Zillans' rides: Ride to Work Day 2018 at RevZilla

Jun 19, 2018

Ride to Work Day at RevZilla is a little redundant. It’s just what people do here.

That’s not to say RTWD isn’t special, it’s just that the day can go overlooked when motorcycles are the norm. But RTWD is supposed to celebrate the riding community and moto-commuting, so here’s a look at real-world motorcycles that our fellow Zillans rode to the office yesterday. Common Tread will always cover brand-new motorcycle releases, but let’s take a moment to show some love to the real, everyday riders who represent our sport to the public. And much like their riders, each bike has a personality all of its own. Enjoy this look at what we actually ride, and come visit sometime!

Harley-Davidson motorcycle — "After a pretty bad moto wreck, I picked up some leather working skills, and shortly after picked up my 1994 FXDL Dyna Low Rider," said John Strader. "I've rebuilt most parts on the bike, from transmission to cams and head work, and also added those learned skills into the mix, customizing leather for my American machine." RevZilla photo.

Allison's Vespa eyes a green colleague. "It's a 1964 Vespa VBB 150. I built it myself around an engine I bought in one place and a frame I bought somewhere else. It won the Best Vespa award last year at the East Coast Classic Scooter show. Those tires are because I like to ride that bike everywhere I shouldn't ride it, including in the dirt at the Pine Barrens in New Jersey." RevZilla photo.

BMW GS motorcycle — "Brand new this past weekend, got it just in time." Patrick's BMW R 1200 GS is just beginning its journey with a ride to work. RevZilla photo.

The Triumph Street Triple is a popular option among Zillans. RevZilla photo.

"Kinda dirty, kinda tired, always up for a ride." Colin's 1994 XL883 Sportster wears some rad paint. And a 1200 kit. RevZilla photo.

"Definitely one of the louder exhausts I have had on a bike, but a blip of this throttle on the highway helps ward off Philadelphians checking Facebook while merging into my lane," says Pat of his Werkes-equipped 2016 Triumph Street Triple Rx. RevZilla photo.

Vespa 300 GTS — Ryan's Vespa GTS Super 300 is the perfect urban commuter. Sharp eyes will notice the Akrapovic pipe, which may not add much top end, but saves weight and sounds sweet. RevZilla photo.

A 25th Anniversary Honda Interceptor in the wild. RevZilla photo.

Roger's 1972 Honda CL350 still has plenty of life left in it. "I love how light this bike is! Great for squeezing past double parked cars and dodging massive Philly potholes. It has been an excellent machine to learn how to wrench on. The vintage charm is icing on the cake!" RevZilla photo.

Yamaha XSR900 — Dan's bike is a 2016 XSR900. "I like the aesthetic of the bike, so I'm not changing it up too much, but so far I've added a Puig Vision windscreen, Graves Dash Relocation Kit, and a SW-MOTECH Quick-Lock ION tank bag with bike-specific tank ring. I also have a Pit Bull 6 mm spool kit and Shogun frame sliders on order for some protection without altering the look too much. I might get some classic-looking saddlebags for it, but we'll see how it looks with just these parts and go from there." RevZilla photo.

BMW GS — Titanium pipes earning some stripes while commuting. RevZilla photo.

Spurgeon's KTM seems to need more tools than the other bikes in the parking lot. RevZilla photo.

Ross, on his 2011 Harley-Davidson Super Glide: "I bought this after six months working at a dealership and have loved it. The seat has been an atypical option for this style of build, and it's pretty special for me. It lets me ride for hours on end and gives more comfort for my girlfriend when she wants to come out. I put Custom Dynamics turn signals and headlight up front to give me more visibility and that has been crucial to the functionality of the bike. It's a comfortable yet sporty ride and it does everything I've ever asked it to do." RevZilla photo.

Supermoto-conversion WR250R — George's 2013 Yamaha WR250R sports 1991 Suzuki Bandit GSF400 wheels, mounted using adapters he designed and CNCed at a NextFab makerspace. RevZilla photo.

Common Tread Editor Lance Oliver has the longest commute, at just under 500 miles, but he only comes in the office about once every two months. His old workhorse Kawasaki Versys rolled over 84,000 miles on the latest trip here. RevZilla photo.

This is really just a sampling of the pop-up motorcycle show that appears in our parking lot every morning, but hopefully you get a taste for the sheer variety of our machines and styles. That diversity helps RTWD build solidarity and awareness for our sport. Riding to work every other day? That's just more fun.