If a motorcycle was your only means of transport...

[PSolk]

Same bike I ride now, the Mana... IMHO the best commuter bike on the market with tons of flexibility in how you want to ride it and a built in trunk with 12V accessory in the "gas tank"... Full Auto, foot shifter or paddle shifters with sport, touring or rain mode. ~40 mpg really riding hard in sport shift, 50 on the hwy.
Not having to clutch in commuter traffic, priceless and with a fused spine (with left leg neuropathy) and replaced hip on the right even I can ride her for hours!
Yeah, I am 37 with a 77 year old body and 7 year old mind

[rayrey]

Drz-s cheap, cheap, cheap

[SoulDaddy]

Major props to Mr. PSolk in Joisey.

Did anybody get the license plate on that truck, fer crissakes??

[PSolk]

Please, I am nothing, we have another Paul riding the Mana even after losing his arm...
http://www.apriliaforum.com/forums/s...d.php?t=215654

Now that is the sh*t!

TY though, greatly appreciated, I was joking today it is tough to find a spot to hang the handicap tag on the bike! The after ride pains are all worth it to be back on two wheels... and a huge thanks to our host for my Mana


My new parts....

[tasty danish]

I've never commuted on a bike I didn't like. So really, any of them. Preferably fast. If my daytona 675 had ANY storage I'd take that. (seriously, not enough to fit my cell phone. It's a joke.

[SF2DieHard]

For around the town riding, I would definitely switch to one of the newer Ninja 250's; especially if Kawasaki gets their act together and brings the fuel-injected version to the USA.

Or a truly 50-state street legal Aprilia RS125 (hint, hint...).

Wouldn't that make you row the box a LOT????????
I was riding a Kawi KZ650 the year I lived in San Francisco. Not very Good. A V-Twin would have been MUCH better. SV650. Or Honda Ascot VT500. Yeah. The Honda shaftie 500 VT500. Spank the HELL outta that thing.

DungeonMaster

[RossGuzzi]

I think it funny.

5.50 for a gallon I presume.

We are paying 1.45 per litre. I think (maths !) that makes it more than that if you concider our dollar is worth 1.04 US now.

Not long ago we were paying about 1.70/lt.

You merrycans get it easy !

[boggysv]

Or a truly 50-state street legal Aprilia RS125 (hint, hint...).

Not as fuel efficient as you might think.

I get ~150kms per 11liters...which i think makes it about 93 miles to 3 US gallon. There are small cars that do better than that!

[PSolk]

I would guess that is the same thing as when Top Gear tested the M3 vs the Prius on a track at 70mph... M3 got better gas mileage b/c it was doing nothing to hit 70 and the Prius was working its little electric tail off... You would (probably) be on that 125 a lot which would (probably) greatly reduce the gas mileage...
-P

[GAUCHO]

While some of the answers are pretty interesting, others missed the mark.
Three motorcycles are not acceptable.
I'm talking lifestyle changes here. When you commute, do you carry your laptop to work? A suitcase? Highway traveling?
One bike, keep in mind maintenance costs. If you are trying to save money on gas it doesn't make sense to spend it on chiropractors or tires.
Oh, and I know that in the good 'ol USA we are still paying cheap for gas, but also our economy suffers immediately when the prices vary by let's say one dollar.
Gaucho

[SF2DieHard]

While some of the answers are pretty interesting, others missed the mark.
Three motorcycles are not acceptable.
I'm talking lifestyle changes here. When you commute, do you carry your laptop to work? A suitcase? Highway traveling?
One bike, keep in mind maintenance costs. If you are trying to save money on gas it doesn't make sense to spend it on chiropractors or tires.
Oh, and I know that in the good 'ol USA we are still paying cheap for gas, but also our economy suffers immediately when the prices vary by let's say one dollar.
Gaucho

I'm definitely sticking with my mid size V-Twin answer here.

[Chuck B]

I'll stick with my KLR recommendation...

[FUN DOG]

I drive a Honda Insight that gets 50+ mpg. My Futura gets about 34 mpg.

I'd take the car. But since they haven't improved on the technology in 7 fucking years (the Insight is a 2004 model) I guess I'd get one of those new 250's, either Honda or Kawasaki.

I also heard the Kawasaki Er-6n or whatever the fuck the name is, gets very good mileage.

[tasty danish]

While some of the answers are pretty interesting, others missed the mark.
Three motorcycles are not acceptable.
I'm talking lifestyle changes here. When you commute, do you carry your laptop to work? A suitcase? Highway traveling?
One bike, keep in mind maintenance costs. If you are trying to save money on gas it doesn't make sense to spend it on chiropractors or tires.
Oh, and I know that in the good 'ol USA we are still paying cheap for gas, but also our economy suffers immediately when the prices vary by let's say one dollar.
Gaucho

I carry a change of clothes and laptop, etc on my D675 with no storage. You buy luggage. As for tires, pilot road rear, sport front, can get about 10,000 from a set.

Bike maintenance is cheap, like, stupid cheap. If you disagree learn how to use a ratchet. I thought we were talking about changing your lifestyle?

[jrflanne]

To be honest, I could give a shit because I only live a couple miles from where I work. People with long commutes are stupid and life is too short for that crap. And I work in the oil business so... I can walk, ride the scooter, ride a bicycle, ride a motorcycle, but probably not the car because I haven't driven that damn thing since January.