First Bike Thread #4534

Hello.

I'm Sean and I'm from Brighton. Feel the POWAR.

CBT tomorrow (Sunday), DA to follow. Thinking of getting a BROS 400, as they
seem cheap and reasonable to look at. Bear it in mind I am slightly broke,
any advice on alternatives? BGN seems to have troubles with Mr ER-5, and the
CB500 looks a bit boring.

 

I've never used that machine, but an unfaired bike will look better
after you've thrown it across a road, or dropped it at traffic lights,
or forget to put it on its side stand and it will also be cheaper to
fix.

They all look the same after you've parked them in a ditch. I like my
ER-5, it's very forgiving and has been cheap to repair. I'm ham
fisted when it comes to engines and other things like that, but even
I've managed to carry out some basic repairs on it without too much
trouble. Anyone who has clues in the area of taking things apart and
putting them back together should be able to get away with doing their
own fixing quite cheaply.

I've never used a CB500 so can't compare the two, but my local riding
school is getting rid of all of their CB500s and replacing them all
with any-age ER-5s and have even offered to buy my ER-5 off of me
should I wish to get a new bike. This must mean something.

It goes: dash dash space return.

 

They are, but as they're unofficial imports only, parts availability can
be a problem.

All the 500 twins are much of a muchness. Also consider Yamaha 600
Diversion (*not* the unfaired version) and Suzuki 600 Bandit, but you'd
be better off learning your skills on something like a 250 first, on the
basis that the first bike *always* gets pranged.

 

The Older Gentleman wrote

Oh no they fucking ain't.

 

Well, OK, the GS500 is shite....

 

The Older Gentleman wrote

Not all of them. I think you are prejudiced by some of the god awful
colour schemes they have come up with and rightly so.

Granted the GS500EW is shite and for some reason I don't understand all
the bits for them are vastly overpriced for what it is. You would have
thought that given it's very long production run of some very basic
components they would have got the costs down by now. My recommendation
would be for folks to stop buying them until the costs drop a lot.

 

Seemed pretty great to me yesterday. OK, so it was only my second ever
time on a bike (the first being on a GS125 doing the CBT last week). I
guess I'm in for a treat when I try a "good" bike then. So, if I had,
for example, 3.5k cash in my wallet, what would you recommend then (need
to get helmet and clothing - but not insurance - out of that too)?
SV650S / Bandit / Fazer / Hornet, like everyone else?

 

Yes, *all* of them.

Especially when you compare them to what else you could have bought in that
particular market sector - a CB500 farts in its general direction, and then
some... and doesn't need the valve clearances done every 4k or some such
other pitiful interval.

Their only saving grace in old age, is they tend to be worth slightly less
than **** all... which is why they appeal to those of a slightly musty
odour.

 

David Mahon wrote

Not suitable for people over 5'8".

Put as much as you can back in the bank towards your next bike.

Opinions vary slightly but 500 is about the minimum you can spend for 4
season biking and halfway decent armour.

Unfaired, no compromise and make a point of budgeting for engine
protection bars/bobbins before you buy the alarm. The chances of you
dropping it in the first six months are extraordinarily high and plastic
is a ridiculous price.

 

Sean Hamerton emerged from their own little world to say

Good luck

mostly self inflicted

It is dull.

Have a look for a Honda Transalp. A very worthy bike. Not too popular over
here but sells well on the Continent. Much better than any of the 500 twins
if you want to ride long distances. My mate has ridden his 1993 one to
Italy & Slovenia.

Other bikes I would recommend before the 500 twins are the other trailies
like the BMW F650, Aprilia Pegaso & Suzuki DL650. Avoid the Honda SLR650 &
Suzuki Freewind.

 

What he says. Great bikes.

 

I looked at one of these as I fancied something 'off/on road' ish.

The SLR is definitely a 'trials style' machine and nowhere near the
league of the Suzuki DL650.

Cheers

Paul.

 

JackH wrote

No, only the W model. Crap that is, people should not buy them.

I wish. Have you seen the price of a rear shock? If the only bit to be
scraped from the tarmac intact was the rear shock the bike would still
be worth 300 quid.

 

I have no idea what model mine was, but colour scheme changes, and a
superficial makeover in recent years aside, it's the same shit reheated,
AFAIK.

Afraid not... I sold mine over five years ago, having only owned it long
enough to realise 'this... is utter shit'.

Try a breakers... or Mr Hagon.

Or... don't bother, and sell the poxy thing as is, on eBay - someone
somewhere, will want to pay through the relative nose, in order to be able
to then bestow plenty of much misguided TLC on it, I'm sure.

YKIMS.

 

JackH wrote

Mine is fine.

That was Mr Hagon. Although his price is actually a pound less than the
300 I quoted so I wasn't being totally honest. Mind you that does
include VAT and UK shipping.

 

<thinks back to some of the fine machines you've had when I've passed by in
the past>

Hmm, it's all relative really, isn't it... ;-)

What's the score with the Bandit, then... repairable / in your possession?

Jesus.

Try these:
http://makeashorterlink.com/?R15F126EB
http://makeashorterlink.com/?K16F326EB

Obviously a plus, when you live within relative spitting distance of them,
eh...

 

emerged from their own little world to say

The SLR replaced the Honda Dominator[1] which was a very good bike in its
time. Once the Aprilia & BMWs came out it was overpriced and dated in
comparison.

Honda switched production from Japan to their scooter factory in Italy
using the same engine but everything else was built to a price. The
resultant SLR was a truly horrible bike. They are still trying in that
sector with the FMX which appears to be yet another parts bin abomination.

[1] I had one in 1992, my first post test bike.

 

Not above 7000 rpm it isn't. Nor when scraping the hero blobs at every
opportunity.

At 3500 and ridden like a bath chair around corners, it won't scare a
maiden aunt.

It's as dull as you want it to be.

 

Thank you.

So I've heard.

I'm thinking along the lines of local commuting and B road blats in
the glory of Sussex. I was also thinking of a VFR/ZXR 400, but they're
a bit pricey will for a good one. Any more thoughts on the Bros 400? I
think it looks good, and I know the problems associated with greys,
but I've read that they're pretty bullet proof and that spares ARE
available.

I was hoping to avoid bigger engined bikes at my age/experience for
insurance/scariness reasons. Though, I know they're common and thus
reasonably cheap to buy, run and service.

 

serf emerged from their own little world to say

Another case of a current owner trying desperately to polish a turd.

You are Auvache AICMFF orange madeira cakes.