First ride of 2010!

[Old Gregg]

Well I took to two wheels again last Friday. Woohoo!

I normally ride throughout the year but since July I've been working in Dundee through the week so I've had a company gave me a car, so the bike has barely moved since August! I'm originally from Hamilton near Glasgow so apparently I'd fit in best they said.
With driving to and from Dundee every week the last thing I wanted to do at the weekend was to get back on the roads, so the bike has sat quietly waiting for me to get back on.

I have needed new tyres since August and I had been waiting for the much lauded Dunlop Roadsmarts to become available again but they are still like hens teeth. So, with my rear tyre looking like an F1 slick, (just as flat in the middle), I headed to Alan Jeffries in Shipley for new rubber. I ended up sticking with the standard Battlewings as I found them pretty damn good for most situations.

I have to admit to being slightly nervy on the bike. It was cold and damp on Friday morning and if you bear in mind what I've already said about my old rear tyre you'll understand my trepidation. I was terrified to lean more than a few degrees, my clutch hand ached within about 5 miles and I generally wobbled around. The return journey on brand new rubber was equally nervy because it was wet by this time and new tyres are slippery. Having said all that I soon loosened up. I was once again reminded that bikes are a sign that there is a God and he loves us loads. I just need to get out there now and build up the conditioning you naturally get riding a bike every day.

I am even thinking of ditching the company car and using the GS to travel between Cleckheaton and Dundee every week. I'll be on two wheels and raking in the mileage money, (which I'll need because it'll need servicing every 10 weeks!). There are some damn good roads around this area so it'll be brilliant when it's light in the evenings again.

Does anyone else use their bike to do these sort of distances regularly? We're talking 700 miles a week plus any site meetings I need to attend whilst I'm up here. I'm sure the bike will cope with it but I'm a bit worried I won't! At least it'll stop me sitting in the car getting fat (or fatter), muching wine gums!

 

[Sooty09]

Im not a lover of commuting by bike, if you have a bad day or have a problem its difficult to keep your concentration.
I did six weeks of Monday to London and Friday back to Leeds commuting and the novelty wore off on the first run home in the rain round about Luton. I finally stopped when it was pointed out my bike insurance covered me for commuting to and from my permanent place of work, not the site I was working on.
I did not investigate the insurance any further when I calculated how much it was costing. The petrol was OK but when tyres, chains, servicing and devaluation due to high mileage were added in I was running at a loss.
I also found I was so fed up of commuting I had no interest in riding over the weekend. When I did the commute by car I looked foreword to every weekend and rode every chance I got.
Give it a try though and let us know how you get on.

 

[Old Gregg]

I am quite the opposite. If I've had a bad day or problems at home I see the bike as being a relief. When I'm riding I can put everything else out of my mind. I commuted by car for a year and was usually in a foul temper by the time I got home. I am so much more chilled since I began using a bike to commute; ZZR600, ZX6-R, R1 and GS. All way better than a car.

I usually commute from Halifax to Leeds 5 days a week; hail, rain or shine. I'm a mechanical design engineer in the water industry so I often have to attend site meetings at some of Severn Trent Water's finest water treatment and sewage treatment facilities. I go up and down the M1 on the bike no problem. It's not as far away as Dundee but it can be a fair old run to some sites in the south of their region.

I always insure my bike for business use if I'm using it to go to site. It doesn't usually add more than £10 to your premium, (in my experience at least), and it means you can relax and not worry about making up stories in case something happens.

I know the mileage will take a hit but since I have barely touched it since July I'm not too worried. It's unlikely to be for more than 3 months anyway. Even keeping money aside for tyres and servicing, I'll still claw back enough cash to buy me a car as backup, (my ex has 'our' car now ). As for being to fed up to go out at weekends, that's why I've barely touched it since July. After driving all that way I just can't be bothered going out again. It'll give me something to do of an evening up here in Dundee when it gets a bit lighter as there are some awesome roads around here.

It won't be perfect but it will be a change, and that should make all the difference.

 

[Sooty09]

Take care Old Gregg, I'll be up Dundee way over Easter so please advise me of the weather. Im a bit worried about getting stuck in any snow, it was lying thick on the ground last Easter and that was later in the month following a mild winter.