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NSC Motorcyclists...



JBizzleBeard

Well-known member
Jan 23, 2007
3,797
Brighton
I'm looking to get myself a motorbike in the near future and I was wondering what recommendations anyone could give me for a decent, not too expensive and good sized bike for a new rider. I was hoping to go with a 500cc. Any help would be much appreciated. Thanks :)
 


00snook

Active member
Aug 20, 2007
2,357
Southsea
Have you passed your big bikes test mate?

If you have my first bike after that was a Bandit 600, which was perfect. Or you could go with a Fazer (bit more wind protection) or an SV650 (cracking V-Twin engine)

Let me know what you are going to use the bike for and I can make some better recommendations - eg Commuting, Touring, just for fun etc.
 


JBizzleBeard

Well-known member
Jan 23, 2007
3,797
Brighton
Hey man, basically I'm starting out from scratch. I did the whole 50cc scooter thing years ago when I was 16 (34 now) but always wanted to get a proper bike. I then had a family of my own so needless to say my bike dream ended. That same dream has recently re emerged and I am so eager to see it through this time. I don't want to rush it, I want to gain as much knowledge as possible before committing to anything. I know it's going to take time and money and some intense training but I'm well up for all that.
Maybe being so inexperienced I should start from the bottom with a 125 and work my way up? :(
It will be used for short commuting journeys in particular. Hope that's enough info for now? Cheers 00Snook! (I seem to remember your bike broke down at the Amex last season I think?)
 




Rowdey

Well-known member
Jul 7, 2003
2,529
Herne Hill
Well you can still do the fast track 5 day course i think, and that will let you go above 125, and that has to be recommended - i shudder to think back to a time when my little RG125 couldn't get me out of an idiots way with a twist of the throttle; a 500/600 will let you do that.

As above, Hornet, Bandit, or Fazer will serve you well.

On a motorcycle tip, i have a great YZF1000R for sale.. :down:
 

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JBizzleBeard

Well-known member
Jan 23, 2007
3,797
Brighton
I was just saying that about 125's etc with regards to getting out of an idiots way funnily enough. So maybe I will stick to my original plan of a 500. The Yamaha you're selling is beautiful! It makes my heart race just looking at that beast.
 


Uncle C

Well-known member
Jul 6, 2004
11,678
Bishops Stortford
This is my current bike. Its a BMW G650GS. Not too expensive to buy, very economical (75-80mpg), easy to get both feet flat on the road, pulls well, handles beautifully, and ideally suited to both town and country rides.

DSCF0280.JPG
 


00snook

Active member
Aug 20, 2007
2,357
Southsea
It didn't break down mate, it was reversed into by a bloody coach! Bollock only knows what it was doing reversing in the first place. Luckilly the stewards were on hand, saw it all and their insurance coughed up to get it fixed so all good.


As for your foray into motorcycling, welcome to the gang mate. You will never look back once you get onto two wheels. I commute from Portsmouth all over the place on mine (Chiswick, Oxford, Central London, The Amex :clap2: ) and there is no greater feeling than approaching the back of a traffic jam knowing that you can filter through and be out of it in minutes, rather than hours that the car drivers get stuck for.

I would definitely NOT recommend going for a 125 and working your way up. As soon as you pass and ride a 125 you will want something quicker and a bit more stable straight away. If you take a direct access course, you can jump straight onto any bike. A few years ago I did a 3 day direct access course. 2 days of lessons and then the test on your final day. You can do longer courses if you like, but I already knew how to ride a bike just needed to pass my test so 3 days was plenty. If you can drive a car then you already have the road sense, so just need to get comfortable on the bike. 3-4 days direct access should be fine. You will need to do a Motorcycle theory test before this, so make sure to get that booked and passed ASAP.

Find a decent riding school, and then get the direct access booked. Some of them offer guaranteed pass schemes, so if you are not to confident go for one of those. Once you have passed then it is time to choose your bike.

For short commutes you probably want a 600 I would say. Plenty of power, but not too much that you can get into trouble. Assuming you don't have much motorway in your commute then you would be OK with a naked bike (no fairing) or a half faired job (like a Fazer or SV650 as I have mentioned). If I were you I would go with a naked bike for my first one though. Much less to get scratched if you come off (which you may well do in your first year or so) and they are fun to ride too. A cheap and decent option would be a Bandit, or maybe a Ducati Monster if you want something a bit less common.

Best advice I can give is to go for something not too costly for your first bike. You will probably drop it a couple of times at slow speed, as lots of people who first pass do this. Definitely get some crash bungs fitted at this will save the frame from getting damaged (it saved my bike when it got reversed into by the coach). Again the Bandit is a good option as there are tonnes of them knocking about, spares are dirt cheap, you can get some wicked sounding exhausts for them (if that is your sort of thing) and they are easy to ride.

Last thing to consider is safety gear. Make sure to buy a decent helmet (you cant go wrong with an Arai or a Shoei) and good trousers, jacket, boots and gloves. You can go for textile or leather, just make sure they are comfortable for your commute. If you are going to ride all year round go for some waterproof textile gear with removable thermal lining, as you can use this in the summer too. This summer I have been using my winter gear right through due to the rubbish weather. The safety gear will save your life if you crash, so spend as much money as you can afford. There are countless stories of people coming off without the proper gear and getting hurt. There are also countless of people having massive crashes with the proper gear and walking away unharmed.

To give you an idea of cost when I first got started, I have listed out what I spent below.

Theory Test - £40 (I think)
Direct Access course including test - £380
Suzuki Bandit 600 (T reg - unfaired model) - £1000
Helmet - £300
Leathers and boots - £300
Gloves - £100


Also don't be put of buy all the talk of crashing. I have ridden for years and never had a crash. Its all about riding within your limits, having good "bike eyes" so you can predict what the other road using idiots are going to do, and remembering that as soon as you get on your motorbike you become invisible to all other road uses, so to ride defensively!

Sorry if this is a monster reply, but I am excited to welcome another brother onto 2 wheels. You will never look back. Motorbiking is amazing, and most importantly you look cool and girls love it!

Any questions just shout.

James
 






00snook

Active member
Aug 20, 2007
2,357
Southsea
Well you can still do the fast track 5 day course i think, and that will let you go above 125, and that has to be recommended - i shudder to think back to a time when my little RG125 couldn't get me out of an idiots way with a twist of the throttle; a 500/600 will let you do that.

As above, Hornet, Bandit, or Fazer will serve you well.

On a motorcycle tip, i have a great YZF1000R for sale.. :down:

How much do your want for the YZF Rowdey?

PM me if you like mate.

Have always love the look of those.

I ride a VFR800 at the mo which I love but thinking might get something a bit bigger for my very long motorway commutes.
 






jfs

Member
Jul 6, 2003
121
Brighton
I think the Hornet, Bandit, Fazer suggestions are good ones for a first proper bike. If you like a little more style, then a Ducati Monster is worth considering.
 


Twinkle Toes

Growing old disgracefully
Apr 4, 2008
11,138
Hoveside
Some sound advice from Snooky & the YZF Kid there, Trojan. I'd personally go with a Bandit - as they're easy to work on; bullet-proof; & there's loads of used ones to choose from to suit a variety of budgets. :thumbsup:

Btw, is there actually any advantage to you buying a 500 rather than having an extra hundred cubes?
 


somerset

New member
Jul 14, 2003
6,600
Yatton, North Somerset
Bandit 600 is perfect for the novice who has just passed. Cheap to buy and run, easy to handle.

I ride a Ducati Monster 1100..... this is a beast not to be trifled with unless like me you have 30 years under your belt.
 




JBizzleBeard

Well-known member
Jan 23, 2007
3,797
Brighton
It didn't break down mate, it was reversed into by a bloody coach! Bollock only knows what it was doing reversing in the first place. Luckilly the stewards were on hand, saw it all and their insurance coughed up to get it fixed so all good.


As for your foray into motorcycling, welcome to the gang mate. You will never look back once you get onto two wheels. I commute from Portsmouth all over the place on mine (Chiswick, Oxford, Central London, The Amex :clap2: ) and there is no greater feeling than approaching the back of a traffic jam knowing that you can filter through and be out of it in minutes, rather than hours that the car drivers get stuck for.

I would definitely NOT recommend going for a 125 and working your way up. As soon as you pass and ride a 125 you will want something quicker and a bit more stable straight away. If you take a direct access course, you can jump straight onto any bike. A few years ago I did a 3 day direct access course. 2 days of lessons and then the test on your final day. You can do longer courses if you like, but I already knew how to ride a bike just needed to pass my test so 3 days was plenty. If you can drive a car then you already have the road sense, so just need to get comfortable on the bike. 3-4 days direct access should be fine. You will need to do a Motorcycle theory test before this, so make sure to get that booked and passed ASAP.

Find a decent riding school, and then get the direct access booked. Some of them offer guaranteed pass schemes, so if you are not to confident go for one of those. Once you have passed then it is time to choose your bike.

For short commutes you probably want a 600 I would say. Plenty of power, but not too much that you can get into trouble. Assuming you don't have much motorway in your commute then you would be OK with a naked bike (no fairing) or a half faired job (like a Fazer or SV650 as I have mentioned). If I were you I would go with a naked bike for my first one though. Much less to get scratched if you come off (which you may well do in your first year or so) and they are fun to ride too. A cheap and decent option would be a Bandit, or maybe a Ducati Monster if you want something a bit less common.

Best advice I can give is to go for something not too costly for your first bike. You will probably drop it a couple of times at slow speed, as lots of people who first pass do this. Definitely get some crash bungs fitted at this will save the frame from getting damaged (it saved my bike when it got reversed into by the coach). Again the Bandit is a good option as there are tonnes of them knocking about, spares are dirt cheap, you can get some wicked sounding exhausts for them (if that is your sort of thing) and they are easy to ride.

Last thing to consider is safety gear. Make sure to buy a decent helmet (you cant go wrong with an Arai or a Shoei) and good trousers, jacket, boots and gloves. You can go for textile or leather, just make sure they are comfortable for your commute. If you are going to ride all year round go for some waterproof textile gear with removable thermal lining, as you can use this in the summer too. This summer I have been using my winter gear right through due to the rubbish weather. The safety gear will save your life if you crash, so spend as much money as you can afford. There are countless stories of people coming off without the proper gear and getting hurt. There are also countless of people having massive crashes with the proper gear and walking away unharmed.

To give you an idea of cost when I first got started, I have listed out what I spent below.

Theory Test - £40 (I think)
Direct Access course including test - £380
Suzuki Bandit 600 (T reg - unfaired model) - £1000
Helmet - £300
Leathers and boots - £300
Gloves - £100


Also don't be put of buy all the talk of crashing. I have ridden for years and never had a crash. Its all about riding within your limits, having good "bike eyes" so you can predict what the other road using idiots are going to do, and remembering that as soon as you get on your motorbike you become invisible to all other road uses, so to ride defensively!

Sorry if this is a monster reply, but I am excited to welcome another brother onto 2 wheels. You will never look back. Motorbiking is amazing, and most importantly you look cool and girls love it!

Any questions just shout.

James

Amazing reply man! Thank you so much. This has been and will be a great help!
 


somerset

New member
Jul 14, 2003
6,600
Yatton, North Somerset
a Ducati Monster is worth considering.

Madness for a novice...... and very expensive, running costs are way higher than Japan bikes.... I speak from experience , they are so torque-y that tyres are every 3000 at 300 a pop, services are 400 ish..... its two cylinders of power that a novice would quickly kill himself on..... I have had mine over two years, I haven't tamed it yet.
 
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JBizzleBeard

Well-known member
Jan 23, 2007
3,797
Brighton
The Bandit 600 looks the ticket! That's what I'm talking about. My friend is due to sell his Kawasaki Z750 2006 which I really like although seems a bit expensive when I look for them online, not sure how much he is selling it for yet.
 






JBizzleBeard

Well-known member
Jan 23, 2007
3,797
Brighton
Some sound advice from Snooky & the YZF Kid there, Trojan. I'd personally go with a Bandit - as they're easy to work on; bullet-proof; & there's loads of used ones to choose from to suit a variety of budgets. :thumbsup:

Btw, is there actually any advantage to you buying a 500 rather than having an extra hundred cubes?

Not at all TT, just the words of a noob ;)
 


00snook

Active member
Aug 20, 2007
2,357
Southsea
The Bandit 600 looks the ticket! That's what I'm talking about. My friend is due to sell his Kawasaki Z750 2006 which I really like although seems a bit expensive when I look for them online, not sure how much he is selling it for yet.

I had a Z750 as a hire bike and really didn't like it. You really had to wring its neck to get any power out of it.

If I was to go between the two would definitely recommend a Bandit.

That being said if you know the Z750 has been looked after could be a good bet. If you do get one definitely fit an after market exhaust as the standard one on the Z sounds absolutely rubbish
 



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