First bike advice...CB500 / Wacka EN-5

[baker_uk87]

Alright guys!

Looking at buying one of the above for a first bike. It'll be left in the street 24/7 unfortunately, so I've a couple of questions -

1. What security devices should I get fitted and can you recommend any brands to stick with for these types of extra's?

2. Do the CB500's suit for touring/European adventure biking (long distance, nothing off-road) and is anyone familiar with getting back rests fitted for them?

3. Any other opinion on them generally as a starter bike (I'm 6'2, 13st, lanky).

Cheers, feel free to flood me with your opinions...

[Robster]

Hey

I'm a newbie here as well so not particularly qualified to give informed advice, i'm sure t'others will be along shortly to take care of you.

Advice from my instructor regarding your questions:

1. BIg ol'chain and lock, floor anchor, garage, and insurance. If they want it they'll get it regardless. Disc Locks are quite popular as well? Oxford and Almax came recommended to me, Abloy locks are apparently good

2. People go touring on Honda C90 chicken-chasers, so whatever you fancy really. There's a vlogger guy, Schaaf, who lives over in Austria with a CB500 who makes some really nice vids such as this one:

https://youtu.be/JyJp2CBGT6k

3. Mixed opinion, some love it some hate it. Got a good review on MCN, but I love the look and sound, i'd have one.

Perhaps look into Suzuki SV650/Bandit as well as an alternative? bit larger and might suit a taller frame? Yammy Fazers are good. I'd avoid ER 5s, i'm only 5.10 and it gave me leg cramp within 30 seconds on the road - not comfy. The school i'm training with has one and its their 'drop bike' to get you onto after a 125, they don't like it.

Other advice my instructor said is just go and sit on a bunch of bikes, buy the one you really want.

[Rogerborg]

What license do you have, or how old are you?

What's your total budget including gear, training, insurance, security and... oh, right, a bike?
____________________
Biking is 1/20th as dangerous as horse riding.
GONE: HN125-8, LF-250B, GPz 305, GPZ 500S, Burgman 400 // RIDING: F650GS (800 twin), Royal Enfield Bullet Electra 500 AVL, Ninja 250R because racebike

[MC]

https://thiswastv.files.wordpress.com/2012/11/peter_falk_columbo_2.png
Going by his username I'm guessing 26/27 yrs old, so a full license, and going by the bikes already mentioned budget's not that high.

Only ridden the ER5, and I'm sure when they die there's a place reserved for them in hell, with Hitler and Jimmy Savile. OK the handling isn't THAT bad, but in every other respect they're extremely boring, with surprisingly crap brakes. My pal who has a lot more riding experience said it was like a diesel
____________________
Yamaha MT-03 '08 (crashed)
Honda XR-125L '04

[Rogerborg]

[Amber Phoenix]

First up, security when parked on the street doesn't give you much options. Ideally you need to chain it down to something solid. Railings, ground anchor, sign, tree etc. Otherwise, all it takes it 2-3 big chaps and a van or 2 scroats with a skateboard under front wheel and your bike is gone. Almax and Pragmasis chains, with Squire padlocks are the ones to go for, should have at least 16mm chain links to scupper 42" bolt croppers and require power tools. Forget Oxford, not worth the money. get a cover as well.

CB500 is a good reliable starter bike. SV650 is good, however I've read not so great for the tall. Bandit, Hornet and Fazer 600 should be on your list too. ER5 is considered a poor man's CB500. ER6 is better. Just try to sit on as many as possible, see what's comfy but accept it may well be the price and condition of what you find on the market that drives you decision more.

All of the above will do for touring, but you might find something with fairing more enjoyable. However, bear in mind you will drop you first bike a few times and any fairing will get cracked, scuffed and trashed. So in this respect, a naked bike wins. Swings and round abouts really.

For touring, avoid the hunched over race style bikes ZX6 etc. Riding all day on one, especially being tall will kill your back/wrists. Go for something more upright. Probably be cheaper on insurance and slightly less desirable to tea leafs too.

Personally, I went straight onto a Fazer 600. 1.5 years down line, still not bored, but I have had a few offs, did trash the fairing and have had to replace it...
____________________
Beginner Biker Adventures Blog
Yamaha FZ6 S2 2007

[Rogerborg]

Well, chain, I went for 2 metres of 16mm long link anchor / lift chain from eBay @ £15 a metre delivered.

No, it's not made of mithril like Almax or Pragmasis, but the significance is that it's too big for hand croppers, and hydraulics or an angle grinder will get through a chain 5x the price anyway.

Lock, you should probably go Squire SS65CS. Again, I didn't, I went for a PJB822 shackle lock. Massive thing, 16mm shackle, 1.4kg, mostly for visual deterrence. £20, again vs 5x that for the Squire, although I'm keeping my eyes open on eBay.

And they'll still have it unless you chain it to something.
____________________
Biking is 1/20th as dangerous as horse riding.
GONE: HN125-8, LF-250B, GPz 305, GPZ 500S, Burgman 400 // RIDING: F650GS (800 twin), Royal Enfield Bullet Electra 500 AVL, Ninja 250R because racebike

[metalangel]

[moonzoomer]

If you are stuck with the 500cc bikes and want to do a bit of touring I would recommend the older Honda VT 500e with shaft drive, IMO a better all round bike than the CB500 and ER5 with no chain and sprocket hassle, really good MPG with the overdrive type 6th gear, there are still a few about with low mileages that can be had for very little money and the VT does have a far better built quality than the CB or ER.