New to Motorbiking. Any help please?

forgotmyname

Dont forget to carry your organ donor card, The standard of driving has got much worse.

In a line of traffic on sunday & some ???? in a BMW overtook on double white lines approaching a blind bend.

Coveredinbees!!!!

So you've got no real riding experience and want sporty looking and not too big then list a gsxr 750 one of the most mental bikes you could pick. I miss the good old days when you passed your test and bought a 350LC, blew it up, rebuilt it then blew it up again.

996ducati

Coveredinbees!!!! wrote: »

So you've got no real riding experience and want sporty looking and not too big then list a gsxr 750 one of the most mental bikes you could pick. I miss the good old days when you passed your test and bought a 350LC, blew it up, rebuilt it then blew it up again.

Ahh those were the days. The good old Elsie!

kwaks

I ride one of the bikes you mention OP. My advise to you is not to start off on them. You want to learn roadcraft and become a good safe fast rider then you have to start with a less powerful bike. The bikes you list will all bite back.

Go for a zxr400, a cbf600, a GPZ500. Learn for a summer then see where you are.

KillerWatt

kwaks wrote: »

I ride one of the bikes you mention OP. My advise to you is not to start off on them. You want to learn roadcraft and become a good safe fast rider then you have to start with a less powerful bike. The bikes you list will all bite back.

Go for a zxr400, a cbf600, a GPZ500. Learn for a summer then see where you are.

Do you think the OP might hurt himself on a 1975 Z1 that does the official quarter in 9.05 @ 152mph?


PS

Very sound advice by yourself IMHO.

Kavanne

I would not recommend going onto a ninja/similar sportsbike immediately. I got my license 2 and a half years ago, only felt ready for a bike bigger than 125cc after a year and only now i feel that i'd be confident tackling a sportsbike so it takes time and practice.

Any 400/500/600/650cc street bike will do to start with

axomoxia

You first bike? Buy something middleweight, without a full fairing.

Why not a full fairing? Because you will drop it, at a standstill, normally while everyone is watching you. This is expensive.

TO be honest, buy a cheap but tidy bandit 600, run it for six months, get as many miles under your belt as possible, until you feel really confident on it then sell it for what you paid for it, and buy the bike you want.

Helmets, always buy the one that fits the best. If its the cheapest, hurrah! If its a £500 Arai, you are allowed to wince as you pull you wallet out.

Hien Gericke stuff is pretty good value for money. Frank Thomas stuff is crap. Sidi make good sports boots, Altberg very good touring boots. You can buy pretty much all the stuff you need from Hein Gericke. I've been using the stuff for years.


Book in a day or two refresher course with your local riding school. Get a few thousand miles under your belt, then try the local police bikesafe scheme or your local IAM for some more practice.

Go and ride whenever you can

Don't crash. Leathers and gloves and boots only provide limited protection. The best protection you can have is to use the squidgy grey bit between your ears. That stops you crashing (well that and the mk1 human eyeball)

AlwaysPondering

I would echo what the others have said.. don't get something big or powerful if you haven't been on a bike for 3 years.. tbh it might be worth getting a 125 and riding that for a couple of months.. you'll be able to sell it again to someone who has just passed their CBT for prob what you brought it for.. and in that time you'll knock all the rough edges off that have developed over the last 3 years..

The extra training is to be commended, and talk to the instructors they will see how you ride and what you need to improve on..

In terms of kit buy the best you can afford, I have always found Hein Gericke stuff pretty good (if abit pricey), and the local stores to us (Birmingham and Cheltenham) very helpful..

Assume everyone else on the road is out to get you and go carefull, go round the corner slowly, as that way you can come back and do it again.. go too quick and you might not come back...

Enjoy

kwaks

Agree with the corners, slow in fast out is the rule:D

Jaggers_2

All good advice, however after 20 odd years riding 30K + miles a year I can guarantee that when you walk into the showroom and see that shiney bike all the advice here will go out the window!

I once went to buy a sensible bike to commute on - something like a Deauville and ended up with a brand spanking new fireblade.... it was fun though!

Remember though that most bikes are actually quite well mannered. It's the plonker with the helmet that's the problem (me included!). You control the bike - not the other way round. A bike that can do 150+ can equally well do 30mph.

Regarding kit. Get a helmet that fits, not a name. You do tend to fit either an Arai or Shoei head, but try other makes. I use Hein Gericke a lot and find that the salespeople tend to be quite fair and helpful. They will also check the fit.

I prefer textile kit these days as they are better in inclement weather, however as you say you will mainly be a pleasure rider, you'll probably prefer leather - as others have said though buy the best you can and get a decent fit.

Lastly, enjoy biking. Do it right and you'll have a blast!