Any Motorbikers out there in the South East?

[gbjeppm]

OK, i may get some heat from some on the dangers of motorcycles, but i can take it.

I guess it must be the mid life crisis, but at the age of 47, i feel the need to be on two wheels.

I messed about on bikes a bit when i was a teenager, on L plates, managed to be sensible and not kill myself.

Last year I did CBT, just completed theory, and DAS booked for the beginning of April.

Anyway any keen bikers out there in Surrey.

I am putting around on a Yamaha YBR125 at the moment, but that will change when/if I pass my test.

Any recommendations for a first bike? If money was no object the new Yamaha Tracer 700 looks great, but i may have to go older.

 

[Ted]

What sort of style are you looking at? Cruiser, tourer, sports etc?
Or are you just looking for a bike just to ride around on?

 

[gbjeppm]

What sort of style are you looking at? Cruiser, tourer, sports etc?
Or are you just looking for a bike just to ride around on?

Sport Tourer is preference. Fairly upright seating position.

Fazer, Diversion, Versys, Vstrom, Hornet, Bandit are all in the mix. All around the 600 to 700cc mark.

Budget is 3k max.

 

[stewslash]

how's about a er6f they look quite sporty but still have a relatively upright riding position , a good first bike

 

[Fatneck73]

All of the above are great. I've a Tracer 850....nice bike.

 

[Ted]

As has been said all of those are pretty good.
Bandit is good, and great value.
Daughter had a hornet - a real hooligans bike and lots of fun.

 

[Hawkwind]

Welcome to the world of two wheels and freedom

Like you I came late to the party. I took my DAS ten years ago at the tender age of 47. I think having 27 years car experience was a great help with road awareness at the time, probably would have killed myself at 17

Sounds like you have more experience than I had at the time.

As for bikes, the older CBR600's are cheap, great bikes and reliable. Bandits are good starters as well, but the build quality isn't as good as the Honda.

I wouldn't spend too much, it's bound to get dropped at least once, even if like me, it's when you're stationary

Enjoy the summer riding and keep it rubber side down

 

[thedruid]

My advice would be to visit as many of your local bike shops and ask for a ride on as many as you can. This will give you the information you need to decide what to buy.
I have got two bikes from opposite ends of the biking spectrum and enjoy them both equally depending on what sort of riding I am doing.
happy hunting.

 

[SL300-24]

It depends on a few things....What style do you like? What are you using it for? Does it fit you? Bikes are very subjective however no real poor bikes out there it's all down to personal choice.
For a first big bike I would recommend a Yamaha MT 07 but think you might need a little more ££ to buy one but under £4k (I have not checked prices)

 

[andy27168]

Hi,
In your position go for the Bandit or Hornet 600, or if you want a bike that's a bit lighter and easier to handle go for a V Twin such as the Suzuki SV600 or 650 excellent bike and are, or at least were an excellent buy new or second hand.

 

[190]

I'm 62 and still riding. I love the contrast between driving a car and riding a bike. I would get bored with only one or the other. Riding a bike is so different, the best way I can describe it, is it's like dancing and I'm addicted.

I've been riding for 45 years and if you don't count trials riding, I've never dropped it once of my own accord, at least not when the bike was moving.

Sad to have to say it here but myopic car drivers will be your enemy and some will inadvertently try to kill you. They say you should ride as if you are invisible, meaning assume every car will pull out of a side street in front of you or right turn across your path and some of them certainly will. You do develop a 6th sense of what other road users are going to do but for me making yourself conspicuous is everything. Left to my own devices I'd wear black leather but when I changed to a full Hi vis jacket the occurrences of near misses that would have been "sorry I didn't see you" have dropped to near zero instead of one every couple of weeks. Watch for diesel on the road when it's wet. Coming home from work this week the whole lane was covered in it for 50 yards.

You don't need high speed to enjoy a bike. I did the fast stuff in my early 20's with a Z900 and feel no great need to repeat it. You can have just as much fun on slow bends and it's much safer. The prime quality a bike needs is that it handles well and that usually means it should not be too heavy. I've ridden the bike to work every day on the same route for 10 year and I still enjoy the challenge of finding a perfect line through every bend. Long may it continue.

 

[jonny705]

I can concur what 190 said , the best way I was taught was to assume everyone is out to knock you off!
Not to be paranoid , but if you have a right of way and a car is pulling out , assume it is /might pull out and be aware - green lights at crossroads? check and don't assume no-body will jump the lights.

I had a bad crash due to a pothole and tank-slapper, the roads are so bad now, even the motorways' have potholes and you don't expect that.
I always wanted a GSXR750, as used to have a FZR1000.

I looked at the positives - basically great handing very fast bike, which will always exceed my capabilities, but then looked at Negatives:
Expensive to run in decent tyres, MPG, etc.
If you're doing a lot of commuting / traffic just annoying to ride as low and just not met for it.
But more importantly , there is so many speed cameras where I used to go for a rip, I would lose my licence quickly, methinks

A Bandit 600 would be a cheap light reliable bike, millions about at every price range.
It's easy to ride and gives you nice commanding view when mooching through traffic, and no back/ wrist ache of a superbike style.
If you spend 3k upwards you would get a decent model that's been looked after.

I ended up buying a Suzuki SM400! it only does about 100 flat out so very different from what I was thinking of.
But it's really good handling , if you hit potholes, speed humps it floats over them. Really high up so you see over all the cars, quick enough to get away from most cars from lights even if you ultimately have to move aside.
Has really sticky tires so zooms round corners, and TBH corners are where the fun is, not straights!

The initial speed buzz, of a superbike quickly becomes boring on just straights, not different to a car, it's all about the reading the corners, and going round smooth that's the real fun and a much lacked skill.

I have always loved bikes as at one end, you can have a 50cc moped to commute through traffic at virtually no cost and quicker than anything stuck in traffic.
Off road bikes, that will take you anyware you dare to go, only limited to your own capabilities
Or you can spend 5k and get a superbike that will do 180+, and amazing quarter mile times, and beat cars that you would need a lottery win for!

It's all about confidence on a bike ,and the only way to do that is ride , start out in the dry for the first times, and try and learn your bikes handling characteristics'.

Brake hard in a straight - how much does it dive and upset the balance?
Try coming off /on the power in a nice swooping bend to work out what the bike wants to do.

In the wet you have to be Smoooth if you brake to hard you will be off, accelerate hard and you will lose back end , it's all about gentle use of the brakes /throttle,

You also have to be committed in a bend , lost confidence and come off the throttle(normal reaction) , and the bike will sit up and run wide , if you apply more throttle it will squat and turn tighter.

No different to driving anything quick, but on a bike you won't get away with many mistakes like you can in a car, and those mistakes hurt normally!
Also you have to scan way ahead and look for potholes, drain covers, over banding, horse manure!

The way the advanced driving course's make you call out EVERY potential hazard before you arrive at it means nothing will take you by surprise , that is the ideal mentality to keep you safe on a bike.

After a while it does come naturally, and I am sure you do develop a sixth sense for people opening car doors, pulling out - you sort of guess they are going to do it before it happens

Bikes either get in your blood and never leaves you ,or you just won't feel safe or like them.
For me its freedom , you see scenery loads better, and the fact that you have to always be 'switched on' when riding makes me feel more alive if that makes sense

 

[Ted]

I couldn't have put it any better, Mr Pirsig.

 

[gbjeppm]

For a first big bike I would recommend a Yamaha MT 07 but think you might need a little more ££ to buy one but under £4k (I have not checked prices)

The MT07 is a great bike, and I will be training on one, and taking my test on one, but at the moment the prices are too strong.

Thanks to all of the others who have taken time and effort to respond and encourage, lots of great advice, having now done a few miles on my YBR125, i absolutely get the ride like you are invisible thing.

The amount of people who drive around texting, talking on the phone and generally not paying attention beggars belief.

This might be controversial, but I think CBT should actually be a prerequisite to getting a car license too, it gives a totally different perspective to the vulnerability of those on bikes.

 

[Alfie]

OK, i may get some heat from some on the dangers of motorcycles, but i can take it.

I guess it must be the mid life crisis, but at the age of 47, i feel the need to be on two wheels.

I messed about on bikes a bit when i was a teenager, on L plates, managed to be sensible and not kill myself.

Last year I did CBT, just completed theory, and DAS booked for the beginning of April.

Anyway any keen bikers out there in Surrey.

I am putting around on a Yamaha YBR125 at the moment, but that will change when/if I pass my test.

Any recommendations for a first bike? If money was no object the new Yamaha Tracer 700 looks great, but i may have to go older.

I have a few bikes (in Surrey too) at present and will be getting more in the summer.

My advice would be to get nothing more than about 600cc as your next bike as the jump up from a 125 will be huge in terms of weight and power. Stick to Yamaha, Kawasaki or Honda (especially) for decent build quality.

Just imagine everyone on the road is trying to kill you and you'll be safe!

 

[2ono]

Get yourself a V4 Tuono

 

[gbjeppm]

Get yourself a V4 Tuono

Hahaha, just read up on that, looks like a fun bike. not quite what i have in mind for a first big bike though.

 

[KennyN]

FWIW , It is easy to get caught up in the whole Moto GP or TT thing but try and stay away from the full-on race reps (R6 , ZX6 , Ducati 748) as they look fantastic and go like stink but seriously uncomfortable if you are anything more than a 5` 8" bendy person.

One of mine is a ZX12R which is a big bike but with the heed doon ar*s up riding position it is not made for comfort , well not for me anyway.

Some of the older wee retro`s are a good first step from the 125`s , a nice ZRX400 , XJR400 , CB400. They have bottomed out price wise so you will not loose money when you take the next step up , which you will.

Kenny

 

[malluboy77]

I have only got back on the bike recently (6 months) at the age of 37. Having moved to London was another motive. I have a Yam XJ6 Divvy which I am absolutely happy with though the tinny sound annoys me a little bit. I would strongly recommend getting something with ABS. It has come in to help much more frequently than I thoguht.

 

[motodrb]

Test ride KTM 690 Duke, if its just for fun you may like it. Not very fast but exciting ride and in your price range (2008-11, possibly 12-14).