125 to sportsbike?

[youdrovemetoi...]

Hey everyone!

I'm taking my DAS next month and wanted to get a bigger bike once I pass. I currently have a CBF125 which has been great to learn on, and also i've been getting over 200 miles out of it for £6 of juice, which is like heaven for my wallet after being used to how much my car drinks.

Anyway, i've been subjected to a lot of peer pressure from my friends who ride sports bikes who tell me to get a 600 cbr/gsxr/r6.. but i'm not so sure about the jump from a 125 to a 600 sports. Is it a good move? I know it's a really open ended question but any thoughts/anecdotes will be greatly appreciated!

Cheers, Mike

[nick606]

It depends how self controlled you are but there not learn bikes and will be hard to ride than say a cb500.

It not really the best of ideas to go straight to a 600cc sportsbike

[BenR]

Perhaps a smaller sports bike? When I originally passed I went from an RG125fu wolf straight to a ZXR400h2. It was enough to have fun & you won't be that far behind in the twisties, will also teach you better bike control.
____________________
Current bikes: suzuki RG125UN wolf. Yamaha MT-07

[Villers]

Many do it and are fine

If you take it easy at first there shouldnt be any problems.
____________________
RS125 > CBR6 > SV650S > ZX636R > GSX1300RZ Hayabusa > 06 RSVR Mille > SV1000S > Street Triple 765 RS

[Polo]

[Netting87]

You may have opened a large can of worms here, from my short time on this forum I've notice this is a well discussed topic/argument.

IMO only you can answer this question really and is as people have said down to self control. I've got my DAS in April and am looking around at bikes but I wouldn't go for a sports bike simply because I can't afford them and the insurance. However if money wasn't an issue then I probably would because I think I would be quite sensible (at first anyway ).

Although if your friends often go out on fast and furious rides on their sports bikes you may try and push past your own limits to keep up. If however they are sensible, you should inturn be sensible.

Look at your own circumstances and you should come up with the right answer.
____________________
Dan - Soon to be noob biker

CBT 22-01-09 Passed - Theory 29-01-09 Passed - DAS 07-04-09 BRING IT ON!

[youdrovemetoi...]

Netting87 you're right.. they will probably decide that now i have a sports bike that i should be keeping up with them and call me a pussy when I don't.. so in that case, i'm not going to get one. Besides, i was thinking, if i go up through the ranks slowly, i'll benefit from more 'bigger & faster new bike' excitement as i'll be upgrading to a bigger bike more times than if i did it in one big jump.

The problem I now have is that I can't seem to find any newish bikes that exist between the 125cc and 600cc range.. can anyone point me in the right direction?

[wizzzard]

I went from a lowely sr125 ( cruiser style and possibly the slowest of all 125s ) through my DAS and purchased a zxr750 straight after and havent had any trouble at all managing or handling it.

You are in control of the bike, you decide what speed your going and after a few rides to get used to the seating position i honestly cant see how a larger engined bike could be a problem.

Basically sod everyone else and go for the bike you fall in love with, whatever the style or engine size.
____________________
And did you exchange a walk on part in the war for a lead role in a cage?
Zeitgeist / Addendum / Moving forward

[The Original Muzza]

I never went the DAS route and jumping on a (restricted!) 600 after my test was very unnerving at first. Rode home like a granny but by the afternoon I was more relaxed.
After doing DAS on a 500 or whatnot, I think you'd be able to handle a 600 sports, but whether or not you are mature enough is a different question. Ironically, the biggest sign of maturity is knowing "I won't be ready for a 600 yet".
I have a friend who does not acknowledge this and tells me he will just jump on a 900 supersports after his test and should be fine. I can't wait to accompany him on a test ride, if he still won't listen to me by the time he does DAS.
____________________
Current Bikes: Husqvarna Svartpilen 401 (2020)
Former Bikes: Honda MSX125 (2014), BMW Funduro (1996), Honda VT500 (1983), Yamaha FZR250 (1989), Suzuki GZ125 Marauder(2005),:Triumph TT600 (2002) (stolen)
From then on, I and the bicycle feelings deeper.

[arry]

[Knacker]

Well im a bit confused about this 1

Are you unsure about moving up to a bigger bike from a 125 for obvious reasons ?

Or are you getting tips on which bike to make you get less stick from your mates ?


It seems you dont have very good self control if you have to get a bigger bike because your mates have said your "girly little 125" so you get a 600 and show off even when your not entirely sure you have made the right choice.


Get a bike that you want not just to keep up with the jones's






If that doesnt work get a 1996/to 1999 Suzuki GSXR 600 SRAD
____________________
Current: Gsxr 600 Srad - GS125 - DT125
Previous: K1 GSXR 1000

[stevo as b4]

As already said, it's all down to you and how you look at and respect motorcycles, their performance ability, and your own riding ability and limitations. Neither approach is wrong or would be a terrible decision. However one of the main reasons why not everyone jumps from a small bike to a large bike that they always wanted is due to cost, and running costs. The Licensing situation also has something to do with it too.

We on here have all got our own ideas about what is acceptable, worthwhile and silly, but going from a small bike to a large machine is perfectly sensible with the right frame of mind and not the right hand of a 17yr old who has been used to thrashing their 125 sports bike and riding it like a twat possibly. I would shudder now to think of me getting an R1 when i was 17, as like a few other's have said it would possibly have been a terrible descision. But it's all down to the individual, and i do belive that there is at least one 18yr old guy on here who had an R1 or other litre class sports bike?

My own point of view is that i can't stand the thought of riding a restricted bike, and 33bhp in a machine that is supposed to be 3times that, really puts me off TBH! I do like small bikes and think any small-middle weight non race rep style of bike is potentially going to be alot of fun for 2years while sitting out a restriction on bhp allowed. It would give you time to improve your riding and really decide on what you don't want as well as what you do, from an eventual large bike purchase. I would have no interest in riding a 33bhp R1, compared to something like a Ninja 250R or VTR250 etc. It doesn't bother everyone though, and some are well happy to have a big bike with it's performance limited severely instead.

One point you did make is that there is and has been for years a big lack of decent newish 33bhp catagory bikes. I would feel happy with something secondhand and a few years old, where there was a better more interesting choice of bikes and 200-400cc machines for example. If your looking for a new bike, then things are a bit different and the choice is less, but it is starting to improve at last now with manufactuer's realising that some people want a decent sub 33bhp bike, and not just try and sell them a bigger bike with a free restrictor kit as a half interested measure.

[nick606]

[0ddball]

You won't go far wrong with one of the usual commuters, GS500 CB500, GPZ500, SV650 ect. Perfect for town riding, simple, reliable and easy to fix.

They will all feel like a rocket compared to a 125 and 6 months daily commuting on one will teach you a hell of a lot about controlling a big bike rather than just being along for the ride.

[youdrovemetoi...]

[Skynet-T800]

Go with how you feel not what your mates think.

I went from a 125cc scooter to a R6 and its great.
Did lessons on a ER-5 and have to say apart from the riding position the R6 is better in every way, More stable, smoother, better balanced, great brakes etc.

Well happy with it and it sounds wicked.

intimidating at first but after a few miles it's great as long as your not silly with it.

The only brown pants moment ive had is when I slipped to clutch out with too much revs a popped a wheelie

[Bike_craze1]

Just don't do anything stupid with the power you'll have.
____________________
Yamaha R125 - Cagiva Mito 125 - Honda CBR 600
CBT passed: 22/07/08 Bike Theory passed: 28/03/09
Bike Test passed: 15/04/09

[Kal]

Okay. It isn't as bad as having no experience however...

Sports 600s are not small bikes, they are 100bhp+ 160mph monsters and do not tolerate heavy handedness in any way shape or form. They are designed to go around a racetrack as quickley as possible to that end they have a lot of power on tap, have a high CoG and the brakes are designed to bring you down from 160mph in the quickest time possible.

That said it isn't the end of all life as we know it. With self-control, a dab of luck and everything you have learned on your 125 you should be able to adapt.


On the subject of riding with friends, there is a kind of madness when you ride with friends that is infectious. It only takes one of you to get overexcited with the throttle and the next thing you know you are all away - it doesn't matter what bike you are on either.
____________________
Kal...
I Like To Hoon It Hoon It I Like To Hoon It Hoon It I Like To Hoon It Hoon It Ya Like To (HOON IT!).
1984 GB250 Clubman,1983 CB250N Superdream, 1999 GPZ500S

[Knacker]

[stevo as b4]

I almost had a re-think today as while i was working on the side of the road near a tight and narrow T-junction, i heard the sound of a large IL4 bike approching and slowing for the Left turn. The guy turns in on an 02 R1 with an Akrapovic exhaust fitted (Sounded so sweet and grunty unlike a 600cc IL4). I assume that at 20mph he was in 2nd maybe 3rd gear, and as he straightens up and accelerates on the slight uphill away from the junction, he dips the clutch and changes up a bit jerkily at maybe 4000rpm? As he gets back on the power the front wheel just starts to skip up a couple of inches, as he goes into the NSL section and then really opens the taps. The speed he dissapeared did'nt shock or suprise me, but the way the front wheel came up just slightly in 3rd from what sounded like low revs did however. I can just imagine the concecquences of a newbie, straight off a 125 riding an R1 and thinking i'll just open it up a little bit more on this section of quiet road!

[youdrovemetoi...]

heh, yeah, i wasn't even thinking about getting a literbike.. my mate got one after 3 years of riding and getting bored of a GSX-R 600, and told me the R1 scared the shit out of him.