Who commutes to the job by 'cycle?

[Cynic]

Where are you located?     Bay Area, CA

Distance?     55 miles round trip down the pen and back up.

Weather-dependant?     heh it's CA we don't have weather you can't ride in here!

What accomodations has your employer made?     I'm the boss, I have a nice parking space

What extra hassle does it add?    Extra time getting ready. It's sometimes uncomfortable at the extremes of temp.

Tips, techniques, and tricks to successfuly moto to work...?   Leaving work shoes at work is ace.  As well as having a over zip riding suit (I love my aerostitch) 

[zc911]

Where are you located? Toronto ontario canada
Distance? 50 km round trip
Weather-dependant? As long as it is not raining in the morning i ride.  I only got soaked once in the morning last year.  Also needs to be above 10deg, and not snowing.  Did ride in freezing rain early this year.  Not fun, not fun at all
What accomodations has your employer made? I get away with jeans now And i can park right at the front door, under the security camera
What extra hassle does it add? More haircuts to avoid bad helmet head    Gotta avoide the Krusty the Klown look lol
Tips, techniques, and tricks to successfuly moto to work...? I do highway mostly.  Ride in the left lane, just a bit faster than everyone else.  Also keep ahead of everyone.  I always wriggle out of tight spots, i dn;t like bieng boxed in.

[blue tiger]

Where are you located?           I'm in Indianapolis
Distance?                                I ride about 20 miles one way and I work 12 hour night shifts.
Weather-dependant?                 I generally don't ride to work if it's actively raining. I'll chance it if it might. I have good rain gear.
What accomodations has your employer made?                      None, I park in a parking garage at the hospital I work in. I park in the ambulance bay at my second job. The hospital garage has some expensive Benzez and a nice 911 that park there and I've seen security cruising it so I'm not overly concerned.
What extra hassle does it add? Packing all my stuff and then carrying it in.
Tips, techniques, and tricks to successfuly moto to work...?       Have luggage or buy a good tail bag. I wear gear and pack my flight suit or scrubs in my tail bag. On scrub days I pack shoes, work stuff and a couple of lunches. On flying days I ditch the shoes and wear my "flying" boots which are Doc Martens, packed lunches and work gear. The best tip is travel light and buy a tail bag or luggage that have a strap. I also never leave my helmet "locked" to the bike. It's also handy to hold my gloves as I walk in. It makes working a hell of a lot nicer. I also only have to put gas in my big truck every 10 to 14 days now!!

[Mad Duc]

Where are you located?     Pittsburgh, Pa

Distance?     30 miles round trip

Weather-dependant?     Yes, once I get a waterproof suit then not as much. 

What accomodations has your employer made?     No, but we park in a "no parking" area and no one says anything.

What extra hassle does it add?    No really. I keep an extra set of shoes at the office and I hit the bathroom when I get in to get rid of the helmet hair.

Tips, techniques, and tricks to successfuly moto to work...?  As others have said leave extra pair of shoes at work. Overpants with armor for when things go bad and keeps junk off the khaki's/jeans. 

[psycledelic]

Located: Outside Charlotte, NC
Distance: Home to work - Fastest route 17 miles, Funnest route 25 miles. (one way)
Home-School-Work-Home- 61 miles (round trip)
Weather dependant: Not really.  I would still rather ride then drive
Employer Accom: Motorcycle only parking, right next to the entrance.  Perk of the Manager riding!
Extra Hassle: Only on School days.  I go from class to work.  Heavy backpack with junk for both work and school.
Tips, Tech for successful ride to work:  Don't sacrifice your gear (jacket, riding shoes, etc.)  It is easy to want to do.  Less crap to lug around. But after a long, frustrating day at work, the best way to vent is a good ride home But bare arms and shoe laces go against that type of therapy.

One more that was forgotten:
Gas Price Dependant: YES!  $12 a tank vs. $80 a tank.  No wonder I reached my 12K service in 11 months!

[acalles]

Location : Santa Fe, New Mexico.
distance : 11miles each way.
Weather dependent :yes, though it rarely rains, if it does I won't ride because I live on a dirt road that turns to the consistency of 6" deep toothpaste with rocks in it. I've had a hard time making it in the golf.. I don't want to do that to my bike. Plus, I imagine as soon as I'd hit that stuff, the bike will come to a stop and I'll fly over the handle bars  , theres also this stupid winter thing we have for like 6mo in a row.

accomodations: I own the shop and have a place to park inside 

Extra hassle: leaving a bit earlier to beat some of the traffic, and a bit of extra time to gear up.

Tips.. I keep to the back road and try to beat the rush of people getting the kids to school (cause that really jams things up, and they drive with there head jammed up there ass when doing so) and the back roads are more fun  [moto]

[Capt baz]

located: east lyme, ct

distance: 20 mi round trip

weather dependant: absolutly

pluses: fun & get to park inside with attendant

negatives: wish work was farther away sometimes

[Scottish]

A helpful hint I just realized I do the other day. To be sure cages know what I'm doing and for extra visabilty, I tend to turn my signal on and then hand signal as well. I find the motion catches their eye better. I see them look at me which is reasuring.

[Le Pirate]

Where are you located? Wichita Falls, TX
Distance? 30 miles, each way
Weather-dependant? I try to avoid riding in the severe weather we can have up here, and I don't ride much in the winter due to it being so dark when I leave in the mornings (I ride 25 miles of each trip in very rural country side, which includes many deer and wild hogs)
What accomodations has your employer made? none, but they let me parking in the maintenance building (shade, out of the rain)
What extra hassle does it add? I have alot of crap I have to shove in my back pack (computer, extra clothes, field gear)
Tips, techniques, and tricks to successfuly moto to work...? As much as I hate to say it, avoid the tail chop...you'll just end up spraying water up your back when it rains  Mine is chopped and I regret it now.

[DosVerde]

located: Melbourne Australia
distance: 8km one way
weather dependant: I try to ride the pushbike when its nice, otherwise motorcycle.
pluses: Quicker to get to work by "filtering" through the traffic
negatives: add bad mileage to the Ducati.
Employer Accom: We have a motorcycle only parking area in a secure car park (open air though)
Extra Hassle: Non, I have found that the commonality of motorcycle riding has bridged gaps between some people I have to deal with.
Tips, Tech for successful ride to work:  I keep shoes and other stuff at work, so only taking shirt and pants on a daily basis, easy!

[zedsaid]

I can finally add to this thread.  Rode in for the first time today... don't know how regular a habit i'll make of it yet.

located: Los Angeles
distance: 24 mi. one way
weather dependant: That's why i have a cage
pluses: start the day with an adrenaline boost!
negatives: scares the shit out of me driving in LA traffic, particularly on the slab.
Employer Accom: None... but there's a handly little spot blocked by posts where my bike fits perfectly, and finds afternoon shade.
Extra Hassle: Wouldn't know...
Tips, Tech for successful ride to work:  I have comfy riding boots, and keep slippers at work in case i want to wear something else (truth is, it's about the nicest thing you'll ever do for your feet to change shoes mid-day anyway)

[deepak8612]

Where are you located?   Chapel Hill, NC
Distance? 10 miles one way
Weather-dependant? Most def. No rain gear and the public transport is free.
What accomodations has your employer made? Great motorcycle spots right by my building and super cheap motorcycle permits
What extra hassle does it add? None... well maybe except for the fact that I have to change when I get to work.
Tips, techniques, and tricks to successfuly moto to work...? Keep the rubber side down and you are all good

[cmorgan47]

Where are you located? detroit
Distance? 8 miles
Weather-dependant? yeah, you're nuts to ride in the snow
What accomodations has your employer made?  i park on the sidewalk
What extra hassle does it add?  i can't carry a cup of coffee... switched to espresso
Tips, techniques, and tricks to successfuly moto to work...?  leave wingtips in the desk and keep your left thumb on the horn

[mking]

located: Atlanta
distance: about 5 miles, back streets, not a super exciting route
weather dependant: Yes, I only ride if it's going to be dry
pluses: fun
negatives: takes a bit longer to back my car out to get to the bike, warm up the bike, put some gear on
Employer Accom: Not sure what accomodations a person would need.  We don't have a dress code. My wife is totally cool with my motorcycling, but my boss on the other hand, he's really concerned that I'm going to get killed and he'll go out of business or something.  
Extra Hassle: Those kevlar lined jeans and chinos feel a bit like you've got a diaper on your butt.
Tips, Tech for successful ride to work:  Don't crash.  Don't get a speeding ticket.

[CMDRDAVE]

located: Virginia Beach, VA
distance: 20 miles one way
weather dependant: Yes, <30% chance of rain I'm taking the bike.  30 to 50% I take a good look at the radar.  I don't mind the bike getting rained on but hate riding in it.
pluses: Better gas mileage than my truck, HOV lane is awsome!
negatives: Sometimes my outdoor garage key pad does not work and I have to shut it from the inside. 
Employer Accom:  Special motorcycle parking spot near the front door.  There is a telephone pole right in the middle of it so a cage can't use it anyway.
Extra Hassle: Couple extra minutes to gear up and down, but this is easly made up by HOV lane usage.
Tips, Tech for successful ride to work:  I keep a cycle cover in the bottom drawer of my desk so that if it is going to rain during the middle of the day I throw it on.