Coming to the dark side...
Discussion
Afternoon all,
This is my first post in this sub-forum so please allow for some naivety.
For the last couple of years I've been saying that I fancy a bike one day, but never did anything about getting one. However, given I'm turning 24 next week, thus Direct Access is available, I've decided to finally pull the trigger; I've booked my theory test for next month to get things started.
So I'm basically just making this post looking for a bit of advice for a new rider (although I don't plan on getting a bike until after Christmas, allowing for saving a bit of cash). I appreciate there's a lot of stuff already out there, and I have started doing my research, but I thought it would be good to get some knowledge from a community I'm already familiar with (PH, not the biker community).
A few questions then...
What's it's like going in for training/tests? Specifically CBT, are you expected to have a basic understanding or do they treat everyone as a complete novice? I don't have any biker mates so nowhere to build up any hands-on knowledge but any decent blogs, YouTube accounts, books etc. you could recommend?
I've budgeted to spend about £4k from theory test to owning a bike. This includes all training and tests, all protective gear and clothing, locks and covers, few bits of basic maintenance items (lubrication, cleaning, etc.) and insurance. In terms of actual bike costs, it will be a deposit on a new bike (included in the budget) followed by monthly PCP payments. I'm happy to pay the money for a new bike as opposed to buying used, so would prefer to avoid discussions on pros and cons of finance. Does that budget seem reasonable? Anything I may have missed or overlooked?
Insurance wise I'm looking at just under a grand. A lot of money but less than I paid for my first car which was a 1.2 Corsa C. Any insurers out there who go easy on new riders or is it just something I'll have to deal with until I have some NCB? Going third party would half the cost, but wouldn't be comfortable riding on a new bike, with little experience, with that level of cover.
What's it like when you first go out on your own? Are you s
tting your pants at all times or do you get comfortable on two wheels pretty quickly? I live in a part of the country pretty popular with bikers (Lakes) so have some good roads to build up experience.
Apologies if this type of thing gets posted all the time, happy to be pointed in the direction of any decent threads.
Any other advice on anything at all would be much appreciated.
If you're interested, the bike I'm looking to get is a Honda CB650F. I spent a good day doing my research and this seemed like a good balance of sensible performance and cost, as well as ticking a few personal preferences. However, open to any other suggestions that I may have missed.
Cheers folks.
P.S. The other half isn't best pleased.
This is my first post in this sub-forum so please allow for some naivety.
For the last couple of years I've been saying that I fancy a bike one day, but never did anything about getting one. However, given I'm turning 24 next week, thus Direct Access is available, I've decided to finally pull the trigger; I've booked my theory test for next month to get things started.
So I'm basically just making this post looking for a bit of advice for a new rider (although I don't plan on getting a bike until after Christmas, allowing for saving a bit of cash). I appreciate there's a lot of stuff already out there, and I have started doing my research, but I thought it would be good to get some knowledge from a community I'm already familiar with (PH, not the biker community).
A few questions then...
What's it's like going in for training/tests? Specifically CBT, are you expected to have a basic understanding or do they treat everyone as a complete novice? I don't have any biker mates so nowhere to build up any hands-on knowledge but any decent blogs, YouTube accounts, books etc. you could recommend?
I've budgeted to spend about £4k from theory test to owning a bike. This includes all training and tests, all protective gear and clothing, locks and covers, few bits of basic maintenance items (lubrication, cleaning, etc.) and insurance. In terms of actual bike costs, it will be a deposit on a new bike (included in the budget) followed by monthly PCP payments. I'm happy to pay the money for a new bike as opposed to buying used, so would prefer to avoid discussions on pros and cons of finance. Does that budget seem reasonable? Anything I may have missed or overlooked?
Insurance wise I'm looking at just under a grand. A lot of money but less than I paid for my first car which was a 1.2 Corsa C. Any insurers out there who go easy on new riders or is it just something I'll have to deal with until I have some NCB? Going third party would half the cost, but wouldn't be comfortable riding on a new bike, with little experience, with that level of cover.
What's it like when you first go out on your own? Are you s
tting your pants at all times or do you get comfortable on two wheels pretty quickly? I live in a part of the country pretty popular with bikers (Lakes) so have some good roads to build up experience. Apologies if this type of thing gets posted all the time, happy to be pointed in the direction of any decent threads.
Any other advice on anything at all would be much appreciated.
If you're interested, the bike I'm looking to get is a Honda CB650F. I spent a good day doing my research and this seemed like a good balance of sensible performance and cost, as well as ticking a few personal preferences. However, open to any other suggestions that I may have missed.
Cheers folks.
P.S. The other half isn't best pleased.
Nothing against finance, but worth keeping in mind that as it's your first bike:
...THAT SAID...
I did my DAS about the same age as you, and I loved it.
CBT: You don't technically need to know anything, but would be a good idea to read up on what happens during the day. I actually failed CBT the first time around, combination of nerves and a shout, angry instructor. Most people don't have these problems, but not the end of the world if you've got to do it again.
DAS training: Much more fun, particularly tve on road stuff. If you can already drive a car, that will help as you'll mainly be concentrating on learning to control a bike, rather than also having to take in the new experience of being on the road. Not an issue if yoy can't drive a car, itll probably just take lobger. Lessons compared to car driving lessons were also much more laid back in my experience, less belt and braces and more a case of "you need to do this, and do it right, and we'll take the puss out of you until you do".
As for your budget, I don't really know. It sounds pretty healthy though. I think I spent about 700 on lessons, test fees, etc. Same again on kit. Insurance was similar, but dropped to 300 ish the following year.
One thing I'd say is if you don't "get it" straight away, just keep at it. I sucked at first. Couldn't do any slow speed stuff, generally just a liability. I knew it was something I wanted to get good at, so kept at it. Would have been very easy to just say "it's not for me" and leave it at that.
- you'll probably drop it (if not a crash, then drop at low speed, forget to take disc lock off etc.) Fixing that on a new bike will be more costly, and probably necessary if you're planning on handing it back. With an old bike, fixes are at your discretion (if it's cosmetic) and just generally cheaper
- you'll probably want something different/faster/better after a year or two. Being in a PCP deal makes that a bit more awkward.
...THAT SAID...
I did my DAS about the same age as you, and I loved it.
CBT: You don't technically need to know anything, but would be a good idea to read up on what happens during the day. I actually failed CBT the first time around, combination of nerves and a shout, angry instructor. Most people don't have these problems, but not the end of the world if you've got to do it again.
DAS training: Much more fun, particularly tve on road stuff. If you can already drive a car, that will help as you'll mainly be concentrating on learning to control a bike, rather than also having to take in the new experience of being on the road. Not an issue if yoy can't drive a car, itll probably just take lobger. Lessons compared to car driving lessons were also much more laid back in my experience, less belt and braces and more a case of "you need to do this, and do it right, and we'll take the puss out of you until you do".
As for your budget, I don't really know. It sounds pretty healthy though. I think I spent about 700 on lessons, test fees, etc. Same again on kit. Insurance was similar, but dropped to 300 ish the following year.
One thing I'd say is if you don't "get it" straight away, just keep at it. I sucked at first. Couldn't do any slow speed stuff, generally just a liability. I knew it was something I wanted to get good at, so kept at it. Would have been very easy to just say "it's not for me" and leave it at that.
horsemeatscandal said:
What's it's like going in for training/tests? Specifically CBT, are you expected to have a basic understanding or do they treat everyone as a complete novice? I don't have any biker mates so nowhere to build up any hands-on knowledge but any decent blogs, YouTube accounts, books etc. you could recommend?
If you do a crash course you'll have your licence in about 5 days regardless of experience. If you fail a little more. You will however come out of it a st rider, so the learning starts afterwards.horsemeatscandal said:
I've budgeted to spend about £4k from theory test to owning a bike. This includes all training and tests, all protective gear and clothing, locks and covers, few bits of basic maintenance items (lubrication, cleaning, etc.) and insurance. In terms of actual bike costs, it will be a deposit on a new bike (included in the budget) followed by monthly PCP payments. I'm happy to pay the money for a new bike as opposed to buying used, so would prefer to avoid discussions on pros and cons of finance. Does that budget seem reasonable? Anything I may have missed or overlooked?
If you're flexible on gear and bikes, that is more than enough. horsemeatscandal said:
Insurance wise I'm looking at just under a grand. A lot of money but less than I paid for my first car which was a 1.2 Corsa C. Any insurers out there who go easy on new riders or is it just something I'll have to deal with until I have some NCB? Going third party would half the cost, but wouldn't be comfortable riding on a new bike, with little experience, with that level of cover.
Will depend on the bike you end up with and your circumstances, but I would expect that is about right. Expect to pay more as new rider on a new bike as you're probably going to drop it to the tune of hundreds of pounds within weeks of ownership (sorry).horsemeatscandal said:
What's it like when you first go out on your own? Are you stting your pants at all times or do you get comfortable on two wheels pretty quickly? I live in a part of the country pretty popular with bikers (Lakes) so have some good roads to build up experience.
Depends on your confidence levels. Biking is all about confidence and letting it happen. I took ftting your pants at all times or do you get comfortable on two wheels pretty quickly? I live in a part of the country pretty popular with bikers (Lakes) so have some good roads to build up experience. king ages to get the hang of it as I like to overthink everything. If you like your cars, expect a degree of frustration at how much quicker you are in your car for at least a year or two.horsemeatscandal said:
If you're interested, the bike I'm looking to get is a Honda CB650F. I spent a good day doing my research and this seemed like a good balance of sensible performance and cost, as well as ticking a few personal preferences. However, open to any other suggestions that I may have missed.
I preferred the older one, but it's a nice bike, and more than enough performance.horsemeatscandal said:
P.S. The other half isn't best pleased.
When they see you coming back home hundreds of times, they start to wind down a little bit. Just try and play down any anxieties or near misses whilst you're learning. I've done the lot this year from scratch and can give a quick summary.....
CBT done on a 125 manual, I'd ridden a geared moped donkeys years ago and it was fine. Most of a day doing safety and handling stuff with a bit of a road ride. Easy.
Theory and Hazard tests done at pop-up centre in local library. Had a play with the on-line free tests, that was sufficient for me to pass.
Bit more practice with the instructors on their smoker 600's, maybe 4 x 4 hour sessions.
I failed my Mod 1 first time, clipped a cone like a twerp.
Went back four weeks later after another session of learning, did Mod 1, had a coffee and then Mod 2. All fine.
Bought an old but spotless GPZ500 to play with, less than £100 to insure TPO but I'm over 50. Perfect to scare myself witless on. Have been borrowing a GS1150 from a chum who wants to sell it to me and the step up hasn't (yet) put me off.
Glad I did it and whilst a bit of an adventure to get to the end, no regrets at all.
CBT done on a 125 manual, I'd ridden a geared moped donkeys years ago and it was fine. Most of a day doing safety and handling stuff with a bit of a road ride. Easy.
Theory and Hazard tests done at pop-up centre in local library. Had a play with the on-line free tests, that was sufficient for me to pass.
Bit more practice with the instructors on their smoker 600's, maybe 4 x 4 hour sessions.
I failed my Mod 1 first time, clipped a cone like a twerp.
Went back four weeks later after another session of learning, did Mod 1, had a coffee and then Mod 2. All fine.
Bought an old but spotless GPZ500 to play with, less than £100 to insure TPO but I'm over 50. Perfect to scare myself witless on. Have been borrowing a GS1150 from a chum who wants to sell it to me and the step up hasn't (yet) put me off.
Glad I did it and whilst a bit of an adventure to get to the end, no regrets at all.
mx5tom said:
Nothing against finance, but worth keeping in mind that as it's your first bike:
...THAT SAID...
I did my DAS about the same age as you, and I loved it.
CBT: You don't technically need to know anything, but would be a good idea to read up on what happens during the day. I actually failed CBT the first time around, combination of nerves and a shout, angry instructor. Most people don't have these problems, but not the end of the world if you've got to do it again.
DAS training: Much more fun, particularly tve on road stuff. If you can already drive a car, that will help as you'll mainly be concentrating on learning to control a bike, rather than also having to take in the new experience of being on the road. Not an issue if yoy can't drive a car, itll probably just take lobger. Lessons compared to car driving lessons were also much more laid back in my experience, less belt and braces and more a case of "you need to do this, and do it right, and we'll take the puss out of you until you do".
As for your budget, I don't really know. It sounds pretty healthy though. I think I spent about 700 on lessons, test fees, etc. Same again on kit. Insurance was similar, but dropped to 300 ish the following year.
One thing I'd say is if you don't "get it" straight away, just keep at it. I sucked at first. Couldn't do any slow speed stuff, generally just a liability. I knew it was something I wanted to get good at, so kept at it. Would have been very easy to just say "it's not for me" and leave it at that.
Thanks for the reply. Regarding finance I'll definitely take that on board and have a look at some cheaper options. - you'll probably drop it (if not a crash, then drop at low speed, forget to take disc lock off etc.) Fixing that on a new bike will be more costly, and probably necessary if you're planning on handing it back. With an old bike, fixes are at your discretion (if it's cosmetic) and just generally cheaper
- you'll probably want something different/faster/better after a year or two. Being in a PCP deal makes that a bit more awkward.
...THAT SAID...
I did my DAS about the same age as you, and I loved it.
CBT: You don't technically need to know anything, but would be a good idea to read up on what happens during the day. I actually failed CBT the first time around, combination of nerves and a shout, angry instructor. Most people don't have these problems, but not the end of the world if you've got to do it again.
DAS training: Much more fun, particularly tve on road stuff. If you can already drive a car, that will help as you'll mainly be concentrating on learning to control a bike, rather than also having to take in the new experience of being on the road. Not an issue if yoy can't drive a car, itll probably just take lobger. Lessons compared to car driving lessons were also much more laid back in my experience, less belt and braces and more a case of "you need to do this, and do it right, and we'll take the puss out of you until you do".
As for your budget, I don't really know. It sounds pretty healthy though. I think I spent about 700 on lessons, test fees, etc. Same again on kit. Insurance was similar, but dropped to 300 ish the following year.
One thing I'd say is if you don't "get it" straight away, just keep at it. I sucked at first. Couldn't do any slow speed stuff, generally just a liability. I knew it was something I wanted to get good at, so kept at it. Would have been very easy to just say "it's not for me" and leave it at that.
I'm gonna try and have a good basic knowledge before my CBT, should at least make me a bit more confident.
My 4k budget is pretty much split equal between test/training, gear/equipment, upfront bike cost and insurance.
Thanks for the advice my friend.
Prof Prolapse said:
When they see you coming back home hundreds of times, they start to wind down a little bit. Just try and play down any anxieties or near misses whilst you're learning.
I hope so!Glad to hear not everyone was a bona fide Valentino Rossi straight away.
Really looking forward to getting everything started.
LFB531 said:
I've done the lot this year from scratch and can give a quick summary.....
CBT done on a 125 manual, I'd ridden a geared moped donkeys years ago and it was fine. Most of a day doing safety and handling stuff with a bit of a road ride. Easy.
Theory and Hazard tests done at pop-up centre in local library. Had a play with the on-line free tests, that was sufficient for me to pass.
Bit more practice with the instructors on their smoker 600's, maybe 4 x 4 hour sessions.
I failed my Mod 1 first time, clipped a cone like a twerp.
Went back four weeks later after another session of learning, did Mod 1, had a coffee and then Mod 2. All fine.
Bought an old but spotless GPZ500 to play with, less than £100 to insure TPO but I'm over 50. Perfect to scare myself witless on. Have been borrowing a GS1150 from a chum who wants to sell it to me and the step up hasn't (yet) put me off.
Glad I did it and whilst a bit of an adventure to get to the end, no regrets at all.
I'm looking to be on two wheels within 6-7 months, so about March when the weather starts getting better and I've saved some dough for a bike, buying/paying for all the other stuff along the way. CBT done on a 125 manual, I'd ridden a geared moped donkeys years ago and it was fine. Most of a day doing safety and handling stuff with a bit of a road ride. Easy.
Theory and Hazard tests done at pop-up centre in local library. Had a play with the on-line free tests, that was sufficient for me to pass.
Bit more practice with the instructors on their smoker 600's, maybe 4 x 4 hour sessions.
I failed my Mod 1 first time, clipped a cone like a twerp.
Went back four weeks later after another session of learning, did Mod 1, had a coffee and then Mod 2. All fine.
Bought an old but spotless GPZ500 to play with, less than £100 to insure TPO but I'm over 50. Perfect to scare myself witless on. Have been borrowing a GS1150 from a chum who wants to sell it to me and the step up hasn't (yet) put me off.
Glad I did it and whilst a bit of an adventure to get to the end, no regrets at all.
A saying I liked when first starting to ride was "When you first get a bike you have two bags. One filled with luck and empty one of experience, try and fill the empty one before you run out of the other"
I think every rider has gotten lucky at some point, I know I certainly have! I have also been slightly unlucky but largely down to my own imcompetance/over-exuberance.
Having been through it all and now nearly 5 years down the line since learning to ride all I will say is in the beginning, buy the best kit you can afford. If it means you have great kit on a £500 bike then it's better than a £3000 bike and £75 worth of kit.
Boots, trousers, jacket, back protector and gloves are all acceptable second hand if you deem it worthy to own. I won't bore you with preaching on what you should/shouldn't use as it's each to their own but for me I see it as if I am lying in the road, how much would I pay at that moment to have good gear.
You will be nervous and scare yourself sometimes in the early days, and potentially even years to come. But, for me riding bikes is what gives me some of the greatest joy in life.
If it's the same for you be prepared to never have lots of money again
I think every rider has gotten lucky at some point, I know I certainly have! I have also been slightly unlucky but largely down to my own imcompetance/over-exuberance.
Having been through it all and now nearly 5 years down the line since learning to ride all I will say is in the beginning, buy the best kit you can afford. If it means you have great kit on a £500 bike then it's better than a £3000 bike and £75 worth of kit.
Boots, trousers, jacket, back protector and gloves are all acceptable second hand if you deem it worthy to own. I won't bore you with preaching on what you should/shouldn't use as it's each to their own but for me I see it as if I am lying in the road, how much would I pay at that moment to have good gear.
You will be nervous and scare yourself sometimes in the early days, and potentially even years to come. But, for me riding bikes is what gives me some of the greatest joy in life.
If it's the same for you be prepared to never have lots of money again
Coming on for 3 years since I did my DAS so things are a bit more hazy but will try and remember some of the points.
CBT: was easy, the walked you through everything from the beginning, so no real issues there. As has been said before, it helps if you can drive so you are just sorting about the bike and not how the roads work.
I rented a 125 for a weekend before doing my DAS (I did one of the 5day courses). Was it useful? Probably, it got me more comfortable on the bike but I found the 125s much more unstable than the big bikes.
Theory / hazard perception test. This was the first time I have had to do one (30+) and have been driving for years so I found I was pre-empting the hazard too much for the perception software. Best strategy seemed to be to click when I saw a hazard, and then again a second or so afterwards.
The DAS course was great fun. Outside some slow control stuff odd road in the mornings and then out for a longer road ride in the afternoon. We had mod1/2 booked on the final day. I stupidly failed mod1 the first time (rolled forward after stopping on the emergency stop) and then you lose the mod2 fee. I rebooked both for the same day and passed 2nd time round so although a gamble, glad I did that to get it done.
I would echo the comments about getting a new bike as your first. I picked up a Versys 650 for 3.5k on ebay. I have been really pleased with it as a 1st bike and have also done the newbie thing of dropping it a couple of times (including forgetting the disk lock, doh!). Had that been on finance with expensive panels to fix/replace it would have been more of an issue.
CBT: was easy, the walked you through everything from the beginning, so no real issues there. As has been said before, it helps if you can drive so you are just sorting about the bike and not how the roads work.
I rented a 125 for a weekend before doing my DAS (I did one of the 5day courses). Was it useful? Probably, it got me more comfortable on the bike but I found the 125s much more unstable than the big bikes.
Theory / hazard perception test. This was the first time I have had to do one (30+) and have been driving for years so I found I was pre-empting the hazard too much for the perception software. Best strategy seemed to be to click when I saw a hazard, and then again a second or so afterwards.
The DAS course was great fun. Outside some slow control stuff odd road in the mornings and then out for a longer road ride in the afternoon. We had mod1/2 booked on the final day. I stupidly failed mod1 the first time (rolled forward after stopping on the emergency stop) and then you lose the mod2 fee. I rebooked both for the same day and passed 2nd time round so although a gamble, glad I did that to get it done.
I would echo the comments about getting a new bike as your first. I picked up a Versys 650 for 3.5k on ebay. I have been really pleased with it as a 1st bike and have also done the newbie thing of dropping it a couple of times (including forgetting the disk lock, doh!). Had that been on finance with expensive panels to fix/replace it would have been more of an issue.
I haven't got a lot to say to be honest apart from just get it done! Theres nothing to worry about, just take it easy and You wont regret it. CB650 would be bang on for a first bike if thats what you want. MCE insurance are pretty cheap for new riders but the policy will normaly come with a hefty excess. Kit wise just stick with a well known brand and get the best you can afford. You can pick up an alpinestars textile suit for £300 if you look on ebay. Just make sure your helmet fits propery.
horsemeatscandal said:
Thanks again for the replies, getting me well excited.
Kit wise I'm certainly not gonna scrimp, will get the best I can afford.
Again, I'll have a look at other purchase options. Something to think about, but looks like I'll definitely drop it though!
I remember when I was doing my DAS and the instructor told me to 'open it up' when we got to some NSL road. It was my first time on a big bike and it was like being strapped to a missile!Kit wise I'm certainly not gonna scrimp, will get the best I can afford.
Again, I'll have a look at other purchase options. Something to think about, but looks like I'll definitely drop it though!
Helmet wise different brands tend to fit different people so try a few on before you buy. Try and stick to well known brands ie arai, shoei, shark.
OP I'm in a similar boat at the moment, just done CBT and theory and start on the big bike next week so zero experience to help you except for the bike!
I was also looking at getting a new cb650f, lovely looking bike and the insurance quotes were cheaper than equivalent bikes from other manufacturers. However I spotted a mint very low mileage cb600 Hornet for sale locally (predecessor to the cb650f), ran a quote and it came up just over half the price of the new bike at £170. Reviews seem to rate it higher than the new model so I bought it. Half the price of a new bike, close to half the insurance it was a no brainier to me.
I was also looking at getting a new cb650f, lovely looking bike and the insurance quotes were cheaper than equivalent bikes from other manufacturers. However I spotted a mint very low mileage cb600 Hornet for sale locally (predecessor to the cb650f), ran a quote and it came up just over half the price of the new bike at £170. Reviews seem to rate it higher than the new model so I bought it. Half the price of a new bike, close to half the insurance it was a no brainier to me.
I did my test late last year after driving for 18 years.
I completely echo the advice of not getting a new bike. I did my test at the same time as two mates. They both ordered new bikes and both have had to go through insurance for mistakes. One dropped it on a wet roundabout and the other slipped when he put his foot down.
I personally wasn't entirely sure how I felt after doing my test and spent just under 4K on a GSX-R600. After riding for a few months I fell in love with bikes and now I'm considering a new bike but along the way I've made a few (minor) mistakes like walking the bike through a bit of boggy ground and falling over which didn't do too much damage. I also left it outside one day with its cover on and found it on its side after it got windy whilst I was at work.
There's a lot more ways to come unstuck on a bike but it's also provides great rewards when you get it right or doing simple things like riding in the sun or beating traffic. It's also fairly low cost.
I did all of my tests in two weeks. Theory the 1st week and then CBT on the Sunday and practicing through the week and doing mod 1+2 on the Friday.
It's awesome and completely worth the effort!
I completely echo the advice of not getting a new bike. I did my test at the same time as two mates. They both ordered new bikes and both have had to go through insurance for mistakes. One dropped it on a wet roundabout and the other slipped when he put his foot down.
I personally wasn't entirely sure how I felt after doing my test and spent just under 4K on a GSX-R600. After riding for a few months I fell in love with bikes and now I'm considering a new bike but along the way I've made a few (minor) mistakes like walking the bike through a bit of boggy ground and falling over which didn't do too much damage. I also left it outside one day with its cover on and found it on its side after it got windy whilst I was at work.
There's a lot more ways to come unstuck on a bike but it's also provides great rewards when you get it right or doing simple things like riding in the sun or beating traffic. It's also fairly low cost.
I did all of my tests in two weeks. Theory the 1st week and then CBT on the Sunday and practicing through the week and doing mod 1+2 on the Friday.
It's awesome and completely worth the effort!
Rsdop said:
OP I'm in a similar boat at the moment, just done CBT and theory and start on the big bike next week so zero experience to help you except for the bike!
I was also looking at getting a new cb650f, lovely looking bike and the insurance quotes were cheaper than equivalent bikes from other manufacturers. However I spotted a mint very low mileage cb600 Hornet for sale locally (predecessor to the cb650f), ran a quote and it came up just over half the price of the new bike at £170. Reviews seem to rate it higher than the new model so I bought it. Half the price of a new bike, close to half the insurance it was a no brainier to me.
The Hornet is mentioned quite a lot so I'll have a look. Problem is (Problem?), finance is so cheap these days, it's hard to not go for it. By all accounts, the bike is going to encounter some form of damage, so I'll have to do some thinking. I was also looking at getting a new cb650f, lovely looking bike and the insurance quotes were cheaper than equivalent bikes from other manufacturers. However I spotted a mint very low mileage cb600 Hornet for sale locally (predecessor to the cb650f), ran a quote and it came up just over half the price of the new bike at £170. Reviews seem to rate it higher than the new model so I bought it. Half the price of a new bike, close to half the insurance it was a no brainier to me.
Well I came make it number 3 on this thread who is now doing the DAS. Just done CBT which was a doddle as I had ridden before, although that was 18 years ago mind..
OP, I don't know weather you have any gear but the school I went with didn't have much apart from some old jackets and helmets. They had no gloves to speak of as apparently they kept disappearing!
Now like you I'm not intending on getting a bike until March next year but I want to pass this year if poss. But even so I have bought a Helmet, gloves and jacket to use on my lessons and hope to add more as I go along. I intend to do 6 2hr lessons over the next 3 weeks, then a lesson before each of the tests.
As for bikes I'm unlucky that I'm 38 so insurance is cheap enough TPFT. A 954 fireblade comes in at £315 which is bloody tempting, but I'm a bit wiser now I hope with getting older so am sticking to a 600 sportsbike to start with. My riding will be pleasure only and I've been told that a 600 sports bike will soon become tedious when you get used to the speed, mainly because you have to rev them hard to extract the power. I'm going 2nd hand as I know I will drop it so I've set a budget of £1500-£2000.
If you want a hornet then get an old one to start with. You won't lose any money on it and will insure it a lot cheaper. I'm saying this because you may find that the hornet may not be enough fun wise as it's more of a commuter style bike. My brother-in-law who rides an R1 has just bought one for commuting to work on and was very underwhelmed by the lack of power and that's despite having very low expectations to start with.
OP, I don't know weather you have any gear but the school I went with didn't have much apart from some old jackets and helmets. They had no gloves to speak of as apparently they kept disappearing!
Now like you I'm not intending on getting a bike until March next year but I want to pass this year if poss. But even so I have bought a Helmet, gloves and jacket to use on my lessons and hope to add more as I go along. I intend to do 6 2hr lessons over the next 3 weeks, then a lesson before each of the tests.
As for bikes I'm unlucky that I'm 38 so insurance is cheap enough TPFT. A 954 fireblade comes in at £315 which is bloody tempting, but I'm a bit wiser now I hope with getting older so am sticking to a 600 sportsbike to start with. My riding will be pleasure only and I've been told that a 600 sports bike will soon become tedious when you get used to the speed, mainly because you have to rev them hard to extract the power. I'm going 2nd hand as I know I will drop it so I've set a budget of £1500-£2000.
If you want a hornet then get an old one to start with. You won't lose any money on it and will insure it a lot cheaper. I'm saying this because you may find that the hornet may not be enough fun wise as it's more of a commuter style bike. My brother-in-law who rides an R1 has just bought one for commuting to work on and was very underwhelmed by the lack of power and that's despite having very low expectations to start with.
WarnieV6GT said:
Well I came make it number 3 on this thread who is now doing the DAS. Just done CBT which was a doddle as I had ridden before, although that was 18 years ago mind..
OP, I don't know weather you have any gear but the school I went with didn't have much apart from some old jackets and helmets. They had no gloves to speak of as apparently they kept disappearing!
Now like you I'm not intending on getting a bike until March next year but I want to pass this year if poss. But even so I have bought a Helmet, gloves and jacket to use on my lessons and hope to add more as I go along. I intend to do 6 2hr lessons over the next 3 weeks, then a lesson before each of the tests.
As for bikes I'm unlucky that I'm 38 so insurance is cheap enough TPFT. A 954 fireblade comes in at £315 which is bloody tempting, but I'm a bit wiser now I hope with getting older so am sticking to a 600 sportsbike to start with. My riding will be pleasure only and I've been told that a 600 sports bike will soon become tedious when you get used to the speed, mainly because you have to rev them hard to extract the power. I'm going 2nd hand as I know I will drop it so I've set a budget of £1500-£2000.
If you want a hornet then get an old one to start with. You won't lose any money on it and will insure it a lot cheaper. I'm saying this because you may find that the hornet may not be enough fun wise as it's more of a commuter style bike. My brother-in-law who rides an R1 has just bought one for commuting to work on and was very underwhelmed by the lack of power and that's despite having very low expectations to start with.
My CBT is on 11th November so I've got a couple of months to start buying gear, hopefully have a few of the basics by then. OP, I don't know weather you have any gear but the school I went with didn't have much apart from some old jackets and helmets. They had no gloves to speak of as apparently they kept disappearing!
Now like you I'm not intending on getting a bike until March next year but I want to pass this year if poss. But even so I have bought a Helmet, gloves and jacket to use on my lessons and hope to add more as I go along. I intend to do 6 2hr lessons over the next 3 weeks, then a lesson before each of the tests.
As for bikes I'm unlucky that I'm 38 so insurance is cheap enough TPFT. A 954 fireblade comes in at £315 which is bloody tempting, but I'm a bit wiser now I hope with getting older so am sticking to a 600 sportsbike to start with. My riding will be pleasure only and I've been told that a 600 sports bike will soon become tedious when you get used to the speed, mainly because you have to rev them hard to extract the power. I'm going 2nd hand as I know I will drop it so I've set a budget of £1500-£2000.
If you want a hornet then get an old one to start with. You won't lose any money on it and will insure it a lot cheaper. I'm saying this because you may find that the hornet may not be enough fun wise as it's more of a commuter style bike. My brother-in-law who rides an R1 has just bought one for commuting to work on and was very underwhelmed by the lack of power and that's despite having very low expectations to start with.
Not gonna start thinking 'what bike?' again until I've got all my training and tests out the way.
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