Any Bikers here? n00b Questions

[NuShuttle]

Faced with a dull, short commute I am thinking of getting a motorcycle to add some spice and reduce costs. I am 32 and have had a license since I was 19. I have ridden bikes (not *scooters*) before, but not on public highways.

My current idea is to get my CBT (& Theory) and then stay on a 125 for a year or so to get some experience before taking my Direct Access test.

So 2 questions:

1. Is this a good route to take?

2. What bike should I be looking at assuming I pass....?

TIA

[Romanov]

Hi,
I did it the other way

(As quick as possible)
CBT
Theory test

and then book some private lessons just 2 or 4 hours on a 500 with a DAS instructor for a couple of weekends.

Then go and do your DAS, if you have experience of bikes then do the 3 day course if not then 5 day. You sound like you have experience so do a 3 or 4 day course.

Don't worry about gettting experience on a 125cc all you'll get experienced at is being pushed into the gutter and being overtaken by HGV's up hills. Small bikes and scooters are way to dangerous on the roads, no power and no braking, and small wheels that 'fall' into large potholes throwing the rider off.

Get your DAS so you can get a decent bike which measn safer overtaking, no slow lane gutter crawling and no mototrists looking to overtake you every 5 mins.

I was also told that riding a 125cc doesn't help much as the 500cc is very different (weight/speed balance etc) so you're best off just going for the DAS as soon as possible.

- A couple of private lessaons will help tho if u feel nervous about the DAS and will save money in the long run if u fail.

Soooo if you pass DAS then look at the new Kawasaki ER6n really good bike , good for new riders and looks amazing (not the ER6 the ER6n)

or look at Suzuki SV650s - very nice bike and not a learner type at all.

For me I bought a CBR600F and then sold it for a Yamaha R6 2004, been commuting now for a year and its ace

cheers

Rom

[Romanov]

oh and lots of people offer advice but find out what they know before taking it, ie. have they ridden a bike in the last year? have they ever commuted? etc some people frankly don't know what they are talking about

e.g I was told R6 would kill me in a month - total rubbish, I knew I was new to biking so I just took it slow and kept in control, its the rider that crashes not the bike so get what you want but just keep it careful and don't get cocky

[Grey M@a]

You do know about the new bike test laws coming in Janurary yeah? If you don't do your direct access this year you will be stuck on a 125 for 2 years then you have to progress through the tests.

From Janurary 1st, 2006 you sit your 125cc test. You have to spend two years on that then take the test for the 250cc, a year after 400cc year after 600cc year after 1000cc year after that open class. Its all there on the DVLA website, hence why I am rushing my bike test this year. Its a pain in the backside but you have the scooter riders to blame for that, cracking down on kids jumping from scooters to 1000cc monsters.

When you pass I would agree with the Kawasaki, very nice bike, look towards the 6R Ninja Actually with it being Tuesday go to the newsagents and pickup a copy of the MCN paper, it should still be last weeks copy, they are covering the new laws in there. One of the main ones is, leathers are ccompulsary from next year, you get caught riding without leathers or safety gear (not just a helmet, the full works, boots, gloves, helmet, jackets pants) you are looking at 3points and a fine, get caught twice without leathers or safety gear, wave goodbye to your license.

[Romanov]

You're kidding about the new laws right?? Is it really 2006? I heard rumours but I didnt think it would happen that quickly, I think these were proposals but I hadn't heard any more than that? Oh do you mean these are for new riders under the new scheme rather than existing full license holders? I do wear safety gear funnily enuf but I'm the only one where I park up everyone else has t shirts etc *ouch*

If the law is in 2006 get moving and get your DAS asap!

[Grey M@a]

It applies to anyone but if you have your open access already then you are fine, anyone riding on 125/150/400 i think will have to go through the motions. Get booking your open access tests now or get the test done so you can ride your 600's I am going through my lessons now, drove a car for 7 years so I though better now that never for the bike. Once I pass I will be swapping over to the bike. They said they were going to leave moost the laws till 2007 but it seems the tests are going ahead next year. There is a copper doing his test at the same place I am and he was showiing me the drafts of all the laws coming up. The MCN website has them I think.

[dangel]

Finding this very interesting, as i've been toying with the idea of learning myself - but i've always been put off by the safey aspect. I totally take onboard that a lot of it's up to you but i worry about a oily patch on the road and (of course) 'the other bloke' too..

I wouldn't ride without leathers, i've seen what happens without them!

[Grey M@a]

Thing with bikes is that they are designed to go in a straight line, only way you are gonna highside it or give yourself a tank slapper is if you keep the power down on the oily patch. Its easy enough on a bike though as you can feel the bike react to everything you do so you can catch slides early enough and just lay off the power Wished I had done the bike test instead of the car test first, bloody expensive for the lessons on a bike. Open class is about £65 for a 3 hour stint a week.

[Romanov]

Yeah the safety stuff alwasy worries you but wear the proper gear don't take risks and you'll be fine, remeber alot of people die and are badly injured in cars too, I've hit patches of oil (diesel) and you do feel the backend going, just keep calm and keep control, it is possible, when I go round steep coreners I slow alot and I can see oil (very easily) so its just a matter of not pushing it, I was doing 95mph in the torrential rain the other day and no problems at all on the bike. (on the motorway)

Oh and never trust the 'other bloke' all drivers are idiotsas far as you're concerned on a bike (actually most of them are good drivers) its just you don't know which ones are or not until its too late.

- nevr turst BMW drivers either to a person they are a nasty bunch who have big egos' and little what you call its, lost count of how many have tried to block me.....

[dangel]

Oh and never trust the 'other bloke' all drivers are idiotsas far as you're concerned on a bike (actually most of them are good drivers) its just you don't know which ones are or not until its too late.

- nevr turst BMW drivers either to a person they are a nasty bunch who have big egos' and little what you call its, lost count of how many have tried to block me.....

Yeah i always drive my car expecting the other guy to do the silly thing. Although to be fair as a driver i do try and let bikes by but it can be hard to see them sometimes.

The BMW rule works for all of us i think!

[J4MES]

Faced with a dull, short commute I am thinking of getting a motorcycle to add some spice and reduce costs. I am 32 and have had a license since I was 19. I have ridden bikes (not *scooters*) before, but not on public highways.

My current idea is to get my CBT (& Theory) and then stay on a 125 for a year or so to get some experience before taking my Direct Access test.

So 2 questions:

1. Is this a good route to take?

No... do a direct access course

2. What bike should I be looking at assuming I pass....?

TIA

For a dull short commute? CB250 or CB500 perhaps - it's be almost cheaper than walking! Tax, insurance and running costs (esp reliable Honda's) will be cheap

[NuShuttle]

You do know about the new bike test laws coming in Janurary yeah? If you don't do your direct access this year you will be stuck on a 125 for 2 years then you have to progress through the tests.

Wow! once again the mighty Hexus comes to the rescue...

I'm calling Bristol Motorcycle Training Centre in the morning, where I'm going to find the 500 quid *and* get 4 days off work is another matter

Thanks all for the advice. (<insert childish vroom vroom noises here>)

[Romanov]

Heh think about the money you'll save, I added it all up and I save over a car

- £900 a year parking
- £2600 train fare into London
- no tolls to pay (congestion dartford bridge etc)
- cheaper road tax (£48) for me a year
- Insurance is not that high even for an R6, it cost £450 to fully comp a toyota avensis, it cost £700 to insure my bike
36 miles to the gallon in a car I get 56mpg in an R6 (if you dont rev it to death)
I use £17 of fuel every 2 weeks for 200 miles of commuting I used to but £45 a week in fuel for the car
-Service cost is £85 for me every 6000 miles
- No delays due to traffic - you're alwasy on time on a bike

There are high inital costs for a bike in the training but this is offset EASILY by all the savings even on a nutter sportsbike

[Rave]

Its all there on the DVLA website

Got linkage? I couldn't see it.....

[Romanov]

Wow! once again the mighty Hexus comes to the rescue...

I'm calling Bristol Motorcycle Training Centre in the morning, where I'm going to find the 500 quid *and* get 4 days off work is another matter

Thanks all for the advice. (<insert childish vroom vroom noises here>)

btw they do weekend DAS training at most places, do a private lesson or two I paid £60 for 2 hours each time, and then do a 3 day DAS, Saturday all day, Sunday all day and test on Monday morning = 1 day off work

[NuShuttle]

Got linkage? I couldn't see it.....

http://www.dvla.gov.uk/drivers/learn...20and%20mopeds

shows the old rules and the DSA (Driving Standards Agency) have no mention of it either, not saying anyone's wrong, just saying I can't find any hard evidence. So linkage please!!!