Big bike and small bike?

[Motorcycle Madness]

Hey all. I went for a ride in the sun yesterday and ended up chatting to a Zero SR/F rider when I stopped for drink. I was going to upgrade from my Bandit to a GSX-R750 before the summer but now considering spending less on a higher mileage one and using an electric scooter for short commutes etc. It's what this fella does and he says it's been a great money saver etc. Anyone else done this? 

[Fiddlesticks]

Of course, there's always the problem of both bikes and whatever car you also own needing MOTs and servicing all at the same time.

Ask me how I know. 

[Motorcycle Madness]

.. how do you know then Mr Sticks?! I was hoping electric scooters might need little maintenance too?

[Fiddlesticks]

14 minutes ago, Motorcycle Madness said:

.. how do you know then Mr Sticks?! I was hoping electric scooters might need little maintenance too?

It's a good  point.  My commute is probably too far for an electric motorcycle, but if it was local I might be tempted.  With the Zero I think you'll also be free from road tax until 2025 (and then cheap rate).

I've three MOTs and two services over the next couple of weeks, but I'm still not regretting the "having two bikes" thing.. yet...

 

[Mississippi Bullfrog]

If I had a short commute I'd seriously consider getting an electric scooter as well as my main bike. I keep two bikes, one for work and the other for fun, though they both have business insurance so I can swap between them anytime I want to.

 

The advantage of having two bikes is that one can be kept for days when the weather is decent and the other used as an all weather hack. In my case an electric wouldn't suit my needs for either but if you have a regular short commute then it's a serious consideration. 

[Nute]

That’s exactly what I did, using man maths to convince myself that 2 bikes were better than just one. 

[onesea]

I have a 125cc as commuter/local bike and 1200 to go further.

 

Only been using this combo for a couple of months but seems to be working. 

 

[Steve_M]

For a brief period I owned a VFR800fi and a Suzuki GN125. The 125 being intended for commuting. Part of my commute included an uphill section of the A47 dual carriageway south of Norwich - sufficient to reduce the little bike’s top speed down to 45mph. This proved scary on a winter’s night with lorries and other traffic bearing down on me at speed in the dark. It had to go…

 

Had the commute been solely urban then it would have been ideal, returning around 120mpg!
 

Something to bear in mind?

[Ian Frog]

A hill .......................................................... In Norfolk ??? lol.

Cheers

Ian

[Guest]

55 minutes ago, Ian Frog said:

A hill .......................................................... In Norfolk ??? lol.

Cheers

Ian

On ramp.

[bonio]

If you decide to go for the electric thingy, don't stint on range. Years ago I had an electric moped for commuting and saw the maximum range slowly shrink as the bike got older. A few years later I test rode a Zero, but I found the usable range very limiting. If I were get an electric machine now, I'd be looking to get a quoted range that's at least 3 times what I need.

[bonio]

Just now, bonio said:

If you decide to go for the electric thingy, don't stint on range. Years ago I had an electric moped for commuting and saw the maximum range slowly shrink as the bike got older. By the end, I never knew whether or not I'd be pushing it home the last hundred yards. A few years later I test rode a Zero, but I found the usable range very limiting. If I were get an electric machine now, I'd be looking to get a quoted range that's at least 3 times what I need.

 

[Steve_M]

5 hours ago, goat said:

On ramp.

Cumbria it isn’t but I have been (reliably ?) informed that Norwich is one of the hilliest cities in the country. 

 

Gas hill, Ketts Hill, Grapes Hill, Gurney Road… 

[Motorcycle Madness]

15 hours ago, bonio said:

 

Thanks for all the comments peeps. I'm still not sure what to do. It'll be second hand if I do get one because of the bonkers pricing, so the battery life / range decreasing as it gets older info is good to know. Anyway, looks like a sunny weekend coming up so I'll be out on my ICE! 

[S-Westerly]

22 hours ago, Steve_M said:

Cumbria it isn’t but I have been (reliably ?) informed that Norwich is one of the hilliest cities in the country. 

 

Gas hill, Ketts Hill, Grapes Hill, Gurney Road… 

I've been to Norwich once and trust me it's not hilly unless you count molehills.  Try Sheffield, Bristol, Newcastle-upon-Tyne and Bath if you want hilly cities.