Which Bike?

[Statham]

Hi all

I'm a newbie on here and a newbie to biking...went to a Superbike school earlier in the year, got the bug, and am now hooked (also happens to go well with my mid-life crisis!!)

I took my CBT in April and got the new Yamaha YZF125R on May...I've done about 1,000 miles of riding now so am pretty confident in most aspects (although I still learn something new pretty much every time I go out...as I suspect I will for a long time to come). I can even do U-Turns with some ease...which i'm pleased with given it's on a Sports Bike.

I'm doing a 3 day Direct Access course in August and then will get my first 'Proper' bike. I have been told by my local dealer that I should avoid a 1ltr bike as a first bike (I wanted an R1) and that a 600 will be a much safer bet whilst giving me something that I won't get bored with.

I fancied the R6 but the guy at the dealership reckons it's a bit wild and not that much fun to ride on the road...I don't like the Triumph...I don't like the look of the Kawa...so that leaves the GSXR or the CBR...

I'm looking at an '07 or '08 model...does anyone have any views on which is better for a new rider? It's purely for fun summer use, not as a commuter etc.

Thanks all...

P.S. It took me 5 attempts to pass my car test 16yrs ago so you can take your time answering this...I probably won't need the answer for some time!!! lol

[dillion]

listen to the dealer, forget the 1000cc bikes, you will never have the chance to use the bike to anywhere near its full potential on the road, stick with the 600cc, 1000cc bikes are great though for lazy ridders who dont like having to change down a gear

[Spree]

Welcome to the biker forum Statham. Most modern sports 600's are very fast and maybe not the choice for a first bike. Think long and hard about what you want the bike for, try a few for size and make a decision.

Personally I wouldn't spend so much on my first big bike just in case I dropped it - very expensive

[thunderlad]

A few friends started off with new sports bikes, most now are written off, far too powerfull to have as a first bike, you would be better off getting something that is practical, but can also give you fun and the time to get experience.
One girl-friend, passed her test, a week later had the gixxer 750(brand new) and rolled it, she admitted too much power

Wilko

[jonnywombat]

Originally Posted by Spree

Welcome to the biker forum Statham. Most modern sports 600's are very fast and maybe not the choice for a first bike. Think long and hard about what you want the bike for, try a few for size and make a decision.

Personally I wouldn't spend so much on my first big bike just in case I dropped it - very expensive

Whilst I know it's not a popular point of view, I agree completely with spree...

Most of us who have been riding a long time had a few of years hacking around on some nail while trying to keep up with your mates on quick stuff... A lot of ppl now skip this stage, and I think they miss out because of it.

Just my opinion tho.. it's your money

[dungeekin]

Hi Statham and welcome!

I'm just in the process of booking my test, and like you am deciding on my first 'real bike'.

After much agonising, I've actually decided to go for a 250 (the Hyosung GT250R to be precise).

Reasons:

It's reasonably cheap (£3299 OTR with 2-year main dealer warranty);

It's fast *enough* - I don't need a super-quick middleweight or something that will tear my face off, just something that can comfortably cruise at 70 (the GT250R tops out at about 110-115 and can cruise at 80-odd in comfort, according to reviews);

It's still quick enough to be fun on country roads;

It's cheap to insure, compared to the 600's;

I keep plenty of fuel economy (which was the initial reason for going back to bikes);

Oh, and finally it looks the absolute NUTS IMO - certainly better than any 600 I could afford to buy and insure!

So if things go according to plan, I'll be on one of those by Christmas.

I suppose it's horses for courses - the idea of jumping straight from my Marauder (lovely to look at, fun to ride, slower than a toddler's pedal car) onto a 600 seems to me a bit like passing my car test and buying a Ferrari. I wouldn't be able to handle the performance safely. Or perhaps I'm just getting old!

Good luck, and I hope you find the bike that's right for you.

Neil

[Boyaghan]

Hello Statham. I agree with Spree's comments. I'd get a secondhand middleweight and spend a couple of years on it. After I did my DAS I spent 3 years on a Fazer 600 before moving to litre bikes.

You'll also find when it comes to getting insurance some companies like to ask what cc your previous bike was and then quote for a litre bike accordingly.

[I hate Fiat puntos]

personally i would stick with the 600s fast enough to keep up with the bigger bikes and most of the time will out run them anyway only time they manage to pull away is on the straight depending on the skills of the rider

[dillion]

something i forgot to add, big bikes can go slow too, you control the throttle not the bike, also the biggest factor for most people is how much insurance are you going to pay?

[grotbag]

Greetings Statham and welcome to the biker forum