Recently passed mod2 - no bike, no storage

[return]

There are so many bike forums, and I settled for BCF because it seems pretty active. This post is part introduction, part question.

- I passed the mod2 test in December 2018 (taking the CBT, then DAS route).
- I'm 36, male, and live in London.
- I have no garage, and a garden without side access (you can tell where this is going).

Unfortunately passing the test was the easy part. I live in rented accommodation (thank you successive UK governments for inflating housing beyond the reach of ordinary people). I can't drill a ground anchor and there's nowhere nearby I can secure a bike to.

I've had plenty of time to research bikes, and would love to buy a used Honda CBR650F or Yamaha MT07. But this feels like an impossible situation.

It may be that in about 2 years I will have be in a position to buy my own place (well, rent it from a bank via a mortgage). And I'm glad I can consider this before I buy anywhere, but waiting two years until I ride feels like too long.

I don't want to buy a complete heap just to have a bike, and still risk it getting stolen. Equally, I wouldn't want to buy a nicer bike (~ 5K) and store it outside all year, and locked only to itself.

[Riejufixing]

[return]

I should've been clearer: The landlord won't allow me to drill or cement a ground anchor in the front. I guess I could just move :-/

You're right about lending standards, and I blame the BoE as much as anyone else Although the government Help to Buy scheme has inflated prices on top of low interest rates.

[M.C]

A housing debate... I'm in MT-07 you say... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=grtWiGEM0J4 They'll have anything, I've only had bikes due to secureish parking, anything on street will be gone.

[return]

I'd actually seen that before and never noticed it was an MT07. Now I see the distinctive display, it's clearly an MT07.

[grr666]

Have you actually asked your landlord? Or the letting agent?
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Currently enjoying products from Ford, Mazda and Yamaha
Ste wrote: Avatars are fine, it's signatures that need turning off.

[return]

No letting agent involved. Just the landlord.

TBH, they're quite reasonable - my rent is below market rate on the condition that I maintain the back garden to a standard that requires regular gardening (at least in the summer). For this reason, they don't want a ground anchor anywhere.

Not only did I ask, but I said they could choose a professional company to install it.

[M.C]

[Bhud]

I sometimes visit a (newish) block of flats in a rough neighbourhood, where nobody can have a ground anchor. One of the residents keeps his Suzuki V-strom outside. It has all sorts of flashing things, alarms, sensors, brake locks, steering locks, trackers, etc.

I don't think you've got any choice but to go down the same route. Avoid buying an MT-07 or anything attractive to thieves. Go for an older, less cool bike, and load it with as much anti-theft stuff as you can.

[DRZ4Hunned]

London, MT07... I can guarantee it will be stolen even with a ground anchor if it's in plain sight.
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DRZ400-SM
FZS600

[Kentol750]

What about one of those secure shed things?
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Some bikes.

[P.]

Unless you can have it indoors... I'd not bother.

London is a bike thieving cess pool. We've had bikes stolen outside our office door, that's not even central

[vp1977uk]

Perhaps theres like minded people like you who can get together and rent a garage and split the costs ?

[stinkwheel]

You pretty much need lock-up space. I'd imagine rents are so high there that people will be happy to sub-let one bikes worth of space in a normal lockup. That's how we used to do it when I lived in Edinburgh. You easily get 4 bikes in a car-sized lockup.

As an alternative to fitting a specific ground anchor, you could get a big "pot" (think half barrel type size). Fill most of it with heavy stones and cement but leaving some gaps for water to drain through (half a dozen bits of pipe running top to bottom?) with a ground anchor type loop embedded into it and sticking out the side. The important thing is that it's really fucking heavy, too heavy for one man to lift.

Paint it so it looks smart (or even wrap one of those bamboo mats round the outside), fill the top with compost and plants so it looks like a planter, have some spilling out round the side etc. Chain your bike to it.

May also be a good time to look at your financial priorities too? You're looking at what, £4-6k for the bikes you're thinking of. Why not go for one at half that (or less), leaving you money to rent a lockup, or be in a position to buy a property sooner.

An ebay search for bikes between 500 and 1000cc for between £1500 and £2000 brings up 465 adverts. Have a look through them. Try the same on autotrader, again, hundreds of bikes. I generally sort by mileage.
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“Rule one: Always stick around for one more drink. That's when things happen. That's when you find out everything you want to know.”
I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles.

[ThunderGuts]

It's probably not what you want to hear, but it sounds like you're not really in a position to sensibly own a bike at the moment. It's a sad reflection on modern society that such a statement exists, but without anywhere to securely store a bike it's likely to get nicked sooner or later.

Do you have relatives/parents anywhere nearby with somewhere you could store a bike? If so, you could incentivise them (monthly payment, takeaway once a month on you or something) and keep it there and just use it for weekend / days off rides rather than a commuting tool.

Otherwise, if I were you, I'd just wait until you have got somewhere to store one (I didn't even bother learning to ride until I moved to a house with a garage, although I'm in the poor North so it was far more feasible to make this step than in The Smoke). Even with every alarm/security device under the sun, I wouldn't be comfortable with my bike being chained up (to itself or anything) if it's on the street. Going on holiday would be a particularly nerve-wracking time!
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TG.

[P.]

[ThunderGuts]

[stevo as b4]

Why be sorry that such a statement exists? More like be truthful and realistic IMO! It sounds like OP is just venting and having a general whine about everything from the housing market and the unfairness of his particular situation which is the norm for many people.

It would be just as unreasonable and unrealistic for someone to want to buy a car where they have no drive or off road parking, and no legal on-street parking within walking distance of their house.

Just to say that everyone has the right to own a car or bike irrespective of their situation or responsibilities is really stupid IMO.

[Bhud]

I do all my own maintenance on my bike, but I've been stupidly busy over the past month or so, so I had cause to see a bike mechanic recently to get something done.

Just a note to add to what's already been said, people who use bikes as daily transportation most often don't use MT-07s and CBR650s and such. These bikes are seen as leisure bikes. The daily transport/commuter types use REALLY ratty scooters and mopeds (saw some shocking examples down at the mechanic's workshop), and they worry to death about their much-needed transport to work being stolen one day. Of course there's the occasional nutcase on a heavily modified rat/commuter big bike who rides all year, but he's the exception. You have to get your living situation sorted out so you can afford and have access to a locked garage all your own, and any other security measures, before you consider what you're contemplating. All those guys who commute into London from Surrey on sports bikes and "adventure" bikes (the adventure being the North Circular? hahahaha) have got their house and garage all sorted out. Priorities.

[Travis Bickle]

[vp1977uk]

If your bike gets nicked, do you have to declare it on car insurance renewals aswell ?

[M.C]

[Grubscrew]

[Ste]

Some will.

[M.C]