For me the bike commute allows me to unwind fromthe work day much more than I would if I were in my SUV, and it saves me a few bucks in fuel at the same time. It is definitely not as convienient having to don and doff gear to go back and forth, but I wouldn't have it any other way.

If possible, take the back way instead of the super slab. Less traffic and more fun most of the time.

 

X2 :thumbup:

 

I used to commute to work, when I was living in the 'burbs and working downtown, free parking as opposed to $12/day. Now that I'm out in the country and could have a great commute to work, also out in the country now, they gave me a company vehicle, but hey it's free.
It was a greater risk especially in Montreal, as the drivers there are insane, but the up side was I could take the long way home, sometimes the long-long-long way home.
I'm somewhat of a fatalist; when you're number is up, it's up, so the benefits outweighed the risk for me.

 

...It was a greater risk especially in Montreal, as the drivers there are insane, ...

I just saw that you used to ride into montreal but now you are in eastern ontario....are you still going into montreal?

As you posted in my last thread you know that I just had a small accident this morning in montreal. I navigated all the traffic from Ile Perrot to the Plateau before getting hit.

I am also thinking of heading to eastern ontario to benefit from the tax drop....but you don't ride in from there? I thought riding some of the back roads would be fun!


Oh and my decision making process for not riding to work is:
dropping off kids or picking them up on the way home
raining in the morning.
below 0C
meeting at a client's office

Otherwise I am on the bike! which translates into about a 40% chance I am riding.

 

I'm lucky enough to live in small city. My commute is only 5-6 miles one way with no slab riding. When the weather is nice I often ride my bicycle. I could make more money in the city, but my overall quality of life would suffer.

 

It's often more of a mobility enhancer and time saver than anything else.

Switching from car to motorcycle back in California shaved over 90 minutes off my daily commute. It also allowed me to do more... like have lunch with friends without taking 2 hours off work. In one specific case it cut the time to reach a specific restaurant from my office from 40 minutes to 10. The freedom a motorcycle gives those living in traffic-bound parts of California has to be experienced to be understood.

My current commute is short/no highway ... short enough that, barring the general insanity of Texans, I would ride a bicycle or walk. Texans don't believe in building sidewalks, don't believe in sharing the road with bicycles, and in general make those options borderline suicidal. A motorbike works fine though. Doesn't save (or cost) any time to speak of but it moves normal wear and tear from an expensive car to a cheap bike. It can be a lot of fun too, especially during lunch breaks, but mostly it's just practical. I could do the same with a scooter but those things scare me with the tiny little wheels and all....

 

It's often more of a mobility enhancer and time saver than anything else.
...
Switching from car to motorcycle back in California shaved over 90 minutes off my daily commute.

+1.

E.S., you live in lane splitting territory -- that might matter a lot. Additionally, in Seattle, I can use the H.O.V. lanes when on the bike, which can literally change a 60 minute commute into a 30 minute commute.

Further, at most intersections along my route, people bunch up like lemmings in the center lane at stop lights. I can use the right lane (where it's not right-turn-only), and scoot past the whole herd every few blocks. That's much harder to do in a car, both because you don't accelerate as briskly, and because you frequently need to sneak past a parked car in that lane to pull it off.

In the city, the motorcycle saves a LOT of time.

By the way, I rarely need a personal vehicle to get to work; I usually bicycle or bus. If I had to use a personal vehicle, it would most certainly be a single-track vehicle.

 

I dont ride alot to work. I work less than 10 minutes from the house so by the time I pull the bike out of the garage, gear up and ride there, then gear down at work, it takes me longer by bike. However, lately I have ridden alot more becasue on the weekends I was wakeboardning and not riding the bike, so commuting was my main outlet for riding. When I do ride, I feel more revived in the morning and ready to work. When I ride home I feel like I have already done something by the time I got home. Time in my truck is just wasted in zombieland. If I worked further then I would ride alot more out of gas price issues. My truck is a dodge 4x4 with a HEMI and gets around 11mpg in town:thumbdown:. So, 50mpg vs 11.......... on a long commute and its a no brainer. I would still take the truck if it were raining. Riding is dangerous as it is, you add water and bad things can happen real fast.

 

I would rather slab it on the bike than cage it on the slab any day.

I agree the dangers are higher on the slab during commute times but it is a risk I take.

On top of the more enjoyable time on the bike versus the cage, the costs savings work out well for me. My cage gets 15.5 on the hwy and I would have to pay $40/month on parking. My strom gets 51.5 on the hwy and parking is free right in front of my building.

I never drive my car anymore unless I need it to transport something large. I start it once a week just to keep the battery from dying.

 

I would rather slab it on the bike than cage it on the slab any day.

I agree the dangers are higher on the slab during commute times but it is a risk I take.

On top of the more enjoyable time on the bike versus the cage, the costs savings work out well for me. My cage gets 15.5 on the hwy and I would have to pay $40/month on parking. My strom gets 51.5 on the hwy and parking is free right in front of my building.

I never drive my car anymore unless I need it to transport something large. I start it once a week just to keep the battery from dying.

Exactly! My ride is 40 miles each way. I take the Zook or the Kaw over 1/2 the time, otherwise in the GMC truck at 18 MPG. I like to save the truck for severe rain and snow. It's actually more dangerous for me to drive the truck, the heated leather Barca-lounger seats and the Bose surround-sound system put me to sleep, at least on a motorcycle the fear keeps me awake.

 

I ride to work every day that I can. I won't ride if the road is wet and it is raining or the temp is below 32 and it looks like Ice is on the road. It is way too expensive for me to drive my 3/4 ton 4x4 crew cab @ 9 MPG the 50+ miles every day. Riding the bike to and from work also relaxes me and makes the day just that much better. Plus I just love riding every chance I get.

 

I'm like zt0117 above - I live in relatively small city and have an 8 mile commute one way. I leave early enough in the morning that it's a nice ride, and when I leave it's before the rush hour. It's never stop-n-go traffic, so it's a nice way to unwind a bit. If I lived and worked in a larger area like you're describing, yeah, I might not do it either.

 

Daily rider to work here. My commute is only 7 miles oneway through town. I don't hit the freeway just surface streets. Run home for lunch everyday also. I like being abe to hop on and have a quick ride everyday.

 

I guess it would be different if it would was actually fun, but I'd way rather sit in my comfortable cage while navigating the nut house in to work and back, and save my 9 lives for the delicious mountain roads around here sans traffic.

I'm with you. Unless I want to go way out of my way, my commute route is nothing but 20-odd miles of busy multi-lane highway, often bumper to bumper and moving at a crawl, if that. Just not in any way fun. At least in the car I can put on the AC or heat as needed, listen to the radio, drink a soda, have a smoke, or whatever. I could probably arrange my route to include more interesting roads, but then I'd need even more time for it.

 

often bumper to bumper and moving at a crawl, if that.

That's where a motorcycle can shine.

Filter between the crawling cages. It's safer, quicker, and leaves more resources (road space) for other vehicles so you are doing your part to reduce traffic congestion.

It may not be legal in Canada but it's a good practice and rightly legal many places around the world.

 

I live out in the country and work at home, so it's not really an option for me. I have used the bike for business meetings, work-related errands and to go to the airport for trips. If I was still living in the concrete jungle of South Florida, I probably wouldn't even own a street bike let alone throw my fate into the capable hands of the average phone-texting, latte-drinker, expletive-spewing, road-raging commuter.

 

I commute to work.

Minimum 58 km or about 40 miles each way. I love it!

Heading to work is fairly direct usually taking one of two routes. The way home varies a lot and sometimes is double the distance.

In fact, today is the first time in six months or so that I took my car to work, and that only because I got half and inch of snow and my driveway was icy. I'll ride in to work tomorrow.

..Tom

 

i commute semi daily. often i end up having to carry items that aren't pratical on a motorcycle so not -every- day. mainly, i ride back roads through pretty countryside to and from work, about 30 miles one way. i love it, i even will ride down into the high 30's because as others have said it's more relaxing than caging it. if i had to ride through morning traffic on a super slab, i probably would cage it, too many crazy people, and i have a bit of a temper that would get me in trouble on a bike.

 

I ride for commuting as much as possible.. Many times I will take different routes home to unwind.. I can take the quick slab home or take a couple different mountain routes. My normal commute is 70-90 miles depending on the route so its good unwinding time.. KLR or Vstrom depending on the ride.. I also work in a couple surrounding cities so its nice to take a bike to Park City, Logan, or Southern Utah.. The Dell small form factor computers we use fit in the luggage in either bike great so I can use either for work and get paid mileage.. Sure you gamble in freeway traffic, but you gamble walking across the street..

 

Sure you gamble in freeway traffic, but you gamble walking across the street..

i understand what you are saying, but i have seen too many college kids down town trying to get to class and not paying attention to anything to want to deal with it, myself. i saw a girl in a civic pull out infront of a fricken 2 trailer gravel hauler, narrowly missing being smashed up, and then a second car pull out right after infront of a semi truck.. that kind of stupid i'm not taking chances with. you don't take a hit when you've got a 20. :thumbdown:

 

I ride my bike every chance I get. To work and back is easy, I have odd hours so I leave before the rush hour and have a nearly empty freeway to work with. It's only 8 miles each way. For errands and such I ride unless the item I'm getting won't fit on the bike. I've packed groceries, pizza, fast food and pool supplies on my bike. My tailbag will hold a 24 pack of soda and the panniers will hold a 12 pack each and then some.

Biggest issue was gas mileage in my truck. In the 4 months I've owned my Wee I've saved over $500 in gas alone.

 

I ride every day of the week. 60 mile round trip mostly interstate with some congestion which doesnt apply to me because of the HOV and lane sharing.:hurray:

Anything below 45f and I'm likely to take the truck (sivlerado 5.3l V8.). I hate driving it, I feel like im wasting money. Wet roads and a drizzle wont keep me from riding, not even the promise of afternoon rain. if im riding home to a warm shower, who cares if I get a little wet. I can get down right maniacal when stuck behind idiots in my 1/2 ton.

And until im blessed with a DL1000 it's a little 400sm screamin like a raped ape at 70mph getting blown all over the place...lol.

 

the best part about taking the bike to work is that you know something fun is waiting for you when you get off work, it makes getting off work even more enjoyable.:thumbup:

 

Commuting to work

For 17.5 years I fought Washington, D.C. traffic with the motorcycle. I hated every second of the commute because I had to maintain constant vigilance on all the vehicles surrounding me and scanning the road surface for debris. The result was that I never wrecked the bike.

The only reason that I endured that torture was that the cost of parking a 4-wheeled vehicle at the Navy Yard was $60/month (1970 - 1988 money) and the cost for a motorcycle was $0/month. You do the math. Sharing a ride was almost as expensive as parking a 4-wheeled vehicle and was highly inconvenient.

 

First off, where I work there is motorcycle parking right next to the door. Only thing closer is handicap spots (joke in office is its so we bikers know where they are lol). else its way out in the mall sized parking lot for me.

2nd A lot of times I take a more fun route home, or go out with other biker friends.

3rd, even if just going home, I seam to be able to get around faster on bike then car even without speeding. Maybe its going on a right turn when in car I might wait for example.

4th, It makes me look cool :thumbup:

 

I commute everyday unless it's below 40. I am in a much better mood at work when I ride in. Just getting prepped to do battle on the road wakes me up and gets my mind working. I know it is riskier than being in a cage, but I get a lot more enjoyment and save money as well. Everything we do in life is a risk, but it is one I'm willing to take.

 

Going to and from work on a motorcyle makes the commute the best part of the day for me. It's 90% attitude and 10% fuel savings and all that other jazz...

 

commuting

I bought my c50t for commuting a few years ago after a 17 year lay-off from cycling. It was well worth the savings in gas at the time. I want to ride everyday if I can. It may not be fun in the really hot weather in the summer around here but it makes me a better rider. (We had 10 days in a row over 110 and one day at 116). I learn something or practice something new everyday. I stay off the bike in the very thick fog of California's central valley and the driving rains that occur here in the winter.

I also can't ride if I'm transporting a few briefcases.

Other than that, I'm on my bike.

 

I bought my c50t for commuting a few years ago after a 17 year lay-off from cycling.

Other than that, I'm on my bike.

You still liking that Colnago?! Nice ride I have to say!! :thumbup:

 

I live in a large city (Boston) with particularly crazed drivers and a two mile long tunnel. Many area riders will not enter the city on a motorcycle, period.

I use the bike to commute because if I didn't, I'd ride about 2,000 miles a season. Weekends are devoted to the kids and that usually means little or no riding. One way commutes are 18-52 miles depending on which office I go to. Can't use the bike every day because of work stuff I need to move, or my hockey gear.

I'll take commuter drivers over weekend drivers any day. Far more predictable.

 

I live in a large city (Boston) with particularly crazed drivers and a two mile long tunnel. Many area riders will not enter the city on a motorcycle, period.

I use the bike to commute because if I didn't, I'd ride about 2,000 miles a season. Weekends are devoted to the kids and that usually means little or no riding. One way commutes are 18-52 miles depending on which office I go to. Can't use the bike every day because of work stuff I need to move, or my hockey gear.


I'll take commuter drivers over weekend drivers any day. Far more predictable.

The Wee is the ultimate hockey equipment transport!

 

106 miles roundtrip commute. Saw 27F briefly this morning. Until there is snow this is how WEE go.:mrgreen: