As the world wakes up to the ‘new normal’ Covid-19 world of social distancing, isolating and staggered shifts in the workplace, so workers are looking for their own new normal to keep them and their loved ones safe and sound.
With commuters keen to avoid crammed train carriages and packed buses, the government is encouraging more commuters to cycle to work if they can. For many that is not an option, but a motorcycle or scooter can be. And for some it will even work out cheaper and more flexible than taking public transport.
And as we prepare to return to work amid the coronavirus crisis, we took a look at some of the main reasons why commuting on two wheels rocks at any time…
Escape the crowds
Getting to your place of work doesn’t have to be the pain and suffering of expensive public transport where sharing space with total strangers in a stuffy train or bus make for an often unpleasant experience at the best of times.
Using your motorcycle or scooter to get to work can be something that has a positive effect on your life and we have rounded up some of the best reason to commute on two wheels for your information.
The choices of how you get to your place of work are sometimes not determined by choice. If you work in a trade, you almost certainly need to take a van and your equipment with you, but if you can travel light, a powered two wheeler offers a perfect opportunity for a change of lifestyle.
For many people, some simple changes to their thought process can help make the change. So, what are the reasons you should commute on two wheels?
It’s quicker
There is no getting away from the fact commuting on two wheels is almost certainly going to be quicker than the alternatives of public transport or car, especially in crowded cities. Not only can motorcycles and scooters legally filter through heavy traffic to save time, but you can almost always get all the way to your destination rather than a park and ride or train station that’s nearby.
The distance of your commute is key to how much time you can save on two wheels; that and the amount of rush-hour congestion you will otherwise have to suffer when driving a four wheeled vehicle.
You will have to factor in the time needed to get your riding gear on and off at each end, locking your motorcycle or scooter once you arrive but you soon learn shortcuts to make all of this quicker. Having your own transport gives flexibility too. There’s no more waiting around for ages for a bus after a late finish when you ride a motorcycle. Suit up, thumb the starter and who knows… you might even be home before that bus has even arrived at the stop!
There are also one-piece ‘step-in’ bits of textile riding gear that save a lot of time in getting kitted up. All you need to do is put on boots, gloves and a helmet after that and you are on your way. Buy the right gear and you’ll be warm and waterproof too!
It can be cheaper… if you make the right choices
The cost of commuting is very much determined by your choice of vehicle. A super-expensive sportsbike is not the ideal commuting tool and generally, the larger the bike, the more costly it is to run in terms of servicing costs, fuel economy, tyres and depreciation. Smaller bikes can be purchased for a few thousand pounds, with many commuters taking advantage of PCP deals that can see you on the road for less than £40 a month.
There are many experienced commuters who choose to buy a cheap second motorcycle or scooter for the daily ride of the commute in order to save their ‘good’ bike for the weekends and holidays. In many ways this can make sense – especially with scooters as they are designed for this kind of work. A mid-range scooter like a Yamaha XMAX 300 can handle some motorway mileage as well as carving through a city with ease. Add in the practicality of the underseat storage and accessories like leg blankets, handlebar muffs and big windscreens and you have a scooter that can run all year. The fuel economy of scooters is also, generally, very good.
Parking for motorcycles and scooters is normally free – there are a slowly growing trend to charge for parking and this is much more common in central London – but it’s usually much easier to park a two wheeler than a car too.
If you don’t fancy a scooter – and some motorcycle riders won’t be seen riding one no matter how good they might be – there are plenty of smaller-capacity motorcycles like the KTM 390 Duke, Honda CB300 or larger Honda CB500X that have been designed with commuting in mind and will sip fuel.
If a smaller budget is available, a cheaper older motorcycle to use for commuting can be an option to save your ‘good’ bike and still save you money. Old Honda NT700V Deauvilles are perfect, if dull, transport for this kind of thing and can be picked up very cheaply. They are renown for being ultra-reliable and good with fuel costs too. Don’t discount electric motorbikes and scooters too. They may be more expensive to buy, but they cost very little to run and don’t emit any exhaust gasses.
Of course, some potential riders are put off by the cost and prospect of taking a motorcycle test. For those commuters, it’s possible to take the CBT (compulsory basic training) and ride a bike of up to 125cc. There are some restrictions (you won’t be able to carry a passenger, or use motorways for example) but you can be on the road in a day, and for less than a couple of hundred quid. Try doing that with a car!
You are less stressed
Recent surveys have asked commuters about the method of travel they use to get to work and motorcycle and scooter riders topped the list for happiness.
A lot of this comes down to the control they have of their time. The people who use two wheels to commute know, pretty consistently, what time they need to leave in order to arrive on time. Queues of cars can be passed by filtering, it’s easier to find a parking space usually and the fact that riding on two wheels is generally an enjoyable experience, all add up to make the commute more relaxed than alternative options.
Train costs are increasing every year and train commuters are among the least happy. Car drivers spend more time in traffic than ever before. Buses are expensive and time-consuming and routes are constantly being removed.
Being in your own, more controlled bubble as you ride to and from work has been shown time and time again to reduce the stress of a commute, especially in these times of coronavirus – where we are encouraged to ‘socially distance’ and stay 2m apart. Riding a motorcycle is the ultimate in ‘self isolation’.
It makes you a better rider
There is no doubt riding a motorcycle more makes you a better rider as it’s very much a matter of practice makes perfect. For experienced leisure riders looking to start commuting by bike, riding everyday will improve your hazard-perception, as your ability to ‘see’ the road ahead better than occasional riders and your ability to filter through traffic safely will dramatically improve.
Taking some simple tips from experienced riders is always something worthwhile. Tips include don’t rush, take your time to assess situations ahead, accept there is always someone willing to take more risks to be ahead or move faster than you, if in doubt ahead of a move or overtake, then don’t do it are all great nuggets of advice to take heed of.
Rider groups on social media are a great place to ask for advice. Many experienced riders love to share the knowledge they have gathered over the years and sharing wisdom with others is what makes riding motorcycles so good for many people.
It’s much more fun, and enjoyable!
The thing with a commute by motorcycle to a place of work is the freedom this then gives you to make changes to your journey.
A train or bus, by the nature of public transport has a start point, various stop-offs along the predetermined route before an end point.
A motorcycle journey has no such limitations. If it’s a nice evening and you aren’t in a rush to get home for anything important, the choice to take a different way home, a longer diversion on some new roads is always there for the taking.
Fancy stopping off for a quick coffee while you watch and evening sunset on the way home? Your motorcycle can do that. A bus driver isn’t quite so accommodating, no matter how nice they may be.
You can meet some mates on your way home, take a detour to a bike meet on the way home. All options available on a motorcycle.
There are, for sure, going to be some days that are less fun than others when commuting; those days when the weather isn’t too nice or changes unexpectedly, but it’s still better than being trapped on a train with no seat and still paying thousands of pounds a year for a ticket!
