Advice on NEXT bike!

[X9-rider]

HI

I plan on getting that test pass this year, but been thinking what bike should i get after test?

Anyone got any advice for a good newbie to big bikes?

After trying biker Buddie GSX650F it a good bike but too heavy for me. So tried his GS500 and was perfect fit.

Anyone got views on a GS500?

Or other bikes you could suggest ?

[Blau Zedong]

SV650.
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18:54:48 Rob Fzs: jews don't give away stuff for free

18:54:59 Rob Fzs: unless its their clothes/ hair/ golden teeth

[27cows]

GPz500. Inexpensive, simple, reliable, feel fast after a 125, lots of spares about, ideal first bigger bike, IMHO.
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The RXS100: vehicle of choice for Chuck Norris

[flumpy7]

[arry]

I loved my GPZ - it was wicked fun. Shame about the brakes though, I'd go for a later twin disc model

[robocog]

GPZ500!
Just done the same thing and you wont be dissapointed

Got mine for £350 and didn't need much work for its MOT (Cheers Tris! )

I went from CG125 BRK (same as in your pic) to a 70's old skool Honda 350cc twin with an all round poor reputation and a severe lack of spare parts which is OK to chug along on locally, but hopeless at motorway speeds due to wind blast and vibes and am perpetually worried something will go wrong with it

I asked the same question as you, and got advised GPZ500

Not the prettiest bike as std (mine certainly is not going to win any beauty contests being had painted matt black!) but they are out there for not much money with plenty of cheap spares availiable if reqiured and insurance is cheap

I have to say I'm loving mine and its been 100% reliable so far and is a revelation compared to the 70's twin I had been using
the brakes actually work (comparing this to the CG and the CJ360t) and it feels really confident in the corners and hardly any wind blast on the motorway and is plenty comfy enough for longer jaunts and despite being restricted to 33hp via some £9 washers off ebay it has more than enough power to be scary and more than capable of getting licences revoked

If GPZ500 is what you fancy look at ones from 94 onwards as the earlier ones had some issues that could prove costly (generator issues with magnets aparently flying off)

ex-500.com has some good info on the GPZ500

Regards
Rob
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Needs a bigger garage...

[Pernig]

Had a GPZ too. It was just so much more bike than the other 500s I have tried. It's quite quick, capable of touring, pillion work etc and it's a lot of fun to ride. It's also quite frugal. 60mpg is definitely doable.

Also you won't outgrow it quickly. I would buy another one for myself now.

As robocog says, 94 onward is the way to go, although if you find an old one at the right price I would still consider it. 94+ have a disc brake at the back.
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H100 Breaking for spares

[The Shaggy D.A.]

[bacon]

[multijoy]

Possibly worth edging up to the 600's, possibly even 650.

SV650, Bandit 650- nothing too exciting, but Suzuki are really competitive on the prices. Not to mention the 0% finance they sometimes offer, or possibly go green and look at the ER6f/n.

However, you won't go wrong with the usual suspects (ER5, GS500, CB500 etc), but you might find yourself looking to change up sooner than you'd like. YMMV, of course.

If you look at something clearly marketed as a commuter, and you're happy with the position, it's mostly down to preference- none of the above are bad bikes and none are going to turn on you if you have a special moment.
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'11 CBF1000A, '99 C90, '98 CB500
silky666: He rode amazingly well considering his bike is the weight of a small van and had slicks on.

[X9-rider]

Hello.

Thanks for the reply, the GPZ500 Does look nice, ad liking the belly pan on the bike too ( looking at Google image results ), I was looking at a GS500F the GS with a fairing while i was parked up in town, looked nice.

once test pass, ill have to add the GPz500 as a top 5 bikes i want, and go see if i can try one out, sure some one here who has one will let me try one out ( private road ) see if its the bike for me to buy.

As for the Girl comment, iam 5ft and not forgetting i have a metal rod in my left leg and has caused weakness problems for the last 2 years, and fact i can hardly touch the ground on the GSX650, GSX mite be abit beyond my left leg comfort zone.

I'am sure the GPz500 is lighter then the GSX650F.

Other bikes iam considering :

1. Piaggio X9 500 EVO
2. GS500 ( fairing model )
3. GPZ500
4. Honda CBF500
5. Hyosung GT250

Any more bike ideas out there ? doesn't have to be a big bike, iam no speed freak and no bothered about speed. My near death crash change that LOL but doesn't have to be a big CC bike. Dont forget ill be on my 2 year 33bhp restriction.

[cammy mack]

fazer 600 FTW
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Yamaha Tdm850
Yamaha fz6

[qarka]

Honda Bros 400?

Obviously I am biased because I own one but...

33 bhp standard
Lightweight (either that or the weight is low down so you dont notice it)
Stylish
VFR handling

https://i945.photobucket.com/albums/ad292/qarka/honda-bros-400.jpg

I've had mine for about 5 months now and no complaints whatsoever.

Could be worth a look.


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Previous - Sinnis Apache - Honda Bros 400 - Yamaha SR500 - Honda Transalp - Kawasaki ZX-7R - Honda CB-1 - Honda 929 Fireblade - Honda NTV650 [b]Current[\b] Honda CB500

[X9-rider]

never seen or heard of a Honda Bros 400, ill have a poke about google for some info

[arry]

[Dipsy2]

deleted

[instigator]

The GS's are diabollical. I used to think they were a likely competitor against the ER5, GPZ's and CB500 but after having seen, first hand, how shittily they are made and unreliable they can be, I wouldn't have one if you paid me.

[BelleBot]

Here's my biased recommendation, a Honda CB-1. 400cc, but just over 50bhp so more powerful than the Bros. Low seat height and not very heavy at all, dirt cheap on insurance. It's basically the predecessor to the Hornet though obviously smaller. Though certain parts can be a bugger to find as it's a grey import.
Personally I found bandits a bit too heavy for my liking when I looked at them. The SV650 I believe is a very good option as a first bike if you want something relatively lightweight. If I hadn't gone for the CB-1 I'd probably have opted for the SV.
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Current Bike: 2004 SV650S
Old Bike: 1989 Honda CB-1 - crashed

[qarka]

For me it was a toss up between the Bros and the CB-1, if given the chance I would swap my Bros for a good condition CB-1 in a heartbeat.

I just couldn't find any in good condition with the money I had to spend *sigh*
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Previous - Sinnis Apache - Honda Bros 400 - Yamaha SR500 - Honda Transalp - Kawasaki ZX-7R - Honda CB-1 - Honda 929 Fireblade - Honda NTV650 [b]Current[\b] Honda CB500

[bacon]

[ms51ves3]

[Dazbo666]

Another vote for the GPZ from me too!!
Cheap to buy, cheap to run, reliable, user friendly ... and with enough power and speed to keep a new rider happy

...just remember to hold on when you accelerate past 7000rpm
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1st bike (Sept'06 - May'10) : 1991 GPZ500S / Current bike (since Nov 2009) : 2003 Suzuki Bandit 600N
Word of the day : DILLIGAF

[Blau Zedong]