CBT+DAS+Sportsbike vs CBT+Hairdryer+time

Hi Everybody!

This'll be my first post on UKRM, so be gentle

I'm 23, I don't drive, and I live in London. I want to get into
motorbiking, and ride to work instead of being cooped up in a sardine
tin for an hour each day. Oh, and I like sportsbikes. They look *cool*,
and I'm not remotely interested in riding something that isn't cool.

Now, I know in theory it's possible to do CBT, then go on a week long
DAS course and hop straight on a big bike. However having spoken to
various people, while some say "Go for it", others say "You're insane -
don't go there. Ride a 125cc for a while, then do DAS".

So what do I do? I know this question has probably been asked many
times before, however...

I don't hold a driving license, and I never learned to drive.
I want a 600cc sports bike. Something like a R6.

But keep in mind:

I'm a sensible sort of guy, I don't intend to overtake everything in
sight, ride at twice the speed limit, or generally arse around. At
least, not until I've been riding for a few years ;P I intend to ride
responsibly and defensively, with full protective gear.

So I don't know what to do. And not knowing has stopped me doing
anything for over a year now.

What do you all think?

 

Do you have a lot of money? I think you'll find insurance on an R6 at
23 with a new licence will be quite high - as in potentially over £1500
high.

Do you have somewhere secure (like an underground, private carpark) to
store it in whilst you're at work? If not you're increasing the chance
of it not being there when you go back to it.

Buy what you want though - it'll only go as fast as you make it go.

Going from a 125 to an R6 will prove to be rather exciting if you're
not careful and it's likely you will drop it (or crash it). They are
expensive to repair, and a tatty R6 will not have the cool factor you
desire.

Protective gear is good, but only in certain circumstances - being run
over by a taxi isn't one of those circumstances.

I also personally think an R6 would be wasted on a commute in London,
but I'm sure others here will disagree.

If it were me and I was still living in London I'd probably get
something like an SV650 or CB500 to commute on.

Best get on with it though before the EU make it much harder to get
straight on a 100bhp+ bike.

 

[snip]

It wasn't funny the first time, Nigel.

 

Alasdair wrote

You are obviously unsuited for motorcycling.


However if you insist...

Living in Central London you don't need a bike much bigger than a 125.
With a top speed and acceleration on a par with a road train going
uphill you will still be the fastest thing through the traffic, faster
still on a 50cc scoot. Even the mythical Dark Dirty Rider with his
dirty black leathers and dirty black visor and dirty black Kawasaki who
appears in the distance in your mirrors for a second only to be heard
disappearing over the horizon in front another second later cannot go
where a 125 goes easily.


Unfortunately you don't know before you start this exercise whether
biking will be for you. It is very dangerous out there and this is
obvious right from the start and once you have had experience of this it
might put you off (sometimes in a very literal sense).


Personally I find an unlimited 500 (just about) big enough and (just
about) small enough to be useful most of the time on most rides that I
take and would recommend the same to all as an everyday bike.


The ideal solution is probably to get a 125 (however you license) and
use that to gain road experience while you are saving for a proper bike.
Once you have your "something for the weekend Sir" you can still bang up
and down round town on the much better suited for it 125.

 

Hmm, you reckon he's up to it again? Damn.

 

in addition, in London, there's a fair chance you'll be knocked off.

I've been knocked off by cars 5 or 6 times[1] in 8 years.

I am a reckless twat, mind you.

[1] though only once with any real damage to the bike.

 

I actually think that the most suitable bike for getting around
central London would be a DT125SM. I'm actually tempted to buy one.

Or this:

4627145640 (ebay)

 

Not only are the above much easier to ride, and ride reasonably
quickly, the R6s I've ridden have been supremely uncomfortable. The
R6 requires a very committed posture - arse in the air, face in the
clocks - with a lot of weight on the wrists. Some people like it, but
lots don't.

 

actually, I've just noticed, they do an XT125X too - even better with
4 stroke economy.

 

Wot the Bear says, DAMHIK,IJD,OK (x2).

 

What's the name of the co he works at? It doesn't contain the name of a
popular spreadsheet software, does it (with an extra L)?

 

Hi Alasdair,

The CBT is designed to get you home from the showroom in one peice and
not a whole lot more.

I found that there was so much I was doing wrong on the road after
doing my CBT and riding around 'getting experience' on my 125. The DAS
teaches you many things that could save your life - even on a 125.

What not do the 5 day DAS course and see how you feel? A 125 would
still be a good idea for a few months at least as it sounds like you
have no experience of road use except as a pedestrian. Going from that
to an R6 is a recipe for suicide.

Why not do the DAS, grab a bike from ebay for a few months and then get
a bigger bike. You might even decide you don't like a sports seating
position a suddenly want a supermoto or something!

Good luck

 

Bear said...
Agreed. Of those the SV would ideally be my choice, as they do look a
touch sportier if you get the S variant but retain a comfy riding
position. I bought my Bandit because it was silly-cheap, not out of
choice.

They are also a pain in the arse to ride in traffic, with minimal lock,
a buzzy engine that demands to be revved to make reasonable progress and
useless mirrors.

Which is exactly why I've just bought a Bandit 600 for riding in and out
of London, keeping the Gixer for riding on roads where I can use it
properly in comfort.

 

Alasdair said...

An R6 will last about 3 weeks before some scrote from Harlesden or
Wembley nicks it to do a robbery on or to replace his own damaged
plastics. If you do buy one then get a red one, because the blue and the
black ones are highly sought after by the scrotes round there, red ones
don't seem to be bought or nicked as much.

 

I'm 45 but did my CBT last year, rode a 125 for about a month and then
did a DAS test. The experience I gained on the 125 was very useful on a
bigger bike and I made mistakes that would have been much more serious.

After my test I bought an unfaired SV650 and believe me it's fast enough
to really scare you. Only a few supercars are faster upto 100mph.

It's also flexible enough to be useful as a commuter and an open road
machine and you really benefit from riding a bike of this type for a few
months.

After three months of riding nearly every day I'm looking forward to a
go on a gixer thou, maybe at the EOSM

 

Do you know they make 1000cc sports bikes? They are even cooler.

Anyway; don't listen to all these nay-sayers who tell you to get a 125
and something like a Bandit after you pass your test. That's what they
told me and they're just trying to spoil your fun.

All you need to learn to be a good rider is how to go really fast, not
hit anything, and not fall off. If you can't learn to do that in a 5 day
course then really what hope is there?

 

I like the cut of yer jib. Admitting these things up front is much
better than teh usual 'I'm 6'1" so I'll need something big like a
Hayabusa'

Yes it has but I've never answered before so I will this time.

You will quickly learn to filter in London. If you don't you may as
well just be in a car.

I recognise a little of myself in you [1]. I was living in London at
23, wanted a big bike and wanted a sports bike. Some slight diferences
were that I'd been driving for the 6 years since my 17th birthday and
had been riding a 125 for my final year at uni. Whilst I would never
claim this to be extensive experience it's certainly moer than 'none'
which is what you appear to have.

I had more money than sense. Actually not true. I had plenty of sense
I just thought **** it. It's my money. I want a bike I'm having one
whatever it takes. It made perfect sense to me. As it happened it
took just short of 6k to buy a new T reg CBR600 and a further £1800
yes that's right 1800, to insure it. And that was only after I found a
lock-up to keep it in to be able to insure it AT ALL. That was the
only quote under £2k by the way. And there was only one of those.
(£2400). I rang over 30 companies for quotes.

Everyone says not to get a faired bike because you'll drop it, **** up
the plastics and it'll cost you an arm and a leg. Well the first bit
was spot on. I dropped it (literally on it's side) on loose gravel
and moss within 24 hours of picking it up from the dealer. Luckily the
only damage was very minor and cosmetic. I then fell off a year later
and again luckily the only damage was a bent clutch lever (bent back)
and cosmetic scuffing. In total this damage probably cost me about
£400 when I sold it because it wasn't in mint condition. I also
fucked up a disc with a disc lock but didn't fall off. I think most
people do this at some point.

Oh yes you asked for advice not nostalgic ramblings... My personal
opinion would be to do your CBT and get a 125. If vanity will allow
get a CG125 or equivalent. If vanity wont allow and you have to try
and look cool get an old sports 125 like the Honda NSR. Bear in mind
finding a good one will be almost impossible because they'll have had
the tits ragged off them by 17 year olds. Getting a 600 is not the
deathwish suicide option that many say it is. You have control of the
throttle and it only goes as fast as you tell it. If you have
self-control and the willingness to learn at a sensible pace then there
is no reason why a 600 should kill you anymore than a 125. Oh yes -
don't oggle women whilst riding (or blokes if you're batting for the
others). And don't, whatever you do, ever, ever, ever show off in
front of strangers or birds you are trying to impress. And don't ride
with flat tyres. Or in the snow.

Then if you're still alive and functioning and keen to get a bigger
bike sometime (between 1 and 3 years) later go and stay with a friend
who doesn't live in London and do a DAS there. It'll be much more
enjoyable and maybe cheaper.

As for protective gear if you want leathers then can I be the first to
suggest you get on the train from Kings Cross to Flitwick, come out of
the station and turn left (I think - I can't remember wher the exit is,
you may have to cross the bridge...), find GLF accessories, enter the
shop announcing 'Hello Graham, UKRM sent me to give you some money' and
enjoy having your wallet lightened.

[1] Yes it's a deliberate feedline...

 

I'm thinking I should go to Lidl and get beer before it shuts.

 

Using the patented Mavis Beacon "Hunt&Peck" Technique, dwb

Cunts! It's not me.

Honest.

No really, it's not.

--
Wicked Uncle Nigel - To stay young requires unceasing cultivation of
the ability to unlearn old falsehoods.

WS* GHPOTHUF#24 APOSTLE#14 DLC#1 COFF#20 BOTAFOT#150 HYPO#0(KoTL) IbW#41
SBS#39 OMF#6 Enfield 500 Curry House Racer "The Basmati Rice Burner",
Honda GL1000K2 (On its hols) Kawasaki ZN1300 Voyager "Oh, Oh, It's so big"
Suzuki TS250 "The Africa Single" Yamaha GTS1000

 

"once bitten, twice shy".