Commute to work on your busa

[MN72Busa]

Well, I thought this would be a good place to start a thread about commuting to work. I realize some Busa riders only take flight on the weekends, but lets get a little conversation going about those who commute daily, and some tips and advice.

Depending on what part of the Country you live in, different tips, or techniques will be obviously apparent, while others should cover just about everyone.

Might help if you list some basic information like location, how many miles you commute, how often you commute, and most importantly any tips, advice, special equipment or mods, and any helpful input you may have.

 

[MN72Busa]

Ok, I will try to start a little something, and just keep updating as time goes on.

Motorcycle: 2005 Modified Hayabusa LE
Location: Minneapolis, Minnesota
Average commute to work/ miles: 20 miles each direction
Average time to work: 20 to 35 minutes depending on traffic or weather

Has work made special parking arrangments for motorcycles? Not really, just a cement slab, no overhead awning or shelter.

Average number of fellow co-workers that ride? Of the several hundred employee's who commute to work at this location, on average about 4 or 5 of us ride to work.

In Minnesota a person can commute via motorcycle from aprox Late March until Early December - depending on snowfall, sub zero temps, and the occasional tornado.

I will update more as time goes on

 

[MN72Busa]

Some of the Gear I bring with...

-Oxford Tank Bag
-Bottle of Tire Slime
-Hand air pump
-Stock tool kit
-Extra tools like 8,10,12 mm drivers, wrenches, small vise-grip
-Extra batteries for scorpio alarm
-Extra Key
-Cell phone
-LED Emergency flasher
-LED hand crank flash light
-Tylenol, Dark Chocolate, Aloe, Salt, Ephedrine
-A few dollars in change
-Zooke anti-fog wax
-2 or 3 clean small cotton towels



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[Don Hardcastle]

Motorcycle: 05LE - No big mods
Location: NW Arkansas
Average commute to work: 76 miles each way
Average time to work: 1 hour (6 days a week, most of the time)

I park on the sidewalk right in front of my office. The side walk is about 10ft wide with an awning. My office has ~120sqft of windows in the front, so I can put my eyeballs on Guinevere anytime all day long.

There are 3 people in my office, 1 other rides.

We can ride here most of the year. Some days in January and Februrary are too cold and mid March to Mid April it rains a lot. Personally, I don't ride if it is under 50 degrees (due to the length of the commute).

To add to Valium's list of things to talk about.

Biggest Problem:
I get a flat spot on the center of the tires. Doesn't matter how much twisty riding I do on the weekends, ~1000 miles a week and I get a flat spot. It makes the bike feel like it is "shifting" as your transition from the center of the tire out to the edges. I "rock" the bike in the lane at speed some. I don't know if it is helping with the flat spot, but it makes me feel better.

Don

 

[Don Hardcastle]

And it seems, that like Valium, I check the board as soon as I get up while the coffee is brewing.


Don

 

[MN72Busa]

And it seems, that like Valium, I check the board as soon as I get up while the coffee is brewing.


Don

+1 ...lol, have to keep up to date with all my coffee drinking Busa pals

 

[Bruiserman]

I ride to work every day for the most part. Only 6.5 miles though

. It's Florida and I ride all year except the one or two mornings that it gets below freezing.
I have a spot I get to park in every day and if it rains I can go out and pull my bike under the walkway. They are pretty nice to me, they made an anouncement to make sure people don't take my spot.

 

[Warputer]

My commute is 54 miles , one way , if I take all back roads. Nothing but woods and farm land , no traffic , very few houses . But , there's alot of deer , posseum , rabbits etc. etc. that I have to dodge almost daily on my morning ( daybreak 6a.m.) ride .
My other option is a 71 mile ride , one way . It's all interstate and major highways . Don't know which you guys would choose , but I'd deal with the wildlife over the heavily conjested cager roads anyday !

 

[thebbbusa]

My commute is about 25-40 min. depending on traffic. No 'commuter specific' mods to my bike. I have a backback that can carry stuff a tank back if I don't wanna put it on my back.

Parking here is great. I am in a secured parking deck and I can park on the 3rd or 4th floor just outside my office, where I can keep an eye on it.

 

[Gunnybusa]

Stock 06 LE
SoCal
51 miles one way 25 miles on a two way road, 5 miles in city, 10 miles freeway 10 miles on base.
Takes about 45 mins.
We have motorcycle parking.
I carry a cell phone and a plug kit.
I ride EVERYDAY! No reason not to.
I wear full leathers A star SMX boots and the infamous Milspec vest.
It’s in the 60's during the winter and 110's in the summer.

 

[WWJD]

DON'T PARK IN THE STRIPED ZONE NEXT TO HANDICAPPED SPACES! It's technically part of the handicapped space and you can get ticketed.

Leave earlier, don't speed, take different paths daily, enjoy the ride

 

[HT_USMC]

Bike: 05 Blue/Silver Hayabusa - appearance mods only - 18k miles
Commute: 30 miles each way
ApproxTime: 25 minutes (depending on traffic and conditions)

Parking conditions: I park on the stripes between two handicap spots because it's right outside my window (cleared with building manager). They do offer covered parking for $40 per month and I'm the waiting list.
Fellow riders: Not a single person, unfortunately.

I also get the dreaded flat center and I too rock the bike at speed to help round the tire out. I'm convinced it works as I've got over 3k on the rear and the tread is fairly even still with no flat spot.

On the highway, in rush hour traffic, I use my signals, check my blind spots and make eye contact when ever possible. I also wave politely to those cagers who let me in when I'm changing lanes and etc. I think it goes a long way to improving our image and has the added perk of fighting any road-rage that may creep into play on anyone's part. I'm also very easy on the throttle and the brakes... instead electing to leave plenty of space to maintain a constant roll even in stop and go traffic.

 

[Jet Li]

Just wondering, what is tire slime and what is the dark chocolate for?

 

[BiG-T]

Motorcycle: 2006 Hayabusa LE
Location: Southern MD

Average commute to work/ miles: 20 miles each direction.

Average time to work: 20 to 30 minutes depending on if I get caught behind a school bus

Has work made special parking arrangments for motorcycles?  

 I'm lucky to find a shaded spot.  I cannot see her during the course of the day (because I have no windows and I'm below ground) but I have plenty of people coming to me when I ride in saying one of various things:
[*] Nice bike!
[*] So YOU ride the white one!
[*] I see you rode in today.
[*] I love your bike!
[*] Has fast have you been on that thing!?
[*] I know you're ready to get off work and go ride!

Luckily, I can go up 1 flight of stairs and outside to see her in less than 60 seconds.  I'm on a military installation so security is no problem.

Average number of fellow co-workers that ride?  I've seen about 10 (various) bikes in the parking lot at one time.  There's a guy that rides a chromed out slammed and stretched 03 Silver/Gray Busa (doesn't look as good as AiRazor of course).  I plan to ride more (currently only on Fridays because of the dress code) now that I have received my Icon tank bag and I can bring a quick change of clothes.

 

[CorrodedAlien]

Self Employed... Smaug is an 03 Pumpkin with BMC Street filter, Laminar Lip, D&D Bolt-on, and Mag-Knight Bra

My commute runs between 0 and 100 miles, one way. I prefer the back roads, like Warputer, but cannot avoid highways to my primary customers now that the PCH is closed @ Devils Slide.

I used to commute ~100 miles round trip when I worked in the South Bay. We have 2 highway choices on the SF Peninsula. Hwy 280 winds down the center of the stick and I would take it home in the afternoon or jump out to the coast and Hwy 101 which is along the Bay and very urbanized. This was my primary AM option since I started my shift @ 6 AM. I could shoot down 101 between 90 & 110 and make it to the office (45 miles that way) in 35 minutes.

Gear... Weather dependant, around here I normally carry 2 pairs of gloves. Warm weather and moderatly cold gloves. On the Busa I keep them in the Hump. I also keep my cable lock, stock tools, and a rag under the seat.

Today, after I get done with a customer on the Coast I am going to look at the Coretech Tailbags @ Zoom Cycles in the South Bay.

 

[MrGxr]

Stock 04
New Mexico
5 miles one way direct route. Takes approx 10 min.
30 miles one way indirect way. Takes approx 25 min. (this is the route on those beautiful mornings that just begs for a ride.)
We have motorcycle parking both in the covered garage and three parking pads specifically for motorcycles. There are approx 200+ riders here at work through all the shifts. Place runs 24X7.
I ride as long as there is no ice on the roads. Actually rode home in snow this year, now that is something strange. Kept having to wipe shield off. Also, got to ride home in 60 mph winds just the other day. Was almost blown off the bike at a stoplight. Oh what fun that was.
I usually wear jeans, jacket, helmet and gloves. Have a tank bag or saddle bags if necessary.
Keep a cable lock and brake lock under the hump along with OEM tool kit and a micro fiber rag for those days she needs a little dusting before heading home.



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[moeluv]

06 red and black

i ride to work when i don't have to carry my computer home or back to work.
i park "nero" on the side walk outside the window of my class room. No one else rides to work another teacher rides though.

strange thing though 1/2 mile to work 45 miles home.

 

[HillsRider]

I ride to work everyday possible. Weather, day care for the daughter, and anything else tends to interupt sometimes. I live in Lead & work in Whitewood, which is 20 miles. I usually take the long way home though which makes it 60 miles round trip!

Here is my usual route..

 

[Twister NOS]

Motorcycle: 2002 Hayabusa LE
Location: Miami, Florida
Average commute to work/ miles: 40 miles each direction
Average time to work: About an hour

I started riding my bike when I had car trouble. I "try" to ride it now once a week to work. We have about 5-6 others that ride in daily. This is out of a 2,000+ employee base. The main problem is showing up to work in a pressed shirt and tie. So what I started doing is leaving my dress shoes at work and changing into sneakers before I leave.
I also have an oversized pair of pants that I throw on over my dress pants. In the summer, which is all the time here. Park in a covered garage and no one messes with the bikes. I usually, just for giggles, throw a disc lock on. The bike is usually parked in a very hard to back a truck up into area, so no worries.
Saddle bags will be the next big purchase.

 

[dagwood]

Motorcycle: 2005 Hayabusa (bought in mid December, now has 7500 miles)
Location: Phoenix, Arizona
Average commute to work/ miles: 30 miles each direction
Average time to work: 30-45 minutes

I ride to work everyday...rain or shine.  With about 360 days of sunshine a year, it makes sense.  Only one other guy in my building rides everyday (an SV 650).  We both park on the sidewalk out front.  I don't own a cage, and am frankly not sure whether I can even drive a four wheeler anymore.  The summers are brutal here with average temps in the 110s with the occasional 120 degree days.  That translates to hellish conditions on the ground in traffic.  Thankfully, my route to and from work avoids gridlock.  My tires are ridiculously squared off from commuting on the slab.  I am thankful for my JR Manta tankbag that holds all of the stuff that I hate having in my pockets.  The hump holds my tire repair kit, rain gear, and insurance paperwork.

The only tips to share are:  

I like to get to the far left lane (the HOV lane here) as soon as possible so that I only have cars on one side of me and I can swerve into the break down lane in an emergency.

Never, ever underestimate the idiocy of the person in the car next to you.  If you think that you can predict what they are going to do...you are wrong.

In really hot weather it is good to wet down your t-shirt before putting on a mesh jacket.  It acts like a/c when your moving.



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