Turning 17 in a month...

[gallitout]

... and I'm looking at getting a geared 125 to keep for a year, then sell on at 18 to get something slightly larger, and I've got a few questions if anyone could help?

The bike I'm looking at is a Yamaha YBR 125, brand new 2010 model, which is £2000, with insurance and a few bits and bobs like a helmet and a lock etc... which I can afford between my Dad being a saint and selling my 50cc scooter. Is this a decent price? And is the YBR a good bike? I will be keeping it for a year doing a minimum of 12 miles a day, all year round, perhaps even after that.

The other thing is, I am 6' 3" and quite lanky, is a "sit up and beg" 125 just going to look ridiculous being that tall? I will resolve this in a few days by going and sitting on the thing though, which I failed to do before.

Also... having done my CBT on a 50cc twist and go at 16, it seems I don't legally have to do another CBT.. how difficult is mastering gear changes? I have a field I can muck around in for a few hours... that's all I really need to master, I've got the road sense... the CBT is £100 so I'd really rather not spend that money unless you think it's indispensable?

And I assume once I'm 17 I can do the test, remove my L-plates, go on motorways and take a passenger? Is this test particularly difficult or expensive?

Everyone on here seems to be recommending the CG 125, but the Yamaha seems like a good bike to me... although of course you read one bad review and start thinking you've made the wrong choice...

Hope you can help, thanks

[0l0dom0l0]

First thing is, yes they are good bikes. but why buy one brand new if your going to sell it in a year? your better off saving the £500 and buying one second hand, and putting the £500 towards taking your full test, and getting your restriction out of the way.

changing gear is easy, check it out on youtube, but its really not that hard to master.

My advice would be, buy yourself a cheap but reliable 125, take your test, and after a year, buy yourself something bigger!

[gallitout]

"putting the £500 towards taking a full test"
How much is a full test then? In general?

[Sam_Y_93]

Agree with dom, no need to go out and buy a brand new bike. You can pick them up for pretty cheap in good nick, so may as well save your money.

As for changing gears i found that this video helped me to learn to ride a geared bike. But practise is the best thing up and down your road getting used to the clutch control, thats the main thing.

Just gone through the test my self, its not particularly hard. Its a two part test first one is like the start of your CBT going around cones in a closed area this costs £15. Part two of the test you go out onto the roads and just have to ride by the book for 40 minutes or so this costs £75. you might also want some lessons, local training school near me charged 30 quid an hour and without it probably wouldnt have passed

My advice would be to go out and buy a 125, CG or YBR both are good bikes. After 6 months or so, or once you feel you are doing everything right start sorting parts of your test out and get it done as early as possible.
____________________
Bikes Past: Yamaha Aerox (sold) Yamaha R125 (written off)
Bikes Current: Honda VFR 400 (awaiting restoration) Honda CB600f F-4
Theory passed July 21st Mod1 passed August 3rd Mod 2 passed 26th August

[Bloke]

[Derivative]

I would buy an 07 or so YBR and keep the rest of the money for maintenance, that way you'll definitely have what you need if things go tits up and will learn what to do.

Just my opinion though. Full test is £120 or so including theory, then you can get something with a lot more grunt such as the Ninja 250.

[bhinso]

I'm about your height and I did my cbt on a cg125, which is a similar size bike to what you're looking at and felt too small for me.
if you're looking at doing the a2 pretty quickly then you can probably cope with a ybr for a while, if not then i'd consider a moto x style 125. hope this helps!

[gazz hough]

[gallitout]

Thankyou everyone for your help, I will take a look around for second hand 125s then... to whoever said they're in Bristol I'm buying it through Fowlers, using Ace Motorcycle training next door for the CBT. If you think a second CBT is unneeded then all the better!
As to a moto x bike, I'm really looking at a more traditional kind of road bike, not one of those 125 supersports though, apparently they're underpowered and a bit dangerous for a first rider.
Thanks again

[Bloke]

[Skudd]

At over 6 foot i would go for a second hand Varadero 125. It is bigger and will not make you look daft.
____________________
Famous last words of Humpty Dumpty. " Stop pushing me "
Petty Anarchists look at "1984".............. The Visionary looks at "Animal Farm".

[Mr_Cynical]

[Nexus Icon]

I took my Mod 2 on a CG and it felt like a monkey bike compared to my usual ride of a Derbi Terra 125. I'm 6'4" though.

[Teflon-Mike]

YBR125 is a good newbie bike, & while you are tall & its small, plenty of others manage OK with the same.

As for buying new vs 2nd hand.

Yes £500 saving is very tempting; BUT, have to say if you can afford it, on a 125, it CAN be well worth it.

On a LL, bikes tend to be cheaper & built down to a price & live a harder life than bigger bikes, so 2nd hand ones, even if fairly new will normally see plenty or wear & tear from clumsy larner owners.

As a learner, you are wobbly enough, getting to grips with riding, last thing you want is a bike beneath you doing some wobbling on its own account, becouse its got soggy suspension or worn out bushes or whatever.

Band New 125 eliminates a variable; bike should be good, so any wobbling going on will be on your account!

AND being a low-cost machine, 25% depreciation in the first 12months, is only £500. Its not like its the couple of grand or more you could loose on an £8K+ hyper-bike!

For that £500 you get the peice of mind knowing the bike's a good'n; plus a warranty if anything goes wrong with it, and the feel-good factor that its factory fresh, and going for training or test, its a bike that looks 'good', and gives a good impression to instructor & examiner.

And yeah, that £500 could be set asside for training, or saved against needed repairs, and there's plenty of merit in that, BUT, brand new, and not abused or crashed, shouldn't NEED any significant repairs over a 2nd hand bike.....

Personally, IF the money was there for a new machine, (especially if its some-one elses money! {Thanks Dad! mine never did anything like that for me!}) USE IT!

Give yourself the best start you can, WHY NOT!

(On the Bank-of-Parents score; also know from both ends; giving you the extra dosh in one big chunk to get a 'good' bike, is a lot easier for them, and they feel easier about it. Buying a 2nd hand bike, then 'grumbling' you need £50 for new sprockets or tyres or something after, they feel you dont apreciate what they have already given you, and start moaning about the 'bloody thing being more trouble than its worth, and blaming YOU for not looking after it....... Grab the cash, kid! Few of us get the chance, apreciate it & enjoy!)
____________________
My Webby'Tef's-tQ, loads of stuff about my bikes, my Land-Rovers, and the stuff I do with them!
Current Bikes:'Honda VF1000F' ;'CB750F2N' ;'CB125TD ( 6 3 of em!)'; 'Montesa Cota 248'. Learner FAQ's:= 'U want to Ride a Motorbike! Where Do U start?'