swill_omnibus
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Registered: 12th Dec 07
Location: : S. wales Drives: Dodge Caliber
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Evening all.
Just wondered who from here currently has or has ever used a motobike as a daily driver etc?
Just im thinking of doing my CBT and having a motorbike for back and forth to work as they seem pretty cheap to run and insure and easily maintained.
Just wanted advice and opinions of day to day living with them etc and any stories anyone has 
cheers,
Steven
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Ben-B
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Registered: 28th Jul 08
Location: the lovely Nottingham
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im in the same boat mate, so will be interesting to see the replies to this thread 
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K3 VMU
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Registered: 28th Jul 06
Location: Portlethen, Aberdeen,ken
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i have a 09 cbr600rr just now,drive it nearly everyday i am onshore and its nice weather.
a bike is ace for everyday running to work
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dannymccann
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Registered: 9th Aug 06
Location: Doddington, Lincolnshire
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Do your CBT and see if you enjoy it, if you want to get to work as cheap as possible you have a large outlay to start with:
Bike
Insurance (depending on age and bike obv)
Clothing (helmet, jacket, proper gloves etc)
Its great in the summer but a bit shit in the freezing cold and torrential rain
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Daimo B
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Registered: 20th Mar 00
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I ride every single day, all weather conditions.
My advice from doing it for 10 odd years now.
Kit - VITAL!!!!!!!
You have two choices really. I've always used textile clothing. I've always had jackets around £200-£300, with lots of removable linings. It gets VERY cold in the winter, and if you haven't got the right kit, you will really suffer. I end up having my shirt, a jumper, and 3 layers of bike jacket. My jackets only seem to last a couple of years as im using them every day. This year my jacket needs replacing as its no longer waterproof, but instead of buying a new jacket, im going down the waterproof overthrow route. My textile trousers also have a removable lining. It is starting to get a little nippier, so my 1st inner lining will be going back in my jacket soon. I end up mostly wearing a jumper under it all in the morning, and take it off and put it in a bag for the way home.
I've got a set of summer boots, winter boots. Summer gloves, and winter gloves.
Bikes wise, you want something super reliable and effective, which doesn't really mean fancy sportsbike. You need something that can take the winter salt, grit, dirt and cold and still start every single morning.
If its a longish ride, rain may eventually seep through, down into your visor etc. It can get quite frustrating, especially after a days work, and then an hours ride in the rain, but then I had city cars to deal with all the time.
I can really go into it if you want to, but you have to be prepared that it can be hard work, having to rinse the bike off every night, getting caught in rainstorm after rainstorm can get you down....
But at the end of the year, I had a bike, and not just a train ticket, plus its FAR FAR faster than a car.
Its hard work, have a real think if YOU think you can hack it (think of walking outside in the winter, then stick your head outside your window at 50mph, and u'll get an idea  ), then i'll try to give a much more filled answer.
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dannymccann
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Registered: 9th Aug 06
Location: Doddington, Lincolnshire
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^ Yea its not very nice in winter
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nathy_87
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Registered: 14th Aug 08
Location: West Mids. Drives: koda Fabia VRS 5J
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I usd to havea 125cc Supermoto (on/of roader) fora daily driver. was not too bad actualy better than i thought it would be. Cheaper to run/Zip through traffic easier. As for the winter you do have to be exta careful and just wrap up a bit warmer. I'd say go for it mate
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Bonney
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Registered: 14th Nov 04
Location: St Helens
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Using mine until i can find another car i want. Its not too bad, the only pain i can see is having to get up a bit earlier and get it out, get ready and let it warm up.
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Ben-B
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Registered: 28th Jul 08
Location: the lovely Nottingham
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im looking at an aprillia rs 125 for a daily bike, college/work/leasure.. how do the aprillias cope day to day?
what are they like on reliability?
cheers in advance (Y)
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Daimo B
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Registered: 20th Mar 00
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No, worst bike for it tbh.
You need something super reliable. Bandit, SV, Fazer, Hornet, BMW GS etc..
If your after a 125 i'll have to come back to you, but i know theres some very reliable 125cc bikes that can be ridden all year round.
Its more about corrosion, will it start every single morning. Is it comfy to ride? Getting up every day, getting on the same bike, you want something comfy that you can relax on, not feel like your about to take part in a race.
Bonney, letting it warm up for a sec is ok, but as long as your not thrashing it and allowing it to warm up properly, it should be ok.
Its things like cleaning brakes, cleaning the fame, engine etc and maintaining it all year thats vital.
Also, it takes me half hour to get to work in a car, it takes me 10 minutes to kit up on the bike, and 20 minutes to get to work so it works out the same. Its just MUCh cheaper to run the bike, £65 tax, £15 to fill up, 50mpg odd etc. Plus in the summer its great fun.
Winter you feel a little like a michellin man, but its still worth it.
In my first winter days, i used my dads old bike racing gloves. I'd get to work being so cold, my hands were blue, and i'd run them under the COLD tap to warm them up, getting sevear chill blaine (bit like pins n needles in your hands, plus a burning feeling).
Getting the right kit to begin with can avoid this issue
[Edited on 28-08-2009 by VXR]
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richc
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Registered: 24th Mar 07
Location: Ilkeston
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When I was 16/17, i use to arrive at work and couldnt do anything for the first 30 minutes as my hands would be that cold
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Ben-B
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Registered: 28th Jul 08
Location: the lovely Nottingham
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VXR, i am after a 125 as im wanting a bit more experience before going for my full license, only rode a 50 up till now  cheers for the help, ive been looking at a few 125's tbh:
yamaha tzr 125
honda cbr 125
suzuki rg 125
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Daimo B
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Registered: 20th Mar 00
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Alllllll 2 strokes = bad for winter.
You really need a 4 stroke. Slower, less tuned, but more reliable. I/e CBR125 is a modern 4 stoke, but slow as a boat.
YZF R125 is the best 4 stoke modern 125cc, but again, do you really want to be riding a sports bike, with a huge amount of warm clothing on. You don't have much movement, so really want an upright sitting bike, not a mini sports bike.
Something like a Varadero 125, or similar.
REALLY though, you want a full license and get a bigger bike. CB500 is probably the most reliable bike in the world, but also the most boring.
My Bandit is so good for commuting it really is. The SV was more fun as you could enjoy it more at the weekend, but really you want a practical bike that sound running and can take the hot/cold weather, all the rain and rubbish on the road, maybe the odd trip DOWN the road too 
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DizzyRebel
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Registered: 2nd Jan 09
Location: Lincoln
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quote:
Originally posted by Br.ANDO
im looking at an aprillia rs 125 for a daily bike, college/work/leasure.. how do the aprillias cope day to day?
what are they like on reliability?
cheers in advance (Y)
Most reliable 2 stroke on the market, i used one to commute as well as dick about with on weekends for 2 years, clocked up 25,000km and all i did was replace tires, chains, spark plugs and gear oil when required and it never let me down once. oh i put rings in it after 15k just to be safe as compression was just about 100psi.
If you want something to commute on, id still recommend passing your bike test and buying something a but bigger like a bandit/hornet/fazer. or if you want something for the weekend too a CBR600F is about the most perfect allrounder money can buy.
Ive given up riding in the winter now though, fed up of arriving places soaked through, freezing cold and i cant feel my fingers or knees. I ride to enjoy it, and winter wet weather commuting takes all the fun out of it.
My advice, do your test and get a CBR600f, get some decent all weather gear for the commute and then a set of leathers for summer, but tbh id park the bike in the garage in september then forget about it till april/may time.
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DizzyRebel
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Registered: 2nd Jan 09
Location: Lincoln
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quote:
Originally posted by VXR
Alllllll 2 strokes = bad for winter.
You really need a 4 stroke. Slower, less tuned, but more reliable. I/e CBR125 is a modern 4 stoke, but slow as a boat.
YZF R125 is the best 4 stoke modern 125cc, but again, do you really want to be riding a sports bike, with a huge amount of warm clothing on. You don't have much movement, so really want an upright sitting bike, not a mini sports bike.
Something like a Varadero 125, or similar.
REALLY though, you want a full license and get a bigger bike. CB500 is probably the most reliable bike in the world, but also the most boring.
My Bandit is so good for commuting it really is. The SV was more fun as you could enjoy it more at the weekend, but really you want a practical bike that sound running and can take the hot/cold weather, all the rain and rubbish on the road, maybe the odd trip DOWN the road too
Ps have you heard a varadero 125? they are a Vtwin. i put a scorpion system on one once for a customer and it sounded the tits, was really funny when it hit the limiter it was like an even slower SV650!
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Ben-B
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Registered: 28th Jul 08
Location: the lovely Nottingham
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quite like the YZF's just the newer version of a TZR isnt it? after already having a TZR 50 i think a YZF could be a good upgrade
i think ill have to consider the riding style, i rode my TZR in most weathers and it never bothered me overly as im happy in cold weathers.. but i didnt really wear the right kit ( ski jacket and some riding gloves usualy  )
full bike license is next year sadly, learning to drive atm and simply cant afford to do both. cheers for the help
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DizzyRebel
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Registered: 2nd Jan 09
Location: Lincoln
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You will pay out your arse for an R125, money wasted when you could buy a much better big bike for the same money.
Im a bike mechanic mate, ivw worked on and ridden just about every 125 you could imagine. The best one is the RS125, for all weather riding though id be looking at the Aprilia MX125, the Yamaha DT125 SM and the Kawasaki KMX125.
4 stroke 125's are a waste of time unless its an old CG, but you dont seem the type of person who wants a CG lol.
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Ben-B
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Registered: 28th Jul 08
Location: the lovely Nottingham
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have to say im still drawn to the aprillia i like the look of it and have seen a few about and been on 1, but theres no real way of knowing if i could cope with commuting on it before buying it so ill have to have think.
cheers for the advice lads
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Bonney
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Registered: 14th Nov 04
Location: St Helens
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When i get mine out in a morning, i let it warm up for about 5 minutes or so. Usually wait until the temp guage reads about 60-65 degreese. Would rather let it warm through before i set off. Dont care if it annoys the neighbours at all
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