What bike for a learner?

[ellis1603]

hi im new to the site so not sure if this in right place.

Basically Im nearing my 21st birthday (mid march) and i want to do my full license. considering doing direct access so i can ride anything. what i am wondering is to what bike i should get should i pass my direct access.

I was at first thinking about a 400cc supersports (CBR, VFR, etc) but as i do not have any experience on a geared bike apart from riding my mates kx125 on the fields should i do the direct access and get a 125 or 250 to learn the basics of riding on the roads. the only real road experience i have is riding a twist and go hairdryer for two years haha.

I have been looking at in the 125's - nsr, ybr, rs, mito. and in the 250's i have looked at have been the RS, Ninja and the hyosung GT. I was wondering if anyone could tell me if any of these would be good to learn on. I would then like to progress to a "bigger bike" when i feel confident enough in my riding ability.

any help/advice greatly appreciated.

[Graprilia]

theres is so many choices , all depends on your budget and what type of bike you wish to get i.e. sports.
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Piaggo liberty 125 SOLD - CBR 125 - SOLD Aprilia RS 125 - SOLD CBR 400 NC29 - SOLD ZX6R currently own https://bikepics.com/members/Graprilia/

[shellywoozle]

I have a SV650s, very good first bike, V Twin engine.

Good size and got all the power I need right now. They are a half faired bike but you can add fairings, have a naked look if you go for the SV650n which is more of a upright seated position.

I am not bored yet and had her 2 years. And the best of it is they are cheap to buy as they are Suzukis budget bike.

Take a look on sv650.org is you like sound, many people on there more technical minded that can help you out.
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Tell your pants it's rude to point !!

[ellis1603]

i do have a soft spot for sportbikes, always have, always will lol. budget is probably around 2k. what would you recommend? is a 400cc sports a good idea for a first bike??

[NexusDragon]

I'll always stick with the theory of going for a user friendly 125 like a CG125 or YBR125 to start off on, before going for larger bikes.

To ride a small under-powered 125 will give some valuable experience. Of course, if you feel that you trust yourself enough not to crazy on a larger machine go ahead, just respect that power you have between your legs! I've always imagined jumping on big (road) bikes without prior experience is a recipe for disaster.
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DAS Passed 19th April 08. 07' YBR125 > Yamaha FZ6 S2 '08 > 1998 YZF600R ThunderCat

[Graprilia]

if you have £2k to spend then you should get a very nice VFR or CBR 400.

My NC29 is very easy to ride and orginally i started of on an twist and go.

I take it you will be restricted to 33bhp?
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Piaggo liberty 125 SOLD - CBR 125 - SOLD Aprilia RS 125 - SOLD CBR 400 NC29 - SOLD ZX6R currently own https://bikepics.com/members/Graprilia/

[ellis1603]

well i was planning to do the direct access which i believe allows you to ride any size bike although i could be wrong. so you went from a twist and go straight to a 400??


had a look at an sv 650.i do quite like it whats the spec on them?

[ellis1603]

[Graprilia]

oh yea DAS will let you ride unrestricted.

i started on a twist and go , then CBR125 to a RS125 to a CBR400.

Again the SV would fit in your price budget , but bear in mind you will have to get insurance on top.

This link has some spec on the SV.

https://www.bikez.com/motorcycles/suzuki_sv_650_s_2003.php
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Piaggo liberty 125 SOLD - CBR 125 - SOLD Aprilia RS 125 - SOLD CBR 400 NC29 - SOLD ZX6R currently own https://bikepics.com/members/Graprilia/

[ellis1603]

[Graprilia]

[ellis1603]

im not to bothered about a sportsbike as my first.just want something i can perfect my riding skills on. thanks for all the advice im gonna have alook about and compare some insurance quotes and specs.
thanks.

[Netting87]

Hey,

I'm in the same position as yourself, turned 21 and doing my DAS very soon.

After much deliberation I narrowed it down to two bikes. The SV650 and the Kawasaki ER-6n. Then after even more deliberation I decided on the ER-6n. Mainly for looks, but it is supposed to have a better engine, it's newer and has a few more gizmos.

The ER-6 is one insurance group higher than the SV650, but you get 5mpg (quoted) more out of the kwak so it would probably level out in the long run. A decent SV650 (new shape) will set you back around 2K, an ER-6 around 2-2.5K. The one thing I wish the ER-6 had though is the SV650's sound, GORGEOUS with the right pipes.

Best thing to do is go here . There's a wealth of reviews from the editors and owners. Great place to determine what you want.[/url]
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Dan - Soon to be noob biker

CBT 22-01-09 Passed - Theory 29-01-09 Passed - DAS 07-04-09 BRING IT ON!

[el_oso]

a 125 will get boring unless all you do is ride it around busy towns. in which case i think my 125 was awesome. really light easy to handle really economic and very forgiving. squeezing every last mph out of it sure was fun. but stick in on some fast country roads or a motorway or A road and its a whole other story. something like the 250's will still be slow compared to something like an SV or ER but still be able to out accelerate a respectable car ~2.0L. will also be able to hit 100mph (not that you should ever use it
) but still be fairly nimble, forgiving and economic like a 125. if you don't plan on riding fast id go with a 250 and not do the DAS. you will be restricted to 33bhp for two years though which shouldn't bother you if you are not a speed demon and want to be able to get the best out of your bike. a few riders that i know have big bikes but don't know how to put all that power to road in a safe way.
check out the thread that was on this the other week. really good thread.

[jack_zxr400]

pass your DAS then look at bikes lol
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Previous Bike: ZXR 400
Current Bike: R6
Test Date: 8/8/2008-PASSED

[ellis1603]

haha true enough its to easy to focus on the bike and not the test itself for me though...

[mooserx]

sv650 is a good un to start on but if you want an il4 thats sporty but no supersports, there are a few tbh, thundercat, zzr600, tt600, that is of course if you haven't got your heart set on a 400. all the listed 600's could be described as good starter bikes, but it's your choice, i'd advise getting the test passed then have a good look round, chuck your leg over every bike you like the look of and test ride the ones you really like, at the end of the day, whats right for others might not be for you.
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TL1000r-handful.

[neil.]

My 125 has been awesome in the snow and ice over the last few days. Light enough for me to support it, with just the right amount of power to prevent any nasty overcooked wheel spins etc. It's made an excellent winter commuter.
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CBT February 2008 | A2 June 2008 | Yamaha YBR125 (written off) | Honda CBF125 (current)

[Mord]

I had my CBT on YBR125... lovely learner bike.