First Bike

El Guapo!

I'm looking for advice on getting my first bike so if anybody can help I'd appreciate it.
I'm 25 and have driven cars since I was 17 but I want to get rid of the car now and get a bike instead. I'm only at the early stages of getting one but I just need some more info. I have my full car licence for the past 6 years but I need to go and do my bike theory test and all first and then hopefully the IBT.
I'd ideally be looking for a cruiser or something along those lines. A friend of mine recommended a Yamaha Virago or a Dragster. I really like the look of the Dragster 250 and have seen a couple of nice ones on Donedeal.

What I need to know is:
Is the Dragster a good bike to start off on? And if so is there anything to look out for when buying them?
Or is there any other bike you'd recommend that looks along the same lines?
Also, what's the best place to buy a bike? Would it be Donedeal or another website?
I got a quote for insurance today from Liberty and it was around the €700 mark. Is this a decent price? It's the same as I'm paying on my car at the minute and seems ok to me but I've never owned a bike so I'm not too sure.
Sorry for all the questions but I just want to make the right choice!
Thanks!

Pipz

Doesn't really matter where you buy your bike from, as long as you go and look at it first. Bring someone who knows a bit about bikes if you can, check the overall condition, mileage etc. Have a good look around. One guy was selling the bike I bought for 3k, and I ended up getting it for just under 2k when I looked around at different sellers. There's loads of places, you can go with done-deal, buy&sell, or any other bike dealers. Check local newspaper adds too, they sometimes show up suprises.

The insurance quote is alright, you can get lower though I reckon. Talk to whoever you book your IBT with about doing the insurance grade tests. I'd recommend Peter Bookey, others would recommend a guy called Dave Lyons and there's loads more. Have a look at the threads, ring around and you'll find something to suit you. Get a good grade with that and your insurance will go down again.

Whatever bike you go for, set a decent budget. Don't forget that the safety equipment for the bike is expensive for a reason, so don't skimp out on it.

El Guapo!

Thanks for the reply.
I'm a car mechanic but I've never had to work on a bike so I know very little about them but I reckon it's not too much different. I'll still bring my mate along with me though as he knows a good bit about them.
I'm not going to just jump in feet first though I'll have a good shop around.
With regards to all the safety gear I was planning to budget about €700-€800 for everything. Would that be enough or would I need more? I don't mind spending the extra money when it comes to safety. Where is the best place to shop for the safety gear?
Sorry for all the stupid questions but I'm a total newbie when it comes to bikes.

but43r

Are you sure you have to do the theory test again?
Check that with tax office - they'll be able to tell you.

I did my driving licence for car in August 2006 and I was able to get bike licence without doing theory test. Not having to do IBT is a bonus too (you can do it if you want to but you don't have to).

El Guapo!

I rang the theory test centre today and asked just to make sure and the woman on the phone said that I'd have to sit a seperate theory test for motorbikes.
I just took her word for it but it'd be great if I didn't have to do the theory test.

El Guapo!

I just checked the Bikesafe website and came across this:

When you apply for a provisional 'A' licence after 25th April 2001, it is necessary to sit a theory test. This is a requirement, even if you already hold a car (or any other vehicle) licence

Link

Looks like I will have to do it. It's not a major inconvenience though so it's not too bad.

AgileMyth

When you did your original Teory test it was for both car and bike. Its only in recent years that they introduced seperate tests. Theres a good chance yours has expired though, check in your local tax office.

Personally I don't like the idea of cruiser style bikes for learners. Too low down to provide a good field of vision and not particularly manouverable. But if thats what your heart is set on go for it, plenty of people have learned on them and are no worse off for it.

700 sounds fairly reasonable. Try the other companies and see what they say (Aon, Carole Nash and Adelaide).

Glad to hear you're budgeting for safety gear, many new bikers forget this altogether and get a shock when they go to buy. 700-800 will do you nicely. Best place to buy is anywhere outside this country!! If you want to buy in Dublin though these guys get great reviews: http://www.cottermc.com/webshop/index.php . I'm over the far side of the country so actually haven't been there myself.

El Guapo!

Thanks.
I never got a chance to ring the tax office today but I'll try tomorrow to get a definite answer about the theory test.
I've been looking around online at safety gear and seen some stuff in the uk that seems decent. Does anybody know a decent site for ordering gear?

gipi

but43r wrote: »

Are you sure you have to do the theory test again?
Check that with tax office - they'll be able to tell you.

I did my driving licence for car in August 2006 and I was able to get bike licence without doing theory test. Not having to do IBT is a bonus too (you can do it if you want to but you don't have to).

The OP will have to do the IBT regardless of whether they have to do the theory test or not. The two are not related.

The IBT requirement applies to anyone who gets a first bike learner permit after 6th December 2010.

gipi

Dean09,

Some safety gear (especially a helmet and back protector) need to be tried on, so it's a good idea to visit a bricks & mortar store.

AgileMyth recommended Cotters - a very good store, with a range of items at decent prices. (no connection, just an occasional customer).

Good luck with getting on the road!

El Guapo!

Thanks for that!
I'll check them out as soon as I get everything sorted with the licence etc.

but43r

gipi wrote: »

The OP will have to do the IBT regardless of whether they have to do the theory test or not. The two are not related.

The IBT requirement applies to anyone who gets a first bike learner permit after 6th December 2010.

Yes, but when I got my provisional licence back in 2006 it also had category A in it. I've had my full driving licence for car for nearly 5 years now and got provisional for a bike 3 weeks ago and the only restriction on the licence is that the bike has to be 33bhb or under. Checked with the tax office and they confirmed that I don't have to do IBT.

El Guapo!

Everywhere I've searched for this I've gotten mixed information so I'll just ring the tax office tomorrow and find out for definite. It's just doing the theory test will be a bit of a pain but I think I'll do the IBT either way, even if I'm not required to do it. It can only be good for me anyway.

gipi

but43r wrote: »

Yes, but when I got my provisional licence back in 2006 it also had category A in it. I've had my full driving licence for car for nearly 5 years now and got provisional for a bike 3 weeks ago and the only restriction on the licence is that the bike has to be 33bhb or under. Checked with the tax office and they confirmed that I don't have to do IBT.

Your first bike learner permit was in 2006 then, before the IBT introduction date of 6th Dec 2010 which is why you didn't have to do it. The IBT must be done by persons whose first learner permit was issued on or after 6th Dec 2010.

but43r

gipi wrote: »

Your first bike learner permit was in 2006 then, before the IBT introduction date of 6th Dec 2010 which is why you didn't have to do it. The IBT must be done by persons whose first learner permit was issued on or after 6th Dec 2010.

Yes, but what I'm saying is that anybody that got their provisional licence before October 2006 would have had A category on it.

El Guapo!

I have my full car licence since March 06.
I just rang the tax office and the guy there confirmed that I do have to take the theory test to get my provisional A licence.
Looks like I'm off shopping for the theory test book this afternoon!

but43r

Dean09 wrote: »

I have my full car licence since March 06.
I just rang the tax office and the guy there confirmed that I do have to take the theory test to get my provisional A licence.
Looks like I'm off shopping for the theory test book this afternoon!

I think you just missed it by couple of month. I'm pretty sure that if you have held provisional licence in last 5 years you don't have to do the theory test...