Buying first motorbike - should I wait until March?

sheldonb14

EdgEy wrote: »

If you buy a new bike, I would put £20 on you dropping it between now and 2 years time.

It's part of owning a motorcycle - at least as a novice. I would really reconsider buying new for your first bike.

Absolutely right, and who wants to spend their first months of motorcycling worrying about how every scratch and mark is reducing the value.

Trebor16

One other point is how long since the OP did his CBT and has he ridden a bike since? If he has not ridden since his CBT then it will be almost like starting again and it may be wise to take some lessons before getting on the road.

Derivative

I spent only a week or two between doing the CBT and buying a bike. Almost crashed into a roundabout.

Cash-Strapped.T32

EdgEy wrote: »

If you buy a new bike, I would put £20 on you dropping it between now and 2 years time.

This; The bike *will* get dropped, it's not even worth pretending like it won't.
I dropped my workhorse 125s all the time, particularly while riding down muddy tracks, ice-glazed mud tracks, ice-packed roads, in deep snow, in deep water, and in just about everything else you'll find on the ground..


I'd also second buying now, if other factors are all equal ~ It's just silly not to.
Prices are far lower now - I recently let a lovely 180 go by on ebay at £450, had I still been riding on l-plates I'd have had it like a shot; It'd have gone for an easy £650+ in the warmer months, and probably up to more (I've had 2x of the same bike in it's 125 version so I'm familiar with them)
It's not quite so noticeable from dealers, but the winter price drop really shows in the 2nd hand market.


I started in winter & apart from being cold, it didn't hurt; Passed my CBT in Nov '08, commuted to/from work 40mi per day for 2yrs.
Passed my test on ice Nov 2yrs later, and have been riding 400s & an 850 ever since.
In fact, it might, might, be helpful in that you only really begin to learn during those 2yrs after the CBT & starting off in more difficult conditions will probably teach you better discipline than starting off in the summer - It certainly did for me, and as you gain experience over a few months of riding alone, the conditions begin to allow you the freedom to learn, so that by the time the next winter rolls around, you're an old-hand.

Best of luck whatever you do.

Derivative

Another thing to think about, depending on whether or not you're using the 125 for fuel economy, is buying used and using the rest of the budget on going for your full bike license.

If you're of age (21+) you can do Direct Access for about £1k last I checked, and you'll get to play on a 'proper' (okay, just a 400, but still) bike.

Cash-Strapped.T32

I dunno, I think you can get by perfectly well on a 33bhp machine (as you correctly say, about the 400cc mark), and take the A-1 test, or whichever one it is you take on a 125 & then are limited to 33hp.

I use a 400cc plodder to commute to work, 36mi round trip up & down the M1 every day in all weathers so a 33bhp machine is perfectly capable of doing the job for 2yrs, and the start-up costs are much, much lower.

As you so rightly say, it pays to keep the start-up costs low (particularly insurance which can be amazingly cheap for a smaller bike - Mine's about £70 p/y for the 400 & I only have been on the road 3yrs) so if I had to give my personal view, I'd usually suggest the new rider who plans to use bikes as a commuting tool with the odd leisure ride, to use their full 2-year allowance from the cbt/L-plates, and then after 2yrs take the A-1, and have a much cheaper, easier life.



Sorry if I'm guilty of taking the thread off at a tangent, I didn't really mean to go on as long as I did..

cyclonebri1

Cash-Strapped.T32 wrote: »

I dunno, I think you can get by perfectly well on a 33bhp machine (as you correctly say, about the 400cc mark), and take the A-1 test, or whichever one it is you take on a 125 & then are limited to 33hp.

I use a 400cc plodder to commute to work, 36mi round trip up & down the M1 every day in all weathers so a 33bhp machine is perfectly capable of doing the job for 2yrs, and the start-up costs are much, much lower.

As you so rightly say, it pays to keep the start-up costs low (particularly insurance which can be amazingly cheap for a smaller bike - Mine's about £70 p/y for the 400 & I only have been on the road 3yrs) so if I had to give my personal view, I'd usually suggest the new rider who plans to use bikes as a commuting tool with the odd leisure ride, to use their full 2-year allowance from the cbt/L-plates, and then after 2yrs take the A-1, and have a much cheaper, easier life.



Sorry if I'm guilty of taking the thread off at a tangent, I didn't really mean to go on as long as I did..

That takes me back, my 1st decent bike was a 33hp 250 Honda the 1st of the CB250s, 1968, they detuned them after that.

Regarding the OPs question, I 2nd everything that's been said about the weather. To be honest now is the time you actually learn to ride. You really will be better fixed if you can delay that time untill it's drier, warmer and lighter.

There are enough hazards awaiting you without throwing in the British winter

Trebor16

cyclonebri1 wrote: »

That takes me back, my 1st decent bike was a 33hp 250 Honda the 1st of the CB250s, 1968, they detuned them after that.

I think your memory is playing tricks with you Brian. There is no way that Honda produced a 33bhp four stroke twin back in 1968. That would be a specific power output of 132bhp per litre. The CB750 that was introduced that year produced a claimed 67bhp or 89bhp per litre with a brand new four cylinder engine.

None of the two stroke offerings at the time produced anywhere near that figure either. It took until 1980 when Yamaha introduced the RD250LC, with a claimed 35bhp that the 33bhp figure was breached. The Suzuki GT250 produced between 30.5 and 32bhp during its model life from 1971 through to 1978. Interestingly, the GT250X7 was claimed to produce 29bhp, 3bhp less than its predecessor.

Honeydog

Trebor16 wrote: »

I think your memory is playing tricks with you Brian. There is no way that Honda produced a 33bhp four stroke twin back in 1968. That would be a specific power output of 132bhp per litre. The CB750 that was introduced that year produced a claimed 67bhp or 89bhp per litre with a brand new four cylinder engine.

None of the two stroke offerings at the time produced anywhere near that figure either. It took until 1980 when Yamaha introduced the RD250LC, with a claimed 35bhp that the 33bhp figure was breached. The Suzuki GT250 produced between 30.5 and 32bhp during its model life from 1971 through to 1978. Interestingly, the GT250X7 was claimed to produce 29bhp, 3bhp less than its predecessor.

Its his age.

Brallaqueen

Definitely get second hand if you are confident in not being sold a turkey.

I wasn't confident enough, bought a brand new scooter ... and mangled the front the next day trying to pull out from behind a parked car. I felt like crying!

I do think that learning to ride in the winter is difficult (I'm doing it right now) and you might want to leave before/after rush hour for a week or two as you get used to how other road users treat you.

I've been out and about in the evenings and a weekends but it us not the same - went out at lunchtime and it really was a case of 'everyone trying to kill me' so god knows wha rush hour is going to be like!