Help for new person to bikes.

[Michaelm472]

Hello, im a 25 year old man. I have been driving for 2 years but looking to get a motorbike for commuting. I got 2k to spend. Now is it possible to do a cbt, get gear and get a 125cc for that amount of money?

Thank you

Michael

[JulianHJ]

Yes it is.

Get a reasonable condition Japanese 125 for around £1k and up (Honda CBF and Yamaha YBR are very popular), CBT is around £100-£150 I think, go to a good bike clothing shop and spend whatever you choose on clothing (helmet, jacket, gloves, maybe boots and trousers). You can do the latter via mail order; Getgeared and SportsBikeShop have free returns if the sizings not right, but to be honest you really should try a few helmets on in the presence of someone who knows what they're doing in order to get the best-fitting option. Does your budget include insurance, and have you had any quotes yet?

Edited by JulianHJ on Wednesday 28th February 09:52

[Michaelm472]

Thank you for the imformative reply. I have been on comparision sites and im looking at £350 a year for insurance. Which is a lot cheaper then a car for now.

[black-k1]

Kit wise, my recommendation would be new helmet but the rest as S/H from eBay, Gumtree etc. There is a lot of little worn, good quality, normally expensive kit sold very cheaply by those who thought they had the itch, bought all the kit, then discovered biking wasn't for them.

[Michaelm472]

Ok perfect, thank you for all the help. Im quite tall at 6 foot 3. Is there any certain bikes i should look our for?

[JulianHJ]

Again, for your budget a YBR or CBF should be fine.

[MikeA3]

Michaelm472 said:

Ok perfect, thank you for all the help. Im quite tall at 6 foot 3. Is there any certain bikes i should look our for?

The Honda varadero 125 is often suggested as a good bike for taller folk, certainly worth a look op

[Bumblebee7]

I was in a similar situation myself a few months ago. Funnily enough I couldn't 'afford' a second hand bike in that I didn't have the cash to spare. In the end I purchased a Honda CB125F brand new from honda with a £100 deposit and monthly payments of around £78 (36 month term) on their 1.9% finance deal. Very happy with my choice and it's a lovely bike returning around 115mpg around town and the peace of mind regarding all components like brakes, tyres etc that it's brand new. No storage on it though so I did buy myself a top box for it. I'm 6' 2" so only a tad shorter than you and I find the bike really comfy even when I've been out on it for over an hour. I used the money that I had saved to invest in some decent gear that will last me. As I'm sure many others have said before but it's really worthwhile buying good quality gear, especially when new to riding. Chances of an accident are obviously greater when you're inexperienced so really you'll benefit the most from having gear that will protect you. Good luck!

[crofty1984]

MikeA3 said:

The Honda varadero 125 is often suggested as a good bike for taller folk, certainly worth a look op

That's what I was thinking, but if you can fit comfortably a Yamaha YBR is an unburstable little thing.