Classic CBR 600 as first bike?
Discussion
Zakalwe said:
Gixxers are good, but to be honest you won’t have a clue about what’s “good” or “bad” until you’ve got some riding under your belt. It’ll take a few months to get your licence anyway now summer’s coming, by which time all these bikes on the market probably won’t be there any more. Get those test out the way then start looking!
Good point but it’s nice to get an idea. I’m hoping to get it done quicker than that they offer a 5 day course. Completed my CBT yesterday without any issues. If I'm honest it was harder than I expected. The bike itself a Honda 125 which was about 15 years old was truly terrible. It was tiny and I felt cramped to death riding it but other than that it was ok. Having never ridden a geared bike before I had a little bit of difficulty with the clutch but managed to get it sussed.
Manoeuvres were pretty straight forward, the figure of 8 probably being the most challenging but I wouldn't say it was difficult. Had a couple of moments riding on the road when I struggled a little with the clutch on a hill start but nothing major.
The instruction and the place were great but I do feel a little bit underwhelmed by it all. Maybe it's just the bike but I didn't enjoy it half as much as I had expected I would. I'm going to book in for my next lesson and see if I enjoy it any more on a bigger bike if I don't not sure I'll bother getting a bike which is a real turnaround.
Manoeuvres were pretty straight forward, the figure of 8 probably being the most challenging but I wouldn't say it was difficult. Had a couple of moments riding on the road when I struggled a little with the clutch on a hill start but nothing major.
The instruction and the place were great but I do feel a little bit underwhelmed by it all. Maybe it's just the bike but I didn't enjoy it half as much as I had expected I would. I'm going to book in for my next lesson and see if I enjoy it any more on a bigger bike if I don't not sure I'll bother getting a bike which is a real turnaround.
Scobblelotcher said:
I didn’t enjoy my CBT either nor did I enjoy the week of lessons for mod 1+2 , for me it all clicked when I’d ridden on my own for a few weeks and then I really ‘got’ it and started enjoying the riding!
Stick with it now you’re here, it will always be a useful life skill if nothing else. It made me a better car driver as well!
Good point I think you're right I'm not going to give up now. It did half temp me to get a cheap 125 and start to use it to build up some more confidence and time on a bike. Stick with it now you’re here, it will always be a useful life skill if nothing else. It made me a better car driver as well!
8IKERDAVE said:
In all honesty riding a shagged 125 in CBT conditions is not a true representation of riding. On a bike you like, a nice flowing A-road with the sun blazing will give you a better understanding. You will have been focused on learning the technique whilst being barked at by an instructor - it's hardly a stress free ride. Don't give up just yet, the bigger bike will be a step in the right direction albeit still with very different conditions than you will be licensed to enjoy if you carry on with it.
Some great feedback here cheers guys. I'm not giving up I just hope I enjoy the bigger bike more. Saying that I never really enjoyed learning to drive until I what let loose on my own. Zakalwe said:
Riding a 125 isn’t much fun, they’re s
t to be honest, useless for being on the road unless you’ve no other choice. Especially on your CBT when you’re too busy concentrating on how it all works to enjoy the ride. Bigger bikes are much easier to ride once you’ve got the knack of the controls - which doesn’t take too long tbh - and you link up a few corners or pin it from the lights with your instructor egging you on to get up to speed, that 125 will feel a long way away
That's pretty much my experience to be fair but I'm not giving up booked another lesson this time on a 600cc.t to be honest, useless for being on the road unless you’ve no other choice. Especially on your CBT when you’re too busy concentrating on how it all works to enjoy the ride. Bigger bikes are much easier to ride once you’ve got the knack of the controls - which doesn’t take too long tbh - and you link up a few corners or pin it from the lights with your instructor egging you on to get up to speed, that 125 will feel a long way awayKrikkit said:
Zakalwe said:
Riding a 125 isn’t much fun, they’re st to be honest, useless for being on the road unless you’ve no other choice. Especially on your CBT when you’re too busy concentrating on how it all works to enjoy the ride. Bigger bikes are much easier to ride once you’ve got the knack of the controls - which doesn’t take too long tbh - and you link up a few corners or pin it from the lights with your instructor egging you on to get up to speed, that 125 will feel a long way away
Indeed, as nunpuncher put it a few weeks ago:t to be honest, useless for being on the road unless you’ve no other choice. Especially on your CBT when you’re too busy concentrating on how it all works to enjoy the ride. Bigger bikes are much easier to ride once you’ve got the knack of the controls - which doesn’t take too long tbh - and you link up a few corners or pin it from the lights with your instructor egging you on to get up to speed, that 125 will feel a long way awaynunpuncher said:
If you've never ridden a motorbike before then taking in the whole alien sequence of flicking switches, looking about, controlling things with both hands and feet while balancing on a wobbly (usually fked) 125 wearing a sensory deprivation device on your head is no easy task. As you can see, plenty of other people on here seem to have struggled with it at first.
ked) 125 wearing a sensory deprivation device on your head is no easy task. As you can see, plenty of other people on here seem to have struggled with it at first.Sa Calobra said:
I had my CBT today, one on one and had a good two hours solid on the open road. It felt like I was on a tinny' buzzin washing machine on spin.
At the end I had a spin on a 2019 CB600R and it was night and day. The only thing I noted was the 600 had a high idle speed so at slow speeds I didn't need to use the throttle.
One on one is great I was in a group of 4 and everyone else had ridden before. Was it a 650R that's one of the bikes I'm considering a colleague at work has one. At the end I had a spin on a 2019 CB600R and it was night and day. The only thing I noted was the 600 had a high idle speed so at slow speeds I didn't need to use the throttle.
JonnyJustice said:
I passed my bike test 6 years ago.
To get some road experience on something which hopefully wouldn’t kill me, the first bike I owned was a 600 Bandit, which I sold after 6 months. I then bought a CBR600RR, which has done 5 trips to the Isle of Man TT and a wealth of TD’s. Still own it and still love it!
A few people have suggested the bandit to me but I really can’t get away with the looks of the thing but maybe it’s wise for a year or so to get some experience and a years no claims To get some road experience on something which hopefully wouldn’t kill me, the first bike I owned was a 600 Bandit, which I sold after 6 months. I then bought a CBR600RR, which has done 5 trips to the Isle of Man TT and a wealth of TD’s. Still own it and still love it!
Done nothing but look at bikes the last few weeks given my size and frame I'm starting to think a naked bike may be better for me and easier to ride. Quite like the look of the CB650F I much prefer the look of the CBR650R but maybe in a couple of years, I'll get a bigger sports bike as a toy.
Theory test tomorrow fingers crossed should really do a bit revision.
Theory test tomorrow fingers crossed should really do a bit revision.
Zakalwe said:
Plenty of free online tests for the theory and hazard. Don’t bother paying for the “advanced” questions, as all the likely questions in the test are covered in the basic free ones
Cheers mate can you suggest any decent ones seems quite a few for the theory but none for hazard. Zakalwe said:
https://www.theory-test-online.co.uk/free-hazard-p...
Just google hazard perception test online, there’s about 4 or 5 from memory. They’re all the old style though, with actual video footage from a car driving - the test now is computer animation. Aim to click the mouse about 10 times per video, just don’t mash the button. The merest whiff of a hazard? click. Still a potential hazard a second later? Click. Then click every second or so until it’s clearly over
Good advice cheers ZakalweJust google hazard perception test online, there’s about 4 or 5 from memory. They’re all the old style though, with actual video footage from a car driving - the test now is computer animation. Aim to click the mouse about 10 times per video, just don’t mash the button. The merest whiff of a hazard? click. Still a potential hazard a second later? Click. Then click every second or so until it’s clearly over
Edited by Zakalwe on Friday 5th July 14:03
Donbot said:
Stu-nph26 said:
Done nothing but look at bikes the last few weeks given my size and frame I'm starting to think a naked bike may be better for me and easier to ride. Quite like the look of the CB650F I much prefer the look of the CBR650R but maybe in a couple of years, I'll get a bigger sports bike as a toy.
Theory test tomorrow fingers crossed should really do a bit revision.
I thought the 650R was the same bike but with a fairing on it. Or are you confusing it with the 600RR?Theory test tomorrow fingers crossed should really do a bit revision.
Stu-nph26 said:
It is with a couple of other differences I think it just looks much better in my opinion
Theory test passed this morning good start to the weekend now I just need to get some lessons in. I was thinking about buying a cheap 125 to drive about on now and get some extra practice in but I think I'll just wait until I pass. So I had a 2-hour x over lesson today which ended up on a 650 Honda of some variety which was bloody lovely in comparison to the 125. After my CBT my confidence took a little knock and I really didn't enjoy riding the 125 this was a different ball game really enjoyed it.
Signed up for the DSA course which is £470 which includes 13 hour lessons and both Mod 1 & 2 rests. Had a few problems with the helmet hurting my head today so I'm off next week to buy one that fits properly, along with some gloves, a jacket and maybe some boots if I can afford it. Anywhere decent online to have a look?
Signed up for the DSA course which is £470 which includes 13 hour lessons and both Mod 1 & 2 rests. Had a few problems with the helmet hurting my head today so I'm off next week to buy one that fits properly, along with some gloves, a jacket and maybe some boots if I can afford it. Anywhere decent online to have a look?
loftylad said:
Thanks mate will take a lookGassing Station | Biker Banter | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff