..emanates from your neck of the veldt, too, Ian.....
www.iol.co.za/index.php?click_id=282&art_id=iol103...=
(sorry about the long URL)
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No surprise to me Growler.
I've been doing a certain 100 mile main/country road (no m/ways) journey across the UK for some 27 years. My route and the roads haven't altered to any degree over that time.
Despite some valiant efforts over the years the quickest time ever was in the 70s on a nimble 125cc trail bike at 1am. I opened the throttle on leaving and hardly shut it until the journey's end.
Since then all manner of cars including turbo petrol, V6s and V8s have never been closer than 10mins outside the buzzbox record!
MM
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No surprise to any 2-wheeler, I'm sure. But what I read here is the future...either you're a confirmed masochist and insist on sitting in your cage or else you fins another way....
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One thing stands in the way of this revolution: the British weather. Right now where I am it's early afternoon on a sunny day. But the thermometer is reading +1C, with a twenty mph north-easterly wind, the roads are wet/icy in patches, and snow is forecast. Maybe you colonials forget what that feels like. I'll stick to commuting (when I have to) by train thanks, and spend the extra time reading a novel.
Chris
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ChrisR
I ride almost (almost) all year round. When there is the chance of ice and frost the bike stays in the garage. Its been in the garage all days this week. But sometimes it can be -0C and dry so it comes out then and I use it for commuting and business miles, meetings etc.
The one thing that helps in this is the heated liner jacket I use that just plugs in. Keeping the body warm keeps everthing else warm as well, hands, feet and the dangly bits when you take a comfort break on the M1. All of my outer gear is real Gortex lined rather than some of the other fabrics, so I dont get wet, but it costs! I took a quick tally, Helmet £350, Jacket £400, Gloves £60, Leather Jeans £150, Boots £200, Over trousers £40, Heated waistcoat £100, Visor and Inner antifog £75(every 6 months). With tyres every 5000 miles on average it would be cheaper in the car. BUT I am never, ever stuck in traffic, never wound up with sheer frustration of not moving and for me thats worth more than anything. (except when its icy!)
Bill
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"But what I read here is the future.."
Depends where you are, I think. IIRC, Clarkson did a piece from Vietnam a while back, where virtually everyone (in town) rides a moped or small-capacity bike, but that increasing affluence means that they are transferring to cars, with the inevitable congestion (it was pretty congested with just the bikes!).
Will they see the light and revert to 2 wheels, or is the lure of the car too strong? What's the car/bike ratio like in Manila?
I agree with ChrisR about the weather in the UK - I used to commute by bike all year round and some days it took all morning to get the feeling back in my fingers!
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Undoubtably the bike will always be quicker than the car, capable of matching or bettering it's speed and cutting through traffic jams.
There is one area where the car will make faster journey times, and that is on long distance routes which are relatively free flowing. Even a BMW will have to stop for fuel after 250 miles, most bikes after around 150 miles. A little Saxo diesel will happily reach 550 miles before it needs a refuel, and it is surprising how much a fuel stop increases travelling time especially if it means pulling off a motorway.
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Tom
I get about 180 miles from a tank on the bike, so start to look for petrol at about 150 miles. It takes 5 mins to fill up so for 550 miles I would need 4 stops. On the bike I tend to average about 75 MPH for a journey not including stops. I can't give an average for a car because I don't use one, other than on the hols and then at 2 in the morning. Then I manage 85 average. But I would expect an average of 60 not counting major jams during the day. So to cover 600 miles on the bike will take 8hrs 20 mins. For the car will take 9 hours 15 mins including 1 petrol stop. But then thats only with me on board, the Saxo could have had 5.
Bill
Its horses for courses.
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