Beginner bike

karlog

What does everyone think of the Kawasaki ER-5 as a beginner bike. It will be restricted of course and is alot cheaper than the 250 hornet aswell.

Also any other recommendations of good bike to start out on?

ambasite

Honda Bros 400 / CB 400 / CBR 250 - seem to be popular choices for starter bikes.

KamiKazi

n.catenthusiast has an ER-5, seems like a decent bike for a beginner, I'm sure he'll let you know what he thinks of it

RosieJoe

karlog wrote: »

What does everyone think of the Kawasaki ER-5 as a beginner bike. It will be restricted of course and is alot cheaper than the 250 hornet aswell.

Also any other recommendations of good bike to start out on?

No idea what the ER-5 is like but I (like a lot of others) started out on restricted Bandit.

I found it, and still do, a good bike as you are sitting up higher that a sports bike or cruiser giving you a better view, is good in cornering and heavy enough to withstand the wind! I'd say that the ER-5 would be similar.

n.catenthusiast

KamiKazi wrote: »

n.catenthusiast has an ER-5, seems like a decent bike for a beginner, I'm sure he'll let you know what he thinks of it

I surely will Kami!


Yup Er-5 is a great starter bike alright-nice height and sitting position, decent handling.

Hasn't given me any trouble since I got it 6 months ago, and I know F all about maintenance and such.
Dropped it once or twice and it still ran fine.

Still though, market is at rock bottom at the mo, what sort of funds do you have access to?

Could get something fancy right now for a great price. Given they haven't make ER 5s in a while now it'd be tricky to get one with particularly low milage.


Bandit would make a lotta sense. Personally if I was buying again I'd get something with a bit of faring for motorway riding comfort. ER6-n is the successor to the ER-5. good height & wind protection, fine looking thing and available factory restricted if memory serves

Think Cuddlesworth has one, maybe get his two cents worth too. also think there was a thread on this model a few months back

karlog

n.catenthusiast wrote: »

I surely will Kami!


Yup Er-5 is a great starter bike alright-nice height and sitting position, decent handling.

Hasn't given me any trouble since I got it 6 months ago, and I know F all about maintenance and such.
Dropped it once or twice and it still ran fine.

Still though, market is at rock bottom at the mo, what sort of funds do you have access to?

Could get something fancy right now for a great price. Given they haven't make ER 5s in a while now it'd be tricky to get one with particularly low milage.


Bandit would make a lotta sense. Personally if I was buying again I'd get something with a bit of faring for motorway riding comfort. ER6-n is the successor to the ER-5. good height & wind protection, fine looking thing and available factory restricted if memory serves

Think Cuddlesworth has one, maybe get his two cents worth too. also think there was a thread on this model a few months back

Yeh was checkin the bandit out on bikebuyers, not so different to the ER-5 and theres alot of ads going for them. I've got about 5k, and thats for everything, gear, insurance etc. Shouldn't be too hard finding a factory restricted model.

n.catenthusiast

karlog wrote: »

I've got about 5k, and thats for everything, gear, insurance etc. .

Yipes, you'll get something beautiful so.

Would you consider a Suzuki Sv650s?

again similar ball park to Er 5 but very pretty and stuff. You'd be the belle of the ball. And who wouldn't want that?

Cuddlesworth

n.catenthusiast wrote: »

Bandit would make a lotta sense. Personally if I was buying again I'd get something with a bit of faring for motorway riding comfort. ER6-n is the successor to the ER-5. good height & wind protection, fine looking thing and available factory restricted if memory serves

Think Cuddlesworth has one, maybe get his two cents worth too. also think there was a thread on this model a few months back

Good handling, good seat position, filters well, reliable engine and comfortable ride. Fly screen is a must if you do a lot of motorway driving.

Prices are being driven down like crazy here, but its a model much in demand in England. I wouldn't be surprised if you could pick up one now for just above 3k in decent nick.

It was also the cheapest insurance I could find by a long shot for any 600cc(non factory restricted).

Using it for commuting, I really can't see myself selling it for a long time.

KamiKazi

I've a CB400 and I love it :pac: Awesome bike to start on, handles great and theres enough power to keep up with bigger bikes

Wossack

Cuddlesworth wrote: »

It was also the cheapest insurance I could find by a long shot for any 600cc(non factory restricted).

prolly as its 500 not 600cc :P

Cuddlesworth

Wossack wrote: »

prolly as its 500 not 600cc :P

The er-6n is a 650cc.

Wossack

ah, the conversations moved to er6's, apologies

op, the er6-f has the fairing, if you're immediately going to put a flyscreen on it

Cuddlesworth

Wossack wrote: »

ah, the conversations moved to er6's, apologies

op, the er6-f has the fairing, if you're immediately going to put a flyscreen on it

The quality of the fairing on the er-6f is supposed to be dubious at best.

bladespin

Great bikes (ER5 & 6), bulletproof engine (dates back to GPZ500), comfy and easy to live with, recommended.

PS great noise too, always reminded me of the old VW beetle.

karlog

The CB400 is a bike i'd really consider getting. Problem is does AON recognise restrictor kits on bikes or do they have to be factory restricted? Or would i need to restrict the bike in the first place.
Just that it would be great after the two year's to no longer have the bike restricted.

KamiKazi

karlog wrote: »

The CB400 is a bike i'd really consider getting. Problem is does AON recognise restrictor kits on bikes or do they have to be factory restricted? Or would i need to restrict the bike in the first place.
Just that it would be great after the two year's to no longer have the bike restricted.

I never bothered getting mine restricted, but you can get them restricted by most bike shops. Only factory restrictions will make your insurance cheaper, but aftermarket restrictors are certified and make your bike road legal

That said, I've been stopped by cops twice now and they havent batted an eyelid at my bike, I guess because its only a 400cc.

Wossack

Aon are the only company Im aware of that will give any discount for restrictor kits. And yea they have to be factory restricted

The cb400 would need to be restricted alright, and unfort doesnt come in factory restricted guise..

karlog

KamiKazi wrote: »

I never bothered getting mine restricted, but you can get them restricted by most bike shops. Only factory restrictions will make your insurance cheaper, but aftermarket restrictors are certified and make your bike road legal

That said, I've been stopped by cops twice now and they havent batted an eyelid at my bike, I guess because its only a 400cc.

Thanks for the advice. I'm sure the wear and tear of a second hand bike would bring the BHP down a bit anyway. All i need to do now is find a decent one.

n.catenthusiast

KamiKazi wrote: »

That said, I've been stopped by cops twice now

Stopped twice in how many weeks?

What have you been up to with that bike exactly Kami?:D

KamiKazi

n.catenthusiast wrote: »

Stopped twice in how many weeks?

What have you been up to with that bike exactly Kami?:D

em, no comment

carsQhere

karlog wrote: »

Thanks for the advice. I'm sure the wear and tear of a second hand bike would bring the BHP down a bit anyway. All i need to do now is find a decent one.

Why chance it? If you crash your insurance company may pay out, but if they discover you are riding an unrestricted/full-power bike on a restricted license, they may - would, probably - recover the costs from you via the courts. Whether they check probably depends on their share price on the day, the size of they payout to whoever you hurt, and the likelyhood of you having sufficient assets to make it worthwhile.

Lots of people out there riding unrestricted bikes on provisional or restricted full licenses, & I understand why, but the bottm line is your insurance is only valid on a bike that you are legally licensed to ride.

Each to their own, but if you start with something like a factory restriced Bandit 600, you'll get cheaper insurance, and the bike will still be in demand when you come to sell it on, assuming you look after it.

galwaytt

Friend of mine has one, and swears by it. Should be cheaper to maintain than a bandit, due to only 2 cyls, but not much in it.

For a first bike, I wouldn't kill myself over a mint condition one, as you will drop it. Oh yes you will !

You should have no prob getting one for 1500/1600, I'd have thought.