Buying advice

If you can get a Speedy or an America where you live then that would be a good ride for you... it easily holds the speed you want. I had one and really enjoyed it but eventually traded up to a Thunderbird - heavier but lightens up at speed and easily cruises on the motorway. Early T-Birds, ie previous to 2014 would be a great choice for your size. Your price range might suggest an earlier Speedmaster or an America

 

Welcome, Thruxton is a lovely bike but 20K/year sounds like yer need comfort as a priority. Thrux has forward bars and rearsets, looks great but throws weight on yer wrists and arms.. Love my Bonnie SE, but listening to your comments a cruiser seems to be calling...good luck . SUGGESTION Ride one of each first do NOT buy until you are sure what fits you best physically.

 

Bikes are brilliant at getting through the traffic but they can also be cold, wet and uncomfortable. I remember the 4 hour tailback you mentioned. It was due to a major accident and the road was closed so even if you had been on a bike you wouldn't have gained very much except to get to the front of the queue! Conversely the often massive queues for the tunnel and bridge can be avoided with careful filtering.

60 miles in the middle of winter on a bike is not a lot of fun. I have to go to Essex to see my Dad twice a week on the America. A 75 mile run up the A23 and M25. It's been bloody horrible this winter and some weeks I've had to go by car as it's been too wet or too cold. I certainly wouldn't want to be doing it every day.

For a first bike something like a Bonnie, Speedy or America would be a reasonable choice. All of them are capable of sitting on the motorway and overtaking most things. Everyone will have their own choice of clothing and the like but this is my list built up over the last few years of riding 300 miles a week through the year. Heated grips, screen, winter and summer gloves, thermal undies and socks, lined textile jacket and trousers (with removable linings), a winter and summer Buff and of course decent boots.

Good luck with the test and finding the right bike :smile:

 

Loads of bikes out there to choose from but in my opinion a cruiser is not the best motorway commuter bike, nor are the naked bikes like the Speed and Street Triples. Don't get me wrong you can commute on any reasonably powerful bike but it comes down to comfort and ease of use.

Personally I think the Tiger 800 road version would make a great first bike to commute, fitted with the touring screen there is loads of wind protection, hand guards with heated grips, and plenty of luggage options. Its also taller than a cruiser to give better visibility when filtering. I've had loads of bikes over the years and have found the Tiger to be the most versatile bike I've owned and its still fun to ride.

 

Welcome to the forum

As you are going for your first big bike I would suggest something that does not cost too much as you are most probably going to have a moment or two on your first proper bike.

I would suggest going for something a bit older for your first bike and a Sprint ST maybe just the thing you would be looking for in a bike for getting to work.

This one looks ok although a bit overpriced

TRIUMPH SPRINT 955 cc Sprint ST (04MY)

Also the Trident Sprint is a very good although not the greatest looking bike in the world, It still ticks all the boxes as far as your needs and they are cheap as chips to buy here is one that has only done 5000 miles

Triumph TRIDENT SPRINT (1996/N) Motorbike For Sale | 3123070 | MCN

Cheers

Steve

 

Mr K, one alternative to Triumph racks are Fehling that you can buy here

I can't say I agree with Richard about cruisers not being ideal motorway commuters. I've been doing 300 miles a week on the M23 and M25 on an America with a small screen and it's just as fast in motorway conditions as my Tiger 1050 was. The beauty of a cruiser as a first bike is that they are so low and easy to handle. The Tiger 800 is a fantastic bike but I wouldn't recommend it as a first ride due to the seat height. Even as an experienced rider the sheer size of the 800 can be a little intimidating. It's actually very easy to ride but perhaps not for a novice.

M25 jams are the bane of my life and I avoid going to Essex by car if I possibly can. Filtering is a bit of an art and demands complete concentration and being aware of what the cars are doing. It's generally safe enough if you take care and keep your speed low.

Electric heated gear is a real boon but get the dealer to fit a suitable outlet on the bike.

Take care out there

Cheers

Dick

 

Hi welcome,
I know you aren't to keen on the Bonnie, but it's my first bike and it handles superb, low centre of gravity, easy at low and high speeds, plenty of torque and excellent for overtaking or filtering, I also like cruisers, but after sitting on an 883 roadster and feeling the weight of it, it put me right off... I also fancied the America, but the footrests being slightly further forward made me go for the Bonnie to get some experience first, maybe the America will be my next bike... Good luck with your DAS, and on your choice of bike!

 

Just a thought but no need to buy "new" gear (Except helmet!!-Buy new making sure you get the right size and type. Open face not good for winter, full face with little skirts to prevent draughts good, and full face that flip up allows better vision in slow traffic sometimes, easier to talk to people, but can still pop down when riding. Helmets have a shelf life.)

As for other gear, bike auto jumbles a great way to reduce costs, jackets (get a removable liner type) trousers, my last pair of Buffaloes £10 !! etc etc and Ebay good way of testing water for prices and bargains. ie People sell bike but left with their gear to sell.

 

Hi Kaneda, you can take all the great advice on the forum but when it comes down to it, it will be the costs that will have to be taken into account , but you have to decide what you like the best , my speedmaster is a great ride but is quite heavy and is not a bike you can weave in and out of traffic ,look around take some test rides if you can and go with what ever takes your fancy ,good luck with the hunt for your new bike :upyeah:

 

Kaneda

The Sprint isn't too bad to ride as with most triples they have a very flat torque curve. If you worried about power then the Trident sprint maybe a better option as they are only about 97bhp and the engines are very bullet proof, the main thing with them is too make sure that they have a good battery (mottobatt are the best) as a low battery is the main cause of faulty sprag clutches on the early Hinckleys the fork seals are not that great either but that may just be an age thing.

Best suggestion is to get a test ride on as many types of bikes as you can to see what suits your needs best as at the end of the day we can suggest but it's you that will be riding the bike and we all have different preferances.

Cheers

Steve

 

I've always preferred bikes that are considerably faster than I am. I never get bored with them. You don't have to ride like a lunatic, the bike will only go as fast as you tell it to. This is never more true than of the Triumph triples which have to be some of the most user friendly road engines ever made. The 1050 triple is fast -very fast if you want it to be - but its a doddle to ride. Its not a highly strung handful, you always feel in control. There are no fierce surges or sudden surprises. It won't catch you out. It will do pretty much everything you ask but it will wait to be asked. My Speed Triple has to be one of the easiest bike in that performance bracket that I've ever ridden and although its quite large, on the move it feels like a bike half the size. Don't rule out the triples. They are tractable with ample easy to use power and not in the least intimidating.