R65 - How many commuters use it on daily basis?

[welshman]

Adamastor, you need to get the carburation sorted.You should be getting 50mpg or better.Dependant on other conditions of course.

[SCJJR65]

Until I purchased my '99 R1200C in February of this year, Britta was my sole source of transportation for the past 5 years of daily commuting back and forth to school (32 miles each way) and work.  I averaged around 9k of miles each year, and she hung right in there, day after day!  I guess I averaged an honest 40-45 mpg, too.  Not bad for a bike with 150k on the odo!  

[alexznam357]

I commuted for several years in Southern California from my apt. to the Navy base and had a few very close calls from encroaching drivers...that was in the early '80s. I thought things were bad then, but they're worse now with many drivers texting while driving or looking at their Blackberry phone displays, listening to very loud music, or simply not paying attention. I have found it's best not to commute unless I can get on the road prior to 7am...traffic is too hectic after that time and you're taking your life in your hands. I prefer relaxed weekend rides to commuting.

[k_enn]

I'll take the R65 to work when the weather is right.  I am not set up for cold weather riding, so for much of October through March I don't take it to work.

I also try to avoid riding in the rain, mostly because of the other holes on the road.  My rule of thumb is that if I can get two weather reports in the morning from separate sources that indicate it will not rain, taking the bike to work is in the cards that day.  However, out-of-office meetings present a problem since I need to wear a suit and dress shoes, which are not the best of riding gear.  Normally, I wear riding gear and change at the office, but that is hard to do when you have an out-of-office meeting.

I work in a large, multi-building office park.  There are about four other people who commute to work on bikes on any kind of a semi-regular basis (one of whom is also in my office).  The other bike-commuters I have not met.  

k_enn

[trolle]

6l/100km (39 mpg) is well within specs,

Depends on your driving mode: When driving on the motorway at an average speed of 110 kph a the WH8LA2 uses  5-6 l/100 km. Driving on smaller roads at an average speed of 60-80 kph she consumes around 5 l/100 km.

One of my sources (review of the '79 r65 in a Danish magazine) says 4.5 l/100 km, but as I have never been able to reach the amounts specified by the manufacturers I find an average consumption of 5.2 l/100 km satisfying.

greetings from a grey north

[Adamastor]

6l/100km (39 mpg) is well within specs,

Depends on your driving mode: When driving on the motorway at an average speed of 110 kph a the WH8LA2 uses  5-6 l/100 km. Driving on smaller roads at an average speed of 60-80 kph she consumes around 5 l/100 km.

One of my sources (review of the '79 r65 in a Danish magazine) says 4.5 l/100 km, but as I have never been able to reach the amounts specified by the manufacturers I find an average consumption of 5.2 l/100 km satisfying.

greetings from a grey north

Hmmm 80% at 90/100 kph and the other 20% urban center driving... seems normal then?

[Bob_Roller]

I don't know if your fuel supply contains ethanol or not, but when fuel was switched from MTBE, to ethanol here in Phoenix, I lost about 4-5 mpg .

I was getting a consistent 43-45 mpg, with a mix of surface streets, and urban expressways, now 39-40 mpg.

[Adamastor]

I don't know if your fuel supply contains ethanol or not, but when fuel was switched from MTBE, to ethanol here in Phoenix, I lost about 4-5 mpg .

I was getting a consistent 43-45 mpg, with a mix of surface streets, and urban expressways, now 39-40 mpg.

hmmm I really dont know...

[Tv]

I work from home so I don't have to commute.  I used to commute many years ago.  Being self employed I can go out for a ride when I get a spare moment and I regularly use the bike to visit my old Mum.  I avoid riding in the rain because it's too dangerous.  Drivers are bad enough in dry weather.  
I've never bothered checking the fuel consuption.
If I had to commute I wouldn't think twice about using the R65.  So far, it's never let me down.

[Barry]

I was getting a consistent 43-45 mpg, with a mix of surface streets, and urban expressways, now 39-40 mpg.

Thankfully we don't have methanol in the mix and the one (only) advantage of the smaller engine in the R45 is I've  never had less than 55 MPG. In fact I'm a bit put out when it doesn't manage 60 -65.  Divide those figures by 1.2 for US gallons. Apologies to our European members - I can't get my head to understand consumption figures in Litres/Km.

[steve_wicks]

Here's a new twist!!
I bought a Kawasaki KLE 500 last month, but I can't get used to the sound of the radiator fan whirring away almost continually when I'm in traffic - it sounds like its overheating!!
So, I put Mutti back together and I use her if I have a cross town trip to do.
You can always count on Mutti!!