What came first, your bike or the commute?

Well following on from the 'how far is your commute' thread and reading through some of the long commutes some of the orgers face on a daily basis, it'll be interesting to see how many people became bikers because of their commute.

The guy who I picked up my er6 from fell into this category. He said he started with a scooter to cut commute time, and then moved on to a bigger bike to make the commute easier.

I got a bike because I've always wanted one and am a bit of an adrenalin junky. But now I ride, once I graduate I know I'll have at least a half decent/fun way of getting to work if I don't live so nearby.

I have been commuting for the past 4 years but to be honest, I got my licence because I wanted it, and always did, and not because I wanted the bike for the commute.

[andrewsmith]

Originally Posted by thulfi

I got a bike because I've always wanted one and am a bit of an adrenalin junky. But now I ride, once I graduate I know I'll have at least a half decent/fun way of getting to work if I don't live so nearby.

I kinda fall into your catergory and the commute catergory (got sick of the 90 min travel from Newcastle to sunderland)

i came in to this world on two .....

[G]

Mine is both.

When I started my first proper job I got a company car. Up until then I had always had a relatively fun car.

I sold my own car, and using my commute as an excuse I bought a bike.

To be fair though in 4 years I have commuted 10 times at most as I'm given a car which costs me nothing, and I've got it as I need to go out at any time.

In fairness I am just a petrolhead with an addiction for speed, my commute was just an excuse for the inevitable.

[Juju]

Yep, I was getting 23 mpg out of a 3l Alfa Romeo 75 Veloce, so was using nearly two gallons a day. I'd always thought a bike licence wasn't a bad idea one day, as I always fancied the idea of a Norton Commando or something in the garage one day, as a work of art and it would be a shame not to be able to ride it!

Having said that, I never cared for bikes as a yoof. But then 90 mpg on a Suzuki gs125 suddenly appealed massively, and having done the cbt (I wasn't a natural, and ended up with 1.5h extra tuition at the end of the day), and riding a 125 for a year, I got fed up of being bunched up into the kerb by following cars, being blown around the road in windy wet weather, and so did a DAS.

[rictus01]

Neither of the poll options apply, I had my first bike at the age of 6 and built my first engine at about 11, getting a moped and then a 250 was as natural and expected as walking and talking, I've never been without a bike of some sort or "taken a break" and life has just unfolded around the fact I ride.

Conversely, although I got a car licence at seventeen, was an advanced emergency qualified driver for 12 years, I have been without a car on any number of occasions and haven't owned one myself now for over 15 years, driving is a pickup and put down thing for me, bikes aren't.

Cheers Mark.

Originally Posted by rictus01

Neither of the poll options apply, I had my first bike at the age of 6 and built my first engine at about 11, getting a moped and then a 250 was as natural and expected as walking and talking, I've never been without a bike of some sort or "taken a break" and life has just unfolded around the fact I ride.

Conversely, although I got a car licence at seventeen, was an advanced emergency qualified driver for 12 years, I have been without a car on any number of occasions and haven't owned one myself now for over 15 years, driving is a pickup and put down thing for me, bikes aren't.

Cheers Mark.

Pretty much the same for me, except I'm not an advanced emergency trained driver. I have cars when the company I work for supply them, or when they are worth it profit-wise (the 5 Mitsubishi Evos I've owned are a case in point). I don't generally buy them for any practical reasons or for fun, because I find it hard to get pleasure from driving.

Bikes are pretty much my life.

[Bri w]

I got my first bike when I was at Uni xxyrs ago. I lived on campus, so no commute. I have a company car but just love bikes. That said, I enjoy driving too and if its a long long journey I prefer the car.

when i was seventeen i had no real interest in bikes,taking my car test two months after that birthday and ending up with a mk1 ford cortina 1200. cars came and went until i ended up with a hillman hunter gt. this car was the nuts but i pranged it. i needed something pronto to get to work so i ended up buying a honda c70 and this is where my addiction began...dt100, ts,er185, gt550, rm400, cr125, kl250, gn400, gsx 750, rd250 f, bultaco sherpa, honda wetdream 250, gs500, husky sms 610, SV650.