A2 Licence acquired. New bike time!

[Cuchulain]

As the title says I just passed my Mod 2 and I'm looking to upgrade to something with a bit more go.

My budget is up to £1500 ish, and generally I veer towards nakeds and cruisers rather than faired or trail bikes but I'm open to any suggestions.

Would prefer to get something naturally >33bhp as I don't really like the idea of a bike feeling under powered for it's size. Plus I'm a sucker for good mpg

Been looking around on ebay and the like and so far I've only seen one bike that takes my fancy.

Beta Euro 350 - Can't find much about it other than it uses a Suzuki DR 350 engine but it looks stunning. Anybody know if they're any good?
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CBT 15/6/2011 Theory Test Passed 6/2/2012 Module 1 Passed 11/6/2012
Module 2 Passed!!! 19/6/2012

[hazza]

Not exactly what i would call stunning Looks like a cheapo chinese special.

I had a cruiser as a first after test bike, albeit a 250. I had it about 2 months before i was bored with the gutless nature of the bike (constantly changing gear to keep speed) compared to the 500's i learnt on that i got rid. It was heavy for what it was and wasn't exactly agile. Depending on the type of person you are (i.e are you the type to get bored easily and keep switching and swapping bikes) i would say go for something bigger and restrict it. That way when your restriction is over (or they fall out as a lot of them tend to ) you can take the washers out of the carbs and you have a new bike instantly without the hassle and risk of selling yours and buying a new one.

Really, restricted bikes aren't THAT bad. Sure if you decide to get something with silly power and restrict it its going to be totally choked, but get something sensible like a GPZ 500 and it will be fine.


Just my input, you understand.


Ta

Harry.
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3 Honda NC50's(Sold)-->'72 Puch Maxi S (Sold, want it back!)--> '90 Yamaha RXS 100 (Stolen)--> '87 Honda Cub 90(Sold) --> '95 Kawasaki Eliminator (Sold) --> '98 Bandit 600 (Sold) -->'07 SV650S (Current)

[Zombeh]

I felt like you just before I got my A2. I wanted something a bit different looking, didn't like the idea of restriction...

Then I got a 500cc same as everyone else. Feels good man.

[Cuchulain]

[Zombeh]

Not at all. I'm in the majority of bikers that rarely goes over 8k rpm or 90mph so I don't notice restriction at all.

There's a post by someone recently that said they personally enjoy riding 250cc because they have to run it higher and they find it more interesting. If that sounds like your cup of tea then go for it. I still ride my 125 around town because its economical and fun.

If you want to regularly travel between towns and cities, you might regret not going bigger.

[stevo as b4]

Id say they best fun and quite possibly the cheapest running costs would be had from a bike that weighs under 130kg, has a natural 33bhp at say 12000rpm if it's a 4stroke twin and has a chassis and brakes specced appropriately for it's size and weight, but nothing more.

The thought of a 180kg bike with 33bhp at 6000rpm, brakes good for stopping from 160mph+ etc leaves me pretty cold TBH!

[paddlesat16]

Get yourself an Aprilia Pegaso 650 only 50bhp, loads of fun loads of torque and good on mpg.

Regards
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I once saw a bloke shagging a donkey.... in Saudi arabia. Theory Test Passed 26/10/09 Mod 1 Passed 26/4/10, Mod 2 Passed 7/6/10 Current Bikes Suzuki GSX1400 K5, Aprillia Pegaso 650, Suzuki DR350T.

[Benson_JV]

I had a CBR600F when I first passed. The restriction was fine (how would I know otherwise? I'd never ridden it properly!) and the bike coped fantastically. When I took them out it was like a whole new bike again = two bikes for the price of one.
It also has pretty good fuel economy.
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Willson - "If you go out on that CBR600 in the winter, you're going to do more miles on your side than on your wheels."
Riding: CBR600FW Driving: Audi A6
Previous Bikes: '96 Bandit 600, '96 GPz305

[temeluchus]

Big singles survive restriction pretty well.

I've had a go on a restricted xj600 and a restricted slr650, the slr was far nicer to ride as thumpers have a lowish power output to start with but good low/mid rpm grunt. The xj was slaughtered, the restriction prevented it from gathering any head of steam.
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Some shite cruiser. Now with guns and FREEDOM!

[Cuchulain]

Thanks for the suggestions.

Just popped to place where I bought my YBR and they said for the kind of money I'm looking at an old Fazer 600 would be a good buy.
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CBT 15/6/2011 Theory Test Passed 6/2/2012 Module 1 Passed 11/6/2012
Module 2 Passed!!! 19/6/2012

[Ol]

[garth]

Get a decent hornet for that money.

[Cuchulain]

How about this? Anyone know how much it'd be worth offering?

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Yamaha-XJ600N-very-low-mileage-vgc-/290733252422?_trksid=m7&_trkparms=algo%3DLVI%26itu%3DUCI%26otn%3D3%26po%3DLVI%26ps%3D63%26clkid%3D117959411580149536&_qi=RTM1084479
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CBT 15/6/2011 Theory Test Passed 6/2/2012 Module 1 Passed 11/6/2012
Module 2 Passed!!! 19/6/2012

[kawakid]

I'd be looking for something unfaired and well maintained, something like an Er5 they take the restriction well, parts are cheap and you won't do too much damage when you drop it.

Don't get some 20 year old odd weird import that you can't get parts for.
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I've a twin and a 4.

[T0MMY]

Did someone say weird 20 year old import?

If you want unfaired and under 33bhp you could get a Honda Bros 400. I reckon they're pretty good all round bikes to be honest, extremely well built, quite quick, decent handling and I quite like the look of them too.

You'd need to work out what to do with the £1000 you'd have left over though as they're cheap as chips

https://www.visordown.com/members/images/170201/Gallery/4.jpg
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ZX6R + CBR600RR

[Cuchulain]

Honda Bros would be perfect but there doesn't seem to be any around.

I'm really liking this Kawasaki Zephyr 550: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Kawasaki-Zephyr-ZR550-Red-Good-Condition-Taxed-MOT-Serviced-/290733785004?pt=UK_Motorcycles&hash=item43b1157fac
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CBT 15/6/2011 Theory Test Passed 6/2/2012 Module 1 Passed 11/6/2012
Module 2 Passed!!! 19/6/2012

[JonnyFoxtrot]

I'd say a GS500 is a reasonably good bet. Cheap, cheerful, naked, good MPG, decent poke and within your 33BHP (not officially but I dare a dyno to produce a GS500 that says it's probably over).
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'89 Honda NS125F (SOLD) -> '92 Suzuki GS500E (SOLD) -> '03 Kawasaki ZX6R B1H (SOLD) -> '96 VFR 750 RC36 (SOLD) -> '02 Honda CBR1100XX Blackbird

[T0MMY]

I thought a GS500 was at least high 40s

Bros's are rare but they pop up on Ebay from time to time.
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ZX6R + CBR600RR

[JonnyFoxtrot]

[Cuchulain]

Oooh fuck i found one!

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/110904514797?_trksid=p5197.c0.m619

No MOT though so I wouldn't be able to ride it home. Looks pretty tidy though and only 25k on the clock (aledgedly of course)

Would it be terribly stupid of me to just take a punt and buy it without seeing it?
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CBT 15/6/2011 Theory Test Passed 6/2/2012 Module 1 Passed 11/6/2012
Module 2 Passed!!! 19/6/2012

[GrumpyGuts]

Yes - Don't do what I did and I actually went to see it. I bought a slightly knackered bike and I'm still having problems now. Go and have a look
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My Bikes: Lifan Beat 125cc '11 -> Suzuki B120P '76 -> Suzuki EN 125-2A '08 -> Honda CG 125 '04 -> Honda CB600F Hornet '98 -> Kawasaki ZZR 600 '99 -> Kawasaki GPZ 500S '95 (Current)
Theory test passed - 09/02/2012 >>>> Module 1 passed 24/07/2012 >>>> Module 2 passed 24/10/2012

[Cuchulain]

[stevo as b4]

The thing is though that the legistation will almost certainely state a manufacturers quoted crankshaft bhp being within the 33bhp limit. people seem to mix up wheel and engine bhp from one bike to another, or quote whichever one suits thier circumstances best at the time.

A 33bhp motorcycle engine will obviously lose a percentage of power through the transmission, from the crankshaft to the rear wheel. Chassis/wheel dyno's are notorious for giving wildly differing power readings, which are very hard to compare from one dyno to another, done on different days, and with differences in tyre pressure, tyre wear, chain tension and lubrication etc.

As a very general rule for a chain driven motorcycle, id expect to lose in the region of 14-18% of the crankshaft measured/quoted bhp figure by the time the reading has been taken at the rear tyre. So a 33bhp bike engine on a decent accurate dyno would most likely be reading say 27bhp at the rear wheel. So therefore a dyno reading of 33bhp at the wheel would translate to more like 38bhp at the flywheel.

I don't know how exact the legistation is and how tight they would enforce it, but is is fairly clear to me that a Suzuki GS500E which is stated by the manufacturer to produce around 50bhp, will still have a rear wheel figure of well over 33bhp.

[The Shaggy D.A.]

[AlanC]