20 year old need help deciding

[Mr.White]

Hi there i have been wanting to get a bike for a long time but due to lack of money havnt but now i might be able to afford it if i keep spending down on other things. However i am 21 in 5 months and am not sure wether to do my CBT soon and get a 125 or do the proper test. I have been looking at bikes and i dont really like any 125's execpt maybe honda xr. I also had a go on my m8s 600cc sports bike duno what model it was just going like 5mph but it seemed way to heavy so i think id want to start with somthing smaller. maybe a 250

my budget is around 2000£ for bike and test and insurance should i do cbt or proper test and any recomendations of light bikes sports/naked style

[Wafer_Thin_Ham]

The 600 probably seemed heavy due to being a sports bike, and the first bike you've really ridden.

Something like a naken 600, e.g. Bandit, hornet, Fazer would be ideal for a beginner, can be easily restricted if need be.

They can also be picked up and insured quite cheaply.
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[metalangel]

How tall a person are you? As a little bike that might suit someone 5'8 won't necessarily be comfortable for someone 6'3. What is it about 125s you don't like? As there's a 125 in practically every style. There's not as many 250s as there used to be, but I don't know much about those so couldn't really advise you.

You have to do your CBT before you can move on to lessons or tests. From there it's either do a restricted licence for 2 years or wait until you're 21 and do Direct Access to be immediately unrestricted.

My advice would be to do your CBT and see how you feel - all bikes will feel big and heavy at first but you might find 125s too light and twitchy and will appreciate the size and weight of something larger.
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Previous: 2002 Honda CB500 (sold), 2007 Suzuki SV650SK6 (crashed), 2005 Yamaha FZ6 Fazer (sold). Currently bikeless
"A faired bike will get you 10x more clunge than a unfaired one." -Marlboro Matt

[Mr.White]

so you have to do the cbt whatever? i didnt know that. You cant w8 til your 21 and just do lesson/proper test?

im 6'1 and if i got a 125 id want a 4stroke cos i dont like the sound of 2 and iv read youve gota take care of them which i wouldnt. Are bandits etc light in weight? i was also looking at ninja250s but they seem pricey

[arry]

[bacon]

yeh, cbt gets you L plates and a 125cc limit on capacity and a bout 14.6bhp or something, no pillions or motorways

then you need to do your theory test

then either A2 test on a 125 (33bhp restricted licence for 2 years)

or DAS (have to be 21 but gives you a full unrestricted licence)


if i were you, id get a cbt, cruise around till your 21 on it, then do your DAS, would suck to be restricted knowing if you wanted it lifted you would have to sit your test again in 5 months!

as for bike weight, it doesnt matter at all really, as soon as you are moving the weight is not an issue

[Wafer_Thin_Ham]

[EUMP]

CG125, or go to the GYM and get a nice bike
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[metalangel]

[Villers]

I started at pretty much the same age as you are now, so I can understand your excitement!!

Don't worry about the CBT, the only thing to fear is the cost. It is quite a good day out and you will get some good confidence from doing it.

Thing you have to remember is that theres lots of cost involved. To get a full licence + CBT could cost you anything upwards of £500 for a start. If you are wanting to insure a bigger bike like a bandit then in your first year you are probably going to end up paying another 500 TPFT or worse depending on where you live. Suddenly a 2k budget is vanishing very quickly, but it can be done for that much I'd imagine.

I did my CBT and then rode a 125 for about 8 months. This might not be a bad idea as you have an outlay of £100 ish for the CBT and you can pick up a road worthy CG for relatively little money. While you own it unless you turn it into a pile of bits its unlikely to lose you any money. You will save on fuel, insurance, tax, tyres and the lot. In this time save up a bit more cash to go with your experience that you will be gaining on the little bike. Then when you have a years no claims, a few k for the bike and insurance and test you can confidently go for it and never look back. I bought a 2000 reg CBR6 with 5k miles on it for £2100 on a CAT C write off, best bike I ever bought, even when I re-wrote it off it sold for £1400 on ebay 2 years later!

Whatever you chose mate, best of luck and enjoy yourself!!
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