So...CBT>125>EXPERIENCE or CBT>A2?

[CRONiKk]

BCF, I took your answers to my last thread and soaked them up. I've been reading everything I can and gained more knowledge of the biker-life in general.

Now I seek your guidance again.

I've seen many different answers to this, here and other places but...

I'm 19 in 2 weeks. As you know more than I- that means I will be A2 test eligible.

But having zero motorbike experience and going straight into the A2 with just the CBT on my resume has me unnerved.

I ride my pedal bike a lot so I know a tad about roads...but is that enough?



To keep it short:

Shall I get a 125 and then take the A2 at a later date? (6 months?)

Shall I jump straight in and take the A2 with only the basic training as experience?



Things to keep in mind: I am pretty frugal so spending money on an A2 if I'm not 'ready' yet will fuck me over.

[NJD]

[Beehive Bedlam]

A2 DAS. Wasting 6 months + on Loser plates and you will more than likely pick up habits that will get you a fail on the test.

[trevor saxe-coburg-gotha]

The other possibility is that you gain confidence on a small bike, and take that into the tests. It's a complicated way of doing it, cos you have to get your CBT, then find, buy, ensure and tax a 125, and flog it on once you're done and dusted. However, it worked for me. I suck at riding, but compared to the guys on DAS, I was a fucking godhead when it came to the Mod 1 shite. And Mod 2 for that matter. L plates definitely suck though, there's no denying it. But I'd do it the same way again. I was able to practice all the slow stuff on my own, and get in at least 5k miles before going in for the full monty (which was about 6 months later. And even though I don't use it much, I kept my vanvanvan.
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"Life is a sexually transmitted disease and the mortality rate is one hundred percent."

Mobylette Type 50 ---> Raleigh Grifter ---> Neval Minsk 125

[Skudd]

A2, some experience will be gained from your instructor, some you will already have from your push iron.
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Famous last words of Humpty Dumpty. " Stop pushing me "
Petty Anarchists look at "1984".............. The Visionary looks at "Animal Farm".

[talkToTheHat]

a l25 will tie up a similar sum of money than the cost of an A2 course. You will lose money when you change insurance. If you are confident and respond well to training, do a course. If you are less confident and are a figure it out for yourself type get 125.

The difference between a 125 and 40ish horses of A2 is that of being demolished off the line by underpowered family cars and reaching 60 being hard work to demolishing most cars off the line and comfortably cruising at realistic motorway speed with luggage on and a pillion. Get your ass on an a2 bike as soon as you can.
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Bandit. does. everything.

[Rogerborg]

[Teflon-Mike]

- How much have you got to spend?
- What do you want out of your biking?

125's main virtue is cheapness. They tend to be economical and pretty easy to maintain. Performance is 'adequete'; most can sustain NSL, many can achieve even the elevated speed limit on a duel-carriageway; hence be as 'fast' as any other vehicle is legally allowed to go. As such, they are far from 'toys', and can offer an awful lot of biking for your money. If its your first powered-two-wheeler, a 125 is likely to be a lot of awesome... until 'adequete' becomes a frustration, and bigger and better becons to you...at which point it can start to get a bit expensive.. a pheominon you will doggedly ignore, dismiss, discount and justify in a myriad of manners, until one day, you are frustrated, sat on a country road, dogged by constantly changing 30, 40 50 limit signs and scamera-boxes, nursing the throttle, because of that, and possibly a back tyre near on the canvas, trying to work out how many days till pay day, and thinking "I used to go faster than this on my 125!.. Where's all that 'fun' gone from it?" and ancient two-stroke tiddlers will start making your eyes light up... however!

IF you are on a tighter budget, and / or, cranking up higher mileages in regular commuter service is on the cards; then this may help steer the decision.

IF the budget is rather more generous; and costs can be kept in check by limited miles of pure leisure use; then that could tip the decision the other way.

In either case; you need to kit up first. Hat, Gloves, Boots, water-proofs, & Riding wear. £3-400 is an reasonable budget for that. Insurance.. as a teen-ager.... ent going to be cheap. Difference between insuring a 125 to an A2, probably wont tip the scales; picking 'sensible' over 'exiting', in either capacity will make more of a difference; but if you find a policy on anything for under £500 consider yourself dong well. Add another £100 or so for security, and we are talking a ball-park grand, of up-front, before even thinking about bikes.

But before we get there, you need to budget for courses for licence entitlement; where CBT to wally-about on L's for a couple of years will likely to only set you back £120 or so. To do a full A2 course, from scratch-start, you are probably looking at the best part of a grand, before you have an A2 entitlement on your ticket.. that IS likely to tip the scales... and IF its 'only' for a bit of fun? Is an A2 bike really worth that much extra up-front, as well as in the running? Would you get more fun for your money from a 125, even if you can afford an A2?

And so the question becomes circular, and only YOU can answer it.

My advice? Stop Thinking - Start Riding... go book a CBT, see how you get on; see how you feel after that... take it one step at a time, and THAT, cbt, is the first step, either way... don't try crossing the river, till you can see the water!
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My Webby'Tef's-tQ, loads of stuff about my bikes, my Land-Rovers, and the stuff I do with them!
Current Bikes:'Honda VF1000F' ;'CB750F2N' ;'CB125TD ( 6 3 of em!)'; 'Montesa Cota 248'. Learner FAQ's:= 'U want to Ride a Motorbike! Where Do U start?'

[talkToTheHat]

I think I dropped £600 in J&S kitting up the girlfriend. I bought a bike for that. I darn't add up what I've spent on kit. Comfortable and protected costs money.
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Bandit. does. everything.

[someotherguy]

A2.

[Shoeb]

Going A2 won't be a problem. Honestly, 47bhp isn't an intimidating amount of power to deal with. In fact, after doing a CBT on a 125 the extra oomph will probably be a breath of fresh air. You should feel pretty comfortable with an A2 bike after a few days of lessons and tests.

I admire your motivation to learn responsibly, it sounds like you have your head screwed on. I'm sure you'll be a great biker.

[Val]

[Rogerborg]

[Cronik]

For some bizarre reason I registered with another name -the same name- as I did when I asked my first question...


Weird as hell.

[daifuco]

I have been 6 months on a 125 and I would not call it a waste at all! It is a very personal question. I must admit that in the last 2 months the lack of power has been an issue, but I have gained so much confidence that I was happy choosing a Hornet as my first bike (I would have never done that before the 125 experience).
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CBF125 - CB600F Hornet '12