Whats the deal with a Bike
Discussion
Firstly - sorry if this has been done to death.
Next year me and the family hope to be moving further into the country away from London so I've toyed with the idea of getting a bike for the commute into work. I've ridden a motorbike once which on holiday in Spain 10 years ago so I'm not sure how easy its going to be to pick it up. I'm also the kind of person who'd be happy ridding a 'normal bike' (which is probably the sensible opton) so can anyone give an idea as to how long it would take to be proficient / experienced enough to ride something like a Ducati 999 or similar - Also is this the kind of bike you would want to be doing 40 - 50 mile round trips in (mainly up the A3) Thanks for your help.
Gareth
Next year me and the family hope to be moving further into the country away from London so I've toyed with the idea of getting a bike for the commute into work. I've ridden a motorbike once which on holiday in Spain 10 years ago so I'm not sure how easy its going to be to pick it up. I'm also the kind of person who'd be happy ridding a 'normal bike' (which is probably the sensible opton) so can anyone give an idea as to how long it would take to be proficient / experienced enough to ride something like a Ducati 999 or similar - Also is this the kind of bike you would want to be doing 40 - 50 mile round trips in (mainly up the A3) Thanks for your help.
Gareth
You could ride a 999 straight from your test although it would be pretty pointless as you'd probably learn less than on a smaller bike.
I've ridden now for........ 7 months (doesn't seem that long), have covered 3500 miles of which 1200 have been on track, and, touch wood, have not yet crashed.
Although I'm occasionally tempted by the bigger bikes I'm still learning things every time I ride the R6, so it seems a bit pointless upgrading until I 'need' the added power/speed, etc.
plus its fun going past the 1000's on track on my 'ickle 600
I've ridden now for........ 7 months (doesn't seem that long), have covered 3500 miles of which 1200 have been on track, and, touch wood, have not yet crashed.
Although I'm occasionally tempted by the bigger bikes I'm still learning things every time I ride the R6, so it seems a bit pointless upgrading until I 'need' the added power/speed, etc.
plus its fun going past the 1000's on track on my 'ickle 600
Gareth,
Firstly..... Love the Cerbie, fantastic colour.
Secondly...do your test, get the bike. It's the best thing I've ever done. As like Hobo, I ride an R6, and I commute on mine, round trip of about 60 miles. I absolutely love it. Can never see me getting back on the train, although I did wonder what the hell I was doing when it p!ssed down this morning!
In my experience, a 600 sports bike was perfect. Felt a bit big and a little scary for a while, but now it feels fine, and I almost wish it had more grunt!
I went to Spain on it this year, and 300 miles in one day takes it's toll on your legs & arse, but that's probably the case with most bikes.
Just do it, life is no rehersal!
Cheers.
Firstly..... Love the Cerbie, fantastic colour.
Secondly...do your test, get the bike. It's the best thing I've ever done. As like Hobo, I ride an R6, and I commute on mine, round trip of about 60 miles. I absolutely love it. Can never see me getting back on the train, although I did wonder what the hell I was doing when it p!ssed down this morning!
In my experience, a 600 sports bike was perfect. Felt a bit big and a little scary for a while, but now it feels fine, and I almost wish it had more grunt!
I went to Spain on it this year, and 300 miles in one day takes it's toll on your legs & arse, but that's probably the case with most bikes.
Just do it, life is no rehersal!
Cheers.
gazm said:
so can anyone give an idea as to how long it would take to be proficient / experienced enough to ride something like a Ducati 999 or similar - Also is this the kind of bike you would want to be doing 40 - 50 mile round trips in (mainly up the A3)
A 999 is definately not the sort of bike you would want to use for 40-50 mile daily commutes.
The guy I sit next to at work has just sold his 999 after only having it 6 months for the reasons that he can't use it to commute to work (35 miles each way) as it's just too uncomfortable....kills your wrists and your back.....and the running costs for such usage are horrendous.
They are fantastic bikes.....but were never designed for that sort of usage.
Great for those weekend blasts.....not for daily commutes.
If you desire a Duc for that type of commute I'd look instead at a ST3 or if you can afford the extra running costs a ST4.
All I would say is that I have not ridden a bike (a 250) sice 1980. However I did my CBT on a 125 2 weeks ago and did my DAS last week. I would be very happy riding a 600 right now and learning to really hone my riding skills to the point where everything seems natural.. Anything bigger though and I think I may not do anyone any favours.
Hi Gareth/all,
I ride a Ducati. The bike's my sole means of transport and I commute daily all year round. You could commute on anything, but I have to agree with everything aeropilot wrote.
Personally, I'd really encourage you to do the following:
(a) Before deciding anything, test ride as many bikes as you can. Bikes will feel utterly different when you test ride 'em. What suits me may be totally wrong for you. With a suitably large deposit, I arranged to ride a variety of Ducatis in one day at a local dealer. Although I'd recommend test riding Triumph and the usual Japanese fare, if only for comparison.
(b) If you're going straight for a larger bike, then at least learn to ride the damn thing properly!
Invest in a day or two with someone like www.advanced-motorcycle-training.c or ideally www.rapidtraining.co.uk It'll pay dividends for the rest of your riding career and you'll get so much more enjoyment out of your bike 
Where will you be parking the bike? Ducatis repsond best to love and attention (i.e. a cosy garage). A mate of mine only cossets his 749 under chain and bike cover without too many difficulties, but lavishing anti-corrosion spray (e.g. ACF50) and regular washing through winter are required.
To answer your question specifically, I'd guess you should do a few years on something 'normal', such as a Kawasaki ER6F, Suzuki SV650S or Honda CBF600 (all great bikes nonethless). A Ducati Monster 620 (albeit lacking the comfort of a fairing for the A3) or Ducati Multistrada 620 would be decent first bikes too. However, you can always speed up the process with skills days and advanced training. With regular riding and some advanced courses behind you, then I'd guess only a year or two if you're confident.
Hope this helps
I ride a Ducati. The bike's my sole means of transport and I commute daily all year round. You could commute on anything, but I have to agree with everything aeropilot wrote.
Personally, I'd really encourage you to do the following:
(a) Before deciding anything, test ride as many bikes as you can. Bikes will feel utterly different when you test ride 'em. What suits me may be totally wrong for you. With a suitably large deposit, I arranged to ride a variety of Ducatis in one day at a local dealer. Although I'd recommend test riding Triumph and the usual Japanese fare, if only for comparison.
(b) If you're going straight for a larger bike, then at least learn to ride the damn thing properly!
Invest in a day or two with someone like www.advanced-motorcycle-training.c or ideally www.rapidtraining.co.uk It'll pay dividends for the rest of your riding career and you'll get so much more enjoyment out of your bike Where will you be parking the bike? Ducatis repsond best to love and attention (i.e. a cosy garage). A mate of mine only cossets his 749 under chain and bike cover without too many difficulties, but lavishing anti-corrosion spray (e.g. ACF50) and regular washing through winter are required.
gazm said:
I'm also the kind of person who'd be happy ridding a 'normal bike' (which is probably the sensible opton) so can anyone give an idea as to how long it would take to be proficient / experienced enough to ride something like a Ducati 999 or similar
To answer your question specifically, I'd guess you should do a few years on something 'normal', such as a Kawasaki ER6F, Suzuki SV650S or Honda CBF600 (all great bikes nonethless). A Ducati Monster 620 (albeit lacking the comfort of a fairing for the A3) or Ducati Multistrada 620 would be decent first bikes too. However, you can always speed up the process with skills days and advanced training. With regular riding and some advanced courses behind you, then I'd guess only a year or two if you're confident.
Hope this helps
Edited by SVS on Sunday 8th October 19:30
A bit of advice from someone with 130,000+ miles experience on 2 wheels:-
Don't be too ambitious. Start off with something smaller & more manageable.
If you want it for commuting, what's the main reason, saving time or money? You will probably clock up shorter journey times than a car on virtually any bike over 250cc, but you will only save money if you stay below about 600cc. Most bigger bikes are more expensive to run than a typical car, when you take into account tyres, chains, brake pads, more frequent servicing, high insurance, etc.
As you're going to be relying on it, I'd advise going for something Japanese. You'll need a fairing of some description (most of the basic 600cc roadsters come in two versions, either with or without a fairing). Without a fairing or screen, you're pretty much limited to a steady 80mph. If you try to do much more than that for any length of time, you'll be knackered before you get to work.
If, after a while on something relatively small, you feel you want something more powerful, at least you'll know by then what kind of bike would best suit your needs, and have a better understanding of the costs. You would also have gained the experience needed to handle it safely.
Final warning: Make sure you know what you're getting yourself into - biking is addictive, and once you've got the motorcycling bug, you'll never get rid of it.
Don't be too ambitious. Start off with something smaller & more manageable.
If you want it for commuting, what's the main reason, saving time or money? You will probably clock up shorter journey times than a car on virtually any bike over 250cc, but you will only save money if you stay below about 600cc. Most bigger bikes are more expensive to run than a typical car, when you take into account tyres, chains, brake pads, more frequent servicing, high insurance, etc.
As you're going to be relying on it, I'd advise going for something Japanese. You'll need a fairing of some description (most of the basic 600cc roadsters come in two versions, either with or without a fairing). Without a fairing or screen, you're pretty much limited to a steady 80mph. If you try to do much more than that for any length of time, you'll be knackered before you get to work.
If, after a while on something relatively small, you feel you want something more powerful, at least you'll know by then what kind of bike would best suit your needs, and have a better understanding of the costs. You would also have gained the experience needed to handle it safely.
Final warning: Make sure you know what you're getting yourself into - biking is addictive, and once you've got the motorcycling bug, you'll never get rid of it.
I know where there is a 3yr old ltd edition (one of 5) senna 748s (the last revision, with jap electrics=v reliable) that is for sale, all plastics replaced with carbon, BIG leo vince carbon pipes (including the 250 quid downpipe, that makes ALL the difference)
just took it to ducati lincoln this morning to get a service MOT and anything else that needs sorting or might need doing in a few months and then im selling it.
dead easy to ride, a real head turner and a future classic.
email me through profile if you want more info, im sorting out the advert to put in the classifieds as I type.
cheers.
Gary
just took it to ducati lincoln this morning to get a service MOT and anything else that needs sorting or might need doing in a few months and then im selling it.
dead easy to ride, a real head turner and a future classic.
email me through profile if you want more info, im sorting out the advert to put in the classifieds as I type.
cheers.
Gary
i went straight into a monster 600 which I modded slightly & was a great first bike, i then went to a 749 which is great on my albeit short commute. At some point I will move somewhere down the a3 and commute into town at which point I'll probably try the 749 for a while & change it if neccesary. i have done a few hour to an hour an a half rides with no issues at all.
shes up, shes going, just been offered 5500 from the bike shop, somones gonna get a bargian.
www.pistonheads.com/sales/104777.htm
if I dont answer the phone its becuase im still crying.
www.pistonheads.com/sales/104777.htm
if I dont answer the phone its becuase im still crying.
SVS said:
... Said many wise things. ....
Do try out as many different bikes as possible before deciding on what you want. Every person is different as is every bike so what suits one person won't necessarily suit another.
Any bike can be used as a commuter/tourer/sports bike etc. as long as the rider is happy to live with the limitations. Comfort (or lack of), reliability (or lack of), performance (or lack of) and economy (or lack of) are all ‘relative’ terms. I did a run down to Spain and back a few years ago with a group of different bikes but mostly BMWs, Pan Europeans and ZZr1100s. In the group was a Ducati 888 which didn’t break down, didn’t cause the rider any more discomfort than others in the group but was not noticeably faster on the twisties than the other bikes once loaded up with two weeks touring luggage.
Do get as much advanced road training as you can, regardless of the bike you choose. This will be of benefit to you every single time you ride your bike and will also help with driving any other vehicles.
Whatever you decide, do get a bike of some description and do be prepared to be hooked into and incredibly addictive pastime.
Ride safe and enjoy.
SVS said:
To answer your question specifically, I'd guess you should do a few years on something 'normal', such as a Kawasaki ER6F, Suzuki SV650S or Honda CBF600 (all great bikes nonethless).
This is the route i went for... I've got an 06 Suzuki SV650S and i don't think you could get a better first bike. Similar (or more) torque as most 600's so its fast enough at legal speeds. (i mention that because its only got 75bhp v-twin that only revs to 11.5k - modern 600s have 100bhp+) Fairly forgiving though it will powerwheelie and do supermoto-esque slides if you're too hamfisted. It will make most cars dissapear in the mirrors, however when you're at motorway speeds it hasn't got a lot of grunt - similar to clio 182 i think, perhaps a little faster.
I was bored and got on the throttle a bit fast earlier, the back end slid out on a corner in the rain. Nearly caught me out. I can only think a bigger bike would be a shit-scary in the wet! Possibly too much for someone just starting out.
I want to upgrade to a GSXR-750 in a couple of years. Those things leave me for dead, so can't imagine what a litre bike would do!
Just noticed someone mentioned training
have done the bikesafe course and its awesome. ride smoothly and speed comes as a byproduct. Edited by timmartin on Thursday 5th October 19:38
Hi again,
Those Japanese 600s produce power at the top end of the rev range. Whereas twins like the SV produce significant torque right from lower down, so there's readily available oomph on tap. The SV650 is a cracking bike. I imagine the new ER6F is great too (plus it has ABS).
Incidentally, those who enjoyed Bikesafe would be blown away by a day with the likes of www.rapidtraining.co.uk Rapid Training is like the best of Bikesafe and race school rolled into one and tailored to your individual pace and requirements. From snails to fast group riders, Rapid offer a highly rewarding day on the road. Recommended.
(Compared to Bikesafe, Suzuki Race School and California Superbike School, a day on the road with Rapid Training has been my most rewarding day out yet.)
timmartin said:
(i mention that because its only got 75bhp v-twin that only revs to 11.5k - modern 600s have 100bhp+)
Those Japanese 600s produce power at the top end of the rev range. Whereas twins like the SV produce significant torque right from lower down, so there's readily available oomph on tap. The SV650 is a cracking bike. I imagine the new ER6F is great too (plus it has ABS).
Incidentally, those who enjoyed Bikesafe would be blown away by a day with the likes of www.rapidtraining.co.uk Rapid Training is like the best of Bikesafe and race school rolled into one
and tailored to your individual pace and requirements. From snails to fast group riders, Rapid offer a highly rewarding day on the road. Recommended. (Compared to Bikesafe, Suzuki Race School and California Superbike School, a day on the road with Rapid Training has been my most rewarding day out yet.)
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