Commuting vs Pleasure riding | Page 2 | GTAMotorcycle.com

Commuting vs Pleasure riding

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I don't go downtown every day, but when I do, I much prefer commuting by motorcycle. I listen to audiobooks while riding, so I'm often hoping traffic will slow down so I can finish a chapter before pulling up to work. Bliss. Sometimes if I'm early, I'll pull off at a park or something and just chill.
 
I always contemplate taking the bike to work and there are usual more reasons against taking it than for.

Yes, the few times I do take it I'm usually more awake and refreshed...and riding is more fun and enjoyable than driving.

However I can't pickup a coffee on the way into work. I would start having to keep cream and coffee here at work and 9/10 times someone else uses it all.

The traffic can be a problem. I agree with the few on here that mentioned they'd rather be in traffic in their cage than on a bike. I agree 100%

I live in North York and work in Brampton. The commute into work isn't bad on dayshifts but is killer on the way home.
Nightshifts are the opposite....and my shifts are 14hours long and the weather can change quite a bit in that time.

Also, for dayshifts it means less sleep because I need that time to gear up and leave early so I don't have to rush to get to work. Then at the end of shift I have to change out of my uniform and gear up...that usually makes the difference between when I usually leave and the traffic is just bad to now it's 10 minutes later and the traffic is horrendous.

Soooooo I can think about all that crap I just wrote up there or just take the cage and ride the bike when I'm off. :rolleyes:

Besides, I like to keep the bike for fun and relaxing rides....not going to the grind.
 
I'm always worried some idiot behind me will run me over because they're half asleep. I prefer taking the car for commuting
 
I bounce between WFH and doing some pretty horrible commutes, and riding home after a cruddy day, takes the edge off. Last commute was Niagara to Concord, about 150 km one way, and I know I shaved time off when I took the bike. Couple times I avoided collisions and road closures by seconds, so it's for safety!
 
I love commuting on a bike when the weather is good, makes you a lot more mobile especially in traffic
 
inreb said:
What do scooters make everything? A race track?
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Scooters are evolved urban motorcycles but that's splitting scalp-hairs, something in ever shorter supply among the veterans of GTAM. I wonder what the death/injury rate for moto-commuting is versus the "spirited" pleasure rides some perceive as a safer pursuit.
 
Low rider said:
Dude, riding is enjoying.
Commuting is pleasure riding. What the Hell gets you so stressed that you can't enjoy it???????

Choice, BMW car, Porsche car, RC51 to work??????? not even a question. If at all possible, the bike is way way way better than any car.
Even if I had a Lambo, the bike would win, hands down.

I just don't get people who would rather be stuck in a car than getting through traffic on the bike.
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anxiety, the new thing, didn't you get the memo:D

dricked had a good idea, checking for tanks for sale
inreb forgot to add the plaid shirt or plaid lid
 
Of two minds about it.

When I could get to work via surface roads and a very short hop on the DVP, commuting via bike not only cut my travel time by more than half (more than a car would, due to parking mostly) but it was easily the best part of my day. Never had to motivate myself to get to work, and during the day I would be looking forward to riding home, even though it was a short ride.

That said, if I was looking at doing 50km on the QEW for a commute, I most likely would not. I don't wanna go out being hipchecked by a merging sleepy minivan while on a long frustrating ride that I repeat twice a day.

So I guess I would try it, and see if I am getting high quality seat time.
 
Commuting to work with a bike is great. Especially if it's an older model with high km's – no need to worry about it while its parked.
 
matthew said:
I'm always worried some idiot behind me will run me over..
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I experienced that about 10 years ago. Car behind me went from stopped to definitely-not-stopped while in stopped traffic. Bike was written off, BMW car in front of me ended up with 4 blown tires, bumper on the ground, trunk up in the air. My tailbone has been hurting ever since.

All it did was make me more vocal about legalizing lane filtering, and I store bikes in California and Germany for whenever I can get away from this no-filtering nonsense around here.
 
I've been commuting on a bike fairly regularly over the last 3 years from about March - October/November and loved it. However....my work was shift work where the hours were 6-2, 2-10, or 10-6 and traffic was minimal at the time. It also involved some stints on primarily 427 for a short jaunt before the traffic hit, I loved it, and enjoyed it very much. Got the hard luggage, a mug for my morning Tim's and I was set to go. Didn't ride with music because I found I just stepped away from the ride and was inattentive enough.

As of next week my job will take me to a 9-5 job from Square One...to Yonge/Sheppard. Not sure how I feel about riding with the morning commuter crowd, but might do it simply for enjoyment (if there's any left after the soul crushing commute). Other option is TTC, but that's a ***** no matter how I slice it :( I say give it a go, and then decide. Oh yes, and free parking is definitely a great feature, I just need to find a good/safe spot in Yonge/Sheppard area.
 
TwistedKestrel said:
So I guess I would try it, and see if I am getting high quality seat time.
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I think that is the best way of thinking about it.

Am I getting quality seat time or will it be a chore...depends on the commute.
 
Low rider said:
I usually find interesting ways to take the bike to work.
There are plenty of entertaining streets in the inner city.
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Depends where you live. Dead boring for me. The only interesting part would be saving time when lane splitting ... and you know how well that would go in Ontario. I am not going to willingly fill up their ticket coffers, because of a boring commute ride. There's no parking advantage either for me. So literally, not one single point to rate the bike over car in my case ...

I will take my cozy car any day and don't bother about weather checking, not even mentioning the summer light dressing .... no gear switching on and off. Yes, I guess I am getting old ... but it works for me. LOL
 
I'll never commute on the bike anymore. I'm 5 blocks from work and my van gets covered in cement dust daily, not doing that to the bike. Not worth it to gear up to ride 5 blocks either.

Sent from my SM-A500W using Tapatalk
 
mxs said:
Depends where you live. Dead boring for me. The only interesting part would be saving time when lane splitting ... and you know how well that would go in Ontario. I am not going to willingly fill up their ticket coffers, because of a boring commute ride. There's no parking advantage either for me. So literally, not one single point to rate the bike over car in my case ...

I will take my cozy car any day and don't bother about weather checking, not even mentioning the summer light dressing .... no gear switching on and off. Yes, I guess I am getting old ... but it works for me. LOL
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Totally agree....and I feel the same too. Maybe I'm getting old? :confused:

I used to have a commute from Shelburne to Brampton and it was 45 mins of straight, boring, opp patrolled, tire squaring, snore fest.

From Brampton to Brampton it was alright. Some street, some hwy, no traffic jams.

From Downtown Toronto to Brampton noooooo thank you. Too much traffic and drivers downtown are awful.

Now I'm in North York and it is just sitting in 401 traffic :mad:
 
Iceman said:
I'll never commute on the bike anymore. I'm 5 blocks from work and my van gets covered in cement dust daily, not doing that to the bike. Not worth it to gear up to ride 5 blocks either.

Sent from my SM-A500W using Tapatalk
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You should re-think that ... just go the other way, and make it 20km ride, just 5 blocks away. I am telling you it will become exciting, at some point.
 
slowbird said:
Totally agree....and I feel the same too. Maybe I'm getting old? :confused:

I used to have a commute from Shelburne to Brampton and it was 45 mins of straight, boring, opp patrolled, tire squaring, snore fest.

From Brampton to Brampton it was alright. Some street, some hwy, no traffic jams.

From Downtown Toronto to Brampton noooooo thank you. Too much traffic and drivers downtown are awful.

Now I'm in North York and it is just sitting in 401 traffic :mad:
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Imagine sitting on a bike, watching for cagers to not kill you vs. sitting in a car, lightly dressed, listening to your favorite music .... tough choice, I hear you.
 
hate commuting on the bike - live north of markham, work downtown.

Drivers are stupid and regardless of how defensive a rider I am, it's still horrible.

Plus for the most part, it's not riding - it's a 45 minute clutch session.
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