A complete biker newbie

[stoneb09]

carmadgaz said:

I have had a glance at the larger members of the Suzuki family, will at some point go take a look at a few, see how I get on fitment wise. Despite being 6'2" I'm quite comfortable on the GS125 position wise

Had a run out to Shelsley Walsh hillclimb today. Felt a little bit of an impostor parked among the big boy bikes (especially when Robin turned up on the big orange monster above ) but really enjoyed the ride out.



Hadn't appreciated before how much the wind affects a bike on the road until today though

They are brilliant bikes and offer very good value for money - compared to 125's you get an awful lot for your money.

A friend of mine runs one and he is the same height as you - He has installed a 40 mm jack-up kit to improve the riding position of his bike - It sits perfectly now. His now has 60,000 miles on the clock and is still going strong, it just goes to show that if you look after them they will most definitely look after you

Good luck in your search!

[carmadgaz]

Oh and welcome to the madhouse that is PH

[dibblecorse]

Nice update, and glad you're enjoying, and yes, the wind can be a bugger, one more thing to learn a little about that you ignore in a car ... as for feeling like an imposter, no way, bikes are bikes and good on you for getting going, its a great adventure .....

[Hooli]

Wind is an odd thing, some bikes ignore it & others struggle. Doesn't even seem to matter on the style as similar bikes can be like that. The main thing is to relax, lean into it & let the bike wobble about as the gusts hit it.

[carmadgaz]

Thanks folks

I can't help feeling a bit like a 17yo newbie when in the company of 'big bikes' but there we go.

I am sorely tempted to keep the little 'un even when I do get a 'full size' bike license and bike. £17 a year VED and £100 insurance has alot going for it.

Yeah I found that was all that could be done in the gusts, I'm used to old cars with vague steering so allowing the bike a certain amount of wander wasn't too alarming . My cousin was saying the other day he actually got blown off by a gust on his (then again he also said he was doing about 90 on a 4t 125 )

[carmadgaz]

A few faux pas today!

1) Forgot to turn the petrol on (again) and nearly spluttered to a stop coming to a junction

and

2) Went for an impromptu ride with my mate John just now (he did his CBT with me but has only had his bike on the road since yesterday) and didn't put on my bike trousers. Bloody hell that was chilly!

Enjoyed the potter down the road with him. The bum on seat time really shows when riding behind someone who has only had his bike a day (I insisted on him being the lead bike). Was flowing through the bends much easier (and quicker) than he was (hence him in front so I didn't have him trying to keep up) and I was comfier taking corners at 45-50 that just a few weeks ago I was stting myself taking at 30-40.

The tips and tricks on here have been fantastic, thank you folks . I really must get my theory booked soon

[Baryonyx]

Hooli said:

Wind is an odd thing, some bikes ignore it & others struggle. Doesn't even seem to matter on the style as similar bikes can be like that. The main thing is to relax, lean into it & let the bike wobble about as the gusts hit it.

On the subject of wind, how much does the bike make a distance? Do faired bikes take a bigger battering in strong sidewinds but shrug off headwinds more easily? I'm guessing a blustering wind doesn't upset a Pan Euro the same way it would a skinny little 125?

I ask, having noted comments on here from some riders saying they think 125's are dangerous and too easily upset by the wind. I was speaking to my mate the other night at work, who loves his CBF600 with panniers on the side, saying it's very stable in all weathers but he wouldn't be so keen on riding a 125 again because the wind pushed him around a lot (he's about 10 stone wet through).

That said, I can still remember how distinctly unpleasant my MR2 Turbo could be when it was wet and windy, big gusts on a dual carriageway felt like they could pull the car off course, and more than once I had to correct the car being blown about on the road. I've not yet faced wind quite like that on the bike though.

[kazman]

carmadgaz said:

Thanks folks

I can't help feeling a bit like a 17yo newbie when in the company of 'big bikes' but there we go.

I am sorely tempted to keep the little 'un even when I do get a 'full size' bike license and bike. £17 a year VED and £100 insurance has alot going for it.

Yeah I found that was all that could be done in the gusts, I'm used to old cars with vague steering so allowing the bike a certain amount of wander wasn't too alarming . My cousin was saying the other day he actually got blown off by a gust on his (then again he also said he was doing about 90 on a 4t 125 )

I'm in a similar position to you (albeit a bit older again as I have 17 years car driving under my belt).
I bought a CBF 125. Although I would dearly love a big bike, the £17 tax, £100 insurance and 115mpg average I am getting is hard to look past. And the likelihood of speeding tickets is insanely low...

Think I will have the 125cc for low speed commuting on fair weather days and stick to cars when I want to travel quickly. I appreciate I am doing all of this wrong / back to front BTW, but it seems to be working for me and it keeps the wife happier!

[funkyrobot]

What an interesting thread.

I don't yet own a bike, but have been hankering for one for a while. I've just changed jobs and have a 50 mile round trip now. I guess this could easily be done on a bike.

I'm seriously considering doing my cbt soon and getting something to learn on. Trouble is, I'm 6ft 4in tall and weigh quite a lot. Would the usual 125 struggle with me on it?

Edited to add - how much does it roughly cost to get up and running on a first bike?

Thanks.

Edited by funkyrobot on Wednesday 20th August 22:51

[Hooli]

Baryonyx said:

Hooli said:

Wind is an odd thing, some bikes ignore it & others struggle. Doesn't even seem to matter on the style as similar bikes can be like that. The main thing is to relax, lean into it & let the bike wobble about as the gusts hit it.

On the subject of wind, how much does the bike make a distance? Do faired bikes take a bigger battering in strong sidewinds but shrug off headwinds more easily? I'm guessing a blustering wind doesn't upset a Pan Euro the same way it would a skinny little 125?

I ask, having noted comments on here from some riders saying they think 125's are dangerous and too easily upset by the wind. I was speaking to my mate the other night at work, who loves his CBF600 with panniers on the side, saying it's very stable in all weathers but he wouldn't be so keen on riding a 125 again because the wind pushed him around a lot (he's about 10 stone wet through).

That said, I can still remember how distinctly unpleasant my MR2 Turbo could be when it was wet and windy, big gusts on a dual carriageway felt like they could pull the car off course, and more than once I had to correct the car being blown about on the road. I've not yet faced wind quite like that on the bike though.

You're right that big bikes notice it less, unfaired notice it less too. My old pan did try to turn down wind, probably due to the massive touring screen it had, my gsx14 seems really stable in comparison.
Surprisingly Mrs Hooli's HD Sportster is really bad too, it surprises me anyway as its got lots of gaps for the wind to get through.

[carmadgaz]

kazman said:

Think I will have the 125cc for low speed commuting on fair weather days and stick to cars when I want to travel quickly. I appreciate I am doing all of this wrong / back to front BTW, but it seems to be working for me and it keeps the wife happier!

That was my plan (already have an MX-5 for longer distance fun) but I've found the bike rather too much fun and now want something slightly bigger

funkyrobot said:

What an interesting thread.

I don't yet own a bike, but have been hankering for one for a while. I've just changed jobs and have a 50 mile round trip now. I guess this could easily be done on a bike.

I'm seriously considering doing my cbt soon and getting something to learn on. Trouble is, I'm 6ft 4in tall and weigh quite a lot. Would the usual 125 struggle with me on it?

Edited to add - how much does it roughly cost to get up and running on a first bike?

Thanks.

Edited by funkyrobot on Wednesday 20th August 22:51

I've always been a car nut (my first word was actually "Car" ) but every sunny day I've been out and seen a bike cruising around I've had a hankering. I can imagine 50miles would be eaten up easily on a good bike

I'm 6'2" and 13 stone, I was taken out pillion on my 125 by the sellers dad (shorter but gotta be at least the same weight) and I was astounded how well the poor little thing actually moved!

Urm I'm paid £250ish for gear (lid, trousers, jacket and gloves). Bikes seem to be £500+ depending on how shiny. CBTs about £100. Insurance for me (25, no NCB and provisional license) was £122. Oh and £17 A YEAR VED. MOT for mates bike on sat was £26 and a few pence.

Altogether I'm in for just under £1300 to get started. at nearly 3x the mpg of the MX-5 it's already started saving me a few pence!

[Mr2Mike]

carmadgaz said:

Urm I'm paid £250ish for gear (lid, trousers, jacket and gloves). Bikes seem to be £500+ depending on how shiny. CBTs about £100. Insurance for me (25, no NCB and provisional license) was £122. Oh and £17 A YEAR VED. MOT for mates bike on sat was £26 and a few pence.

Altogether I'm in for just under £1300 to get started. at nearly 3x the mpg of the MX-5 it's already started saving me a few pence!

And because you (very wisely) bought a s/h Japanese 125, depreciation will be negligible if you look after it.

[amancalledrob]

Mr2Mike said:

evil len said:

Even when moving ? Maybe I'm just cold blooded ...

Yep, if it's a hot day I often feel too warm even when moving. I do feel the heat though, I only wear a T-shirt or work shirt under my textile jacket in winter unless it's properly cold.

I can understand why some people wear T-shorts and shorts on a bike/scooter in summer, even though it's an immensely stupid thing to do.

My own opinion is that if it's too hot to wear the gear, it's too hot to ride the bike. That said, I'm not one of these militant types that insists everyone else should act the same way. Certainly in your case it sounds as though if your approach was the same as mine, you'd miss a lot of the summer

[carmadgaz]

Mr2Mike said:

And because you (very wisely) bought a s/h Japanese 125, depreciation will be negligible if you look after it.

Aye my boss (among others) was very vocal about spending the extra on a Jap bike. Although in fairness my mate bought a Jinlun and tarted it up for under £300. The sound it made when he brought it home did make me wince though...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rnp3fzeRm2A&lis...

New chain and sprockets were only a few quid though. It IS a very comfortable thing to ride but I wouldn't swap it for the GS.

[Pothole]

amancalledrob said:

Mr2Mike said:

evil len said:

Even when moving ? Maybe I'm just cold blooded ...

Yep, if it's a hot day I often feel too warm even when moving. I do feel the heat though, I only wear a T-shirt or work shirt under my textile jacket in winter unless it's properly cold.

I can understand why some people wear T-shorts and shorts on a bike/scooter in summer, even though it's an immensely stupid thing to do.

My own opinion is that if it's too hot to wear the gear, it's too hot to ride the bike. That said, I'm not one of these militant types that insists everyone else should act the same way. Certainly in your case it sounds as though if your approach was the same as mine, you'd miss a lot of the summer

If it's too hot to wear the gear, you need different gear.

[funkyrobot]

carmadgaz said:

I've always been a car nut (my first word was actually "Car" ) but every sunny day I've been out and seen a bike cruising around I've had a hankering. I can imagine 50miles would be eaten up easily on a good bike

I'm 6'2" and 13 stone, I was taken out pillion on my 125 by the sellers dad (shorter but gotta be at least the same weight) and I was astounded how well the poor little thing actually moved!

Urm I'm paid £250ish for gear (lid, trousers, jacket and gloves). Bikes seem to be £500+ depending on how shiny. CBTs about £100. Insurance for me (25, no NCB and provisional license) was £122. Oh and £17 A YEAR VED. MOT for mates bike on sat was £26 and a few pence.

Altogether I'm in for just under £1300 to get started. at nearly 3x the mpg of the MX-5 it's already started saving me a few pence!

Thanks. Sounds good.

Where did you source your bike from?

[amancalledrob]

Pothole said:

amancalledrob said:

Mr2Mike said:

evil len said:

Even when moving ? Maybe I'm just cold blooded ...

Yep, if it's a hot day I often feel too warm even when moving. I do feel the heat though, I only wear a T-shirt or work shirt under my textile jacket in winter unless it's properly cold.

I can understand why some people wear T-shorts and shorts on a bike/scooter in summer, even though it's an immensely stupid thing to do.

My own opinion is that if it's too hot to wear the gear, it's too hot to ride the bike. That said, I'm not one of these militant types that insists everyone else should act the same way. Certainly in your case it sounds as though if your approach was the same as mine, you'd miss a lot of the summer

If it's too hot to wear the gear, you need different gear.

My biggest gripe when it's too hot is wearing the gear at all, as I get way too hot between stopping and taking stuff off. By the time I've removed enough of it to be comfortable, I'm a sweaty and claustrophobic mess. I prefer just not riding the bike when it's hot. Like I said though, I'm not the judgmental sort that criticises others for doing differently

[Mr2Mike]

Pothole said:

f it's too hot to wear the gear, you need different gear.

This seems to have turned into a circular argument! If you can suggest some gear that keeps me cooler than my current stuff I'd be very pleased.

[carmadgaz]

funkyrobot said:

Thanks. Sounds good.

Where did you source your bike from?

You're welcome. Mine was found on e-bay but was very local so I called the fella, went up, had a look and he rode it back to mine. Mate (with the Jinlun) bought his off a mate.

Like cars they can be found all over the place

[Mr2Mike]

anonymous said:

[redacted]

Looks similar to my Spada mesh jacket, which helps but dosen't solve the problem.