Discussion
Sorry James here not Lisa.....
I'm shortly going to be doing my DAS and I'm looking for my first bike. I'm mid 30's and don't want a sports bike just something for commuting the 12 miles to work mainly A road with some town.
I think I've narrowed it down to:
Honda Hornet 600 ABS (New Model)
Kawasaki ER-6n ABS
Kawasaki Versys ABS
I was pretty much settled on one of the Kawa's but the Hornet is looking like it is built better and will last longer with better residuals.
What experiences and thoughts do people have?
Edited to add it's James not Lisa, used the wrong log in!
I'm shortly going to be doing my DAS and I'm looking for my first bike. I'm mid 30's and don't want a sports bike just something for commuting the 12 miles to work mainly A road with some town.
I think I've narrowed it down to:
Honda Hornet 600 ABS (New Model)
Kawasaki ER-6n ABS
Kawasaki Versys ABS
I was pretty much settled on one of the Kawa's but the Hornet is looking like it is built better and will last longer with better residuals.
What experiences and thoughts do people have?
Edited to add it's James not Lisa, used the wrong log in!
Edited by Mrs Fish on Thursday 3rd July 18:59
The new Hornet is a lovely looking bike, and in the flesh has a very nice finish. I haven't riden it, but a club member purchased one as her second bike, replacing an ER-6 she'd had for a short period and couldn't get on with: overall, I think it was the smoothness of the Hornet that made her more comfortable.
James,
Just a quick post to say whatever bike you decide on, please don't skimp with the protective safety gear......
My son would have had to have his lower leg amputated a few weeks back, if it wasn't for his leather boots which took much of the impact when a car pulled out in front of him.......
Good luck and take care....
Don't let Lisa see this.................
Just a quick post to say whatever bike you decide on, please don't skimp with the protective safety gear......
My son would have had to have his lower leg amputated a few weeks back, if it wasn't for his leather boots which took much of the impact when a car pulled out in front of him.......
Good luck and take care....
Don't let Lisa see this.................
Mrs Fish said:
I think I've narrowed it down to:
Honda Hornet 600 ABS (New Model)
Kawasaki ER-6n ABS
Kawasaki Versys ABS
I'm in a similar boat.. about to do my DAS, and trying to choose a bike.Honda Hornet 600 ABS (New Model)
Kawasaki ER-6n ABS
Kawasaki Versys ABS
My best guess at the moment is the '07 Hornet.. love it's looks, apparently unbreakable as Honda cars are, easy to ride yet fun and rewarding.. it seems to get nothign but positive reviews everywhere...
I also looked at the ER-6n.. but apart from the tales of not-so-good build quality (take with a pinch of salt I would think), I don't really like how it looks.. the general styling is ok, but the swing-arm and forks look a bit cheap imo:
..and it's a bit too 'curvy' where the hornet is all taught lines and angular shapes... very subjective obviously, but that's my 2p.
Let us know what you decide, and how you get on.....
Wyvern971 has an 07 hornet (600), has let me ride it twice now. I found that the throttle is soo smooth, is a great bike to ride and gives loads of confidence. As you're only using it for the commute (for now
) it should give you a fair bit of confidence too.
One prob he had with his was being told that changing the headlight bulb (and only the bulb) for a brighter one voided his warranty when the wiring melted. I think this might just be down to the dealership being awkward though.
) it should give you a fair bit of confidence too. One prob he had with his was being told that changing the headlight bulb (and only the bulb) for a brighter one voided his warranty when the wiring melted. I think this might just be down to the dealership being awkward though.
Mine was my first bike after riding a 125 for a couple years.
It was the bike Yam produced before the R6 & the thunderace(the 1000cc) was what they produced before the R1.
My insurance (i'm 21).
Was £310 TPFT for a year.
I thought that was quite good for what you get.
It's extremely quick but you get used to it quite quickly.
Plus parts are readily available as its a jap bike!
I'd recommend it to anynoe
It was the bike Yam produced before the R6 & the thunderace(the 1000cc) was what they produced before the R1.
My insurance (i'm 21).
Was £310 TPFT for a year.
I thought that was quite good for what you get.
It's extremely quick but you get used to it quite quickly.
Plus parts are readily available as its a jap bike!
I'd recommend it to anynoe
lawrence567 said:
Mine was my first bike after riding a 125 for a couple years.
It was the bike Yam produced before the R6 & the thunderace(the 1000cc) was what they produced before the R1.
My insurance (i'm 21).
Was £310 TPFT for a year.
I thought that was quite good for what you get.
It's extremely quick but you get used to it quite quickly.
Plus parts are readily available as its a jap bike!
I'd recommend it to anynoe
Cool stuff i'm 19 and doing my ART in a few weeks my insurance quote on a CBR 600 old one is like 800 TPFT which is probably around my limit can't go above that really as i have the car insurance to pay for too. It was the bike Yam produced before the R6 & the thunderace(the 1000cc) was what they produced before the R1.
My insurance (i'm 21).
Was £310 TPFT for a year.
I thought that was quite good for what you get.
It's extremely quick but you get used to it quite quickly.
Plus parts are readily available as its a jap bike!
I'd recommend it to anynoe
ETA just got a quote for a thundercat at £800 TPFT so about the same. Will have to try both bikes then decide me thinks =]
Edited by steven182 on Friday 4th July 10:56
I have the 07 Hornet ABS,
I have ridden;
Kawasaki ER-6N - Did my DAS on it
07 Hornet ABS
07 Hornet non ABS
08 GSX-R 1000
05 CBR 600F
92 CBR 600F Fightered
Kawasaki ER-6N
Felt like a good bike to ride, got me through the test fine, but a little boring tbh (and the styling isn't all that good IMO).
07 Hornet ABS - My bike, I got it Ex-Demo with most of the optional extras already on it.
Great first bike, very confidence inspiring, pretty forgiving.
Acceleration is very good and getting the power down is fairly easy.
As a commuter it is brilliant, I wouldn't want to commute on sports bike in London, geting through traffic with a big lock to lock is very handy especially in London.
Brakes really don't feel strong at all, they just feel like they have no bite. This could be down to the pads I thought, but still the same after switching them to EBC Sintered HH pads.
If you are looking for knee down heroism, you will have to be hanging off this bike like a monkey.
07 Hornet non ABS
As above but the brakes feel like they have a lot more bite to them.
08 GSX-R 1000 - This bike is just an animal, getting the power down can be a challenge, it pulls like a train all through the rev range, seating position is more cramped compared to the upright, not what i would want to commute on, but defintely more of what I would like in a weekend toy.
Did I mention it is an animal? Definitely not for a new rider.
05 CBR 600F
Nice bike overall, not for commuting as feels like a bit of a luxo barge compared to the Hornet and GSX-R.
Not bad for a new rider, definite potential for fun.
92 CBR 600F Fightered
Very light (as almost anything non-essential has been removed)
Smaller wheels than the newer 05 CBR 600F, feels sharper.
Acceleration not bad, but not as good as the newer bikes.
Anyhow I'd suggest you don't get a brand new bike as your first bike, you will drop it and you will be very gutted about it.
The Versys.......well I've never ridden one, but IMO it looks like it's fallen from the top of the ugly tree hitting every branch on the way down.
At the end of the day get what you will be happy with
I'd suggest you spend on the protective gear first, then the bike.
I'd also get a slightly older bike and spend any extra you have on additional training.
Bikesafe is very good especially for a new rider.
RoSPA / IAM may be something you want to look at.
And if you want to do track i can't reccomend the California Superbike School enough.
EDIT:
I've only been riding a year and this is me at the CSS last month
I have ridden;
Kawasaki ER-6N - Did my DAS on it
07 Hornet ABS
07 Hornet non ABS
08 GSX-R 1000
05 CBR 600F
92 CBR 600F Fightered
Kawasaki ER-6N
Felt like a good bike to ride, got me through the test fine, but a little boring tbh (and the styling isn't all that good IMO).
07 Hornet ABS - My bike, I got it Ex-Demo with most of the optional extras already on it.
Great first bike, very confidence inspiring, pretty forgiving.
Acceleration is very good and getting the power down is fairly easy.
As a commuter it is brilliant, I wouldn't want to commute on sports bike in London, geting through traffic with a big lock to lock is very handy especially in London.
Brakes really don't feel strong at all, they just feel like they have no bite. This could be down to the pads I thought, but still the same after switching them to EBC Sintered HH pads.
If you are looking for knee down heroism, you will have to be hanging off this bike like a monkey.
07 Hornet non ABS
As above but the brakes feel like they have a lot more bite to them.
08 GSX-R 1000 - This bike is just an animal, getting the power down can be a challenge, it pulls like a train all through the rev range, seating position is more cramped compared to the upright, not what i would want to commute on, but defintely more of what I would like in a weekend toy.
Did I mention it is an animal? Definitely not for a new rider.
05 CBR 600F
Nice bike overall, not for commuting as feels like a bit of a luxo barge compared to the Hornet and GSX-R.
Not bad for a new rider, definite potential for fun.
92 CBR 600F Fightered
Very light (as almost anything non-essential has been removed)
Smaller wheels than the newer 05 CBR 600F, feels sharper.
Acceleration not bad, but not as good as the newer bikes.
Anyhow I'd suggest you don't get a brand new bike as your first bike, you will drop it and you will be very gutted about it.
The Versys.......well I've never ridden one, but IMO it looks like it's fallen from the top of the ugly tree hitting every branch on the way down.
At the end of the day get what you will be happy with
I'd suggest you spend on the protective gear first, then the bike.
I'd also get a slightly older bike and spend any extra you have on additional training.
Bikesafe is very good especially for a new rider.
RoSPA / IAM may be something you want to look at.
And if you want to do track i can't reccomend the California Superbike School enough.
EDIT:
I've only been riding a year and this is me at the CSS last month
Edited by Wyvern971 on Friday 4th July 11:09
Edited by Wyvern971 on Friday 4th July 11:09
Oh and I forgot, an unfaired bike is a lot cheaper to fix if you drop it.
I got knocked off in May, and though the repairs cost £3k to make it safely ridable would have cost about £100, should this have been an accident I was at fault with I would have lived with the cosmetic damage.
When my brother binned his (self inflicted 10mph highside) it cost him a fair bit to fix up, mainly due to the fairing
I got knocked off in May, and though the repairs cost £3k to make it safely ridable would have cost about £100, should this have been an accident I was at fault with I would have lived with the cosmetic damage.
When my brother binned his (self inflicted 10mph highside) it cost him a fair bit to fix up, mainly due to the fairing
Thanks for the replies. I may well be earing towards the Hornet. I'm definately aftered an unfaired bike to make me appreciate speed etc. I just want something that I can improve my riding skills on safely. I don't want an out and out sports bike nor will I be going on track days....
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