Getting a bigger bike...

[Turkoloco]

I'm going to be doing my A2 in January, and I'm currently riding an r125 on my cbt. I really need a bigger bike, the 125 is too slow, and not quick enough to overtake, etc etc, it looks good, but the power simply isn't there when you need it, now I'm only interested in super sports style bikes, e.g. GSXR 600, R6, ZX6R, CBR 600 rr/f sport, blablabla... and the problem is that I'm 20 years old, will have held a licence for less than a year, no NCB, and live in london, but even TP insurrance is costing me £1800 for a £2000 GSXR, which tbh is NUTS, I pay £300 for the R125.

I've thought about buying the Kawasaki ninja 250, but from what I gather from other riders and what i've read, it's just a small step up from a 125, you do feel the difference when you move up obviously but the novelty wears off after a month or two, and I dont want to be continuously changing bikes. I'm a confident rider and have beent told that I'm really good from other experienced riders aswell and even they agree that I need a bigger bike.

Anyway so my question is this, if I was to just buy a big bore kit for what I have now untill I get my 1 year NCB, would I see any considerable difference power wise, I'm not expecting to see a 100 mph top speed, and I honestly could care less for the top end, what I do need though is a power band through atleast the mid rev range upwards so that over taking can atleast be more of a breeze since I travel 20 miles each day to and back from uni right through the middle of london. And I do in excess of 200 miles a week.

How would it affect the resale value? I bought the bike for £2000, I dont want to spend £500 on a big bore kit, and then sell it back for only £2000...

Or am I simply better off waiting for 8 months to get my years no claims and then jumping on to a bigger bike

[SweenyT]

Hi Turkoloco

I'm not experienced enough to give advice on your questions but someone should be along soon who can.

I was curious though...could you not wait until you are 21 and then do the DAS? That way you wouldn't need to restrict the bike and have 1 years NCB and probably be able to save up some more to cover the cost of the higher insurance in the meantime....
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Current ride - 2005 Suzuki GSX-R600 K4 - 2x 2014 Honda NC750s long term courtesy bikes - 2003 Fazer FZ6 written off as idiot reversed into me - 2009 YBR125 - still have from new

[Rogerborg]

You'll be on a 25kW limit anyway, so your performance-tuned-but-now-crippled fanny magnet will be pushing out the same power as a lighter Ninja 250, which will cost you less to insure and run, and will get pillion crotches just as wet.

Did Yamaha ever release the rumoured R150? If not, then you'd be looking at a 3rd party bore/pistol kit. It won't get you near the performance of a 250, could shag the rest of the powertrain big style, make the bike problematical to insure, and it'll more likely lower the resale than raise it.

Since you don't even know which particular fanny-magnet you want, it's unlikely you'd pick the ideal one anyway, and you'll end up changing bikes in a couple of years anyway - everyone does.

So do the sums. Unless you specifically want a heavier bike for stability, or a bigger bike for fat chicks to pillion on, a 250 makes more sense for you until your insurance costs come down. Just be sure to sell it on before the license changes in 2013 gut the market for 250s.

[Teflon-Mike]

Step back, and seperate needs and wants.
You WANT a faster bike, you dont NEED one.
You WANT a super-Sport, you dont NEED one.
Biking ought to be 'fun', but, your bagging up an awful lot of hopes into one vehicle, and the likely outcome is that you're going to be dissapointed in not getting all you want, some-where.
Living in london, 20 yrs old, and 200 miles a week?
I suspect that a sports-bike would be painful to live with.
For your cross town commuting, a more appropriate bike would be something like a CB500, which you probably already know, but dont want to concede, becouse you want the exitement of a sporty.
Fair enough, BUT... look at the down-sides and compromises. Seperate the needs and wants, prioratise the compromises.
Then think outside the box.
Take wide view and come back to it.
Far more fun to be had on a sports-bike, riding it round a track where there's no risk to your licence.
No fun being cramped up on one, paying for expensive tyres to square wrestling retricted lock and with contorted wrists through city snarl, most of the time.
Do you HAVE to do it ALL with one bike?
How else could you do it?
Old 500 twin for commuting & a track-day special perhaps?
Storage an issue, what about race schools? or rent-a-bikeing?
But the first thing is to get a licence sorted.
As other posts, where my opinions put; far too many people look at thier licence as merely a bit of red tape to let them ride the bike they want, NOT the qualification that says you can have any bike...
They look past getting a licence at the bikes they CANT have, and then get frustrated about the tests.
Right now, other riders may say your pretty good, and you may be confident, but accidents happen when confidence otstrips competence, and you are NOT qualified, yet, and may have a long way to go, before you can handle a full power flyweight 600 safely.
Personally, forget the ambition of the bike, set the ambition of the licence that will let you ride it! Meanwhile get the training that will prepare you so not only are you qualified, but also competent enough to handle it.
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My Webby'Tef's-tQ, loads of stuff about my bikes, my Land-Rovers, and the stuff I do with them!
Current Bikes:'Honda VF1000F' ;'CB750F2N' ;'CB125TD ( 6 3 of em!)'; 'Montesa Cota 248'. Learner FAQ's:= 'U want to Ride a Motorbike! Where Do U start?'

[fiveus]

i was in the same predicament wanted a sports bike but insurance a killer.so got an sv650s cheap on insurance passes easily and nice and cheap on insurance.looks good and sound awsome aswell

[Turkoloco]

thanks for your replies, teflon mike I am taking my licence seriously (not that you said i wasn't), I'm currently taking lessons each week instead of just a 4 day crash course. I'm also going to take advanced lessons aswell after passing my test. I've passed my theory test (which I think should be done before a CBT in the first place). I also know the limits of my self and my bike, I have fallen off my bike once due to me being an idiot so I know what its like. So im confident as opposed to cocky, and there's a fine line in between.

After talking with a few other people as well, they all recommended me to wait the year and then do my direct access, but I still prefere to do the A2 route simply because 15 bhp bike and a 100 bhp bike are completely different things and the A2 is a good step towards that direction (thats how I feel atleast), and if I do get bored before the two years are up, I can simply do the test on a bigger bike when im 21 and de restrict the bigger bike.

I've also had a look at the sv650/s, and I only thought that they only came naked, but with full fairings on they look really good! so I got some quotes to insure it, and good news is that the insurrance will only cost me £730 as opposed to the £1800 for the gixxer which is a waste oh and the even better news is they aren't a fortune to buy with decent ones at the £2k mark... 2 x thanks for that suggestion fiveus

[t101]

why dont you scrap the super sports then and buy a naked bike which will be cheaper, go just as fast/faster (more midrange), be easier to maintain, and about a third of the price to insure?

*especially if youre going to be getting a 33bhp bike, what is the point!?

[Turkoloco]

The point is im going to turn 21 in only 8 months, and i may or may not be in the correct financial position to buy a larger bike after that period... but looking at the SV650, it's got me really interested, around 70 bhp stock, after my 33bhp restriction I'll derestrict it and be on 70 hp instead of 33... I want the bike that I will be buying to last me 2 years atleast, but looking at the aftermarket parts for the SV650, it'll take a decent amount of time to get me bored of it. It's also best of both worlds, as I've found after market fairings for them as well, and while its under 1k to be insurred, I'd say it's definatly on the list to be my next bike.

The thing is I generally just dont like naked bikes, if I did I would of bought the CG125 instead of the r125, it's just a personal preference, and if I'm not going to ride it with pride and passion, then I may as well not buy it. If I have ifs or buts in my mind, then I wont be happy with it, and I know it, which is why I wanted a super sports.

[Drake]

you thought about a supermoto, cheaper, fun at lower speeds, hardly anything to go wrong, plus you can pick up them up for peanuts, nice high riding position for riding through town
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was: derbi senda, aprilia sx125, nsr250 mc16, cagiva mito, cb600 hornet now: mk1 bandit, KR1S, landrover series 3 light weight 2.5 petrol, 5speed box

[Turkoloco]

I have thought of them, and they look a hell of a lot of fun, and they're perfect for a winter too, so I am planning on buying a cheap 125 supermoto, but for the end of next year, it will be cheap to insure and ill have a lot of fun off roading, but the main reason I dont want one for now is because I also want to start doing track days and learning how to get my knee down etc, also I want it for a bit of show off when in and around central lol (that doesn't mean wheelying etc etc, but even on my 125 i've had smoking hot girls asking me to take em for a ride (which is where i start cursing the L plates and lack of extra helmet) ) arghhh

[Drake]

if you get a sm 125 get two stroke, try the dt125 or aprilia mx125
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was: derbi senda, aprilia sx125, nsr250 mc16, cagiva mito, cb600 hornet now: mk1 bandit, KR1S, landrover series 3 light weight 2.5 petrol, 5speed box

[nokiakeys]

The way I see it, is to never get your dream bike as your first big bike as your still learning to handle it in different scenarios. Then as some time passes and experience increases you will upgrade the bike.

There's no point in rushing things like this as you will be pissed later on.

I still say you wait the 8 months for the das, instead of forking out money on both A2 and DAS just because you want a bigger bike now.

If you do have the money now, put it away in a saving account where you can't touch for 6 months / 1 year. If you do touch it they charge you. That way you know the money will be there when you need to buy the bike.

Take it easy, and remember a licence is for life, not just for xmas
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CBT: 04/2010 -> Theory: 09/2010 -> MOD1 & 2: 10/2010 (That's right baby, both on same day)
Honda CBF125 -> Honda CB600FS