Gixxer advice

Shock

Shock

Shock

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28 Sep 2004
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1,279
I've arranged to go and look this tomorrow:

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/509233.htm

The problem is I haven't even passed my test yet. :o Have done the theory and hope to do DAS next month when I turn 21.

I've had my heart set on one of these in blue/white (even though I've never even been on a sportsike!) and it's close to where I live so I had to phone him up.

The plan is to check the bike over and see if I'm comfortable on it. If all is OK I will buy it and lock it up until I've passed.

Firstly is this a daft idea? Secondly what do you think of the bike/price? Finally what are the main things to check?

Cheers!
 
Not a biker myself (yet) so no real advice but:

How much is insurance cover on it for you?
I'd guess GSXR cover for a new rider might be costly
 
Price is OK but not great, a quick look on biketrader shows a couple of 2000 models for £1500 in my area with less than 20K miles on.

As long as you show a bit of restraint with the right wrist then you'll be fine on that bike. Just make sure you get an insurance quote first, it might be prohibitive.
 
Just passing your DAS when you've only just turned 21 and looking at a gixxer, the insurance is likely to be a killer.
 
As a new rider i wouldn’t touch that. I would be it will require allot of on going maintenance.

And to be honest that’s a rather quick bike as a first bike.

But ignoring all that it looks pretty mint and is reasonably priced to suit.

paddy said:
Not a biker myself (yet) so no real advice but:

How much is insurance cover on it for you?
I'd guess GSXR cover for a new rider might be costly
Click to expand...

I was getting quoted of £580 on a similar GSXR when I was 21 and had just passed my test.

Shock i would try riding the DAS 500CC bikes and then make up your mind. I guarantee you will be shocked with the performance with the learner bikes. (I am not saying there quick but relatively).
 
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Insurance shouldn't be to bad, my SRAD was £970 TPO when I was 17 with 1 NCB.
Just do usual checks, make sure you start from cold and get close to the engine and see if you can hear anything particularly dodgy, but be warned SRADS have fairly "noisey" engines as it were.

and Amps saying it would require a lot of on-going maintenance? Jog on son. Just usual maintenance, tyres should easily see a good 4k+ (I was getting 2k with super corsas). Chain 10k, pads etc depends on how you ride. But apart from that everything is fairly cheap as there are lots of SRAD bits on ebay, even lots of tarty bits!
 
I did get some rough quotes a few weeks ago and I think they were ~1000. A bit of phoning round so should get it down slightly. Will have to check tomorrow.

As for it being too quick for a first bike, I've seen it recommended plenty of times...
 
But £970 TPO is a lot, especially on a bike you're buying for around £2000, but I guess that depends on how much money you have to splash around, because if it gets nicked, you're out of pocket £3k then.
 
Yeah I know it's a lot, but what I'm saying is I was 17 fresh through my test and I got it for £970, so 21 fresh through the DAS (not restricted like mine) should be able to find a lot better price.
 
Amps said:
Shock i would try riding the DAS 500CC bikes and then make up your mind. I guarantee you will be shocked with the performance with the learner bikes. (I am not saying there quick but relatively).
Click to expand...
Well I'd rather not let this one pass. If it comes to the worst I can always sell it. :eek:
 
I am continually jealous of your mainland UK insurance premiums, 22y/o, 6/full NCB, 0 points, licence for 5 years, alarmed,garaged, lowest (that NI can be) risk postcode - £972 TPO on a 2005 ZX636R

One of our drivers from Peterborough just bought a brand spanking new GSXR750, fully comp, no ncb and got insured for just 170 quid, and he's only 26 years old!

I don't understand why our premiums are so high - crime rate is higher, "terrorist" threats etc are now much more likely in England/Scotland than in NI, yet we still pay double, triple or quadruple the price!

Saying that, my da renewed his insurance for his 1098s,r1150gs,dynaglide soft tail and centenary bonneville for £430 fully comp.

I can't wait till I get older lol

Check the fork seals, if there is cracks on the rubber of the tyres, make sure it's cold before it's started - just bought a bandit12 and it ran fine when i took it for a ride, but when i got it home and cleaned it, i left it for 4 hours and when i went out on it, the clutch slipped like mad until it was warm again.

It looks in good condition and not used so much - see the size of the chicken strips on those tyres and the rear isnt squared off either - I say go for it :cool:
 
If i were you i would forget that bike and get something a bit more sensible. The chances of you wiping that out within the first 6 months are very, very , very likely !!!

You will probably turn a corner, give it some juice and tank-slap before you know what youve done. I dont mean to disrespect you but at your age you probably feel that its a bit of a toy - it isnt!

As another poster said check the 500cc learner bikes out - they will still out run a Civic typeR of St220 without breaking much of a sweat! im guessing thats what you want it for>?
 
not the most relaxed sports 600, the zx6 is probably more refined/relaxed. But that said, they are good bikes, and you'll have a lot of fun - just restrain yourself a bit.
 
Hotdog are you the hotdog off BCF? If so LOL.
You'd have to be giving it some serious berries to tank slap a gixxer 600. 500 learner bikes imo are just a waste, if you really are worried about it being to much get a bandit 600 or a hornet 600, basically de-tuned and no fairing versions of their sportsbike sisters (gix and CBR)

SRAD and ZX6 in the price range are much of a muchness, but be warned of kawacancer!
 
i would go with something abit better for learning on like a 400 something along the lines of a cbr 400rr or a gsxr 400 or Honda VFR400 NC21. just to get u used to hamering it around corners as these bikes do it very well with less risk of high-siding.
 
I got the same bike myself straight after DAS - haven't had any big moments yet!
a few times the back stepped out under braking but other than that I've been quite controlled

That one looks a lovely clean example

Things to look out for - chain wear (do usual tightness test...see how far back the chain has been pulled - could be a sign it needs replacing), rear sproket wear (teeth will be rounded off or smaller)
Choke....start it up with choke on and make sure it responds quickly to closing the choke again
Brakes are in good order - when did he last change them

Tyres looks fairly new....but still check for squaring off - run you hand across them....should be smooth and round and no "ridges"

and of course check when it was last serviced

other than that...maybe get him to take you out pillion and see how it handles...suspension holding up well and not jerky under low speed or accelleration...sign the chain can be on the way out also

lol....quite funny really but these are all things I have picked up in 2 months of owning my bike! But so far it's only cost me about £100 to put right with the help of some good people over on www.gixerjunkies.net

enjoy and ride safe!!
 
I'd never buy a vehicle that I couldn't test ride or knew how to ride/drive enough to know if it felt right or not.

Yes it's a nice bike and decent price, and looks in good condition especially if it's been fully serviced and looked after - however of course it's only as fast as you ride it, so it doesn't have to be too insane.

Conversely however, I'd still go with a more tame sub 100bhp bike as a first bike. Heck my GPZ500s was faster than most cars and that only had around 60 bhp IIRC, great fun still. However only you know how sensible you'll be, I've done some pretty daft things on 100+ bhp bikes and was lucky that there was no one around, and that I had just about enough luck and skill to end up sorting out the problems I was in!

Think about it carefully, but also, how will you know it's ok if you can't ride it?
 
I know people who have bought the bike before they passed to give themselves an incentive. They did however get a friend with a full license to check the bike over and a test ride before they bought it.

As to the bike itself, get what you're happy with. I really wouldn't get a 500cc learner bike, you'll get fed up with it very quickly (even though initially it may seem fast).

A word of warning though, it's far too easy with a sports bike to get into license losing speeds very quickly without noticing. On an unfaired bike you know when you are going fast.

I ride quite regularly with a group of lads, one of whom is a race instructor and ex-racer. A couple of bits of advice he gave me when I first started out;
You'll learn faster on an upright bike initially
Don't try to keep up with faster riders by riding beyond your ability, it will end in tears

You could always compromise slightly and go for something like a CBR-600F which is still a relatively quick bike and learner friendly, whilst retaining the sports bike look and feel.
 
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