New Biker

[Ez83]

Hi All,

I'm totally new to biking, I've desperately wanted a bike for ages now and have eventually saved up enough to do my tests and get my first baby.

I don't really want to get a 125 and then have to sell it again or lose money so have booked my DAS and completed my CBT and theory. I'm old enough to drive anything if I pass but now don't know whether I should get a 125 first? I'm being told different things and some say get a 125 and drive it for a year first and other say go for it so I just wanted some opinions from bikers.

Hopefully I'll get a bit of comfort that getting straight to a 600 is a good idea as I'm a complete novice and need some reassurance 😁

All opinions valued so feel free to contribute 😊

Thank you x

[Ez83]

srob said:

This ^ is the standard response on here.

But there's two schools of thought. One is the "throttle works both ways", which obviously it does but in my opinion you'll end up getting your sts and giggles by pinning the throttle, and not enjoying the corners. Then in a year or two you'll be posting on the internet asking "how do I go around a corner" once the novelty of accelleration has worn off. The other (more old fashioned) view is that it's better to get your learning done on a small bike so all your concentration goes on the important bits you have to learn, like cornering and road awareness without being intimidated by the machine.

For your info, you won't lose much money on a 125. There's always a demand for them so very often you can sell them for what you pay for them.

Thanks, I'm not massively interested in driving like a loon, I'm probably what you would bracket as a pleasure rider. I live between a few motorway and dual carriageway veins so my other thought is around having enough clout to take these on without bottoming out half way past a lorry. I guess a lot will depend on my patience and the skills of the instructors along with my ability to learn.

Being 6ft I'm not massively comfortable on a 125 either so this is another consideration. Honestly, how do you focus on work when you spend 24-7 thinking about bikes :0

[Ez83]

Purity14 said:

I started on an SV650, like a lot of people.
Cheap bike, super reliable, goes well, very linear power delivery so it wont surprise you with a massive rush of power like an IL4 will.

Maxes out at 135 mph, I get 55mpg consistently, even when pressing on.

3 Options, Naked; party faired; fully faired.

Good all rounder, masses of parts available,

I was thinking of a XJ6, full faired...they seem pretty decent for a newbie?

[Ez83]

Purity14 said:

Work? I cant even concentrate on sex.

I just want to get my leg over an engine with two wheels attached to it, fill it with some flammable liquid, and see how fast I can blast myself off.

My friend has an XJ6, he loves it - If you live near a dual carriageway etc, would you not consider something with a fairing? It makes a huge difference.

Totally, I've been eyeing up a Diversion F. I literally CANNOT wait!

[Ez83]

black-k1 said:

Hello and welcome.

Going straight to a 600 is, I think, a very good idea. Smaller bikes can be great fun but are hard work in traffic, especially on faster main roads. Just because you can go fast doesn’t mean you will go fast and the ‘survival instinct’ most of us get once we’re beyond our teens will generally stop you from going too fast.

Once you have passed your DAS and have your bike, book some further advanced riding courses where they will teach you things such as how to make safe use of the power of the larger bike and how to handle corners safely while still having fun.

I guess it just takes time and confidence. Having a clutch and throttle at my hand is not the same as my feet but I know I won't become another statistic if I'm aware and sensible

[Ez83]

cat with a hat said:

I did my DAS and went straight for a 600cc Fazer S2. However I had geared off road bikes when I was younger, a moped at 16 and rode a little geared 110cc in Asia for a few months.

I think it would be far too tempting to pin the throttle and get into trouble on corner or wobble around corners at tortoise pace if you haven't built up the experience before hand.

I felt my jump was quite big, so without any experience at all I think you'd be better pacing yourself.

I would look at something in-between like a 400cc DRZ

I agree that baby steps are the key, I'm not one to pin a throttle and even in my very very limited experience I know I'm comfortable with my balance. Maybe something else then, a 400 DRZ is totally not my style.. :-/

[Ez83]

Rollin said:

I had a 125 for 6 months before doing DAS. Bought an XJ6N after passing test. It didn't feel scary when I bought it and is dead easy to ride. It's nowhere near the most powerful 600 out there. After 9 months on it, I want something quicker.
I use to think that my experience on a 125 was useful, but I'm not so sure now. What I would say is that I actually made money when selling my 125 and saved a shed load of petrol costs by not using my car .

How come you changed your mind about the 125? Most people say saddle time before a "big bike" is a good idea?

[Ez83]

MotorsportTom said:

Buy a 125 if you want but you'll soon get bored of the being slow.

Going back to a 125 after having a few bigger bikes is an absolute hoot, pinning them everywhere down back lanes is where they are fun. Commuting and nice rides out is not imo.

I had a couple of goes on mini motos and then decided to do get on scheme (free one hour session on a geared bike), CBT, Mod 1, borrrowed the instructors bike overnight before it, mod 2 training for a day and then mod 2


Passed with 2 minors each test. Went straight onto a GSX600F bought from Liverpool and I live in south Somerset. Rode home didn't die.

Never crashed it or died at all whilst learning my craft.

Get whatever bike you want, you'll learn (fast hopefully) how and when to use it appropriately, plus if you choose the wrong time you'll probably fill your pants so much you won't do it again for a long time.

Whatever you choose good luck and keep us updated.

Well I hope I turn out to be as natural as you did! I did ok on my CBT and felt quite at home in the saddle so you never know. I just want to get on with it now, counting hours until I can get back behind the bars.