Long/Longer Distance Commuting

[Matt]

So after several years of living in and a couple of owning my flat in the Caversham, i'm doing a runner to find a house with a garage and a staircase that I can own and all that good stuff. 

After getting disillusioned with prices and locations anywhere near "half an hour below Reading", I've found myself looking at Alton, which seems to have a nicer choice of locations and some more infrastructure than, say, Burghfield Common (where I searched for a while).

Alton to a Reading/Maidenhead workplace equals between 60 and 80 miles a day (300 and 400 a week then) respectively.  With my stupid ass K1300S still getting no more than 140 miles from a tank I'm wondering:

What's a good long range, decently powered commuting machine?

At first glance something like the R1200RT would be close to great, except I'm still out of love with the engine.

[Greenman]

Keep the bike - I get an easy 160 to a tank having fun and 200 with a modicum of restraint

[fjtwelve]

I'm commuting at least 600-700 miles a week and getting 170-190 a tank

[Matt]

Yep.  As I say, stupid ass bike.  It actually has a problem, my old 09 K1300S I was with you guys/the world in getting good range.  Since 'upgrading' to my 2015 K1300S Motorsport I've had 135 miles to a tank for the last year odd.

BMW global are saying it's "within expected" or some such shite.  20% down on range isn't what I consider within any kind of non-French expected tolerance. 

But anyway, I'm sure I'll start another thread on this again soon.  The current state is Bahnstormer Maidenhead (I love these guys to be fair, but their manufacturer is a bit of a git) have tried a few computery tests and are going to do a compression test in a couple weeks.  And also some cylinder pressure test or something that to me sounds exactly the same as a compression test.  As I'll have to pick up the cost if it shows nothing (I expect, as I'm not drinking oil), I'll then be suitably pissed to re-join faceface and declare war on BMW Motorrad.

Anyway yeah.

[Matt]

Or maybe my garage will help me out onto something that isn't fubared.  Then I'll just wait until its rear drive fails before going on an even bigger war.

[fjtwelve]

Are you calculating mpg rather than believing the fuel gauge? If so what are you getting? Have you considered getting a remap?

[black-k1]

I used my previous K1300S Sport and now use my Motorsport for a 75 mile each way commute 7 month's of the year. I fill up every day at around 150 miles and sometimes the light is not on and sometimes it's just come on.

I always fill the tank to the top and have the filler neck mod.

[OxMan]

An old GT would do the trick no...?

[gibbo]

These bikes aren't really commuter material. Get yourself a plodder like a Dullville, but don't fall asleep with the boredom. 

[Timbox]

These bikes aren't really commuter material. Get yourself a plodder like a Dullville, but don't fall asleep with the boredom. 

Blimey, at last, someone with a bit of sense. I was thinking 650 Vstrom or similar though, ok 700GS if it must be a BM, but come on guys.

[JackSnipe]

Gibbo & Timbox are speaking from the pragmatic world, the V strom would eat this commuting and with a little minor tweak be fun as well. Commuting on a K bike would only cross my mind if I accepted  my bike is on a steep depreciation plummet ( sadly true) and getting shut for something else does not make economic sense, you have to take into account some common o garden faults with these bikes cost more to repair than a decent V strom does to buy outright. You can already see now the K12 is a bugger to shift, and sadly is now applicable to the K13 as well. I do not know many dealers that will touch them with a barge pole such is their poor reputation in the trade.

This was one of the factors I sold my K 13 GT last year and incidentally I sold my 2015 year model V strom 1000, depreciation had done a nose dive, and despite only paying £7000 new for it (as opposed to £10000 book price) I could see this bike hitting the £5000 mark very quickly.
 

 

[Blobby]

My work commute used to be 120+ round trip.. I did have a 750 tenere which had a mahoosive tank on it. Also with two fuel taps you effectively had two reserves.

Doing on my 1300R would be enjoyable but bloody annoying having to fill up every day. Luckily i have no commute anymore

[richtea]

These bikes aren't really commuter material. Get yourself a plodder like a Dullville, but don't fall asleep with the boredom. 

Blimey, at last, someone with a bit of sense. I was thinking 650 Vstrom or similar though, ok 700GS if it must be a BM, but come on guys.

Anyone who works in Reading/Maidenhead needs all the fun they can get to make up for that. 
Stick with the 'K'.

Rich (ex-Reading/Maidenhead) Tea.

[Matt]

Thanks everybody .  Interesting thoughts.  I'd forgotten about the V_Strom 1000.  Doesn't look half bad now, and with ABS and traction etc.

Regarding my K, I went on a recording and logging spree for several months last year.  I average a depressing 42mpg.  And please understand me when I say I am fully capable after owning my previous K for a few years, of riding conservatively.  Doing so on this bike has gotten me to maybe 44mpg once.

In any event, after my 24 hours of madness I rode around a bit today and realised that I'd get pretty annoyed at the Alton-Redders commute.  Back to Wokingham etc I go!

[fjtwelve]

42mpg gives you 190 miles at the 20.93 litres I've managed into my tank, albeit a 1200.