MT07, what next?
Discussion
Looking for some opinions.
Been riding for 3 years. Passed my test and bought an MT-07. Nice and cheap, sounded great and more importantly was perfect for my 22 mile round trip commute through London. 20 - 40MPH and lots of traffic lights and filtering meant the low down torque of the MT was well suited to the roads I ride on. I currently do this journey 3 days a week and £15 of fuel gets me about 6 days of riding. I don’t ride the bike for anything else except commuting. Maybe take it out when I don’t have access to the car or don’t want to get a train once every few months.
I’m moving out to Sussex but staying in the same job (for now). Will still want to commute by bike but I don’t feel my MT-07 is the best bike for the new commute which is either 28 miles each way down A roads through Croydon/Streatham into town OR 40 miles round the M25 and up the A3 into town. I won’t be doing warp speed on any bike as I’m not the fastest rider but I do like to push on where I feel comfortable.
I’ve done a few long journeys on the MT and I haven’t felt very comfortable or safe, especially at over 50 - wind and buffeting isn’t very comfortable and in the colder months there’s nothing heated on the bike so it can get quite chilly which is bad enough on my current commute. I’ve added a small screen which doesn’t seem to make any difference whatsoever. I did look into heated gloves but there’s no feeling in them whatsoever and I don’t want to add heated grips to my bike if I’m about to sell it.
I’ve been looking at alternatives but not really sure where to go. I’ve thought about the Tracer 700 which is my bike with fairing but I’m not a fan. I had a test ride booked on the 900 but cancelled it as wasn’t sure. It might be a stupid idea but I like the idea of an nearly new R1250GS. Heated grips, heated seat, looks like it will be a nice place to be if windy and rainy but unsure if it’s too big for the town part of my journey. I wouldn’t be using panniers as at the moment I just take a backpack. However with the extra miles might want a top box instead.
Budget is about £10k + the £5,000 PX my MT is currently worth. So £15,000 in total.
Ideally I wouldn’t be changing bikes and keeping the MT but does anyone have any suggestions of what I can do to make this new commute more comfortable. Be it something I can add to the MT or a different bike to put on my list.
Security isn’t a concern at work. At home I will have a shed and a fat anchor plus all the various security measures I currently have on the MT which will move when I do.
TLDR - Have MT07. Not good for longer commute into LDN. What do I buy instead.
Been riding for 3 years. Passed my test and bought an MT-07. Nice and cheap, sounded great and more importantly was perfect for my 22 mile round trip commute through London. 20 - 40MPH and lots of traffic lights and filtering meant the low down torque of the MT was well suited to the roads I ride on. I currently do this journey 3 days a week and £15 of fuel gets me about 6 days of riding. I don’t ride the bike for anything else except commuting. Maybe take it out when I don’t have access to the car or don’t want to get a train once every few months.
I’m moving out to Sussex but staying in the same job (for now). Will still want to commute by bike but I don’t feel my MT-07 is the best bike for the new commute which is either 28 miles each way down A roads through Croydon/Streatham into town OR 40 miles round the M25 and up the A3 into town. I won’t be doing warp speed on any bike as I’m not the fastest rider but I do like to push on where I feel comfortable.
I’ve done a few long journeys on the MT and I haven’t felt very comfortable or safe, especially at over 50 - wind and buffeting isn’t very comfortable and in the colder months there’s nothing heated on the bike so it can get quite chilly which is bad enough on my current commute. I’ve added a small screen which doesn’t seem to make any difference whatsoever. I did look into heated gloves but there’s no feeling in them whatsoever and I don’t want to add heated grips to my bike if I’m about to sell it.
I’ve been looking at alternatives but not really sure where to go. I’ve thought about the Tracer 700 which is my bike with fairing but I’m not a fan. I had a test ride booked on the 900 but cancelled it as wasn’t sure. It might be a stupid idea but I like the idea of an nearly new R1250GS. Heated grips, heated seat, looks like it will be a nice place to be if windy and rainy but unsure if it’s too big for the town part of my journey. I wouldn’t be using panniers as at the moment I just take a backpack. However with the extra miles might want a top box instead.
Budget is about £10k + the £5,000 PX my MT is currently worth. So £15,000 in total.
Ideally I wouldn’t be changing bikes and keeping the MT but does anyone have any suggestions of what I can do to make this new commute more comfortable. Be it something I can add to the MT or a different bike to put on my list.
Security isn’t a concern at work. At home I will have a shed and a fat anchor plus all the various security measures I currently have on the MT which will move when I do.
TLDR - Have MT07. Not good for longer commute into LDN. What do I buy instead.
If your filtering a lot don't even think about a GS or the like, far too fat.
Why not keep the MT for fun and get a 300cc+ scooter? Perfect for commuting, it'll slither through traffic, hold motorway speeds, carry all your work gear, do ridiculous mpg, cost peanuts and if it gets damaged so what?
Why not keep the MT for fun and get a 300cc+ scooter? Perfect for commuting, it'll slither through traffic, hold motorway speeds, carry all your work gear, do ridiculous mpg, cost peanuts and if it gets damaged so what?
_Neal_ said:
A500leroy said:
I know its old but a Fazer would be perfect.
I'm guessing any choice would need to be ULEZ-compliant though given the London part, so I suspect anything older than 2006 isn't going to cut it. Honda VFR800 (regular or Crossrunner) with a top box would be good I reckon.
Hmmm.
Commuting into London. Either motorway, where you will have to filter. Or via Croydon and Streatham.
The answer is get whatever bike you want for recreational rides or touring and catch the train into London.
A near new GS or any new bike parked in London regularly will get stolen and if it doesn't get stolen someone will crash into you in around Croydon/Streatham which has a high proportion of drug affected drivers who don't give a f
k, or you will have a filtering accident on the motorway.
How many times have I been sitting in my office in London when a colleague has been walking around, panicked and bothered, as their bike has just been stolen? More than once. One of them was a GS. That was parked in a secure area, like the one you say you have.
Commuting into London. Either motorway, where you will have to filter. Or via Croydon and Streatham.
The answer is get whatever bike you want for recreational rides or touring and catch the train into London.
A near new GS or any new bike parked in London regularly will get stolen and if it doesn't get stolen someone will crash into you in around Croydon/Streatham which has a high proportion of drug affected drivers who don't give a f
k, or you will have a filtering accident on the motorway. How many times have I been sitting in my office in London when a colleague has been walking around, panicked and bothered, as their bike has just been stolen? More than once. One of them was a GS. That was parked in a secure area, like the one you say you have.
Edited by creampuff on Tuesday 30th August 22:26
As a Streatham resident well used to the A23, I'd say your most time efficient option is to keep the MT07 and ride it to your local station. 28 miles of stop start will be exhausting (I commuted to Slough for five years so have the experience of this). Or at least ride to somewhere like Sutton where it's only 1 stop to Victoria (or whatever the equivalent is for Waterloo).
Has another PHer previously opined the GS isn't the best tool for filtering through London due to the mirror height coinciding with mirror height of vehicles you're seeking to filter between or past?
Triumph Tiger 660?:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uN_Qq9PeUdo
Triumph Tiger 660?:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uN_Qq9PeUdo
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