Discussion
A ZZR1200 is probably not the weapon of choice for commuting into city centres at rush hour, but I just woke up to fine weather and a day of no client meetings and decided to give it a go into Bristol on the A4. The result - 12 minutes instead of an hour in the car and I parked right outside the office instead of a 20 minute walk away. Funny how much I hate bus lanes when I'm in the car and how much I love them when I'm on the bike.
Now I'm just planning my detour on the way home tonight, I think Cheddar gorge may be seeing an assault at around 7.00pm...
Now I'm just planning my detour on the way home tonight, I think Cheddar gorge may be seeing an assault at around 7.00pm...
Mon Ami Mate said:I did the exact same thing and my R1 is extravagantly taking up a whole space in our works car park!
A ZZR1200 is probably not the weapon of choice for commuting into city centres at rush hour, but I just woke up to fine weather and a day of no client meetings and decided to give it a go
It meant being able to leave about half an hour later.
Been back on a bike for a week now and it's so great to take out the cars doing 50 in 60 limits - you know the ones, they carry on doing 50 in 30 limits... Boring car journeys become entertaining on a bike and also so much quicker!
Aside from my aches (33 this year, getting old
), I'm really loving bikes again, fantastic on so many levels...
Aside from my aches (33 this year, getting old
), I'm really loving bikes again, fantastic on so many levels...rsvmilly said:
Mon Ami Mate said:I did the exact same thing and my R1 is extravagantly taking up a whole space in our works car park!
A ZZR1200 is probably not the weapon of choice for commuting into city centres at rush hour, but I just woke up to fine weather and a day of no client meetings and decided to give it a go
It meant being able to leave about half an hour later.
I got that bit wrong. I left 15 minutes later than usual and got to work half an hour before my normal time!
However, tomorrow...
I commute all year into the City (London) and save myself over an hour a day commuting time. Cant beat it
However caution needs to be exercised with regard to bus lanes and cycle lanes. So far two bus lane fines, evidenced by CCTV stills and caught by
using cycle lane in 18 months. The latter is £40 but not endorsable unless you decide to fight it in which case it is and the fine gets larger!!!
I must state I am not a habitual user of said lanes just
unlucky!
>> Edited by Ballon on Wednesday 26th April 11:39
However caution needs to be exercised with regard to bus lanes and cycle lanes. So far two bus lane fines, evidenced by CCTV stills and caught by
using cycle lane in 18 months. The latter is £40 but not endorsable unless you decide to fight it in which case it is and the fine gets larger!!! I must state I am not a habitual user of said lanes just
unlucky! >> Edited by Ballon on Wednesday 26th April 11:39
Ballon said:
I commute all year into the City (London) and save myself over an hour a day commuting time. Cant beat it ![]()
However caution needs to be exercised with regard to bus lanes and cycle lanes. So far two bus lane fines, evidenced by CCTV stills and caught byusing cycle lane in 18 months. The latter is £40 but not endorsable unless you decide to fight it in which case it is and the fine gets larger!!!
I must state I am not a habitual user of said lanes justunlucky!
>> Edited by Ballon on Wednesday 26th April 11:39
Happily car-hating Bristol City Council has opened all bus lanes to motorcycles.
Mon Ami Mate said:
Ballon said:
I commute all year into the City (London) and save myself over an hour a day commuting time. Cant beat it ![]()
However caution needs to be exercised with regard to bus lanes and cycle lanes. So far two bus lane fines, evidenced by CCTV stills and caught byusing cycle lane in 18 months. The latter is £40 but not endorsable unless you decide to fight it in which case it is and the fine gets larger!!!
I must state I am not a habitual user of said lanes justunlucky!
>> Edited by Ballon on Wednesday 26th April 11:39
Happily car-hating Bristol City Council has opened all bus lanes to motorcycles.
Well that's made my day. Can't see Red Ken doing that!
Ballon said:
I commute all year into the City (London) and save myself over an hour a day commuting time. Cant beat it ![]()
However caution needs to be exercised with regard to bus lanes and cycle lanes. So far two bus lane fines, evidenced by CCTV stills and caught byusing cycle lane in 18 months. The latter is £40 but not endorsable unless you decide to fight it in which case it is and the fine gets larger!!!
I must state I am not a habitual user of said lanes justunlucky!
>> Edited by Ballon on Wednesday 26th April 11:39
A lot of the bus lane policing is carried out by cameras on buses, rather than fixed cameras.
Steve.
Fire99 said:
Hi Steve, and everyone..
I think a CBR thou would be fine tool for commuting unless you are squeezing through the tightest of gaps.
In my experience a bike with good low to midrange torque is great for squirting past slower cars.
Hope my 5p helps,
regards,
Nick
Yep,
that's why I've never owned a 4 cylinder bike and love triples and twins........
Not a CBR, but rather a CBF. It's the uglier sit up and beg one, without about 100bhp. I suspect a CBR thou would be rather beyond me and I'd use too little of its performance or have a moment or two on it
- a bit to much of a step up from the old SV.
By way of an aside a mate of mine has just bought part share in a track bike. Now bearing in mind that he hasn't got a road license yet and no track experience, what did you think he went for? Well he passed on race prepped R1 and went in the end for a ZX10R. Nutter!
- a bit to much of a step up from the old SV. By way of an aside a mate of mine has just bought part share in a track bike. Now bearing in mind that he hasn't got a road license yet and no track experience, what did you think he went for? Well he passed on race prepped R1 and went in the end for a ZX10R. Nutter!
sybaseian said:
Fire99 said:
Hi Steve, and everyone..
I think a CBR thou would be fine tool for commuting unless you are squeezing through the tightest of gaps.
In my experience a bike with good low to midrange torque is great for squirting past slower cars.
Hope my 5p helps,
regards,
Nick
Yep,
that's why I've never owned a 4 cylinder bike and love triples and twins........
I agree with you there Ian, low down torque is what you need. Allegedly they've managed to deliver this in the CBF -sounds like I need a test ride or two

Steve_T said:
sybaseian said:
Fire99 said:
Hi Steve, and everyone..
I think a CBR thou would be fine tool for commuting unless you are squeezing through the tightest of gaps.
In my experience a bike with good low to midrange torque is great for squirting past slower cars.
Hope my 5p helps,
regards,
Nick
Yep,
that's why I've never owned a 4 cylinder bike and love triples and twins........
I agree with you there Ian, low down torque is what you need. Allegedly they've managed to deliver this in the CBF -sounds like I need a test ride or two
What's the SV1000S like compared to your SV650?
I must admit to being a gluton for punishment when I live in Germany - I had two original Speed Triples and put 25,000 miles on each over a few years, up and down the back roads to the Nurbergring from Monchengladbach most weekends and never really had much of a problem.
It was a little bit different riding from MG down to Sonthofen in Bavaria (500 miles) on the Autobahns without a fairing, but it did mean that my average speed dropped to 100mph including 1-2 petrol stops. Stangely, my collar size increased by an inch.......



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