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[Shadowrunner]

Hey guys just wonderd if you lot could gimmie some advice basically I want to get a bike but my dad dosen't want me to get one wondered if you lot could help me with this one lol

[Dazbo666]

Probably depends on how old you are, how responsible and mature you are, and how dependant you are on your parent(s) ??
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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

[Paulington]

Hey Shadow,

I'm going to assume by 'bike' you mean moped or 125 pseudo-sports.

Why not sit your Dad down and ask him what his reasons are for not wanting you to ride a motorcycle? If it is something to do with safety (which it is, 95% of the time) then let him know you will get all the necessary training, ride well, wear all the correct gear when you ride to keep yourself safe.

If he has any other reasons, ask him to explain and make sure you come across (and actually are) mature about what you are doing and that you have done your research and don't just want a "Phat mopedz so I canz go 2 MaccyDs wiv me mates and pick up deez chiks I met on bebo yes2day init??" as that will make him even more reluctant.

However, if you do plan on being a tosser, riding in joggers and trainers with your helmet undone and carrying pillions on 'L' Plates etc then don't even bother with starting. Biking is incredibly dangerous and all you'd be doing is endangering yourself, all other road users and worrying your parents all the time.

I really hope you aren't like that and are a responsible person, but the first 2 paragraphs are the best advice I can give, sorry for the blunt 3rd paragraph but that's how most people nowadays are when they first start and if that is how you are going to be (not saying you will!) then don't bother.

I really hope you start biking safely and progress to sailing through your test one day, it's the best feeling in the world and you will be hooked, I promise!

Best of luck with starting, HTH! !
____________________
"Four wheels move the body, two wheels move the soul."
Current Vehicles: '89 Kawasaki KDX200, '99 Yamaha XV535, '00 Honda ST1100 Pan-European, '08 Suzuki GSX-R1000, '08 Mitsubishi Lancer GS4 2.0 TDCi, '15 BMW 1 Series 116d Sport Turbo.
CBT: 27/08/08. Theory: 04/09/09. Module 1: 16/09/09. Module 2: 01/10/09.

[Shadowrunner]

Thanks Paul for the reply and no I'm not one of them stupid peope who ride around with just a helmet for protection there usually twats on peds lol I want to get a 125cc motorbike btw I'm 17 and the reason my dad doesn't want me to get a bike is because one of my mums cousins crashed into a tree and died

[Livefast123]

My dad and mum were the same when I started biking because back in the day 2 of my dad's friends were killed in biking accidents. They actually said that if I got a bike then I would have to move out.

So............I just went out and bought one then turned up at the house. The key to this plan was getting all the safety gear at the same time. Although they went a bit mad they could see I was serious about being safe and kind of accepted it and i wasn't homeless.

10 years later they still don't like it

When you talk to them make sure you mention sensible 125's like the YBR, CG etc.
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Current ride - Yamaha MT-07

[N cee thirty]

just keep nagging


one of my uncles friend had a accident and lost a leg and they wern't too keen on me getting one,but meh

biggest reason i got one was to go to college on
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'00 Aprilia RS50 > '92 Honda CG > '99 Yamaha Fazer > '91 Yamaha RXS > '79 Suzuki X5 > 01' Honda Cg > 07' Honda Cg > 82' Kawasaki Z200 > suzuki gsxr 400 gk73a > honda vfr 400 NC30 Mod 2 Passed 09/06/2011

Jewlio Iglesias wrote: I actually did vote BNP once

[Blackrandomap...]

You just gotta do it alone mate, they will see in the end!

I have had 125s n 50s when i was 16/17, my mum was not pleased but it grew on her, i always rode with the proper gear, even on a moped!!!

I know have a Yamaha R6, i passed my test about 3 weeks ago!

Try explaining that to your mum!

But again, I have bought all the correct gear and done everything by the book! There is no reason why bikes are bad as long as its all done properly and safe!
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1x 2001 Yamaha R6 1x 2000 Yamaha R6 !For Sale! £2500 1x 2003 Cbr600rr Racebike 1x 2004 Wr450 Sumo 1x 2001 Ktm520 Sumo

[...]

[pinkyfloyd]

The thing with bikers is. The chances are we all know someone who's been killed on a bike personally. One of my best friends has been killed on a bike after some old doll pulled out on him through a red light. Yet not a single one of us use it as a way out of biking. We've accepted these are the risks that we take every day so we try our best to ride accordingly.

Best thing I can suggest is to save up and do the CBT before anything. You never know. You might not take to it very well. If you do then sit with your family and explain your desire for biking as sensibly as you can. And as Paulington said. Stay mature and sensible about it.

Make sure you then go on to prove your sensible and serious about biking. Get the gear, if anything to keep the family happy. Get a sensible bike. As nice as the likes of the speedy race rep 125's look they arent really the sensible riders kind of machine. The sterotypical chav tends to be on board them. Get a "safe boring" bike. If you get a bike that looks fast then the parents are going to worry more than if you get a bike that looks unasuming and sensible. As mentioned above. YBR CG that kind of bike. Remember its only to last a year or 2 until you get the full test.

After a few years the parents will probably respect your choice a lot better than they do now. Then you can turn up on the Gixxer or R6 and impress them with your sporty rocket.

Good luck
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illuminateTHEmind wrote: I am just more evolved than most of you guys... this allows me to pick of things quickly which would have normally taken the common man years to master
Hockeystorm65:.well there are childish arguments...there are very childish arguments.....there are really stupid childish arguments and now there are......Pinkfloyd arguments!
Teflon-Mike:I think I agree with just about all Pinky has said.

[Paxovasa]

I agree with Pinky.

I guess I was one of the lucky ones, my dad got me into bikes.
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Suzuki GSF600 K3 (in the fastest colour, black).

[pinkyfloyd]

[Paxovasa]

You already have framed it...Muppet.
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Suzuki GSF600 K3 (in the fastest colour, black).

[pinkyfloyd]

[rob_scott92]

Would definately start by getting all the gear to show you're serious. You may look a bit strange wearing all the gear only on a 125 but at least you'll have skin left if you do come off

My mum and my uncle were dead against me getting a bike, after about a year and a half of nagging i finally did my cbt. then 9 months later got a bike I suppose i was lucky as i wasn't threatened with the whole "If you get a bike you dont live here anymore" thing.

My uncle had a fair few mates die on bikes when he was in his teens, he also had one pretty bad one himself but at the end of the day, if i didn't go for it i'd have to spend the rest of my life wondering what it'd be like to ride

That and also when i showed the difference in cost between a car and a bike, the bike kinda won

Just stay persistant and it'll work out
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First bike: 1982 Suzuki Gs 125 'The beast MK1' > 1988 Honda Cb 350's' FOR SPORT! (Good ol' oil burner!) > 2001 Suzuki Sv 650 's' Made it out of the 80's! > 1997 Honda Cbr 600f :p

[Teflon-Mike]

This one has popped up a few times, and there's no right or wrong answers. Your 17, and I think a lad, planning on getting a 125. Your not in a good possition to argue your case. As a teen-age male, on a bike, on L's you are immedietly in probably THE highest accident risk group. Fact. There's little you can do about it, and arguing that your attitude wont make you a statistic against the not so irrational fears of your parents just wont work. So dont.
The Sage General picks his battle ground for advantage and doesn't array his wariors against overwhelming odds. Fundemental advice of Sun-Tsu, The 'Art of War', paraphrased rather a lot, but still. We're dealing with a conflict here, and the advice of the Sage general is prety apt. Facing overwhelming odds, the sage general seeks to divide his opponents army, and find ground where he has the advantage.....

So...first step you are facing overwhelming odds and are not on good ground, so dissenegage.

AGREE with your father..... his argument isn't particularly compelling, but, win some brownie points, dissarm and dissorientate him, AGREE, argue HIS case for him, pointing out the stats that show that YOU, jumping onto a 125, as a 17 year old male, on L-Plates is nie on suicide, or at least a sure ticket for a ride in the meat-waggon. That'll put him off balence....... which may make him more responsive to a slightly different aproach, where he's NOT on such good ground, in a battle you CAN win.....

And basically the argument I propose is you switch tack, and instead of suggesting you want a motorbike, which is big, emmotive and right in their face, sell them on you JUST wanting to do motorbike training, ride a motorbike, see if you like it... STEP ONE....

Step 2 If you do enjoy the training, seeing it through, getting your motorbike licence... its NOT a motorbike, JUST a bit of paper. One that WILL admitedly let you have a motorbike, and a much bigger one than a 125.... BUT you're not leaping that far ahead.

Trained and qualified you are IMMEDIETLY in a much lower risk of having an accident IF you get a motorbike, BUT thats a long way off.

You have to do training first. If you like it. If you hack it. If you get your licence, THEN you can discuss the idea of a motorbike again. (Its called stalling, and winning in part, or 'stealing an inch, so you can take a mile!)

BUT, doing training, DOES give YOU the chance to have a go at it, and ride a bike, and find out of you like it, and can do it. And if you Do, and CAN get qualified, shows your Dad you ARE seriouse, and that you ARE responsible, going about it the right way, and AS a fully trained and qualified rider at the end of it, even though you will STILL be a teen-age tear-away, in one of the higher risk groups, HAVING got trained, and having got qualified... you will have IMEDIETLY reduced the risk that YOU will become a statistic by about Twenty to thirty times. MORE, becouse being mindful of the stats and showing your one of the 'responsible ones', your even LESS likely to be a statitstical candidate them your peers in the same risk group of newly qualified riders......

Theres a lot of immutable sense in that lot, and your dad CANT argue that you are wrong. And he would HAVE to agree that it SOUNDS like a good idea. And he would HAVE to agree that its NOT actually getting a motorbike.

He would probably suggest that theres no point to any of it unless you carry on and get a bike, and thats where he'll be looking, BUT you have softened that up, and weakened his argument by SHOWING him that you apreciate the risks and his fears, and want to do something about it... its working towards a compromise here... AND giving him the oportuinity for you to at LEAST get started and move forwards TOWARDS getting you a bike.

Get him to agree to training, as a compromise. Mot ALL you want, but a good step closer, and at the end of it, you are on MUCH stronger ground to argue getting the bike.

When you first pass your test, you have a two year 'restriction period' when you are limited to 33bhp bikes. Completely irrelevent to you here and now, but worth noting for discussion with your dad.

Getting your licence doesn't man going out and getting a 'loonie bike' rather than a 125, you couldn't anyway.... pass your test, you can only have a bike like an old Honda 250 Super-Dream (If he knows what one of them is!), basically a 'big' learner bike, not some litre monster with Millenium-Falcon acceleration and speed!

However, while you are still wrangling for thier approval / concent to get a bike, that two year restriction period is ebbing away, and your possition getting stroinger, rather than weaker. (But dont SAY that!)

Meanwhile; passing your test, gets you a full licence in your pocket. Here & now, thats worth a heck of a lot. In two years time, there will be a new licencing system in place, and you will have to do two tests to get the same licence & wait two years between taking each test to get there.

Thats another argument for doing your training & getting a licence. Your mates, that this summer decide it would be cool to get a bike, and go the 125 on CBT route, will get through to about next summer before really thinking about doing thier test, and getting thier licence. they will probably have been alarmed by scare stories in MCN or on the net that they need to get it booked or they'll only be able to ride little bikes for the rest of thier lives or something. And they will ALL start booking test apointments.... (if they haven't all blown thier wad on getting a bike and trying to run it, and have the money left over!) Result, only the lucky ones that get thier test apointment in time, (and apointment waiting times are likely to increase dramatically in the next eighteen months), AND pass before the new stepped licence comes in, will get ahead. The rest will be on 125's and 500's for another two years, and looking at paying out for more training and more, and harder tests on a 'big-bike' if they want a full licence to ride something more exiting than a plastic maggot!

I have an advisorty for wannabees on my webby, Recommend Me a First Bike May be worth a read, to get some substance behind your arguments. Its about getting trained and getting a licence, rather than worrying about getting a bike, per-se, and is my stock advice to people wanting to know what a 'good' first bike would be..... but theres plenty in there for why its a good diea for ANY-ONE to put training and licence BEFORE getting a bike.

I DO mention that its often worth while GETTING a bike as a training tool so you can practice between lessons, rather than doing an intensive training course, but, in your circumstances, you need to win the argument about being allowed to do training, first... notion that a bike to 'practice' on between lessons, MAY prove a back door to getting a 125, with your Dad, but dont bank on it.... steal inches, to win miles, mate, and DONT push your luck!

Two pieces of advice, when it comes to bikes, Never push you luck, and dont rush. You have all teh time in the world, going too fast and taking unnecessary chances are the way to the morgue on a bike.... but apply well trying to do mechanics too, and in a lot of other 'life' situations.

But anyway, from the advisory, a few points for you to take note of. Your Dad IS right, motorbikes ARE dangerouse, and as a 17 year old lad, on L-Plates, you are in just about THE highest risk group for winding up in intensive care, by a factor of about fifty times. It REALLY isn't a case of IF it will happen to you, but when.

The only counter to your Dad's fears of you killing yourself is that actually, MOST bikers that kill themselves are actually 35+ year olds, with less than 3 years experience under thier belt, on 600+cc bikes, and they are nearly ALL week-end warriors, not every-day riders.

125'ers, tend to crash a lot more...... YES they DO! Only saving grace is not MANY of them actually kill themselves! They bend bikes, get gravel rash, break arms and legs, but MOST dont do seriouse and permenent harm to themselves. THIS is NOT an argument your Dad will consider a good one for letting you have a bike, though! But it IS a 'fact' that can deflect some of the vehamence in his obstinancy, if you get down to nitty gritty.

Safest riders out there, are long standing, and regular riders. New riders, whatever they climb onto are at a much higher risk, but they will NEVER get to be low risk riders unless they face them. And 'sensible' riders aproachging things with a good head on thier shoulders, and paying heed to the warnings are the ones that WILL survive. Plenty of idiots out there more than happy to do a greater share of the crashing for every-one else, no need you have to be one of them!

So, Training lets you have a go, and ride, without necesserily having a bike.

If you like it, and hack it and get your licence, IMEDIETLY you are in a MUCH lower risk group. And even as a teen-age tear-arse, with a full licence in your pocket you are NOT as likely to go wrap yourself wround a lamp-post as some-one possibly your Dads age! and you wont be able to jump straght onto a loonie bike.


Here and now you are GREEING with him bikes are dangerouse.... and his fears for you are very valid, AND you apreciate them.... but you COULD be killed by any one of a million other causes.....

Fact; I ride bikes. I do NOT go drinking in town on a Friday night. why? Well, I am FAR more likely to get killed or seriousely injured, having some pissed up drunked maniac try sticking a glass in my face or pulling a machette on me, having a pint or going to my local night-club than I am riding any of my motorbikes ALL week-end! This is NOT bull-shit. And FAR MORE teen-agers are hurt or killed enjoyng 'normal social activity' like going clubbing or partying, from drugs, violence or shear stupidity, than hurt themselves on motorbikes. MORE people are killed or seriousely injured per participant, per hour of involvement in any number of other 'activity persuits', like rock climbing, pot-holing, boating, or even bludy horse riding, than they do on motorbikes.

ALWAYS amazes me how the 'emmotive' fears about motorbikes being dangerouse will gladly see a parent stick thier unqualified 14 year old darling daughter on a half broken and unroad trained horse, and let her out on teh public highway or enter gym-khanas or eventing, but will insist that letting thier son have a motorbike, is TOO dangerouse?!?!? But thats another matter.

Point is, bikes ARE dangerouse, and analogeouse arguments that OTHER things are equally or MORE dangerouse does NOT make bikes safe...... just LESS dangerouse than other activities poeple dont have SUCH an emmotive response to.

And this is worth you taking heed of. Your DAad, whether he's right or wrong about why he doesn't want you to have a motorbike, is still your dad, and he is still human, and fallible, BUT fact that he doesn't want you to have a bike ISN'T becouse he wants to spoil your fun, or be mean, its becouse he loves you and doesn't want to see you hurt.....

Did he teach you to ride your first bicycle?

He had to stand there when he'd taken teh stabilisers off and watch you ride off on your first 'solo', AND he had to stand there and watch when you fell off and grazed your knee..... but I BET he was there to pick you up, and rub some cream on the wound, and make it better.... and I also bet that after that, he put you BACK on the saddle and had to watch you do it again......

Might be worth reminding him of that....

But you also have to remember that his arguments, though having logical reasoning under them, the actual risks and dangers gibing his argument substance, his FEARS for not wanting you ona bike are irrational and purely immotive, and NO amount of logic will beat that....

You need to let him know you apreciate him worrying, and accept that the BEST you will ever do is moderate his fears and help huim put them in better perspective...

But hey.... he has brought you up, He has done a prettt good job at it, hasn't he? So If this is something you really really want to do.... then surely he should be able to trust you, and know that your a sensible kid and will do all you can to look after yourself when he's not there to pick you up, dust you off, make you better and stick you back on the saddle? Eh?

So, first steps.... what about the training..... just see how it goes..... show you do have your head screwed on the right way, and can be mature and responsible about it, and do all YOU can to stay safe....

And hey.... if it DOES lead to you getting your own bike? Well, bikes are a bloody good way to staying broke and NOT having the money to go get cut up outside a night-club on a Friday night1 Dont leave you money for beer, fags, drugs or loose women.... actually scrub the last one.....

Seriousely.... get into bikes the right way, and with the right head, and its not just a way to get about or a big toy to have fun on, its a way of life, and, OK, so bikes themselves can hurt you, and yes they are more dangerouse than cars, but, the life-style thing? actually steers you away from other dangers.

You dont go to a Chavvy night-club on a bike..... you go to a ride out, like Matlock! You meet loads of other bikers, talk bikes, swap stupid stories, look at the shiney bits ion the bike shop window, and drink a can of fanta, becouse we do not ride pissed up! for that, we ride out to a field in Warwickshire, and get wasted in a tent, before waking up to the noise of high-octane being burned on the drag-strip by the Run whacha bring boys, and people slap each other on the back, laught, have fun, and for all the leather and studs and hard-arse out-fits.... get along! People dont get knifed or bottled at bike meets, some even take thier kids! We lounge about and talk trikes and gear ratios, not 'e's and ' shooters', and we show off broken pistons and cracked brake disc, not 9mm automatics!

Its a bigger picture thing, but.... small steps.... go think about it... and if it makes sense, go try stealing an inch.....

Oh.... and give y'Dad a hug... its a tough job, being a parent you know.... and a lot of it is just wearing that hat, the one that says 'dad' on it.... underneath is a person, recognise where and when they are bing the hat, and where that stops and the person beneath begins.... makes for a good relationship... whether he gives you your own way or not....
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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?'

[Paulington]

@Mike:

https://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41dLAOkpB8L._SL500_AA300_.jpg.
____________________
"Four wheels move the body, two wheels move the soul."
Current Vehicles: '89 Kawasaki KDX200, '99 Yamaha XV535, '00 Honda ST1100 Pan-European, '08 Suzuki GSX-R1000, '08 Mitsubishi Lancer GS4 2.0 TDCi, '15 BMW 1 Series 116d Sport Turbo.
CBT: 27/08/08. Theory: 04/09/09. Module 1: 16/09/09. Module 2: 01/10/09.

[Teflon-Mike]

[Paxovasa]

Mike I think you are a great asset to this forum and you know your stuff. But for the love of god please compact your posts.
____________________
Suzuki GSF600 K3 (in the fastest colour, black).

[Rogerborg]

[Shadowrunner]

thanks guys for the posts much appreciated and i think the only way he would accept it is if i drove home on one lol

[Shadowrunner]

glad i had a good first post lol

[pinkyfloyd]