[Dan1971]

My views.

Downsides -

• Weather. As bad in the summer as the winter cause unless you're an idiot who rides in shorts and flip-flops you'll cook. When it rains, even the best gear costing hundreds will leak. In the winter although you'll get wherever you're going quicker, it'll take you an hour to warm up when you get there. If your gear got wet on the way, unless you have a drying room, it'll be wet when you go to put it on 8hrs later to come home.
• Hazards. Suddenly everything becomes a hazard especially in poor weather. People don't see you and you have to spend plenty time looking at the road surface taking in potholes, drains, white lines etc and when they are wet - they are a nightmare.
• Death. Very small percentage of road users are bikers. Very high percentage of deaths and serious injuries are bikers.

Positives.

• Cheap so long as you stay with a small engine bike - but the service intervals are more regular and they are not cheap to service.
• Quicker for a commute, but, remember to factor in the amount of time it takes to get all the gear on. It took me an extra 10 minutes to get the gear on in the winter, but it was a 20 minute quicker commute. Worth it ?
• Nothing compares to the outright performance of a high power motorcycle pound for pound.

My advice - have a go and try it or you'll always wish you did - but, keep a car too - even a little ZR 1.4 so that you have a choice in poor weather or if you want to go somewhere incase you need a bag.


Who am I to comment/advise ?

Dan - GPZ500 - ZZR600 - VFR 750 - Triumph sprint 900 - Police motorcyclist and having ridden on duty and very quickly whilst on surveillance - Yamaha Thunderace 1000 - ZZR1100 - CBR 1000 - Diversion 900.