An important car or bike to work factor?

**court1129** · 05-20-05, 06:19 AM

Anyone else have this debate with themselves?...

On a kind of chilly morning like this morning I can't decide which vehicle to take because I need to put gas in both the car and the bike. The car needs gas less and can probably get me to lunch on my job so... car it is.

I don't know why I hate going to the gas station so much. Could be the prices?

**Kham** · 05-20-05, 06:20 AM

women!

**mikeb** · 05-20-05, 06:57 AM

i have the same debate with myself all the time.with the weekend being sucky again there was no way i was taking my truck. it was 39 degs when i left the house. i put on the gear and had a great rip to work. i did arrive 20 mins earlier than normal though.

**Kham** · 05-20-05, 07:24 AM

women!

**Jaynnus** · 05-20-05, 07:29 AM

Wait a min.....the car won????!!!!

How'd that happen? My bike seems to win the battle more

**McBiggity** · 05-20-05, 07:32 AM

my bike usually wins,
when I do take the bike I am always way early for work- Guess I need to find a longer way to get here.

**Half Squid** · 05-20-05, 07:47 AM

I actually wish I had a longer commute with back roads to work so I could take the bike.
It's pretty rare I'll take the bike now a-days unless I plan on riding right after work.
I only have a 9 mile trip to get to work that takes 15 boring minutes on one straight road if traffic is heavy, plus I like having a few sips of coffee while driving. I can't do that on the bike.

Oh not too mention I cant seem to get my lazy butt out of bed early in order to gear up, unload the bike, warm it up ect... I like rolling out of bed jumping in the shower, dressing and just jump in the car and go! That way I squeeze every bit of sleep I can before heading to work.

But I still have to decide on taking the car or the truck!

**LuvDog** · 05-20-05, 07:55 AM

My truck usually wins too. Just because I can't wear jeans to work and I have to dress nice.

When I ride in... I have to get up early to gear up, warm the bike up, pack my dress clothes and shoes, etc.

My parking lot sucks too... a few people here have asked for motorcycle spots but that request never gets very far.

**benVFR** · 05-20-05, 08:07 AM

Car/bicycle is winning a lot lately, especially since the new car is more fun than the old one.

I did ride in yesterday and today. Today was super fun actually. I take backroads and there is one good twisty road (though bumpy) on my route. This morning I get over towards that one road and there is a guy in a 911 who nails it front of me. We played cat and mouse through the road, then I took a shortcut and got in front of him to skip a light. He ends up behind me and pulls up next to me at a light and got to talk cars/bikes as we were stuck in traffic, it seems so rare to run into someone cool in a car like that.

Ben

**cexley** · 05-20-05, 08:09 AM

The bike usually wins.....

But I got a new car recently, the novelty has not
worn off just yet, so the car has been gaining ground.

Went from
'94 Ranger 4 banger vs VFR.....no Brainer
to
'01 PT Cruiser Limited vs VFR....
still a no Brainer, but not so lop-sided of a win

As far as nice clothes go
I keep dress shoes at work to change into from boots
And wear oil skin chaps over my dress pants.....more for
weather protection than anything else.

**TheIglu** · 05-20-05, 08:19 AM

Bike today. 3rd time this week.

I don't like to get wet, but I don't check the weather too much either. I've been averaging taking the bike 3 outta 5 days since I got it to the apartment a little over a month ago. I've been saving about $15 a week on gas since!

Yesterday I took the truck and regretted it. It WAS supposed to rain. Today was supposed to be sunny. It's overcast....

I get way too angry on my commute in the truck. When I take the bike, I just seem more relaxed when I arrive home.

**SSearchVT** · 05-20-05, 08:19 AM

This is the battle I have almost every morning. I have to dress business casual at work, so riding the bike in means packing clothes, lunch, planner, etc. in the tank bag. I usually come in about 30 minutes earlier than everyone else, so I just duck into an empty office (after 7 rounds of layoffs we have a few) to change. I'm not too concerned about the helmet head all day.
My cut-off is 40 degrees, but with the weekend shaping up to be crappy I pushed it to 35 this morning. I used the first cup of coffee to thaw out my fingers. Looks like a great ride home. I might take the long way over 17..

**mikeb** · 05-20-05, 10:00 AM

Originally posted by Kham
women!

i'll assume that was a double post. if not

**benVFR** · 05-20-05, 10:22 AM

For business casual I just leave dress shoes in my desk... put on the overpants (JR, etc.) over my dress pants and clothes, then I can just take off the MC gear in my office & grab the shoes out of the desk.

No one has ever complained about this anywhere I work, no need to hit the bathroom/locker room whatever on the way into the office, no need to carry lots of stuff back and forth from work. Lunch/workout clothes can go in a courier bag that gets bungied onto the rear seat. Laptop computer will bungie onto the rear seat just fine too.

The big issue is it is so tempting to skimp on the bike inspection in the morning when you're in a hurry to get to the office.

**Kham** · 05-20-05, 11:23 AM

Originally posted by blackvfr
i'll assume that was a double post. if not

i assure you, it was not.

**Honclfibr** · 05-20-05, 11:25 AM

Originally posted by Kham
i assure you, it was not.

Hehe, buuurn.

Two in two days, well played Mr. Kham.

**Kham** · 05-20-05, 11:28 AM

i hate the highway so not hard decision here. no clothing problem either as i do shit job that nobody wants. for those that have to lug the laptop around, how do you manage?

**Kham** · 05-20-05, 11:30 AM

Originally posted by Honclfibr
Hehe, buuurn.

Two in two days, well played Mr. Kham.

"thank you.. thank you very much.." as Elvis as i can be.

**Honclfibr** · 05-20-05, 11:31 AM

I bungie the laptop case to my rear seat.

Though I've been thinking about picking up one of these:
http://www.luggagelocker.com/

Check out the deal sections, there's some good ones in there, no zx6r tho

**Kham** · 05-20-05, 11:36 AM

i mean without spending extra bucks. i would just lock it up at work when i know i'll be on bike next day.

**Honclfibr** · 05-20-05, 11:42 AM

Then yeah, bungie the 'top to your rear seat. Bungies are like 5 bucks a jar at wallyworld. Or if that's outside your budget, I think maybe Chris has some bailing twine he'd lend ya

**RandyO** · 05-20-05, 11:47 AM

from sometime in march till november, I ride my bike unless i need the cargo space of a cage

I drove my car last nite to the grocery store, first time I've even been in a cage in almost 3 weeks

I'm averaging about 100-150 work related miles/day

other than my vacation last week, most of my miles this year have been work related.

I'm going riding tomorrow.

**Kham** · 05-20-05, 11:51 AM

Originally posted by Honclfibr
Then yeah, bungie the 'top to your rear seat. Bungies are like 5 bucks a jar at wallyworld. Or if that's outside your budget, I think maybe Chris has some bailing twine he'd lend ya

i would never carry a laptop on my 10R.

**RandyO** · 05-20-05, 11:55 AM

It takes me quite a bit of cargo to resort to a cage....

quite often I have a tile spade or soil auger, I have been known to carry granite

**benVFR** · 05-20-05, 11:56 AM

If you don't crash the laptop will survive fine.

Seriously... is it so dorky to be seen with a laptop strapped to your motorcycle that you would rather drive the car? The cool factor of being on a bike definitely overcomes having to wear dress clothes or carry a laptop or briefcase.

An important car or bike to work factor?

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