Passed my tests! What bike should I get?
Discussion
I passed my mod 1 and 2 this morning (in a howling wind and pounding rain), now I have a shiny new A-licence and it's time to get a big bike. I'm a relatively full-sized individual at 6'4" and 95+kg, what would the good folk of PH recommend I look at? There's a whole world of bikes out there, I'm not set on any particular model or genre and I can't really even decide whether to go brand new, nearly new or used.
Some points to consider:
Some points to consider:
- It must have ABS.
- Sportsbikes aren't really my thing.
- I don't want to be paying 4 figures to insure it.
I'm a similar size (1" smaller) and I've had about 14 bikes in all now since 1996.
I wouldn't recommend anything too sporty due to your size. I'm happy with my Honda CB650F these days.
If you want more muscle, the Kawasaki Z series are fairly comfy IMHO. I hear good things about the Yamaha MT series but not tried them. Triumph Street Triple 675 I had was very good too but they are a bit overpriced in the 2nd hand market I think.
I wouldn't recommend anything too sporty due to your size. I'm happy with my Honda CB650F these days.
If you want more muscle, the Kawasaki Z series are fairly comfy IMHO. I hear good things about the Yamaha MT series but not tried them. Triumph Street Triple 675 I had was very good too but they are a bit overpriced in the 2nd hand market I think.Get what you want. Some will say don't get anything too big/powerful for some reason. Long as you are sensible then go for it.
I've got a BMW GSA 1200. I love it. 6ft4 and 140kg and it suits me. I've had a GSXR 600 and it was way to small for me.
Insurance will be a big issue though. I paid £800 for the first year with my GS. I had my licence for ten years but had zero no claims due to not having a bike for a bit.
I've got a BMW GSA 1200. I love it. 6ft4 and 140kg and it suits me. I've had a GSXR 600 and it was way to small for me.
Insurance will be a big issue though. I paid £800 for the first year with my GS. I had my licence for ten years but had zero no claims due to not having a bike for a bit.
Passed my test two years ago and had no idea what to buy. Makes it harder that you can't test ride anything as a new rider. I sat on a few and really liked the position of the CB650R, felt well built and I got it for around £100 a month.
Was a brilliant bike and the 4 cylinder engine was really smooth and forgiving, couldn't recommend it highly enough as a first bike.
Have ride a few bikes now and moved into a street triple but have recommended the honda to my friend who just bought one as a first bike as well.
Was a brilliant bike and the 4 cylinder engine was really smooth and forgiving, couldn't recommend it highly enough as a first bike.
Have ride a few bikes now and moved into a street triple but have recommended the honda to my friend who just bought one as a first bike as well.
What style do you like? I went for this. It was in fact in my garage before I passed MOD2. I still love it, and it suits the roads I ride rather well. It even went on grass a few weeks ago!
Whilst I’m 6’1 I only have 30” legs. So I couldn’t fit on the 1100/1200 Ducati and Triumph scramblers. So at your height I would look at them.
You need to go to a few dealers and sit on as many bikes as possible. It’s amazing how different the ergos are.
The scrambler and motard (MT09/890 Duke) styles suited me best.
Whilst I’m 6’1 I only have 30” legs. So I couldn’t fit on the 1100/1200 Ducati and Triumph scramblers. So at your height I would look at them.
You need to go to a few dealers and sit on as many bikes as possible. It’s amazing how different the ergos are.
The scrambler and motard (MT09/890 Duke) styles suited me best.
Edited by PT1984 on Thursday 28th March 07:33
Congratulations.
As you are 6ft 4 I'd so for a adult size bike.
Super Adventure 1290
Versys 1000
Multi Strada
...but good luck getting insurance.
Sensible answer would be some sort adventure touring 650 like a Versys 650, vstrom, MT800 or the like if you want to be comfy and not pay mental money on insurance then get something silly when you have some ncb.
Also, what are you using it for? Do it all or just weekends? Will make a huge difference to what you should get.
As you are 6ft 4 I'd so for a adult size bike.
Super Adventure 1290
Versys 1000
Multi Strada
...but good luck getting insurance.
Sensible answer would be some sort adventure touring 650 like a Versys 650, vstrom, MT800 or the like if you want to be comfy and not pay mental money on insurance then get something silly when you have some ncb.
Also, what are you using it for? Do it all or just weekends? Will make a huge difference to what you should get.
Run comparison quotes in all bikes that you are keen on before commiting to buy one. I used autotrader comparison click through thing.
I found - anything over 7k for the same bike, the insurance went £££.
Oddities - anything Suzuki or Honda <1000cc etc was £££ yet say a BMW R1200RT was quite cheap.
My wishlist-
KTM 790/890 adv
I found - anything over 7k for the same bike, the insurance went £££.
Oddities - anything Suzuki or Honda <1000cc etc was £££ yet say a BMW R1200RT was quite cheap.
My wishlist-
KTM 790/890 adv
Edited by Hugo Stiglitz on Thursday 28th March 08:11
GreaseNipple said:
Don't just sit on bikes, take them out for rides. I came to biking with no reference for anything and after getting my licence each test ride (I think I had 5 before deciding) made clearer what I was and wasnt looking for.
When I newly passed I couldn't find a dealer in the North East of Scotland (well Aberdeen and Dundee) that would let me take out anything that I was interested in(SV650s, MT07 that kinda thing). A CBR500 was the biggest I was offered a test on. OP, congrats on the full license! As others have said you say you don't like sports bikes (which is just as well because at 6'4 every modern superbike will look like a toy under you) but what do you like?
Edited by Tam_Mullen on Thursday 28th March 08:01
When I passed my test the dealer was quite happy for me to take test rides and I was out on a bike within 20 minutes of them opening (I was waiting on the doorstep! 
). That said, I had no real idea of what I wanted and was happy to be guided by the dealer, so the Fazer 600 I went out on first wasn't much more potent than the XJ600 I'd sat my test on. A similar approach might suit you, OP.
Insurance is a good point, and generally you'll be looking at sub-litre because of this. This is no bad thing: thanks to A2 legislation, in recent years there's been a large variety of middleweight bikes released so there's literally something for everyone. Given your height I'd suggest looking at the adventure styled bikes for a bit more space, but if you want to curl up into a sports bike or cafe racer, go for it.
Unless you've already got all your gear, if you know you're comitted to biking for the forseeable, I'd recommend having a healthy budget to get the gear you're really comfortable with and getting items that will last the course. Unless you have a clear picture of what you want, you'll probably move on your first bike within a year or two, whereas good quality gear can last for several years. £4-5k can get a great secondhand bike, but you can easily end up wearing £2-3k!
). That said, I had no real idea of what I wanted and was happy to be guided by the dealer, so the Fazer 600 I went out on first wasn't much more potent than the XJ600 I'd sat my test on. A similar approach might suit you, OP.Insurance is a good point, and generally you'll be looking at sub-litre because of this. This is no bad thing: thanks to A2 legislation, in recent years there's been a large variety of middleweight bikes released so there's literally something for everyone. Given your height I'd suggest looking at the adventure styled bikes for a bit more space, but if you want to curl up into a sports bike or cafe racer, go for it.
Unless you've already got all your gear, if you know you're comitted to biking for the forseeable, I'd recommend having a healthy budget to get the gear you're really comfortable with and getting items that will last the course. Unless you have a clear picture of what you want, you'll probably move on your first bike within a year or two, whereas good quality gear can last for several years. £4-5k can get a great secondhand bike, but you can easily end up wearing £2-3k!
I'd also suggest keeping the actual bike budget down a bit if you can. The potential lack of test rides, plus having an almost completely open mind over bike type means in a couple of years you'll both have far more access to test rides, and far more idea of what you might like.
I started on an F800ST (well, an SV650 but i lived in London and gave up pretty quickly), then the tinkers at BMW let me have a K1300S as a courtesy bike one day. I'd never even considered that bike or bike type before, but immediately I was saving up and some time later I got one. And then another.
I had a GS for a while, and the only reason I'd be so presumptuous as to advise against one as a first bike is that they're so good (subjectively kkkkkkkkkk) that you might have a hard time swapping to other stuff, or other bikey genres! I know I'll end up back on one eventually, but at the moment have a KTM 1290GT.
So yes, sorry for the ramble but yes, whatever you get, it won't be something you'll keep forever. My budget keeps going up, so start it low for a brain-cheating win :P.
It's very exciting isn't it! Perfect time of year too!
I started on an F800ST (well, an SV650 but i lived in London and gave up pretty quickly), then the tinkers at BMW let me have a K1300S as a courtesy bike one day. I'd never even considered that bike or bike type before, but immediately I was saving up and some time later I got one. And then another.
I had a GS for a while, and the only reason I'd be so presumptuous as to advise against one as a first bike is that they're so good (subjectively kkkkkkkkkk) that you might have a hard time swapping to other stuff, or other bikey genres! I know I'll end up back on one eventually, but at the moment have a KTM 1290GT.
So yes, sorry for the ramble but yes, whatever you get, it won't be something you'll keep forever. My budget keeps going up, so start it low for a brain-cheating win :P.
It's very exciting isn't it! Perfect time of year too!
I'd say go used. Once riding a few months you will have a far better idea of what you actually want from a bike, weather it be comfort, power, performance etc. With that in mind buy something that you can get out of easily, not tied into finance etc. There is also the risk of dropping or damaging it even a minor drop while moving it around. Would hate to do that to something brand new.
I bought a nice Yamaha XJ6. Let me get some miles under my belt, but knew I wasn't going to keep it long. Wasn't too expensive or precious to be scared of damaging it. Traded it in after a year with a much better idea of what I wanted from a bike.
I bought a nice Yamaha XJ6. Let me get some miles under my belt, but knew I wasn't going to keep it long. Wasn't too expensive or precious to be scared of damaging it. Traded it in after a year with a much better idea of what I wanted from a bike.
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