Well, it's been 5 years since I sold my first bike, a blue 2009 new-gen. I currently own a 2007 R6 and have recently started commuting on it. What a wonderful change to my day!

However, I would like to pick up more friendly commuter bike. Partially for fuel economy, partially to keep the miles off the R6, and partially because what amounts to a race bike just isn't designed for city streets and traffic.

For those who have commuted before, what has been your favorite bike for that purpose? A ninjette? One of the other small displacement competitors? A do-it-all FZ6 type of bike?

I commuted on a Suzuki SV650s 140 miles per weekday for a couple of years. It was about a 95% freeway commute. Very comfortable bike and good on power since it's a twin. Well mannered bike and comfortable the only drawback is minimal wind protection.

Swapped it out for a Honda Silverwing which was easily the most comfortable bike I've ridden but it's obviously more of a scooter. I changed out the windscreen for the touring windscreen and had excellent protection. It has a large trunk and very relaxed seating position. Being a 600 I had no problem accelerating through traffic and on-ramps.

Let us know what you end up getting.

In past 5-years, I've used 4 different bikes on my commute back & forth to S.F. It's 2-2.5hr by car, 1.25hr by ferry or 40-45 min. by bike so it's no-brainer. VF500 is like touring-bike, comfy, but heavy and slow to respond. CBR600RR is much lighter and snappier, but it too, shows its weight. Especially in Z-shaped maneuvers.

The new-gen 250 is close to perfect for slicing & dicing through traffic, but it too feels a little large and I've tapped both mirrors trying to squeeze through tight gaps in stop-n-go. My favourite has got to be pre-gen 250. It's even lighter than new-gen and extremely nibble. I can make 90-degree turns to move from one splitting lane between stopped cars over to next splitting lane without any issues. It's narrower so I can fit through tight gaps easily. Easier to park too! Bike-parking in S.F. is dirt-cheap! Anywhere between $0.35 to $0.55/hr and there's tonnes of it near my office.

https://drive.google.com/uc?export=download&id=1kshdFrsDoYEpvlituJKnoLYveZy7E4RE

My commute is schizophrenic either I take the shortest route, which is 27 miles of stop and go on an interstate under construction which takes usually an hour, or it's 24 miles of back roads then a 20 mile blast up the HOV lanes at 80 MPH, which also takes about an hour.

I currently ride a 1200 Sportster, which while I like it is not the ideal commuter bike. Air Cooled bike in stop and go traffic is not ideal, I also just have some soft saddle bags for it that really don't hold the stuff I need. Also with all the construction and pot holes even the upgrades suspension I've put on it is barely up to the task.

I think my ideal commuting bike would be a Versys 650. Enough power for the 80+ mph sprints, good gas mileage, good handling, decent suspension travel, and with some aftermarket luggage would hold plenty of stuff.

Since it's reckless driving and a criminal charge for lane splitting the extra width of the Versys doesn't bother me. If/when Kawasaki makes the Versys on the Ninja 400 engine I would say that would be about perfect.

I wish we could get the Yamaha Tracer 700 in the US, a sport touring variant of the mt-07 fz-07.

It depends on the commute. I'm happy with my prejen. The newer Ninja 250, 300, or 400, the r3 would be nicer.
The Duke could be good if I wanted an excuse for not getting to work on time.:p, otherwise I'd prefer a new cb300r or the z400. The sv650 would be lovely, as would a Ninja 650, z650, or mt07. I'm not a big fan of the dual sport or adventure bikes, but many are great for better seeing and being seen over traffic, hard luggage, and either going on adventures , dreaming of going on adventures, or wanting to look adventurous, like most SUV owners. On the other end of the image conscious, those with deep self confidence may prefer the storage, weather protection, and splash and road grime protection offered by maxi scooters like the Burgmans or Silverwing. A supermoto could be the best for quickly cutting through congested traffic. Do you want to get out of trouble by swerving (smaller, lighter bike) or accelerating (midsize bike)? Many find that the NC750x to be a practical choice offering a nice combination of storage, fuel efficiency, reliability, low running costs, and torque without being as dull as most cars or scooters.

I'm content with my 2005 Ninja 250r but would prefer a z400 with hard side bags and a removable windscreen. If I wanted power that is hardly ever need, maybe fz07, svx650 or Ninja 650. If I had a really long commute I'd prefer a Tracer 700 or 900, or used Concours, Honda ST, or FJR. If I had to wear a suit, I'd go with a Burgman or Silverwing, maybe a NC700x if I wanted to sit higher to see and be seen. If someone rode aggressively in congested traffic but without bike trouble as an excuse for getting to work late, they might like a DR-Z400sm, wr250x, or crf450l.

Whatever the bike, I'm a big fan of high visibility helmets and gear for commuting in traffic.