Sh*t just got real

[G33kBoi]

Finally got around to doing my theory test today after doing my CBT 18 months ago.
Now going to do my DAS later this month and so long as I pass, get myself a proper big bike. Is a Triumph Speedmaster too big for a newbie?

Also need to get lots of lovely motorbike gear. Excited!

[Kentol750]

No, and, surely you have kit already?
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Some bikes.

[G33kBoi]

I've only done limited riding since my CBT. I did a fair bit of riding on 125's about 30yrs ago, but not so much recently.

So a big shopping list is imminent (assuming I pass)

[Kentol750]

Go ride a speedmaster first, it's a lot different to what you'll test on!
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Some bikes.

[G33kBoi]

I have a lot of grey hair, looking for a comfy ride, I reckon the Speedmaster will tick the right boxes

[Teflon-Mike]

Don't count your chickens kid!
You have two more tests to pass before you get the Ride-What-You-Like licence, and what bike to get might be a potentiality.... a-n-d, mention of kit, again, on the list of stuff you need and probably want to ride a bike, the bike is actually the last thing on the list!
Don't get all previous, and hang the dream bike on the whole test process you ent done yet.... it just adds pressure.
AFTER, well its a Ride-What-You-Like licence... you can ride what you like... do you trust yourself? If not, why do you expect any-one else like an insurance company or test examiner to?
TBH I had to go google Triumph Speedmaster.. and panel that popped up said it was basically a bored out 'new' bonny twin.. and when I spotted the claimed top speed... I thought SOME-ONE is 'avin a laugh! Shirley?!?!?! An 800cc motorcycle, with a barely 100mph top speed and they call it a SPEED MASTER??!?! Some sort of misnoma for sure!
Then I observed that its got a claimed 45bhp, so presumeably aimed at A2 licence market, it sort of makes sense, B-U-t long was from being a road-burner....you 'could' have on a RWYL licence.
Same blurb also says 'Cruiser' which makes even more sense of the the, err, modest, power and speed.
Dry weight, on a water-cooled bike, or almost QUARTER OF A TON!!!!
I DON'T think that the performance.. or lack of.. would be my main concern, but holding the damg thing up!!! Especially with perverse cruiserified ergonomics, a set height slightly lower then a quire boys borrocks, and forward set pegs and pull-back bars.....
For a newby?
Look at all that chrome!! looks great in the brochure. I'm sure it looks fantastic in the show-room.... but... do you really want to spend all your early months polishing the thing... or going places? Amd how heart broken will you be when the inevitable happens and you fymble getting on the thing outside the whine-about it-bar and skuff it all up?
B-U-T... its a Ride What You Like Licence.. if that's what you want to ride... go for it B-U-T don't expect it to be anything than what it is, and be prepared for that inevitable.. here and now get your ducks in a row, its the LAST thing you need be worrying about....
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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?'

[G33kBoi]

I'm considering the 1200cc Speedmaster, 76bhp. Sure it's a heavy bike but apparently an easy enough ride as its low slung so low centre of gravity.
I'm too old to blat around at way over the speed limit, not sure I'd last long doing that anyway.
Once I've got my tests done I'll have a go on a few different makes/models but nothing wrong with daydreaming is there?

[Easy-X]

Take no notice. My father-in-law's got hold of a Bonneville America (the progenitor of the Speedmaster) and he's loving it!

Definitely suits a more... refined gentleman (Although you will be fucked if it falls over.)
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Husqvarna Vitpilen 401, Yamaha XSR700, Honda Rebel, Yamaha DT175, Suzuki SV650 (loan) Fazer 600, Keeway Superlight 125, 50cc turd scooter

[WreckTangle]

Good to see another biker on the road.

buy what ever bike you like, but be careful, don't expect to be guaranteed to pass both mod 1 and mod 2 tests straight away, as they are a lot of work to get through (the mod 1 test is the hardest of test, I know someone who has failed the test 3 times in a row ) so be optimistic, but don't get too over confident that you will let your guard down.

Whist you are doing your direct access training, I would recommend buying a cheap rubbish 125 again (or borrowing a friends one) so you can practice the mod 1 maneuvers, because without the training, you will never pass.

When you do pass your test (which I hope you do) I would recommend trying out a selection of bikes first, (you can ask the dealer for a test ride) Because buying a bike first.....then finding out you hate if afterwoods would be an expensive mistake.

Good luck through, as biking is so much fun compared to any other form of transport
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My wife asked me to get her something that goes from 0-100 in under 5 seconds for her birthday. ......................I got her a bathroom scale.

[seeyalater]

your view may change when you do your practical on whatever bike they use, alot of schools use fazers, and triumph tigers where i live. You may like what you learn on. or at least get more of an idea, before my practical i was hell bent on a big heavy bike, then did mod1 and thought umm think thats further down the line.

gear wise go to a decent shop for helmet and do a fitting, then try gloves, ones that dont restrict your hand use. i borrowed gloves for cbt and could barely move my fingers. dumb yes but was on the day.
i bought 2nd hand trousers and a new jacket from fleabay. and my boots. but was lucky.

Exciting start to the year best of luck.

[Teflon-Mike]

Low-slung does NOT always mean Low CofG anf Low CofG does NOT mean anything what-so-ever to 'manoeuvrability', either on the bike weaving through cones and stuff, or off it trying to shove it in/out the shed... be warned.

If worried about manoeuvrability, worry about manoeuvrability and do not con yourself that a low seat or shiny chrome 'must' mean that... it don't.

Straight off the top, specs say 'Cruiser', and they tend to have subterranean seat heights, that 'suggest' a low CofG, b-u-t perversely that low seat tends to actually make them LESS manoeuvrable, in or out the saddle. Imagine trying to sit om a skate-board and scoot it along with your feet, with your knees tucked under your chin, compared to scooting a push-bike with the saddle maybe 30" off the deck and your legs straight in a near standing position..Now add wide bars that beg you lean over the top of the bike to grab them and before the raked out geometry that begs more bar lock for any radius of turn is considered, you are not in the most effective position to effect leverage over the bike and shove it about.

The conventional 'sit up and beg' riding position of a more conventional road bike or tourer tends to score here and whatever the brochure weight, presumed or declared CofG, the lay-out of the bike, in the geometry and the ergonomics TENDS to give advantage in manoeuvrability, on or off the saddle, and oh-so-many tend to forget that they can actually get OFF the saddle to shove a bike about, and try doing it all from the seat, like scooting the skateboard about.... more you have been warned...

Back to top... Its a RIDE WHAT YOU LIKE LICENCE.. so ride what you like, and if a sons-of-apathy fantasy is it, go for it.. b-u-t dont try con yourself that the styling offers you any innate advantages... a-n-d dream by all means, b-u-t , in the real world you still have to go get that licence, and you are probably NOT starting with any head start from umpety decades of road use in other vehicles, but from behind with a whole shed load of ingrained ideas and bad habits, pre-conceptions and mis-conceptions, like this low seat 'must' mean easier manageability....

Ride THIS bit of road you can see, and don't fuck up the bends before you get to them trying to predict the unpredictable.... starts here and now planning getting your licence, long-LONG before you actually may be on a bike heading at bends......

Take it easy and DONT RUSH.... rushin' be fast way to hurt when it comes to motorbikes... and long before, and appling to much more than when you press on a bit opening the throttle any!

Good luck, but, ducks in a row, and expel these pre-conceptions along with the mis-conceptions and go learn a thing or three and get yourself a licence... NO RUSH, remember. Crikey its taken you half a century to get this far! Cant be all that urgent, can it?
____________________
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?'

[sulphur]

OP, considered a Triumph Street Cup?

[Easy-X]

Way to suck the fun out of the thread!

The main thing is to enjoy yourself. Happy people learn and retain more
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Husqvarna Vitpilen 401, Yamaha XSR700, Honda Rebel, Yamaha DT175, Suzuki SV650 (loan) Fazer 600, Keeway Superlight 125, 50cc turd scooter

[stevo as b4]

I'm surprised that people are eager to jump through hoops and the convoluted licensing system, and do it with enthusiasm and excitement to pass a test and be able to ride big bikes in 2020, probably for leisure only reasons.

Good to see another keen and excited new rider on the road?
Great to see a new biker with un restricted licence and not using bikes as a cheap affordable transport solution or traffic busting means to an end or way to allow them to earn a living?

I'm not so sure about any of that. My views are known on BCF and no excitement is shown here! OP is fully entitled to do whatever he wants, and coming through now into biking with today's biking climate, tolerance and opinion, and the world of today's manufacturer's product strategys, well they know no better and are quite nieve to a better times era, which is probably for the best.

How do these new riders for leisure (maybe with a sprinkle of seasonal commuting thrown in), find the world of bikes and motorcycling today? Can they swallow and justify an era of £10k-20k as a mainstream cost point of getting into the modern new bike scene?

I thought that boomers were still at it while they are alive, but that younger generations were spending shy with a greater level of budget and environmental responsibility these days, and expectation of alot more debt?

[G33kBoi]

[Easy-X]

Not sure I'd recommend the Rebel unless you want a "keeper" as they're only been out a few years and there isn't much of a second hand market like other models.

You can search for my other posts on the Rebel but basically you're getting a (relative to other cruisers) small, fairly light bike with reasonable power for what it is, i.e. A2 spec. Not recommended for the overly tall or lardy.

Excellent "beginner" bike IMHO if you're not into racing, bragging about lean angle and suchlike.
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Husqvarna Vitpilen 401, Yamaha XSR700, Honda Rebel, Yamaha DT175, Suzuki SV650 (loan) Fazer 600, Keeway Superlight 125, 50cc turd scooter

[G33kBoi]