Motorbike - Want One - What Next?

[Lammylee]

Get some GOOD quality, branded heated gloves with rechargeable batteries. I ride over the cat and fiddle in winter and fingers are toasty.

[steptoe]

its already been pointed out that boots with laces are dodgy on a bike unless they have a tongue covering them.

Well i must be lucky, in 44 years of riding bikes wearing laced boots i've never had any dodgy moments.....

And in the recent hot weather you'd have liked my choice of riding footwear with not a chance of any "lace related" dodgy moments, as i was wearing Crocs :D

[Tifa]

Well i must be lucky, in 44 years of riding bikes wearing laced boots i've never had any dodgy moments.....

Hahahaaa......now go and touch some wood!

[steptoe]

Hahahaaa......now go and touch some wood!

I went to touch some wood and tripped over my shoe lace......

[Barryboy]

I've just clocked up a little over 50 years on bikes of all shapes and sizes so I've got a fair amount of experience. My advice is to do your CBT then, and only then, get a bike. By then you will have a better idea of what it's like to ride a bike in modern traffic and have a better idea of what you need, as opposed to what you fancy. And when you do get a bike don't get anything with too much acceleration... avoid high power sports bikes which can easily catch out the inexperienced. Find yourself something with enough performance to make you grin and comfortably keep up with modern traffic, yet with a wide enough power band not to be peaky. My advice, for what that's worth, is to try a Triumph Bonneville T100 or 865SE but I'm biased. There are umpteen bikes that would suit your physique and a lot will come down to budget but my main recommendation is not to go for anything too performance orientated.

Rob

[MakeColdplayHistory]

I've just clocked up a little over 50 years on bikes of all shapes and sizes so I've got a fair amount of experience. My advice is to do your CBT then, and only then, get a bike. By then you will have a better idea of what it's like to ride a bike in modern traffic and have a better idea of what you need, as opposed to what you fancy. And when you do get a bike don't get anything with too much acceleration... avoid high power sports bikes which can easily catch out the inexperienced. Find yourself something with enough performance to make you grin and comfortably keep up with modern traffic, yet with a wide enough power band not to be peaky. My advice, for what that's worth, is to try a Triumph Bonneville T100 or 865SE but I'm biased. There are umpteen bikes that would suit your physique and a lot will come down to budget but my main recommendation is not to go for anything too performance orientated.

Rob

Thanks Rob, that all looks like good advice. I bought my YBR125 shortly after my CBT and have done about 400 miles on it so far.
I'm also 100% with you on not buying something that's going to try to kill me as a first bike. So far I'm cycling round the following: Triumph T100 (in all Street Twin, Bonnie, Scrambler etc guises), Moto Guzzi V7, Yamaha XSR700, Fantic Caballero 500, Ducati Scrambler. Ask me on any given day what I'm planning to buy and it will be one of those but you'll get a different answer day to day. It's not helped by the fact that, at the moment, my local bike superstore won't let people touch the bikes never mind sit on one or, heaven forbid, test ride.

[daver777]

hope you are enjoying biking!
DAS is the way to go next, have a look at circuitbasedtraining.co.uk
they can take you from zero to biker properly and quickly. they are one of the few places where you get to practice counter-steering in a nice safe environment.
best of luck and let us know what happens next!

[Adge]

All good info from everyone here, as I've just passed the theory and am in the process of booking the DAS 3-4 day course to get the full licence. Thanks to everyone for the great advice..


Any recommendations on places that offer the DAS course around London? The one I've enquired with is saying they are giving priority to essential workers and it will be late October before I can get in!

[Adge]

Get some GOOD quality, branded heated gloves with rechargeable batteries. I ride over the cat and fiddle in winter and fingers are toasty.

Do you have some you recommend? Not experienced enough to know the right brands etc...

[Omegamanic]

Do you have some you recommend? Not experienced enough to know the right brands etc...

Alpinestars Celsius

[MakeColdplayHistory]

Mod1 booked for Sep 14th. The instructor reckons I need one (3 hour) lesson a couple of days before (to cover emergency stop, hazard avoidance) and then an hour on the bike immediately before the test. Mod2 will be either Sep 17th or 24th depending on when I can get the time off work for a couple of road lessons.

Mod1 passed this morning.

I got three 'faults':

1. First attempt at emergency stop wasn't fast enough so I went again
2. Speed for 'hazard avoidance' was low but within tolerance
3. Once all the exercises were over, I made a balls of riding out of the compound back to the test building - stalled, put a foot down but restarted it, did my obs and rode the 10 feet back to the parking with no further issue.

but I passed which is all that counts.

Mod 2 practice on Saturday with test next Thursday.

[MakeColdplayHistory]

So there we go...



I'll let this thread sink slowly to the bottom now that I've passed. The main question when I started this thread the day I passed my CBT was whether or not to get a 125 to ride while going through the theory/Mod1/Mod2 journey and I'm so glad I did. I've done 750 miles on the mighty YBR in the 12 weeks I had it and I'm certain it's helped.

I've also read every single post on Tony's bike thread in the last 12 weeks which has been very informative. Having completely caught up there is another good reason to let this thread sink.

[learningtofly]

Before it does I'd just like to say CONGRATULATIONS

[BadBoyR]

Congrats, great feeling when you’ve passed.


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[Gyp]

Nice one - welcome to the fold.

That reminds me; not heard/seen an update on verv's progress. Or I've not spotted it.

[higham5]

Congratulations, that 750 miles is a foundation of your riding career. So next step and decision is which one do I buy!

Steve

[Adge]

Congrats! Just passed my mod2 as well (albeit with 16 years riding on my US licence).. but a great feeling for you I'm sure.

Be safe and have fun

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