Bike Choice feedback

[Nick 50]

Good morning,

I was hoping to glean some feedback from the BCF posters.

First it is probably wise to lay down some background info, which will help explain the ideas I have.

I am a mature student of 33, never been on a bike before. Will be doing DAS in the coming months.
Financially I am budgeting in 4 attempts at Mods 1&2.

The main use of the bike will be commuting to Uni which will be a 26 round trip each day on mainly dual carriageways and a motorway running through a city. Traffic volume will be quite large as will be travelling around peak hours.

I live in Tyne and Wear and have family on the west coast of Cumbria and will be travelling through the Lake District quite a few times a year.

My girlfriend is uneasy about me getting a bike but understands my hate of public transport taking 3 hours out of my day going back and forth.
To my surprise though "she" suggested that for our anniversary next year we go somewhere on the bike as we've never really celebrated an anniversary yet.

So when looking at bikes my main factors of choice were:

Fuel Economy
Cheap to buy
Cheapness of Insurance (live in a city)
Comfort
Pillion comfort
Luggage capabilities

Anyway, I was thinking Yamaha XJ600 Diversion to start with for the first few years.

Then move up to a Yamaha TDM900.

I'm 6ft and 15 stone.

Any feedback on choices or alternatives would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

Nick

[pinkyfloyd]

Cant go wrong with a Divvy. Great little bikes and come in 2 sizes. The 600 and the 900. The old 900cc ones were shaft driven and as reliable as donkeys. Pretty cheap to run and insure too.

Not much can compete with that. You'll get the classics of course. The Bandit. Early Fazers, Hornets. But the Divvy is probably the better choice.
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illuminateTHEmind wrote: I am just more evolved than most of you guys... this allows me to pick of things quickly which would have normally taken the common man years to master
Hockeystorm65:.well there are childish arguments...there are very childish arguments.....there are really stupid childish arguments and now there are......Pinkfloyd arguments!
Teflon-Mike:I think I agree with just about all Pinky has said.

[Teflon-Mike]

Sounds like a plan to me.

I'll chuck in the suggestion of a couple of 750's for you to check out, too though.

1/ 750 is a 'forgotten' capacity class, and can give lower insurance permiums, as catagory doesn't suffer such 'base loading' from 'all' the newbies stepping onto 600's.

2/ the extra 150cc, probably wont give you any more 'book' power, in fact many of the 750's are not rated as highly as a lot of 600's; BUT, thy tend to have more softly tuned and forgiving engines with more low end grunt and mid rang, not urging you to thrash them as much, and making them a tad more relaxed to ride.

3/ 'forgotten' thy can b something of a bargain to buy!

Honda CB750F2N
Kawasaki 750 Zephyr
Kawasaki GT750
Suzuki GSX-F750

GT750 was a Despatchers favourite for a long while; VERY comfy and tough as old boot with shaft drive. It was THE bike of choice for
Student Grant, 3-month, intercontinental overland adventures in the summer break, when I was at Uni. Bit 'old' and a tad havy, but chap and very useful.

Honda CB750F2N, or the CB 'Seven-Fifty' or 'Retro'. 1993 on.
(CB750 was made from 1969 on & went through MANY variants!
This is the last of the line and a much different bike.) What I have, good, all round, general purpose street bike, like the Divvy, and same era, but with just a little added 'oomph' and Honda Build quality.

Kawasaki 750 Zephyr, much like CB-Retro, but with cooler 'styling'.

Suzuki GSX-F750. Old oil/air cooled GSX-R engine, de-tuned and in a steel frame and rather 'odd' fully enclosed bodywork, to compete with early Honda CBR's. It was actually a rather capable all rounder / street bike, and has benefits of full fairing, but main attraction is thy can be something of a bargain.

Will commnt on Pinkies mention of the 900 Diversion; 900 is a MUCH better bike. Another Despatch/tour favourite, in the 'old days' before it became the 'Diversion' and was just plain old XJ9.... tough, depndable, shaft drive; again bigger engine is nice and soft and flxible, and will make for more relaxed riding, and again, not encourage you to thrash it as much. And again, good bikes out there for sensible money.
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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?'

[Nick 50]

Thank you for the feedback Pinkyfloyd and Teflon-Mike.

I had settled on the Divvy choice through going through the forum and researching what would be a good solid and reliable first bike.

I hadn't considered 750's at all Teflon-Mike, to be honest I hadn't looked at anything above a 600 for a 1st bike. What you say does make absolute sense especially in regards of the engine.

My brain is looking towards something with fairings. For some reason they "appear" to me as looking more imposing on the road and look safer for a newbie like myself. I have a feeling it would add extra confidence to my riding and for the route I would be riding it is something I would need as the traffic can be a nightmare at times.

I know that it is likely I will drop a new bike at some point and then fairings won't be such a good idea.

As for the Divvy 900, definitely a strong possibility. It will probably come down to whats on the market when I pass my test.

Thanks again gents.

[harscot]

Don't rule out the Honda deauville 650/700, cheap ins, 200mls to the tank, comfy, shaft drive, very pillion frendly, with built in panniers ( if lucky top box to ) and bullit proof, a bit like the Divvy, but more dependable ( I am biased of course ) Stay Safe out there and good luck.

[Muscle Bike Rider]

Divvy is a good choice in my opinion, ride one myself, not a lot go's wrong with them, engine is quite simple to work on, comfy, good mpg, not a pocket rocket but quick enough and very cheap insurnce. Plenty of spares to be had cheap enough, stick a set of heated grips on and its a good all year round bike, I belive couriers used to swear by them
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Previously Known As A5tra_G
Old Bikes :2010 Kawasaki ER6 F & 2000 Honda VTR Firestorm
Current Bike : XJR1300