I used bikes for my daily commute for many years. Started off commuting on an RD350 in my mid-twenties, then an ZXR750L2 which I totally ran in to the ground using it all year around on my 90mile round trip commute. I remember having to defrost the GF`s car in order to move it out of the way so I could get the bike out of the garage one day and riding to work with the fields both sides of the road covered in snow. It used to get carb freeze all the time and id hate getting to work and not feeling my fingers! I then briefly had a ZX6R for commuting before buying my 748S. It was only 2 months old at the time and I racked up something like 8000 miles in 4 months on it, mainly through commuting. It had the carbon termi`s which were great for cars hearing you coming up behind them and moving out of the way and it was very distracting for motorists who seemed to spend more time looking at my bike than at the road ahead. Biggest problem was keeping bikes clean when you use them every day, they just get ruined. In summer they get covered in dead flies and in winter get covered & ruined by road salt. Not only that, I found that after commuting all week to work on my bike, come the weekend I just really didnt fancy going out on the bike again. So the bike ended up being a weekday commuting tool, rather than a fun weekend relaxing bike. Even though i tried to just use bendy back roads the back tyre would still get squared off and id get through a set of tyres nearly once a month. At one point I had 2 back wheels - one with a harder wearing touring tyre on for the daily commute, then another with a softer tyre for weekend thrashes. After 12 months of commuting on the 748 I sold it and got an R1 for weekend fun and a VFR750 for commuting on. Eventually after getting knocked off the R1 and getting fed up of having to fill up every day with petrol, getting leathers on / off, I bought an old diesel car for the commute. Cost me practically nothing to maintain, 60mpg, 600miles out of a tank of fuel and meant when it came to the weekends, I really could enjoy going out on the bike again! Also meant I could flog the VFR and stick to one bike. Im not sure id go back to full time commuting on my bikes again, but certainly maybe once or twice a week in the summer would be nice.
What was your traveling time like driving compared to being on the bike. I ride as the north circ is full of tragffic!
TBH thats why I started using the bike and stuck with it for so many years, rain or shine. My 45mile each way commute, in the car, going to work would take maybe between 1hr 10mins and 1hr 45mins depending upon traffic. The problem I had was the last 16 miles (A14 from Huntingdon to Cambridge for those who know it). That can take a 1 hour some days and when its screwed, so are all the alternative routes. Coming back typically isnt as bad, so maybe 1hr in the car. On the bike, it only takes me 45mins if I take it steady. Sure, getting leathers on/off, filling up with petrol all added to it a bit. And typically id usually go a slightly longer, more bendy back road way home, so my commute would be maybe 50 mins each way regardless of traffic. The key thing was that id know it would definitely take me that time, whereas in the car, you never knew whether you`d get stuck in traffic or not. These days, I really dont know how I managed it through all the traffic as the driving standards I see of car drivers and lorry drivers in general seems terrible. Bike comfort never worried me, ive always only ridden sports bikes (except the VFR750 and I could never get on with that riding position). It certainly was fun though, at the end of the day, in summer, riding home on the 748. Certainly something to look forward to finishing work for. And another plus is that all the birds at work suddenly became my friends after seeing me in leathers.
The lady's have already been asking for rides and I have to even brought it in to work yet. I could not deal with the car, there will be days I'm sure when its really wet and I'll have a tear in my eye but by car I'll be looking at 1 hour to 2 hours, simple as that. Bike, 45 minutes no matter what. I rode my TL1000r for 2 years rain or shine with no problems... We will see what the duc is like as the tl was bullet proof
In actual fact I remember starting a new job and on day 1 arrived on my R1 as at that point my car wasnt on the road. I later started dating a girl from where I worked and she said that the email gossip was going mental for days after I joined as to "who was that hot guy in the tight leathers". In all fairness I was the only biker there, so I didnt have much competition. Wet wasnt really a problem for me. I had all in one waterproofs. Only problem was the spray from other cars and water going down your neck. Oh, and having your gloves feel like concrete once they dry out. Not wanting to spoil things, but my 748 lasted 600 miles before a value dropped into the engine destroying half of it, so it was back to Ducati for 3 months or so for them to fix. But, after that it didnt miss a beat, so im sure it was just one of those things! I think in general as long as you look after it with oil changes, keep chain adjusted/lubed and generally keep an eye on things you shouldnt have a problem.
I had to stop using the car to commute at the beginning of this year. I was starting to become dangerously crazy with frustration and rage. The 750 is up and running this year and does me for the 40-mile daily round trip to work and back. I feel safer on it and arrive a work/home at the beginning/end of the day in a much better mood. An added bonus with the 750 (vs the 999) is that I cannot be tempted into travelling at silly speeds.
My car is astonishingly slow. My rage and frustration stemmed from being in traffic queues and being cut-up by any faster cars that happened to be around (by that I mean, any cars at all).
Lol I drive a new golf r... So 300 bhp and 4 wheel drive so luckly the days I do have to drive... I'll be one of them people you hate.
Lovely...I had a carbon tank/fairings and eventually got some OZ wheels, upgraded brakes and suspension set up...totally changed the handling. Monster of an engine. Loved it. Anyway, we better shut up as this is a Ducati Forum!!!
I have a 749 ...we only go out in warm days and sunny evening for a little pootle.... Mines an 04 too with 5k on it ...... She wants me to use her more but I can't fine the time at the moment , she feels neglected and unwanted at times , so I promised her I'd strip her off tomorrow and give he a good seeing too ! ....
I bought my black 749 in 06 brand new for my commuter bike. Have used it every year until now, 30k miles later. It has been faultless until this year when the normal things happened (coil failure etc) but would highly recommend it as a commuter. The reasons: Everybody hears you on it (with Termi's) so are aware of you. It's so narrow you can slip through gaps the majority of bikes have to stop at. Life's too short to ride an ER6 every day, you have to smile when you open the garage door. The main reason i was told to avoid the bike for commuting on at the time was the riding position, however i sit right up against the tank so that was never an issue. My knees have actually dulled the paint at the top of the firings from rubbing over the years. I don't think i'll ever sell it, far too good a shape. My commute is from St Albans to West London, so about an hour.
I was looking at that today at work! Should think it's insane that lump inside a 748 chassis! I would love to have it, would raise a few eyebrows I bet
That's a good long ride, I just took mine out for a quick spin, need to work out how to sit as I can see how it could kill my back! I'm gonna try what you just said and sit up close in the tank tomorrow night when I take it out
