recommendations for a complete beginner?

shortie_chik

I'd like to get a scooter (or possibly small motorbike) in the new year, am completely new to this and would really appreciate any advice or recommendations you might have. I've read a lot of forums, and have picked up a few tips here & there, but a lot of what I read was over my head (models etc).

I don't have any sort of license at the moment; I've no worries about passing the theory test (regular cycle-commuter with common sense, and have easily passed some online samples). I want the scooter primarily for commuting to work, so I won't be doing huge distances or high speeds.

Should I go try for an A license (incase I get hooked & want to upgrade...) or is this a waste of time for what I want? My assumption is that riding a motorbike is significantly more complicated than a scooter; maybe I should just aim for that. Anyone gone this route & found they got bored very quickly?

From what I've read, I will need:

- a scooter / bike any recommendations? Probably scooters moreso than bikes; should be comfortable, safe, efficient, cheap to run, light enough for someone with little upper-body strength (!), have space under the seat for a backpack & lock, possible to attach a top case... any other feature you've found you can't live without?

- best helmet / jacket I can afford: is the rest of the clothing superfluous on a scooter? Boots maybe? How many different sets of bike gear do other scooter-commuters own? Will just the one do?

- a few lessons / courses: I've heard there are bronze or silver level classes in Fingal / Swords area, anyone done these? Are they suitable for someone who can't even start a bike yet?

- covered lock: I've got 3 locks on my precious cycle-bike, so am happy to buy the best there is

- license, tax & insurance; anything reeeeeally obvious I'm leaving out here?

How much self-maintenance should I expect with a scooter? Is an annual service enough?

Any estimates of how much I should expect to spend getting started?

If it helps advise, I'm 27 year old female, 5ft2, expect to buy size 10 gear and 36/37 boots - if bike gear is even sized in this way! Any ladies who can point me to shops which have stuff I can try on before I buy? And if there's actually any choice of ranges, that's a bonus. I'm not keen to buy gear over the internet until I know what I need & what my size is.

Any tips will be much appreciated! Also Happy New Year!

seanybiker

Go for the A licence. If i was you i would go for a bike. Since your short a marauder 125 or even 250 would be grand for ya. Nice and comfortable bikes. Insurance is low on them also since their cruisers.
Dont know where to go for womens clothes.
A few lessons would be a very good idea.
A few pictures of ya in your leathers would be a great idea lol.
Get a decent helmet. You dont need to spend loads on one. Any lid for sale all have to pass the same safety checks. I dont wear gloves at all but everyone will tell ya that a good pair of gloves are a must.

thehomeofDob

Having just been in your sort of situation I'll throw you my two cent.

A scooter would be technically easier to ride. Would be cheap to buy outright (even brand new). You'd have a bit of protection against the weather and you'd pay a pittance in running costs.

I'm unable to speak for you in this regard - but I'm glad I went for a bike over a scooter. When it comes to controling you do have to deal with gears and a clutch but it's a cinch after a week. I find very little beats jumping off the lights on a quiet road hitting the red line, cranking it to second and and just taking off. I love going for spins, and it wouldn't be the same on a scooter. That's all personal tho.

Once you decide bike or scooter you've gotta look at what style of bike, and what type of riding you're gonna do. For instance I have a Suzuki GZ250, a big enough engine for a starter, but it's a heavy bike so acceleration and top speed aren't brilliant compared to lighter bikes. Next you have to look for a learner legal bike. It has to be under 33brake horse power, there's a list somewhere of all the bikes that are. Or else you'll have to get it restricted - but most insurers will charge you as if it's a non restricted bike so big money.
If you decide on a bike - aim for a 250. The full licenses work in that if you take the test on anything 125 or under you're stuck on 125. So either rent a 250 for your test or buy one :-)

As far as gear goes, buy the best helmet you can afford. Skimp on the beer for a month rather than buy a cheap helmet and get a good brand - Arai, Shoei, Sheuberth etc, they're expensive - but do come in pink!

Leather or textile? Leather is better if you're in an accident. Though the good textile ones are coming close. Textile is better in the cold and wet. Tho some good thermal and waterproof overalls would sort you out with leathers.

Get good boots and gloves. If you're going to commute you're gonna be in all weather, and unlike cycling you don't build up body heat. Icy hands and feet are a killer. Handbar muffs or wind guards can help a great deal with cold hands.

As far as maintenance. Regularly oil your chain - every 150 - 200 miles. Make sure you use the right oil. Different oils work on different types of chains. Depending on mileage you may have to change the oil more often - do it yourself as it's not too difficult and it's cheaper. Keep an eye on the obvious - lights work, breaks, throttle, clutch, gear leaver etc.

The theory test is a doddle. Buy the cd over the book - the questions on the test are the exact same format on the cd. The questions and the positions of the answers are identical. You eventually just instinctively know where to click. It helps not knowing the answer before hand as well like you would in the book.

Don't think there's much else I can think of. Forgive any spelling mistakes - writing this on the phone. Forums are a wealth of advice. Head over to biker.ie or irishbikerforum.ie and read around the newbie sections.

mikemac

I can't realy add to the two posts above, great advice.

If you are going for a scooter I'd recommend a Honda Lead, 100c at 2,000 euro.
Great scooter. And they realy are so easy to handle and get around heavy traffic.
A scooter is ideal for your commute but with a motorcycle you can do so much more and go for long spins in surrounding counties at weekends or whenever.

So I'd advise you to go for a bike. I was driving scooters on a B licence long before I ever went for my A licence and I'm still waiting on my 2 year restriction to lift.

I passed my A test before I even bought a motorbike so my advice is get a provisonal A, get a bike like maybe a Honda CB250 and within a few months go for your A test. Don't wait for months and years!

Don't skimp on gear and invest in training. It's important to start off on a good footing and then you won't be unlearning bad habits.

Did my training here but ask around.www.motorbiketraining.net
I think Fingal CC do something called the Star program

Best of luck!

Definately go for the A licence. It will save you the hassle of redoing the theory test/driving test all over again if you get hooked. Get the best gear you can afford-your life may depend on it.
As for bike recomendations I would recommend the yamaha dragstar 250. There grand bikes, pretty comfortable, low seat height, easy handling and they are cheap to insure and maintain and are very reliable.

thehomeofDob

Deleted User wrote: »

As for bike recomendations I would recommend the yamaha dragstar 250. There grand bikes, pretty comfortable, low seat height, easy handling and they are cheap to insure and maintain and are very reliable.

They look class too! :pac:

Lilliput69

yes u can get female bike gear, if u can hold off a wee while, the bike show is on in feb this yr i think in RDS and u can try on loads of gear , u might pick up a bargain or two

As for bike, i have a Rebel 250, its a cruiser , has low narrow seat, my 11 yr old son can ride it

shortie_chik

Lilliput69 wrote: »

yes u can get female bike gear, if u can hold off a wee while, the bike show is on in feb this yr i think in RDS and u can try on loads of gear , u might pick up a bargain or two

As for bike, i have a Rebel 250, its a cruiser , has low narrow seat, my 11 yr old son can ride it

Thanks for the tips! This should help get me started
I'm sure by the time I've done the theory test & all the window shopping it'll be the end of Feb, so I'll def try to get to that bike show. :cool:

Fabio

And if you can't decide between a bike and a scooter there's always the Honda Innova 125.

It's bombproof, costs €3.70 to fill the tank and will go for about 80 miles on that tank, looks good when it's washed (has a big chrome exhaust ya see) and it has manual gears but no clutch.

I've been riding one for about 4 months now and love it althougnI'd love to upgrade to something like a Dragstar 250 or even a Honda Deauville....

You can pick up a secondhand Innova for about €1500 here in Cork which isn't bad really although the same shop that aree offering that price are also offereing secondhand Deauville's for €3000 or so I've heard!

As for gear, get a decent helmet and gloves. I don't have a dedicated made-for-bike jacket as of yet but if you end up on a "proper" bike then get one and boots are a plus (could save you a broken ankle!).

thehomeofDob

Do realise that if you want to do this right - biking can be more expensive than you think. Unlike a car where you can drop 2 or 3 grand on a car and just go (with ins., tax, etc.) a bike does have a lot of extras.

If you value your life you'll get the best gear you can whether you get a scooter or bike. Make sure pants and jacket have CE grade armor. Armored gloves and proper boots will literally save you a great deal of discomfort if you're in a spill. Even spine protectors are worth the money spent. Most people recommend at least 500 to be spent on gear, and from what I've read (which is loads) I'd put that as a bare minimum. Trying on gear at a shop is great - then go buy it online and/or from the UK for cheaper! The UK doesn't charge vat on safety equipment so lids and gear are much cheaper. Take good advantage of the brilliant exchange rate.

Anyhow good luck with your foray into biking. Let us know how you get on!

maiden30403

Fabio has the right idea there with the Innova 125, cheap to buy, cheap to run, cheap to insure, indestructable, great to learn on and small and nifty in Dublin traffic.

It's just a modernised Honda 50.

shortie_chik

thehomeofDob wrote: »

Do realise that if you want to do this right - biking can be more expensive than you think. Unlike a car where you can drop 2 or 3 grand on a car and just go (with ins., tax, etc.) a bike does have a lot of extras.

If you value your life you'll get the best gear you can whether you get a scooter or bike. Make sure pants and jacket have CE grade armor. Armored gloves and proper boots will literally save you a great deal of discomfort if you're in a spill. Even spine protectors are worth the money spent. Most people recommend at least 500 to be spent on gear, and from what I've read (which is loads) I'd put that as a bare minimum. Trying on gear at a shop is great - then go buy it online and/or from the UK for cheaper! The UK doesn't charge vat on safety equipment so lids and gear are much cheaper. Take good advantage of the brilliant exchange rate.

Anyhow good luck with your foray into biking. Let us know how you get on!

On my "regular" bike, I'm head to toe with helmets, reflectors & flashing lights (yes I might look like a total nerd, but I'm still alive amn't I!) so there's no chance of me hopping on something motorised without some decent protection. I'm happy to spend my money on the right equipment - my cycling bike (just a commuter bike, nothin fancy) cost 500e and I'd say I've spent about 400E again on locks, helmet, reflective stuff, additional lights, saddle covers, baskets... what else could I possibly buy for it... Then add the cost of suitable sunglasses, raincoat, rain trousers, waterproof boots, waterproof gloves and cycling suddenly becomes as expensive as having a scooter, just a bit slower :rolleyes:

Good to know there's no vat on this stuff in the UK; if the exchange rate stays the way it is, there could be bargains to be had! (1 Euro was 97p the other day)

shortie_chik

maiden30403 wrote: »

Fabio has the right idea there with the Innova 125, cheap to buy, cheap to run, cheap to insure, indestructable, great to learn on and small and nifty in Dublin traffic.

It's just a modernised Honda 50.

I quite like the look of this and seems like it would be a good size for my shortie legs

Thanks for all the model recommendations; I should be going window shopping for the first time next weekend. If I'm lucky, they might even let me touch one :eek: