In praise of old tiddlers

I took the Street Triple to work today because, well, because the sun
was shining and I fancied a blat.

I'd wondered why people use big bikes to fight through the London
traffic, and now I wonder more. Everywhere in second or third gear, less
filtering (that's mainly the Trip's poor steering lock, actually),
worring every time some L-plated scooter hove in sight because the Trip
is still pristine and I haven't forgotten being torpedoed by the prat on
a Vespa the other week.....

And it did 35mpg on the commute.

Tomorrow, it's back onto the GN250. Small, light, torquey, 70mpg, don't
GAF if it gets dinged, filters easily, and takes the same time to do the
journey.

Sad thing is that it's the bike I use most frequently now. Never thought
I'd miss my 80 mile a day commute to Tunbridge Wells, but I do feel the
need to give a half-decent bike the berries.

 

http://www.redzporvida.com/aboutus.html

 

I wouldn't have used stupidly big BMWs to get my arse to work in
Central London if I didn't have the long m/way slog on the way up.

In fact I would've kept a Supermoto if I still lived in Norf Lunnon -
IMHO they're the ideal bike for London if you can live with the
frequent fill ups.

 

The Older Gentleman posted:

Reality check. Not everyone can afford a fleet of bikes. One bike has
to do it all for some of us.

 

You mean they live somewhere less bikey?

 

Big Trail bikes you know it makes sense!

Boxerboy

 

up to a point, Lord Copper.

The R-GS is fine for sub-urban districts. Once into city centres the width
of the bars & cylinders can restrict progress. Especially Cardiff, whcih
seems to have very narrow lanes in places.

Best bike I've owned for urban commutes was the Honda Dominator. Narrow
enough for most gaps. 21" front wheel was great for kerbs, high seat for a
good view, decent acceleration from a standstill and gobs of torque for
overtakes.

I suppose today it would be a Pegaso as the BMW & Yamaha equivalents are
too fragile in comparison to the Italian benchmark of reliability...

 

I have no trouble whatsoever filtering on my route through London
traffic on a big bike. Never having to go above second or third gear
just makes it an even less stressful experience. I've yet to be
torpedoed by a scooter either.

Wait til the bus lane trial ends though. July, I think.

 

Got your Show Plate ready?

 

Horses for courses.
For those who can support a stable of bikes a 250 is about the right size
for city commutes and it saves the shiny! supertoy from the inevitable
wear, tear and damage that city riding inevitably causes.
Keep the nice bike for weekend enjoyment, it makes perfect sense unless
the daily commute includes long motorway sections and even then a
tatty 400 or 500 commuter keeps the best bike pristine for weekends.

 

There is that. But the GN cost a few hundred quid, and in the petrol
savings alone (never mind depreciation, wear & tear, etc on the bigger
bikes) has already paid for itself.

Cheap SOB hacks *save* money.

 

Noooooooooo! Really? That will make quite a difference to me. Except at
Piccadilly circus, which is now messed up beyond belief. There's no way
through, even for cyclists.

 

yes, but you look like a twat on a GN250.

hang on, as you were.

 

have you been taking lessons from Hog?

 

I don't know why TOG thinks a Street Cripple is a "Big Bike" anyway -
they look tiny to me.

Though I haven't biked into town in years now, my favourite machine
for doing so was definitely the 7R[1], because it was already
horrible, and even after it had been

a) nicked and thrown in a ditch
b) slid down the road due to a pedestrian running out in front of me

it didn't really look any different to when I got it.

[1] with an honourable mention for the R65LS, if only because pretty
much every dry day I could scrape both footpegs on the entrance and
exit of the Old Street roundabout, which made me grin.

 

I was down at Piccadilly last week for the first time in years - it's
bizarre how it still looks pretty much like it did in the '80s.

Fortnum's has gone to the dogs, mind.

 

you make this comment...

....yet, you don't actually have a "best bike" to keep pristine.

 

Er, I've got a 250 and the giver thou makes a far more practical
commuter.

 

Or the space.

Quite.

 

I don't have the space for the GN either ;-) It lives outside, under a
cover.

Seriously, though, I've run more than one bike since about 1981, when
I was despatchng and realised you had to have a spare bike to cover
those times when the Number One bike was off the road for whatever
reason. I had a Suzuki GS400 and a Honda 125 and then a Honda CB750
and a CD200 Benly. I realised then that it cost effectively bugger all
to run a second bike. Another set of road tax and MoT, and that's
really it. After all, you can't ride both at the same time so it's not
as if the brake, tyre, chain and sprocket bills double.

Back then, I was *utterly* skint, too.

Darsy's right, mind - the Trip isn't a 'big' bike. Its real downside
is the restricted steering lock. But even so, just using first and
second gear in totally clogged traffic is a pain.

Never mind, tomorrow I've got to take the Ducati (getting it MoT'd on
the way into work). That'll be fun. Ish.