Commuting ideas

[Brett]

I have recently sold my cage, and am now down to only the gsxr. I am clocking kms up far too quickly on it, and need to get someting smaller for commuting. Thus I see I have two options:

1 - Buy a cheap car, little Toyota Starlet or Charade Detomaso or something and then only use the gsxr to commute eveyr now and again on nice days, rather than all day everyday.
Pros- I work in a corporate environment, and turning up at meetings on a bike might not always be the best look...especially a little one. the gsxr at least commands a bit of respect. Plus commuting by bike in traffic everyday lifts my chances of being taken out by some twat in a remuera tractor.
Cons - WOuld add an hour or just over onto my commuting everyday. That is a lot of time.
WOuld be twice the cost in petrol

2- Buy a cheap bike, like a little fxr150, ZXR250a and use that to commute daily.

Pros - Same serious time in traffic.
I love riding
Save Kms on gsxr
Allow me to put the saved cash into other investments (NZX, ASX)

Cons - Increased danger
I wont have any cage, only the wife will
NZ has SHIT weather, so I will be getting to the office in rain many a winter morn. And cold.
Realistically.

Basically I am trying to avoid putting more cash into a cage for the next year and half, at which point my wife and I go over to Malta/Europe for 2 months. When we get back it will be time for nice new cages and a new bike...untill then, I gotta be a tight arse and try and make my money make more money.

EDIT: And yes this is badly written, I am sick and tired.

[FROSTY]

maybee do BOTH--get a really cheap reliable car--and something like a cb250 rs --that way ya win both ways --I might be able to help ya with the er cage thing

[Panther]

Go zxr!
what bout catching the public transport on the days the weather is really bad.or get one of those rain suits. if oyure gonna be leaving your money in a portfolio for over a year try gold mining stock, some good aussie companies doing well for themselves (and making the shareholders happy :)

[Disco Dan]

I can vouch for Frosty regarding cars... he'll sort you out with a great deal! he got me into a couple of cars a few years back!

Id vote that you dont worry about the k's on your GSXR, at the end of the day its there to be ridden... yes you get 'commuters tyre' syndrome.. but running two vehicles with two sets of reg and wof can be an expensive thing...

[kickingzebra]

gsxr will be worth nothing in 2 years or so anyway, so just put the kms on it, service it proper and it will live plenty long enough. cheaper in depreciation than buying and running a second vehicle.

[Deviant Esq]

NZ has SHIT weather
Nup, just Auckland mate. :whistle:

Joking aside, it's up to you. If you don't want to ride to work on a cold and rainy winter's morning, especially if you're due for a corporate meeting first thing, a cheap runaround car would be the way to go. My partner's got a '94 Civic hatch, just a 1.5 SOHC carb engine so nothing special, but it's got a nice sounding stereo and is really, really good on fuel - probably better than your GSXR (after hearing the sort of mileage Fat Tony gets on his GSXR750 I'm thinking most cars are better on fuel! :eek:). It would get you there warm and dry for your meeting, you won't care about putting mileage on it because they keep going anyway... and you'd have a second car if your wife's needed servicing or something. Sounds like a chat with Frosty might be in order. ;)

[Fub@r]

Rather get wet riding home on my bike than being stuck in traffic for an hour getting frustrated :) Weather dosn't worry me for my commute, I just take it slightly easier

[Will]

Been taking the bike every day lately. But had to use a car for one day. That did it!!
I got so frustrated sitting in the traffic. So I am happily back on the bike:scooter:

[Ixion]

Harden up. Auckland weather's OK. And the traffics a goo challenge, keeps y' on y' toes. Buy a chook chaser. Ride it into the board room. That'll command respect.

[alexthekidd]

Ride the GSXR, commands a heck of a lot more respect than a corolla or FXR

[Insanity_rules]

Go a cheap lil bike! Lots more fun.

[Babelfish]

Dont be a flouncy and just stick to yer gixxer, stick the spare cash into your investments to build a good amount of money and then you'll be able to upgrade to a honda :yes:

And weather smeather, as with others i'd rather sit in the rain for 15 min that an hour in a cage looking at another cages arse.

[Pumba]

Just comutte on the GSXR. As mentioned you will have to deal with square tyre syndrom but hey there are worse things in the world

[Guitana]

Take the bike and harden up! if the suits don't like your attire then they can go fuck themselves!! If you worry about the weather and dangers of riding everyday then buy an economical car!!!

[Karma]

Personally I'd just use the gixxer... but if you really don't wanna build k's on it then a ZXR isn't really an ideal commuter... something more like a bandit or even the GT250 would suit you a lot better as it's not gonna be used for any serious riding so the seating position is more comfortable.

[svs]

i've been commuting on the bikes again recently. SV when the weather's OK, and RG150 other times. the rg150 is a hoot at legal speeds, nothing like taking off from the lights in a cloud of blue smoke and not going to far :)

[mikey62]

Every morning I put my leathers on, tuck my white shirt in and do up my tie. Pants and shoes go into a bag and I sort the helmet hair out at work. Hear what your saying about the weather but I figure that as long as its not pissing down in the morning then i don't mind getting wet on the way home. If the weather is absolutly crap in the mornings the I take a 15yo Corona and I HATE those days sitting in traffic. On the bike 30mins to/from work. In the car I'm looking at an hour. Get a cheap bike and car.

[Brett]

maybee do BOTH--get a really cheap reliable car--and something like a cb250 rs --that way ya win both ways --I might be able to help ya with the er cage thing

Hey Frosty, PM me any cars you reckon you have that might fit the bill!


Go zxr!
what bout catching the public transport on the days the weather is really bad.or get one of those rain suits. if oyure gonna be leaving your money in a portfolio for over a year try gold mining stock, some good aussie companies doing well for themselves (and making the shareholders happy :)

Am looking at a ZXR250a model with 27,000kms for $1600...fairings wasted, but would make a good naked bike.
I have been keeping an eye on some ausie mining stocks, the cash from my car is going into one in particular,ASX listed code arx (should anyone be interested, ,loose money though and it is your own fault!) Best for the last year though has been a company called Atlas Pacific South Sea Pearls...doubled in a year with really really good dividend payouts.


gsxr will be worth nothing in 2 years or so anyway, so just put the kms on it, service it proper and it will live plenty long enough. cheaper in depreciation than buying and running a second vehicle.

Don't say that, my gsxr might get a complex and feel worthless...however the thought has gone through my head aye./ Bikes do not hold value too well. in 1.5 years it would have 65000 kms on it or so, and i supose would be worth 5 grand and I could then trade to a thousand.


Personally I'd just use the gixxer... but if you really don't wanna build k's on it then a ZXR isn't really an ideal commuter... something more like a bandit or even the GT250 would suit you a lot better as it's not gonna be used for any serious riding so the seating position is more comfortable.

Yeah, I need a bike with balls though (balls as far as 250's go!) as I would use it for the open road every now and again. In any case, a ZXR is more comfy than the gixxer...but then if comfy mattered I wouldn;t ride a sports bike. I commuted for two years on a ZXR and I really liked it as a nippy aroudn town bike.

[davereid]

If you don't need to go on the motorway, get a moped rego scooter.

- $67 a year rego
- No WOFs required
- untold mpg
- cheap to buy
- good resale for the non chinese ones
- el cheapo insurance

I ride a TGB 101 to work every day, down SH1 and through the town to work, about 14km. Its good for a reliable 60km/hr so it only takes 15mins door to door.

[klingon]

Get yourself a Volty! :love:

[jim.cox]

NZ has SHIT weather, so I will be getting to the office in rain many a winter morn. And cold.




"There is no such thing as bad weather, just inappropriate clothing"
Connolly, W.

Like everyone says, you need to toughen up ya Jafa Wimp

Use a bicycle if you dont want to put k's on the GSXR

[XP@]

You've passed your test, so don't muck around with a 250, they are more expensive than a 400 and have to work just that little bit harder.