Restricted 33bhp bikes- pros......and cons?
Discussion
Some bikes are restricted from the ecu, some by big washers in the inlets, others by bits of plastic in the carbs (and probably a myriad of other ways too).
Before you commit to a particular bike (or particular test), find out how easy and expensive it is to restrict/de-restrict.
Often the extra cost of the restriction is much more than any potential saving in training costs and insurance.
If, however, you decide to go with the restricted license anyway, twins are better than fours when restricted as they retain a lot of their torque and this makes them feel more "normal."
Other than that, a restricted bike is a good stepping stone if you are not in a hurry to use all the performance; after two years, when the restrictor comes off, the bike will feel completely different with the full fat power delivery.
In the meantime, you have the brakes, suspension and grip to far out manage the power on offer, so you are potentially safer on a restricted bike.
Before you commit to a particular bike (or particular test), find out how easy and expensive it is to restrict/de-restrict.
Often the extra cost of the restriction is much more than any potential saving in training costs and insurance.
If, however, you decide to go with the restricted license anyway, twins are better than fours when restricted as they retain a lot of their torque and this makes them feel more "normal."
Other than that, a restricted bike is a good stepping stone if you are not in a hurry to use all the performance; after two years, when the restrictor comes off, the bike will feel completely different with the full fat power delivery.
In the meantime, you have the brakes, suspension and grip to far out manage the power on offer, so you are potentially safer on a restricted bike.
Darkslider said:
steven182 said:
restricted bike is still fast though so be careful =]
Don't listen to people who say this as they don't know what they're talking about. 
Make sure you don't ride the bike before getting it restricted or you'll realise exactly how slow 33 bhp is.My brother had a restricted GSXR600 at 19.
The mothod of restriction was a small grub-screw in the throttle housing that
physically restricted the amount the throttle could be turned.
..........Guess how long that grub screw stayed in the throttle!?
I'd say, if you're able to do the DAS and get a full license then do it.
You can still buy a more sensible bike if that's what you want but at least
you have the option to get something bigger in a year or so.....which you
probably will!!
The mothod of restriction was a small grub-screw in the throttle housing that
physically restricted the amount the throttle could be turned.
..........Guess how long that grub screw stayed in the throttle!?
I'd say, if you're able to do the DAS and get a full license then do it.
You can still buy a more sensible bike if that's what you want but at least
you have the option to get something bigger in a year or so.....which you
probably will!!
I passed my test at 18 and had to ride my ER-5 restricted for two years. It was perfectly OK and coped well on motorways. But there was no point in revving it... at high revs the power died off, which was Ok on a twin, but maybe would feel really crap on a four.
Once I de-restricted it, it had a bit more top-end, but no difference lower in the revs.
Once I de-restricted it, it had a bit more top-end, but no difference lower in the revs.
I have a mate in the same position he wants to do his test, he's old enough & he's not bothered about doing it now or after october.
But he thinkg he'll kill himself if he gets a 600 so he's looking at 125s.
I said your not a small chap try a 250 for size instead! lol!
He's gone from wanting the Yamaha R125 to wanting the 250 ninja!
But he thinkg he'll kill himself if he gets a 600 so he's looking at 125s.
I said your not a small chap try a 250 for size instead! lol!
He's gone from wanting the Yamaha R125 to wanting the 250 ninja!
I, despite being old enough (by a long way) to do the unrestricted test did it on my 125. Why? I felt that doing it on my own bike was going to give me a lot more confidence than doing it on a hired one. Also I have two colleagues who took the DAS. One bought a new Ducati and wrote it off the very next day (severely damaging himself in the process), and one bought a CBF600 and has had at least 3 accidents on it since. Too much power and too little experience in both cases. I did not want to do the same thing. And finally there were only two bikes that I was even considering at the time: the Vespa GTS250 and the Royal Enfield 500 cafe racer, both of which are under 33bhp.
Of course I saw sense and bought neither, and admittedly now I'm wishing my two years were up so I can buy the Triumph of my dreams, but it's not long to wait now. I'm still convinced I made the right decision, as I passed whereas for all I know with a hired bike I'd have failed, but yeah, those 2 years are dragging on ;-) I might also have crashed a faster bike. 33bhp really is enough to start on when your previous machine was 12.5, and the one before that 5.5!
Rather than a gutless and expensive to insure restricted 600 I bought a Honda VRX400 (on a whim because it's very pretty). This is a V twin, and makes bang on 33bhp by design rather than restriction. The engine is basically the same as the Honda Bros 400 (which any courier will tell you is ideal). Thing is it's got loads of torque and flexibility (almost all the 25 lb ft from no revs!) and is just great round town. It rockets off the line in the traffic light grand prix faster than most other bikes because it doesn't need to be revved. It's not the fastest thing in terms of top end speed but it will top 100mph. It's old, it's a bit of a tractor but it costs nothing to insure, never goes wrong and it will do just fine building up that no claims bonus and not crashing until my two years are up. How much power do you really need when you're a novice?
Of course I saw sense and bought neither, and admittedly now I'm wishing my two years were up so I can buy the Triumph of my dreams, but it's not long to wait now. I'm still convinced I made the right decision, as I passed whereas for all I know with a hired bike I'd have failed, but yeah, those 2 years are dragging on ;-) I might also have crashed a faster bike. 33bhp really is enough to start on when your previous machine was 12.5, and the one before that 5.5!
Rather than a gutless and expensive to insure restricted 600 I bought a Honda VRX400 (on a whim because it's very pretty). This is a V twin, and makes bang on 33bhp by design rather than restriction. The engine is basically the same as the Honda Bros 400 (which any courier will tell you is ideal). Thing is it's got loads of torque and flexibility (almost all the 25 lb ft from no revs!) and is just great round town. It rockets off the line in the traffic light grand prix faster than most other bikes because it doesn't need to be revved. It's not the fastest thing in terms of top end speed but it will top 100mph. It's old, it's a bit of a tractor but it costs nothing to insure, never goes wrong and it will do just fine building up that no claims bonus and not crashing until my two years are up. How much power do you really need when you're a novice?
i doing the DAS, i just feel that having two days on a 500, and doing my test on one will be much more beneficial than doing alot of work on a 125, my test on a 125, then getting a big bike restricted.
i think it is down to how you drive, personally im going to drive slow and take it easy, i will be 3rd party, and so if i bin the bike, thats my money gone! (which will be a great motivator to me taking it easy)
i think it is down to how you drive, personally im going to drive slow and take it easy, i will be 3rd party, and so if i bin the bike, thats my money gone! (which will be a great motivator to me taking it easy)
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