Fundamental info for prospective biker

[busbar]

I'm a forty-something who is just entering his latest mid-life crisis and, having recently thoroughly enjoyed a couple of days on the back of motorbikes and scooters during a trip to the far east, I've decided that being on two wheels might be a fun, occasional alternative to four when the weather is kind to us.

My thoughts are to do a CBT, buy a 125cc to learn, ride and enjoy before taking (and hopefully passing) a test to allow me to get something a little more powerful and carry my other half on the back as a passenger. Considering the options seems to be creating more answers than questions at the moment though.

First of all, do I go down the automatic, scooter route, or a geared bike? As far as I can tell, from my recent experiences riding pillion, my desire to ride on two wheels stems from the sensation of freedom and exposure that being on a bike provides - I spent time on the back of a 250cc geared bike as well as a 100cc scooter and enjoyed them both equally as much - and I don't lust after one type more than the other. Thinking further down the line I'm fairly sure I wouldn't be in the market for anything massively powerful (economy is a consideration as the bike would be a good weather/leisure mode of transport to be run as well as two cars) and I also quite like the look of the 'maxi' scooters. My first thought is that an auto scooter will be easier to handle but are there big advantages to be had riding a geared bike? And if I did take the auto scooter route to get an A2 or A licence, do motorcycle training places have 400cc + scooters available for lessons and tests?

All pretty fundamental stuff I know but I really need opinions on this so I can get my head around it.

Thanks

[janner_10]

I would get your CBT booked now and get it done, then see how you feel.

If you get a nice broad grin then jump straight in with DAS with a decent local school. Ask around in the regional section for recommendations.

What with the theory and the 2 mods, you want to make it as painless as possible, so go straight for the A license.

You don't have to jump on the first big bike you see post tests, but a man of your age and wanting to carry a pillion, i would be looking at the usual Bandit / Fazer / CBR 600cc suspects, they will still deliver 50 mpg + and a decent choice for fun and commuting alike.

I have never ridden a scooter post the age of 16 so cant bestow the benefits, but scooters to me are the domain of teenagers.

EDIT: I'm guessing you're a sparks with your username?
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Yamaha FZS600 (Now gone to heaven) > CBR600F4i (SOLD) > '99 YZF-R1

[ScaredyCat]

Book your CBT now - it's pennies and you must have it before even venturing out on the road. The training centre will have different types (geared / non geared) so you can try them out and see which you prefer. If, by the end of it, you're not grinning like a cheshire cat then it's probably not for you

If you pass your tests on an auto, you're stuck on auto until you redo your tests. Even if you end up only ever riding an auto / scooter it'd be nice to have the option to ride anything, right?

You're 40ish, do DAS on a big bike. If you just end up on a scooter that wont matter but later you might decide to go for a bigger, geared bike you just have to buy it rather than retest.

I started on a 125, rode around for a few months then did my DAS, after that I just wanted to get the bigger bike - commuting on the cbf was fun but some parts of the journey it struggled.
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Honda CBF125 ➝ NC700X
Honda CBF125 ↳ Speed Triple

[Ben90]

Same boat. Had a mini quarter-life crisis at 24, did a CBT in January and that cured it. Plan is to ride around on a 125 until summer then go straight for the A license.

I would definitely do a CBT on a geared 125, then you can ride either geared or auto in future and it'll feel like more of an achievement. You also won't need additional training on gears when you want to progress as you will have taught yourself already.

You might as well go straight for the A license as well, as all the test material is the same for A1, A2 and A - the only thing that changes is the bike you have to use in the test.
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Yamaha FZ6 S2

[Ben90]

Same boat. Had a mini quarter-life crisis at 24, did a CBT in January and that cured it. Plan is to ride around on a 125 until summer then go straight for the A license.

I would definitely do a CBT on a geared 125, then you can ride either geared or auto in future and it'll feel like more of an achievement. You also won't need additional training on gears when you want to progress as you will have taught yourself already.

You might as well go straight for the A license as well, as all the test material is the same for A1, A2 and A - the only thing that changes is the bike you have to use in the test.
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Yamaha FZ6 S2

[blurredman]

[andyscooter]

also with the new licencing rules if you take the scooter test it will probebly only be a 125cc and you cant upgrade to bigger like you used to
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gilera runner vxr200 (chavped)
if its spelt wrong its my fat fingers and daft auto correct on my tablet

[c_dug]

There are some decent maxi scooters out there so it's not a terrible option if that's what you fancy, personally a lot of the fun is in using the gears and getting it right, but if you're just after the freedom feeling I'm sure the scooter might scratch the itch. I quite like the T Max.

I agree with the others on get your CBT done and look at your DAS sooner rather than later.
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I am a bellend, I am a man of constant sorrow, I am a gummy bear, I am a rock.

[Rogerborg]

tl;dr synopsis - Definitely give it a go, biking is just ace, and there's a right bike for everyone.

tl;dr content:

I ran a Burgman 400 over the winter and it's a perfectly competent vehicle. Comfy, loads of storage, great weather protection, 65mpg+, cheap consumables, insurance and VED.

Downsides are the small wheels (you'll be doing a lot of weaving to avoid potholes), plus the danger of falling asleep.

Twist-and-go is a doddle to ride and great in traffic, but my giddy aunt it's dull. Predictability is both a boon and a burden, with the same throttle opening giving the same acceleration and eventual speed every time.

I've just chopped it in for a very primitive bike that puts significantly less power down on the road, but which does so in a more interesting and rewarding way.

So I'd definitely encourage you to try both geared and twist-and-go. For one thing, I think you'll be lucky to find a training school that has any maxi-scooters suitable for doing an A test. And paying for anything other than A is literally a waste of time and money, and will also give you an ongoing hassle with insurers because of their sloppy definitions of "full" licenses and durations.

I'd suggest this as a tentative plan:

Do the CBT on a geared 125. If you find yourself struggling - and there is a lot to take in! - then see if you can switch to whatever twist-and-go they have available even if it's a 50cc moped. Get your DL196 cert and move on from there, entirely depending on how well you take to it.

You can ride a 125 around for a while. I did it, plenty of people do, but look at it this way: you'll be riding essentially untrained on a small, hard to see vehicle with budget brakes and suspension, sporting L plates that do (in my experience) result in your being treated like a lower class of road user. You're making it as hard as possible on yourself.

The tests are a monumental pain in the tailpipe, but they're not hard and with hindsight I should have got them out of the way much quicker and got moving up the biking food chain. There's an enormous difference between a 125 and even a 250, and the quicker you get on the bike (or scooter) that you really want, the happier you'll be.
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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

[noobRider]

I did the mid-life crisis get on a motorbike thing too. Do the CBT on a geared bike and see if you still like it. They can put you on an auto scooter if you really can't get on with the gears but you'll probably be ok. If you have fun then either get a 125cc and get some experience and then do a DAS for a full A licence (don't bother with an A2), or just go straight to doing a DAS if you're confident. When you pass you can choose any bike you like or get an auto-scooter. You'll have nothing limiting your choice, apart from money. You don't have to get a 1,000cc sports-bike
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Licence: Nov 2012, Bikes: Suzuki GN125, Moto Guzzi Strada 750, Triumph Sprint ST 955i x 2
AnPhonEh: I need plans, I need contingency plans also, I need back up contingency plans

[j.silvs]

Just DAS it you pansy

[Teflon-Mike]

[busbar]

Guys

Thanks for some really constructive advice and, yes, I am an electrician

I think it's the old dog/new tricks complex making me weary of geared machines but trying one out on the CBT then switching to an auto if I struggle seems a good idea. At the risk of being a bit of a pansy I could then get a geared 125cc to try and get the hang of it that way - luckily I live in a semi-rural area with a few semi-rural roads that should be ok to ride around in numpty mode.

[Sabs]

[Commuter_Tim]

[HotdogMcDraw]

I haven't long been riding around on L Plates with CBT and debated whether geared bikes were for me until i did my CBT, it's far easier to shift gears then what i initially thought. Definitely give geared bikes a go first, take it from there.

From an almost forty-something guy .

[trevor saxe-coburg-gotha]

[Teflon-Mike]

[Commuter_Tim]

[Sabs]

[Teflon-Mike]

[HotdogMcDraw]

Wordpress or Webplus depending on your budget, saves pissing around with your site everytime you want to update something. Or a white background

[Tamsin]

Get on a Bike and do your CBT. If you already drive cars then the principles of the gears are exactly the same, although the execution differs somewhat but it really doesn't take long to get the hang of it.

I think what bike you should go for really depends on your usage, by the sounds of it you are looking for something fun rather than a tool. If it was used soley for your commute then a auto might be a good plan but they really are boring as sin and the feeling of getting everything hooked up just right on a geared bike is hard to beat in my experience.

I got my CBT a month ago and I'm pootling round on a cg125 which is more than enough for my commute but I do wish I had something with a bit more poke for when I'm off on a mooch and something needing a bit less thought for the drag to work. My plan has always been to do the DAS next summer and trade up to something slightly bigger....

[busbar]

Well, part one of the plan is in place with the CBT booked for a Sunday in four weeks time. I told them I wanted to try a geared bike first and they said I can always swap to an auto during the course if I struggle.

Hopefully I'll come through the CBT in a suitably positive mood to get a 125 geared bike for pootling and practice before taking the next step if I still think I'm cut out for it.

[lihp]