Bike for uni!

[Thom]

Rights boys and girls, i have an interesting (to me) conundrum.

I'm off to uni in september, and to maintain my no claims as well as mobility im after a bike. I currently have an xj600s, however i really want to sell this as it will be surplus to requirements, and it's still heavy on my pocket with yamaha parts being a rip of and insurance being £300 TPO.

So, i'm thinking of downgrading, i want a bike i can leave at home whilst im at uni and not have hundreds of pounds to fork out when i finally arrive back simply to get it moving again. But it has to be fun (not nessecerily fast) and cheap to insure.

Furthurmore i dont really want to spend any more than £700 on the bike itself, although i may stretch to £1000.

I reckon a naked bike would be ideal.

So, throw some reccomendations my way and see what we can come up with eh?

cheers!
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Current Bike: 1996 Yamaha TRX850 (The Japanese-Ducati One).
Previous Bikes: 1990 Honda NSR125 'Rothmans' (The smoking one), 1990 Suzuki GS500e 'Caf? fighter' (The loud one), 1987 Kawasaki GPX400r (The quick one), 1997 XJ600s Diversion (The reliable one), 2000 Kawasaki ER-5 (The spontaneously combustive one)

[benjami]

I'm taking my GSXR to uni in september. Don't think about how much it costs, just do it!

[neil.]

CG? C90?
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CBT February 2008 | A2 June 2008 | Yamaha YBR125 (written off) | Honda CBF125 (current)

[L-Jam]

Why ain't you your 'bike to uni mate
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Journalist, student, egotist.
Click here if you're a young biker, wondering what to do after a moped/125!
Skp 50 --> GS 500 --> CBR600F with custom HRC paint jobby --> GSX-R 750 K7, beautiful!

[TheDonUK]

98' R1

Get a cat C wreck, it doesent matter if the frame is straight you can just sit in the carpark revvving it

Draw a crowd by repeatedly blipping in a meniacle way, Pinn the throttle and mentally drift figures of eight around the the crowd when the tyre explodes and the engine goes bang pour petrol on the wreck and let the molten headers do the rest.

Then go and buy a CG125.
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[Current Bikes - GSXR-750 K5 & C90-97 ] [Previous Bikes: Runner 125, YBR 125, GS500, Bandit 600, Hornet 600, ZX6R-99, C90-99, R1-99, XT600E-04, GSXR-750 K4, CRF250L '16]

[Thom]

CG (Or a simialr bike) may well be ideal actually!
I might think furthur along the lines of a CB or CD though as i know a lad with a CB175 in pieces.

Or maybe a 500cc twin, hmmmmm
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Current Bike: 1996 Yamaha TRX850 (The Japanese-Ducati One).
Previous Bikes: 1990 Honda NSR125 'Rothmans' (The smoking one), 1990 Suzuki GS500e 'Caf? fighter' (The loud one), 1987 Kawasaki GPX400r (The quick one), 1997 XJ600s Diversion (The reliable one), 2000 Kawasaki ER-5 (The spontaneously combustive one)

[Itchy]

XT500 or TT600 pre 1994 versions, big singles , give 50-70mpg , light cheap to run , kicker, aircooled completely basic , with high seating wide bars excellent for commuting.

BUT it is hard on chains being a big single,
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Spain 2008France 2007Big one 2009 We all die. The goal isn't to live forever, the goal is to create something that will. In the end, your life will flash before your eyes. Make sure it is worth watching.

[Thom]

oh i hadnt considered those! Very good idea... although that would mean me blowing some student finance on the appropriate styled riding gear!

How would they cope with a 250mile motorway commute twice a month? Regular stops being the key i guess?
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Current Bike: 1996 Yamaha TRX850 (The Japanese-Ducati One).
Previous Bikes: 1990 Honda NSR125 'Rothmans' (The smoking one), 1990 Suzuki GS500e 'Caf? fighter' (The loud one), 1987 Kawasaki GPX400r (The quick one), 1997 XJ600s Diversion (The reliable one), 2000 Kawasaki ER-5 (The spontaneously combustive one)

[Itchy]

If you have to do motorways I'd suggest a CB500S , maybe a CB400 too.

The XT isn't so great for motorways its not the vibes (counter shaft engine) or the range (the standard tank is 14 litres which is enough for 160 miles my acerbis tank it is good for 260 miles). Or the wind on your face (which can be resolved with a screen) , the issue is the wind on your knees, maybe I've gotten dead used to the CBR the fairing of which creates a pocket of still air around your legs.

Its the wind on your legs , in that I was doing about 100 miles today on the motorway and the wind just catches your knees which pulls them apart porn star style you can grip the tank and prevent this from happening but this tires your thigh muscles out. (Though I suppose is great pelvic floor exercise).

Other than that they are good.
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Spain 2008France 2007Big one 2009 We all die. The goal isn't to live forever, the goal is to create something that will. In the end, your life will flash before your eyes. Make sure it is worth watching.

[The Tot]

CB500/ER5/GS500 would be good. What about NC27s, i forgot what they're called; CB1's? ex courier bikes are usually had for 500 or so.
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The Tot 2019 Z1000SX - 2007 R1
Never argue with autism

[benjami]

Howabout a road legal pit bike which you can keep in your room?

[Thom]

neah pit bikes arn't for me, i'd end up going down the Binge route and spend far too much money on it!

Same with the GS500 to be honest because my last one ended up bloody well amazing, IMO. Although having had good experience with one im considering it. just got to take it easy!

CB500s might be a better contender though as it's a honda, not only havent i had a honda in a while but i never hear of these things going wrong.
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Current Bike: 1996 Yamaha TRX850 (The Japanese-Ducati One).
Previous Bikes: 1990 Honda NSR125 'Rothmans' (The smoking one), 1990 Suzuki GS500e 'Caf? fighter' (The loud one), 1987 Kawasaki GPX400r (The quick one), 1997 XJ600s Diversion (The reliable one), 2000 Kawasaki ER-5 (The spontaneously combustive one)

[AppleJoe]

[Paulington]

[map]

I'll wade in with an Armstrong/HD MT-350.
No chrome to worry about and a certain presence in drab green.
Virtually indestructible (they give these to squaddies after all).
Also not in the desirable nickable category.
Plus with these specs you could actually take it to university with you (insurance to sort though as only allow so many days away from 'home').

https://www.motorcycle.co.uk/getfile/bbd16462-ec6f-458b-a051-8e43ed687a0d/snarley.aspx
click on image for info

HTH
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[Charlie]

Which university are you going to? In a big city one,; Leeds, Manchester it would be pointless in my eyes (although I do miss mine for random rides in good weather).

I was looking forward to bringing mine to Leeds with me, except when i rang up to check it was alright with the insurance (it cost me £2000 so I didn't want it nicking and finding I wasn't covered), changing address and where it was parked cause my insurance to triple Told the lady I wasn't going to take it, thinking I will take it and say I was visiting a mate, and then she goes, I will it on record that you are going to be at Leeds university... basically implying it would be a bitch to claim from as it would mainly be parked at university.

Also make sure there will be somewhere at university to park it that is out of the way of drunk fools yet not so obscure that there is no one around to keep an out for thieves.

To be honest I'd doubt I'd have been able to afford keeping my motorbike at university this year. Sort of depressing how much money I get through a term.
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Past: Honda x8rs, Honda City fly, Honda Hornet 250, Honda VFR750, Yamaha xt600e.
Current: Honda CBR929RR & Yamaha XT660Z Tenere

[Dr. DaveJPS]

ds55 you bringing it next year?
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"intelligent inattention is preferable to unintelligent tinkering"
www.davejps.com

[400bandit]

Get something loud and obnoxious

I got my Bros 650 whilst at uni simply for cheap insurance/build up some no claims and a bit of fun. Didn't think it would be nearly as much fun as it is. With a can on it's pretty loud and plenty quick enough for squirting round Norwich! Should be a fair bit quicker when I stick the 840cc engine in though

A C90 would be a laugh though or a RXS100?

All the best.

Joe
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Current Bikes 650 Honda Bros, VTR1000 Firestorm // Past Bikes: Sachs Madass 50/110cc - Bandit 400 - FZR750
(+ a XS650 in lots of pieces in my garage and other places...)

[Charlie]

Hmm ms51ves3 on the forum is breaking a rx100, could be worth a punt and a little project over the summer.

Erm, not sure yet Dave, I am living in Hyde Park (same road as Hyde Park Social) so I am not sure yet. It isn't the most secure area to live in, going to try and convince the flat to let me park it in the kitchen over night.
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Past: Honda x8rs, Honda City fly, Honda Hornet 250, Honda VFR750, Yamaha xt600e.
Current: Honda CBR929RR & Yamaha XT660Z Tenere

[Pie-Roe]

bros 400? Cheap insurance, pretty bulletproof engine, 33bhp (if you need it) does 110, light to lug around if you need to shift it around a little to lock up often, good on fuel.

Decent ones go from 450-1000.

Pyro
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Previous: GSF600, FZR600 x2, ZXR750, XT600 Tenere, CB125, CZ125, ETZ 250, ER5, CCM R30, DRZ400, RF600x4, RF900x2, GS500, VTR1000F, 640 SMC, CB250 NIGHTHAWK, GT550x3, GPX750 TE610, CB500, X11x2, SV650, ZING 125, TL1000R,CB250 Superdream, CBR1100XX

[Yarri]

GSXR 600 older srad, got mine for 1200, works perfect for uni...
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Theory Car Passed: 22/07/2009 48/74 Car Test Passed: 22/10/2009 2 minor
Few minutes of life of the biker could be more interesting then the whole lifes of many people

[chris-red]

I honestly think unless you get 125 selling the XJ and buying something else will not be cheaper.


I'd stick with it if its running well.
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