R65 - How many commuters use it on daily basis?

[Adamastor]

Hi there!

Since I bought it, and after fixing some issues my R65 had, I have been using it for commuting and leisure riding.
There's no snow over here however the weather is getting cold and the rain is frequent, but I enjoy riding anyway (with proper clothes).

How many of you use the R65 on a daily basis?
Any special cares to take about after riding on the rain?

Sergio

[Semper Gumby]

I'm one to go the company parking lot with my overnight bag strapped to the passenger seat.  I'm good with the Gerbings down to 25'F (-4'C).  I'm good up to 105'F(~40'C).  I know there are some guys out in AZ that are out riding in the 110-115 range.

If it's misting I'll go but I won't head to work in a full blown rain.  Now I have driven home in some gully washers...

Ive been riding to work since April 2001 on this very same 1980/03 R65.  It has only let me down once -- broken forward coil mount.  Almost 70,000 miles of riding in between.  Can't see as I'll ever replace the bike.  I might substitute a BSA if I can get it up to Commuting Spec.  But we will see...   8-)

[dav]

Ive have't owned a car for ten years so my bikes have been my only means of transport, & to tell you the truth i hope i dont ever own another car again....i rode my R65 (daily) for 3yrs, everyday rain hail (twice in hail, god that stuff stings) or shine, there was only one problem that i came across,it started a few years into it, when it rained it used to miss, then come good & then start missing again, sometimes it lasted (firing on one pot) till i got home. Got the old man to have a look (he's the mechanic, i am NOT ) i cant remember what the problem was (it was 6yrs ago) but what ever it was it did't happen again, i think it was a cracked coil (dont quote me on that)...But yeah she was a great daily rider, now i ride her on the weekends for leisure. [smiley=bmw_smiley.gif]

[Barry]

I have to admit to being a fair weather commuter although I ride right through the winter on good days and I will never again put the bike in storage. I don't mind getting wet but am not too keen on the bike getting filthy for the sake of a short trip. Came in on it today very slowly as there was some ice about on local roads. As I said to someone who asked why I used the bike on freezing days:-

"I need an occasional fix"

I draw the line when salt goes down and will not take the bike out again unless the roads are bone dry or until there has been some rain to wash it away.  

[Bob_Roller]

I only ride the R65 to work on weekends and holidays now, due to collector vehicle insurance restrictions .

Before I got the oilhead, it was my daily transportation .

I don't intentionally ride in the rain, I don't have a problem riding when it's wet, but I can't compensate for the lack of driving skills of fellow commuters when road conditions are less than perfect .

[Darwin_R65]

in Darwin weather during wet season is 28-34'c and during the dry it's 16-32'c so colds not a factor, but you'll hear us complain about having to rug up below 24'c but rain in the wet seasons slows traffic when you can only see 6 feet in front. Biggest hassle is getting off the bike wet and going into airconditioning.  

I was an everyday rider until I stuffed my exhaust threads 3 weeks ago (feels like years) Parts arrived from England today for the mod, but I'm playing single Dad all this weekend while SWMBO is working some craft market, so it'll be another week before I get another fix.

John

[scottyintex]

Although I am retired.........my R65 is almost a daily rider. Any trip to the store, post office, Home Depot, grocers, library is on the cycle. Often run into Austin.......80 miles round trip....to baby sit my grand daughters. Won’t be riding today.......it is 32 degrees.....also last summer I started out when it was 105......the asphalt was turning to mush...and I turned around and went back for the Ford Ranger with a/c. Always looking for a reason to ride....but when it’s over 100.....had 36 days like that this summer......or below 40...I take the truck.

[Bob_Roller]

The record high, and low temperatures that I have ridden in, were both on the '81 R65 .
 
High temperature : 122 F.(50C.) in July, 1995 here in Phoenix, the low was : -22 F.(-30C.) in Chicago, January, 1982 .

The low temp record, I only rode the bike around the neighborhood side streets, for 5 miles, the bike had heat lamps on it, and I had a 'torpedo' type combustion heater in the garage, garage temp was a 'toasty' 50 F.

[azcycle]

I haven't ever commuted on the "new" r65 but I probably will from time to time in the future.  However, over the last two years, I commuted 90% of the time on my Kymco 250cc scooter - 26-miles round trip, regardless of weather.  Coldest was 34-degrees and hottest was hovering around 107-degrees (F).

But now that my fiance and I work about a block away from each other, we just commute together in the Jeep. The scooter (and future r65) will only get taken out when one of us has an after-work appt or somesuch and needs the car.

[Barry]

but I can't compensate for the lack of driving skills of fellow commuters when road conditions are less than perfect .  

This is the bit that scares me. I'm happy left to ride at my own pace in almost any conditions but feel uncomfortable with other road users ability to stop several tons of metal in the space they have allowed themselves.

[steve_wicks]

Two weeks ago I bought a Kawasaki KLE 500, but prior to that I've used mine almost every day since I got it in January - 10 000km in 10 months.

Now its getting some TLC and a boob job!

[Yikes]

I ride my bike to work every day that it's not raining.  It's just four miles, so even if it's cold, I can make it those few minutes door to door.  The drive is about two miles of a continuous two-lane drive that paralles the James River, with lots of twisties and some great views, and the other two miles are in city traffic.  Coming in to the city is a bridge that is nearly a mile long and a good opportunity to open up the throttle and zip the tach up over six.  Sometimes as I'm gearing down at the end of the bridge I think to myself, "Well that was the high point of the day, it's all downhill from here, until the ride home." The heated grips really extend my comfort range.  Sometimes on nice days, my route home is more like 25 miles.  

If I take my car into work, I have to park nearly a half mile from my building.   If I ride the bike, I can park right next to the building in an area that has sort of evolved into an unofficial motorcycle/scooter parking zone.  The weather is starting to get kinda rotten here and the fair-weather bikes have been gone from the scene for a few weeks.  There is one other rider (a huge custom Goldwing) that is still there most days, but my old '82 is the most consistent daily driver of the lot. [smiley=bmw_smiley.gif]

I don't do much dedicated riding for ridings sake (unfortunately),  but I do use the bike for any errand or other small trip to get as much two wheel time as possible.  And when it's nice, those short trips tend to be re-routed to become very long.

Keep putting the miles under the wheels!

[GrimReaper]

2 years and 24k miles  commuting on my r1100rt.I live in Nevada so it it pretty sunny all  year.I ride in 120 degree high and 30 low all year long

[welshman]

I use my R65RT almost every working day all year except when substituting with the 60/6 for a change of scenery.

[Adamastor]

Cool to see so many use them on a daily basis... I prefer not to have too many motorcycles so none of them rests too much left alone :p
I just wish my R65 would spend a little less fuel, but I think 6l/100km (39 mpg) is well within specs, right?