I don't usually commute in on the SD. I prefer to cycle, as it's not much slower, keeps me fit for the enduros, and saves beer money. However the recent rain had washed the shit off the road, and the weather being unseasonably warm - made me take the SD to work.

Within the space of a mile or two I realised that there was a pornographic amount of grip out there. And some fooker had put helium in my front tyre. It kept on lifting up in the air on the throttle. Crossing a bridge over the Thames a BMW X5 decided he wasn't going to let me pass on the outside lane, and started to drift over. Well, I wasn't having any of that. The fooking nerve! Nailed it over the crest of the bridge and braked hard into the tight left hander coming up, and dropped down a gear. As I slipped the clutch the back end broke traction for a second or two and gripped on the apex. Not entirely planned, but Beemer pwned. Akras, barking and mocking him. A few miles on, out of right hander two school boys obviously looking the SD as they were wondering wtf was making that noise. Clutch dipped in 2nd and saluting on the rear wheel. This was hysterical. I pointed and wagged finger at the fuel tank, and said "You have got to stop this. We can't carry on like this". She calmed down a bit, but still growled restlessy.

She was still snapping her heels and cutting through the traffic, before we finally pulled into work. I parked up and locked her up (next to the nearest police car naturally). I patted the fuel tank after locking her up and said "you've been a very naughty girl", with a dirty smile on my face. Compared to the rest of the sheep that had to endure tube, train, bus and car journeys into work, I'd just arrived while having sex on the move.

Feel to contribute your own experiences, good or bad.

I've been running helium in both my front and rear tyre. Seems the higher the tyre pressure the lighter the bike becomes. The SD turns into corners like never before with very little effort. Handling hass improved ten fold since I started filling my tyres with helium. I could only imagine differences it would make on a motocrosser.

I have never liked the SD for the commute its to wide and the turning circle aint tight enough . I use an old XS650 that I street tracker converted... chopped 2 inch off a set of renthals removed steering stops stand lugs ...everything the bike dont actually need including paint