Commuting with your HOG
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 2,371
Likes: 11
From:
I ride every day to work. About 40 miles round trip per day. It will be about 15,000 miles on the bike per year. I still have my SUV, but it almost never gets used. They say current SUVs resale values are about 25% of the new price after 3 years... and people still complain about how LOW hd resale prices are...yeah right.
Ultimate HDF Member
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 5,356
Likes: 8
From: Roswell, NM
My work commute is short, about 12 miles round trip, so I always take the long way home and average another 15-20 miles. Here in Roswell, NM you can ride year round, so I would expect 16-18,000 miles per year with weekend jaunts and two or three long trips in the summer.
Road Master
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 1,189
Likes: 9
From: la grange, il (near chicago)
live in a burb of chicago and work in the city. i live 2 blocks from the train which costs under $100 for a monthly. so less than $5 a day for the train. i then take a bus/shuttle each way at $1.75 per trip, so another $3.50. i also get a break on the tickets as they are payed for with pretaxed money. so the total of 8.50 is more like $6.00. i do sometimes walk back to the train station after work, which saves money and helps to limit the size of the gut. parking alone would cost a lot more. rush hour traffic and city traffic is just not fun. in most cases it would take me longer if i used the bike.
so it is quicker, cheaper, safer(?) to use public transport. riding would just not be real fun either.
wish i could use the bike on a daily basis because i really enjoy it, need to get a job in aurora or something so i could ride to work. use to commute back and forth to milwaukee, not that would have been good.
occassionally use it for errands and such, but most miles are trips and joy riding.
however since march '07, i have put on 12,500 miles so far and still have 3 months left of riding time this year.
so it is quicker, cheaper, safer(?) to use public transport. riding would just not be real fun either.
wish i could use the bike on a daily basis because i really enjoy it, need to get a job in aurora or something so i could ride to work. use to commute back and forth to milwaukee, not that would have been good.
occassionally use it for errands and such, but most miles are trips and joy riding.
however since march '07, i have put on 12,500 miles so far and still have 3 months left of riding time this year.
Road Captain
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 673
Likes: 0
From: WV
I had a car we were fighting a lemon law lawsuit on and needed a second vehicle to drive to work, as my only other I liked to leave at home for the wife so she wasn't stranded at home with the 3 yr. old. My Dad use to race motorcycles, my Uncle Mac had a few bikes over the years, and my other uncles all rode dirtbikes at some point in their lives. My brother-in-law had a Honda Shadow 750 ACE he wasn't riding as he got into the sportbike scene, so I asked to borrow it for a while to drive to work. Got my permit, started riding and loved it. Then, when I went to buy my own bike, I knew I wanted a Harley. The Honda rode like a sofa, and it was almost car-like to me. I loved the wind, but knew I wanted that sound, and feel of a Harley. Bought an 883 Sporty off a guy in PA, and haven't looked back since. I upgraded to the Softail a few months ago, and now that the car's resolved, I have a car that just sits at the house unless it's raining pretty hard or snowing. Other than that, I'm riding. It takes me to work every day. Couldn't be happier. Plus, there's nothing better when you have a job you strongly dislike than startin' up that beast at the end of the day and leavin' work at work. Sometimes you just gotta take the long way home.
Cruiser
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 248
Likes: 0
From: New Hampshire
I ride mine weather permitting (if it's not raining in the morning).
My commute is 64 miles one way.
I will pass 15,000 on the way home today since April 6th.
I just returned last week from Northern Wisconsin, 35th HS reunion.
Total mileage was 3126 miles.
My commute is 64 miles one way.
I will pass 15,000 on the way home today since April 6th.
I just returned last week from Northern Wisconsin, 35th HS reunion.
Total mileage was 3126 miles.
Road Master
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 883
Likes: 2
From: Irving-Texas
60 miles a day 4 days a week cummute, my only form of transpo, if the weather gets so bad I cant get in, chances are Im not gonna make it. Havent missed a day due to weather yet, did borrow a car twice since nov 27 07. Dallas weather is pretty much all year riding. 21000 mile on so far.
Road Warrior
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 1,731
Likes: 0
From: Olympia. WA
Ride all year unless ice on the road... ..been doing it for years... gas not a factor..
Road Captain
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 610
Likes: 1
From: Northern Maryland
Here in Md I ride year around, unless there is ice or snow. I ride to work just about every day.
HD Forum Stories
The Best of Harley-Davidson for Lifelong Riders
7 Surprising Harley-Davidson Products that Are Not Motorcycles
Verdad Gallardo
8 Best Harley-Davidson Motorcycles Ever
Pouria Savadkouei
10 Worst Harley-Davidson Motorcycles Ever
Pouria Savadkouei
Killer Custom's Jail Break Is The Breakout That Refused to Blend In
Verdad Gallardo
Crazy Bunderbike Build Looks Amazing, But Is It Impossible to Ride?
Verdad Gallardo
Harley-Davidson Reveals Super Cool Cafe Racer Concept
Verdad Gallardo
Engraved Rebellion: Inside Bundnerbike's Glam Rock II
Verdad Gallardo
10 Motorcycles You Should Never Buy
Joe Kucinski
10 Things Harley-Davidson Needs to Fix in 2026
Verdad Gallardo
Road Captain
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 581
Likes: 7
From: Portland, OR
If it ain't raining (Oregon, yeah right) when I'm ready to leave, then I'm riding. I wouldn't ride any less if gas was $2 per gal, but with gas over $4 per gal, it's becoming more of a necessity to ride then riding as a preference. I had to take the car to work the other week so I could run over to DEQ and renew my tags during lunch and forgot the car was empty. I stopped to fill it up. Super was running about $4.50 that day. The pump finally clicked off and I turned to see the total on the pump and it was a little over $75 bucks. I about crapped my pants. I screamed 4 letter words all the way to work. I haven't driven the car since and it pisses me off that I have a $75 investment sitting in my car gas tank turning to varnish. I should have only put $20 bucks in it.
Otherwise, I'm fortunate to be able to ride the 20 miles to work on a variety of country roads and have been known to extend the ride home to 40 miles.
Otherwise, I'm fortunate to be able to ride the 20 miles to work on a variety of country roads and have been known to extend the ride home to 40 miles.
