Newbie :)

[StuW]

Looking to do my CBT in a couple of months, going to be 23 in March so thinking of doing CBT and getting a bit of experience on a 125 for a few months and maybe do the A2, or just wait the year on the 125 till i can do the DAS had my car licence for 5 and a half years, also got my Class 2 and minibus licence, so Motorbike licence is next on the list

Would probably be looking into getting a YZF-R125, got the car for my speed hits Ideal bike would be the Triumph Daytona 675R

[Rogerborg]

[StuW]

I was actually looking at the CBR500R was more for a slower bike to get the experience level up a bit, but I suppose the A2 sounds a better route. What would the rough insurance cost be for a 500R, new rider? I know insurance is a lottery, but would it be a few hundred or...? Im paying £730 for my car for the year which is good considering the car etc

[Rogerborg]

It is a lottery, I can't guess what you'll be stiffed for.

What I will say is that 125s come in a lot more expensive than you'd expect, as they seem to have a "learner, will crash" weighting applied to them. You're also liable to get mugged when you pass and your underwriter says "So sorry, we only cover Learners / 125s" and you lose your policy premium and NCB.

If money is an object, then I'd suggest looking at the SV650S (+ lower fairings):

https://images02.olx.com/ui/1/62/20/4136220_1.jpg

You can get that at just about any price point you care to mention, and lower value = lower insurance. There are loads of them around, plenty of parts, insurance is reasonable. Haterz will hate on them, but if you're restricted to 35kW (and 70kW from the factory), I can think of worse bikes you could be on.
____________________
Biking is 1/20th as dangerous as horse riding.
GONE: HN125-8, LF-250B, GPz 305, GPZ 500S, Burgman 400 // RIDING: F650GS (800 twin), Royal Enfield Bullet Electra 500 AVL, Ninja 250R because racebike

[MC]

Interesting dilemma, for the price of an A2 course you could probably run/insure a 125 for a year, then sell it on for what you bought it for (assuming you buy at the right price). All I will say is a year on a 125 is a long time, I hate my bike now, and can't wait to move onto something bigger and better.

Insurance on a big(ger) bike doesn't seem to be that much more than a 125, its not like cars where anything half decent costs a fortune. An NTV650 would be cheaper for me to insure than my 125, but then I've been quoted more for a 250 so it's best to check.

Also the r125 really isn't that much quicker than the standard learner crap (CG, YBR, CBF etc.), a few bhp that's all, which might make a difference if your using NSL roads but otherwise's just going to be a waste of money. Not to mention those expensive plastics if you drop it.
____________________
Yamaha MT-03 '08 (crashed)
Honda XR-125L '04

[passifid]

i have had my r-125 for a year now and i love it to death but if you're gonna do the A2 anyhow do the A2 and get a 500-600cc and just treat it with respect if you MUST get 125 get a cg like i did but only for a few months t get practice in

the r-125 is a great bike, very decent brakes, nice handling, makes 70mph for realises and can commute on it but really all its got to offer can be had much cheaper even second hand(while r-125s hold value well unless you get an 08 or 09 plate it will drop a little still)

hell when i do my a2 i'll probably move up to a er5 or similar it will have been around 2.5 years on 125s, i still think its fun but i want to be able to take passengers tbh and my 125 won't like it much.

i mean look at it like this:
er5:
faster
can carry 2 up without bieng overtaken by a bicycle
doesn't require the tap dancing around in traffic that a 125 does
cheaper parts then a r125
almost definately cheaper insurance too

r-125
100-120mpg
shouldn't need any major services as will be quite new


when compared to a big bike the r-125 offers nothing really its just one of the better 4t 125s
____________________
CBT: 10/2011 | Theory:6/2012 | MOD1: 8/2012

[-Matt-]

R125s are very decent, but not particularly cheap - especially god forbid if you buy one new

For the time you're going to have it, and most likely large amount of extra insurance it will cost you vs a lot of other 125's i'd bob around on something cheap n cheerful for a year if you must.

Personally though and in heinsight i'd of skipped what I did and would recommend you do the same and go straight onto A2 and get a bigger bike. It will be much better for gaining experience and break you in a bit quicker to prepare for the likes of a 675 if you move onto something like that anytime soon.

I had 4 years on 125's, then two years restricted on the 636 before I hit it full power - Don't particularly regret building upto it, not that I'd say it would of been a death wish if I hadn't, just more daunting and a bit less enjoyable due to having to be so overly cautious for a while with the power.