Getting A Motor Bike.... What's The Deal?

[chris954]

Dont forget to budget for some form of security as well. At the very least you will need a good strong lock and chain with a ground anchor. And if your parking lt outside a cover of some sort.

 

[Cobra]

There was a time when the highest fatality rate or life changing injuries were in the 40 to 50 age group.

Ah yes the "grey beards" coming back to pleasure riding after several years away.
And suddenly discovering that a CBR900RR (fire blade) was a tad quicker than the old CB 900F

Dont forget to budget for some form of security as well. At the very least you will need a good strong lock and chain with a ground anchor. And if your parking lt outside a cover of some sort.

Absolutely, even the the smaller commuter bikes are "very nickable" / "desirable" as a freebie.

 

[Nod]

Do these test people provide bikes for you to do the test on?

Most of them will have bikes you can hire to take the CBT on.

It's up to you but if I was you I'd do the full license, I think you'd be safer on the road for it.

Not a bad idea, although the OP's later answers suggest that he's after relatively cheap and easy motorised transport rather than the full motorcycling experience!

Not now you don't, I have renewed mine 3 times now.

Possibly cheaper to have taken the full test within the time limit than spend a day every 2 years redoing the CBT course.

There was a time when the highest fatality rate or life changing injuries were in the 40 to 50 age group. Though this was attributed to new wealth/disposable income of men buying 500cc and greater coming a cropper because of inexperience resulting in an accident.

As they said on Hill Street Blues "be carefull out there".

Ah yes the "grey beards" coming back to pleasure riding after several years away.
And suddenly discovering that a CBR900RR (fire blade) was a tad quicker than the old CB 900F


Absolutely, even the the smaller commuter bikes are "very nickable" / "desirable" as a freebie.

Yup, older blokes who had ridden Tigers, Bonnies etc. back in the '60s and '70s were buying themselves similar sized sports bikes which took them by surprise. For a while, there were some pretty cheap bikes with very low mileages on the second hand market, some of them uncrashed!

 

[strumstrum]

Possibly cheaper to have taken the full test within the time limit than spend a day every 2 years redoing the CBT course.!

renewals are £80 and you are done by lunch so £40 a year is not too bad IMO, I don't crave nor can afford a higher powered bike and I cannot see the point of doing test on a 125cc.

that said I think about it sometimes, especially since the wife said she can see us taking up touring in later year when the kids have left the nest.

 

[Nod]

3X £80 (so far) and what do you value your time at? Not sure what difference having a full rather than provisional license would make to your insurance.

 

[Cobra]

and I cannot see the point of doing test on a 125cc.

I assume you are are over 24 you can do "direct access" on a larger ( school) bike if you wish.
Nothing to stop you riding the 125 after, with no L plates, and being ready to make the jump when "she who must be obeyed" decree's the time is right

 

[Sarg0r]

Regardless of direct access, sticking with just CBT or doing a small engine test, all CBTs tend to be done on small 125's prior to moving up to anything bigger

 

[strumstrum]

I assume you are are over 24 you can do "direct access" on a larger ( school) bike if you wish.
Nothing to stop you riding the 125 after, with no L plates, and being ready to make the jump when "she who must be obeyed" decree's the time is right

but if I took and passed test on a 600cc no way would I still go around on the 125cc... 125cc's hold their value well I could easily sell the YBR and pick up a decent nick Bandit or Diversion and have money left over.

 

[kendo1]

I passed my test on an AJS 250

(RTY 768 I seem to remember...)

 

[strumstrum]

I passed my test on an AJS 250

(RTY 768 I seem to remember...)

If you did that by today's rules then max you can ride is a 250

 

[kendo1]

If you did that by today's rules then max you can ride is a 250

Ah well, the next was a Triumph Thunderbird (600cc) and then a Norton Dominator SS (650cc)

I went Japanese after that with a Honda CBX 550 F2

 

[Cobra]

but if I took and passed test on a 600cc no way would I still go around on the 125cc...

I'm sure, all I was saying was that it was an option.

I passed my test on an AJS 250

Yammy 200 here, then a Honda F1. 750 super sport. ( full fairing )
I quite fancied a Honda K4 750 ( in maroon ) but I never seemed to quite manage it, other bikes got in the way

 

[Nod]

Had an old Honda step-thru moped then learned to ride a "real" bike on a 350LC with 250 side panels. The mate who owned that put it (and himself ) under a truck so I gave up 2 wheels for a few years. Finally got back into it after the 125 rule was introduced as well as the 2 part test. Had a GS550 after passing the full test but when that died, I couldn't afford a 2 wheeled toy as well as a 4 wheeled tool so bikes took a back seat. Now got a pair of toys, a Royal Enfield Bullet 500 EFi and a Triumph Speedmaster. Nice not to have to ride in the wet these days!

 

[MatBin]

I passed my test on an AJS 250

(RTY 768 I seem to remember...)

C15 SS80, GLW 861 45 years ago, oh dear
Many more followed
Sprint 1050 GT SE at present, fair weather rider now.

To the OP - bikes are great fun and if you like them you'll have a lifetime of biking ahead of you.
Costs - prohibitive for new riders, older riders (25+) with large bikes, sorry but accident/theft stats just get in the way of cheap insurance. Wet weather gear an absolute must have, absolutely no fun at all otherwise, helmets dont have to be expensive to be good, better to get a cheap nice fitting one than an expensive skull crusher.

 

[hypnotic]

I currently have a BMW F800 GS.
Took my test two years ago because it was always something I wanted to do but got into cars instead.
Now old enough and financially able to get into it like I wanted to when I was younger.

We should get a TP bike meet organised.

 

[LCPete]

Unfortunately bikes are no longer cheap transport
When I started a bike was cheap to buy and run the insurance and everything is expensive now
Still fun tho I use my bike whenever possible when I'm out with the camera

 

[kendo1]

Those were the days

The AJS cost me £40, the Triumph £180 and the Dominator £200...
Insurance was about £30 fully comp.

 

[BruceMo]

When I was serving my time I got put on a site well out the way and took hours to get several buses. I usually had trials bikes but ended up commuting on a Honda c90 step through. Strangely enough, the girls weren't very impressed by my wheels but it's about the only bike you could literally ride it like you stole it with no ill effects, came off in the snow several times but it just kept going. Horrible looking thing but I've still got happy memories of it
Biking used to be really cheap but I think I'd go for an electric bike if I wasn't going too far now and on a tight budget

 

[Gupster]

When I was serving my time I got put on a site well out the way and took hours to get several buses. I usually had trials bikes but ended up commuting on a Honda c90 step through. Strangely enough, the girls weren't very impressed by my wheels but it's about the only bike you could literally ride it like you stole it with no ill effects, came off in the snow several times but it just kept going. Horrible looking thing but I've still got happy memories of it
Biking used to be really cheap but I think I'd go for an electric bike if I wasn't going too far now and on a tight budget

I know a few very skilled riders that use a C90 as their daily commute transport and they all love them. I've never ridden one on the road but I presume they like them for the very same reasons you did.