Need advice!

[needsabiggerfuse]

Or you could have every spotty faced 17 year old giving you the 'evil-eye' as you roll through town on this street legal 125.

Seriously though, you have 2 choices, a 125 as a stepping stone to bigger and more powerful machines. Or a 125 as a reliable, get you from A to B, machine. Either way, learn to ride it properly. In my experience, smaller bikes are less forgiving of errors for a variety of reasons most of which come down to momentum and rubber on the road. Ride the small bike, ride it well and you'll have no problems.

I found that going from a large bike to a small one really scary. (I'd volunteered to deliver a 185 Suzuki for a friend; my ride was a 750 Beemer).

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[busby1971]

Nowt wrong

Nowt wrong

There's nothing wrong with a 125, they are just a bit slow and a means to an end.

Just enjoy it.

 

[Dizzywitch]

My lad has the Varadero 125cc and its deceiving in size and looks higher cc if you want the more macho look.

I've had a bike since 17 and now old and decrepid but have always stuck to one rule... Always get eye to eye contact with the car driver.. when your eyes lock you know he has realised your there..

Textile suit is warmer than leathers and when you come off you can burn your skin as my dad did when he came off.. cold when wet too. Make sure if buying textile you have back protector, elbow and knees. Some may disagree but the bones bounce well across tarmac with them.

My suit was £300 a few years ago £100 for helmet and £90 boots... the jacket and trousers have come down in price now.. my jacket zips at the back to the trousers too to stop it riding up and draughts.. Neck warmer is good too.

Enjoy it sunshine.. dont sit on the curb and avoid the lines of tarmac in rain and dodge pot hols if you can.

Toot sweet on a summers day and freezing in the cold and wet but you cant beat it ;-)

oh and on your cbt the instructor wont let you out the yard until you are confident even if he calls you back for another session before passing you... you gain smarty points too if you turn up in correct gear and get the questions right all the 17yrs fail on ;-)

 

[Dizzywitch]

Just had another thought... dont buy one of the 125 replica things as heard lots (and nephew has one) and parts and insurance and getting it sorted not easy.

My lad got 2nd hand and had bad fall to tune of £900 but my niece got brand new honda because she wanted all the warranties and no mot etc... she hasn't fell off yet either!

When you go to look at one make a note of how it weighs in your hand because if you do come off something like the varadero is mighty heavy.. my lad is big and chunky but with bruised body and dodgy leg he said he nearly fell over trying to lift it again... much to his embarrassment where as nieces honda is far more light weight.

One problem I have is short inside leg (29 inches) so ruled a lot out for more as couldnt get foot on the floor safely without leaning too much. Where ever you go to look make sure you sit on it, and sit on it again! cos its like a pair of shoes..they fit in the shop but when you get it home it seems to be a different bike altogether.

Sorry, will stop waffling now!!

 

[Kryten]

Thanks to all you biking Goaters for your help and advice - I can now say that I understand why biking is such an addiction...

I did my CBT on Saturday - boy, what an adrenaline rush! I wouldn't say I was perfect - far from it, but for someone who has never ridden a bike before I was amazed that I didnt fall off and I was able to do the U-turn and slalom without putting my foot down.

The tricky thing for me was getting used to the clutch - and I made the mistake of turning up in a pair of thick work boots so changing gear was a bit of an issue - but once I got on the road and opened it up I had a sense of exhilaration like I have never felt before!!

Two hilarious moments - one was getting cut up by a spotty 17 year old with L plates as we came back into Fleetwood - the other was forgetting to put my visor down after the emergency stop practice and swallowing a moth...

 

[FootTapper]

the other was forgetting to put my visor down after the emergency stop practice and swallowing a moth...

I promise you'll learn the lesson when you have your first 80mph "Bee Strike" with your visor up.... The bruise lasts for days!

Great news on passing CBT, and glad to hear you're getting well bitten by the bug. One thing you'll learn, is that some people just don't get bikes. Don't bother trying to explain it to them - someone who can't see the attraction will probably never understand.

Sounds like you understand

 

[Kryten]

I promise you'll learn the lesson when you have your first 80mph "Bee Strike" with your visor up.... The bruise lasts for days!

Great news on passing CBT, and glad to hear you're getting well bitten by the bug. One thing you'll learn, is that some people just don't get bikes. Don't bother trying to explain it to them - someone who can't see the attraction will probably never understand.

Sounds like you understand

You're right - even now, two days later, I still have "moth impact" sensations around my mouth!

I must admit, I was one of those people who didnt get biking - why would you want to freeze your plums off on a bike when you could sit in a nice warm car...well, having done it for the first time, I now understand...DT_Xtremez_30:

 

[Scaley brat]

I now understand...DT_Xtremez_30:

I'm sorry to tell you there is no cure for your affliction. The best you can hope for now is regular injections of adrenaline from riding them.

Welcome to the family of those who "get it" DT_Xtremez_05:


I give you 6 months before you want something bigger DT_Xtremez_15:

 

[Kryten]

Its true - its been 2 days since the CBT and I am still on a high...DT_Xtremez_35:

 

[shiny_arse]

Kryten you are a git!!

Used to ride when I was younger (50 & 125) on the old provisional license and never got round to doing my test proper.

Am saving in order to do the direct access course, (approx £600) but after reading your exhilaration am tempted instead to just CBT it for the mo and buy a cheap 125 to thrash ASAP!

Congrats & enjoy DT_Xtremez_30:

 

[Kryten]

Kryten you are a git!!

Used to ride when I was younger (50 & 125) on the old provisional license and never got round to doing my test proper.

Am saving in order to do the direct access course, (approx £600) but after reading your exhilaration am tempted instead to just CBT it for the mo and buy a cheap 125 to thrash ASAP!

Congrats & enjoy DT_Xtremez_30:

I had a look at DAS as well - but its a lot of money to spend on something that if you get an attack of the nerves you can fail....this way I have 2 years to get some experience before I go into a formal test environment - and if I don't get any better I can walk away...

I tell you - I have only ridden for 6 hours and I am still like a kid with a new toy...

 

[needsabiggerfuse]

... forgetting to put my visor down after the emergency stop practice and swallowing a moth...

Errr yes. You have to realise that all the fauna in your local area will throw themselves at you once you're in motion. Two 'worst cases' - a bee down the front of my jacket at 70 mph which stung me before I could slow down. The second, a sparrow hit me on my right knee and knocked my foot off the footrest. Wahey - both gave me a severe wobble, but fortunately neither involved me falling off. DT_Xtremez_30: