Thinking about motorcycles

[Sponge]

Hey all. Got your PM, Ry!

 

Bike wise, I'd full heartedly recommend an Inline 4 Japanese bike. I've recently switched from a 600cc IL4 to an 800cc V4 VTEC and while the extra power and double torque figures are lovely, I'm struggling to get 35mpg. My 600cc IL4 did 50+ mpg and that was with me overtaking people and making fire on the overrun.

 

Out of the bikes you've looked at, I would most definitely go with the Yamaha Fazer. They're cheap to run and insure and they're quite basic mechanically so labour costs should be lower than a sports bike. The fairing helps with weather protection as well as aesthetics. It also helps massively with motorway riding, significantly less drag.

 

On the lower end of the scales, Kawasaki have the 250 Ninja which will do around 70mpg and has a top speed of around 110mph. Fully faired, but it's a thorough sports bike, so insurance costs will be a little higher than wanted.

 

The best compromise of a fast/economical/cheap bike would possibly be a 2005 Yamaha Fazer / 2005 Honda CBR600F. Plenty of power, Sounds like a sewing machine on stock exhausts (Which your neighbours will like, trust me!) but can still out perform almost any <£100,000 car in a drag race.

 

If at any point in the future you want to have a faster bike, then my Honda VFR800 VTEC has a 0-60mph of 3.3 seconds and I'm yet to find top speed, but I've seen 150mph from it on a clear motorway home. Plenty more to give anyway so I'd probably say it'll do around 165-170 given a clear straight piece of road.

 

Fazers / other similar bikes would have a 0-60 of around 4-5 seconds given a proper launch.

 

But if performance figures don't matter, then I'd say a good BMW 750GS might suit you better. Tonnes of power if necessary, but coupled with monsterously cheap insurance and 60+MPG, then it's a good buy.

 

If a sports tourer is more your cup of tea then almost any 2003+ Japanese 600cc would be more than enough.

 

My top 5 600cc Japs

1) Yamaha R6 (2005 saw the start of the good Fuel Injection mapping, the previous ones were a bit hit and miss)

2) Honda CBR600F (all round great bike with decent equipment and a nice dashboard to keep things interesting)

3) Yamaha YZF600R Thundercat (Carburetted, but once it's all been serviced and working well, it's probably the most exciting bike I've ever ridden)

4) Suzuki GSX650F (Basic bike, but surprisingly nimble for it's size. 50+Mpg and cheapish service costs)

5) Suzuki SV650s (V-Twin so slightly hard to ride to begin with, but the massive torque figures and instant power make it a very fun to ride bike)

 

Good luck!

[Ryzza5]

Thanks for dropping by Sponge.... I guess I haven't made it clear enough yet that I've already purchased the MY14 Honda CBR500R ABS.

I've been picking up as many tips as possible by watching hours of YouTube footage but if you've got any other pearls of wisdom to share then please feel free to do so

[Sponge]

Ah very nice! Honda reliability is second to none! A 500cc should be decent enough on economy. I can't help but cringe at the 47bhp output though. My old 1997 Thundercat (600cc) developed 95BHP at the back wheel with only a K&N Filter and a Remus Carbon exhaust on.

 

As for tips. The best thing my grandad ever told me is: Treat EVERYONE as an idiot.

 

Other things I've picked up along my two wheeled life are;

- When unsure if cars are pulling out of a junction, watch their wheels as opposed to the cars themselves. You can see the wheels move much sooner than the car

- Riding a bike near idle in the highest gear does NOT give better fuel economy. On a 500cc IL4, you'd want to think about shifting between 4500rpm & 5000rpm.

- When turning corners too quickly, use the REAR brake instead of the front. If you pull the front while leaned over, you'll lock the front wheel up and fold.

- Watch out for grids/painted road markings, especially in the wet.

- Proper road positioning is key, I always ride in line where the driver of the car in front is. Leave a two second gap to enable you to plan your escape should an issue arise.

- Don't forget to cancel your indicator, about 2% of bikes have self-cancelling indicators

- Car drivers might not have seen you behind them, so occasionally do a small weave to grab their attention (Every 40 seconds or so is a good timing)

- When riding in wet weather, clean and re-lubricate your chain every 3-4 days

- Chavs in Chav-Chariots will ALWAYS want to race you. Show them that their Vauxhall Corsa/Citroen Saxo is actually a shed by riding next to them in first/second gear as they're at their top speed (It's hilarious)

- Leaves, Mud, Gravel and any other loose road surfaces are dangerous. You never know what's around the corner so be careful when on unfamiliar roads.

- If you're in trouble at the side of the road, a fellow biker should stop and offer assistance. If they don't, then they're not "true bikers"

 

Many happy miles on two wheels (Occasionally one ;)) But most of all, stay safe!

[Fear Deer]

- Chavs in Chav-Chariots will ALWAYS want to race you. Show them that their Vauxhall Corsa/Citroen Saxo is actually a shed by riding next to them in first/second gear as they're at their top speed (It's hilarious)

 

Haha that was a funny mental image.

 

Also....:glomp: SPOOOOOONGEEEEE!!

[calster17]

Seeing your trip into getting a bike Ry. make me want to rekindle my fire of getting one. Something about summer cursing in a vintage styled bike is a bit of a soft spot for me. Sadly the bike I'd like i'd have to wait a few years until I'm allowed to allowed to even sit the test for it and such thanks to UK rules. Thats even if I got it restricted. One day i'll maybe get a Triumph Bonnevill. :nods:

 

That said, the Suzuki VanVan 125 looks cool as well. And I don't think i'd need as much to get it license wise and there cheap-ish to get.

 

Hope your happy with your bike though Ry. :D

[hassan1995]

I want a bike more than a car it would be more convenient to go to college, plus I'd look amazing in my candy red yamaha r6 :cool:

[Sponge]

Surprisingly enough, I'm losing love for bikes now.

 

Passed my driving license, almost got my first car and will be moving in to my own house within the next 30 days or so. On top of that, I've started my own business repairing and selling desktops/laptops/mobiles/tablets etc...

 

Stressful doesn't even begin to explain it haha.

 

:mcoffee:

[Ryzza5]

[Milli]

Ducati 999R. <3

[The Compensator]

Your Honda looks almost like a BMW in those colors. Haha.

[Ryzza5]

Here's two cool things about riding

 

1. You can wave (or nod if safer) to other motorcyclists, except maybe for the old guys on Harley's, nice bit of camaraderie there.

 

2. Little kids think you're awesome and often point (to get their parents attention) or wave. I haven't been riding much but I've already had one kid in the back set of his van wave at me when I stopped next to them at traffic lights.

 

 

Might not sound like much but it really adds a nice little highlight to your day, not forgetting riding in itself is quite fun.