What should i do...?
Discussion
Good morning.
I need some advice please. I've been reading the other threads here and some really usefull info to be had. A lot of you mention starting on a bike.. getting 'bored' then getting something different.
I have the attention-span of a beetroot. I had a Porsche Boxster for 10 months- bored of it, bought a TVR T350 T- bored of it, so now onto bikes.
I've only got a 125 Gilera Cougar at the moment, and am always wanting for power.. but never bored.
I commute every day from Richmond to the City, and would like to get out on the M3 to visit my folks ever now and again just a few junctions down.
WHAT DO I BUY?!? Looking around 600cc, but open again to suggestions. Help!
I need some advice please. I've been reading the other threads here and some really usefull info to be had. A lot of you mention starting on a bike.. getting 'bored' then getting something different.
I have the attention-span of a beetroot. I had a Porsche Boxster for 10 months- bored of it, bought a TVR T350 T- bored of it, so now onto bikes.
I've only got a 125 Gilera Cougar at the moment, and am always wanting for power.. but never bored.
I commute every day from Richmond to the City, and would like to get out on the M3 to visit my folks ever now and again just a few junctions down.
WHAT DO I BUY?!? Looking around 600cc, but open again to suggestions. Help!
Damn, I could've offered to swap my Suzuki for your TVR! I guess the question should start with have you passed the full m/c test yet? Perhaps followed by what are most likely to want from your bike and how mechanically minded are you? I'm very new to biking and have a similar concentration span in some ways, hence passing the test, buying a 500 and selling it after about 2 months for 1000. There are so many nice bikes out there and I don't have the experience to offer much by the way of sensible comment other than to say I really like my SV1000, it feels quick to me yet forgiving. A friend has a Frirestorm which seems pretty similar. Whatever you choose, Good Luck! Dave
I got rid of the T350 & bought a bike (other half got a Boxster S as a trade-off for letting me have one).
I think a new 600 will be a good learner & have ample power to keep you amused for a while. You can always trade up in a month or so should you feel the need.
The R6 is brilliant, although mags reckon the Suzuki is todays choice. Some decent deals around on the old model GSXR750 (under 6k brand new) which is another option if you wanted a 'bigger' bike.
I think a new 600 will be a good learner & have ample power to keep you amused for a while. You can always trade up in a month or so should you feel the need.
The R6 is brilliant, although mags reckon the Suzuki is todays choice. Some decent deals around on the old model GSXR750 (under 6k brand new) which is another option if you wanted a 'bigger' bike.
hobo said:
Any particular reason why not ? Just interested.
Mostly the position, and please correct me if i'm wrong, but i did 3 days on a 'bent over' 500cc bike and my shoulders, neck, wrists... were all in pain! Even worse in the evening when i was no longer riding.
Do you get used to it..?
Jamassey said:
hobo said:
Any particular reason why not ? Just interested.
Mostly the position, and please correct me if i'm wrong, but i did 3 days on a 'bent over' 500cc bike and my shoulders, neck, wrists... were all in pain! Even worse in the evening when i was no longer riding.
Do you get used to it..?
Hmmm what bike was that? Most 500s are commuter bikes and have an upright riding position.
And yes, am sure you'd get used to it
I assume the 500 you rode was the one you passed your test on ? If so then you probably, like me, did a number of full days riding. Also, like me I suspect you got home on a night with your wrists killing & your neck stiff. Right ?
This will change for the following reasons:
a) you're body will get used to the position
b) the bike you buy will probably have better protection from the elements
and
c) when are you going to ride for 8 hours a day like you did when learning. Not very often I suspect.
With your background in car I suspect you'd regret not getting a sports bike & would only end up switching for one nearly straight away should you not do so to start with.
The only thing that I still suffer with is aching wrists after riding for long stints, apart from that its all good
This will change for the following reasons:
a) you're body will get used to the position
b) the bike you buy will probably have better protection from the elements
and
c) when are you going to ride for 8 hours a day like you did when learning. Not very often I suspect.
With your background in car I suspect you'd regret not getting a sports bike & would only end up switching for one nearly straight away should you not do so to start with.
The only thing that I still suffer with is aching wrists after riding for long stints, apart from that its all good
It's not about getting bored, it's about learning to ride a bike p-r-o-p-e-r-l-y. Get yourself a bike, you choose, it don't matter much. Then get yourself the most important element that you need to ride to it's and, importantly, your limit. Training. I'm assuming you have done your normal route of cbt blah blah and now you're punting around on the 125. Fine you have learned some important skills in road craft, how not to fling yourself under a lorry, how to impress the bus queue with accelerative wheelies.. non? Now what you need to do is get some advanced bike training. Why? because without it you'll never know what you should be doing and you will probably never get anywhere near your personal level without training. You will pick up skills on your own but you will make mistakes first. Making mistakes on a 600 could be very costly. Don't listen to folk who say 'I need to get better *before* I go for advanced training' Bollox. Go do it now and then you have the grounding and the knowledge to take your bike and yourself to higher levels.
So... don't get bored like you did with your cars, learn how to ride the bike well. Challenge yourself.
Why wait?.....
Tired now.
So... don't get bored like you did with your cars, learn how to ride the bike well. Challenge yourself.
Why wait?.....
Tired now.
Firstly, I completely agree with Bike Ace, passing the test does not make anyone competent to ride powerful bikes on the road. Mostly, this will come with experience, but this is when most people end up in hospital or in a 6 foot hole.
(I'm surprised you managed to drive you 350T long enough to get bored, they spend most of the time on the back of recovery vehicles!)
Secondly, if you're commuting from Richmond, I would avoid any sort of sports bike and especially a 600. The turning circles are useless for riding in traffic, your wrists WILL ache (from all the accelerating and stopping)and possibly your knees depending on your size, and the 600cc sports bikes are without power at the bottom end so you'll need to be always changing gear and revving it.
Would suggest something a lot more conmortable and upright with a V-twin engine which will give you better manoeuvrability and less hassle in stopstart traffic and you can blat up and down the motorway to see your folks. Have you thought about pillion or storage? Best thing is to spend a couple of hours in a large dealer sitting on them with a copy of a bike magazine in your pocket.
(I'm surprised you managed to drive you 350T long enough to get bored, they spend most of the time on the back of recovery vehicles!)
Secondly, if you're commuting from Richmond, I would avoid any sort of sports bike and especially a 600. The turning circles are useless for riding in traffic, your wrists WILL ache (from all the accelerating and stopping)and possibly your knees depending on your size, and the 600cc sports bikes are without power at the bottom end so you'll need to be always changing gear and revving it.
Would suggest something a lot more conmortable and upright with a V-twin engine which will give you better manoeuvrability and less hassle in stopstart traffic and you can blat up and down the motorway to see your folks. Have you thought about pillion or storage? Best thing is to spend a couple of hours in a large dealer sitting on them with a copy of a bike magazine in your pocket.
sjmlewis said:
Firstly, I completely agree with Bike Ace, passing the test does not make anyone competent to ride powerful bikes on the road. Mostly, this will come with experience, but this is when most people end up in hospital or in a 6 foot hole.
(I'm surprised you managed to drive you 350T long enough to get bored, they spend most of the time on the back of recovery vehicles!)
Secondly, if you're commuting from Richmond, I would avoid any sort of sports bike and especially a 600. The turning circles are useless for riding in traffic, your wrists WILL ache (from all the accelerating and stopping)and possibly your knees depending on your size, and the 600cc sports bikes are without power at the bottom end so you'll need to be always changing gear and revving it.
Would suggest something a lot more conmortable and upright with a V-twin engine which will give you better manoeuvrability and less hassle in stopstart traffic and you can blat up and down the motorway to see your folks. Have you thought about pillion or storage? Best thing is to spend a couple of hours in a large dealer sitting on them with a copy of a bike magazine in your pocket.
(I'm surprised you managed to drive you 350T long enough to get bored, they spend most of the time on the back of recovery vehicles!)
Secondly, if you're commuting from Richmond, I would avoid any sort of sports bike and especially a 600. The turning circles are useless for riding in traffic, your wrists WILL ache (from all the accelerating and stopping)and possibly your knees depending on your size, and the 600cc sports bikes are without power at the bottom end so you'll need to be always changing gear and revving it.
Would suggest something a lot more conmortable and upright with a V-twin engine which will give you better manoeuvrability and less hassle in stopstart traffic and you can blat up and down the motorway to see your folks. Have you thought about pillion or storage? Best thing is to spend a couple of hours in a large dealer sitting on them with a copy of a bike magazine in your pocket.
Thank you Steve, all wise words indeed!
sjmlewis said:
Secondly, if you're commuting from Richmond, I would avoid any sort of sports bike and especially a 600. The turning circles are useless for riding in traffic, your wrists WILL ache (from all the accelerating and stopping)and possibly your knees depending on your size, and the 600cc sports bikes are without power at the bottom end so you'll need to be always changing gear and revving it.
Would suggest something a lot more conmortable and upright with a V-twin engine which will give you better manoeuvrability and less hassle in stopstart traffic and you can blat up and down the motorway to see your folks.
And with that in mind, there's always the SV650s. It's narrow and can get through some pretty slim gaps in traffic. It's fast enough when well ridden to keep up with your mates and in straight line terms seems to be about Evo 7 fast and the engine does pick up from 1000 rpm like the ss600s can't.Would suggest something a lot more conmortable and upright with a V-twin engine which will give you better manoeuvrability and less hassle in stopstart traffic and you can blat up and down the motorway to see your folks.
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