Sports car to Bike

Author
Discussion

Nersha

Original Poster:

143 posts

130 months

Thursday 17th April 2014
quotequote all
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

Mastodon2

13,818 posts

164 months

Thursday 17th April 2014
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I sold my EP3 to take up biking. It was without a doubt the best motoring decision I've ever made. How long would you have to wait to do DAS? I think you'd be better off going for DAS, less hassle than doing A2, buying an A2-friendly bike and then having to do another test for a full licence, and then selling the A2 bike.

VinceFox

20,566 posts

171 months

Thursday 17th April 2014
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Wait until you can do the full das without staged increments.

srob

11,564 posts

237 months

Thursday 17th April 2014
quotequote all
You'll get more motoring satisfaction and feel more connected to the road on a CG125 than you do in your Integra.

smile

srob

11,564 posts

237 months

Thursday 17th April 2014
quotequote all
VinceFox said:
Wait until you can do the full das without staged increments.
Why?

If it's cheaper (I dunno how much it costs now) then fair enough but personally I couldn't wait to get out on any bike. You can always upgrade a licence but you can't buy back a summer's biking.

Nersha

Original Poster:

143 posts

130 months

Thursday 17th April 2014
quotequote all
Mastodon2 said:
I sold my EP3 to take up biking. It was without a doubt the best motoring decision I've ever made. How long would you have to wait to do DAS? I think you'd be better off going for DAS, less hassle than doing A2, buying an A2-friendly bike and then having to do another test for a full licence, and then selling the A2 bike.
Just under 2 years before I could do DAS. Was thinking more along the lines of a 600 with restrictor to conform to A2 license.. Should be plenty fast enough for the first couple of years? Then the option of losing the restriction or changing bike.

srob

11,564 posts

237 months

Thursday 17th April 2014
quotequote all
Try a sporty 125

VinceFox

20,566 posts

171 months

Thursday 17th April 2014
quotequote all
srob said:
Why?

If it's cheaper (I dunno how much it costs now) then fair enough but personally I couldn't wait to get out on any bike. You can always upgrade a licence but you can't buy back a summer's biking.
If he's only a year or two off, i'd wait.

But then, i keep all my bikes.

.blue

726 posts

179 months

Thursday 17th April 2014
quotequote all
Do it. You can ride some good enough bikes on a restricted license. The savings over a car are significant.

You have the best of both worlds if you have a diesel to run on cold wintry days too.

srob

11,564 posts

237 months

Thursday 17th April 2014
quotequote all
.blue said:
Do it. You can ride some good enough bikes on a restricted license. The savings over a car are significant.
Exactly. A decent 125 will feel more sporty than an Integra (no offence to Integra owners) and then there's the chance to step up in a year. New novelty. Rinse and repeat, all for less money than a year's insurance on a (*cough* proper) sports car, really smile

Richyboy

3,739 posts

216 months

Friday 18th April 2014
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The south is becoming crap for car ownership, bikes are so much more fun.

S7Paul

2,103 posts

233 months

Friday 18th April 2014
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Get on two wheels as quick as you can. Having to ride something with less power for a while is no bad thing; it'll help you build up your experience at more modest speeds, giving you more time to react and think about what the bike is doing. You'll feel so much more "plugged in" to a bike than in any car, and you'll find yourself focusing on your surroundings (road conditions, potential hazards, etc) far more than you've probably been used to, so it's not just about adapting to a different vehicle - there's more to it than that. I suspect that your biggest regret may be that you didn't start sooner. Keep us posted...

LordFlathead

9,641 posts

257 months

Friday 18th April 2014
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srob said:
You'll get more motoring satisfaction and feel more connected to the road on a CG125 than you do in your Integra.

smile
This. And since when is an Integra a "sportscar" laugh

dai1983

2,902 posts

148 months

Friday 18th April 2014
quotequote all
srob said:
You'll get more motoring satisfaction and feel more connected to the road on a CG125 than you do in your Integra.

smile
As much as I love motorbikes (and I guess your using the lower end of bikes here), there's no way I'd swap a car such as the Integra for a bike that struggles to 50mph!!

No idea what bikes are allowed under the new schemes but an old school 400 could be restricted and you wouldn't loose money on it. What about the KTM 390 thingies? Cheapo CB500? Aprilia RS125 or a MIto if your feeling brave?

Mastodon2

13,818 posts

164 months

Friday 18th April 2014
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dai1983 said:
As much as I love motorbikes (and I guess your using the lower end of bikes here), there's no way I'd swap a car such as the Integra for a bike that struggles to 50mph!!
I would, I had an EP3 and if I wanted to have fun, I'd pick the CG125 every time. Speed isn't everything, and you can't lean an Integra. wink

CBR JGWRR

6,518 posts

148 months

Friday 18th April 2014
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Do CBT, bimble on a 125 for two years, do DAS when CBT is up. Don't do your test now, as you will have to do another test in two years time to be allowed a big bike anyway.

Fort Jefferson

8,237 posts

221 months

Friday 18th April 2014
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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.

Yazza54

18,464 posts

180 months

Friday 18th April 2014
quotequote all
LordFlathead said:
srob said:
You'll get more motoring satisfaction and feel more connected to the road on a CG125 than you do in your Integra.

smile
This. And since when is an Integra a "sportscar" laugh
Someone finally said it tongue out

13aines

2,153 posts

148 months

Friday 18th April 2014
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Do it! My housemate went from hot hatches to a GSX650F restricted to 46bhp, and a diesel hatchback, and he has no regrets and has serious fun on his 46bhp restricted bike, and gets satisfaction from his efficient sensible car.

He rode an unrestricted CBR400 for a few months but dropped it once or twice... someone crashed into it parked and wrote it off and he got the modern GSX650F, and restricted it, and his riding came on leaps and bounds - only slightly less power, but has taught him to carry speed and ride more smoothly...

I hate to say it, but the restriction is good for you... coming from a car you'll find even an old 60hbp CBR400/VFR400/ZXR400 a time warp in comparison, and some time with a restricted bike WILL make you a better rider, and hopefully make you less likely to throw it down the road too.

If I was you i'd try to get a good unmolested Aprilia RS125, and a sensible car for two years... the 125 will be not much use for more than fun stuff, and will require plenty of fettling and maintenance to keep it reliable, so you'll need the cheap runaround car, but you will have a lot of fun on it! - two stroke bikes are supposed to be immensely fun compared to 4 stroke bikes, but are disappearing from our roads fast. Enjoy one while you can, learn to carry serious corner speed on it, read the road better, and prepare yourself for something bigger once you've done your DAS at 24.

Or... do your DAS now, restrict a bike, and have wicked fun! (and take 10000000 tests, eeeeeugh.)

WaferThinHam

1,680 posts

129 months

Friday 18th April 2014
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Once you get into a bike even a restricted one, you'll wonder what all the fuss is about with cars like the Integra in terms of performance. They are a fantastic car, but not a patch on even a mediumly fast bike.

Although I have spent the day hooning around on my 954, so maybe a little biased. My RX8 offered nowhere near the level of involvement as a bike.