A complete biker newbie
Discussion
LoonR1 said:
That wasn't my point. A GS500 is a bike in a very low state of tune, pushing out a whopping 45-50 BHP, so it's not a scary bike and will be easy for the OP to come to terms with, rather than be scared of it.
Few bikes allow you to make mistakes as well. Falling off at 20mph under a lorry or car is going to hurt just as much. Staying on at 150mph is going to hurt just as little as doing so at 20 mph.
Went out for my first (official) lesson last Saturday (got another one booked tomorrow).Few bikes allow you to make mistakes as well. Falling off at 20mph under a lorry or car is going to hurt just as much. Staying on at 150mph is going to hurt just as little as doing so at 20 mph.
Started off back on the little CG125 I did my CBT on just so the instructor could get as bearing on us (the other student and I) - God those things are awful compared to my GS125!
Next up they rolled a brace of GS500s out of the corner (I'm assuming A2 restricted as lass I was with was only doing her A2). Got them out on the road and found it (as you said) very easy to come to terms with. Because I was out on the road and not getting used to it by low speed maneuvers the extra size and power was easy to get to grips with.
Did nearly drop the bloody thing, was asked to pull in to the side of the road, no curb and I got too far over, front tyre found some mud and the bike tried to slid over. Luckily I'm tall enough that I got my right leg down and propped the bike up
Onto the Mod 1 training (I'm assuming on whatever 600 they have) then booking my test (looks like it will be March now though
)and the saga continues...
Got my Mod1 booked for March (turns out I'm not the only one with the idea of doing it over winter ).
Confident on my Mod1 but still need to work on my road positioning for my Mod2.
Also put a deposit down on this last night. Not the most exciting bike (as previously discussed here) but it's done under 11k, aside from the chain it is immaculate and my mate is letting me pay it off monthly as my Landie stole £300 out of my bike fund
Got my Mod1 booked for March (turns out I'm not the only one with the idea of doing it over winter
).Confident on my Mod1 but still need to work on my road positioning for my Mod2.
Also put a deposit down on this last night. Not the most exciting bike (as previously discussed here) but it's done under 11k, aside from the chain it is immaculate and my mate is letting me pay it off monthly as my Landie stole £300 out of my bike fund
Pothole said:
Looks nice and clean and despite its shortcomings it's a perfect first bike in many ways. Robust, easy to use and uncomplicated. Nothing to put you off using it anytime you feel like it.
This was my logic. I know it's owner (so I know it has been looked after) and it has done sod all miles. Aside from the chain (and I know a man for that) it's spotless. It had a flat battery on Sat but I had a go on it a few weeks ago on a bit of private land and it starts and stops as it should. Even got a tank bag thrown in (his new bike has a plastic tank).I've done a few of my lessons on one of them, not a crotch rocket but comfortably more poke than my little GS125 without being daft for a newbie.
Was going to keep the 125 too but I think I will have to move it on (money and space), should get my money back on it in a few months
Oddly the GS500 appears to be cheaper to insure than the GS125
carmadgaz said:
Pothole said:
Looks nice and clean and despite its shortcomings it's a perfect first bike in many ways. Robust, easy to use and uncomplicated. Nothing to put you off using it anytime you feel like it.
This was my logic. I know it's owner (so I know it has been looked after) and it has done sod all miles. Aside from the chain (and I know a man for that) it's spotless. It had a flat battery on Sat but I had a go on it a few weeks ago on a bit of private land and it starts and stops as it should. Even got a tank bag thrown in (his new bike has a plastic tank).I've done a few of my lessons on one of them, not a crotch rocket but comfortably more poke than my little GS125 without being daft for a newbie.
Was going to keep the 125 too but I think I will have to move it on (money and space), should get my money back on it in a few months
Oddly the GS500 appears to be cheaper to insure than the GS125
Pothole said:
hain and sprocket change is easy peasy, mate. Don't pay anyone to do that kind of thing. If it even needs changing, that is. Give it a thorough lubing and it'll probably be fine. (check the teeth are all straight on the rear sprocket)
I meant for the chain itself (Girfriend's dad owns a shop that sells chains, belts, sprockets etc). The rear sprocket appears to be alright but the chain itself is a little tired. Will take the cover off to have a look at the front one when it arrives back here.andburg said:
It'll be much faster just for replacing those mirrors!
125's are expensive to insure as they're ridden by inexperienced riders on CBT's and thrown down the road
Yeah it's being kept in a back garden and the gate is too small to fit the bike through with the mirrors in 'riding' position (wondered how long it would take someone to spot that 125's are expensive to insure as they're ridden by inexperienced riders on CBT's and thrown down the road
)Yeah that was my conclusion in the end. Touchwood I've not thrown mine anywhere (but I have dropped it once
)Ilovejapcrap said:
Gs500 great first bike.
I've always like the styling of the GS500 for some reason, and they are simple and reliable machines, though the finish isn't the best.When I went on my anti-social, child killing, speeding course there was a knuckle dragger who was constantly coming out with complete bulls
t and basically wouldn't shut up. I mostly remember the guy running the course asking what bikes we all had and this knobber saying "Suzuki GS500 SLINGSHOT" like it was some special super performance version 
I'm getting rather impatient to get it on the road now
Moved on with my lessons to a CBF600 and found that a very smooth bike to ride.
Thursday just gone (5th) I arrived at my instructors at 0930 and with my instructor and another learner we headed for Newport for our Mod1s.
The only downside to the day was the other learner. A nice enough old boy but he was running point and being such a dithering muppet that by 3pm I could of cheerfully ridden into him just to put me out of my misery
. By the time we arrived back at base (around 1700) My teeth hurt from my jaw being clenched in frustration. My only bonus is if I can manage to control the bike reasonably smoothly while stuck behind that jerky ditherer then my MOD2 should be a breeze!
Anyhoo...
Went in to the test centre. Watched a test. Went in for my test and...
... Nailed it
. 0 faults 
. I thought I had stuffed it right at the end with the avoidance (in wanting to make sure I hit the 50kph min speed I went through a bit fast at 58!) but managed to stay just far enough right to miss the inside cone.
Next up is my MOD2 at the end of the month. Then I can get the bike taxed for the beginning of next month and get some miles under my belt
Moved on with my lessons to a CBF600 and found that a very smooth bike to ride.
Thursday just gone (5th) I arrived at my instructors at 0930 and with my instructor and another learner we headed for Newport for our Mod1s.
The only downside to the day was the other learner. A nice enough old boy but he was running point and being such a dithering muppet that by 3pm I could of cheerfully ridden into him just to put me out of my misery
. By the time we arrived back at base (around 1700) My teeth hurt from my jaw being clenched in frustration. My only bonus is if I can manage to control the bike reasonably smoothly while stuck behind that jerky ditherer then my MOD2 should be a breeze!Anyhoo...
Went in to the test centre. Watched a test. Went in for my test and...
... Nailed it
. 0 faults . I thought I had stuffed it right at the end with the avoidance (in wanting to make sure I hit the 50kph min speed I went through a bit fast at 58!) but managed to stay just far enough right to miss the inside cone.Next up is my MOD2 at the end of the month. Then I can get the bike taxed for the beginning of next month and get some miles under my belt
carmadgaz said:
I'm getting rather impatient to get it on the road now
Aye, it's getting towards that time of the year; I feel the need... the need for... er, well, I ride a fat munter so not as fast as most of the kiddies on here but when you've had a few months off for the winter, the first rush of breeze through your lid is like going back quarter of a century to your first 'big' bike carmadgaz said:
The only downside to the day was the other learner. A nice enough old boy but he was running point and being such a dithering muppet that by 3pm I could of cheerfully ridden into him just to put me out of my misery . By the time we arrived back at base (around 1700) My teeth hurt from my jaw being clenched in frustration.
Sounds like you're going to need to work on your temper / patience if you're going to be able to ride with a clear head and make the right decisions. . By the time we arrived back at base (around 1700) My teeth hurt from my jaw being clenched in frustration. BritishRacinGrin said:
Sounds like you're going to need to work on your temper / patience if you're going to be able to ride with a clear head and make the right decisions.
My issue was I was stuck. Normally at the speed he was plodding around at I could be around safely and on my way within 10min with no problem at all. As it was I was just stuck with no option but to sit there. It was like being stuck in a queue behind a tractor for 70 miles (and I wish I was just being melodramatic
). Really did put a damper on my first long distance ride.carmadgaz said:
BritishRacinGrin said:
Sounds like you're going to need to work on your temper / patience if you're going to be able to ride with a clear head and make the right decisions.
My issue was I was stuck. Normally at the speed he was plodding around at I could be around safely and on my way within 10min with no problem at all. As it was I was just stuck with no option but to sit there. It was like being stuck in a queue behind a tractor for 70 miles (and I wish I was just being melodramatic
). Really did put a damper on my first long distance ride. else feels when they were stuck behind you whilst your learning to drive or ride or when you think you're awesome and go out for you're first ride and get your arse handed to you by a 1.25 litre active sport punto, with drums on the back and sunny branded tyres on. If you get stuck with no safe or possible option to over take, then just relax and sit there. Not much you can do about it, sort of like not much you can do about not being a millionarre (unless you are one but you get my point)
Just take the time to focus on maybe your positioning on the bike, how things like the throttle feels under small movements, that sort of little things.
Just take the time to focus on maybe your positioning on the bike, how things like the throttle feels under small movements, that sort of little things.
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