Commuting on your Monster

[Monstruo]

With gas prices going up everywhere, I'm thinking about using my Monster for commuting everyday (as soon as it stops raining where I live). How many of you guys are planning to do so?

The problems commuting on the Monster (for me) are:
- The damn dry clutch (I love it but in the city is a real pain)
- No luggage options (feasible and appropiate, e.g. rear case)
- Service costs

so I am inclined to buy a Jap Standard Appliance (Versys, GSR600A, TransAlp, etc)

By the way, where I live the gallon of gas is about US$ 4,60.....pretty expensive....

[Alexandre]

i have been commuting on my 2005 monster S4R since the day i bought her... its a great feeling to be able to take har out and have some break from reality everyday

The problems commuting on the Monster (for me) are:
- The damn dry clutch (I love it but in the city is a real pain) -- After time your hands get used to it or get a bigger master cyl solves the issue for most

- No luggage options (feasible and appropiate, e.g. rear case) -- i wear a backpack, some guys have saddlebags/ top case/ tankbags but i prefer not

- Service costs -- yeah... i dunno bout that one... service yourself?

so I am inclined to buy a Jap Standard Appliance (Versys, GSR600A, TransAlp, etc)
By the way, where I live the gallon of gas is about US$ 4,60.....pretty expensive.... -- its about US$4.08 where i live in SoCal- too damn expensive for anybody i think

[Rob Hilding]

I was planning on getting a Ninja 250 but they are all pre-sold around me.......

Then I thought about the cost of new bike, registration, insurance, etc. for a mere 10 more mpg (YMMV).........

I'll be using one of my bikes for all transportation where I don't need the cage. (Both V-rod and Monster get about 40 MPG
or better depending on "throttle control"

[professor_pro]

I also considered commuting on the monster, but didn't like the fact it finished warming up at about the time I arrived at work (about 20 minute ride on a air cooled 620). That plus the utilitarian commuting miles & wear and tear that creates kind of made me consider something else.

I ended up with a real fun DR-Z400SM for commuting duty. It feels in its element in the city, where the monster felt like it was always wanting to find a highway or fun backroad. My suggestion is to preserve your beloved monster & find something slightly more 'disposable' for the gritty city duty. Save the italian machinery for the sunny days & fun rides!

[LYD]

I commute to work everyday i can.  Its 56 miles round trip and costs me about 20 per week instead of my tahoe which is now about 98 a week.  I'll save the 70 per week for adjustments and such!  Its always better riding! 

[monster2b]

I'm using my S2R for commuting about 3 days a week.  I'm mostly hitting the carpool lane and cruising the majority of my commute.  I considered the japanese sewing machine route, but then I really just like being on the monster. I'm coming up on having to replace tires, though and will have to consider a higher mileage tire as I'm at 5300 miles and the tires are pretty much gone.  I'm getting right at 50 mpg on the bike.

[CougarSlayer]

Been doing for the last two years with my s2r1k and after 16000 miles you do not notice nor do you mind the dry noodle

-panthro

[erik822]

I've commuted quite a bit on my monster. I have a metal tank (02 900 Dark) and have been using a magnetic tank bag to carry a change of clothes. Works great. If I need to carry more I wear a backpack. Never had any issues with either route.

I've even "carpooled" and ridden in two-up with the monster.

As for the clutch, it doesn't bother me at all. But that might be because my previous bike was a sportster, which had a really stiff clutch. The monster's clutch seems pretty effortless by comparison.

[gnostic203]

Mostly the same opinion here.  I've been doing 45 miles daily on my Monster for about 2.5 years.  I don't care about the wear and tear on my bike, its a bike and it likes to be ridden 

I actually just moved buildings at work so I'm only 10 miles away instead of 22 miles so commuting on my bike just got easier.

[Thudias]

Mostly the same opinion here.  I've been doing 45 miles daily on my Monster for about 2.5 years.  I don't care about the wear and tear on my bike, its a bike and it likes to be ridden 

I actually just moved buildings at work so I'm only 10 miles away instead of 22 miles so commuting on my bike just got easier.

It still cant be fun when you ride in on a glorious sunny day then wham!!! a tropical thunderstorm hits you for a pleasant ride home.

[RandyFloyd]

For the past 6 months I have been doing a 40 miles commute as often as I can, it's about the only thing that motivates me to get up and want to go to work!

[Juan]

I am commuting on my Monster since I got my first..!!   

[SKOM]

it's about the only thing that motivates me to get up and want to go to work!

+1   [moto]

[sbrguy]

been using the 620 the last year for commuting 6500 miles of nothing but stop and go traffic and the last valve adjustment went perfectly. nothing out of the ordinary, and the whole warm up thing isn't a big deal with the air cooled ones especiallyt eh 620.

i only ride 3-4 miles each way and i rarely ever get the thing up to warmup during the mornig ride, but it hasn't hurt the bike at all.

45mpg and it works perfectly, use the thing for riding.. its a motorcycle it should be used for commuting.  don't baby it so much ride it, those engineers worked a lot of hours to make a bike that can be riddent everyday in non perfect conditions.

if you can get your hands on the mandarina duck bags now out of production they are great for any of the low mount piped bikes with dual sided swingarms.

[ROBsS4R]

Been commuting almost every day. The Bike has gone 17k miles in about 14 months and going strong

Regarding the clutch I pulled 2 springs off it for a 33% less pull

Regarding the luggage I use a tank bag plus backpack which is enough room for all my goodies and work Laptop.

Gas Mileage is about 44 on the freeway.