Questions for newbie to bikes

To mimic Daff_Duck, thanks for all the info, I'm really looking forward to getting a bike, and with no more loans this year, I should have 5-6K by the time I start putting things into action.

Very rough pricing, I was thinking of spending ~£5,000 on the bike, ~£1,000 for leathers, armor, gloves, boots etc and a quote from Bennetts for the CBR was about £800 iirc.

I'm probably going to play it safe and use the car for the colder/wetter days, but I'm sure I'll be out in it after a year or so of riding, who knows.

Scort.
 
Bug One said:
I stopped commuting on it in early december. Its just not worth it. Its so cold, wet. You have to carry so much gear. Its just not worth it.

Bring no the summer again!
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I went the other way, gave the girlfriend the car for xmas. she lets me use it when its icy though. I dont mind when I have all my gear on, dont get cold. But it is only 8 miles and I dont have to carry anything except lunch.
 
Scort said:
To mimic Daff_Duck, thanks for all the info, I'm really looking forward to getting a bike, and with no more loans this year, I should have 5-6K by the time I start putting things into action.

Very rough pricing, I was thinking of spending ~£5,000 on the bike, ~£1,000 for leathers, armor, gloves, boots etc and a quote from Bennetts for the CBR was about £800 iirc.

I'm probably going to play it safe and use the car for the colder/wetter days, but I'm sure I'll be out in it after a year or so of riding, who knows.

Scort.
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thats looks a good budget. I spent more on gear and less on the bike, but I suppose my bits that I added onto the bike add up to that (not counting the paint job which was dear, and my bike would have cost that from a dealer so mirroring me really.
Its daft to think it will be cheap, you soon convice yourself you want a better bike, and you like your head so you have to have an arai, and £500 leathers are better than £300 but there are some nice ones in the sale for £550 that were £900. you get the idea!
 
After having a shot on my mates old cbr600 on a local old airstrip last summer, and being a pillion on that, and now his new Millie, loads of times, the time has come to get myself through the direct access course and invest in a bike. The plan for this year is pass test, invest in all new safety gear to replace my ageing stuff, and then buy a bike. I know If I get a bike before the gear then I'll skimp on the leathers and/or helmet. As much as I won't be intending to come off I'd rather have decent gear just incase.
 
dale1uk said:
After having a shot on my mates old cbr600 on a local old airstrip last summer, and being a pillion on that, and now his new Millie, loads of times, the time has come to get myself through the direct access course and invest in a bike. The plan for this year is pass test, invest in all new safety gear to replace my ageing stuff, and then buy a bike. I know If I get a bike before the gear then I'll skimp on the leathers and/or helmet. As much as I won't be intending to come off I'd rather have decent gear just incase.
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good stuff, never skimp on gear mate. it s can be the difference between life and death or scars and not.
Richard hammond seems to think his Arai helmet saved his life, and any other would see him dead or brain damaged. I'm inclined to agree with him after seeing some amazing arai crash stories. Not cheap though!
Same with the leathers, they havn't been used yet thank god, but my special BERIK kanagroo leathers are half the thickness of normal leathers, yet twice the stregnth. When I tried on a cheap set I dread to think about wearing them all day, would get very hot and bothered! You only have to look at my SMX boot to know my feet and ancle's stand the best chance! Good gear really is worth it IMO and shouldn't be neglected in order to have a bike that's a year newer.
 
Never skimp on your gear.
Cant put money on any of your body parts.
Overall I think I`ve spent around £1000 on kit.

I use my bike all year round and hope to do my DAS at the end of febuary.

Winter commuting isnt so bad as some people make it out to be.
Just wear the right gear and take it easy on the roads and you`re fine, hellva lot more fun than a car as well.

Need to clean the bike every week through as I generally clean it on Sunday, and by the end of Monday its stinking again. :eek:
 
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Oakesy2001uk said:
good stuff, never skimp on gear mate. it s can be the difference between life and death or scars and not.
Richard hammond seems to think his Arai helmet saved his life, and any other would see him dead or brain damaged. I'm inclined to agree with him after seeing some amazing arai crash stories. Not cheap though!
Same with the leathers, they havn't been used yet thank god, but my special BERIK kanagroo leathers are half the thickness of normal leathers, yet twice the stregnth. When I tried on a cheap set I dread to think about wearing them all day, would get very hot and bothered! You only have to look at my SMX boot to know my feet and ancle's stand the best chance! Good gear really is worth it IMO and shouldn't be neglected in order to have a bike that's a year newer.
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Yeh it seems like the best plan of action. I've got a set of leathers, boots, helmet and gloves that I used on my minimoto when I took that to the track, and still use them when I'm on the back of my mates bike. As much as I could easily save the cash and just use all that gear I cant see the point in taking the risk. Bike budget won't even be looked at till I've passed my test and all the new decent gear is bought. I know a few people who have gave themselves a set budget for everything and blown almost all of it on the bike, and then skimpted on the gear - hopefully they won't get in the situation to regret it!
 
Hi

Just this min booked my bike theory test, will never having really been on a bike & no lessons make it more difficult passing the theory 1st time?

or should I have waited till I done some lessons, just figured I get the theory out the way first.

cheers
 
UFX said:
Hi

Just this min booked my bike theory test, will never having really been on a bike & no lessons make it more difficult passing the theory 1st time?

or should I have waited till I done some lessons, just figured I get the theory out the way first.

cheers
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Get the hazard perception test DVD and practice that. You will probably not pass it without practicing it. Remember, its not real life, its a computer game, and you have to win.

Do the online theory tests on the DVLA website. Its pretty much exactly the same questions as in the actual test.
 
UFX said:
Hi

Just this min booked my bike theory test, will never having really been on a bike & no lessons make it more difficult passing the theory 1st time?

or should I have waited till I done some lessons, just figured I get the theory out the way first.

cheers
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As above really you dont have to be able to drive the machines in order to pass a computer generated set of questions and clips .. just read the relevant books and take a look at the clips on the DSA approved dvd and you will be fine. the theory test once passed if its like the LGV I have lasts 2 years so if you fail the practical its not as if you have take a re test of the theory.
 
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