4 stroke alternatives and othe rquestions

[GreyHam]

hi, im new to the forums so just wanna quickly say hi

so im 17 and looking for a first bike....my rents have already made quite clear they will not help with finances in any way so im on my own. ive been looking at the CG125s due to the more reliable 4 stroke engine. basically, are there any alternatives to the CG by other brands ie 125s that are reliable in contrast to speedy

also, in terms of gear, how much do i need to be safe, and what is the most cost effective? im aware that coming off at 0 can be as hazerdous as coming off at 60, so how much do i realistically need (and how much will it cost) for me to be on the road?

AND lastly - for £2000, will i be able to get bike, insurance and gear

phew! thanks for reading

[instigator]

First of all, hello and welcome to the forum!

[mattfuzzy]

yeah what the other guy sed
in my case its more of the buy all the gear yourself and get the rents to buy everything else (yeah lucky i know they just look at it as a way not me to get out more and aslong as im safe dont really care as they wont give me lifts anywhere)
in my case:
bike: 1.5k
helmet: £100 - 150
jacket: £150-ish
trousers: £150-ish (300 in total for jacket and trousers)
gloves: £40
boots: £60 max
so for the whole lot about 500 - 650
but then for me id rather spend more of gear than other stuff (also helps im not paying for the bike aswell)
if you shop around a bit and find something you like you can usualy buy it online alot cheaper
good luck and try not to kill yourself with all thos boi racers in novas about

[Nath]

My dad paid £120 towards gear, as he wanted to make sure I got a good helmet. Other than that, i've also payed my own way.

CG125: £700
Gear: £300
Insurance: £235


I'm 18, so maybe you're insurance would be a little more. £700 will buy you a pretty good condition bike - Mine's a 01 reg!
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Hard livin', hard luck.

[GreyHam]

by the time i have enough money for the bike ill be 18 anyway so hopefully insurance will be a little cheaper

had a good long chat with the rents about it - theyre not happy. could go one of two ways

1) they get all worried when i come back up the drive wearing only a helmet and buy me lots of gear

2) they throw the bike away when im not looking

with a bit lof look theyll contribute a little for my 18th birthday, even if they dont realise their doing it....'mam for me birthday can i have some money to go towards....erm....uni.....?

[m99dws]

instigator's post sums it up very well. Only thing I would add is 'safety first'!

[mattfuzzy]

[THCi]

First thing I did was open my checkbook for a £2.6K bike... brandnew... big mistake for first bike! I droped it 5th time I went out on it. *crys*

It hurt as well.

I had gloves, helmit, and a belstaff jacket. No trousers, I put a hole through a pair of over trousers (waterproof nylon things) and a pair of jeans at the same time.

The next day my mom got me a matching pair of belstaff overtrousers.

Next time I came off bike it would have been a hospital job if not for these trousers. With me having stitches and glass removed from my knee cap.

Ive learnt my lesson from that. Safety First always, that, and dont try and take an island at 35 in the wet.
____________________
Past: GZ 125 K4 Marauder, VL 125 LC Intruder, FZS 600 Fazer. Present: GSF 600 N K3 Bandit, GSX-R 600 X(soon)
"We're not gonna die. We can't die, Bendis. You know why? Because we are so...very...pretty. We are just too pretty for God to let us die."

[GreyHam]

as far as gear gos im prioritising helemt, gloves, jacket. id ride it with that although seein as i wear loose fittin jeans i could be uber tacky and stick a pair of kneepads on - just until i can get some trousers lol

better than nothin

how important are boots? i wear a pair of light walking boots as generel shoes, will they do temp?

[Rory]

You'll reassure your parents more if you get yourself at least vaguely decent kit to protect yourself, and IMO it'll help put you into a safer mindset when you go out on your bike. Plus, if you destroy a pair of jeans every time you come off, you'll soon have spent more on replacements that some decents breeks! You don't have to break the bank on getting flash gear - second hand stuff will do, but make sure and look after yourself. You only have one body, after all. Plus, if your parent see you're taking it all seriously, they'll eventually come around. My parents have been really cool about me getting a bike (but I was self-sufficient when I decided to get one), however I've had a new lid and new boots out of them as presents so far!
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My Old CBR400RR | Bike Oil FAQ | Petrol FAQ

[G]

I often wear just normal jeans, Hitech magnums (bigger leather boots) a jacket and helmet.

This is for getting-around, not intenional fun. Often I do put myself in positions where I could be badly hurt while doing this. I am stupid.

If it all possible I would at least get trousers, even if you don't wear them all the time.

When buying all protective equipment; remember fit is usually the most important factor. Ill fitting equipment can actually make some things worse.

Personally I would spend the bulk of your money on clothing,, equipment and booking your test + lessons (one of the best 'upgrades' for both safety, fun and progressing your biking expereience.) Doing your test is also a good investment as you will be sooner getting cheaper insurance.

A 2 stroke can be perfectly reliable if maintained well.
I got a cg125 as a first bike, regretted it and got a NS125. The NS125 can be got from about £700 for one in ok condition, less for a tatty one.

[stevo as b4]

Hey Instigator, what exactly is wrong with thrashing a 4stroke 125 all day wrong then? As long as you service them, usually oil changes at 1000miles, as they dont have a replacable filter, they will last forever! My old CG125 had done 9000miles when i had it, and i did 5000miles on top of that. Apart from oil changes and normal servicing it never needed any work, and i used to ride it flat out everywhere. A 4stroke 125 will not break easily!

[instigator]

Steveo, nothing wrong with thrashing a 125, its fun, but doing 65mph on a CG for 40 miles on a dual carriageway/motorway every day can feel a bit unsettling and cruel.

Not a very relaxing ride at all, is it?

[Gazdaman]

As I've found the best thing you can do with your money is put it towards your test and lessons.

I've been riding for about 4 months now on a 2t 125. The amount of lessons I want is going to be £90 and the test another ~£50. I've already paid £20.50 for my theory.

I'm so glad I only shelled out £200 for my bike, and on top of that, only a new spark plug, new oil, 2t oil, petrol and a £30 Metzler ME22 front tyre.

I'd be heartbroken if I'd spent £1500+ on a first 125 that I was bored with 4 months down the line.

I'd seriously put your money into a _cheap_ 125, and concentrate on riding properly and get on with your test.

Gaz

[GreyHam]

[THCi]