Sensible 'class A' bike choice for new licence holder?

Freddyfruitba... · World Chat Champion Joined: 20 May 2016 Karma :

My 24 year-old is currently trundling around very happily on his 125cc Vanvan, biding his time until he's able to take his Mod 1 and 2 tests, which he's keen to do ASAP.

Needless to say he's already window-shopping for his first 'big bike', and needless to say he's pretty horrified at the prospective cost of insurance, and that will be the limiting factor on what he ends up buying. Would welcome any suggestions on any particular bikes are likely to be less expensive to insure?

He'd originally been considering an XSR700 as his 'dream bike', but that looks to be out of the window for a couple of years I think. I came up with a Royal Enfield, which is certainly far cheaper to insure, and he's not totally averse to that... any others?

(He lives in a city; although bike is kept in a communal area reasonably safely behind a locked gate it's not garaged so I expect insurers will just class that as being the equivalent of on-street parking Rolling Eyes

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KC100->CB100N->CB250RS--------->DL650AL2->R1200RS->R1250RS

Easy-X · Super Spammer Joined: 08 Mar 2019 Karma :

Having just gone from a Rebel to the XSR you mention I'd say 80% of the time 47hp is plenty. Maybe just get by with an A2 bike for a bit?

2 years down the road: NCD + over 25 should bring the insurance price down a bit. Dull but needs must and all that Sad

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Husqvarna Vitpilen 401, Yamaha XSR700, ~~Honda Rebel,~~ ~~Yamaha DT175,~~ ~~Suzuki SV650 (loan)~~ ~~Fazer 600,~~ ~~Keeway Superlight 125,~~ ~~50cc turd scooter~~

arry · Super Spammer Joined: 03 Jan 2009 Karma :

Triumph Street Twin is the obvious and higher quality offering to counter the Enfield.

If I were ye I'd be running obscure quotes on cheap obscure bikes and digging for gold.

ThunderGuts · World Chat Champion Joined: 13 Nov 2018 Karma :

Street Twin is a great bike, loved mine. They do command higher prices than the RE though and probably steeper insurance too. The ST has a massive hole through the engine/frame so if you can get a ground anchor you can put a massive chain through it and have the chain not touching the ground with the padlock directly under the bike - about as good as you'll get really.

Yes pretty sure insurers only consider a private enclosure as a garage - they might treat it as a drive though. If it's like the ones I know in Manchester, the gates are a doddle to trick into keeping open - not great for security and makes them almost meaningless. Crying or Very sad

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TG.

dynax · Trackday Trickster Joined: 06 May 2019 Karma :

ER5 cheap as chips to buy and insure, dull as dishwater but will be do the job for a while to build up NCD Thumbs Up

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Mike.
Bikes: Xena, Bridget,Florence
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmihUc0xXxYbR4_0l-F1FzA/videos?view_as=subscriber

ThunderGuts · World Chat Champion Joined: 13 Nov 2018 Karma :

NJD · World Chat Champion Joined: 11 Mar 2015 Karma :

kolu · Nova Slayer Joined: 29 Sep 2019 Karma :

Suzuki GS500

baritone · L Plate Warrior Joined: 05 May 2019 Karma :

I also think that an A2 bike is perfectly fine - for maybe even 90% of the time. I have a Moto Guzzi V7 (47hp) and a Tracer 900 (115hp) and the V7 is not 40% of the fun of the Tracer - it's most often more fun than the Tracer. Slow bike ridden fast and all that kind of thing.