First big bike
Discussion
OK, so licence not acquired yet, but that doesn't stop the window shopping.
Hopefully March/April next year I'll be in the market for my first non-restricted bike. Have been riding my ybr125 for the last month.
Any advice on what a 40 year old should be looking at? Riding will be mainly commuting (A roads/filtering) and pleasure rides at the weekend. Budget up to ~£4k.
So far I've thought of a Hornet, CBF600 and Street Triple (current favourite, in green). Would need to be fairly forgiving to an inexperienced rider.
Hopefully March/April next year I'll be in the market for my first non-restricted bike. Have been riding my ybr125 for the last month.
Any advice on what a 40 year old should be looking at? Riding will be mainly commuting (A roads/filtering) and pleasure rides at the weekend. Budget up to ~£4k.
So far I've thought of a Hornet, CBF600 and Street Triple (current favourite, in green). Would need to be fairly forgiving to an inexperienced rider.
Same sort of use as you, same age, I got a z750 (2006) but the street triple would be similar.
Bit more poke and torque than the 600s is useful and makes it more flexible and tractable away from the high end rpm.
Naked style keeps the top speed down (a bit).
Lots of scope to learn on it without being intimidating, and enough performance not to feel the need to upgrade to a litre bike in a year or two.
Bit more poke and torque than the 600s is useful and makes it more flexible and tractable away from the high end rpm.
Naked style keeps the top speed down (a bit).
Lots of scope to learn on it without being intimidating, and enough performance not to feel the need to upgrade to a litre bike in a year or two.
I passed my test at 42 (not ridden since I was 17) and wanted a Daytona as a first big bike. Wasn't willing to pay the £800 to insure it so I test rode a Street Triple and loved it. Been riding now nearly 3 years and do now have the Daytona (just had too lol) but I'd have no problems having another Street. IMO great first bike.
And mine was green too
And mine was green too
Street triple is a very flattering bike to ride, cuddly and friendly with oodles of low down grunt and more than enough poke to get you into big trouble/banned very quickly on UK roads.
It's a great bike for a non because you won't have to worry about the gear you're in and the riding position is easy going and not too dissimilar to your 125.
It's a great bike for a non because you won't have to worry about the gear you're in and the riding position is easy going and not too dissimilar to your 125.
Street Triple is looking like a winner! And welcome to biking 
Very highly recommended 
CaptainSlow said:
Would need to be fairly forgiving to an inexperienced rider.
Just book a day with Bike Safe or, even better still, with Rapid Training soon after you pass. An ideal way to get your skills up quickly and brilliant fun too Very highly recommended Edited by SVS on Saturday 9th November 15:56
If you want to spend less, a late model ~'03 (Foxeye) FZS600 is still a good bike.
I'm hoping to swap for a Street Triple or similar at some point, though.
If you want something bigger, a TDM900 would also be a good bike.
I've never ridden a Hornet, although they used to get good press when I was looking for a first bike.
I'm hoping to swap for a Street Triple or similar at some point, though.
If you want something bigger, a TDM900 would also be a good bike.
I've never ridden a Hornet, although they used to get good press when I was looking for a first bike.
Edited by MC Bodge on Saturday 9th November 16:37
Play with insurance calculators, you will find some bikes are just not suitable due to silly insurance, although if you have built up NBC on a smaller bike that may help.
I really enjoyed my CB600FAA (2010 Hornet) put 15,000miles on it in the month shy of 3 years I had it following passing my test.
I really enjoyed my CB600FAA (2010 Hornet) put 15,000miles on it in the month shy of 3 years I had it following passing my test.
CaptainSlow said:
hmmm...just seen the new Duke 390...do we have any owners on here?
Yes indeed. And jolly good it is too ... with a couple of reservations.First off, it's small. Really, really small. I'm 5'8" and can't stretch out enough for longer runs. Light weight and stiffish suspension mean that it hops around a bit on poor road surfaces too. Not really a problem, but does take a little getting used to.
Second, performance. For its size, it's good, but if you're looking for 600 type speed, or relaxed torque, forget it. You need to ride it more like a twin than a single, and be prepared to rev it. When you do it's an absolute hoot and more than capable of hustling along with some much bigger bikes (unless you're on a motorway).
Third, finish. It's a bit ordinary in this regard. Everything is solid, but some of the materials look as though they wouldn't fare well over a winter of commuting. Oh and the dash is a shocker, cheap nasty and hard to read.
That said, it really is brilliant fun. It's easy enough for a first bike, but with enough quirks to give it a bit of character. It will bring out the worst in you. In the best way
k
Buy a cheap sv650.
Drop it.
Repair it.
Get your first speeding tickets on it.
Have your first near misses on something thats forgiving of the heavy handed, with few vices but still fast enough on the throttle earn your respect.
Get your first year or 2's ncd on the cheap with it and learn how expensive even budget bikes are to keep going after a car with short service intervals, annual chain sprockets/tyres.
Sell it on to another newbie when you've outgrown it, and buy the bike you really wanted, rather than frightening the s
t out of yourself on the bike you really wanted and never learning to use it "properly".
Drop it.
Repair it.
Get your first speeding tickets on it.
Have your first near misses on something thats forgiving of the heavy handed, with few vices but still fast enough on the throttle earn your respect.
Get your first year or 2's ncd on the cheap with it and learn how expensive even budget bikes are to keep going after a car with short service intervals, annual chain sprockets/tyres.
Sell it on to another newbie when you've outgrown it, and buy the bike you really wanted, rather than frightening the s
t out of yourself on the bike you really wanted and never learning to use it "properly". Buy a half-decent SV650 (go for the fuel injected models if you can, FI makes starting a doddle and ergonomics are better, more comfy)
Easy and fun to ride, sound good (fit a decent end-can)
Cheap to run too and reliable (I have a '99 one and it's just ticked over 70,000 miles - 52,000 covered in the last 5 years)
Remember, the throttle works both ways. You dont have to ride at 10,500 rpm in 6th gear. You can trickle along at tickover in first is you really want
Easy and fun to ride, sound good (fit a decent end-can)
Cheap to run too and reliable (I have a '99 one and it's just ticked over 70,000 miles - 52,000 covered in the last 5 years)
Remember, the throttle works both ways. You dont have to ride at 10,500 rpm in 6th gear. You can trickle along at tickover in first is you really want
CaptainSlow said:
hmmm...just seen the new Duke 390...do we have any owners on here?
Another vote for the Street, the low down torque is less intimidating and you're less likely to get caught out by being in the wrong gear. Echo what's been said about the Duke 390, the power isn't there, it's a lot of work and the post 2012 bikes feel cheap.
with bikes its each to their own. you need to ride the bikes and get the feeling for them, i personally started with an sv650s (y reg / carbed)and i will be buying another when i get back on a bike. i tried a few friends bikes and just didnt get along with them as well as i did on the sv650.
CaptainSlow said:
hmmm...just seen the new Duke 390...do we have any owners on here?
Another owner here! Echo the some of the above really - the lump likes to be revved if you really want to make progress. There seems to be two "modes" - either short shift with large throttle openings at around 6-7K for unhurried forward progress using the midrange torque and making a traditional single noise, or bounce it off the rev limiter if you're in more of a hurry...
It really comes on cam at about 7000 which makes it feel flat below these revs - it isn't however. And it's so light that it accelerates nicely at low to mid range revs (as long as you're not a porker!) It judders below 3K (light flywheel) which is less of a pain than you'd think it is, but an Enfield Bullet it is not, so no torque from just over tickover like a "traditional" single.
Mind you - 7K on one of those would put the piston in orbit, let alone 10K.
Agree the finish and the instruments are built down to cost and indeed look that way, but mine seems to be handling the salt and rain OK (with help from ACF50).
I've stuck a bigger screen on it and an accessory socket for heated clothes and at 5'9 I'm comfy for about 90 minutes before the seat starts to intrude, but others have said this gets softer as the miles go on (or you get used to it). There is a comfort pack seat in the accessories catalogue that raises it a few inches (hopefully with padding!) which I might investigate in the future.
As a first bike I'd actually recommend a 3 or 4 cylinder bike for fluff and judder free torque right from idle... Far easier to deal with.
thatdude said:
Buy a half-decent SV650 (go for the fuel injected models if you can, FI makes starting a doddle and ergonomics are better, more comfy)
Easy and fun to ride, sound good (fit a decent end-can)
Cheap to run too and reliable (I have a '99 one and it's just ticked over 70,000 miles - 52,000 covered in the last 5 years)
Remember, the throttle works both ways. You dont have to ride at 10,500 rpm in 6th gear. You can trickle along at tickover in first is you really want
I had an sv 650 for two years, But they are not a big bike , they are a bit cramped if you are over 6 ft.Easy and fun to ride, sound good (fit a decent end-can)
Cheap to run too and reliable (I have a '99 one and it's just ticked over 70,000 miles - 52,000 covered in the last 5 years)
Remember, the throttle works both ways. You dont have to ride at 10,500 rpm in 6th gear. You can trickle along at tickover in first is you really want
Its not immediately apparent though until you go on a longer ride.
Parts are plentiful though and insurance is really cheap.
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