Tall new biker dilema

[TomKenn]

Hi there,

I am looking for a little advice/opinions on how i should get on two wheels. I completed my CBT last week and i have been looking at 125 bikes. Being 6'4 the only bike i have felt sort of comfortable on is a Varadero, but even on this bike my legs have been slightly cramped. I am 24 in July and have been thinking of just waiting and getting straight onto a larger bike after i have completed my DAS.

My question is do you think it would be worth me buying a 125 now for 3 months and getting some miles under me. Or just waiting till im 24 and doing a DAS course in July and getting a larger more comfortable bike.

Thanks,

Tom

[NJD]

Instant advice is "save all your money and put it towards a DAS course, once you've got that out the way save towards whatever bike you want to own and can afford to insure".

Although it depends on your needs, ie; do you need a bike as your only mode of transport asap.

Nothing wrong with getting a cheap little run around to get some road experience before taking out a more powerful bike on the roads as generally there's a whole lot more mistakes that can be made in control of a 125 and get away with it than the other way around.

Although.. if you weigh up the costs of a decent cheap 125, insurance and then the cost to either change the policy details and update the bike to your bigger one (when purchased) it would be cheaper to wait.

Whatever makes better financial sense (waiting sounds like the best personal choice) imo.

[Teflon-Mike]

Bigger bikes have bigger engines; they are still designed to be ridden by humans of the same proportions.. its not like cloths, and 125's are in the kiddie corner for smaller people waiting till they are bigger!

Bigger engine bikes generally cost more 'all in', and might have the capability to go faster, but the speed limits we should all abide by remain the same, and 125's can break most if not all of them.

So ultimately; its your money & your choice; but either way, ergonomics will still be an 'issue' if you are at the longer end of the 'normal distribution', no different to finding trousers long enough and T-shirts that reach your belt, without drowning you!

So don't 'kid' yourself you HAVE to have a 'big bike' just cos your a bigger fella!
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[J.M.]

I'm over 6ft and I rode a CBR125, 2004 model. Tiny little bike. I had no issues riding it.

Hands down though, I would buy a Varadero over the CBR if I was to do it again. However, I picked up the CBR for £800, and the Varadero is a hefty chunk more.

Getting back on such a small bike after riding something larger for a year or so felt very strange. But still, I managed it.

My point is, just because a bike is small, doesn't mean that you can't ride it. Though if you have a busy life style and wouldn't ride it much, I'd just wait.
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2004 R1 & 2018 XSR900

[SectorC]

I'm brand new to all this but having just completed my DAS, I'd definitely say I felt far more comfortable on the larger bikes - I'd love to comment on my Fazer600 but I don't get it for a few more days so can't reliably say it's much nicer (but im pretttttty sure it'll be brilliant!).

Being only 3 months away, I'd wait personally.

I'm 6ft4

[TomKenn]

Thanks for the advice guys. I do have a car and do not plan on selling it so it will mainly be a weekend toy or be used the odd nice day to commute to work which is a 60 mile round trip. I just want to be out on a bike now because of the nicer weather!

[TomKenn]

[NJD]

[dolly3900]

Was in the same boat a few years back.

6'8" of bigness and 38" leg, so limited choice.

Had my lad's DR125SM (supermoto thingy) and that was fine for me, varadero is among one of the bigger too.

Don't be fooled into thinking that you need to be the same or similar stance to a pushbike, with straight legs and nearly on tippytoes, this leaves you unstable when stopped.

feet flat with bent knees is better for stopped stability.

too low and obviously you'll feel odd and silly as well as being unstable the other way.

I ride my other lad's CBF125 for giggles and whilst id is a lot smaller that my V-Strom, it is still comfortable and stable enough to chuck around nicely.

I'd say (personally as there is no right or wrong answer to this), to wait and do your DAS then get a bigger bike.
Reasons???
With a bigger engine, they need to have a bigger frame setup, so physically a bigger bike (not talking hugely huge things though) and also more choice due to not every biker wants a BMW, V-Strom, Tiger etc, but at one time we have all needed the 125, so tend to hold value better (IMHO)

My eldest has just done CBT and is on a cheapy Lexmoto 125 with plenty of leg extension for him (6"5')


Basically,if you are going to go 125 look for a bigger one (Supermoto style or jacked up) and try it out, but don't be put off by looking smaller looking ones, they can be deceptive.

TLDR
Up to you mate

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2002 Rieju RS2-50 (Sold, spares or repair), 2010 Suzuki DR-125SM (Traded for ->), 2007 Honda CBF 600 (Sold), 2010 Suzuki V-Strom 1000 (Briefly, now returned), 2007 Suzuki Intruder 1800m (Even More Briefly, traded in for ->), 2014 Suzuki V-Strom 650

[chris-red]

I'm 6'5 and rode an RXS without much trouble for a year.

https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v295/chris-red/photo001.jpg

Didn't look that ridiculous
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[BillyJ]

https://cycle-ergo.com/
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Had: '06 CBR125R + '01 GSF600 + '07 SPRINT ST 1050 + '80 CB250 RSA + '93 Ducati 900SS
Have: '13 GSXR-1000 + '01 CB500S
"The aryan confuser"

[SQL]

[SectorC]

[Copycat73]

only sensible suggestion I have is https://www.suzuki-vstrom.com/

someone I know @ 6ft+ and 20 stone rides a lot on one of these...
buys plenty tires though..
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[TomKenn]

Well today I picked up a lovely honda cg125 2006 model with a genuine 1800 miles. I went to look at it expecting to hate it. It was in that great condition and cheap I just thought what the hell and bought it. It will give me a few months experience at least!

[Rogerborg]

Huzzay. You're not going to lose anything on it, and any bike is better than no bike.
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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

[TomKenn]

Well after a few months of riding I have decided to book in for my direct access. I have mod 1 on Monday and if all goes well mod 2 on Friday!

I have now put the CG up for sale so that I have funds for my new back when I hopefully pass!

[Polarbear]

[Rigga]

Good luck
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Current bike: Honda CBR 1100xx

[NJD]

April, oh my.. this thread makes me wonder where the time has gone

Best of luck

[TomKenn]

Just passed my mod 2. Get in!

[Rigga]

Congratulations!
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Current bike: Honda CBR 1100xx