1st bike advice.......
Discussion
Hi everyone, i'm looking for some good advice, I want to buy my first bike and only have around £2000 to spend. I have been told my all my friends who have bikes that a 600cc will be too powerful as my first and i'm best to stick to a 400cc.
I have my concerns, I'm 6ft 1in and around 16.5 stone, do you think i will get boared of a 400cc to quickly?
Also what would you go for? I would like something sporty as its just for weekend use.
Thanks
I have my concerns, I'm 6ft 1in and around 16.5 stone, do you think i will get boared of a 400cc to quickly?
Also what would you go for? I would like something sporty as its just for weekend use.
Thanks
Well in answer to your question will you get bored too quickly the answer is probably yes!and yes your mates are correct too,they have your best interests at heart,but,the throttle on a bike goes both ways,get a 600 and take your time with it,grow into the bike.I haven't gone through a bored with a 400 want a 600 stage,i went through a bored with a 600 wanted something bigger stage.Had a new gsxr600,went out with a run with someone on a Ducati 998,he farted about in probably 4th or 5th all day and i must have went through about 5 thousand gear changes just to keep up and make some progress if i ever wanted to see the rear view of his twin Termis again!
Edited by rumpelstiltskin on Wednesday 27th December 11:22
Depends on where you are coming from: I'm of similar size & shape and found 400's just too small, as much as I'd have liked an NC30. Going up slightly, the learner/commuter twins (GS500, ER-5, CB500) and things like the XJ600 are easy to ride, economical to run and will beat pretty much anything away from the lights. This might be an excellent starting point for you, especially as they are a decent size and should physically fit you.
Going beyoned there is really up to your own experience and I would tread carefully as you are starting to look at bikes that will out accelerate pretty much any car on the road. The ER-6 and Bandit 600/650 are quite n00b friendly and economical yet will still provide a fair punch to keep you amused. The Hornet 600 and Fazer 600 are smoother and in some ways very confident inspiring for a new rider, yet the top end is a blast, a real eye opener even if you have come from driving quick cars. Personaly I went for the Fazer, and two months and a couple of thousand miles later I think it's fantastic. An earlier Mk1 version like mine would fall within your budget and still provide good reliable transport.
Outwith these obvious choices there are loads of other bikes to consider, but personal taste is going to be more influential. I liked the TDM850, but as much as anything else the price put me off. Plus I found the riding position a bit high. There seems to be a fair amount of supermoto style bikes on the market now though and they would certainly suit your size better. BMW make some nice bikes but you'll be looking at older stuff. I personally adore Moto Guzzi's but I'm not keen on using one as a commuter. There are plenty of Triumph's about within your budget, but you'll probably find they're 900cc+ which may be a bit off putting.
Best advice I can give though is don't buy anything without test riding it first, and preferably a few others that you fancy. There really is very little that you can ascertain from magazine articles and what other people say: the best bike for you is the one that you feel comfortable on.
I really need to stop rambling.
Going beyoned there is really up to your own experience and I would tread carefully as you are starting to look at bikes that will out accelerate pretty much any car on the road. The ER-6 and Bandit 600/650 are quite n00b friendly and economical yet will still provide a fair punch to keep you amused. The Hornet 600 and Fazer 600 are smoother and in some ways very confident inspiring for a new rider, yet the top end is a blast, a real eye opener even if you have come from driving quick cars. Personaly I went for the Fazer, and two months and a couple of thousand miles later I think it's fantastic. An earlier Mk1 version like mine would fall within your budget and still provide good reliable transport.
Outwith these obvious choices there are loads of other bikes to consider, but personal taste is going to be more influential. I liked the TDM850, but as much as anything else the price put me off. Plus I found the riding position a bit high. There seems to be a fair amount of supermoto style bikes on the market now though and they would certainly suit your size better. BMW make some nice bikes but you'll be looking at older stuff. I personally adore Moto Guzzi's but I'm not keen on using one as a commuter. There are plenty of Triumph's about within your budget, but you'll probably find they're 900cc+ which may be a bit off putting.
Best advice I can give though is don't buy anything without test riding it first, and preferably a few others that you fancy. There really is very little that you can ascertain from magazine articles and what other people say: the best bike for you is the one that you feel comfortable on.
I really need to stop rambling.
Got my first bike 6 weeks ago - a 650. If I throw the throttle fully open from any slow speed it will scare me witless so I don't. However..I already know I'll be hankering after a 950 or so by the Summer.
As has been said..engine size matters not...just get a bike you are comfortable on and that you can really use to hone your riding skills. Too big can be just as bad as too small I was told as you do not learn to ride properly (if you go too big I'm told you'll lide like a granny forever) so the trick is the bike hat's RIGHT for YOU!!!
superhoop1904 said:
Hi everyone, i'm looking for some good advice, I want to buy my first bike and only have around £2000 to spend. I have been told my all my friends who have bikes that a 600cc will be too powerful as my first and i'm best to stick to a 400cc.
I have my concerns, I'm 6ft 1in and around 16.5 stone, do you think i will get boared of a 400cc to quickly?
Also what would you go for? I would like something sporty as its just for weekend use.
Thanks
I have my concerns, I'm 6ft 1in and around 16.5 stone, do you think i will get boared of a 400cc to quickly?
Also what would you go for? I would like something sporty as its just for weekend use.
Thanks
I think that, given your size, you would get very bored very quickly on a 400. While you say you would like something sporty, I think you should try a number of different types of bike with different engine configurations and capacities. Even bikes that are considered ‘slow’ in the bike world are actually very quick when compared to all bar the very fastest cars. (Try and outrun a Motorcycle BIB on a ‘slow’ BMW or Pan European when you’re in anything less than a upper end Porsche/Ferrari/Lambo etc. and you’ll see just how fast ‘slow’ bikes are!)
Try some of the twins and triples as; given your size and weight, I think torque will be more relevant to you than top end power. Whatever, try as many different bikes as you can.
Ultimately, choose a bike the feels right to you and does what you want it to do. Do not use the engine capacity as a way of ‘slowing you down’ as a 400 is easily capable of going fast enough to get you into a lot of serious trouble and a 1200cc bike is easily capable of traveling at walking pace!
Ride safe and enjoy
Thanks for all the great advice guys, one thing i'm gonna make sure i do after reading your posts is have a good look around a test ride a few different makes and models. I'm looking to buy privatly, have any of you ever had trouble trying to test ride bikes when buying in this way? Also do you think that there is a better time to buy ie just after xmas or winter?
Thanks again for all you help,
Superhoop1904
Thanks again for all you help,
Superhoop1904
Hi Superhoop1904,
Well, this sort of thing can happen for two reasons.
Firstly, on the road twins can be easier to ride quickly, thanks to all the torque available earlier in the rev range. If you want a brilliant twin within budget, check out a second hand Suzuki SV650 or SV650S. The SV is a brilliant first bike that will grow with your riding, so you won't get bored.
The second reason that you can get left behind is riding ability. On road and track, I've done various roadcraft and race schools. My advice is to get started with some advanced training. The best bet is to invest in 1-2 days of professional tuition from the best, like RideDrive or Rapid Training. More economically, check out your local motorcycle IAM group (look through www.iam.org.uk to find Motorcycle Groups); 85 quid buys you a Skills for Life course with unlimited tuition and entry into instant social ride-outs
How (well) you ride is far more important than the bike you choose, in both safety and speed.
Test rides can be tricky. In my experience, sellers often want the price or the bike (or a sizeable deposit) in cash in their hands, whilst you go out on a test ride. If you ask before you turn up, then at least you'll know. If you can take alone a more experienced mate, so much the better. Also, I'd definitely recommend getting the bike HPI checked before you buy. I nearly bought a bike whose mileage had been clocked, which I wouldn't have otherwise known without an HPI check.
Bike prices should be slightly cheaper in winter, all things being equal.
Hope this is helpful. Welcome to two wheels and, whatever you decide, have fun
rumpelstiltskin said:
Had a new gsxr600,went out with a run with someone on a Ducati 998,he farted about in probably 4th or 5th all day and i must have went through about 5 thousand gear changes just to keep up and make some progress if i ever wanted to see the rear view of his twin Termis again!
Well, this sort of thing can happen for two reasons.
Firstly, on the road twins can be easier to ride quickly, thanks to all the torque available earlier in the rev range. If you want a brilliant twin within budget, check out a second hand Suzuki SV650 or SV650S. The SV is a brilliant first bike that will grow with your riding, so you won't get bored.
The second reason that you can get left behind is riding ability. On road and track, I've done various roadcraft and race schools. My advice is to get started with some advanced training. The best bet is to invest in 1-2 days of professional tuition from the best, like RideDrive or Rapid Training. More economically, check out your local motorcycle IAM group (look through www.iam.org.uk to find Motorcycle Groups); 85 quid buys you a Skills for Life course with unlimited tuition and entry into instant social ride-outs
How (well) you ride is far more important than the bike you choose, in both safety and speed.
Test rides can be tricky. In my experience, sellers often want the price or the bike (or a sizeable deposit) in cash in their hands, whilst you go out on a test ride. If you ask before you turn up, then at least you'll know. If you can take alone a more experienced mate, so much the better. Also, I'd definitely recommend getting the bike HPI checked before you buy. I nearly bought a bike whose mileage had been clocked, which I wouldn't have otherwise known without an HPI check.
Bike prices should be slightly cheaper in winter, all things being equal.
Hope this is helpful. Welcome to two wheels and, whatever you decide, have fun
Edited by SVS on Wednesday 27th December 15:42
SVS said:
Hi Superhoop1904,
Well, this sort of thing can happen for two reasons.
Firstly, on the road twins can be easier to ride quickly, thanks to all the torque available earlier in the rev range. If you want a brilliant twin within budget, check out a second hand Suzuki SV650 or SV650S. The SV is a brilliant first bike that will grow with your riding, so you won't get bored.
The second reason that you can get left behind is riding ability. On road and track, I've done various roadcraft and race schools. My advice is to get started with some advanced training. The best bet is to invest in 1-2 days of professional tuition from the best, like RideDrive or Rapid Training. More economically, check out your local motorcycle IAM group (look through www.iam.org.uk to find Motorcycle Groups); 85 quid buys you a Skills for Life course with unlimited tuition and entry into instant social ride-outs
How (well) you ride is far more important than the bike you choose, in both safety and speed.
rumpelstiltskin said:
Had a new gsxr600,went out with a run with someone on a Ducati 998,he farted about in probably 4th or 5th all day and i must have went through about 5 thousand gear changes just to keep up and make some progress if i ever wanted to see the rear view of his twin Termis again!
Well, this sort of thing can happen for two reasons.
Firstly, on the road twins can be easier to ride quickly, thanks to all the torque available earlier in the rev range. If you want a brilliant twin within budget, check out a second hand Suzuki SV650 or SV650S. The SV is a brilliant first bike that will grow with your riding, so you won't get bored.
The second reason that you can get left behind is riding ability. On road and track, I've done various roadcraft and race schools. My advice is to get started with some advanced training. The best bet is to invest in 1-2 days of professional tuition from the best, like RideDrive or Rapid Training. More economically, check out your local motorcycle IAM group (look through www.iam.org.uk to find Motorcycle Groups); 85 quid buys you a Skills for Life course with unlimited tuition and entry into instant social ride-outs
How (well) you ride is far more important than the bike you choose, in both safety and speed.
So true! Advanced training will not only save your life, it’ll make you faster and more comfortable with your speed. By far the best performance enhancement you can add to any bike! SVS said:
Test rides can be tricky. In my experience, sellers often want the price or the bike (or a sizeable deposit) in cash in their hands, whilst you go out on a test ride. If you ask before you turn up, then at least you'll know. If you can take alone a more experienced mate, so much the better. Also, I'd definitely recommend getting the bike HPI checked before you buy. I nearly bought a bike whose mileage had been clocked, which I wouldn't have otherwise known without an HPI check.
Bike prices should be slightly cheaper in winter, all things being equal.
Bike prices should be slightly cheaper in winter, all things being equal.
Good advice. Check first but be prepared to leave a substantial cash deposit. Also, be prepared to show an insurance certificate that at least gives 3rd party cover.
Do try the dealers as they are more likely to have bikes you can test ride.
Super, what type of riding do you want to do?
Are you going to be a fast road racer or a commuter or just a weekend, warm weather biker, like me?
Given you height etc have you considered a yamaha XT 600 or 660?
Would fall within you price range, more geared towards dicing with traffic and commuting with bags of bottom end and midrange grunt but not to powerful or fast top end (100mph ish) but quick off the line.
Can be used as a long distance tourer and all the one since 1990 ish have electric start
I had an old XT550 in my yoof and had a ball. ( kick start only model- eek!)
Edited by odyssey2200 on Wednesday 27th December 16:26
superhoop1904 said:
I have been told my all my friends who have bikes that a 600cc will be too powerful as my first and i'm best to stick to a 400cc.
I have my concerns, I'm 6ft 1in and around 16.5 stone, do you think i will get boared of a 400cc to quickly?
I have my concerns, I'm 6ft 1in and around 16.5 stone, do you think i will get boared of a 400cc to quickly?
right, i'm 6ft 2" and about the same weight, passed my direct access in Oct and bought a 2003 Fazer 600 in Nov. it is a great bike, I use to to commute to work everyday and go for a blast on the weekends. it comfy for 150+ mile weekend blast and does good MPG and it fast enought for me now. a very good starting bike and I would recommend it to others.
As for being too powerful, its got 96BHP and is soo much faster then any car i have been in and will only go as fast as you twist the throttle
have fun and hope that helps
As I posted in another of the what 1st bike threads
I'd suggest sitting on all the naked 600s and seeing what one suits you best. All the big manufacturers make one (with the exception of Suzuki who make 3) so you're quite spoilt for choice.
The V-twin bikes (eg the SV650) will be a bit more torquey and will accelerate better from low revs, whereas the inline 4 (eg the Honda Hornet) bikes tend to scream up to a higher top speed.
Most of the naked 600s come as a half faired version too if you want something that looks a bit sportier.
I'd suggest sitting on all the naked 600s and seeing what one suits you best. All the big manufacturers make one (with the exception of Suzuki who make 3) so you're quite spoilt for choice.
The V-twin bikes (eg the SV650) will be a bit more torquey and will accelerate better from low revs, whereas the inline 4 (eg the Honda Hornet) bikes tend to scream up to a higher top speed.
Buy an SV
Most of the naked 600s come as a half faired version too if you want something that looks a bit sportier.
My first bike after passing my test (early days of the 125 law and cbt) was a brand spanker FZR1000 (pre-exup)
Yeeehaaaaawwwww
I spent the next 4 years stuffing it into the scenery at various locales...
I wouldnt change the past but I will offer some advice based on my aged years of biking (never stopped)
Dont buy the biggest fastest bike u can afford (ala me!)
most of the 600 twins should make good starter bikes with a lot of fun built in..
I get a blast out out a 640 single as much as a my current big bike ride 999 ducati
Yeeehaaaaawwwww
I spent the next 4 years stuffing it into the scenery at various locales...
I wouldnt change the past but I will offer some advice based on my aged years of biking (never stopped)
Dont buy the biggest fastest bike u can afford (ala me!)
most of the 600 twins should make good starter bikes with a lot of fun built in..
I get a blast out out a 640 single as much as a my current big bike ride 999 ducati
In terms of 400's I actually really like them, you can ride the wheels off them and not get into huge problems (having said that my FZR will top a tonne easily) but from a handling perspective they are mega. You can carry so much pace through the bends and they flip flop from side to side with ease - you'd be amazed how many 600 and 1000 riders you can keep up with on a winding road... But, looking at your size you may be a bit big. I'm 6ft and it is a bit od squeeze but I'm only 12 stone. Most of the 400 were designed and manufactured for the Japanese home market and anyone over 11-12 stone may overwhelm standard (and by now fairly worn) rear suspension! Give one a go, you may like it, and I know of a very good FZR400R that may be for sale...
Other than that just go and ride all types of bikes and see what grabs you. Consider other options away from sports bikes too! I ride an XT660 everyday now and its great, handles well, piece of piss to service, can ride in the dirt as well as the roads and is pretty tough!
I passed my Direct Access thingy a year ago (at the ripe old age of 53!) I had never ridden anything over 50cc before so it was a bit of a baptism of fire. It's my father in-law's fault; at 82 he has a six month old Triumph Sprint ST and a new Bonny! Back to the subject in hand. I bought a '98 XJ600 Divvie from a bloke at work for £1000 and with mileage of 11500! Did a few things to it like changed the crappy Dunlops to Bridgestone BT44s, sintered front brakepads, new chain and sprockets etc. I know "bikers" tend to poo poo the Divvie, but it was and still is a very good bike to get experience on. It will outdrag most things on the road and is comfortable to ride. For a grand I could'nt go wrong, and it is in super condition. I think I may well keep it for a while. Recommended!!
I passed my Direct Access test at the fifth attempt about 2 Months ago, a week later I had bought a Honda VTR SP2 against everyone's advice. It was a real handfull to start with but getting used to it more & more now & have fallen in love with it. You would get a reasonably good VTR Firestorm for about £2K. I love V-Twins lazy torque. Depends a lot on what you intend to do with the bike. I found it hard to find anywhere that would let me test ride a big bike, in the end I had to buy the bike from a dealer who would exchange the bike if I didn't like it. All bikes are only as fast as you want them to go, you just have to be extremely careful! Safe riding!
Gassing Station | Biker Banter | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff