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First Motorbike
BillieTheBot
Posts: 8,721 Bot
Basically, when I have enough money I'm hoping to get myself my first motorbike and have a few questions about it:
I am 17 and was wondering that is the biggest engine size I can go for? (I'm sure I read it was somewhere between 75 & 125cc)
Apart from the bike and safety gear, what else would I need? (I'm also talking about CBT, tax, insurance, etc)
I am 17 and was wondering that is the biggest engine size I can go for? (I'm sure I read it was somewhere between 75 & 125cc)
Apart from the bike and safety gear, what else would I need? (I'm also talking about CBT, tax, insurance, etc)
Beep boop. I'm a bot.
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And get a proper bike, not one of those shitty little chicken chasers (scooters).
Cheers. Those scooters are crap. All the Year 11s ride them...
Heaps of information on there
Thank you very much for that link!
I've naff all experience with small bikes - I spent 30 minutes riding a Honda CG125 around the car-park at my training centre, before being moved up to a Kawasaki ER-5.
The CG125(and likely any small bike) was difficult to ride, at least for an old git like me. There isn't all that much power(lack of torque is the biggest issue IMO), and the clutch is pretty difficult to master. But it's light-weight, and easy to handle, and the clutch would become second-nature after a few miles. They're supposed to be very economical and pretty tough little motors.
The Kawasaki was in a different league entirely. It was far more comfortable(but I'm nudging six-two...), and everything had a more solid and chunky feel to it. The bike was heavier - but I found this to be a significant advantage. On a really light bike, the rider shifts much of the mass toward the top, making it very difficult to balance. A heavier bike makes a huge difference - you don't feel as if you're going to flip each time you move the bars
The Kwak had loads of mid-range grunt, and would have given my 260bhp Impreza a good run for its money to 100mph. It felt far more comfortable and relaxed than the 125 ever could.
But, because you're a young lass, this is pretty much meaningless to you. I guess what I'm trying to say is that after passing your test, find a cheap but comfortable and reliable runaround - it'll never be particularly quick, and you'll always feel somewhat intimidated when parked-up next to a bigger bike. I wouldn't get into the whole faired mini race-rep nonsense - you'll probably drop it at some point, and replacement fairings cost a bloody fortune.
Look forward to being able to ride something bigger - 400s are generally considered to be a huge amount of fun. Light and nimble, but with a high-revving 400cc 60bhp motor in the middle. Plus, they tend to be a good fit to those with the 'feminine' build
I'm tired, and probably rather scatty. My main point is to just enjoy the 125 for what it is - an introduction to motorcycling. Don't expect to look like Rossi, or go like him - just enjoy it! Relish in the knowledge that you'll be getting the thick end of 100mpg, and that it'll bring you great experience in the use of the road and the whole sensation of going out on two-wheels. I'd never go back again. Earn some no-claims, enjoy the experience, and look-forward to taking whatever test you need in a few years to taste the world of what big-bikes are all about - even my 15 year-old will crack 100mph in less than 10 seconds, when the mood takes the riders fancy
Best fun you can have on a bike.
You don't know what you're missing.
Just rub it in why don't you! At what age would I be able to ride what you refer to as what grown ups' can ride?
Nice bike
Yes it is.
Not too sure I want to look like him anyway!:p
http://www.lightningpass.com/jkcm/default.asp?pg=20&lang=1
A1 Light Motorcycle - up 125cc.
A2 Restricted Licence - Any bike, though it must be restricted to 33bhp or less. After 2 years, you are allowed to ride any motorcycle, unrestricted.
DAS - for 21s and over. Take the test and hop on anything you can afford/insure/etc.
So, it looks like you're stuck with under 33bhp until you're 19. Many people who pass their test remove the restrictor kit after getting insurance on the bike - not legal, and not something I can advise.
I learnt with these guys. I think it cost me, in rough terms, £100 for my CBT, then the cost of the theory, and £450 for my DAS. The lower-powered(33bhp) DAS was around £100 less - I never looked into the basic tests, but I guess they'd be a bit cheaper again.
http://www.fs1e.co.uk/For%20Web%20Site/Thumb18.jpg
Then I had an RD125 which was very almost the end of me.
http://www.bodo-schoenhuette.de/motorrad/yamaha%20rd125.jpg.jpg
Looks awful, but I guess that because it was your first bike you couldn't expect anything that good...
I quite like that bike.
Fizzy's were quality and were quite quick for a 50, but you're right in that it looked like dogshit.
I have a cg125 - I highsided it, snapped all sorts of it, looked really broken. Picked it up and the engine was still running! Tough little tanks, but having ridden a GS500, the skinny tyres do make them less stable, particularly in less than ideal conditions (i.e. when I came off
Best thing to do is book yourself in with a CBT - pick up a helmet (can recommend Sharks) and some gloves (hein gericke!) first so you know they fit, and then ask the instructors what they think. Most bikers you'll find are eager to give info to newcomers, unless they're up their own arse boy-racers. The other day this old man with a big beard was riding with a open faced helmet on a cruiser, whilst smoking a cigarrette! (not sure whether it was lit or not, how can it be lit at 40?) Looked well 'ard, still nodded at me on my 125 though
I would recommend the honda CG125 - it won't depreciate much and you're going to be wanting to move to something bigger in a few months anyway. It's pretty much the benchmark learner bike, and there's nothing really to go wrong. If you feel like looking the biz, then get something like an NSR125 - be warned though, plastic fantastic fairing is expensive to replace when you drop it at the lights
I've dropped my CG about a dozen times
I'll nod at pretty much any biker - even the pigs!
I said that and got called stupis and naive:rolleyes:
I somewhat agree with them - two of my mates died on bikes and I very nearly died myself. I won't ride on the road again, that's for sure.
Unfortunately there's a large number of cars out there driven by idiots, which makes it a dangerous place to be riding a bike.
I tried saying a similar thing and all I got was sh!t off everyone,:rolleyes: with the exception of one person who also rides a bike...