Do you ride FOR work?

[88bmwJeff]

I'm curious how many people use their ride for work. Riding to and from work does not count. I'm an appraiser, and I keep thinking about using the bike to go to and from inspections, and in inspecting the comparable sales and rents. I do have hesitations on using the bike, since I'm often concentrating on where a property is versus the potential traffic hazards.

So tell us if you ride for work and what you do.

[BubbaZanetti]

full time instructor, MSF and other types of lessons

i ride a bit at work, haha

[From MARS]

I'm curious how many people use their ride for work. Riding to and from work does not count. I'm an appraiser, and I keep thinking about using the bike to go to and from inspections, and in inspecting the comparable sales and rents. I do have hesitations on using the bike, since I'm often concentrating on where a property is versus the potential traffic hazards.

So tell us if you ride for work and what you do.

And, if you need an assistant, just holler.

Will Ride For Work,
Tom

[JoeMoke]

You would not believe some of the things I have delivered on my bike for the shop. I've been pulled over twice. Did'nt get a ticket either time. Just a "What the hell are you thinking???" Technically I was within the law but I do like to push the envelope. If your wondering what I was carrying, well, I own a steel fabrication business. I'll leave the rest to your imagination:D This, however is done on a Guzzi. Thats my work bike. The RT is the sunday bike. I put on about 7500k of business miles on every year. Plus back and forth to work. Add another 10k for sunday rides:p Life is good.
John

[careycsg]

I rode for work for the first time today and it was an experience. Being a mfg. rep for a distributor of quartz countertop slabs, I call on stone fabricators, builders, architects, designers, cabinetry shops and kitchen & bath locations. I was able to pack a sample set of quartz tiles in a display case, that fits nicely in the side pannier of my 1150 GSA, along with literature information packets. It was a hot day here in Chicago at about 90 degrees and I realized all of the mounts and dismounts, along with taking the helmet and jacket off, lead to a ton of persperation. Riding pants were left on as I am not too sure they would approve of high top On Roads and zip leg camp shots underneath. Comments from my accounts varied from "So you finally made a call on the bike", to "It looks like your dressed for snowmobiling". I really missed the air conditioning in the cage, but the breeze on my new Airglide jacket cooled me down.

Will I continue this? Most certainly, especially when Indian summer arrives and my trips into Wisconsin to visit accounts, brings nice scenery and cooler weather. 40 plus MPG beats 15 MPG all day long and most of my accounts dress very casual and expect the same from the reps. I have opened 3 accounts who ride and when the subject of bikes came up, the sale became increasingly easier! So it does have a few benefits. Overnight trips will mostly be in a hotel, except when I plan sales calls around a trip to a rally. Write Off? You bet your sweet...............!

[Burnszilla]

I've used my bike to ride from the Bay Area to LA for trade shows. I left home at 6am and was in LA at 11:30am. I got there before my co-worker who flew. She was stuck in LA traffic for 2 hours. I submit my miles and get a nice $350 check, which helps pay for tires. The mileage rate just went up and is now .585 cents. :clap

[jdmetzger]

Next time I have to go to the office near Philly I plan on riding. I probably won't head that way for a while, though. It would be nice if they would pay mileage for me riding to the office in Gig Harbor, WA or San Diego, though. :p

[knary]

sorta :whistle

[KGT1200]

I ride 40 miles to and 40 miles home, but during the day ride to the bank, to meetings, to inspect properties.

My problem is after doing what I set out to do, I dont want to come back to the office! Lately I am having a hard time with that issue.

[Motor31]

I used to ride as work. It was nice to be able to ride a bike not mine and without having to pay for the gas too.

[rdalland]

I make deliveries and pickups regularly to NYC.

http://www.smugmug.com/photos/341529293_hp3pk-XL.jpg

UPS would be cheaper, but...

[Paul_F]

I am retired, but on occasion I drive as broker courier driver doing out of town deliveries for additional biking money. When the package is a small box or envelope, I almost always take the bike. I take the fastest route there and the back roads home. It is rather neat getting paid to ride. Smiles come easy on those rides.

[Greenwald]

From 2000 thru 2006, I rode a motorcycle (H-D RoadKing) on every good-weather day I was on duty as a Law Enforcement Motor Officer.

Put on in the neighborhood of 50 - 70 miles a day of city riding.

Now retired, I ride to and from a technical college, where I teach the BRC and the ERC as an MSF RiderCoach.

[stealthrider]

From 2000 thru 2006, I rode a motorcycle (H-D RoadKing) on every good-weather day I was on duty as a Law Enforcement Motor Officer.

Put on in the neighborhood of 50 - 70 miles a day of city riding.

Now retired, I ride to and from a technical college, where I teach the BRC and the ERC as an MSF RiderCoach.

I too am a recently retired Motor Officer... Rode a HD Electra Glide for 17 years..
Now i ride to work...

[rocketman]

I did back in the 70's as a messenger for three years in DC on an old /2. Made more friends there than at any other job, but we had a common interest and love of bikes something not shared in many occupations. Now its just for daily transportation and for fun.

RM

[SheRidesABeemer]

I don't even work for work. :doh

[tommcgee]

I suppose you could say I ride for work. I repair church organs and the time spent repairing is a whole lot less than the time spent getting there. Annual mileage is about 50k miles -- about half that is cage and half bike.

[photoruss]

I ride to and occasionally for work as well. As a photographer I am sometimes sent out all over the state to shoot various events. I ride to as many shoots as the weather and other factors (equipment needed, type of event) allow. The mileage reimbursment is nice and it is always a plus to spend more time on the bike than working while getting paid.

[moondog]

I am sure I wouldn't want to drive a motorcycle for work. Then the rest of the pleasure riding wouldn't be all that fun. Sometimes too much of a good thing can be .....well...too much. You know, like sex the same way everytime....well...ya know what I mean :p

[86755]

I don't often ride for work, but when I do it's usually short trips to pick up samples from a client.
Last week, a client had contacted me saying he needed me to come out to a job site and pick up a sample he had colleced. I told him I'd be there shortly and that I'd be riding a motorcycle so he'd know who to look for. There were about 6 workers standing around when I arrived and they couldn't have looked more dissapointed when I rode up on a BMW. In fact, one guy said "You know, they still make Harleys. Why would you ride a beemer?" Many replys ran through my mind, but because I was representing my company (and am interested in keeping my job) I just laughed, took the materials I came for and rode off.:p That gave me a chuckle as I returned to work.

[RJM2096]

It seems like most of us are independant contractors, but if you are an employee, your company may not like you to ride a motorcycle FOR work.

If you are injured in accident, you may have workmans compensation issues (I am not an attorney). If you are using your Motorcycle you need to disclose it to your company.

They also may not like the image they think it portrays to their customers.

[photoruss]

I did once have an insurance company refuse to me sell me a motorcycle policy for being a photographer. The likely scenario of damaging equipment of equal or higher value than the motocycle was the reason cited.

[tommcgee]

They also may not like the image they think it portrays to their customers.

You'd be amazed at how many church secretaries have asked for a ride.....or ride themselves!

[moondog]

I don't often ride for work, but when I do it's usually short trips to pick up samples from a client.
Last week, a client had contacted me saying he needed me to come out to a job site and pick up a sample he had colleced. I told him I'd be there shortly and that I'd be riding a motorcycle so he'd know who to look for. There were about 6 workers standing around when I arrived and they couldn't have looked more dissapointed when I rode up on a BMW. In fact, one guy said "You know, they still make Harleys. Why would you ride a beemer?" Many replys ran through my mind, but because I was representing my company (and am interested in keeping my job) I just laughed, took the materials I came for and rode off.:p That gave me a chuckle as I returned to work.


Cause its quiter....?

[88bmwJeff]

It seems like most of us are independant contractors, but if you are an employee, your company may not like you to ride a motorcycle FOR work.

If you are injured in accident, you may have workmans compensation issues (I am not an attorney). If you are using your Motorcycle you need to disclose it to your company.

They also may not like the image they think it portrays to their customers.


In my profession it is common that the employees provide their own transportation; however, if they want me to show up in a certain type of vehicle and condition, then they can provide the transportation!

[Helen]

As a Bag Lady I rode for work, all over the country to motorcycle events, it was wonderful!:heart

I hope to ride for work again!

And the guy who said it would take the fun out of it for him must be doing it wrong.

[SCQTT]

Motorcycle industry guy for 20 years. Product development the last 15.

No wife, no kids, no other hobbies. 100% full time motorcycles. Riding (not enough) reading, events, travel, it all revolves around motorcycles.

I'm not even certain where work stops and starts anymore, it's just life.

I know I'm lucky, perhaps work never starts for me. :D

[mtfrench]

Beside riding to work every possible day, I do a fair amount of traveling for project meetings and conferences (yes, the life of a professor). In the past, I would typically fly in and out as quickly as possible. Now, I ride about half the time and try to take in some of the best roads along the way. NYC in June, Little Rock in April, Orlando in October, etc. To make this even more appealing, I get reimbursed 51 cents per mile travelled. Thought about riding the bike out to San Francisco later this year for project meetings, but the wife said she would probably change the locks on the doors during my long absence...:heart