Moped/motorbike for 18 year old

k4kate

Wow, thanks for all your really helpful replies. 125cc it is then! We will find a good CBT course that has a 2:1 ratio and then start looking at bikes. I did see one earlier that offered 2:1 plus hire of the bike for the day for £110. Just need to find it again now!

Yes we've seen the 3 wheelers - Qpods and the like. I think they're pretty cool but not so sure we could convince the boy! When I was at school my boyfriend was the first to have a vehicle and he had a Bond Bug which was brilliant. Still, they are collectors cars now and getting a bit expensive.

Thanks again! :beer:

Alias_Omega

I would recommend an Yamaha RD125 if you can get one. Unfaired, fast enough (100mph if tuned), easily repaired if dropped.

Avoid CB125, CG125 etc. 4-stroke, reliable. Slow.

mikey72

The CBT only lasts for two years though, so he'll either have to do another one, or take his bike test to carry on riding at uni.

xbrenx

Can I just point out that he will still need a bit of road knowledge, how to use roundabouts for instance, know what signs mean etc. When I did my CBT (I was already a car driver though) I was taken out on the roads and just expected to know, they don't teach you road knowledge, just use and handling of the bike.

missile

An inexperinced rider riding a 125 during winter months in the dark:eek:.

I would suggest this is not such a good idea. If it were my son I would continue to give him a lift and pay for a taxi when that was inconvenient.

property.advert

To paraphrase George Orwell, two wheels bad, four wheels good.

Bikes = death

Road_Hog

Alias_Omega wrote: »

I would recommend an Yamaha RD125 if you can get one. Unfaired, fast enough (100mph if tuned), easily repaired if dropped.

Avoid CB125, CG125 etc. 4-stroke, reliable. Slow.

First off, can I just say, that most of the posts/advice have been spot on and very high calibre and I'm impressed with the responses.

However, Alias_Omega should be banned from giving advice about mopeds/motorcycles, I've never seen such bad advice.

My qualifications to make this comment are, previously a despatch rider for 18 months and worked at Honda (UK) for 20 years.

Road_Hog

Ah yes, one other thing.

Your son needs to learn about car drivers quickly. I got my car licence about the same time as my motorcycle licence, so I understood it very soon.

Car drivers are unpredictable, plus they have no awareness of motorcyclists. Motorcyclists develop a sixth sense about car drivers. It's not their fault, it's just that they have no concept of motorcycles.

For instance, a car driver might suddenly decide to do a right at the last minute, all he is thinking is, oops meant to go that way, whack on the indicator and turn. He knows that there can't be a car overtaking him, as it couldn't fit, so he doesn't check the mirror first.

So, drum that into him that car drivers can be erratic and that he is invisible to them and he should be ready for them to do silly things.

And lastly, cars will pull out on motorcyclists when they wouldn't dream of pulling out on cars, because they have the mentality of, oh he can just go around me. Having said that, the standard of driving these days is so bad, that car drivers pull out on other car drivers regardless anyway.

Trebor16

Alias_Omega wrote: »

I would recommend an Yamaha RD125 if you can get one. Unfaired, fast enough (100mph if tuned), easily repaired if dropped.

Avoid CB125, CG125 etc. 4-stroke, reliable. Slow.

Which RD125 are you referring to, the RD125 air cooled twin or the RD125LC water cooled single? Both are very old and rare and given the tuneability of the LC I would steer well clear of them. Don't forget that if they are tuned and produce more than 15bhp they wil not be suitable for a learner.

Trebor16

Road_Hog wrote: »

First off, can I just say, that most of the posts/advice have been spot on and very high calibre and I'm impressed with the responses.

However, Alias_Omega should be banned from giving advice about mopeds/motorcycles, I've never seen such bad advice.

My qualifications to make this comment are, previously a despatch rider for 18 months and worked at Honda (UK) for 20 years.

I wouldn't ban him, but just respond to his suggestion as I have. The RD125's will be very thin on the ground but even if you could find one I would steer well clear as a learner machine.