If you could double your bike buying budget..

[M1ghtyDUck]

Hi there,

There's a small chance some of your will know me as the one that keeps pestering you lot about zxr400s, or which 33bhp sportsbike to get after I pass my test. (being 18, I'm 33bhp for 2 years)

Quick rundown. At the moment I was aiming for a ZXR400. With a budget of just under £2000 for bike and insurance.

Now, there is a small chance (don't count chickens and all that) that I could literally double my budget. Insurance settlement. It's in no way guaranteed and I'm not getting my hopes up, but hey we all love window shopping - with potentially almost 4 grand to spend.

Now, there are 2 bikes I really like, but I've always thought would be years away. The CBR600, and the R6 (prefer the R6).

You can guess what I'm about to ask.

Really, what is the feasibility of getting a 600cc superbike like the above at my age? Is it just dumb? I know I'll get raped by insurance, but with an extra 2 grand, I could maybe afford it? I'd still only be 3rd party I guess, so if I get in an accident that was my fault (or die from one) I'm still rather screwed. Obviously it's still a huge step up from my NSR125.

Price wise, I've found R6s I like for under 2 grand (does that ring alarm bells? Would you reckon it's a shoddy example at that price? Or do good ones exist in that price range) and for some reason got quoted by one company £835 TPO, when all others were £2000+. (lowest on the CBR600 was 1380). So, ridiculously, it does seem within my potential new budget, with some to spare. That being said, I am off to Uni in september.. so an extra 2 grand would certainly help there too. But still.. AN R6!!


So.. could I really do it? Could I be riding an R6 in a couple months time? Tell me it isn't true.

I may be given the chance to double my bike budget. What would you do if you could?

[dabigginger]

I wouldn't dream of getting a bike like an R6 as TPO. Sods law it would get nicked and you would be totally gutted. Secondly, I wouldn't spend anywhere near £4k on my first bike, especially something like an R6 which isn't the most forgiving machines on the planet and probably wouldn't really like the restriction much.

Stick with something within a reasonable price range (something that won't make you cry if you drop it or bin it) and something fairly sensible. You have your whole life to get an R6. No need to rush yet, bud.

[ms51ves3]

You could buy a brand new ninja 250 and probably get it insured fully comp.

No need for restriction so no problems of stangling the engine.

[dabigginger]

To be honest bud, that would probably be a much better deal for you!

[Blau Zedong]

[mistergixer]

Go with what your heart desires and your pocket can afford.

Personally i wouldn't spend 2 grand on a bike that i could only afford to insure TPO, but that's just me.

Again, personally speaking i'd keep the NSR and spend the 4 grand on booze, drugs and whores at Uni - and just squander anything i had left.


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[Pie-Roe]

Why not do the original plan, put the two grand in a high saver for 2 years, that is difficult but not impossible to remove. Won't get much in interest really, couple hundred quid, but when your restriction is up, you are more likely to be able to get the bike you want.

+ if you ever have financial worries or need money for a new bike after yours gets nicked TPO etc etc its there.

I've got a grand put away for when my restriction is up. I'm thinking zx12 or bird.

Pyro
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Previous: GSF600, FZR600 x2, ZXR750, XT600 Tenere, CB125, CZ125, ETZ 250, ER5, CCM R30, DRZ400, RF600x4, RF900x2, GS500, VTR1000F, 640 SMC, CB250 NIGHTHAWK, GT550x3, GPX750 TE610, CB500, X11x2, SV650, ZING 125, TL1000R,CB250 Superdream, CBR1100XX

[M1ghtyDUck]

ack.. Delete please. Browser screw up.

[hmmmnz]

although i dont think a 600cc is bad for an 18 year old, i had one at 16
(nz biking laws rule) i had been riding for years and years, and had progressed up the cc ladder on road bikes as you would expect. or as it should be, 50cc 250cc 400 600 750 ec ect
i wouldn't of i were you jump from a 125 straight to a 600,
not because i dont think you could handle it, but because you'll miss the screaming fun of a 400
save your cash and spend it when your restriction is up
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[M1ghtyDUck]

*Holds face out for passing BCFers to slap*

Thanks guys, I just needed a wake up call. 2 Grand in the bank is a lovely thing to have. I just realised that for a uni student, that's an entire summer's worth of full time work (assuming 2 months, grand a month). I think if I end up getting this money I'll stick to the original plan, though maybe upping my budget a little bit if I see that dream ZXR in mint condition. Seeing as I'd have.

mistergixer, I would've kept the NSR, except the accident that gave me this personal injury settlement chance is the same one that wrote off the NSR! Least they admitted full liability. I'm on a courtesy rental at the moment.. YBR125. It's good practice for my test at least.

[mistergixer]

Oh well, forget the NSR and just go down the suggested drugs/whores route then.
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Space Monkey #7
Don Eladio is dead. His capos are dead. You have no one left to fight for. Fill your pockets and leave in peace. Or fight me and die!
Mistergixer's videos on YouTube

[woo]

go all out and get an R1 they are going as cheap as £2600!

Yeah youll get raped on insurance but well you only live once and 600's needs be reved just as hard as a 400's but a 1000 dont the power is just always there!

You only go as fast according to how much you twist the throttle!

Or you could be financially and environmental sensbile and get a yamaha sr125 or honda cg125 the choice is yours what will you do?
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[G]

As you say; I wouldn't be surprised if you could do an early R6 + insurance for not much more than £2k if you shop around a lot for both. You can get a decent bike in your price range if you do your home work and check it out, along with a bit of luck .

If you're going to keep it at 33hp for a while then it won't really make you any more likely to die on it than a 33hp 400 .

TPO insurance is fine on an R6 just as much as on a 400cc bike worth about the same. Take precautions in your riding and securing the bike and you should be fine.
If you had fully comp, you'd probably still lose out in the long run if you made a claim on a bike worth less than £2k.
If you're going for a tattier bike then if you do crash, you'll relatively lose a lot less.

[MaybeGuy]

doesnt TPFT exist any more??

im insured TPFT on my GSXR600 for £500... im 18 too.

dont get it over the internet though, you need to phone up and haggle, then when its down, say you have a quote £50 less than they are saying.

then they'll ''just have a quick check'' again... low and behold... cheap insurnce.

turns out it was £200 more expensive to insure it TPO
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Blue_SV650S wrote: it was a sh1te wheelie, but it proves that he can get it up in 3rd and can do angles. In summery, mattsprattuk is a gobby little sh1tebag, dopehead tw4t, but sadly for all of us, he probably isn't THAT full of sh1te!!
Kickstart wrote: Hi I tend to agree with Matt. All the best Keith

[NSR Mick]

If i could double my budget I'd have twice as many bikes.
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[feef]

I'm SORELY tempted by a Kawasaki GTR1400.. while I technically have NO budget for bikes at the moment, I can say that if I DID, the GTR would be up there straight off.

Shame about the exhaust, tho.

a
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[M1ghtyDUck]

G, that post really has me thinking. Mainly because:

ZXR400 in a reasonable condition = £1600
My best go compare quote for ZXR = £565
Total = 2100

A 1999 or 2000 R6 = around £2000
My best gocompare quote R6 = 872
Total = 2900

Difference of £800.

I'm aware I could get the insurance down for either by ringing around lots, but i figure a go compare quote is a good basis. Although the R6 did have only one good quote, the rest 2000, whereas the ZXR had a ton around that level.. hmm.

Thing is though, I'd have an R6 rather than a ZXR. I'm pretty sure I'd need to be spending maybe a couple hundred more on the zxr for the inevitable cam chain and head gasket replacement, which further narrows the gap. Hmm.. choices.

Plus there are lots more R6s for sale, so a better chance of getting one in the right range.

I think the next thing I need to know is how well an R6 takes to 33bhp restriction when compared to a ZXR400. Not as well of course.. but still. Off to do some searching.. maybe a topic here if I can't find much.

Cheers.

[G]

R6 feels pretty nasty restricted to my mind. But that's from having ridden and raced full power ones.

It will be worse because of the gearing, though you could consider some fairly serious downgearing at the same time.

Remember the R6 has issues too.
I've seen early R6s go for around £1500 a few months ago. However if the weather starts to try out a bit, prices will undoubtedly start to go up a bit.

[M1ghtyDUck]

How so nasty? Like weak in general? Can't rev high enough to tap into the power? I've heard stuff like that.

Any idea what it'd be like when compared to a restricted ZXR400? Around 60-65bhp down to 33 rather than 100+. But I'm not sure what other factors would be involved, like when power is delivered in the rev range etc.

Because basically, if the R6 and the ZXR are going to be similar performance at 33bhp (the sort that someone who's only ridden an sr125, NSR125, and a YBR125 wouldn't tell much of a difference with) then I'd prefer the R6. But if the R6 is really going to struggle, whereas the ZXR will take to restriction like a duck to water, that'd seriously influence my decision.

Thanks

[G]

Either will probably seem quite fast to you regardless.

I think the R6 is geared for an indicated 70mph-75 in first gear.
The ZXR is probably more like 45mph.

Of course normally the R6 would have more power to make up for the higher gearing - at 45mph it may well be making the same power the ZXR is at peak revs while it's only 2/3rds of the way through it's revrange.

Stick both with the same power and I suspect that's one of the reasons it doesn't feel great.

[M1ghtyDUck]

So you're saying that both given the same power, the ZXR might actually out perform the R6, at least with initial acceleration, because it's geared more appropriately. The R6 meanwhile relies on its power to make up for the gearing, which obviously it won't have. I've understood you right?

In which case, would changing the number of teeth on the front and/or rear sprocket be a good idea to downgear the R6? I do plan on using it on the motorway however, so not too much.

[MaybeGuy]

[G]

Duck:
Yes and yes.
However, as mentioned; coming from a lower powered bike, it may well still feel great; so probably best to wait and see how it feels.
Ideally try and blag a test ride on a restricted R6 first.

matt:
The r6 has a notoriously revvy engine.
It would have certainly had higher peak torque than the ZXR pre restriction. However, if they both now make 33hp at peak power and the R6 makes it's peak power at higher rpm (standard redline is higher as far as I know); it will have less peak torque.

The way the restriction affects the range of torque is another matter and one on which I don't know.

Upgearing would be futile on the R6 because you could just use a higher gear anyway.
Down gearing would not reduce top speed; as stock being geared for 160 it'll only get to about 2/3rds of it's possible speed in top.
It probably would increase acceleration a bit, though.

[KLR600]

I was on a ride just the other day with someone who was 18 on a restricted R6 as it happens. He didn't have too much trouble keeping up I thought but he did say he was struggling on the straights. I seem to remember he said his insurance was £1200ish but he had to go fully comp as he got the bike on finance or some other weird condition.

I'd follow your heart. 2 months ago I bought my Kwak ZRX1100 and I was uhming and ahing over it for months (literally) before I got it. I made countless excel spreadsheets trying to figure out if I could afford it and if there was other ways to get it or even if I needed it but in the end I just decided "I want a new bike" so I went out and got one and I haven't regretted it for a single second.

On the cc jump.... No one will be forcing you to twist the throttle to the stop so if you take it easy for a bit you'll be fine!
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