Good first sporty bike?
Discussion
Hi all,
Im very new to 2 wheels - i have an old KL250 trail bike that i blat around farm lanes on (managed to get the hang of wheelies yesterday!
) but ive never had a road bike.
Im currently thinking of selling my MR2 and running a cheapy (like, £100) car and getting a sporty bike for sunny days. What im wondering is, whats a good first bike? I want something thats quick, but forgiving. It also needs to cost not much more than £1500. Ive been looking through Bike Trader and seen a few candidates. One was a P plate RGV250. A friend had a couple when i was in college and wrote them both off, but that was probably due to his lack of defensive riding. This example looked nice and was £2000. Out of my budget, but i can always save up if necessary. Any other suggestions?
Oh, and im 22 so insurance is a big consideration!
Im very new to 2 wheels - i have an old KL250 trail bike that i blat around farm lanes on (managed to get the hang of wheelies yesterday!
) but ive never had a road bike. Im currently thinking of selling my MR2 and running a cheapy (like, £100) car and getting a sporty bike for sunny days. What im wondering is, whats a good first bike? I want something thats quick, but forgiving. It also needs to cost not much more than £1500. Ive been looking through Bike Trader and seen a few candidates. One was a P plate RGV250. A friend had a couple when i was in college and wrote them both off, but that was probably due to his lack of defensive riding. This example looked nice and was £2000. Out of my budget, but i can always save up if necessary. Any other suggestions?
Oh, and im 22 so insurance is a big consideration!
Hi mate i got myself a GSXR750 for 2K have a look www.extremelean.co.uk
Its the business but check your insurance first it cost me 300 notes
they will keep up with any modern 600 and blow the tits off any smoker (2 stroker)
just watch out for X raced gsxr's...
Its the business but check your insurance first it cost me 300 notes
they will keep up with any modern 600 and blow the tits off any smoker (2 stroker) just watch out for X raced gsxr's...
first big bike No NCB, No points, just passed test, 31 years old, 300 nots TPFT.. you need to shop around cos i was getting daft quotes like a grand and stuff.. as well...
i think it was a bike insurance company off the web. ill have to check if you wana try em.. your age will have an impact as will your location. if you go for the older big bikes they are cheaper to insure...
i think it was a bike insurance company off the web. ill have to check if you wana try em.. your age will have an impact as will your location. if you go for the older big bikes they are cheaper to insure...
Sound advice, thanks
A friend had two when i was in college - first one was in pukka Lucky Stike livery and looked gorgeous - he was knocked off by a car driver and pushed into incoming traffic. He finally got another one (in blue nad white this time) and some dozy woman pulled out of a junction in front of him - he flew over the top and knocked himself out and his girlfriend landed on the car, knackering her knee. As they loaded her into the ambulance they were chalking him out (she was going mad, understandably) as they thought he was gone - but he turned out to be ok! Unfortunately he was only 20 and never 'got around' to getting the bike restricted to 33bhp so he lost his license and didnt see a penny from the insurance.
Lovely bikes though, and sound nice too
A friend had two when i was in college - first one was in pukka Lucky Stike livery and looked gorgeous - he was knocked off by a car driver and pushed into incoming traffic. He finally got another one (in blue nad white this time) and some dozy woman pulled out of a junction in front of him - he flew over the top and knocked himself out and his girlfriend landed on the car, knackering her knee. As they loaded her into the ambulance they were chalking him out (she was going mad, understandably) as they thought he was gone - but he turned out to be ok! Unfortunately he was only 20 and never 'got around' to getting the bike restricted to 33bhp so he lost his license and didnt see a penny from the insurance.
Lovely bikes though, and sound nice too
Two strokes are great fun but there's always the chance that something's going to go bang plus the oil is very expensive. If you do get one, make sure you use the best. I have to say that I'd suggest a Honda VFR400 (go for an NC30) or CBR400. Both are very reliable with great handling with good parts support these days, or if you want something a little bigger that won't make your passenger hate you, go for a Honda CBR600. The Kawasaki ZXR400 is also a great bike but they're realtively rare compared to the Hondas and a bit more thrashy (or fun if that's what you prefer!).
Big vote for the VFR400 from me too.
Ive had a VFR400(NC24) & the last of the lot RVF400 (NC35), although never had or ridden the middle one of the three the NC30.
Performance wise they are virtually the same & the v4 engines are absolute gems (not the same handling wise tho) & ok to an experienced biker used to quick stuff they are pedestrian (RVF handling is still amazing tho- no matter what you are used to riding) but to a novice used to cars they will feel like a rocket ship & as a newbie you will not be able to tell any differences in handling anyway.
For a novice I very very highly recomend an NC24, they are very cheap- I picked up a near minter- in Rothmans colours (which I thought were so retro cool
)for £800, & they can go for even less than that. Whereas same condition NC30s are £1500+ & NC35s are £2500-4000.
If you are a very big chap its gunna only be suitable for short trips, but im a lanky sod who likes the odd pie & it was fine for an hour or so.
Nc24 on left of pic Rothmans colours-
Good 400cc bike forums(with an active classifieds section) on www.400greybike.co.uk
Ive had a VFR400(NC24) & the last of the lot RVF400 (NC35), although never had or ridden the middle one of the three the NC30.
Performance wise they are virtually the same & the v4 engines are absolute gems (not the same handling wise tho) & ok to an experienced biker used to quick stuff they are pedestrian (RVF handling is still amazing tho- no matter what you are used to riding) but to a novice used to cars they will feel like a rocket ship & as a newbie you will not be able to tell any differences in handling anyway.
For a novice I very very highly recomend an NC24, they are very cheap- I picked up a near minter- in Rothmans colours (which I thought were so retro cool
)for £800, & they can go for even less than that. Whereas same condition NC30s are £1500+ & NC35s are £2500-4000. If you are a very big chap its gunna only be suitable for short trips, but im a lanky sod who likes the odd pie
& it was fine for an hour or so. Nc24 on left of pic Rothmans colours-
Good 400cc bike forums(with an active classifieds section) on www.400greybike.co.uk
Many thanks guys - £800 would be a good price to pay i think, they look nice too.
Im 6'2 and built like a beanpole. I also have a slightly dodgy hip (some drunk knocked me down some steps on holiday 2 years ago) and 5 minutes on my mates Suzy GS500E and it was playing up. Im determined not to let that put me off though - my hip will just have to bloody behave, or ill ignore it hurting!!
Some good advice guys, thanks
Im 6'2 and built like a beanpole. I also have a slightly dodgy hip (some drunk knocked me down some steps on holiday 2 years ago) and 5 minutes on my mates Suzy GS500E and it was playing up. Im determined not to let that put me off though - my hip will just have to bloody behave, or ill ignore it hurting!!
Some good advice guys, thanks
Must just say that the NC24 is a great bike but IIRC apart from the single-sided swing arm, it was a little old-fashioned, being very similar to the previous NC21 version of the VFR400. Having said that, I've owned an NC21, NC24 and NC30 and I remember the NC24 as being exceptional - it would easily pop wheelies which is something the NC30 was a bit more reluctant to do. Never changed the tyres on the NC24 but it was so easy that on the NC30, the tyre place said they wouldn't charge me for removing and replacing the wheel!
VFR400's are great, I love V4's, just bought a VFR750
A good cheap bike to insure is an FZR600, try using the www.bennetts.co.uk quote thingy, once you have entered your details you can try all sorts of bikes and see what the quotes are like.
A good cheap bike to insure is an FZR600, try using the www.bennetts.co.uk quote thingy, once you have entered your details you can try all sorts of bikes and see what the quotes are like.
Gassing Station | Biker Banter | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff