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JSing |
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JSing L Plate Warrior
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A100man |
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A100man World Chat Champion
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ThunderGuts |
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ThunderGuts World Chat Champion
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Posted: 12:35 - 23 Jun 2021 Post subject: |
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Welcome to BCF.
You'll doubtless get a whole load of advice. Gear is pretty subjective; if you have the budget, get yourself to a decent shop and try stuff on. Fit is important. Textile trousers and jacket (ideally that zip together), good height boots, gloves and a helmet that fits well (get the shop to guide you) are what you want. £400-500 will get you this at a reasonable standard.
Bikes; essentially boils down to two routes - for a given budget you can either get something newer (or new) and lower quality (Chinese stuff etc.) or an older higher quality bike. The latter will hold the value more but unlikely to have much or any warranty. I'd recommend sticking to the main Japanese brands (Honda CB125F / CBF125 or Yamaha equivalent). You'll probably retain a better residual value too and demand in the used market is pretty solid so you'll move it on easily when you get your big bike licence. I'd avoid KTM personally; I think price is disproportionate to quality.
Are you intending to go for your big bike licence? If so, do you have any idea of when? Depending on age, direct access is a possibility. If you take to it like a duck to water, you can even bypass the 125 stage completely (I did).
Last thing; don't buy anything until after your CBT. Assume you can ride a bicycle (yes, it is a prerequisite for doing your CBT) but even so, not everyone gets on with motorcycles. You'll probably be fine, but best to get that CBT ticket first. ____________________ TG. |
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JSing |
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JSing L Plate Warrior
Joined: 23 Jun 2021 Karma :
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ThunderGuts |
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ThunderGuts World Chat Champion
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Posted: 14:43 - 23 Jun 2021 Post subject: Re: @ThunderGuts |
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JSing wrote: | I'm 27, have a full drivers licence etc...but am really only wanting to ride a 125cc given that I do not need to exceed 70mph at any given point. I'd much rather have less power and be less tempted to do something stupid. Not that I would but you get me. I've been told that I can do my CBT and then book my bike test without having to do £800 worth of lessons. I think I'd feel confident enough given my 10+ years of driving experience on a road. |
Given your age, unless you're solely urban commuting (or bimbling along back lanes) I would be looking for something more powerful than a 125. National speed limit A roads, unless flat and with no wind or a tailwind, you're going to be keeping up with traffic at best. Throw in uphills and/or a headwind and cars will be gaining on you. Dual carriageways you'll be overtaken by most vehicles unless you're on long, flat (or downhill) sections with a tailwind. Most 125s will scrape 65, some 70, but the rate of acceleration past 50mph slows massively.
So, it's worth at least considering going for your full licence. Brings me onto the next point; I wasn't that dissimilar - in my case a few more years experience, but in no way was I ready to take my bike tests "cold". There's much more to it than just riding a bike and you can't really learn it without doing it. Add in the fact waiting lists for tests are significant, so you want to pass when your turn comes.
Do your CBT, see how you get on and discuss next steps with the school you're signed up to. If they suggest £800 of lessons/test fees, that's not a rip off, that's about right. A day to get familiar with riding a big bike on the roads, a day of mod 1 training (it's seriously pedantic stuff) and a day of mod 2 training. Then test time. ____________________ TG. |
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Fat Angry Scotsman |
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Fat Angry Scotsman World Chat Champion
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JSing |
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JSing L Plate Warrior
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Nobby the Bastard |
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Nobby the Bastard Harley Gaydar
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Ste |
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Ste Not Work Safe
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JSing |
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JSing L Plate Warrior
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Fat Angry Scotsman |
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Fat Angry Scotsman World Chat Champion
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Kentol750 |
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Kentol750 World Chat Champion
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Fat Angry Scotsman |
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Fat Angry Scotsman World Chat Champion
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Ayrton |
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Ayrton World Chat Champion
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Kentol750 |
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Kentol750 World Chat Champion
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Freddyfruitba... |
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Freddyfruitba... World Chat Champion
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kgm |
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kgm World Chat Champion
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Nobby the Bastard |
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Nobby the Bastard Harley Gaydar
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trevor saxe-coburg-gotha |
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trevor saxe-coburg-gotha World Chat Champion
Joined: 22 Nov 2012 Karma :
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Posted: 22:11 - 23 Jun 2021 Post subject: Re: Knowing which bikes are good//bad |
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JSing wrote: | The main ones I've seen are Honda CB, KTM Duke, Lexomoto, and SYM. |
Most people here, including me, will say Japanese 125s are by far the safest bet. Kawasaki have never really bothered that much with 125s so that leaves Honda, Yamaha and Suzuki probably in that order. The generally preferred Honda is the CG - hundreds of thousands, perhaps even millions, have been manufactured and there are trillions of spares for them - both new and used. The only slight downside with this bike is that it only has a centre stand, and no side stand. Wouldn't really both me, although it does limit the places you can park it because it will need to be on level ground ideally. Plus if you are unbelievably weak and feeble, it might be difficult to get it onto the centre stand.
The Yamaha is nowadays the YBR - but look back down the years and you'll find other 125s including e.g. the TW125, the SR125, and the YB125, etc. Probably the same engine in all those.
The Suzuki is most likely the some sort of derivative of the GN125, including e.g. the VanVan, the GS125 or perhaps even the Marauder. Again, it's the same engine in each.
All of those are four stroke 125cc engines - all of them. The materials are of good quality, and with decent basic care and maintenance, plus regular servicing, all of the above bikes will last well and be good for tens of thousands of miles. Expect to pay in the region of £1500 for used bikes with 10k plus miles on them. Don't buy scruffy, rusty bikes.
As for gear, a basic, affordable and relatively strong helmet is the Box BX-1. It is £50-ish. Don't buy a used one.
Gloves - for summer, pretty much anything leather. Budget in £30-£50 region.
Boots - ideally you want something covering calf and shin, imo. Something like these (£30):
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/303731473255?hash=item46b7ce7b67%3Ag%3Ake8AAOSw7K9fi6Og&LH_ItemCondition=3
Jacket - this:
perfectly viable jacket for £40
trousers -
something like these
total budget = £1500 bike, w/ £150 to £200 for helmet, gloves, jacket and trousers ____________________ "Life is a sexually transmitted disease and the mortality rate is one hundred percent."
Mobylette Type 50 ---> Raleigh Grifter ---> Neval Minsk 125 |
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Fat Angry Scotsman |
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Fat Angry Scotsman World Chat Champion
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Ayrton |
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Ayrton World Chat Champion
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P. |
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P. Red Rocket
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Fat Angry Scotsman |
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Fat Angry Scotsman World Chat Champion
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Ribenapigeon |
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Ribenapigeon Super Spammer
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trevor saxe-coburg-gotha |
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trevor saxe-coburg-gotha World Chat Champion
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Old Thread Alert!
The last post was made 2 years, 252 days ago. Instead of replying here, would creating a new thread be more useful? |
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