Has commuting on your bike, reduced your passion for riding?

[Hardwrkr13]

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I've had some sort of motorcycle for the past 30yrs and if I can take the bike instead ofthe car I do. MUCH prefer commuting on the bike as just pulling out of the driveway on it puts a smile on my face. I ride to the gym or anywhere else even if it's under 1km. OP = you need a new bike IMO.

 

[jolomatic]

My primary use of my bike is to get to and from work (Burlington to TO), and do it in most weather as long as there's no chance of ice. With free street parking, it's cheaper than the GO train, and so my commuting cost goes down in summer - which alone justifies it; but as a bonus, my commute is also more enjoyable and more comfortable. Years ago I used to do the commute by car, but I flat out refuse that madness now.

But yeah, I almost never take a joy ride on the bike, unless the wife or kids want to go for a spin - but on nice weenend days I'll still use the bike instead of the car for running errands that don't require much cargo space.

So I guess a more enjoyable commute, but less recreational use kind of balances out overall.

 

[Kri$han]

Nope.

Maybe it's time for you to get a more exciting bike.

This^

This is my 5th season, and because my weekends are jam-packed with family stuff and other hobbies, commuting is almost all the time I have left. I LOVE commuting on my bike; it's a little faster, WAY more exciting, a good test of skills and it starts my day off properly. I look forward to any time I can ride, rather than drive - unless I'm traveling with people and/or luggage.

If anything, riding has changed my perspective, in that we (as humans) do NOT need to take 3000lbs of metal with us everywhere we go, just because we want to be more comfortable and/or secure.

 

[omnivore]

Street riding has also become a balancing act of risk versus reward for me.

The dangers of street riding are high, and only getting higher anymore with more traffic, and more smartphones, and an ever aging population....not to mention the open door immigration policy. Driving habits learned in some other nations with gross congestion and little to no road rules, don't work very well here, and I have noted terrible driving habits in many drivers who are recent immigrants to North America. And older drivers also drive with little or no regard for anyone on the road but themselves.....almost like tunnel vision....and half of them are so old and decrepit, they can't even turn they head around to shoulder check their own blind spots or look behind them to back up....All of this and more add up to a risky proposition when riding.

SO I weigh out the risk vs. reward.If there isn't enough reward, I won't take the risk. I won't bother to make the risk to life and limb, if there isn't some kind of fun, excitement, or emotional reward for me from the ride. I would ride in a cold and rainy storm in the Appalachain mountains long before I would motorcycle commute in Toronto on a nice warm sunny day.

 

[ddusseld]

I've been commuting on my bike for over 25 years. I like riding. It does not matter if it is commuting, track, touring etc. It is just fun to be on the bike. I've always considered riding as one of my hobbies. Commuting just lets me enjoy my hobby every day. I have found that parenthood and the associated time commitments have severely limited the weekend and long trips on the motorcycle that I used to do. But that is to be expected as parenting is a tad more important then riding...

I started commuting to work regularly (as in every day during riding season) about three years ago, been riding about 10 years. I used to look forward to getting home and often I'd go for a scoot in the evening, and always on the weekend. Three things have happened since I started commuting; I don't go for weekend rides as often, I rarely go for a ride during weekday evenings, and I also see my bike as much more of a vehicle than a cool plaything like I used to.

I'm wondering if those of you who commute regularly found yourself in the same position?

 

[toshison]

Street riding has also become a balancing act of risk versus reward for me.

The dangers of street riding are high, and only getting higher anymore with more traffic, and more smartphones, and an ever aging population....not to mention the open door immigration policy. Driving habits learned in some other nations with gross congestion and little to no road rules, don't work very well here, and I have noted terrible driving habits in many drivers who are recent immigrants to North America. And older drivers also drive with little or no regard for anyone on the road but themselves.....almost like tunnel vision....and half of them are so old and decrepit, they can't even turn they head around to shoulder check their own blind spots or look behind them to back up....All of this and more add up to a risky proposition when riding.

SO I weigh out the risk vs. reward.If there isn't enough reward, I won't take the risk. I won't bother to make the risk to life and limb, if there isn't some kind of fun, excitement, or emotional reward for me from the ride. I would ride in a cold and rainy storm in the Appalachain mountains long before I would motorcycle commute in Toronto on a nice warm sunny day.

+1 all day.

 

[toshison]

I think it depends a little on what kind of commute you do as well. If you get to commute on open road and not in thick GTA traffic, I could see that being enjoyable.

I commute in nothing but traffic with very little open road. And the only areas I get with open road last for less than a minute and are big time speed trap radar hotspots for cops. Then there is the fact that I always where gear for protection and so summer commutes are a real sweaty affair.

Having commuted by bike for several years, I'd say it has killed a lot of my enthusiasm towards riding a motorcycle in general. Idling in traffic is no fun, it actually takes longer to ride the bike since I have to factor in the time to suit up and change clothes when I get to work.

That and what omnivore is saying about all the bad drivers. Seeing all these riders die every summer does suck some of the joy out of it because I am always on high alert in the city.

 

[Psycho_Biker]

I've been commuting on my VFR's for 6 seasons every day it's above 10 degrees and dry. I don't find myself wanting to ride less on evenings and weekends at all. I'd rather take the bike because it adds some excitement to the day, my VW is boring to drive. Also, it's nice to be able to take off for a ride right after work without going home. The only thing I regret sometimes is racking up huge mileage. I figure it's better for the bike than having it sit a lot though.

 

[The Last Boyscout]

Not at all if anything it has kept my passion for riding alive.

 

[Macs]

I love commuting on the 125. Saves gas, likes to go slow, handles smooth. I find commuting on the 675 boring, tiring and stressful.

 

[kickstartt]

For me, yes it has at times.The stop-go traffic cause my bike's engine heat up and run sluggish, and I prefer going fast freely without stopping in traffic and lights.

 

[Jayv]

I have no real desire to do group rides anymore. Daily commute can sometimes be as much as three hours, pretty much when i get home thats it i'm done for the day with riding.

Still mindblowing that riders would rather cage than ride to their work place

My bike choices are now decided on what bike is best for the job, i downsized by 750cc this year and to be honest i am loving riding a smaller bike. More nimble, better on gas, clutch lever thats like butter to operate.

 

[hardk0re]

I commuted last year, had both bike and car. I usually go into work in the AM so its cool and I get to work without being sweaty.

This year I dropped the car, and got a bigger bike. It is more enjoyable so far with a larger bike, I go out in the evening once and a while. Because I like going out riding without a real destination and I can only do that in evenings/weekends.

I will add that the ONLY thing that annoys me about commuting to work is my helmet. I don't leave it on the bike.... So everybody that comes to my desk feels the absolute need to pick it up and look at it, even if it is under my desk......

 

[Kool]

My commute on the bike sometimes is the best 6mins of the day....other than the 6mins it takes to get back home.

 

[DaytonaMotorSport]

Not at all... I commute to work almost every day. I am around bikes all day at work. I'd still take riding in to work then driving almost any day.

 

[smilez]

My commute on the bike sometimes is the best 6mins of the day....other than the 6mins it takes to get back home.

i live about 10mins from work in heavy traffic but it takes me over an hour to get home on good days when i ride back.

 

[Morrissey]

I am starting my 16th season riding and I have noticed that I don't ride as much as I used to. I have started commuting on my bike some (Peterborough to Whitby) to break up the boring commute, but I find that commuting on the bike isn't really the reason I've decreased my riding. After 16yrs and I don't know how many km's, I've basically ridden EVERYWHERE I can get to and back from in a day. I've taken several multi-day trips and one and two week trips too. Now that I am in my early 30's with a house, Wife, and first child on the way, I find that I have other interests and other priorities. I'll probably never stop riding, I've loved motorcycles since before I could ride a bicycle, but I find I don't spend as much of my time riding them as I used to. If I get out for a decent day trip every couple of weeks or so and commute once or twice a week, I'm happy. I find many times I'd rather stay home and tinker around the house, spend time with the Wife, play guitar on the porch, or go hiking and fishing. I'm sure once the baby comes (any day now), I'll spend most of, if not all my free time tickling it and making goofy faces at it! I'm sure once the kid is old enough to start playing and running around, I'll have even less time to ride, but that's just how life goes. When I was in my late teens and early 20's, motorcycles were my life. I ate, slept, and breathed motorcycles. I didn't want to do anything but ride. Now, motorcycles are still a fun part of my life, but they are just that, a PART of my life.

 

[derek03]

Quite the opposite! I'm MORE passionate about riding when I use it to commute. If I havent ridden in a week, I start to question why I have a bike at all.
Been riding about 5 years... Mostly commuting.

 

[bboySushi]

I think it depends a little on what kind of commute you do as well. If you get to commute on open road and not in thick GTA traffic, I could see that being enjoyable.

I commute in nothing but traffic with very little open road. And the only areas I get with open road last for less than a minute and are big time speed trap radar hotspots for cops. Then there is the fact that I always where gear for protection and so summer commutes are a real sweaty affair.

Having commuted by bike for several years, I'd say it has killed a lot of my enthusiasm towards riding a motorcycle in general. Idling in traffic is no fun, it actually takes longer to ride the bike since I have to factor in the time to suit up and change clothes when I get to work.

That and what omnivore is saying about all the bad drivers. Seeing all these riders die every summer does suck some of the joy out of it because I am always on high alert in the city.

+1

If I had to go through thick highway traffic I would take the car. Of course I would just get a new job or move closer in that situation. Otherwise I pick the bike. It's only my third season but I commute almost everyday on the bike and it's always more fun, even when its cold or rainy. Yes I have to pack the hell out of backpack and tank bag, my clothes get wrinkled (I go wear full gear on my commute), but its all worth it. I use the car when I'm running late or have something big to transport.

Commuting on a bike can be great for those times you can bypass a bunch of cars stopped when you have to make a right, or when navigating through downtown areas with cars parked on the sides

 

[Domon]

I feel the same way Getting stuck in traffic from Mississauga to Toronto every morning in the summer sucks. Smelling like exhaust from the bike and other cars sucks too. This year is going to be last year for street and im converting bike to track and hopefully a race or two.

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