Woking to london - motorbike- commute ?
Discussion
Hi All,
With recent job change i will be commuting from Woking to london (3days a week) and looking for suggestions or options with bike.
Have been driving bikes since 15 years in india, but do not have licence here (have car licence)
commute wise: home to station 15 mins bicycle ride , train to waterloo - , 10 mins bicycle ride to office
cost : 27 GBP per day plus time 1 hrs
how feasible it is on bike please with cost as well ?
my man maths said it would be cheaper .. but have 0 experience of cost in biking involved.
office has secure bike parking available.
thanks
With recent job change i will be commuting from Woking to london (3days a week) and looking for suggestions or options with bike.
Have been driving bikes since 15 years in india, but do not have licence here (have car licence)
commute wise: home to station 15 mins bicycle ride , train to waterloo - , 10 mins bicycle ride to office
cost : 27 GBP per day plus time 1 hrs
how feasible it is on bike please with cost as well ?
my man maths said it would be cheaper .. but have 0 experience of cost in biking involved.
office has secure bike parking available.
thanks
Personally I would no do it on a motorbike..
But to give you an idea.
It would take approx 1 hour using the A3.
A 125 cc bike would be a bit slow and dangerous on the fast sections of the A3, areas like Wandsworth are very tight plus the M25 A3 junction is a night mare.
Insurance is about 300 for a 125. 100mpg. About 30 miles each way. Winter is tough commuting by motorbike. Another negative point is all the speed cameras and box junctions all setup to rob you of cash.
But to give you an idea.
It would take approx 1 hour using the A3.
A 125 cc bike would be a bit slow and dangerous on the fast sections of the A3, areas like Wandsworth are very tight plus the M25 A3 junction is a night mare.
Insurance is about 300 for a 125. 100mpg. About 30 miles each way. Winter is tough commuting by motorbike. Another negative point is all the speed cameras and box junctions all setup to rob you of cash.
rev-erend said:
Personally I would no do it on a motorbike..
But to give you an idea.
It would take approx 1 hour using the A3.
A 125 cc bike would be a bit slow and dangerous on the fast sections of the A3, areas like Wandsworth are very tight plus the M25 A3 junction is a night mare.
Insurance is about 300 for a 125. 100mpg. About 30 miles each way. Winter is tough commuting by motorbike. Another negative point is all the speed cameras and box junctions all setup to rob you of cash.
Thanks for this.. Just one bit I didn't get is the speed cameras and box junction.. Is it like the overspending tickets But to give you an idea.
It would take approx 1 hour using the A3.
A 125 cc bike would be a bit slow and dangerous on the fast sections of the A3, areas like Wandsworth are very tight plus the M25 A3 junction is a night mare.
Insurance is about 300 for a 125. 100mpg. About 30 miles each way. Winter is tough commuting by motorbike. Another negative point is all the speed cameras and box junctions all setup to rob you of cash.
rallye101 said:
I'd hate that....
I had to to do Woking to Wimbledon daily which was fine, but in a car and left at 6am to avoid the traffic.
I wouldn't trust weather and other drivers on a bike
Ohh so the middle laning is impossible or very risky.. Car I can do but parking and traffic will be horribleI had to to do Woking to Wimbledon daily which was fine, but in a car and left at 6am to avoid the traffic.
I wouldn't trust weather and other drivers on a bike
Caramaze said:
commute wise: home to station 15 mins bicycle ride , train to waterloo - , 10 mins bicycle ride to office
cost : 27 GBP per day plus time 1 hrs
Surely be cheaper with a flexi/season ticket, no? cost : 27 GBP per day plus time 1 hrs
It's £27 if you get a return fare now for peak time/anytime return tomorrow morning, book in advance on specific trains or get a season ticket type thing and you can probably save half that much.
I'd take the train, biking is not going to be very much fun, even in summer.
Condi said:
Surely be cheaper with a flexi/season ticket, no?
It's £27 if you get a return fare now for peak time/anytime return tomorrow morning, book in advance on specific trains or get a season ticket type thing and you can probably save half that much.
I'd take the train, biking is not going to be very much fun, even in summer.
No advance fares for this route.. Even if you book 2 months 3 months in advance or specific trains.. . It's £27 if you get a return fare now for peak time/anytime return tomorrow morning, book in advance on specific trains or get a season ticket type thing and you can probably save half that much.
I'd take the train, biking is not going to be very much fun, even in summer.
Looking at the flexi one but still costly considering 3 days a week.. Offcourse 5 days a week would be fine....
Ston said:
Woking is one stop from London Waterloo, you'd be mad not to use the trains ~£27 peak return ticket.
(Obviously depending on where in London you need to get to, its pretty big!)
Waterloo is fine.. As I got the bicycle.. (Obviously depending on where in London you need to get to, its pretty big!)
Thinking of trying it out on 125cc.. After cbt or get an mp3 temporary for trying out...
Motorcycle Licence: As previously mentioned, you will need a motorcycle licence in the UK, which involves:Compulsory Basic Training (CBT): Approximately £130 - £170.Theory Test: £23.Practical Test (Module 1 and Module 2): Around £75 - £85 for both modules.
Motorcycle Purchase: Depending on the model, new motorcycles can range from £2,000 to £5,000 for commuter models. Second-hand bikes can be significantly cheaper, ranging from £500 to £2,000.
Essential Gear: Helmet: £50 - £300, Jacket: £50 - £200, Gloves: £20 - £100, Boots: £50 - £200, Protective trousers: £50 - £200
Fuel: With an average fuel consumption of 80 mpg (miles per gallon) and a distance of 25 miles one-way:Weekly distance: 25 miles x 2 (round trip) x 3 days = 150 miles
Weekly fuel cost: 150 miles / 80 mpg ≈ 1.875 gallons
Cost per gallon: Approximately £6Weekly fuel cost: 1.875 gallons x £6 = £11.25
Insurance: Can range from £150 to £500 annually, depending on the bike and your experience.
Maintenance: Approximately £200 - £400 annually.
Tax and MOT: Road tax around £50 - £100 annually; MOT around £30 - £50 annually.
Comparison with Current Costs
Public Transport: £27 per day for three days a week totals approximately £81 per week.
Motorcycling:
Initial Year:
Licence and tests: Approximately £300
Motorcycle and gear (assuming mid-range): £3,000 (bike) + £500 (gear) = £3,500
Ongoing costs: £11.25 (fuel) x 48 weeks = £540, plus £300 (maintenance, insurance, tax, MOT) = £840
Total first-year cost: £3,500 (initial) + £840 (ongoing) = £4,340
Weekly cost over 48 weeks: £90.42
Subsequent Years:
Ongoing costs only: £840 annually
Weekly cost over 48 weeks: £17.50
Summary:
First Year: More expensive due to upfront costs, approximately £90.42 per week. (vs £81 per week)
Subsequent Years: Cheaper than public transport, approximately £17.50 per week. (vs £81 per week)
Motorcycle Purchase: Depending on the model, new motorcycles can range from £2,000 to £5,000 for commuter models. Second-hand bikes can be significantly cheaper, ranging from £500 to £2,000.
Essential Gear: Helmet: £50 - £300, Jacket: £50 - £200, Gloves: £20 - £100, Boots: £50 - £200, Protective trousers: £50 - £200
Fuel: With an average fuel consumption of 80 mpg (miles per gallon) and a distance of 25 miles one-way:Weekly distance: 25 miles x 2 (round trip) x 3 days = 150 miles
Weekly fuel cost: 150 miles / 80 mpg ≈ 1.875 gallons
Cost per gallon: Approximately £6Weekly fuel cost: 1.875 gallons x £6 = £11.25
Insurance: Can range from £150 to £500 annually, depending on the bike and your experience.
Maintenance: Approximately £200 - £400 annually.
Tax and MOT: Road tax around £50 - £100 annually; MOT around £30 - £50 annually.
Comparison with Current Costs
Public Transport: £27 per day for three days a week totals approximately £81 per week.
Motorcycling:
Initial Year:
Licence and tests: Approximately £300
Motorcycle and gear (assuming mid-range): £3,000 (bike) + £500 (gear) = £3,500
Ongoing costs: £11.25 (fuel) x 48 weeks = £540, plus £300 (maintenance, insurance, tax, MOT) = £840
Total first-year cost: £3,500 (initial) + £840 (ongoing) = £4,340
Weekly cost over 48 weeks: £90.42
Subsequent Years:
Ongoing costs only: £840 annually
Weekly cost over 48 weeks: £17.50
Summary:
First Year: More expensive due to upfront costs, approximately £90.42 per week. (vs £81 per week)
Subsequent Years: Cheaper than public transport, approximately £17.50 per week. (vs £81 per week)
Caramaze said:
Ohh so the middle laning is impossible or very risky.. Car I can do but parking and traffic will be horrible
You've ridden in India since 15! I'd do the sensible thing and get a car, you've currently not got a UK bike licence anyway have you?Edited by rallye101 on Sunday 7th July 21:21
Depends where you're going to be working in London. I think Woking goes into Waterloo, so if you can walk to work from there, great, if you have to get the tube it changes things. I used to commute Guildford-London (St Pauls) daily on a bike all year round at it was fine. Ok, it rains quite a lot and sometimes it's cold, but nothing you can't sort with decent gear. I much preferred it to the train which was unreliable, cramped, expensive and slower.
For me, I'd get a bike licence and use the train as required. Since you don't have a bike licence yet, you'll have plenty of time to try the train and see if you like it :-)
For me, I'd get a bike licence and use the train as required. Since you don't have a bike licence yet, you'll have plenty of time to try the train and see if you like it :-)
For a 3 day week, a season ticket is hard to justify but I think SWR do a flexi season ticket which may be more suitable for your use case.
I used to do the Woking-Waterloo commute pre-covid. Woking is the last stop before London you you won't get a seat but it is quick and convenient. Some may say it's convenient because they made all other options more inconvenient.
I used to do the Woking-Waterloo commute pre-covid. Woking is the last stop before London you you won't get a seat but it is quick and convenient. Some may say it's convenient because they made all other options more inconvenient.
I've been doing Weybridge - Strand for the last 20 years by bike so a similar route and quite frankly if I had to do it by train I'd take early retirement.
I can't think of a more sole destroying way to waste such a large chunk of my life. Standing there craining my neck looking at the departure board at Waterloo for the scrum down with thousands of other people also hoping for a seat when the platform comes up.
Whereas even after all these years come Monday morning I look forward to doing battle with all the other traffic. Ducking, diving and weaving through traffic to maintain progress. It's good fun.
Sod the cost its bike every time for me. Public transport is for the dull, lifeless robots of humanity.
I can't think of a more sole destroying way to waste such a large chunk of my life. Standing there craining my neck looking at the departure board at Waterloo for the scrum down with thousands of other people also hoping for a seat when the platform comes up.
Whereas even after all these years come Monday morning I look forward to doing battle with all the other traffic. Ducking, diving and weaving through traffic to maintain progress. It's good fun.
Sod the cost its bike every time for me. Public transport is for the dull, lifeless robots of humanity.
hey there
I've often driven to Woking for visits and I'm moving there this summer.
I've usually travelled the route in non-rush hour traffic, in a car and at the weekends. A few times mid week.
In my opinion:
125cc isn't enough - there is too much fast road to cover on the A3 especially where you'll often find cars doing over 70 once they're past the average speed cameras.
Having commuted in London on bikes ranging from 90 to 900cc I found the best possible bike for this kind of riding (i.e. town and motorway) is 500cc. The bigger ones use too much petrol in town, the smaller ones aren't fast enough for the fast roads. At a push you may be ok with a 650cc but I'd go for something like a Kawasaki ER6 or Suzuki SV650 to keep fuel costs down. These are cheaper to service too as they have two cylinders rather than 4.
If you've riden in India then you're probably used to traffic but I'm not sure how much of a shock winter riding will be. My hands were never warm enough and that was in London at 20-30mph. I don't know what that will feel like at 70mph with wind chill. You could of course spend more money on heated clothing/gloves etc. I never did but I wouldn't do a long trip without them nowadays.
I come from a significantly warmer country so I grew up with a mentality that a helmet is all you need. I did go full gear in London but very frequently skipped the trousers in hot weather. In cold weather and with a motorway commute you will need a full set of everything and potentially even two sets to let one set dry out if you get caught in the rain. The water may not filter through to sublayers but it will be within the outer layers at times
Maybe the way to do this is to work towards the CBT and see if you get the opportunity for some cold weather riding before committing to the full expenses of bike and clothing.
If you do eventually get a bike, I'd invest in an automatic chain oiler too with the distances you'll be doing and the weather. Saves money in the long run.
I'll reflect an earlier comment about the train being soul destroying - this is why I used a bike in London for a few years rather than tube and bus. I also enjoy biking even if I have stopped now since having children.
Finally - let's not forget that if you do get a bike and have increased costs in the short term, you do at least have a bike. And riding a bike in the countryside (not London) when you're not going to work can be very good fun indeed!
Hope it all goes well!
I've often driven to Woking for visits and I'm moving there this summer.
I've usually travelled the route in non-rush hour traffic, in a car and at the weekends. A few times mid week.
In my opinion:
125cc isn't enough - there is too much fast road to cover on the A3 especially where you'll often find cars doing over 70 once they're past the average speed cameras.
Having commuted in London on bikes ranging from 90 to 900cc I found the best possible bike for this kind of riding (i.e. town and motorway) is 500cc. The bigger ones use too much petrol in town, the smaller ones aren't fast enough for the fast roads. At a push you may be ok with a 650cc but I'd go for something like a Kawasaki ER6 or Suzuki SV650 to keep fuel costs down. These are cheaper to service too as they have two cylinders rather than 4.
If you've riden in India then you're probably used to traffic but I'm not sure how much of a shock winter riding will be. My hands were never warm enough and that was in London at 20-30mph. I don't know what that will feel like at 70mph with wind chill. You could of course spend more money on heated clothing/gloves etc. I never did but I wouldn't do a long trip without them nowadays.
I come from a significantly warmer country so I grew up with a mentality that a helmet is all you need. I did go full gear in London but very frequently skipped the trousers in hot weather. In cold weather and with a motorway commute you will need a full set of everything and potentially even two sets to let one set dry out if you get caught in the rain. The water may not filter through to sublayers but it will be within the outer layers at times
Maybe the way to do this is to work towards the CBT and see if you get the opportunity for some cold weather riding before committing to the full expenses of bike and clothing.
If you do eventually get a bike, I'd invest in an automatic chain oiler too with the distances you'll be doing and the weather. Saves money in the long run.
I'll reflect an earlier comment about the train being soul destroying - this is why I used a bike in London for a few years rather than tube and bus. I also enjoy biking even if I have stopped now since having children.
Finally - let's not forget that if you do get a bike and have increased costs in the short term, you do at least have a bike. And riding a bike in the countryside (not London) when you're not going to work can be very good fun indeed!
Hope it all goes well!
Edited by Artsy on Monday 8th July 17:45
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