bandit too big for first bike ?

superfish

hi guys im thinking of buying myself a motorbike I know how to drive them as ive had 3 small ones already when I was younger I had a yamaha rx 100, nsr 80 and the last one I drove was a suzuki rg 80 this was about 3 years ago though and ive not owned a bike since although I still remember how to drive them. im now thinking of buying myself a suzuki bandit 600 is this too powerful for me and if so what should I go for

I dont want a bike that looks as small as the ones I previously had as im a very big guy and look a bit of a nipple on the small ones that scene from dumb and dumber on the scooter comes to mind

GBX

There a grand bike ... mate has one. You can get it restricted. If youve had other bikes, it will be a good bike to move up to.

superfish

GBX wrote: »

There a grand bike ... mate has one. You can get it restricted. If youve had other bikes, it will be a good bike to move up to.

yea im just a bit worried it would be too much to handle as ive not been on a bike in 3 years because when I got my full car license it changed from being able to drive small motorbikes on my provisional to only having catogory b so im going to apply for the bike license but dont want to have to drive the small ones lol

goodlad

superfish wrote: »

yea im just a bit worried it would be too much to handle as ive not been on a bike in 3 years because when I got my full car license it changed from being able to drive small motorbikes on my provisional to only having catogory b so im going to apply for the bike license but dont want to have to drive the small ones lol

Ya will be grand man. I had never even sat on a bike, then i did 3x 1 hour lessons on a cb400 then bought myself a bandit 600.

It was grand, i just had to get used to the weight of it, but the power was fine.
After all, the bike is only gonna take off as fast as you let it take off.

superfish

goodlad wrote: »

Ya will be grand man. I had never even sat on a bike, then i did 3x 1 hour lessons on a cb400 then bought myself a bandit 600.

It was grand, i just had to get used to the weight of it, but the power was fine.
After all, the bike is only gonna take off as fast as you let it take off.

thats exactly what i was thinking if I take it steady for the first while should be grand I was sat on my mates one today and thought it seemed like a nice size bike and did not feel too heavy atall and his was a 750 I might take his for a spin and see how it goes lol

goodlad

superfish wrote: »

thats exactly what i was thinking if I take it steady for the first while should be grand I was sat on my mates one today and thought it seemed like a nice size bike and did not feel too heavy atall and his was a 750 I might take his for a spin and see how it goes lol

I only thought it felt heavy at low speeds, i almost dropped it a few times.
But as i said, i have no experience driving a bike really. You should be fine on one.

Sure if ya get one just get it restricted, it still accelerates fast enough and will hit 140kph easily. Oh, and if it has the standard exhaust, whip the silencer out of it :cool:

seanybiker

Ya be grand on it. Just don't go mad on the throttle and you be flying. Should be used to it in no time. Take your mates bike for a spin and see how ya get on. On a closed private road of course ;-)

superfish

seanybiker wrote: »

Ya be grand on it. Just don't go mad on the throttle and you be flying. Should be used to it in no time. Take your mates bike for a spin and see how ya get on. On a closed private road of course ;-)

lol yes my own private road

my next question whats faster the mondeo or the bandit.... < jokes

seanybiker

superfish wrote: »

lol yes my own private road

my next question whats faster the mondeo or the bandit.... < jokes

lol bandit will piss all over it acceleration wise.
I'd imagine. I never went over the speed limit in my life so am only guessing :-)

goodlad

seanybiker wrote: »

bandit will piss all over it acceleration wise.
I'd imagine.

Damn right it will

bandit197

You will be fine on it. Go up through the gears fairly quickly and keep the revs down until you get used to it. The bandits are nicely geared and engine pulls well at low revs without having to wring the life out of it.

superfish

cheers for all the help guys il deffo go for a bandit now il prob try pick up an older cheap one on done deal until im a bit more experienced. does anyone know how I go about getting the license for one at the mo ive just a full b license and I dont have a clue where to start do I do a thery test again or just sit a test or just ask for bikes to be added to my current license ?

goodlad

superfish wrote: »

cheers for all the help guys il deffo go for a bandit now il prob try pick up an older cheap one on done deal until im a bit more experienced. does anyone know how I go about getting the license for one at the mo ive just a full b license and I dont have a clue where to start do I do a thery test again or just sit a test or just ask for bikes to be added to my current license ?

All info ya need is here dude:

http://www.magireland.org/information-sheets/getting-on-the-road/


In short, do the A licence theory test, do the cbt training, then off ya go.

memaul

superfish wrote: »

hi guys im thinking of buying myself a motorbike I know how to drive them as ive had 3 small ones already when I was younger I had a yamaha rx 100, nsr 80 and the last one I drove was a suzuki rg 80 this was about 3 years ago though and ive not owned a bike since although I still remember how to drive them. im now thinking of buying myself a suzuki bandit 600 is this too powerful for me and if so what should I go for

I dont want a bike that looks as small as the ones I previously had as im a very big guy and look a bit of a nipple on the small ones that scene from dumb and dumber on the scooter comes to mind

Great post for me superfish. I logged on to post pretty much that exact same post. I'm thinking the exact same thing. Good info

superfish

memaul wrote: »

Great post for me superfish. I logged on to post pretty much that exact same post. I'm thinking the exact same thing. Good info

must be the nice weather lol was round my mates today and he has a few bikes one of them being an r1 it just made me think feck it im getting one ive been wanting one for ages anyway

RosieJoe

You should still be able to get your provisional bike licence back again. From your previous post you said you lost it when you got your full car licence.

Try your local CoCo office to see how best to do this.

cantdecide

Just to big up the Bandit, I was a novice virtually, when I started three years ago on a restricted 600 Bandit. I've been though a GSX1400, a Blackbird and I'm Busa shopping now.

Bandits are a cnut at <walking> speed, as posted. Don't go for too cheap an example. Make sure the tyres/ chain etc are tip top to give yourself the best chance. My Bandit had a knackered headstock bearing when i got it and I had no idea it was so bad until it was replaced. I don't know how I'd only fallen off it the one time !!

210

I have been biking 15 years and have had a bandit 600 for past few years. For me I find the bandit very snatchy - if you are not accellerating hard up through the gears you are braking hard - It has brutal acceleration and power and for a novice it will be a handfull. If you are on a smaller bike and do something silly chances are you will be able to sort it - on a Bandit chances are you will be moving on that bit faster and getting sorted at speed is a whole other ball game. I also still have my honda 250 which I did my test on - it is far and away a much nicer bike to learn on - there are a few of these arround. Try to ignore a lot of the hot air arround restricted bikes. If you want to learn skills that will keep you safe start on a sensible bike. 250 cc will get you into plenty of trouble and then when you get onto bigger bikes the stuff you learned will stand to you.

scorn

210 wrote: »

I have been biking 15 years ... and for a novice it will be a handfull. If you are on a smaller bike and do something silly chances are you will be able to sort it - on a Bandit chances are you will be moving on that bit faster and getting sorted at speed is a whole other ball game ...

I have to agree with 210 - just the fact that you have asked this question is a good sign. You are aware of your own limitations, and biking isn't a 'game' - there can be very serious consequences if things go wrong. (I say 'if' but more likely 'when'). Being able to avoid or at least assert damage control will be far easier on a machine that is within your capabilities.

Have a read of this thread - very sound advice and information in there.

Start with something you are both physically and mentally comfortable with - you'll know when you're ready to 'upgrade'.

cantdecide

I'm not sure how much I agree with the above. You do quickly come to terms with bikes. If you go and buy a 250 today, 99% of people will have outgrown it within a short few weeks. Using a 250 as an affordable crosstown hack is one thing but if your heart is in the weekend blasts, why wait if you don't have to.

The quality of training is so good these days that anyone can get on a big bike and ride safely from the start. Also, I'm a big dude too and I was driving my mate's 07 Bandit 650 over the weekend. He told me I was too big for it. I'd feel a right tit if I'd had to go 250/ 400/ 750/ 900 in the age old fashion.