I now have a bike

[Alan1986]

Hi,

Just thought I would announce that I now have a bike,
Been a member of the forum since January, never really been a social networking kind of person, I don't have a Facebook account or any of that crap,

But do visit these forums daily even if I don't post, just to read what's going on, look at the workshop pages and so on,
There are alot of helpful and experienced people on here,
I have also seen that people enjoy taking the piss, but don't we all!?

I bought a Honda CBF125 2012 with 6k miles FSH and 12 months MOT, paid a little over a grand,

I have read all the rust issues etc, but the bike looks good enough for me to learn on for sure,
I'm a 29 year old man child so will spend a year on it or so, I don't commute to work as I am a service engineer and use the company car to goto jobs and so on, plus I have private usage,

But the bike will be for me to learn on at weekends and then go on to DAS, it's a step closer, I am not the most confident of riders at the moment,
Considering in January when I joined BCF I didn't even have CBT and was going to buy a new bike like a pleb head which alot of people advised against, I feel pretty confident I can get my money back on this bike,

Not been out on the bike yet, it's sitting in the garage as I need to go buy some L plates tomorrow, ugly things,

I will be looking at maintaining the bike myself also as I feel it is a part of biking, I am sure there must be a link on here for a Haynes manual for the model I bought,
First job will be an oil change to ease myself in,

Not really sure why I am blabbing alot, I am just quite pleased, moving in with the Mrs officially at the end of this month, she doesn't even know I have bought a bike as she is still at work at the minute, it's in her garage lol
My workshop that will be

Anyways cheers for any support and all that, I am sure I will have more questions over the years when I get onto a bigger bike
____________________
Cbt Done, Currently wobbling around on a Cbf125 and love it
DAS some time soon

[Snowdonia Rider]

[Pigeon]

[Alan1986]

[Pigeon]

You're going to potentially save a lot of money by servicing yourself (and you may enjoy it also). So investing some of those savings in a Haynes manual is surely worth it.

Haynes are not perfect, but I'd be nowhere without it except for a string of broken bikes

I read the Haynes sections, lookup the process on Youtube / forum posts, re-read the Haynes and then attempt it.

[M.C]

Get some of this and use it regularly

https://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41%2BcIFpc4TL._SY300_.jpg

Also have a look online for the service manual, Honda ones are pretty good. I like Haynes manuals as they normally have an alternative method if you don't have the proper tool for the job, and they have lots of pics which helps

Best in the long run to work on a bike yourself, they're simple enough. Just research what you're doing, ask in the workshop section if you're not sure, take pics so you know how stuff goes back on. Good thing about 125's that most parts are cheap, so if you do f**k something up it normally doesn't cost too much to put right. Can't say the same about big bikes

[Rogerborg]

YouTube has videos covering all the routine service items on the CBF. Better than a Haynes Book of Lies for that purpose.
____________________
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

[Alan1986]

The bike has a full service history which as a newbie buyer does sound good,
I have always planned on servicing myself as the posters in the workshop section seem really helpful,
But a little part of me does think it would be ashame to not continue with the full service history,

Do you reckon sod the stamps? I have read posts recently about the worthiness of the stamps, but the fact it has them since the bike was registered I dunno, I'm open to fucking them off and doing it myself,
I like to think towards the future, if I start learning now in a few years I could be pretty competent and ready to maintain my future bikes,

I'll be searching BCF for older threads and tips regarding the bike rather than starting new ones, have all my protective gear now, but I do not have anyway to maintain the bike,
So I'll be searching on what types of grease and what not to use for the chain and such
____________________
Cbt Done, Currently wobbling around on a Cbf125 and love it
DAS some time soon

[Pjay]

Congratulations and welcome to biking proper!

Bikes are not like cars for service records, prospective buyers can even look favourably on someone that looked after the bike rather than taking it to a garage to get a spotty teen to change the oil/plugs (I know I do).
Keep a nice tidy record of what you do and link it to saved receipts and you will be fine when selling it. People even call that a full service history when selling bikes anyhow.

'Full dealer' service history is only really that great on a more modern electronic laden superbikes and suchlike.

Just tinker and get to know her, you'll be fine, as any problems and there are loads of people here that know their Honda CBF onions.

[BTTD]

Congrats on the bike.

If you do the servicing yourself you will learn loads about the mechanics of bikes which will always come in handy, and save yourself some cash.
If you want to maintain the service history, keep all the receipts and write up each service item when you do it.

[Alan1986]

[Rogerborg]

[Alan1986]

[Pjay]

[stranderd]

Hello

I've been thinking of posting my own experience here for a while but I'm not much a social networking kind of person myself, so...

I did my CBT and theory too, and went for a CBF125 2009. I've been riding for two months now and I'm enjoying the little thing. I got a lot of information reading this forum, and nonetheless decided to take the 125 route. Truth is, I'd like to switch to something bigger already (but I reckon I'm far from being a good rider).

Oil change is a breeze, there's plenty of tutorials on youtube. Adjusting chain tension is simple too. Valve clearance is something I didn't try yet - it doesn't look too complicate but I'm sort of clumsy.
This website (and youtube) helped me a lot: https://cbf125rider.wordpress.com/

The little toolbox underseat (mine is a 2009) is basically useless, forget about it.

If you didn't yet, check tire pressure!

Confidence comes with use - rather quickly actually! After my CBT - never having sat on a bike before, I was somewhat scared. After only a couple of city rides it was already a different thing. Starting to ride is possibly the best thing I did in my recent life

Enjoy the little thing, is good fun!

[M.C]

[Alan1986]

Stranderd

Your thoughts seem pretty similar to mine,
People go different routes to there license and I thought 125 was best for me,
Never rode before CBT in Jan and haven't ridden since,
I can already tell the 125 won't be enough for me,
It will be good for getting use to the roads on a bike rather than a car which I drive alot, different road skills, build up my awareness and stuff, basically be safe,
You are deffinatly right in referring to it as a little thing,
I am quite pleased with my little thing, I think my girlfriend is also, (she has now found my little thing in the garage)

Just looking forward to practicing really,
I'll look at getting the theory booked in a few months, the plan is to have a full license before the CBT expires, then be left with the 125 which hopefully would have held its price abit

I do need to gain experience on a bike, as any vehicle without experience can be dangerous,
But just sitting on the thing makes me smile, who when they was a kid didn't think bikes were effing cool!?
I never use the c word but it is the only way I can describe my thoughts, it just makes me smile for some unknown reason,

The guys on this site are really helpful, alot of experience here. If I am stumped on something in the future I'll post on here and ask, I don't know anyone into bikes, Facebook is shite this forum isn't, don't be shy

Glad you are enjoying your bike
____________________
Cbt Done, Currently wobbling around on a Cbf125 and love it
DAS some time soon

[Cronik]

See. I can enjoy the small things. I have high tolerance.

I am immune to the boredom that plagues others.

I can easily see me getting a a 125 and enjoying it as much, if not more, than a bigger bike. Of course- I have no experience with bikes as yet, so no substance as of now.

Usually though, when others become bored at something, I find it increasingly more enjoyable...

Less is more is my life rule.


Just enjoy whatever you choose. Hopefully I will be mirroring your situation soon!
____________________
*A Vacuous Vacancy*

[Alan1986]

Just had my first go tonight,
Got the L plates on earlier, was only my third time on a bike after the two days of cbt in January,

Was good fun, was buzzing,
I don't know if it's frowned up on to word it this way but I found it like a big boys toy,

It was really fun, wobbled for a bit and kept beeping the horn when meaning to either indicate or cancel my indicators,

First time I beeped the horn was 50 or so metres from my house wobbling up the road in second gear past some chav bloke and chav woman, looked at me like what the fuck is he doing,
Then I just wobbled off, rode around for an hour or so stopped off at a car park to do some first gear stuff, found that fun, that's when I thought I have made the right decision to follow all this through,
Must keep practicing though!

Got home to the Mrs with a big stupid grin on my face,

Working away all next week though so can't have another go till Friday :\
____________________
Cbt Done, Currently wobbling around on a Cbf125 and love it
DAS some time soon