350zStephen Posted April 12, 2011 Share Posted April 12, 2011 I am currently doing direct access, and have my test coming up soon. I was wondering what would be an ideal first bike, bearing in mind i'm 22, and insurance may be an issue. I am looking for something I can sit more upright on, but it still looks sporty. Naked or fairings do not bother me.. I have been looking at Kawasaki ER6's.. anyone got any advice on them? Ideas people?? Cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andlid Posted April 12, 2011 Share Posted April 12, 2011 drove an er6 once...= it's a straight sit up one though and prolly a good starter, I'd be bored on it though. Why not look at a Honda 400 cheapish to get used to biking and then go to a 600/650 and then onto 1000 (magic) What type of rider do you think you'd be? (important on what bike to recommend) I've got a few bikes in the bag and they've all been different style of driving. What is the main point of use? Well done getting on the biking scene, be careful though. Car drivers don't care about you one bit... it's you against them... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cragus Posted April 12, 2011 Share Posted April 12, 2011 Not knowing too much about bike insurance, would a 600 be too big as a first bike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rog518 Posted April 12, 2011 Share Posted April 12, 2011 I passed my direct access in jan and currently have a honda hornet 900! I only have this because its my landlords who lives in thailand and he said why not use it! would of prefered a 400 or 600 hornet but hey ho never look a gift horse in the mouth and all that! Goodluck with the training Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
350zStephen Posted April 12, 2011 Author Share Posted April 12, 2011 drove an er6 once...= it's a straight sit up one though and prolly a good starter, I'd be bored on it though. Why not look at a Honda 400 cheapish to get used to biking and then go to a 600/650 and then onto 1000 (magic) What type of rider do you think you'd be? (important on what bike to recommend) I've got a few bikes in the bag and they've all been different style of driving. What is the main point of use? Well done getting on the biking scene, be careful though. Car drivers don't care about you one bit... it's you against them... I'm learning on an er6n, and at the moment I think it feels fast enough for me.. but i'm not sure how long it would last. Even going 70 on my lessons feel like i'm going much faster on the er6 as the wind is hitting you when i'm sitting upright, and it is a naked bike. Andlid, I am getting a bike for mainly weekend use, and the odd commute. My elder brother has just bought a ZX12R, so we'll be going tours of the highlands this summer if all goes well. The ER6 is coming in at £600 a year for insurance, which is pretty good for my age I thought? Cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andlid Posted April 12, 2011 Share Posted April 12, 2011 Not knowing too much about bike insurance, would a 600 be too big as a first bike get one restricted to 33hp and you'd be fine, I'd go for something twin if you are since a 4 potter would be absolutely boring... the twin has lots of torq even with a restrictor. I kinda fancied the gf's old monster 620... baffles out restricted down from 66 to 33 hp and still good fun around town. Not so much for full on sprints with the 'bracket' they fitted to restrict the play of the accelerator. Here is a teaser: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andlid Posted April 12, 2011 Share Posted April 12, 2011 drove an er6 once...= it's a straight sit up one though and prolly a good starter, I'd be bored on it though. Why not look at a Honda 400 cheapish to get used to biking and then go to a 600/650 and then onto 1000 (magic) What type of rider do you think you'd be? (important on what bike to recommend) I've got a few bikes in the bag and they've all been different style of driving. What is the main point of use? Well done getting on the biking scene, be careful though. Car drivers don't care about you one bit... it's you against them... I'm learning on an er6n, and at the moment I think it feels fast enough for me.. but i'm not sure how long it would last. Even going 70 on my lessons feel like i'm going much faster on the er6 as the wind is hitting you when i'm sitting upright, and it is a naked bike. Andlid, I am getting a bike for mainly weekend use, and the odd commute. My elder brother has just bought a ZX12R, so we'll be going tours of the highlands this summer if all goes well. The ER6 is coming in at £600 a year for insurance, which is pretty good for my age I thought? Cheers zx12, heavy bike if it's for weekend use get something tasty in the 600cc class, if you can stretch I'd go for a 750 gixxer has that little extra bit of power. Get good gear. I took my R6 to Sweden... so any bike can do a trip if you're up for it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
350zStephen Posted April 12, 2011 Author Share Posted April 12, 2011 Are Honda's really that good for the extra premium? I can get a near new Kawasaki ER6 for £4,000, whereas I can get a 5 year old CBR600F for a the same price. I had a look at insurance quotes on CBR600RR's, and almost died. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cragus Posted April 12, 2011 Share Posted April 12, 2011 Get a 600 ninja. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andlid Posted April 12, 2011 Share Posted April 12, 2011 Are Honda's really that good for the extra premium? I can get a near new Kawasaki ER6 for £4,000, whereas I can get a 5 year old CBR600F for a the same price. I had a look at insurance quotes on CBR600RR's, and almost died. well you get what you pay for, honda's are pretty expensive to run (not sure about the rr but the vfr was mental service costs on) and likes to get rev'd high so again if you're going restricted (not sure you have to) then I wouldnt bother with an rr. check what a cbr 600f would be like, not as cool looking though ninjas'... it's in the name, mental all together. what year are you planning to go for? brand spanking or second hand? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ARphotographs Posted April 13, 2011 Share Posted April 13, 2011 Sv650s! I've had mine 4 years and have only started to just get a bit bored of it and feeling like moving up to something bigger. Cost £2600 and could probably sell it now for £2500 as they don't drop value, the v-twin engine through a lovely exhaust is just sexy (as the folk on the original dukes pass run) i'm 22 and mine insured in @*!# postcode (middlesbrough) is £190 tpft (yeah 4 years riding with 4year ncb) but still shouldn't be too hight for you! any other questions pm me, and as you know i'll be in Glasgow over easter, feel free to pop to the egg run and walk about the bikes and have a chat! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andlid Posted April 13, 2011 Share Posted April 13, 2011 Is that the curvy one with carb or later injection? Driven both and would say get one if your commuting on it... which you ain't going to do... I was bored of my one very quick and it was a heavy lump too. Used mine for a to b but would not rate as a weekend tool. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stew Posted April 14, 2011 Share Posted April 14, 2011 Go test riding. I moved from a 600 Ninja (first bike) to a Z1000 naked beastie last year. I much prefer the upright naked and don't miss the sheer speed of the ninja at all. Personally I think a 600 or thereabouts is big enough to get used to however the speed controller in your right hand so it's all up to you. There is nothing 'too fast' for you if you have self constraint. I would say get something light though as dealing with a heavy bike will be tricky until you get used to it. The ER-6 is a decent bike, I like the naked one - similar styling to my Z1000! I like Kwaks, good value for money in my opinion. My mate has had a CBR600F, CBR600RR and now a Fireblade. I wouldn't say the Honda is any better than the kwaks but you sure pay more for it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rabbitstew Posted April 14, 2011 Share Posted April 14, 2011 I had a zx6r at one point... very nice bike. Easy to ride, handled well and cheap to service. If you want something more upright, then how about the hornet 600? I think they are awesome looking bikes and good value for money. You can tune them up if thats what you fancy doing later. Other options are SV650 like someone else mentioned or even a Bandit 600. A 600 seems to be the "norm" for first time bikers these days. When I passed my bike test years back people started off on a 250cc bike as their first bike. They would then upgrade to a 400cc for a while before even looking at a 600cc bike. These days 600cc bikes have the same power and performance as a 1000cc sports bike did back then, so its mental now that people can jump straight on a 600cc after passing their test. Still, plenty do it and survive! Dont forget to factor in the cost of leathers, helmet etc... depending on what brand you go for it can cost a bit. Ive got 2 sets of Dianese leathers and they both came in at 1200quid just for the suit! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris`I Posted April 14, 2011 Share Posted April 14, 2011 First things first, dont get goaded into the willy waving of bigger engines - you will regret it. Something like a Hornet 600 is more than enough. I did direct access (after many years of dicking about on loads of smaller bikes) and inherited my old mans R6 - dear god its fast! No way I'd want it as a first bike if I'd not ridden before, you're simply a passenger if you dont know what you are doing. One sneeze and you'll be into triple figures followed by a bush. If you really want to learn get something small and crap to play on and learn how to handle a bike that you can chuck about. Its getting harder to justify these days, but starting on a 250cc or something similar will teach you a lot. /dons flame suit Anyone who says you NEED more than 600cc to have a good ride needs to learn to ride properly, as anything more powerful is just a waste in the UK. But then again, I think a GTR is too much for the roads in the UK too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
P19DRO Posted April 14, 2011 Share Posted April 14, 2011 I have an older carb'd version of the SV650S. We trained on gs600 and er5's so they weighed a tonne compared to the SV and it goes like @*!# off a shovel compared to them as well. Couple the V-twin with a scorpion exhaust and Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris`I Posted April 14, 2011 Share Posted April 14, 2011 Gotta love the noise and torque of Vs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rabbitstew Posted April 14, 2011 Share Posted April 14, 2011 /dons flame suit Anyone who says you NEED more than 600cc to have a good ride needs to learn to ride properly, as anything more powerful is just a waste in the UK. But then again, I think a GTR is too much for the roads in the UK too. Totally agree. 600s these days are so quick and handle so well that you really do not need any more. Ive got 3 motorbikes atm including an R1. But on the R1 you *always* have to watch that throttle and you really cant use full throttle in the first 3 gears without it wheelying. So you are constantly having to think when you accelerate. Whereas on my zx6r I could wring its neck and always feel confident that I wouldnt suddently get wheelspin at 100+mph. A 600 is so much more forgiving and at the end of the day you can only corner so fast. Ive seen mates on 250cc bikes out corner guys on much bigger bikes! The only benefit with a bigger bike is that on a straight bit of road you can enjoy that extra power when you accelerate. Oh... and they are easier to wheelie... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GreenMonkey Posted April 14, 2011 Share Posted April 14, 2011 My hubby is selling his Yamaha FZ1 to make way for the baby. All i know is that its a 1000 and is all black and looks nice Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ARphotographs Posted April 14, 2011 Share Posted April 14, 2011 I have an older carb'd version of the SV650S. We trained on gs600 and er5's so they weighed a tonne compared to the SV and it goes like @*!# off a shovel compared to them as well. Couple the V-twin with a scorpion exhaust and mine is the newer pointy version. To the person who said they got bored, how do you ride? as 4 years on i'm slowly going off it but in those 4 years i've done lots of miles of scotlands roads, long weekend trips. have happily kept up with a 999 until i noticed we were entering corners at about 90tuts and i thought hmm maybe not safest idea. also on private roads it will happily wheelie off the throttle. Oh and very easy to get airbourne! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andlid Posted April 14, 2011 Share Posted April 14, 2011 must have driven a rotten one argument to go for a bigger cc bike would be to have more torq and not having to gear the bike up and down to keep it at optimum revs. the boring part of the sv as far as I consider it to be is that you get bored driving it and just put in 3rd gear in town and keep it there, comparable to driving a turbo diesel car in my book. I've had 125,400,600,650s and 1litres although the 1000cc was an old one I find it to be the most allrounder. Newer 1000's are a bit mental and wouldn't pick them as a starter. 400 hornet would be a favorite I think, had a rvf 400 directly from japan that was sweet, not the most comfortable bike but very light and eeeeasy to drive. for trackwork I'd go 600 or 750 if the track has few straights and lots of technical turns. Just make sure whatever bike you get you stick an aftermarket can on, for safety and sound Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ARphotographs Posted April 14, 2011 Share Posted April 14, 2011 agree, loud can saves lives! when commuting around Glasgow i used to find myself not being noticed, then put loud can on and bingo everyone hears you comming, then i took hacksaw too it and chopped 6inches off it, now i can be heard before i am see, and the v twin growl is sexy! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andlid Posted April 14, 2011 Share Posted April 14, 2011 agree, loud can saves lives! when commuting around Glasgow i used to find myself not being noticed, then put loud can on and bingo everyone hears you comming, then i took hacksaw too it and chopped 6inches off it, now i can be heard before i am see, and the v twin growl is sexy! lol agreed on vtwin sound... and run it a bit rich to bang on downshifts, just remember another thing not mentioned here... quick downshifting with a twin you need to blip the throttle to stop it locking up... slipper clutch is far nicer (and a quickshifter for upshifting is nice too) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rabbitstew Posted April 14, 2011 Share Posted April 14, 2011 the boring part of the sv as far as I consider it to be is that you get bored driving it and just put in 3rd gear in town and keep it there, comparable to driving a turbo diesel car in my book. I agree. V-twins arnt for everyone. I had a ducati 748sps for a year or so and that was just the same. Awesome noise with its race termini cans and superchip, but you`d just leave it in top and use the torque through the traffic. I just ended up hating it, as i prefer screaming 4 pots!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andlid Posted April 14, 2011 Share Posted April 14, 2011 the boring part of the sv as far as I consider it to be is that you get bored driving it and just put in 3rd gear in town and keep it there, comparable to driving a turbo diesel car in my book. I agree. V-twins arnt for everyone. I had a ducati 748sps for a year or so and that was just the same. Awesome noise with its race termini cans and superchip, but you`d just leave it in top and use the torque through the traffic. I just ended up hating it, as i prefer screaming 4 pots!!! mmm but the sounds must have been lurvey... like the revving too, tried it all and it's whats close to heart. for longer trips just up the cc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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