New to Motorbiking. Any help please?

Dicky2K

Afternoon all.
Got my motorbike license but have never been on a bike since i passed, about 3 years ago.

Looking to get into biking now.
However, i need to buy everything.. and i mean everything.

I need Gloves, Helmet, Clothing, Boots, .. a bike?

Can anybody give me any help as to what to look out for, for example, a specific make of helmet? OR a good shop to buy it from?

If anybody has any advice at all.. it would be appreciated.
Many Thanks .

boyse7en

If you haven't ridden at all since you passed three years ago, my first suggestion would be to get a refresher course of training from a local Training School.

After that, the kit you buy will depend on your budget, what type of bike you have got and how you will ride it (commuting daily, weekend fun rides, long distance touring etc)
Let us know a bit more detail.

Dicky2K

Ive already looked at a 2 day refresher course. First day basically doing the CBT again.. the second day involves a 150 mile ride.

Ill be using the bike just for weekend fun, and am looking at somthing along the lines of a 750 gsxr, an R6, or a ZX6r Ninja.. somthing sporty looking, but not too big. looking at about £2500/£3000 for a bike thats got a few miles..
With regards to the kit, I want the best safety-for-money kinda thing.
Dont want to spend £500 on a helmet when £200 will do that kind of thing..

oldtoolie

Hello, welcome to the club.

I would like to make a few suggestions based on nearly 40 years experience. I ride a sporty Italian motorcycle and I go on track days.

Please don't rush into things. You might not be happy with the bikes you have mentioned -- quite a few people go out and get a very quick, very sporty bike to start with and find it too much for their skill level. Many stop riding when that happens.

So think about something easier and more fun to ride -- for example a Suzuki SV650, Kawasaki ER6, or a Ducati Monster 600. These are cheaper to insure as well.

Think about more training -- BikeSafe is a day long session with police bikers. IAM is good for learning how to stay alive. Track days are a relatively safe way to ride fast and usually have instructors available.

Gear? Read Bike and Ride magazine and check their websites. There's lots of advice there. Try some motorcycle oriented forums such as visordown.com and the Motorcycle News forums.

Keep the clean side up and the dirty side down.

KillerWatt

Dicky2K wrote: »

am looking at somthing along the lines of a 750 gsxr, an R6, or a ZX6r Ninja

So you passed your test 3 years ago, haven't ridden since, are going to do a 2 day "refresher" (presumably on the schools twin pot 4 stroke 500cc jobbie), and are then looking at buying something that will propel you from 0 to 150 in next to f**k all time frame????

Be careful my friend, because all of those bikes you have listed WILL bite you in the backside if you get it wrong.

Rolandtheroadie

If your doing a 2 day refresher, your instructor will be able to help you with a lot of suggestions and perhaps even local places with reasonable prices.
I dont know how the politics of the sharp testings went (http://sharp.direct.gov.uk/)but probably worth a look for helmets anyway.

boyse7en

RiDE magazine have a good testing/rating system for kit so their recommedations are worth listening to.

SHARP helmet ratings are controversial within the industry, with some manufacturers claiming the tests are flawed (including some very well-known and expensive brands). If you are buying a cheap helmet, then I would say the sharp tests are worth looking at. For a more expensive lid, then any of the top brands – Arai, Shoei, Scorpion, Schuberth, etc – should not let you down.

For clothing - leathers or textile? Leathers are essential for trackdays (you won't be allowed on track without them) but aren't waterproof, and can be cold, or conversely, hot and sweaty depending on the weather.
Textiles - make sure they have got armor at least knees, elbows, shoulder and preferably a back protector.


Echoing the comment above - a full on sportsbike may be a bit extreme to start with, and not necessarily that quick. I've just got back from a 1500 mile charity ride, and one of the riders, who was experienced but a little rusty, had a Fireblade that basically scared them every time they opened the throttle. The result was that they were a nervous wreck at the end of the day, and were no faster than some "slower' bikes as they were afraid of opening the throttle.

Before you buy, go to a big dealership and try and get a couple of test rides on different types and sizes of bikes to see which you like, you might be surprised.

ciano125

I miss my Fireblade

I'm not however looking forward to having surgery next month to repair the torn ligaments and cartiledge in my shoulder. Still, my Crowtree leathers totally saved all my skin, you can't buy them any more but you can get BKS made to measure. They're ferking expensive but I know how much my skin is worth and its a lot more than what a set of leathers costs.

As others have said, don't bother with a sportsbike first, learn to ride first and then progress to one if you want. I've had a 50cc, a 125cc, a 600cc and then the blade, and I still couldn't get anywhere near the blade's limit. Good for posing mind, but not with big chicken strips round the edge of the tyres!

mickymellon

along with the above advice, if you are on a budget, do not scrimp and buy "cheap" gear, get a good helmet (main brands such as Shoei etc) that *importantly* fits properly and as for clothing, try on different brands in a shop, note the sizes that fit from various manufacturers then go take a look on ebay.

...and maybe take a look at old cbr600's (steel frame) for your first sports bike as they are easy to service, plenty of cheap parts available and crash well

mkirkby

You will probably be told this anyway, but the most important this I learned in the early days is....

Always look where you want to go and not where you don't

i.e.

If you see a pothole and look at it, you are much more likely to hit it.
Same with looking at the pavement on the outside when going through a bend.

May seem strange but it really does work.

996ducati

As far as hemets are concerned you will either have a Arai shaped head or a Shoei one.

Both are surprisingly different shapes once worn and trying both on will make the decision easy.

Either brand is well respected and although neither is cheap as the old saying goes "If you have a £10 head, wear a £10 helmet"

I tend to get V good biking gear such as Alpinestars for boots and gloves and Dainese for leathers. All are in the premium banding of bike wear but are exceptional performers.

We all have to start somewhere so the very basics are a good helmet,some decent leathers (one piece or two piece). If you opt for 2 piece leathers make sure they zip together at the back heaven forbid if you fall off the two will separate and leave your back exposed.

Boots are a personal preference but it depends also on what you ride. Nice daily boots are comfy and less cumbersome than say chunky off road boots.

Another point is back protectors. I have used one for years. These slip inside the back of the jacket and protect your whole spine. It seems to be that mostly if you come off (and it goes with the territory!!)you end up sliding on your back.

As regards bikes it depends on you. The ZX6-Rs etc are very very fast machines. Do not under estimate them! They may "only" be 600cc but 0-60 in about 3 seconds isnt exactly slow. However, my 1st bike all those years ago was a 750cc and if you take it slow and build up its fine.

And finally Enjoy! Theres no feeling like a fast bike on a summers day:j