do we have any bikers on board?

[Eshrules]

ok, stop booing, I'm keeping the 4 wheels, but I'm also looking into getting a set of 2 wheels for the weekends (post-xmas).

brother and best friend are now on a pair of 600's, after having passed their test and it's renewed the itch.

If we've got any bikers on board, any advice is greatfully received, in regards to anything.

ideal first bike, the kit to have, practical advice, anything.

I'm 2 months off starting my DAS course, aside from knowing I want a 600 - I've been looking at bandits, CBRFs (seem to be quite rare?) and ninjas.

budget will be around £800 for the bike.

I won't be intending to commute on the bike, it'll be mainly a weekend bike. It needs to be a little forgiving, but enough grunt to have a bit of fun (hence the 600).

the main area I'm struggling with is safety gear, helmets especially. There's a 1001 differing opinions out there, so any guidance on this would be helpful.

I think that's it for now!

[Hex69]

1st piece of advice, don't ask Crasher.

I think we all know his thoughts on bikes!!

2nd don't scrimp on the safety gear, we'd miss your acerbic comments.

[zollaf]

if you must have 2 wheels, then get a mountain bike and get fit at the same time.





not sent from an iphone using tapatalk.

[The Fingers]

The point to note here is the following:-

1st BIKE & 600cc don't mix very well.

if it is your first bike I would suggest getting a 2 stroke 125 field bike (albeit road registered) something like a Yam DTR 125, de restrict it and you have a 2 stroke screamer that will pull about a ton and get to 60 quicker than most VW TDI's. Keep this for a year and then move up.

Upright trials bikes are going to be a lot more forgiving that a leant over racer. If you drop a road bike like a CBR is going to be goosed, trail bikes tend to bounce better and 9 out of 10 times you pick it up and ride on!

I had a few bikes until i had kids, started on a pedda at 16, then a TZR125 and a DTR125 (best bike i had would have another tomorrow) after i learnt to ride i then moved up to an RGV 250 and ended my riding on a CBR 400 RR (jap import - i am only liccle and didnt feel comfortable on the CBR600.

The 2 strokes are also very easy / a joy to pull apart.

I bounced a few and can confirm the right gear is a must, i had the top half sorted (jacket / decent gloves and a one off helmet) however bottom half was usually jeans and trainers, these arn't the best when sliding down the road at 60 ish on your ***, i still have the gravel rash scars to prove it 12 years on!! - SO GET KITTED OUT

One final tip if you do get in the saddle - if you get a slip in a corner - Kick The Floor, saved me many times during my early racing to Matlock Bath Days, those were the days.

I want another now , there is nothing like the smell of 2 stroke in the morning.

If this isnt your first bike then ignore my waffle and take the plunge!!

[Bratty]

I got the "Bike bug" in 1996 and did a two-day direct entry course in Bristol, then after passing I went out and bought a CBR900RR fireblade. Have to say "The learning Curve is quite steep!".

In 2004 I bought a new CBR600RR and what a revelation, it was incredibly easy to ride (compared to the Fireblade) as its frame was so well designed and compact but it was Very Very Quick!
A modern 600 sports bike just needs respect and a whole lot of awareness!! (Plus you can restrict the horsepower output to something like 40-50 to get yourself started).

Safety equipment- Buy the best you can afford, and do not forget a back protector.

Dunk

[plastoman]

I took an intensive course and passed my test about 15 years ago. The first bike I bought after getting my licence was a 550 Zephyr, which in terms of size, weight, etc isn't a million miles from the Bandit. A friend of mine had a Bandit and a Fazer, both of which I think would be great for a first bike - the Fazer had a tendency to lift the front wheel a bit too easily though.
Regardless of what you go for, it's how you use it that will determine the state of your health! Learn to ride within your limits, be VERY aware of what everyone else on the road is doing and stay lucky.
As for helmets, I've always been a Shoei man myself but would be worth do a bit of research on bike mag reviews.

Cheers

Jim

[turbine2]

Safety gear:
Helemts are dammed good nowadays. A £100 lid will do you as a weekend thing, but don't buy second hand. Generally I'd go Airi or Shoei depending on your head shape (you'll be one or the other). Look for ACU Gold and the BS label (I can never remember if green or blue is the better one, I think it's blue). The helmet shold be tight to put on but not pressure on your forehead or jaw, in this case chipmunk cheeks are a good sign. Also, put the helmet on and get a friend to hold the chin bar (I'm assuming a full face job here). If you can rotate your head inside the helmet it's too lose.
Next thing is gloves. The natural thing to do when you come off is to put your hands out, which will be bad news even at low speeds. Get a good pair, preferably double thickness leather on the palms and preferably no seams on the palms either. Budget around £30 for a reasonable pair.
For jackets, leaher's good but not waterproof, textiles are waterproof (ish) but expensive. Look for padding / armour in the shoulders, elbows and back. If you need a hanger to hang it up then you're probably looking in the right area. Budget around £150-£300 for a good jacket.
Jeans are important. A good set of leathers will set you back around £100-£150 and will have armour on the hips and knees. Don't bother with knee sliders, if you're good enough to do that sort of thing you won't be asking advise here, and if you're getting your knee down without experience I'm guessing the next bits will be hip, shoulder, head.... The alternative is textile trousers, which will be waterproof (ish again), and armoured in the same places. It's also worth looking for zips on the ankles so you can adjust them to be over or inside your boots.
You could go for an all in one suit, but they're much more expensive.
Boots, also very important. Things to look for here are ankle protection (think about a 400lb bike resting on your ankle), shin protection, felxibility in the ankle for dorsiflection and adjustment in the tightness of the boot upper. Also, work out if you're one of these people who like a flat sole or a normal one (I prefer normal ones, but there are those out there who prefer flat). Budget between £75 and £150 for a good set. Oh, and accept they won't be waterproof (no matter what the company says).
An all in one rain suit that will be waterproof and folds back into a small pack will be about £20. Personally I prefer a zip up the middle rather than a diagonal one that zips down a leg but that's just perference really.
The Bike:
For a first 600 bike, my reccomendation would be something that's designed for torque rather than all up power, and minimal fairing. While you're not guaranteed to throw it down the road, it's always a possiblity and the less fairing, the lower the repair cost. Honda are generally good (so a hornet or whatever they replaced the hornet with), the Bandit is an excellent bike but prone to corrosion issues, diversions were great (having a shaft helped them maintain a reputation with couriers) but an £800 bike is likely to need some attention. If it's got RR in the title it's likely to have been thrashed to hell and back, been down the road a few times and 'ridden like it was stolen'.

Other than that, learn to enjoy the ride rather than the race and you'll do just fine.

[Eshrules]

The reason I've opted to go for a 600, as opposed to a (imho, rather whiney) 125 is because I'm hoping, once I have some road time under my belt, to start doing longer trips on it - there's potential for a lad/bikers holiday next year, so that's what I'm working towards. Running a 125 on a trip like that isn't, from reading around, going to be much fun.

The bandit preference comes from being around them for years, mechanically, I'm a complete n00b with bikes, but everyone I know on bikes has or has had a bandit 600 at some point.

Turbine - your post is, frankly, awesome, thank you very much.

Both the hornet and diversion are bikes I've come across, but my budget doesn't seem to drag up many decent examples. I'm not scared to get grubby and spend a few quid on bringing a sub-standard bike up to par though.

The point regards the fairing is a 'fair' (ha!) one, I don't intend to bin it, but I prefer the looks of the naked bikes anyway.

In terms of leather vs textiles, am I safe to presume that standards dictate they're both as safe as each other? When I discuss this with the old school guys, they always swear by leather, they argue it's naturally tougher and harder wearing. My argument is leather doesn't breath too well and, as you've said, it's not the most waterproof.

I've been eyeing up a nice arai helmet at the local bike bits shop, currently having an end of season sale - there's some rather tasty sidi boots too, but at £250 I was a bit <rocks hand> about those!

[Issac Hunt]

If it's got RR in the title it's likely to have been thrashed to hell and back, been down the road a few times and 'ridden like it was stolen'.

Nothing like a sweeping statement eh?! I've only ever owned 'supersport' bikes and everyone has been treated perfectly. None were crashed nor had they been anywhere near a racetrack. They all covered minimal miles and were maintained, cleaned and polished regardless of cost. If you've paid almost 10k for a bike then you will look after it!

Any bike only goes as fast as you twist the throttle! I passed my test and started on a GSXR600 with no experience, no problems at all IMHO.

It's about what you want from a bike I reckon. I'd look for a CBR600 given your budget and usage comments. They are very capable and tend to last quite well, they are easy to maintain and there were lots of them sold hence second hand parts are readily available. If you can stretch your budget just by a few £100 then you'll open up a even bigger market of CBR6's.

As for kit, well it's a minefield as there is so much choice.

Make sure whatever helmet you choose has the ACU gold sticker on, it means the helmet has been saftey tested and approved - Don't be tempted by something cheap without this saftey mark. Some places will let you go for a test ride to see how comfy the lid is, worth a try if you havent a clue what brand you want. Personally I use Arai lids as they just seem to fit the shape of my head nicely but its a very individual thing.

Other than that, leathers or textiles is a personal choice, just buy the best you can (ideally containing CE approved armour) and never be tempted to go for a spin without weraing your kit!

[Eshrules]

I don't think he was necessarily intending for it to be a sweeping statement bud, I think we'd apply the clio sport rule of thumb here.

What I mean by that is, most (not all) clio sports and suchlike, will have been ragged to within an inch of their life. You'll always, however, get one that's been maintained regardless of cost and that's the one you want.

My concern with something like the GSXR is that it's apparently got a rather twitchy rear end - I want something that's a bit more forgiving.

I could probably stretch to around £1k for the right bike, you're not the first person to pass comment on the CBR's lifespan - can't go far wrong with a Honda!

Re the safety kit (specifically the lid) if there's one thing I've learnt from my horsey days, it's to protect the old noggin. I don't begrudge spending a small fortune on a helmet, sure it'll need renewing in a few years, but it's the only thing that seperates your head from the tarmac if you should ever part with your bike! Noted re the safety standards, thank you.