I don't quite like putting all these commuting miles on my duke. I feel like I'm going to kill it off sooner than necessary, and would rather just use it as a weekend/track bike.

My Speed Triple has been sitting in the garage for a couple months, waiting for a new chain and sprockets. I love how it rides, and I love the aesthetics. Just not so sure it would be the best commuting bike.

I'm considering selling the triumph again, and picking up something really reliable (japanese) for commuting on. I just find it hard to let go of the triple.

I feel like I'm just letting personal bias get in the way of making a logical choice on replacing it with a better commute bike, so that's why I'm asking some advice.


Should I sell it and pick something else up? What would still be fun to ride but better for commuting? (Relatively the same price or maybe just a little more, so under $7000 maybe?)


Sort of just shooting the shit here.

Here's a picture of it for anyone who hasnt seen.

Pick up a used 1200 Sportster, I'd rock one for commuting for sure. I really like the Sportster 48.

Hi Mate. I'm in exactly the same boat. Have to commune a 300 mile round trip ever week. At least its not every day

Superduke not really the best bike for it and I will just wear out my nice expensive tyres.

I have considered all of the following. Not new or valuable, just a well looked after used bike for three or four grand.

BMW F800 or first generation GS (the predictable choice)
Suzuki Hayabusa (just 'cos they are now cheap and solid)
Honda VFR800 (although I had one of these once and it was boring - but a good mile muncher - great engine)

Daily 75 mile commute on mine for nearly seven years now - almost perfect bike for it for me.

Is the Hayabusa a comfortable ride for cruising/commuting? I never really considered one

EDIT: Just checked the ergo's, too much bent forward for my back's liking.

Just ride it... what's the point of owning one and not riding it....
Sounds a bit like the twats putting a 916 in their living room .... the they get too old to ride it and someone else gets to enjoy it.

in my opinion i don't find that the speed triple is less reliable than a japanese one.
Speed triple is a nice bike, with beautiful engine and decent set up

So, i would keep that for commuting.

Are you looking new or used?

What's you price range?

Get a Ninja 650r, it's boring enough that you wont want to speed like an idiot everywhere. It'll get good MPG's and it has a bit of a fairing for you to hide behind.

I would also look into getting older sport touring bikes:

VFR800

FZ1

Triumph Sprint

Kawasaki Concours

Honda ST1100

Bandit 600/1200

Vstrom

Maybe an SV650?

If you can swing a new bike then the GSX1000 is looking good, so is the FJ-09. You could go full function over form/enjoyment and get a Honda NC700X.

I think the Speed Trip would be a pretty decent commuter and, as mentioned above, the long term reliability should be fine.
What don't you like about it?
One thing that can make a bike tiring on longer, uninspired trips is noise. Looks like you've got an aftermarket can on there. How's that on your ears?

Hello,

Had a VFR750 for my commuting and when I bought the SD even keep it a couple of months after making sure I had a daily/tourer option in the garage. Life changed and no need to commute in city so I sold it.

Honda VFR are a well made bike, not the best in anything but not bad in anything and with great service Honda all a round parts are never a problem and shop time is always short. It would be my choice again for daily/commuter.

But having the Triumph around...would it make sense to change to a more sensible/boring bike? Only for comfort...

What do you want out of a commuter bike? Gas, ergos, reliability, bulit proofness, parts availability...what is most important? I assume this will be a purpose bike and not something for the chaquita bonitas.

Forget the damn 1200 48 most unsafe uncomfortable p o s i ever rode

I tried that one day. Got an ST1100. "The reasonable choice for a long commute." Haha. Sold it after 6 months (even though you're welcome at every party with it, it could carry 4 flats of beer easily) cause I kept falling asleep. Girlfriend liked it, though. She always brought a book when we went for a ride.
Instead, I bought a comfy seat, handlebar and standard pegs for my TLR and did the commute on that. Much better.

Your speedy looks really good, just make it more comfortable (if necessary) and use it!

Take the speedy and do this to it. Pretty easy conversion adding the fz1 fairing!

I had the pre Vtec VFR800 which was great for commuting, and very practical with under seat storage and topbox.

Also a BMW R1200GS, 04-10 to make it affordable. Nice and high , to see over the traffic!

Good luck buddy.

While VFRs make great mile eaters, there's no reason not to use either an SD or the Speed3. I do have to say (somewhat hypocritically), I'm not sure why one would own both an SD and S3 ... Their intended purpose being somewhat similar.

If I were going to buy a new bike to pile the miles, the newest VFR (800) would be on my short list. So would that new 2015 Versys 650 LT. If I was looking for a little off-highway time with my commuter, F800GS.

If I was really looking at a best-value, upright, easiest/cheapest-to-keep-lit commuter that can still be a hoot: Bandito. Personally, I'd go for a later FI version. But if you really ride it daily, carbs work great too: Ethanol is only problem if you let them sit. Older air cooled - even simpler.

They are downright cheap. Many have put 100K+ miles on them, without a hitch other than regular maintenance items. There is a solid aftermarket to address every interest from sport touring to drag racing. Those 1200/1250 lumps are damn near bomb proof. Lot's of used parts around too, and easy to get extra HP out of them should one - ahem - "require" it.

Greatest weakness is the suspension - it's a giant pillow. Can be made to really handle though - even though it's a bit on the piggish side of the scales.

Also on the short list of used upright bikes for commuting - along the same lines as the big Banditos - would be the Z1000s/Ninja1000 or even an FZ1. Not as inexpensive as Bandits, but not like trying to find a clean used 919 without 8-trillion miles on it, or a CB1000R which are not priced as well as used SDs ... Older carbed FZ1s you can find good pricing on; the later FI versions - be careful what year, in that it took Yamaha a couple of years to get the fueling sorted.

Best buy in motorcycling right now,,,,,for me anyway,,, would be a used Guzzi sport 1100,,,4-5 K ,,,most have just break in miles on em,,,shaft drive,,dry clutch,,separate oil for the motor and trans,,,simple,,,runs 125 ,all day long,,and runs and runs and runs,, and not a Japanese multi,,,

Suzuki Bandit