Low(ish) insurance, reliable and fairly quick bike?

[UnspeedySam]

I started a new job last month after finishing my degree course and have been commuting about 11 miles down the M27 every day on the Bros. Whilst I think the Bros is a great tool for the job as it's so light and nimble in traffic and quick enough for the open motorway sections, I have come to realise that it might be an idea to get something less than two decades old.

When I was replacing the shock and chain yesterday I ran up against the usual seized and stripped bolts, as well as some small rust holes on the exhaust collector box. So while nothing is currently critical and I want to keep the bike as my primary commuter for as long as is viable; I also am looking at investing in something that I can use to get to work if the Bros is out of action for whatever reason.

This second bike would be used where the Bros isn't really that suitable. So must be:

• Good for distance
  
• Good with a passenger
  
• Maybe suitable for track days if I decide to give them a go
  

I was looking at the VFR800, but am put off by the fairly high insurance group. When I get this bike I will be 21, only had a licence for a year and have an at fault accident on record. Although this won't be until March I thought I'd start weighing up my options anyway.

Any ideas?
____________________
Riding: BMW R1150RT `02 bought mildly crashed
Fixing: Also the BMW as I get less broken bits
Gone: ZZR600 '00, TRX850 '97, RXS100 '93, JS125-6B '07, BMW R1100RS '93, Kawasaki ZX-6R-J2 '01, Honda Bros NT400 NC25 '88

[fireyphoenix1...]

gsxf 750 or older gsx750f ...both are great sport touring bike and as i have found out this week a lot quicker than people give them credit for i got mine for £600 and at 22 Y.O license held 1 month no no claims bonus its £18 a month TPFT £26 full comp so cheap to run also gets 42 MPG average been carrying my gf around a lot she says its more comfortable that the cb 500 shes been on the the past best tyres i can find for it are road pilots at around £200 fitted so not too bad there either ....theres tons of parts on ebay and they are all round great bikes for the sill low prices they command HTH
____________________
2014 Aprillia dorsoduro 750 factory.

[0l0dom0l0]

Fazer/Hornet seem the good options.

I've done a trackday on my Fazer and bar the low pegs which were easy to touch down it was remarkably good!

Hornet is slightly better on track as there are more track mods for them.

Commuting wise both will do the same thing really. Hornet has a smaller tank though and people seem to get around 120miles from a tank. Fazer will last 200+.

Fazer has slightly better wind protection because of the fairing at speed.

HTH
____________________
CBT Passed: 30/08/2009, Theory Passed: 31/08/2010, Mod 1 Passed: 6/9/2010, Mod 2 Passed: 13/09/2010. Restriction ended 13/09/2012.

Bikes: 2007 Derbi GPR 50, 1998 Yamaha Fazer 600 (written off), 2002 Yamaha Fazer 600, 1994 CBR 600F, 2003 Triumph Daytona 600, Kawasaki ZX6R J1.....Current: 2006 Yamaha FZ6, 1998 Suzuki TL1000R and a Honda VFR 400 NC30.

[J4mes]

Thundercat?

[P.addy]

Ignore that insurance group bollocks...

Seriously, I cant insure a group 6 bike for much less than a group 13

Have a poke and see what you reckon would work... do a few quotes. Like a B King... 1340cc... but still cheap to insure.

[Redoko]

[P.addy]

[robs321]

CBF 600

[st3v3]

[ms51ves3]

VFR800s are cheap on insurance. Actually do a quote.

[Adamantis]

Bizarrely, my Mille costs no more than the Thundercat did to insure. I reckon it's worth running quotes for "less common/popular" bikes - you might get a nice surprise!

on that note, is it something to do with fewer being stolen/written off that brings the insurance down, or is it just a random wossit?
____________________
Rides: '91 CG125 (Sold), '00 CB500S (Sold), '97 Thundercat (Sold), '99 KTM EXC 300 (SOLD), '99 RSV Mille (stolen. Thieving SCUM!!!), '94 DR350 (sold), '10 Vstrom 650 (hated it so much I gave up riding), now on the OH's CBF1000 until I can afford another Mille...

[jontifosi]

i read tt600 is cheap

[swampy]

My VFR 750 is 110 quid a year.. I know I'm an old bastard, but even I was shocked with that...
____________________
"I hate to advocate drugs, alcohol, violence or insanity to anyone, but they've always worked for me." Hunter S Thompson
"Faster, faster, faster, until the thrill of speed overcomes the fear of death..." Hunter S Thompson

[dextersaurus]

TT600 is very cheap. my premium was £400 TPFT, but i'm 19 with 1 years no claims.

The CBR600f is the best bike i've had. Insurance was £250, and it's great on fuel. got 150 miles to a tank today. Also had a pillion, and it was fine for that.

And it'd be fantastic on a trackday i reckon.

Look at a CBR600f. i've got a '96 which is great, newer ones will be good too.

Dunc

[Seb]

A ZZR600 is pretty much the ultimate budget motorway blaster, it's soft and comfortable, the fuel range is decent, it's reliable and most importantly, they are very cheap to buy, run and insure. Wouldn't be my first choice as a trackbike though, removing the centre stand might help the ground clearance front or it might just mean you drag something more expensive along the ground instead

If trackdays are more important then I'd be looking at Thundercats and CBR600Fs, maybe even an SV650.
____________________
2010 Triumph 1050 Sprint ST

[Willson]

SV650S (20, one year's no claims had this bike two months (changed my ER5 policy over), passed by test 10th of august last year, 13 or 14k miles) renewal from the 10th of august: £205

ER5 when I'd passed my test the same day as taking out the insurance (at 19) was about 170ish. Both with wickedquotes (part of Ramasis)

Willson
____________________
Benson: Wouldn't life be easier if we were all turtles?
Me: Pig on bread = The way forward.
Riding: '00 Suzuki SV650S. Previous: '99 Kawasaki ER5 - sold, '02 Suzuki GZ125 Marauder - sold

[UnspeedySam]

Wow! Thanks so much for all the responses! I'll try to address them all. When it comes to insurance quotes, I need to do some calling around. When I used comparison sites I got a minimum quote of about £5000 for my friend's '01 ZX6r which is what made me concerned about upgrading.

I've tried to respond to everyone here. I'm including insurance groups just for a general idea of things not a real measure:

fireyphoenix1989 - GSX750f - Interesting alternative to the VFR and I see a lot on my commute but I've witnessed a lot of Suzuki rot in my short motorcycling career so am a little wary - Group 12
0l0dom0l0 - Fazer - I have two friends with them and they're great bikes but I think I want something a bit closer to a sport bike. - Group 12
0l0dom0l0 - Hornet - I'm not really after another naked. However a Hornet S is a real alternative to a Fazer and if I decide to go for a more upright bike then it would probably be my first choice. - Group 12
J4mes Thundercat - Not really looked at these but look like a good sport tourer option - Group 14
robs321 - CBF600 - Housemate has one and it just doesn't excite me, they're also pretty pricey if you want the faired one
ms51ves3 - VFR800 - Really nice bikes but not cheap - Group 14
jontifosi + Mr Dunkable- I quite fancy a triumph so the tt600 is a possibility. Although the exploding wiring Dunc had puts me off... - Group 13
Dunc - CBR600F - Have been lusting after one for ages but also not cheap - Group 14
Seb - ZZR600 - Quite like the look of these and will investigate further - Group 13
Willson - SV650s - Rode one for nearly 2 months and not really a fan.

I shall keep you posted with my thoughts. Although I won't be in the market until January at the earliest, as I won't be able to get a multibike policy until March...assuming that's what will be cheapest.
____________________
Riding: BMW R1150RT `02 bought mildly crashed
Fixing: Also the BMW as I get less broken bits
Gone: ZZR600 '00, TRX850 '97, RXS100 '93, JS125-6B '07, BMW R1100RS '93, Kawasaki ZX-6R-J2 '01, Honda Bros NT400 NC25 '88

[dogbot]

https://www.phillipmccallen.co.uk/images/ww/product/bikes/ER6F_1.jpg

[DrDonnyBrago]

OP, I wouldn't even waste your time looking up insurance groups - get quotes on each bike and choose the cheaper ones. Insurance is calculated based on a load of factors and insurance group is just one of those. Even different years of the same model can have a big difference to the cost, half of the time I think insurance companies just pick a number out of their arse.

[UnspeedySam]

[UnspeedySam]

[Reid]

For a quick idea of how little bearing the Group system has on actual quoted prices,

Group 12 Hornet is £255
Group 13 ZZR600 is £241

The Group 14 sports bikes are:
£351 CBR600F
£353 Thundercat
£489 ZX-6R

VFR - with a bigger engine but still group 14, is only £325

These are all for TPFT, 21y.o, 1 fault accident, 0 NCB using a comparison site. All bikes are '97 unless there weren't in manufacture that year and stored in a garage in a low crime area.

I think a large part is nickability factor, especially when it comes to shiny things like fairings. The actual third party damage you can do with a bike is tiny compared to a car (a 1.0L VW Polo (Group 2) is costing me £1096) so it's mainly likelihood of theft the companies are worried about and some bikes are more appealing and just get nicked more than others.

Check insurance prices on a bike before you start looking for examples, it might allow you a much tighter or wider budget than you first thought (ZX6R and ZZR600 have similar speed and both would suit what you want a bike for but one is half the price of the other on insurance with only 1 group difference)

[UnspeedySam]

I suspect the problem I have with quotes is that I passed my test at the age of 20 and it was less than two years ago, so am obviously still on my restriction. I suspect quote engines now take account of this and realise there is very little chance of anyone restricting a bike with over 100bhp to 33...and they would be right
____________________
Riding: BMW R1150RT `02 bought mildly crashed
Fixing: Also the BMW as I get less broken bits
Gone: ZZR600 '00, TRX850 '97, RXS100 '93, JS125-6B '07, BMW R1100RS '93, Kawasaki ZX-6R-J2 '01, Honda Bros NT400 NC25 '88

[boundy]

My first bike was a RF600, nice and cheap to buy and run. Cost me £170ish to insure tpo, 22, 0 ncb, just passed, left on street, no security, 3 points.

[UnspeedySam]