjoying the hunt!  how 'bout you?

[justinrhenry]

i commute on my bike as much as possible.  20 miles each way in dallas (heavy) traffic.  i like it to be at least 50 degrees in the morning, but have suffered through plenty of colder days.  as long as it's not raining when i leave for work i don't mind getting wet on the way home.  i recently chopped the fender off the back of my duc, so now i have to take any sort of wetness more seriously.  here's wishing i hadn't done the tail chop.   

[lethe]

My commute is a bit too long and I typically need to carry a bit too much stuff to allow for a reasonable commute on the bike. I did do it once (kinda fun and had to threaten to tear off a taxi's mirror only once). Maybe might do it again at least once this coming summer but for the most part I view it as a waste of tires.

[TwoWheels]

I commute when the weather is good.  In New Hampshire, it's a short season.  I don't have winter/heated gear so I like it to be at least mid 40's and no rain.  40 miles each way (about an hour), no interstate, 3-4 traffic lights and 1-2 stop signs depending on the route, but school busses and traffic slow things down a in the morning.  The ride home frequently takes longer as I have some nice alternate routes.  I also often get better than 60mpg with my 620 if I'm not hammering.

[WarrenJ]

I work from home (not too profitably these last few months). After work, if the temp is above 38F and its not snowing, or storming (I'm a wimp for bad weather, been in two tornados and been hit by lightning (probably explains a few things)) I take a 30 - 100 mile spin.  If I encounter more than a dozen vehicles in that trip, I'm complaining about the traffic. 

[WetDuc]

I commute 7 miles each way every day that is nice (above 45F and not raining).  Nice twisty ride for a couple miles then bumpy ride and poor road quality from then out.
The gas savings is great because my other vehicle is an F-150.
But really, the cager circus on the roads is worst during regular commuting hours and I hate dealing with everyones frustration, road rage, rushing and not paying any attention.  Can't lane split here (shouldn't) and off commuting hours the roads are much better.
For me, a few years from now I want to have the bike and an electric car to commute. 

[redxblack]

From August to late November and late march through June, I commute to work 38 mi each way. I have a seasonal layoff from early June through late August and don't commute then. The best riding months are (fortunately) rarely filled with work commutes.

[Venom51]

About 40 miles roundtrip and I try to commute every day. The ride is a mix of city/highway.

[KnightofNi]

i used to commute by bike on nice days. then i started doing it almost every day.
then i just started riding to work every day.
about 2 years later i finally got the correct gear for winter commuting and i rarely have to call off/work from home or get a ride into work now.

my ride these days is about 14 miles to get to work and when the danger of ice on backroads drops it's around 25 miles to get home. some days i kind of wish i had a car, but then i get over it and rip past the guy going 40 in the leftmost lane.

[Blake]

My commute takes me 130 miles round trip each day.  East Bay Area to Sacramento.  I ride whenever it's dry and cage it when it's not.  I'm getting 50 mpg on the bike, don't pay bridge toll and don't wait in traffic.  I've got a heated jacket liner and some nice winter gloves so I've got no excuses when it's chilly outside anymore. 
It's sad, I went and looked at new bikes this past weekend and I found myself more interested in the mpg and maintenance intervals than the look or feel.  I had to check myself and hoist a leg over the Super Duke just to bring me back to reality.
Me likey the KTM