Hmmmmm....what next?

[Silky]

Hey guys!

Just recently spoke to a bike dealer about stepping up to a better bike after my test.
I'm on a good old CG125 at the moment, but I'm getting a bit tired of it. Not got any breathtaking 'leanage' in a while lol.

Anyway, I digress, I was originally thinking of getting a sexy zxr400.....

However, the dealer told me that, as a 17 year old, even with one year no claims, it wouldn't be worth going for a 400, as the insurance situation is likely to be bad, and that it would be a better idea to go straight for an SV650, or similar.

Then he said, in his opinion; I'd be better off having fun on 125s for a while instead.

So....I'm just wondering if it's worth getting something like an RS125 or something in the same catagory. I was thinking in terms of power differences between my original CG and one of these sports 125s.

He also said that tuning one wouldn't be a bad idea. So... how easy is it to tune one of these thingys....? What about costs?

Thanks guys woot!

[kb-zxr]

Cost me £600 TPFT when i was 17 for a zxr400 (1 year ncb).

ZXR's are group 12, SV650s are group 10, but the SV will probably cost more to insure as it will more than likely be newer and worth more. Just shop around for a good deal before you commit yourself

Kurt

[mr.z]

Could it be they are trying to sell you a more expensive bike perhaps?

For impartial advice dealers are generally trying to sell you something, geting you to spend £800 more on a bike to save you £100 on your insureance is not going to help you all that much

Sports 2strokes are all nice in theory and fun but not as good as a 4stroke 400, not as relyable or as useable power e.t.c. if i was being given a choice i'd have a £1500 4stroke over a £3000 125- 2stroke anyday

A cg to a zxr is a big step, if you want something on the sportyer side they will do nicely, but if your useing it for commuting then it may prove hard work compared to an sv or bandit maybe... but be prepared for the less practical nature of sports bikes compared to allrounders if you go that way..

have a look at the bandit 600, cbr 600, yamaha thundercat, zzr 600, all capable and all do real world rideing well too...


Find a big showroom and try siting on a few you like the look of... when you find some you think you'd be able to live with come back and ask about them
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>RidingSkills<->Tech Tips<->MyBikes<

[Wooly R6]

4 stroke is way smoother and way better all round!!!!

SV650 or fz6 or summat

[Robby]

Get a pen and paper, sit down and work out numbers. Be realistic over it.

Get the bike you want, not the bike the kiddies on here tell you to get.

A few simple truths:

The insurance on 400s is inflated, just like the insurance in 125s. This is because they are owned primarily by 17 year olds that crash them. Insurance on things like bandits, fazers, SV650s is far more sensible because they have a much wider owner demographic.

A newer bike will be more reliable than an older bike. There are of course exceptions, but its true as a general rule. You will see very good condition sports 400s that will run like clockwork, and expect to pay over the odds for what you will quickly see is only a 60hp bike.

Don't be scared of being a sheep. A bandit 600 or CBR600 is a hugely popular bike because its really good, honestly priced, reliable, and fun. A VFR400 NC24 is rare for the opposite reasons.

Grey imports cost less up front because they are worth less. Insurance and parts prices are higher, and it has spent months in a metal box in salty sea air. Not good for bikes, that. If it is a japanese import you can expect it to have been abused, people don't care for bikes so much over there because they see them as a total dead loss at 10 years old however they care for them. Vehicles over there have to have a very strict MOT style inspection at 10 years, its not economically viable to pass one.

You get what you pay for.

And most importantly, look a little long term. Well longer term than one month. That ZXR400 may only cost 1400, but you can expect to spend some money on maintenance. Parts will cost more, and its likely to need more problems fixed. If you blow an engine you need to find another one, which isn't as easy as it should be. When you come to sell it, you can expect to lose out even more.
In comparison, if you spend a little more up front on a 600/650 you can expect an easier life with it.

Final little note. Don't ignore the 500s. They can handle, certainly more than well enough for a newbie. They take restriction better than sports 400, they make their power in a nicer way for day to day riding, and they cost less to run. The only place they really fall down it looks, if you prefer the looks of faired bikes.

[scottiel]

My mate is 21 and has 1 years no claims as a learner on a CBR125.
He went to buy a SV650 but insurance was to high although it is group 10, so he has just bought a brand new Fazer. Hopefully he will not fail his test again.

[Wooly R6]

on my insurance it says my r6 is a group 8!!!

i am 23 and pay £490 tpft for my R6 one year ncb

TPFT just means i gotta be careful!!! simple

my fault = i pay big style

[Wooly R6]

with bennetts by the way!!!!

[Robby]

Is your R6 a factory restricted 33bhp bike?

Otherwise, thats called an error. Normal R6 is about group 16.

[Silky]

Hmmm....this has been an eye-opener.

I was just thinking... if I did go for something like a bandit, I'd be worried about dropping it, and surely the jump from a 125 to a 600 is going to be big (especially for something like the CBR600) ...is it not?

Im only a small guy (bit weedy to be honest ), so im not sure if i could handle something too big. Or is it better to just get on with it and 'be a man!'? lol.

[R4nger]

I would never buy from a dealer unless I was rich or drunk.

[dodsi]

I went from a 125 to a restricted ER-5 and it shocked the hell out of me initially.

Granted they are not as quick as the 600's or nearly as exciting as the 400's BUT

They are cheaper to insure (all the 500 twins not perticularly the ER-5)

Plenty about

Very user friendly.

But it depends what you want from a bike, this is only my opinion.

[instigator]

[dodsi]

Yeah!

Its because I cant afford to upgrade yet!

They are a great stepping stone, but now I need more!

[Robby]

It all depends what sort of person you are, and if you're 17 then money is probably a pretty big factor.

I went from a restricted NS125 to a 1982 CB250RSA after I passed my test. I loved it, I hated it, it did the job, it broke, it went, it took passengers, it had no top speed. Got me and my girlfriend to France and back.

I had that bike for about 6 months, would have been 9 but I killed it.

For me, that was the right approach. Very good bike to learn how to ride better after passing my test. Kids on here hop straight onto sports 600s after passing their tests, and for them that may be the right approach. I bought the 250 because it was 400 quid and cheap to run.

I would recommend the 500 twin approach though. I think 125 to 600 is too big a step, but 125 to restricted 500 is quite good. You can learn to ride well too, you get lazy very quickly if you do your learning on a powerful bike.

[dodsi]

Your right,

If I had jumped onto a 600 straight away I would have hurt myself pretty quickly, simply because I didnt have the experiance with one.

[Reevo8]

I rode a 50cc for 10,000 miles, CBR125 for 9,000 miles. On the moning that I was gonna pick up the cbr600rr I rode my dads R1. Self control and confidence is key. I am more than used to the power as it is restricted, and am looking forward to seeing it derestricted!
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05 ZX10R, (**05 WKR)

[Wooly R6]

if my R6 is restricted i wouldnt be able to do 160mph

i have the insurance certificate - so its their fault at the end of the day if they have got the price wrong.

i declared all!!!

i jumped from my cagiva mito to my R6 with 3 days on the ER-5 test bike in between.

at first it seems a bit scary but if you respect it and take it easy you get to know it.

if you think your right wrist must be on full throttle all the time you ARE going to hurt yourself and maybe others!!!

THE KEY IS BEING SENSIBLE AT THE END OF THE DAY, AND HAVING FUN!!!

[Russ]

The right thing to do before you choose is to try an online quote of a few different bikes.
I have seen it before people buying bikes then finding out the insurance is beyond them. Have a go with this link and see what you can afford.
https://www.insurance-at.com/uk-motorcycle-insurance.htm

[Bendy]

[biggerjohn]

I whent from a riding a 125cc for 6 weeks to a 600cc after my test without a problem and although I may be a bit older I had the same worries as you about jumping on a 600cc but if you can curb your youthful zest for a while you will get the experience you need to handle the bigger bike.

But remember at some point you will drop the bike it happens just like death and taxes all you can hope for it to pay out the lest possible till it croaks.

BTW grats on passing

[Silky]

um...i havent passed....yet

i was just planning out the future thats all. i must have been a bit unclear in my first post, sorry bout that...

will be taking it soon though! lol