Need Help choosing a Bike

Green_Martian

Hi everyone,

Hope you can help me.
I am hoping to join the world of Bikes and am wondering if you guys can give me some advice.

Which bike should i buy.....i haven't got a clue where to start I was thinking of something like a Bandit 600 or something similar, but im afraid they might be too heavy to learn on, so was thinking maybe a 250 for pricewise and insurance wise, as i have never riden a bike before.

Also whereabouts should i be looking to buy the bike from i.e reputable shops.

Thanks in advance

bjmotors

well if you are gona be new to bikes, you wouldnt want anything to big and heavy, bandit 6 would be a bit to much to start with.

Having worked in the bike trade for a few years, my advise would be to get a hornet 250, simliar style to a bandit 6, just less power, lighter and way easier to learn on.

i used to see newbies each week buying starter bikes, and the most popular starter bikes were hornet 250/CBR 250.

regarding a good bike shop, i would highly recommend megabikes on wexford street. i worked there for 2 1/2 years. the guys in there wil sort ya out with everything ya need. great selection of bikes aswell.

Green_Martian

Cheers, a friend of mine buys his bikes from Megabikes i think........

He knows one or two of the lads there, so he said he would ask them if the had any decent 2nd hand bikes, he also suggested getting a 250 to star with.

Thanks again for the advice

Green_Martian

Just had a look at a few pics of the Hornet 250, and it looks like a nice small bike to start with

Idleater

Green_Martian wrote:

Just had a look at a few pics of the Hornet 250, and it looks like a nice small bike to start with

They are about 40 odd Horsepower so will have to be restricted for you to be legally covered both licence and insurance wise.

A factory restricted Bandit or *cough* SV650 are 33bhp, and just as easy to move about. You will also have the benefit of having a lot of useable power and torque at "sensible" RPM rather than having to rev the 250 to 16000.

L.

murphaph

nereid wrote:

They are about 40 odd Horsepower so will have to be restricted for you to be legally covered both licence and insurance wise

What's the DGVW of the Hornet? If it's only 40HP I bet it falls outside the restriction requirement when you do the calculation DGVW/40HP (in kW obviously). My 80HP bike is 0.15kW/kg according to the spec sheet and the DGVW stamped into the VIN plate. The law doesn't specify what 'weight' should be used, so it's perfectly reasonable to use the Design Gross Vehicle Weight the manufacturer stamps into the bike itself.

Idleater

ok, put it to you this way:

Ring up CN, AON or Quinn and tell them you are looking to get insured on a first bike.
Quote 1) Bros 400
Quote 2) Hornet 250

Both are 40 hp stock list, but you will get insured on the bros but not the hornet.

hornet 250 spec

Grossly overpriced insurance wise I think. I'd probably insure my 650 for less than one and I have a unrestricted full licence.

Steffano2002

nereid wrote:

They are about 40 odd Horsepower so will have to be restricted for you to be legally covered both licence and insurance wise.

A factory restricted Bandit or *cough* SV650 are 33bhp, and just as easy to move about. You will also have the benefit of having a lot of useable power and torque at "sensible" RPM rather than having to rev the 250 to 16000.

L.

I'd also go for your SV Nereid... I keep telling him! Won't listen... :rolleyes:

Idleater

Cheers boss!

How's your bandit going?

murphaph

nereid wrote:

ok, put it to you this way:

Ring up CN, AON or Quinn and tell them you are looking to get insured on a first bike.
Quote 1) Bros 400
Quote 2) Hornet 250

Both are 40 hp stock list, but you will get insured on the bros but not the hornet.

hornet 250 spec

Grossly overpriced insurance wise I think. I'd probably insure my 650 for less than one and I have a unrestricted full licence.

CN quoted me on all manner of big bikes when I was initially looking into biking. I'm over 25 though, maybe the OP isn't.

Green_Martian

Murphaph i am 26,
Got a quote of €1600 for Steffano's Bandit and then a quote of €1700 for Nereid's sv650

will prob try the ins companies on Monday or tuesday.

Steffano, if i could find the type of money for it i would but the bike from nereid in a flash

Idleater

Green_Martian wrote:

Murphaph i am 26,
Got a quote of €1600 for Steffano's Bandit and then a quote of €1700 for Nereid's sv650

That is the difference between group 5 bandit and the group 6 SV.

Without dissin Stefano's bandit (which to its credit is black), it has 2 to many cylinders, and they are not in the optimal V configuration.

The sound is worth €100 by itself, never mind the engine braking, and the torque. 3rd gear will go from 10-100kmph.

Green_Martian

Well if i somehow win the lotto in the next week or so, i will take that bike of your hands nereid.......:p

Steffano2002

nereid wrote:

That is the difference between group 5 bandit and the group 6 SV.

Without dissin Stefano's bandit (which to its credit is black), it has 2 to many cylinders, and they are not in the optimal V configuration.

The sound is worth €100 by itself, never mind the engine braking, and the torque. 3rd gear will go from 10-100kmph.

You dissing proper 4 cylinder engines there Nereid? We all know that 4 is better than 2! And I take flat 4 anyday over 2 in V!
Sounds horrible too (loud farts)! hehehehe

Seriously though, my Bandit is doing great. Needs new shoes but I don't know where to go to get them fitted... Also started buying tuning bits for it to make it look good. Pictures will be posted soon!

Niall06

Have you considered a factory restricted Suzuki GS500 or Kawa ER5.
Both lighter than the bandit and nippy enough.
Also a lot cheaper to buy than a hornet 250.

Try a cruiser. Yamaha Dragstar 650, comes in under the power to weight limit and full power. Even the 1600cc Yamaha Wildstar is learner legal.

Green_Martian

Right took the the first few (Baby) steps to my biking future. I booked my Theory test and bought the cd to study for the exam.

Do i still need to get an eyetest done, even though i have a full B licence??

As soon as i have my Prov Lic i will be contacting Mr Lyons for a beginners course and then on from there and hopefully my full Licence

Wossack

Green_Martian wrote:

Right took the the first few (Baby) steps to my biking future. I booked my Theory test and bought the cd to study for the exam.

Do i still need to get an eyetest done, even though i have a full B licence??

As soon as i have my Prov Lic i will be contacting Mr Lyons for a beginners course and then on from there and hopefully my full Licence

you wont need another eye test if you already have a full B license - instead of the eye report, give the license you have already, and they can tell from that if you need to wear glasses when driving etc

as for choosing a bike to learn on... cant really help ya, as Im still at it

insurance q's though... maybe of interest:

factory restricted bandit 600 - group 5
factory restricted SV650 - group 6 (due to the restriction not impacting the performance as much on a twin imo)
hornet 250 - group 6
cbr250 - group 5

its funny that the hornet is more expensive to insure, seeing that its got a detuned cbr250 lump in it... I think its due to them being easier to nick, or some such, desireability? (though dont hold me to that, who can really explain the dark arts of motorbike insurance)

good luck with the theory test, sounds like you're going the right way about it with buying the cd

Green_Martian

Yeah was messing about with it yesterday in work.

Have to say there are some wierd questions in the possible test, myself and Steffano2002 were having a look a it yesterday.

Regrads the eye test, i don't want to give in my Full B licence, or do i just show them that i have the licence?? As in the way i would have if i was renewing?? Im cobfused.......LOL:D

Wossack

yep you just show it to em in the office, and they give it straight back to ya

Green_Martian

Cheers Wossack

a_ominous

Don't be afraid of a 600 versus a 250. Main reason why most people chose one over the other is cost of bike and insurance.
My first bike was a 125 cruiser as I was afraid of having too much power. But low power and heavy cruiser does not have enough acceleration to get away quickly from lights on a dual carriageway. Changed to a 400 after 2 months as it was safer for me.
A cheap and cheerful 125 is grand on 50kmph roads, outside of these, a bigger bike makes more sense. But you can build up no claims on a 125 while you're still learning.

Green_Martian

Cheers for all the help guys, and thanks for throwing in all the different types of bikes i could start on.......

Are there any good websites for buying bikes???

Wossack

bikebuyersguide.ie
donedeal.ie
carzone.ie
buyandsell.ie
gumtree.ie
adverts.ie
also a couple of irish biking forums have buy and sell sections
biker.ie
irishbikerforum.com

all I can think of at the moment!

Green_Martian

Thanks again

smoc

I did my extensive research on this last year when i got my 33bhp bike. Luckily for us insurance has gone down dramatically with Quinn insurance which is great.

I narrowed it down to either a Bros 400 or a Kawasaki ZZR 250.

The Bros because of its reliability and real biker boy look and great power. Or the Kawasaki for its lovely suspension, great sports looks, 2 person potential, huge petrol tank and lovely sound and poke.

I went for the Kawasaki in the end. The main reason was it was more practical and i fooking loved the look of it.

I still have it and i would recommend it for anyone like you in your position!