steve_m Posted June 19, 2003 Share Posted June 19, 2003 Last time I rode a motorbike I was about 10 or 11 years old and it was a rather nice Yamaha DT125. Bit slow but great fun. I'm going to take the direct access course to a bike licence in a few months and I was wondering what kind of bike people here with bikes would recommend I look at ? What I'd like is a GSXR1300 but that's also what's put me off getting a bike for years - I'd not be around for very long if I started on that I'm sure. I thought (being sensible) something like a 500 would be about enough to start with, mabe a sports or touring bike rather than a superbike ? Any suggestions ? Also, what should I be looking for in a helmet and leathers ? Anything to avoid ? Is there a recognised advanced riding course I can go on ? CBT plus four days on a school bike isn't going to give me the skills I'm going to need. Many thanks, Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike dB Posted June 19, 2003 Share Posted June 19, 2003 Honda CBR 600 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chazpowerslide Posted June 19, 2003 Share Posted June 19, 2003 Hi Steve, I'm a motorcycle instructor (part-time) so I feel qualified to help. Get the bike YOU want and take some advanced instruction when you've done your test. The capacity and performance of the bike really IMO is not relavent, a modern sports 600 has more than enough performance to kill you as does a 125 scooter if you'r doing the wrong thing at the wrong time in the wrong place........ Buying a smaller bike than you want will get fustrating pretty soon as you'll pine for the Gixer 1300. When you sell and upgrade to the Gixer you'll loose money so spend the cash you'd loose on further training and get the Gixer in the first place. Modern (sports) bikes are so easy to ride these days you'll find the Gixer as docile around town as an ER500 only a damn sight quicker when you open it up. How fast it goes depends on the discipline you have with your right hand , how safe you are depends on how disciplined you are riding within your limits (the GSXR will have far higher limits than you probhably ever will have) and how well you ride defencivly. HTH Chaz. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phssthpok Posted June 19, 2003 Share Posted June 19, 2003 Buying a smaller bike than you want will get fustrating pretty soon as you'll pine for the Gixer 1300. When you sell and upgrade to the Gixer you'll loose money so spend the cash you'd loose on further training and get the Gixer in the first place ....couldn't agree more. Get the bike you want in the first place, with the caveat: there are much better bikes for the bucks than the Suzuki 1300. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jtwonk Posted June 19, 2003 Share Posted June 19, 2003 If you want something small ish a mate of mine who has had a GSXR1300 & currently has a R1 has always said if he was after another bike he would go for a VFR 400. Sad thing is they are a bit old now but he says in the right hand can easily beat most bigger bikes R1 included along twisty A roads. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve_m Posted June 20, 2003 Author Share Posted June 20, 2003 ....couldn't agree more. Get the bike you want in the first place, with the caveat: there are much better bikes for the bucks than the Suzuki 1300. Which ones do you think are better for the same kind of money - say £5k ? I thought I'd get responses saying get a smaller bike first . . . the usual advice the training companies seem to give. Is that because they're usually affiliated to a bike shop ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westy Posted June 20, 2003 Share Posted June 20, 2003 I have three friends that have just got into biking. Two went the cbr600 route and the other (after advice from me ) got a duc' 748 imo if your after a sports bike get something 600 or greater otherwise you'll get bored and sell it soon after purchasing and loss money in the process. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bazzer Posted June 21, 2003 Share Posted June 21, 2003 Doh and I just sold my R6 as well :-) I would agree get the bike you want, as long as you are sensible it will be fine. Only caveat is bikes with lots of plastic cost lots to repair when you do a slow speed drop in car park, which has happened to a lot of my friends when they first learn to ride. Or like me when I took my nice Shinney one week old ZX9R to work for the first time. Showing the lads in the car park, give it a big handfull go to pull away, move about a foot forwards and fall over on my side. I forgot to take the disk lock off :-) Bazzer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chazpowerslide Posted June 21, 2003 Share Posted June 21, 2003 If you can't handle ANY bike on a car park you should not even think about venturing out onto the road!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Slow speed control is essential to being able to ride safely and quickly. Any idiot can open up a bike in a straight line it takes real skill to filter quickly in traffic corner with confidence and overtake just about anything around the outside (just watch any despatch rider plying his/her trade) The basis of bike control is balance and skill. I'm sorry but IMO there is no excuse for dropping a bike at low speed appart from a lack of skill and incompatance. As for leaving the dics lock on well that's just idiotic!!!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bazzer Posted June 23, 2003 Share Posted June 23, 2003 I agree, but slow speed control is what begginers seem to lack and why I was sugesting that bikes with a lot of plastic can be a problem if dropped. As for leaving the dics lock on well that's just idiotic!!!!!!! Thanks :-) Only time I have ever damaged a bike in 6 years !!! Bazzer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FATBOY Posted June 23, 2003 Share Posted June 23, 2003 I thought (being sensible) something like a 500 would be about enough to start with, mabe a sports or touring bike rather than a superbike ? Any suggestions ? .....a good place to start, Steve, is by deciding what use you're going to put the bike to. Thanks :-) Only time I have ever damaged a bike in 6 years !!! .....com'on lad's, put those handbags away. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jamie Posted June 24, 2003 Share Posted June 24, 2003 go for a bandit 600 cheep as chips from the dealer in folkestone about £3000 new sell it in 2 years and only lose £500. or go for the suzuki 1300/gsx1400 and get fed up with it put the engine in your westy jamie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dern Posted June 24, 2003 Share Posted June 24, 2003 The size of the gsx might be a bit intimidating for a new rider but if you want something with pose value and a bit of power then check out the kwak Z1000. I had a quick play on one in a car park on a recent trip to france and it felt just the right size, easy reach to the bars, dead easy to fling around and a bit of oomph. Best in orange imo. Mark Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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