What CC for your first bike?

[Captain]

Stuff like that you soon learn though - in that situation you should already be in the right gear for the speed approaching the roundabout i.e. braking/slowing down for the roundabout you change down as you approach, into 2nd if you have to slow and wait for any cars, and if it's clear, away you go. If you have to stop, down another into 1st. A lot of it is planning ahead, which soon comes with experience. I've never had a gear indicator and never had an issue not being in the right gear.

Without a gear indicator, you just have to keep the bike in the right revs. slow a bit, revs drop to 3k, change down. slow some more, revs drop to 2500, down another gear. If you have to stop, down another gear and 9 times out of 10 you'll magically be in 1st.

I know all of that.

Just saying it can be difficult for a learner to pick up when it's their first time on a 650cc bike

 

[TallPaul_S]

All in. Same with the cars. Just collect them, put petrol in and hand them (the cars) back after 12000 miles. Think the bikes are 6000 miles. We have a CR-V as the family wagon and her car, I have a Civic Sport.

She can get a Civic Type-R under the scheme but it is the only car that they will not let partners drive.

She is on about getting a CRF450XR for green laning! She has to get her CBT for working there anyway.

We went to some BSB races last year as guests AND she is going to the TT for the whole week this year.

I'm not going.

It's funny as my family are against getting bikes and all of hers are saying go go go.

£30 a month, tax, insurance, the lot apart from petrol? Jammy fu.... Yeah, that's a good deal.

 

[Wucked]

I went 50, 100, 125, 200, 600, 1000, 1200. The 50-125 part of that journey was pretty dull tbh, but still worthwhile. I got to make my noob mistakes and get my idiot crashes out of the way before climbing on the larger, more expensive and more dangerous machines.

 

[phil675]

My first bike was a CBF500 but I rode a 125 moped on holiday for a week previously

After 9 months I've got an SV650 now which isn't a massive step up from the 500, but I think the 500 was a good first bike because it wasn't something I tried to ride in a sporty fashion and acceleration would bog down at about 80mph which probably kept me out of trouble.

 

[Dogbreath]

Only downside of the cb650f is no gear indicator, which can be tricky to master for a learner.

How many 125's have a gear indicator? It makes no difference at all IMO, even if you aren't sure what gear you are in you still know whether you need to go up or down a gear.

 

[IC3]

I never understood why you need a gear indicator, you can tell what gear you're in by the speed and RPM's.

You don't have a gear indicator in a car, well mine didn't have one... you aren't looking at the stick to see which gear you're in, are ya? You can install one, but I don't see the point tbh.

 

[Junglist]

I, against most of the internets advice, did my DAS over a few months and went from nothing right onto a 600cc Supersports bike and I don't regret it in the slightest. I've only done about 1500 miles since February but I've never wished I started smaller. Sure, I've had a few squeaky bum moments (changing down gear while the revs are too high was exciting) and I do fall victim to the occasional right hand twist syndrome when the road appears ok, but mostly I'm sensible and it's no more daunting than the CBF600 I trained on.

It was actually my uncle who convinced me not to bother with a 125 at the age of 26. He laughed in my face and said get the bike you want. If I were in your shoes I would say do your CBT and book a conversion day. So they you can see how you feel on a 125 as well as a 500 and 600. Bet my life on it you'll feel more comfortable on the bigger bikes. They're just much more enjoyable to ride.

Obviously this is all in the opinion of someone who hasn't even been riding 3 months yet so make of it what you will.

 

[something daft already!!]

Mine was a Suzuki AP50 which had a big bore of 65cc IIRC. It was when a moped was defined as a "Motorcycle which can be propelled by it's own pedals."

 

[Yaayuh!]

I basically went:
Suzuki TS50X, then put a 70CC bore kit on it, with a Big One full exhaust. Man I loved that bike when I was a teenager
To
Kawasaki KH125
To
Honda CBR400RR
To
Yamaha XJ600
To
Suzuki GSX650F

 

[phil675]

I, against most of the internets advice, did my DAS over a few months and went from nothing right onto a 600cc Supersports bike and I don't regret it in the slightest. I've only done about 1500 miles since February but I've never wished I started smaller. Sure, I've had a few squeaky bum moments (changing down gear while the revs are too high was exciting) and I do fall victim to the occasional right hand twist syndrome when the road appears ok, but mostly I'm sensible and it's no more daunting than the CBF600 I trained on.

It was actually my uncle who convinced me not to bother with a 125 at the age of 26. He laughed in my face and said get the bike you want. If I were in your shoes I would say do your CBT and book a conversion day. So they you can see how you feel on a 125 as well as a 500 and 600. Bet my life on it you'll feel more comfortable on the bigger bikes. They're just much more enjoyable to ride.

Obviously this is all in the opinion of someone who hasn't even been riding 3 months yet so make of it what you will.

Similar situation here it was actually my instructor who told me not to bother with a 125, first time on a 'big bike' was an ER-5 and it felt so much easier to ride than the CG125 I'd been on. Much easier to judge turns due to it's balance and easier clutch control with more torque over the 125.

 

[russell664]

When training for my DAS well actually A2 I was using a YBR 125 for about 2 months. I found it was very forgiving in the respect that if I went wonky or messed up a junction I wouldn't drop it as it weighs nothing.

I got my first big bike yesterday which is an SV 650 and I'm lost for words about how nicer it is to ride.

 

[One]

Only downside of the cb650f is no gear indicator, which can be tricky to master for a learner.

lol

 

[One]

I went straight into my full test. Couple of days training. It's a piece of **** if you've got road experience from cars.

First bike a 750, however it's 40 years old so it's probably more akin to a modern 500. I wouldn't have bothered if I was going to be sat on a 125, the 125 I did my CBT on was awful and I couldn't wait to get off it.

Personally I think 125s are only good experience if you have no roadcraft. If you've been on the roads for years in cars then you can skip the 125.

 

[NooBish AbbZ]

124, and I don't regret it one bit. I had it for 6 months and it was a brilliant introduction to two wheels.

not only that, but having 13hp and having to use all the revs in each gear and struggling to go over 65 in absolutely hilarious.

The most fun i've probably ever had on a bike was a ride out on my CBR125 and a friend on his Duke 125. We were absolutely caning the bikes, and yet didn't break 70.

I arrived home and my exhaust header had a hole in

 

[wazza300]

I agree,I had some serious fun on a 125,everything is diluted compared to a larger bike,but not riding anything bigger at the time I didn't notice it

You pick up a lot of experience aswell

 

[Kreeeee]

675cc and 650cc. Technically the street triple was my first bike but that was in another country so I ride my sv650 fist.

 

[TallPaul_S]

I did 6 months and 7000 miles on a 125 and although fine at first, you soon realise they're actually pretty dangerous for NSL/DC roads. Like trying to overtake a 40mph sunday driver in a NSL zone, you need to plan 2 weeks ahead and have a mile of clear road to overtake. Or overtaking HGV's doing 65mph on a DC, you're going past them ok, but then the road turns very slightly uphill, and your 70mph is now 67mph, 65mph...

Something with between 50-100bhp is a perfect 1st bike.

 

[4T5]

I learnt loads about bikes fixing/building/tweaking & rebuilding 2 strokes back in the day & fairly recently (5'ish years ago?) Had great fun on that NSR125 I had riding it & blowing it up & rebuilding it. Had some good times on my Chinky 125 as well & never even had to put a spanner to that. Out on meets when I see current 125's like the little CBRs' I always think how mad it would be to wake up on your 17th birthday & come down to one of those as your present. Out on the road a lad on a CBR125 was good till about 65 until the wind started holding him back.
In the OPs' case with the virtually Free brand new bikes/insurance etc I just say line up all the tests & get them all out the way & get onto a CBR6 or similar ASAP !!!
For others though I see no harm at all in getting a decent 125 & running it for a few months to get some road craft etc. Buy right & you won't struggle to sell the 125 even if it's just 3 months down the line.

 

[Sagalout]

As I posted on he 'where did you go on your bike' thread, I did 90 miles with my son on his 125 yesterday and it was good fun. You learn a lot about riding on smaller bikes, especially holding corner speed / momentum.

I went 50 > 125 > 250 > 600 > 900 > 1000 > 1200

There nothing unsafe about jumping straight on a 600 - they are easier to ride than a 125. You're just missing out a bit on the outright fun of thrashing a smaller bike. I quite fancy a little 250 or 300 as a 2nd bike

 

[jigger]

The CBR500R would be a great first bike.