commuting on motorways on a bike

[floatindolphin]

HI,

My 1st post in this section, go easy on me.

I've just started driving to Manchester from Derby for work. It's a right pain and it's got me thinking how much better would it be on a motorbike?

Obviously the weather can be a problem but I don't mind riding in the rain.

What would motorway commuting be like?

Is filtering through stationary traffic ok? (legal?)

What type of bike would you recommend? Would I save a lot of money in petrol over a 2.0 VRS petrol Octavia?


Also, I need to pass my test, just reading the sticky thread at the top.


Sorry if this is all vague

Thanks

 

[Craig321]

Wow, that's a lot of miles every day!

Filtering is 100% legal.

For that type of mileage you'll want fully faired with a nice big shield at the front. Not sure which one tbh but I'm sure somebody else can suggest some!

Personally I wouldn't do it, bikes are not for the motorway (IMO). Saying that, I've only ever ridden naked/part faired on motorway, so something faired with a screen will be nicer, but still all that time on the bike through the winter on a motorway wouldn't be my idea of enjoying my bike. Don't get me wrong, a blast on the motorway is fun for a while, but I'm not a big fan of it over long distance, would go on twisty country lanes any day over motorway.

If I had to do that commute every day I'd bite the bullet and get a car. You won't hear me say that often as I'm an all weather rider, but for that commute in this country I would want a car, then take the bike on nice days or just have the bike for weekends.

There's also the maintenance side of things. For that mileage I'd recommend a Scottoiler or some other automatic chain oiler or even a shaft driven bike if you really are doing 160 miles a day, but you would still need to keep on top of other general maintenance, or take it in fairly regularly. Bikes can't do as many miles without care as cars can. Really depends on how lazy you are, I'm very lazy hence the shaft drive/scottoiler suggestions

You will also need to invest in some really decent kit. There will be days when it rains the entire journey or is just plain freezing so you'll appreciate proper waterproof/warm kit.

You would definitely get there quicker. Everyone at work is always moaning about traffic etc. on the way in and how it took them 20 mins to get through one small part of town. I just merrily filter through and carry on, covering 10x the distance a car can in much less time when the traffic is bad.

 

[wazza300]

you can filter through traffic jams on the motorway,just be carefull of the last minute lane changers

id choose the car on nasty weather days though,if you could run both it would be ideal,biggest issues would be cold/icy roads

any 600 faired bike would do the job no sweat

 

[Griffo]

Motorways on bikes are so boring.

Also filtering may not always be appropriate. 40mph queue of traffic... I wouldn't want to filter then. People have different comfort/suicide levels though.

A Roads are generally much easier to progress on when heavy ish traffic.
Also yeah. You might think you don't mind rain but pass your test first, do a winter then repeat that .

 

[atpbx]

I wouldn't do it.

I would also be looking to go cross county for that commute and avoiding the motorway, but that's just me.

I commute a similar distance to cambridge everyday, trying to do it on the A14 A1 is a nightmare. If I go across county I knock 45 minutes off my travel time simply because I end up sat in stationary traffic.

 

[TallPaul_S]

I wouldn't do it.

I would also be looking to go cross county for that commute and avoiding the motorway, but that's just me.

I commute a similar distance to cambridge everyday, trying to do it on the A14 A1 is a nightmare. If I go across county I knock 45 minutes off my travel time simply because I end up sat in stationary traffic.

I still have nightmares of my time commuting from Peterborough to Cambridge via the A14... 45 minutes on a good day, hour and a half or more on a bad day.

Op - you'd save money by bike, for sure. And probably time. Although you'd be better off going cross country on a bike, but that is one hell of a commute, looking at the map it's 60 miles direct via A roads and 80+ miles via the motorway

You'll be filling up pretty much once a DAY on a bike, and doing those sort of miles on a motorway on a bike I'd be worried about tiredness/fatigue, after all you'll be spending 3 hours a day in the saddle. All it takes is one lapse of concentration and a lane changer to take you out. Riding a motorbike you have to be alert and aware and reading the road/other drivers all the time, anticipating that numpty who's about yo pull into your lane without signalling/looking.

 

[Rilot]

I see no issue with doing what you describe. You want a bike that's super comfortable though. I'd go for a sports tourer such as a Triumph Sprint ST or a crossover adventure bike such as a Triumph Tiger 1050 or a Suzuki V-Strom. The benefit of the latter two is that you sit high up with big wide bars. This gives you the ability to see over most cars.
I wouldn't want to do it on a sports bike or cruiser of any type as you would be too low down.
Saying that, I used to do Reading to the city every day on a GSXR1100 and later on a Hayabusa with no real issues. That's only 45 miles but takes in a whole ton of filtering.

 

[SPG]

BMW K1300, sips fuel, comfy as a bed, shaft drive, ABS, traction control (rainy days, sunnny days)

But for me, it would have to be shaft driven and fully faired.

 

[Crowze]

If you're looking at this just to save money, forget it. Aside from the initial cost of the bike and gear, any savings you make on fuel will be negated by maintenance costs and depreciation. You may also find the insurance costs skyrocket with that amount of mileage - I wouldn't have thought many insurers would even consider covering an inexperienced rider on a big bike doing 20k+ miles a year.

BMW K1300, sips fuel, comfy as a bed, shaft drive, ABS, traction control (rainy days, sunnny days)

But for me, it would have to be shaft driven and fully faired.

If you were to take this on a K would be my recommendation too, the downside will be that they're not the easiest bike to filter given their width, weight and high centre of gravity. It's doable with practice but not something for an inexperienced rider.

I still have nightmares of my time commuting from Peterborough to Cambridge via the A14... 45 minutes on a good day, hour and a half or more on a bad day.

You should see the A14 at the moment, I'm sure it'll be better once they've finished widening it but it's a complete mess right now.

 

[floatindolphin]

Thanks for all the info folks.

Forgot to mention it wouldn't be travelling every day. 4 days per week but staying up near preston one night a week.

I'll carry on thinking....

 

[Daftbrown]

I'd go for a sports tourer such as a Triumph Sprint ST or a crossover adventure bike such as a Triumph Tiger 1050 or a Suzuki V-Strom.

...Or a Kawasaki Versys

(I'm not saying it's the better option, just that it is one, if you decide to look at this type of bike. The Versys and V-Strom both available as 650cc and 1000cc models)

 

[Tefal]

HI,

My 1st post in this section, go easy on me.

I've just started driving to Manchester from Derby for work. It's a right pain and it's got me thinking how much better would it be on a motorbike?

Obviously the weather can be a problem but I don't mind riding in the rain.

What would motorway commuting be like?

Is filtering through stationary traffic ok? (legal?)

What type of bike would you recommend? Would I save a lot of money in petrol over a 2.0 VRS petrol Octavia?


Also, I need to pass my test, just reading the sticky thread at the top.


Sorry if this is all vague

Thanks

i used to do Manchester to Chester (ish ) bike is perfect for commuting, get one with a big fairing and an after market double bouble or touring screen to keep the wind off you.

"filtering" through the stationary jams is legal but i bet after a few weeks of it you'll be doing it with the spedo reading triple didgets as you'll just keep pace with the traffic as the jam ends and not realize quite how quick you're now going so careful lol. (however if you can do the hole journey at 130-100 it does knock the time down lol)

oh one thing though no matter how legally, sensibly and visibly you drive every single day at least 3 people will randomly change lanes into from either side, with practically no warning at all.


commuting drivers typically instead of the normal mirror,signal , maneuver, routine use, maneuver, signal, check the mirror to check why there's a horn blasting at them routine.

 

[Tefal]

id say a liter bike could get tiring with the filtering and be hard tocatch in a sudden stop/idiot blocking scenario)

a vfr is a good choice, any of the sport tourers with a good screen will be good too.

 

[Tefal]

oh and get textiles not leatherslol, a nice textile suit means you'll be warm an comfy for everything but the harshest days.

 

[ttaskmaster]

Anyone who thinks a motorcycle doesn't belong on a motorway is just riding the wrong bike.

Motorways are an absolute PLAYGROUND!!
Give me anything from a Dragstar to an FJ1200 - I'm happy as anything on motorways.
Some people tell me it's boring, but then 80 miles on the same route every day will be boring, no matter which road you take.

Is filtering through stationary traffic ok? (legal?)

What does your Highway Code say about keeping an eye out for filtering motorcycles?

Yes, it is legal.
Most sensible riders apply the 20/20 rule - No faster than 20mph above the speed of the traffic and no filtering if the traffic is going more than 20mph.
This way, you're never doing more than 40mph.

I've filtered the whole of the M4 from J11 and then all the way round the M25 to J5 before.

Part of the joy is how wide motorway lanes are, which means filtering is usually very easy. But if you ride outside of rush times, it's an absolute doddle and you shouldn't need to filter anyway.

What type of bike would you recommend?

Sports Tourer.
The full-on Tourers are usually pretty big and can be impractical, while Sports will be like riding on a knife edge - Not something you want on a Friday evening after a long, tiring week.

Leathers vs textiles - Textiles keep you dry, but so does a set of waterproofs.
However, if you'e sliding down the road, nothing is better than leather.