The winter is over and the temperature is rising. Rather than enjoying the longer days, though, many of us spend our mornings and evenings driving in busy traffic, air conditioning set to maximum as we creep back and forth on the daily commute.
Or, worse, on public transport, sat (or more likely stood) for hours in cramped, sweaty conditions.
There is a more palatable alternative, an affordable and enjoyable way of commuting: on two wheels. Here is our guide to some of the most popular commuter bikes:
Honda CBF 125
£2600
Weight 128kg, seat height 792mm
Honda’s CBF 125 isn’t the most exciting or sexy bike on the market, but it’s shockingly cheap to run, making the Honda one of the most affordable commuter bikes to own.
New models start at £2600 and Honda is quoting an astonishing 130+ mpg. That means £10 worth of fuel could, in theory, last you over 150miles, which is more than most weekly commutes within inner cities. Combined with cheap insurance, and not forgetting you can ride the CBF on L-plates, it’s very tempting.
BMW R1200GS
£11,395
Weight 238kg, seat height 850/870mm
Made famous by Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman’s travels around the globe, BMW’s GS is the iconic adventure model, the Land Rover Defender of the two-wheel world. Despite its size and bulk the GS is used by many city workers for commuting, and as a way of escaping city life at the weekend.
On the plus side, as a city bike the big GS sits high above traffic, and is laden with rider aids such as traction control, ABS, and semi-active suspension. It’s not the ideal city commuter due to its size and weight, but is still a favourite with many.
Moto Guzzi V7 Stone
£6999
Weight 179kg, seat height 805mm
Moto Guzzi is synonymous with building exotic, attractive bikes but, like most Italian designer brands, its products are usually expensive. That isn’t the case for the new V7, however, and because it develops less than 47bhp it is compliant with the new A licence laws.
This makes the Guzzi a surprisingly appealing city commuter; it’s also easy to ride, with a low seat, relatively light weight and a wide spread of power. If you want a stylish, retro bike with a bit of Italian flair look no further.
KTM 200 Duke
£ 4199
Weight 129kg, seat height 800mm
You can be forgiven if you’ve never heard of KTM, because they are better known for off-road bikes. However, in 1996 they crossed over to producing fun, funky road bikes. This is what the Austrian bike firm have done with the KTM 200: it’s quirky, light, learner-friendly and economical.
The bikes are actually made in India, and although the standard-fit tyres are rather poor, they can easily be changed by your local dealer. Not as economical as bikes like Honda’s CBF 125, but more stylish and fun to ride.
Kawasaki Ninja 300
£4799
Weight 172kg, seat height 785mm
Despite its sporty and aggressive appearance the Ninja 300 is actually learner-friendly (A2 compliant): its bark is worse than its bite. Even your motorcycling friends will make the mistake of thinking you’re on a full-blown sports bike, when actually you’ve paid a quarter of the price and are enjoying a simple city commuter.
Top speed is still a respectable 110mph and 0-60mph takes less than 10 seconds, but you also get brilliant fuel economy from the parallel twin motor.
Honda CBR500R
£4950
Weight 194kg, seat height 790mm
New this year and, like the Ninja 300, designed to mirror its larger siblings - in this case Honda’s CBR600 and the legendary Honda Fireblade. Despite its muscular looks the CBR is easy to ride and learner-friendly thanks to the A2 licence laws.
There are three closely related models to choose from, which all share the same 500cc parallel twin engine, frame, wheels, brakes and suspension, but are styled slightly differently. The CBR500X is the same price but styled to appear more like an adventure bike and the CB500F model has a top headlight cowl instead of a full fairing, giving it a desirable street racer appearance.
Honda Goldwing GL 1800
£24,499
Weight 421kg, seat height 740mm
The large Goldwing is probably the most inappropriate commuter bike on the planet. This is the bike you see at seaside resorts around the UK, laden in lights and sometimes flags; it’s the ultimate in comfort and long-distance touring and obviously makes no sense around town.
However, it’s still quicker around town than a car, and you get a radio and CD changer.
Vespa GTS Super 300
£4095
Weight 158kg, seat height 790mm
We had to include a Vespa in this guide - the brand is famous the world over for producing iconic scooters and European cities are littered with them. Many people still think of Vespa scooters as unreliable, smelly machines that are hard to start and ride; noisy little things with two-stroke engines. That is no longer the case and the GTS Super 300 is the complete opposite.
As well as having a reliable 278cc four-stroke engine, it’s well built and surprisingly nippy. It will even cruise along the motorway at 70mph comfortably. Now you can have the Italian style, without the downsides.
Triumph Bonneville
£6399
Weight 225kg, seat height 740mm
The iconic British Bonneville was re-released by Triumph in 2000, then updated in 2006 with an 865cc engine. It takes insipration from the original T120 Bonneville that was a hit for Triumph back in the 60s and 70s and although it may appear old-school, dummy carburettors hide a modern fuel injection system and there are disc brakes that actually stop you quickly.
The Bonnie is an easy, comfortable bike to ride, thanks to its low seat, wide bars and good riding position. The parallel twin engine offers decent performance and is economical. You don’t have to be an oily rag Triumph afficionado to own a Bonneville: these days it’s a lovely, simple commuter bike.
Suzuki Burgman 125
£3465
Weight 159kg, seat height 735mm
Not all scooters are Italian, and they don’t have to be buzzy two-strokes ridden by youths with hoodies. Suzuki’s Burgman is a more refined scooter, matching its larger siblings the 400 and 650. However, because it’s powered by a 125cc four-stroke engine it’s still learner-friendly.
The Burgman is slightly larger than most 125 scooters, so it provides enough storage space under the seat for two crash helmets or some bags. It’s economical, twist-and-go riding; nippy around town, with a top speed of an estimated 75mph.
