Searching for a Motorbike. Which one to get??

bugs

Originally posted by MojoMaker
You obviously haven't really checked out the insurance market a great deal. There is very little difference between insurance on a group 2 bike and insurance on say a group 7 bike

If you're below 25, the price between a group 2 bike and group 7 bike is enormous, i'd say in dublin, at even 22-23 you'll pay probably double or triple the price of insurance on a group 2 for a group 7. This is coming from experience of being quoted as much. Course this is based on hibernians prices.

MojoMaker

Rymus, I personally gave you detailed advice on the purchase of your Dragstar on MNet over a year ago. How do you find it? Btw - you didn't hang around long.

rymus

The 650 'star' is a lovely motor, much better than the Shadow 600 or the Virago 535, and lightyears ahead of the Marauder (yuk!).

that'd be you then... Julius

Supercell

Originally posted by hackfish
I'm going to buy a motorbike.
Any suggestion to what kind of motorbike to get.
I'm searching for something of 125....
may be a scooter....

Can anyone give me tips or suggestions of what kind of motorbike NOT to get... which ones have good reputation... etc..

Thanks guys!
Gracias!

Getting back on topic, and away from the boy racer discussions, which are completely irrelevant to somebody who's askng presumably about their first bike..

Personally would go with a Virago or a Marauder, both bike looks great (as good as it gets in this size of bike imho) , and will ease you into learning how to ride a "proper" bike, eg one with gears (my opinion :P ) .

Never ever will forget learning how to ride, took the bike up to an industrial estate on a Sunday afternoon and drove around that for about 5 hours practising stopping and starting.....and how to stop stalling..believe me...you do not want to be doing 0-60 in 3.5 seconds on your first bike, unless you've already booked yer graveyard slot .

I've been riding now about three years and occasionally i STILL over estimate my handling ability corning for example and have several time counted my blessings that another car wasn't coming around the corner in the opposite direction.

I AM saving up for an XVS650 atm (upgrade from the present Virago 125...i'm driving three years and that amount of power still frightens the bejasus out of me), but strongly recommend AGAINST buying something more powerfull just because you can .....you only get one life and 60-0 in no seconds ....is no fun at all..wait untill you have at least 6-months to a years bike driving experience behind you first, and imho..longer is better.

rymus

Originally posted by Longfield
Personally would go with a Virago or a Marauder, both bike looks great (as good as it gets in this size of bike imho) , and will ease you into learning how to ride a "proper" bike, eg one with gears (my opinion :P ) .

i couldnt agree more.. either of the above or my first love, a suzuki intruder.

I AM saving up for an XVS650

You definately wont regret it. It was the weight of my XV650A that worried me at first, a lot heavier than my intruder was. After a few hours I was well used to the extra weight though.

Silent Bob

You don't just have to go the cruiser option. You could get a Honda Varadero 125, a Yamaha TW125 or a Suzuki RV125 (viewable at Suzuki-gb)

There is a strong cruiser following on this board, so I feel I have to at least mention the alternatives.

Pimp Ninja

I'd recommend either a Yamaha YP125 (majesty) or a Yamaha SR125 I drove both bikes the YP for about a year and a half and the SR for about 2 or 3 months.

I clocked up about 20000 miles on the YP and I have to say that its the most comfortable, reliable, and easiest bike to drive that I have ever come accross. Yes it is just a big scooter, and if thats not your biscuit then fair enough. If you want something comfortable, wasy to drive, and with a little bit of extra power then go for it. I even took this bike on a journey from Dublin to Carraic on Shannon and it did it in an average travel time (for a car that is).
Unfortunately this was writen off, by a car, while I was on it. After my aeriel acrobatics I was thankfully, not as bad off as I could have been. If the bike had not been, 'scooter shaped' then my left leg would have taken most of the impact and things would probably have been a lot worse for me.

The SR was my first geared bike, I picked it up from the shop, drove it around for about 10 mins in a lane behind the shop and was ready to drive it home, albeit very carefully, through rush hour traffic. It was my longest, time wise, motorbike journey home from the city centre. The next day I took it along the 'causeway' between Dollymount and The Bull Island for about 2 hours, and that was pretty mush most of my stopping/starting organised.
The only problem with the SR was the lack of a petrol indicator (ie no display telling you how much petrol is left). This was combated by a 'reserve tank.' A little switch that you change over once the main tank runs out of petrol. Usually every 200 miles.

I had the SR for about 2000 - 3000 miles. After the accident on the YP my back is no longer in a fit state to ride a motorbike, so I had to sell it. I'd get back up on a bike right now if I could.. but the Doctor thinks it will be about another 2 years till my back fully heals itself.

So I heartily recommend both of these bikes as good starters.
Yamaha YP125 Majesty
Yamaha SR125

Slaanesh

I have a Suzuki GN 125'. I found this bike to be brilliant beginners bike. Has a GS100 before hand which was a load of crap It's a nippy 125, max's out normally about 70mph.

PM'ed hackfish with details because I want to sell the bike. If anyone has comments about the GN125, post them up because I would be interested to hear your opinions.

Lot's of the couriers use them.

Slaanesh.

Krusty_Clown

Silent Bob: You don't just have to go the cruiser option.

Hear, hear...

I'm not anti-cruiser (I'd love a nice big bruiser when I get a bit of grey on the temples), but I would suggest looking at the alternatives, in the 125 range...

The small-engined cruisers seem to represent the worst of both categories.. i.e.
Being cruisers, they are not very maneuverable (pardon the spelling), and being 125s, they don't have the power for all that weight..

Additionally, because of all that chrome, drop it (and as a learner, you probably will), and it wont be cheap...

Having said that, I ride bikes for myself, and not anyone else.. Go with whatever's in your price range, that feels the most comfortable, that gives you the most confidence, and for you, is the most practical. (and of course, looks the coolest)...

For me, it's one of these...

skywalker_208

Hey Slaanesh, what insurance group is your Suzuki GN 125' in?

meatball

"Ya couldn't go wrong with a cruiser... cheap insurance, comfort, and the ladies love shiny chrome"


Yeah... Ugly ones with no teeth...

ven0m

For your first bike IF you're over 21, you may as well go right the way up to a 400cc cruiser, because it's practically the same group as a 250cc cruiser & you're right up to the max. cc's & bhp you can have on your first two years as a rider....I remember my first.... a lovely 400cc Steed...... bitchin bike - was even more bitchin when I did it up - hard to tell the difference between it & the 600cc version

Kazujo

The GN125 is group 2, as far as I know it's the only bike of that style that is in group the rest are group 3.

Personally I recommend the virago 125 to learn on atleast, yes it's slow but they look great and are real easy to drive. I'm on a restricted bandit 600 now but I'd love to get a Virago 535 mmmm...

Race style bikes give me a sore back (but look sooo nice), street and cruiser all the way

batman_oh

true if ur gonna get a cruiser might aswell go for a much bigger one coz they fall under the learner category, altho my rs125 owns my mates steed 400
i like the virago as far as crusiers go, i think it looks the best but as ive said before i could never drive one, as they have nothin of what i look for in a bike

rymus

Originally posted by batman_oh
true if ur gonna get a cruiser might aswell go for a much bigger one coz they fall under the learner category, altho my rs125 owns my mates steed 400

Good lord.. its the start of this thread all over again.

So all cruisers fall under some universal 'learner category'?

Take batmans advice; get a 1600cc wild star. After all, theyre all for learners...

long story short, get a virago. The bike of choice for first timers

batman_oh

didnt say all, said bigger not all
read
and it easily owns the steed

Fabritzo

What's this Wild star u speak of? If it's learner legal, where would you put it on a wild rating scale from 1-10?

rymus

yamaha wild star... I think it's in group 6, havent a clue of the bhp off the top of my head. Wild on a scale of one to ten... dunno really.. its wilder than a virago, that goes without saying but its not exactly the craziest thing on two wheels.

I was gonna change from my 650 up to one this year but I reckon I'll wait a few years until I'm 25/26 and go down the grand tourer road.

and it easily owns the steed

Yes, because everything is about how fast you can go. Take a deep breath & try to get the image of go faster stripes out of your mind.