Sports car to Bike
Discussion
ZesPak said:
Ok, so M3 and C63 AMG owners shouldn't call their cars sports cars either?
Let's just agree to disagree here.
M3 + C63 = compact sports coupes/saloons. Practical shopping cars turned performant/sporty.Let's just agree to disagree here.
Sports car = performance car that may/may not be practical. eg, 458 or 911.
spareparts said:
ZesPak said:
Ok, so M3 and C63 AMG owners shouldn't call their cars sports cars either?
Let's just agree to disagree here.
M3 + C63 = compact sports coupes/saloons. Practical shopping cars turned performant/sporty.Let's just agree to disagree here.
Sports car = performance car that may/may not be practical. eg, 458 or 911.
)Performance Saloon / Coupe - 4 seater, standard model uprated (M3)
Grand Tourer - High performance 4 seater (911 / 612 etc)
ANYWAY - I have an S2K (close to a DC5 in engine characteristics) and I love high revving cars - bikes feel like the best high revving car + behind truely connected to the enviornment and road, far more than any convertible or kit car.
I love my car and have it as well as a company diesel and a bike, but for true feeling of performance a bike wins out right.
Edited by TommyBuoy on Wednesday 23 April 11:25
Nersha said:
Thanks for the replies.. I'm gonna book the 6 day course and go for the a2 license. I don't think a 125 would keep me entertained for 2 years so I won't be waiting for direct access.
Regards to the bike, an unrestricted aprilia rs125 sounds fun but the reliability concerns me. Don't want to be rebuilding the engine all the time
What about gear choices? I'm thinking of going full alpine star / dainese despite the price as I value my limbs..
Lastly integra performance or sports car w.e you wanna call it just wanted a decent topic title!!
What can you ride on the A2 licence? When I first had my SV650 it was restricted to 33HP (they were the rules back then, I haven't kept up to date with the changes) and that was still faster than most cars on the road at legal speeds. Above 90 it started running out of puff but it certainly felt quick up to then!Regards to the bike, an unrestricted aprilia rs125 sounds fun but the reliability concerns me. Don't want to be rebuilding the engine all the time
What about gear choices? I'm thinking of going full alpine star / dainese despite the price as I value my limbs..
Lastly integra performance or sports car w.e you wanna call it just wanted a decent topic title!!
In terms of gear I'm not sure the big brands offer that much more protection than the mid-range stuff, the Hein Gericke own brand clothing used to get decent reviews (my HG boots are still going strong after about 6 years). If you can get to Peterborough on the 17/18th May there's the BMF show that's got loads of stalls all in one place so you can try on lots of gear and see which suits you best.
FunkyNige said:
What can you ride on the A2 licence? When I first had my SV650 it was restricted to 33HP (they were the rules back then, I haven't kept up to date with the changes) and that was still faster than most cars on the road at legal speeds. Above 90 it started running out of puff but it certainly felt quick up to then!
In terms of gear I'm not sure the big brands offer that much more protection than the mid-range stuff, the Hein Gericke own brand clothing used to get decent reviews (my HG boots are still going strong after about 6 years). If you can get to Peterborough on the 17/18th May there's the BMF show that's got loads of stalls all in one place so you can try on lots of gear and see which suits you best.
A2 licence is 47bhp and under a certain power/weight ratio. And if the bike is limited it can't have over 94bhp in standard form.In terms of gear I'm not sure the big brands offer that much more protection than the mid-range stuff, the Hein Gericke own brand clothing used to get decent reviews (my HG boots are still going strong after about 6 years). If you can get to Peterborough on the 17/18th May there's the BMF show that's got loads of stalls all in one place so you can try on lots of gear and see which suits you best.
As to the bike.. I've always liked the look of KTMs, and as suggested earlier in this thread I've got my eye on KTM Duke 390. Like how it's lightweight so should be easy to handle as a newb, and has enough power to keep me going for 2 years while learning. This has ~43bhp but due to it's low weight has to be restricted by a meager 1.5bhp to conform to the power to weight of a2 licence.
I'm away on holiday mid May so won't be able to make that show unfortunately.
Revels101 said:
A car designed to be fun and engaging to drive and competent on track in standard form at the sacrifice of comfort and practicality, how is it not a sports car?
But we're talking about Integras. None of that applies to them, it's just a lowered granny cart with VTEC yo!TommyBuoy said:
ANYWAY - I have an S2K (close to a DC5 in engine characteristics) and I love high revving cars - bikes feel like the best high revving car + behind truely connected to the enviornment and road, far more than any convertible or kit car.
I love my car and have it as well as a company diesel and a bike, but for true feeling of performance a bike wins out right.
Buy a big capacity V-twin Ducati tractor with 100+ftlbs of torque, and the closest car comparison is a twin turbo'd 911 Turbo or GTR.I love my car and have it as well as a company diesel and a bike, but for true feeling of performance a bike wins out right.
Buy a IL4 screamer, and the closest car comparison is any high revving N/A engine
All are performant, just different ways of getting there.
Nersha said:
A2 licence is 47bhp and under a certain power/weight ratio. And if the bike is limited it can't have over 94bhp in standard form.
As to the bike.. I've always liked the look of KTMs, and as suggested earlier in this thread I've got my eye on KTM Duke 390. Like how it's lightweight so should be easy to handle as a newb, and has enough power to keep me going for 2 years while learning. This has ~43bhp but due to it's low weight has to be restricted by a meager 1.5bhp to conform to the power to weight of a2 licence.
I'm away on holiday mid May so won't be able to make that show unfortunately.
They seem like decent bikes. Quality parts shipped to India where the bike is then assembled. How do they restrict it by so little? As to the bike.. I've always liked the look of KTMs, and as suggested earlier in this thread I've got my eye on KTM Duke 390. Like how it's lightweight so should be easy to handle as a newb, and has enough power to keep me going for 2 years while learning. This has ~43bhp but due to it's low weight has to be restricted by a meager 1.5bhp to conform to the power to weight of a2 licence.
I'm away on holiday mid May so won't be able to make that show unfortunately.
The new A2 Licence friendly Benelli BN300 looks like it could be a great bike, if they can get the quality up.
Mr2Mike said:
The new A2 Licence friendly Benelli BN300 looks like it could be a great bike, if they can get the quality up.
Oh my! Looks 
Nersha said:
I'm running an Integra dc5 type-r at the moment, but due to work this is getting a 500 miles/week added to the clock. I'm considering selling up and buying a bog standard diesel as a workhorse, then a bike for fun and good weather.
I've had it instilled into me from a young age that motorcycling will result in an untimely death or maiming - so I'm wanting to do this in the safest way possible. Looking at doing a course like http://www.ridertraining.biz/staged-access (direct access is off the cards as I'm not 24+).
I'm just after a bit of advice or recommendations for someone in my position, what you wish you would have known, best steps to learn properly etc.
Cheers
Matt
I think it depends a lot on your attitude to driving / riding. If you hare around at breakneck speed everywhere in your car then you'll likely do the same on a bike and more than likely not last very long doing so. You really don't need a big bike to be able to cause yourself serious harm. I've had it instilled into me from a young age that motorcycling will result in an untimely death or maiming - so I'm wanting to do this in the safest way possible. Looking at doing a course like http://www.ridertraining.biz/staged-access (direct access is off the cards as I'm not 24+).
I'm just after a bit of advice or recommendations for someone in my position, what you wish you would have known, best steps to learn properly etc.
Cheers
Matt
One of the things that I remember when learning was that the roads suddenly seemed a lot wider than I thought they were and cars a lot bigger and far too close for comfort. Even at a sedate 30 or 40 mph everything feels unfamiliar. As with driving you only really start learning once you've got your licence and you're able to put the theory into practice more and more and under different situations. I think with bikes you don't reach a feeling of confidence until much later than when driving.
I passed my DAS one September but didn't buy my first bike until a few months later and picked it up in early January. Feeling invincible a couple of days afterwards I decided to commute from Bracknell to Stevenage on it only for the snow to start falling as I got onto the M4. I learnt a lot that day especially! The bonus was that on the way back I had to learn to filter all the way from a stationary M25 at the M1 junction, round to and along the M4 to junction 6. I also learnt that trying to concentrate when you're freezing cold, with a misted up visor and streaming eyes isn't easy.
I started off with a Bandit 600 and I used it as a commuter hack over 13 years until it was written off in a SMIDSY. I used to have a Cerbera 4.5 LW which was a genuine thrill to drive and required absolute concentration. In comparison the Bandit was timid but it still had the ability to surprise if I got something wrong.
Bikes of any capacity can be fairly unforgiving if you make a mistake. If you ride like an arse you probably won't get a chance to make many.
Fort Jefferson said:
What a lot of people who have never ridden a bike don't realize is, you have to be a lot fitter and stronger to ride, than you do drive. Especially when riding fast bikes, be they naked or sports bikes. Some arm, leg and core exercises will do you the world of good.
Excellent post. This should be made known to women the world over.ZesPak said:
Mr2Mike said:
The new A2 Licence friendly Benelli BN300 looks like it could be a great bike, if they can get the quality up.
Oh my! Looks 
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