Using your VFR for work

Probably been asked before, but what the H.. Have you ever used your VFR for work? Going to work and coming back home doesn't count. I was in a spot where all I needed was my hands and eyes in the work field, I didn't need any tools, so figure why not take the viffer. Besides, look at the fuel I saved over taking the truck. plus the extra good time, what a win win this was.

 

I've though about doing that a few times, but I think my turbo Skoda car uses less fuel than the VFR! And the A/C and stereo system are superior.

I keep my bikes for playtime, not work time.

 

yes, one time had to go on a parts run to grab a large diesel engine alternator (40 lbs or so). the new one was about an hour away from work site, roads were all single lane with occasional passing zones. Rather than grab a truck from the motor pool, took the VFR instead. Ratchet strapped the alternator box to the pillion and got through traffic quicker.

 

My 6 Gen is my work vehicle! Most of the time when I go to "work" it's never the same place twice. My "office" is usually someone else place of business and it could be a few miles away or a few counties away. Many times I get to take the long way there and back and sometimes I'll go out of my way to get there or come back home. One of the main reason I use the bike is that it saves me tons of time on the freeway, even if I don't lane share, the carpool lane alone can shave a lot time. Most of the time I just have the top case with my computer bag but sometimes I take some of my test gear and put that in the tank bag. It's the perfect vehicle for what I do!

As far as play time...I have a 5 Gen and a Duc just for that!

 

If there are NO work restrictions forbidding it, its legal. They are mainly worried about liability and work comp injuries.

But I have known people who use their moto for work all the time, laptop in one case, etc, etc.

I have a company car, so I can't justify it, and Dallas traffic is horrible.

Larry

 

How do you handle the heat and still be presentable to people, especially you people in California? I am in all gear and through this 80-90°F weather I am leaving a puddle of weight loss in my suit everywhere I go. OOTV I think your clients would smell me coming and then drop me for a new, fresh smelling vendor.

 

I did that from August 2006 until retirement in March 2012. This bike was brand new in the crate and I was still a bike virgin. So this was my first. I was never a big bike fan and bought this bike thinking it would be a cheaper 100 mile round trip commute on the bike, that it would be to drive the Duramax. I think once all the numbers are crunched, it is a pretty even score. The truck surely uses more fuel than the bike, but the maintenance on the bike is far more expensive than the truck for the same mileage. I was changing tires almost as often and underwear, chains, sprockets and oil changes far more frequent than the truck. All the other maintenance issues on the bike as well. Then there is the occasional purchase of gloves, helmets, products to maintain those gloves and helmets, suits, rain gear and everything else that goes with the biking.

BUT! The hell with driving the truck. Even in the blowing rain and occasional snow, riding the bike is so much better for the soul than that truck.

Now that I am retired, only time the truck moves is when I have the RV hitched on behind. And the bike does not get ridden nearly enough. But I did have a regular bowel movement this morning.

 

I think I can speak for all here when I say "TOO MUCH INFORMATION"!

 

Fortunate for me, we had locker rooms and shower facilities where I worked. I was a suit and tie type of worker the last few years of my working so I had to present myself clean and lacking of sweaty body odour. It was also nice to have a hot shower before starting work when you had just ridden an hour in the blowing cold rain and snow.

 

My wife took pix. Wanna see?

 

Nope...it's a health and safety matter.

 

I was born and bred here and have a pretty good tolerance for heat. Although I am ATGATT, I am not in leather gear/track suit attire. I normally wear a textile armored jacket (well vented), Kevlar pants with removable strapped on knee/shin armor, low cut boots and undergarments that wick very well. As long as I am moving I am fine i.e. hardly break a sweat, and since lane sharing is allowed here I am never stopped/stuck in traffic, unless on surface streets stuck at a stop sign/light. I use to race off-road in the So Cal deserts so I'm pretty much use to the heat.

If I'm not mistaken, the translation of California is "small oven" or something close to that!

 

I think we should have a peek at those photos for evidence sake, you know if there are no photos, it didn't happen, right? Your call Randy.

On the subject of attire, I wear tex with armor. not leather, unless the client knows me real well. On work related errands I also tend to make sure I don't get to crazy on the back roads, I mean I need to guarantee i arrive. all though my last Opps was from coming back from a work related trip, so????.......

 

had to deliver two wireless mice/keyboards for a previous job. About a 50 mile round trip. Near the end of the day, grabbed, went home, changed, threw everything in that I needed, delivered, rode back home and called it a day. It was through farm country. Got stuck behind this on the way back: Tractor - 18 wheeler - car - car - truck - motorcycle - car - car - car - truck - then me. Nice long straight, passed them all. Right place, right vehicle for once.

 

I use my Viffer to commute back and forth and during the day as well. During the day I pick up and return vehicles to the local dealerships after I have repaired the dents and dings. Most of the dealers have limited parking on site so there is little room on their lots to leave my car on the lot while I fix one of their vehicles. The bike however takes up very little space and the dealers don't mind my leaving the bike on the lot. Comes in very handy. I have a Givi trunk that I keep my helmet, gloves and jacket in so I don't have to worry about forgetting anything. Many mornings now that the kids are back to school, I will take my son to school, drop him off and the trunk is large enough to hold his back pack for school and then store his helmet and gear after I drop him off. My son always seems to be quite popular in the mornings when I drop him off, cause he is one of maybe 3 kids that regularly gets to ride on a motorcycle to school.

 

^ and it's a VFR to boot :smile:

 

When Chantelle starts school, your wife must driver her to school on her bike. How cool. Brother and sister arriving at school same time different bikes driven by mom and dad.

 

That request has been made by Chantal. She does look pretty stylish in her Leathers, tassels, and pink/purple helmet. LOL.

 

I take my car off the road and use my bikes for work between March and November because I travel around to various offices and can expense my mileage at 50 cents a kilometer. I usually have between $200 and $400 a month in claims. Almost covers tires and all the other ways I blow money riding motorcycles. Bonus is I get to dress casual for what I do.

 

Well ... I commute 130km round trip just about every day on the VFR ... I go to the office and back ... It's rare that I have to go visit clients, but occasionally I have on the bike.