Is it time to cock the leg and keep Disco Stue.

[Stue 3 doors down]

Was thinking last night that I enjoy having the disco and despite it costing me a few grand recently I will not put LPG on it and let the government swipe the future savings as in reality petrol is probably the cheapest part of owning a car when its maintained correctly!

Now to add to the good news is that I think it would be cheaper to get back on a motor bike again and this is where the mighty BMW comes in to its own. Its shaft driven, cheap on fuel, not overly expensive to maintain and best of all no annoying phones (yes it can be done but not by me :p).

If a 1200cc bike can run at 5.8 ltrs per 100ks and is more fun then that's my obligation to enjoy it effeciently.:D
It would be good to have a spare car and then its space limiting and a pain as $10k wont get you much thats cheap to maintain.

I havent ridden a bike for 24 months and that was an R1 which is hideously fast and insanely fun although trying to keep in on two wheels is a chore after a while which is why the BMW is my choice having had them before.
How many others ride more as a commuter than drive?
Are the roads worse than 5 years ago for a bike?

[JamesH]

BMW realy need to think about the retro thing. What ever happened to the carved granite/cast iron bikes of the 70's and 80's? The R series; R65, R80s. Great bikes for an enjoyable commute and a blast in the country side.

I was thinking about this just recently. A colleague from work who went away to work elsewhere and has now come back for a spell bought 2nd/3rd/? hand R65 about ten years ago. It was in great nick. Anyway i saw it in the parking lot just the other day and told him, "Jees you've got your $ out of that old Beemer." he sighed and said it's still going strong but not long for this world. It needs some work but the parts are really exepensive and worth more than the bike. A new wheel he needs for startser and that was some incredible sum. he wants a new bike but has no idea what to get. He reckons he might give the game away and use a push bike.

I guess he is from a market that doesn't really exist anymore, he is not some full on biker junky; he just thought a bike was a sensible cheap and pleasant way to do solo commuting. The R65 was perfect. But you never know, that market may return.

[Adesthemex]

Hey Stue,

I ride every day and really, I wouldn't have it any other way. Melbourne traffic is so easy to negotiate, the free parking on the sidewalk, the fuel costs, not to forget the fun!! Before i moved to Northcote I would ride along the Boulavarde in Ivanhoe East then up to Yarra Bend and into the city for a daily commute! With 15kms of fun twisty roads with no one on them as a way to start and finish my working day, there is no way you'd get me in a tin top.

I say get a bike.

[sjd70]

I ride every fine day.

I know a real biker rides on the rainy days as well... that said Bundaberg has excellent riding weather.

My commute is quite short and I miss all the rough traffic. I still prefer the ride than the drive and both my recent bikes still use a lot less fuel than my 300Tdi so get back on that bike. It makes even going to work worthwhile.

I don't know if I could commute in Melbourne on a bike...the weather plus Victorian drivers.:wasntme:

The Ducati was my previous commute until I thought I needed 200 horses.. thus the zx14. Still both more fun than the Disco.:o