chipandpin Posted January 3, 2007 Report Share Posted January 3, 2007 Hope you guys can help me here - im looking to get a bike - at the moment i don't have a license but have always fancied a bike, so am considering doing something about it before the summer. Im 28 with no experience since i did my CBT about 9 years ago, and wondered a) what sort of bike to start out with, and b) costs of ownership (i.e insurance, fuel, tyres, etc) I would be looking to spend about £4k ish and dont want a chicken chaser - something with a bit of go in it would be nice. Re insurance, if i make a claim on my bike policy, would that affect my car policy as i have 6 years NCB at the moment which i dont want to risk? (I've just had a quote for a 2001 R6 of £860 for fully comp which i dont think is to bad.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SneakyMcC Posted January 3, 2007 Report Share Posted January 3, 2007 Hi chipandpin I'd start at a 600cc Supersports like the R6 as you say. I am a Honda man so I'd look there first. Obviously if you're gonna commute in town on it, then a SS might not be the best option. Some SS's are less extreme tho. With regard to tyre wear etc, the grippier stuff you put on it, the faster it'll wear. With bike tyres, it aint just tread depths. As the tyres wear out, the bikes handling goes up the pictures because of the profile changes on the tread area. If you can get of the edges of the tyres the profile change aint too bad, if you cant get right off the edges then you'll get corners in the tyre profiles. That really screws things up. Fuel is prolly 35mpg. Check that your old CBT is still usable! Get on to the IAM/ROSPA for some proppa training! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hudson Posted January 3, 2007 Report Share Posted January 3, 2007 Hi, I am taking my DAS test tomorrow !!! And have put a deposit on a Honda CBF600, I would not go for a supersports as a first bike myself as i did not like the riding position as i will be using it for commuting also. Your CBT will be out of date (2 years only). I have heard that a decent supersports bike (if you really want one) is the Honda CBF600. Hope your lessons go well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SneakyMcC Posted January 3, 2007 Report Share Posted January 3, 2007 [ QUOTE ] Your CBT will be out of date (2 years only). [/ QUOTE ] I didnt want to say this as I thought it was the case, but wasn't 100% [ QUOTE ] I have heard that a decent supersports bike (if you really want one) is the Honda CBF600. [/ QUOTE ] These used to be "good alrounders", but in recent years the look has become very extreme (more bum up head down). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dukeboy749r Posted January 3, 2007 Report Share Posted January 3, 2007 £860 on an R1 as your first bike is not bad at all! Any accident you have on abike WILL affect your car's NCD. Why not try something less extreme? A 600 Hornet or Bandit or a Yam Fazer? If you likey and progress as SneakyMcC said via some 'advanced traning' then you can always catch up with the Superbike school. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chipandpin Posted January 4, 2007 Author Report Share Posted January 4, 2007 [ QUOTE ] £860 on an R1 as your first bike is not bad at all! Any accident you have on abike WILL affect your car's NCD. Why not try something less extreme? A 600 Hornet or Bandit or a Yam Fazer? If you likey and progress as SneakyMcC said via some 'advanced traning' then you can always catch up with the Superbike school. [/ QUOTE ] I know what your saying - ive just had a look at a hornet but its not really my cup of tea. Having said that, i pressume something 5 years old for about £3k wont have much depreciation left in it, so its a cheap way of getting on two wheels for a few months and getting the feel for it! Dont know if i can resist the sports bikes tho'! First job is probably to get a license! I was thinking of doing an intensive course and most definately advanced training which im sure will benefit me as a driver aswell as a rider. (oh, and the quote was an R6 not an R1, but i still think the quote was reasonable - i reckon if i shop around i will get a fair bit off that figure. I hear Lokyers are quite good ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SneakyMcC Posted January 4, 2007 Report Share Posted January 4, 2007 Check if Yamaha/Honda etc are running a scheme. These can often offer a good rate. Beware of the pay out/repair protocols tho! I am with Footman James in Brum. www.footmanjames.co.uk Edit: Pls PM me if they giving away a fantastic referral gift! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dukeboy749r Posted January 4, 2007 Report Share Posted January 4, 2007 [ QUOTE ] Check if Yamaha/Honda etc are running a scheme. These can often offer a good rate. Beware of the pay out/repair protocols tho! I am with Footman James in Brum. www.footmanjames.co.uk Edit: Pls PM me if they giving away a fantastic referral gift! [/ QUOTE ] ebikeinsurance are pretty good. They only do like Swiftcover - i.e. over the 'net, not from call centres, I think Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SneakyMcC Posted January 4, 2007 Report Share Posted January 4, 2007 Someone on the EAMG site just said ebikeinsurance Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whisky Posted January 5, 2007 Report Share Posted January 5, 2007 R6 is a good option, funny that I'm thinking of selling a 2002/53 with 18.5K on the clock (red and black)... lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chipandpin Posted January 5, 2007 Author Report Share Posted January 5, 2007 [ QUOTE ] R6 is a good option, funny that I'm thinking of selling a 2002/53 with 18.5K on the clock (red and black)... lol [/ QUOTE ] pm sent Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chipandpin Posted January 13, 2007 Author Report Share Posted January 13, 2007 been having a look around this week and i think its going to be a CBR600F Sport. I reckon that I can get one for £3k so £500 for gear and £500 for intensive course and test and i'll be up and running - just waiting for money to come through from house and i'll be able to book the lessos - can't wait! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyE Posted January 13, 2007 Report Share Posted January 13, 2007 I passed my bike test last May, and I bought myself a Gixxer 600 K4 as a first bike for my 25th birthday. I am really pleased with the bike. I got the insurance for about £650 TPF&T with motorcycle direct. Not wishing to sound daft, but make sure you keep a grand to buy some decent clothing! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lee_ Posted January 13, 2007 Report Share Posted January 13, 2007 I would imagine at least £1000 too, when you add up gloves, leathers, boots, lid and possibly a back protector. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chipandpin Posted January 14, 2007 Author Report Share Posted January 14, 2007 a bag of sand for clothing etc!! sound a bit steep - i was thinking £100 for boots, £150 for lid £150 for jacket and £100 for pants. Was hoping for a discount if i got the lot from same place so that i get gloves for nowt. I spoke to the bloke in the shop today about a gixxer and for a first bike they had a very nice 2002 in blue and white, but he said it might be a bit un-forgiving. As i cant test drive a bike im just having to take their word for it - i personnally would love an out and out sports bike but all the feedback im getting points towards a CBR-F. Any thoughts on the bike? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rob77 Posted January 14, 2007 Report Share Posted January 14, 2007 you cant go wrong with a CBR 600 or a GSXR 600 you might find the R6 a bit to full on,if you have just past your test the CBR is a more forgiving bike if you make a mistake besides its hard to find a R6 or gixer that hasnt been thrashed on track days or crashed.I had a few warranty issues with a GSXR 750 srad many moons ago and they gave me a CBR 600F to use for a few weeks and it was a fantastic bike. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cris Posted January 16, 2007 Report Share Posted January 16, 2007 I've said it before and I'll say it again - Suzuki SV650 (faired version). Cheap as chips, sound nice, handle nicely, forgiving if you drop them and easy to flog if/when you want something faster. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whisky Posted January 16, 2007 Report Share Posted January 16, 2007 [ QUOTE ] besides its hard to find a R6 or gixer that hasnt been thrashed on track days or crashed. [/ QUOTE ] 600s, 750s and litre sports bikes are built to be thrashed on track days, if you have one of the above and don't get it on a track you're kind of missing the point of these bikes! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chipandpin Posted January 16, 2007 Author Report Share Posted January 16, 2007 just got back from local dealer looking at a ZX636 in blue (not keen on green) and bumped into none other than Carl Foggerty. Got a snap of his RS4 convertible in the car park as well (soon to be posted in the Spotted forum). Was good to see him but all the sales staff seemed completely pre-occupied - i was the only customer (other than foggy) in there and there was no-one on hand to ask about the bike! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyE Posted February 1, 2007 Report Share Posted February 1, 2007 [ QUOTE ] a bag of sand for clothing etc!! sound a bit steep - i was thinking £100 for boots, £150 for lid £150 for jacket and £100 for pants. Was hoping for a discount if i got the lot from same place so that i get gloves for nowt. I spoke to the bloke in the shop today about a gixxer and for a first bike they had a very nice 2002 in blue and white, but he said it might be a bit un-forgiving. As i cant test drive a bike im just having to take their word for it - i personnally would love an out and out sports bike but all the feedback im getting points towards a CBR-F. Any thoughts on the bike? [/ QUOTE ] A grand is not a lot to spend on a full set of clothing, a top of the range Alpine Stars suit is in excess of a grand alone!!! As for a helmet, buy the best you can afford, its the only thing that keeps you noggin safe from the floor, in the unfortunate event of an accident! Last year I bought a cheap(ish) set of leathers, an have regretted it ever since, I may just treat myself to some nice Arlen Ness ones this year, that fit properly! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whisky Posted February 5, 2007 Report Share Posted February 5, 2007 Well said AndyE, My Dianese Monza suit was a grand when new, £400 Arai etc but its good to see you can get all the clobber and on a bike for this kind of money. Biking isn't the reserve of the elite, therefore like most things there's the expensive stuff and the not so expensive stuff. Its not always the case that the more you spend the better you get, apart from lids really... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
20valver Posted February 9, 2007 Report Share Posted February 9, 2007 I will tell you what I was told when I went to get my first bike, you will probably drop the first bike so stay away from expensive plastic until you get used to riding. They were right, slipped on a weed on the drive and dropped the bike. No plastic, no damage apart from my pride. Mind you, the sports bikes are nice and shiny, I love mine! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andyccr Posted February 19, 2007 Report Share Posted February 19, 2007 Have to say that I passed my test in September and wanted an easy way into biking (Im now 30 and been driving for 13 years). I found a 55 plate Suzuki Bandit 650S at a main dealer for £3400, only 1700 miles on it and ABS. Dealer also through in the 4 clear indicators from the 2006 model and a genuine hugger. I'm keeping the bike for a year as the missus is taking her test this spring. I will then 'upgrade' to a Triumph 675 (Already had a test ride) this time next year. Use the Bandit to commute on as we have stores all around the M25 area If you are looking for a Suzuki then use their own insurance - it was the CHEAPEST by MILES ! Andy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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