Taking up biking after 20 years
Taking up biking after 20 years
Author
Discussion

SplatSpeed

Original Poster:

7,491 posts

282 months

Tuesday 5th February 2008
quotequote all
hi all when i was 17 i used to ride bikes to get around, as they were cheap and all i could aford.

but with the realisation that if i continued i would be brown bread within a short amount of time i switched to the safty of the car

now i am wiser and older. i have a better ability to read the road

being slightly larger than most i used to ride a cross country bike to give me the height and also the gearing meant it was faster accelerationn and slower ie safer

but i would love to get a FJ1200

i want a big cruiser as i am a big lad

the problem is insurance 37 yo what am i looking at realistically for one of theese

i would love to get one and do my test on this

go on tell me how mad i am but a small bike seems minute next to my frame

PS where do you get one of thoose all in one romper suits for a 56 inch chest

Hooli

32,278 posts

231 months

Tuesday 5th February 2008
quotequote all
i doubt the insurance would be too bad tbh, its not really a hooligans bike after all.
as a guide when i passed my DAS jan '07 i got a RF600 & it was £167 TPF&T. this year with one years NCD a gsx1400 is £266 fully comp although that has a £400 excess.

black-k1

12,807 posts

260 months

Tuesday 5th February 2008
quotequote all
Insurance really won’t be a problem and the FJ1200 is a great old bike. While it’s big, it’s also very heavy and has a reasonably high centre of gravity. It also has a pretty low seat height. It was my ex-wife’s first bike after passing her test and she was 5’3 and slim and she could get both feet on the ground at the same time. (She only dropped it twice in two years which is pretty average for a newbie)

One issue I found with the FJ1200 compared to the BMW K100RS I had at the same time. While there was very little difference in performance, the FJ would drink petrol at an astonishing rate if you wound it on even a little bit. Cruising at about 110mph (in Germany – of course!) would have the FJ drinking petrol at about 30mpg with the BMW along side managing around 50mpg, and the BMW was the bike with the luggage!

Chilli

17,320 posts

267 months

Tuesday 5th February 2008
quotequote all
Feck me, a 56in chest? What the hell you been eating?!

Can't help on the choice of bike, but glad you're now thinking about it. And, agreed, even the litre sports bikes feel small.

DAS all booked??

SplatSpeed

Original Poster:

7,491 posts

282 months

Wednesday 6th February 2008
quotequote all
Hooli said:
i doubt the insurance would be too bad tbh, its not really a hooligans bike after all.
as a guide when i passed my DAS jan '07 i got a RF600 & it was £167 TPF&T. this year with one years NCD a gsx1400 is £266 fully comp although that has a £400 excess.
please tell me where

SplatSpeed

Original Poster:

7,491 posts

282 months

Wednesday 6th February 2008
quotequote all
Chilli said:
Feck me, a 56in chest? What the hell you been eating?!

Can't help on the choice of bike, but glad you're now thinking about it. And, agreed, even the litre sports bikes feel small.

DAS all booked??
kebabs but i digress

the shest is the size because of my rib cage

i am herman munsters stunt double

i didnt think the FJ would be too bad for me with my size

also 30 MPG is something i dream of in the monaro

thanks guys

going to visit southern riders friday

sjwb

561 posts

239 months

Wednesday 6th February 2008
quotequote all
Big lad, needs a big bike. I reckon the trailies like R1150 GS, R1200GS, Triumph Tiger or 1050 etc are worth a look.
FJ1200? Very old-hat; things have moved on considerably since then.

randlemarcus

13,646 posts

262 months

Wednesday 6th February 2008
quotequote all
But just for amusement, can we have a pic of you on a CBR600RR? biggrin

Ebay for leathers, or get some custom made at that size.

aeropilot

40,858 posts

258 months

Wednesday 6th February 2008
quotequote all
SplatSpeed said:
PS where do you get one of thoose all in one romper suits for a 56 inch chest
I would think you'll have go the made to measure route.

Contact BKS....see here,

http://www.bksleather.co.uk/home.htm 

sprinter885

11,550 posts

258 months

Wednesday 6th February 2008
quotequote all
If you really want to splash out on a "romper suit" ? why not try one of those Aerostitch Crafter ? suits. One piece goes on over any clothing, can be tailor-made with armour etc. Only trouble is not sure where from in UK as they're American but look 'em up on'tinternet. Oh & I think you need to part with £6-700 ?? eek (much same as 1 piece leathers I guess)

SplatSpeed

Original Poster:

7,491 posts

282 months

Wednesday 6th February 2008
quotequote all
CBT is Booked for Sunday

woohoo

Hooli

32,278 posts

231 months

Wednesday 6th February 2008
quotequote all
randlemarcus said:
But just for amusement, can we have a pic of you on a CBR125? biggrin
Edited for extra laughs.

my insurance is with direct choice. the only thing is i dont get any bike cover with them & i would everywhere else. not that it matters to me as ive got any bike with stroppy.
good luck with the CBT, we expect picks of you swamping the 125 hehe

Busa_Rush

6,930 posts

282 months

Wednesday 6th February 2008
quotequote all
SplatSpeed said:
CBT is Booked for Sunday

woohoo
You'll sail through that but it's on a 125, little more than a bicycle.

Don't know where you are in the UK but if south east-ish then Hideout Leather also make wonderful leathers made to measure.

Other bikes to consider are the Triumph touring bike,the ST I think they call it, powerful and fast and heard good things about it. How about a Kawasaki ZZR1400 or a Hayabusa, those will get your blood flowing, no matter how large you are you'll hit silly speeds very easily, two up even. Wrist obviously goes both ways but they have the torque you might be looking for and at our age the insurance isn't silly.

Might be wth going to a large bike shop like George White and sit on a few different bikes, just to see how each feels.


SplatSpeed

Original Poster:

7,491 posts

282 months

Wednesday 6th February 2008
quotequote all
Busa_Rush said:
SplatSpeed said:
CBT is Booked for Sunday

woohoo
You'll sail through that but it's on a 125, little more than a bicycle.

Don't know where you are in the UK but if south east-ish then Hideout Leather also make wonderful leathers made to measure.

Other bikes to consider are the Triumph touring bike,the ST I think they call it, powerful and fast and heard good things about it. How about a Kawasaki ZZR1400 or a Hayabusa, those will get your blood flowing, no matter how large you are you'll hit silly speeds very easily, two up even. Wrist obviously goes both ways but they have the torque you might be looking for and at our age the insurance isn't silly.

Might be wth going to a large bike shop like George White and sit on a few different bikes, just to see how each feels.
thanks

i am trying to be sensible

i would kill myself on a busa

got a quote for the FJ1200 90 quid

so a old FJ1200 as a first bike it is then

Hooli

32,278 posts

231 months

Wednesday 6th February 2008
quotequote all
£90? damn you old fart hehe

SplatSpeed

Original Poster:

7,491 posts

282 months

Wednesday 6th February 2008
quotequote all
Hooli said:
£90? damn you old fart hehe
respect your elders or i will stop your pocket money

Hooli

32,278 posts

231 months

Wednesday 6th February 2008
quotequote all
SplatSpeed said:
Hooli said:
£90? damn you old fart hehe
respect your elders or i will stop your pocket money

_Dave_

9,683 posts

281 months

Wednesday 6th February 2008
quotequote all
Another great bike but a bit younger than the FJ12 is the ZZR1100. you can pick a decent one up for 1.5-2k, plenty of room onboard for a big chap too smile