Need to pass my test!! Honda 1100

[Martay]

Hi,

Why, oh why did i get an insurance quote on one of my favorite bikes, and Honda Pan Euro? Being a 20yo 'yoof' i was expecting it to be in the 10's of thousands for the year. 3pf+t kept on the drive, no security, passed my test yesterday, full car licence, £400 for the year Im paying £1000 for a 1.2 fiesta!!
So, im not a real biker, i ride my scooter on my car license, i love my cars, but thats a little quote for a lot of bike.
Talk me out of it! Do they make good daily runners? Maintanance, is it a killer? Is there a more sensible alternative? At this rate, im going to be saving for my test
____________________
Eat well, poo hard
Drives: Cavalier 2.0 16v
Rides: Slightly ratted Honda City Express

[Frog]

Get it done man
____________________
CBT 23/09/10 - Theory 19/03/11 - Mod1 19/04/11 - Mod2 06/05/11
Bikes: CBF125 (sold 30/10/10-25/09/12) - CB400 24/06/11 (broken) - ER6-f 25/09/2012

[Eddie Hitler]

I'd go for something smaller to be honest, even a 600 is plenty fast enough for a first bike.

Me saying that after having a load of bikes, including a 1000cc, now have a vfr400. Just take it easy whatever you get.

[dansrockin]

Hi, I've got an 1100 pan as my only bike and after all the others I've had, I can safely say it's one of the best I've had. It's fairly quick and a good handling bike considering it's size, is very comfy for long distance stuff, good weather protection, very easy to live with on a daily basis, I use mine for a 20 mile each way commute. It's also one of the easiest bikes I've had to work on. Everything is easy to get to and take apart. They will go on forever if they are serviced regularly. Only things to look out for are rotten exhaust collector boxes and swingarms. It's a bike I never thought I'd have but since I got it I've come to love it!

[Rowey]

[Martay]

[Teflon-Mike]

[UnspeedySam]

[ms51ves3]

CBR1100 - 20 year old youth - £338 TPFT

It's awesome!

[UnspeedySam]

[Martay]

Thanks for all the advice.
By the time i have saved enough to buy one, and pay for the test il be 21 so may just go for the DAS. I understand its pointless trying to restrict one!
The Deauville looks more 'modern' than some of the Euro's ive been looking at, are they as capable when it comes to long distance riding and daily running?
I have a 125, rode it for a year before getting my car. Rode it everywhere, come rain/shine or snow. Unfortunatly its in bits not looking roadworthy for some considerable time.
Im going to raid my savings, put some asside from my pay and get a couple of lessons in
____________________
Eat well, poo hard
Drives: Cavalier 2.0 16v
Rides: Slightly ratted Honda City Express

[UnspeedySam]

[dansrockin]

if your going to be doing mostly town riding then i would say go for the dullville, the pan is a big bike, and while its fairly easy to shift about, the wide fairing and panniers make cutting between cars a bit more difficult than a narrower bike would, but if most of your riding is going to be out on open roads, then go for the pan. much more comfy, more fun to ride, you can surprise some sportsbike riders on a pan, you will be pushed to surprise a cyclist on a dullville!
until you have ridden one, you dont realise just how well a pan can shift.
the fuel economy isnt too bad, i can get 300 miles to a tank if i dont venture much above a ton very often, which works out around 50mpg. not to bad really!

[salty21]

i thought i was bad for having a pan at 25. seems like a strange bike for a 20 year old to have but if it floats your boat go for it. Really easy to ride well and goes pretty well too, kind of feels like riding a wave when accelerating hard and it is really heavy when paddling it about, but once your moving the weight dissapears.

Really good for shopping too, especially with a massive topbox
____________________
04 NSR 125(sold) ---- 03 CBR 600rr(sold) ----90 pan euro ST1100 '' ----02 CG 125
94 CB400 Super Four ---- 2000 VTR SP1 (sold) ---- 08 ninja p8f(sold, meh) ----05 CBR600rr

[Paulington]

I own a Pan-European and they are fantastic bikes, take a lot of bashing with very little maintenence. In fact it was the first motorcycle I ever rode when I was 15 and I still love them now.

The reason they are so cheap is because they are generally insured by older riders who have more experience and don't do 100mph in a 30mph zone and then throw the bike down the road with the intent of quadraspazzing 15 old ladies.

I'd recommend getting your full licence (DAS) and then getting one as long as you are fully prepared to ride in all weather, but to be fair with a big touring screen like I have on mine you could ride bollock naked and not be cold or wet because it keeps it all off you, it's brilliant.

Hope that helps! !
____________________
"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.

[Cunnington]

I'm another advocate of the "baby pan" option.

I wouldn't disagree with any of the above, Pans are fantastic bikes, but still think it is a lot of bike for a first bike, and you don't want your first bike to put you off.

My neighbour has a 52 plate and thought it would be everything he wanted, but he has been hit by side winds on an exposed stretch of motorway on his commute and is very disappointed that it hasn't lived up to his expectations. It now only does a couple of hundred miles a year.

Having found my feet on what is effectively a naked Deuville, it was a great bike with predictable power delivery, plenty grunt and the most agricultural gearbox fitted to two wheels. It is heavy enough and I almost came a cropper a couple of times with the sidestand/centrestand transition. I wouldnt want to cut my teeth on a pan in that regard.

I considered a Deuville as the next step from my NTV650, but couldn't afford one - they do seem expensive compared to budget bikes like the SV650.
____________________
'82 C50, '81 CB100, '84 GS125, '95 NTV650, '00 Bandit 600, '06 SV650, '56 Z1000, '89 NTV600
The Shaggy D.A. wrote: "You are invisible. Those who can see you are trying to kill you."