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Alright guys,
Wondering if any of you ride a motorbike as well as drive a scoob and wanted some opinions!
I'm going to be sorting out my direct access in the next few months but am rather stumped at what bike I want! Lol
I've recently got a 140cc pitbike just for a laugh and it's made me really want a road worthy enduro.. I love the style and the high, upright seating position and i'd like to go greenlaning for a bit of fun.. but looking at those I end up wanting a ktm exc500 and they're a bit pricey imo. Also I'm not sure if an enduro would be any good if I wanted a ride to wales nor am I sure about their reliability..
I was thinking about a Yamaha r6 prior but I'm a big guy and have occassional back problems so not sure a sports bike is a good idea..
Also like the look of some Harleys but not a bike I would really consider owning myself..
So really I'm looking for any info and opinions on what to go for or advice on how to choose.. let me know what you have and your experience!
Thanks
Tog
If you have any aspirations to riding any distance, 250-300 miles a day then get a tourer or large trail tourer. Big fella on small engine equals average performance. Don't get a naked bike except for commuting, you can't ride them more than 70mph with being battered by wind blast. 800-1000cc twin/triple/V4 engines are best for torque. Inline 4 for revs and smoothness
Best quality are Honda, my mates have got several over 10 years old, the bolts and Paint looks like new. My Yamahas are showing signs of age even though kept in top condition.
do you need it for a commute or not?
will you be riding all year round?
do you want to go NSL blasting at the weekends?
how old are you?
depending on the answers to the above depends on what you should get. if you want an all round commuter which is capable of decent lane speeds yes an adventure bike is well suited. However saying that don't let your size put you off a sports bike - there will be a point where you will look back when your older and wish you could ride one.
I started out on a CB650F which was a naked upright, but as soon as I tried my mates CBR I had to get a sports bike. Once you get used to the handlebar position you realise you don't have to be scrunched up the whole time to ride.
Oh and the guys comments above about Hondas are true, the best built by far. My mate has a Ducati and its virtually brand new and sounds like a pig some days for no reason. My 600RR hasn't skipped a beat and I've thrashed it every weekend since January.
My experience is fast road bikes so I don't think I can comment to help you, but intrigued non the less to what you decide to get. Best of luck on the Direct Access.
Best thing to do is make a list of potential bikes you like and first stop is to get insurance quotes to see what is and isn't affordable.
Then when you have the list shortened to potential purchases go and test ride all of them as only you are going to be able to know what suits you and feels right. Plus read the MCN reviews online and get background info on each model.
I'm another Honda fan, had bikes from all the big 4 Japanese manufacturers and Honda are by far the best with Kawasaki 2nd. BMW are right up there too. However i've only ever ridden sports bikes so couldn't comment on crossers and enduro bikes etc.
Last edited by An0n0m0us; 06 September 2017 at 02:58 PM.
Hi Tog,
The R6 is a capable sportsbike, but you will need to ring it's neck to get any power from it..The riding position isn't that extreme for a sportsbike..Definitely worth a look...
Ironically, the feet forward, arms up position of a Hardly Ableson will give your back more discomfort because your entire body weight is transferred through your spine, whereas on a bike with a feet back or beneath position, the weight is distributed through the spine, arms and legs...
Dunno about your budget or what you see yourself on, but bikes like the Ducati Hypermotard are very easy to ride, very accomodating, easily as fast as an R1, and incredibly versatile with phenominal brakes...You can literally hustle something like along a B road, tour with it, commute, do boring motorway miles..
Similar bikes could be the KTM Superduke??
These types of bikes can pretty much do it all and if you're a big guy you won't look like a clown riding it.
Hi Tog,
The R6 is a capable sportsbike, but you will need to ring it's neck to get any power from it..The riding position isn't that extreme for a sportsbike..Definitely worth a look...
Ironically, the feet forward, arms up position of a Hardly Ableson will give your back more discomfort because your entire body weight is transferred through your spine, whereas on a bike with a feet back or beneath position, the weight is distributed through the spine, arms and legs...
Dunno about your budget or what you see yourself on, but bikes like the Ducati Hypermotard are very easy to ride, very accomodating, easily as fast as an R1, and incredibly versatile with phenominal brakes...You can literally hustle something like along a B road, tour with it, commute, do boring motorway miles..
Similar bikes could be the KTM Superduke??
These types of bikes can pretty much do it all and if you're a big guy you won't look like a clown riding it.
Thanks for the replies guys!
I will be using the bike to commute to and from work, But it's local, about 7 minutes with traffic each way so definitely not many miles..
I'd like to ride all year round but I will still have cars for when the weather is bad.
I'm 30 years old.
I think a big part of the attraction to an enduro is mostly due to wanting to be legal when I go out on the green lanes as a pit bike isn't.. Although I might be best getting a day MOT sorted out on my pit bike for green laning and get a sports bike for actual road use as I think I'd regret buying an enduro when I start going out on some nice roads and racing some other bikes lol.
So maybe I could get some advice on a decent sports bike suited to a 6'2 20 stone guy for commuting and Sunday rides? I would prefer something with a low rumble opposed to a high rpm scream but im not sure if thats realistic.
I'd want 600cc+
Under £5k and low miles.. Prefer to spend around 3k but I don't have a budget as such but I don't want to needlessly **** away money if i dont need to.
Reliablity would also be a benefit.
I do think I need to sort out some test rides but I'll have to get my licence sorted first. Will make a trip to my local bike shop this weekend and sit on a few bikes and a get a feel for the seating positions etc I guess.
Thanks!
Personally, no offence intended here, I think a 600cc bike for a 20 stone guy isn't worth deliberation. You would be, as you said, ringing its neck to get it to push on.
My choice would be a litre road bike and for your budget you can get any of these:
None taken - that exactly why I've asked for help!
Ok so I'll be looking for probably a 1000cc then! I would rather it wasn't an inline 4 as I do want the torque so any decent bikes which fit that criteria would be great.
I'll check out the list you've posted Rob and the specs!
All help received so far is great thanks guys!
Quite, a disaster waiting to happen. I would never recommend anyone goes from their CBT to a litre sports bike and the insurance companies will reflect that sentiment in their quotes.
Why would anyone with zero experience need to be 'pushing on'? There would be absolutely nothing wrong with a 600cc bike and if you have to ring its neck you are wanting to go too fast too soon.
I'm 6'3 and 14-15 stone and had a CBR 400 Tri-Arm for 5 years as my 2nd bike and it was an awesome bike. Yes it was small but that made it amazing at handling and once used to the bike ringing it's neck was a massive grin.
Getting experience in riding different size bikes is all part of it for me. I started on a 250 went to the 400 then 600 then 1000 then 750 then to 929 and back to 1000. Given the choice now I wouldn't skip any of the bikes I had as they were all great fun in their own right. Jump straight on a litre sports bike is no different to passing your car test and getting straight in a Veyron.
Last edited by An0n0m0us; 08 September 2017 at 07:14 PM.
Yeah, I've even given out the advice as a non biker, not to go straight to a large capacity bike lol. And I still wouldn't personally recommend it to a lot of people, But for me I think it would be best for my needs etc when I've taken everything into account.
I'm really not the average idiot who just jumps on a bike and will yank the throttle and probably fall off the back lmao. I'm actually quite a reserved driver but I like having power readily available lol.
What bikes were your 600,750,929 and 1000s an0n0m0us?
Cheers for input guys!
I started out on vfr400 on learner permit in ireland, then a ducati monster 600, followed by 600ss ... then once back home did direct access and got a 748..
The nc30 was the best handling bike ive owned over the years though, i'd get another if i had the opportunity.
Yeah, I've even given out the advice as a non biker, not to go straight to a large capacity bike lol. And I still wouldn't personally recommend it to a lot of people, But for me I think it would be best for my needs etc when I've taken everything into account.
I'm really not the average idiot who just jumps on a bike and will yank the throttle and probably fall off the back lmao. I'm actually quite a reserved driver but I like having power readily available lol.
What bikes were your 600,750,929 and 1000s an0n0m0us?
Cheers for input guys!
600 was a ZX-6R J1 and for a 600 is was a larger more comfortable bike than the R6 and CBR600 and I thought it was great. The reviews all favoured the R6 and CBR600 but I thought the ZX-R6 was better for taller bigger riders. It was also a deal I couldn't turn down, brand new from Carnells for £4995. Not surprising they went bust really!
It is long in the tooth now but was made before everything got shrunk down, my current 2015 blade isn't much bigger than a 600.
The 750 was a GSXR SRAD, the 929 a blade and the 1000 was a 2003 R1.
Also if you want a 1000cc engine but not go crazy but have bags of torque have a look at the Suzuki SV1000 v twin.
Again the best advice I can give is try before you buy. Draw up a list of all that interest you (and that you have got affordable insurance quotes on) and go and compare once you've passed your test and you will then know which is the best bike for you. Us lot could argue endlessly on here but it's a personal choice only you can make once you've tried various bikes out.
As said above do not go for a 1000cc sports bike they are insane
being a big guy you will want some room or you will become very uncomfortable very quickly
so a 600 sports bike is out as they are tiny
what you want is an adventure or large muscle bike ie ktm 950/990 adv/super duke,bmw r12 ,gs800
yamaha jxr 12,honda cb1300,suzuki gsx1400
if you really are wanting something a little sportier honda super black bird,triumph sprint st
I gave up the sports bikes a few years ago due to injury the last was a gsxr1000
i now have a ktm 950 supermoto which fits the bill
14 yrs old - Yamaha TY50
35 yrs old - Direct access for big bike
35 yrs old - CBR 600F
36 yrs old - CBR1000RR Fireblade
37 yrs old - 1098 Ducati
Result = eye opener experience and maturity gained on the 600 following two incidents but no crashes fortunately. Moved to 1000 bikes and respected the power, speed and weight. Only ever dropped a bike accidentally once by manoeuvring in the garage.
Personally wouldn't have a 600 again as they need to be revved with a decent size bloke on. GSXR750 is about as small as I would go for a sports bike.
Each to their own, clearly opinions are divided.
If you want torque and a more upright position with sports feel VF800 or BMW Eqiuiv
Last edited by Rob Day; 09 September 2017 at 02:42 PM.
Quite, a disaster waiting to happen. I would never recommend anyone goes from their CBT to a litre sports bike and the insurance companies will reflect that sentiment in their quotes.
Why would anyone with zero experience need to be 'pushing on'? There would be absolutely nothing wrong with a 600cc bike and if you have to ring its neck you are wanting to go too fast too soon.
I'm 6'3 and 14-15 stone and had a CBR 400 Tri-Arm for 5 years as my 2nd bike and it was an awesome bike. Yes it was small but that made it amazing at handling and once used to the bike ringing it's neck was a massive grin.
Getting experience in riding different size bikes is all part of it for me. I started on a 250 went to the 400 then 600 then 1000 then 750 then to 929 and back to 1000. Given the choice now I wouldn't skip any of the bikes I had as they were all great fun in their own right. Jump straight on a litre sports bike is no different to passing your car test and getting straight in a Veyron.
*****....!
It was said tongue in cheek to be honest although its what I did 20 yrs ago.
Im still here to tell the tale ,but like most bikers ive had the odd spill, worst one at a track day. On the road you respect the power and keep an eye out for the other road users who may not give you the respect you need as a biker.
Each to their own I agree and if hes a mature person he will already know to keep things sensible no matter what bike he gets.
Good luck and be careful as any bike is dangerous in the wrong hands.
*****....!
It was said tongue in cheek to be honest although its what I did 20 yrs ago.
Im still here to tell the tale ,but like most bikers ive had the odd spill, worst one at a track day. On the road you respect the power and keep an eye out for the other road users who may not give you the respect you need as a biker.
Each to their own I agree and if hes a mature person he will already know to keep things sensible no matter what bike he gets.
Good luck and be careful as any bike is dangerous in the wrong hands.
Plenty might survive going from test to a litre bike but even if you are sensible and don't get carried away what you are missing out on with other smaller bikes first is a shame in my view. Once you've been on a litre bike everything else will feel tame afterwards yet if you get experience on other bikes first you enjoy them for what they are and then when you go to the ultimate bike you've got there having had fun and gaining experience along the way.
Plus there is the insurance. Insurance companies will not look favourably on a 30 year old with zero experience going straight for a 1000cc sports bike. I'd like to know what the quotes are as they will be well over a grand.
Insurance isn't a big worry for me.. I paid £1750 for my first year in my scooby 7/8 Years ago.. And you should see what the kids pay on a 1.0l corsa when they've just passed. Easily around £2500. I've known an 18 year old pay £4500 on a fiat punto abarth! I guess it's all relative though.. my parents generation wouldn't dream of paying those amounts but they probably started with a £100 premium or something!
I paid £255 tpft for my 50cc when I was 16! And that was 14 years ago. I'm aware larger capacity and all those premium hikes are definitely going to increase the policy. One thing I'm lucky with is my area is exceptionally cheap for Insurance compared to other areas as there is next to no crime. I'm sure my car insurance would even cosy a good couple 100 extra if I lived elsewhere!
Been recommended an aprilia RSVR 1000 if anyone has any experience of the bike? Sounds gorgeous with some exhausts on vids etc. Definitely prefer the sound of a V than an inline!
All helps been brilliant anyway guys, I've got a much better idea of what I'm looking for and will definitely be doing quite a few test rides on different bikea before any purchasing, so I won't be rushing in with anything, just gathering some useful info!
Hopefully will be sorted before Christmas so will update to what I end up buying as soon as I've got it all sorted!
Thanks guys!
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I did my direct access in 1998 and bought a brand new gsxr600 and after that I had 2 gsxr750s superb bikes although must admit after a few close calls and kids I ditched motorbikes in favour of fast cars.
Back in the day when i passed my test you could go from riding around in a car park, a few days on the road and then buy a widow maker...Good times
My first bike was a ZXR 750H2..Vile handling, but we didn't know better in those days..My 2nd bike was an original Blade..Again, absolutely horrific handling and I binned it a couple of times..(first time was semi my fault, second time, the swingarm snapped at 130mph)....Good times
I would either get a stonking V twin (I'm all about Ducati but there are probably some decent J** bikes out there, or an Aprilia), or you get a cheap bike fro green laning...A KTM 525EXC or something similar will still haul your considerable **** around once you're off road....A nice twin may well get trashed green laning...
What about a BMW BMW R1150GS?? They're available for around £3k..Ok, it's a BMW and a lot of ppl will assume you're a ****, but they're a reliable go anywhere bike...Dunno about the adrenaline factor though..
An Honda Africa Twin, or Transalp??
If it was my doh, i'd get a Multistrada..I rode one of these on road tyres last summer and it was a blast...Surprisingly fast, surprisingly compliant, huge torque and huge braking....Probably on the pricey side though...
Ive got a few bikes, I'm a bit of a hoarder so have still got all the bikes I've had since passing my test in 2000. Started off as a 16 year old on a yam dt50, it had what was called the tenere body kit so looked quite cool for a 50cc.
Passed my test and bought a rothmans liveried (factory standard) VFR400r, nc24 but 91' registered. That stopped working so rather than fix it I bought a new Suzuki sv650s. Still got both, the SV is my favourite of my bikes and I've done a few mods on it, gixxer thousand front end, full race exhaust and mapped, fair bit of carbon and billet, but it's a cramped riding position (I'm 6'2") even more cramped than a lot of supersports bikes (due to some of my mods though)
I've got a BMW r850gs, very comfortable, surprisingly chuckable, but feckin heavy!
And a triumph tiger 800. This sounds like it would be more up your street, capable at touring, comfortable riding position, a screen so you don't get buffeted to death, about 95 brake from the triple engine so not too slow, but not to fast for a novice, and you can get them with wire wheels and nobblies so you can do a bit of greenlaning.
As said, you don't really need a 1000, they are just for track days, ***** waving, losing your license or your life.
Love bikes... can't have one now as I have a young son to think about... and I know I will ride it like a lunatic sooner or later. I'm also old so falling off is not really an option.
Sounds to me like you need a Honda VFR 800, plenty of torque from the V4 engine to haul your fat *** around pretty quickly... good for just shy of 170mph so not exactly slow... much like the VFR 400 NC30 I had (also agree one of the best bikes EVER) they punch way above their weight in the real world out on the road... comfy tourer/ commuter then at the weekends turn the rear shock to max, slide your *** back, tuck your elbows in and go and play with the slightly less well ridden litre sportsbikes...
While it's not exactly a match for a well ridden litre sports bike on a track most would struggle to lose one on the road on all but the longest of straights... but then you can ride one from one end of the country to the other and not feel like you've been locked in the boot of an Austin Mini by the end of it.
Yamaha Fazer 600 or 1200 is also a very good all-round bike.
If you want to go off road Get yourself a Honda XR400 and join the trail riders fellowship.
P.S
A word from the wise... don't "Over Bike" yourself much like cars you'll have way more fun in or on something cheap and light with less power, questionable brakes and dodgy handling than you ever could with a big expensive beast of a machine.
I've had around 20 odd bikes and by far the most fun are the little chuckable need to wring the *** off it while it squirms around under you begging for mercy almost trying to kill you while you're trying to kill it pieces of **** I had in my younger days.
Last edited by ditchmyster; 17 September 2017 at 02:50 AM.
Just found a few pictures on my iPad of bikes I've owned.......
The 600 was black/grey when I bought it, but used this bike to learn the mechanics, hence stripped it down, serviced it and had the panels resprayed, and then took the opportunity upgrade some parts.
05 September 2017, 11:37 PM
Any bikers?
what he says 
I'm also old so falling off is not really an option.
