I Want That One... Don't Like It...

Motorcycling
1

Hi All,

As some of you know, I’ve been looking at getting my first bike and yesterday I moved from internet / magazine research to actually getting out to a few bike shops (went to Bat Motorcycles and Greyhound & Maverick in Croydon).

Firstly, despite having had thoughts about DAS and big bikes, yesterday I found out that ain’t gonna happen straight away - I need to get me used to the weight of a 125 first! That might sound strange to those of you riding bigger bikes, but as a true novice, a 125 is still a heavy machine if you ain’t used to it!

The second thing was that all of my internet research had led me towards either a CG125 or an XR125.

When I actually sat on the CG, I didn’t like it in the slightest! I found the bars were too narrow and slightly too low for me, making me feel top heavy on the bike. Naturally, this is a very personal thing - I’m not slagging off the excellent CG, just saying it ain’t right for me.

I also looked at the CBR125, but it felt like a toy rather than a bike… I think that’s because I associate that style of bike with a chunky machine and in reality, the 125 version is quite dinky :smiley:

I quite liked something similar - the Suzuki GX125, but the most important thing I found out was that I’m much more comfortable sitting on a supermoto-stylee trail bike - sat on the XR125, DT125 and DR125 - I loved the riding height and position, so I’ll be investigating them further.

So, the point of my post? Well, just to illustrate that you can find out as much as you like about fuel economy, top speed, cost, etc… from the web and from magazine, but if it don’t feel right when you’re on it, none of that matters :smiley:

Cheers,

Steve

2

factsheets can only tell you so much, as you’ve found out now nothing beats sitting on a bike and feeling it.

you can argue a few BHP here and there or an extra 3mph top speed, but whats the point if you’re not happy riding it.

Broadly speaking most bike in the same class are going to be roughly the same,
at the end of the day you’re going to be safer smoother and faster on a bike you feel comfortable on.

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Steve,

Your doing the right thing.

Nothing worse than owning a bike your not happy with, even the colour can be a challenge. I bought a bargain Kawasaki once. In blue. That’s why it was a bargain.

If you can’t afford a big bike, trailies are the way to go and of the 125 trails, I reckon the best of the bunch is the DR125. Been around for ever and each new version seems to get a bit better.

Not read a bad report yet of the current version except that it weaves on motorways. But all trailies smaller than the big BMW’s do that to some extent, so I just don’t use motorways. Boring on a bike in any case.

Next thing to do is to try to blag test rides, even if just around a yard.

4

When I was doing my direct access back in 98 - I started off on a Yamaha 125 - it was great to learn gear changing etc on - towards the end of the course we were shown the Honda CB500 (which we would be taking our test on) - I found the CB500 quite intimidating at the time - it seemed so much bigger and heavier and more powerful (this makes me laugh now - but at the time I was a total novice) - however when I rode the CB500 I found it quite easy to ride - easier in some ways than the 125 - which was cruder and didn’t handle as well.

Direct access is very intense - but if you are really keen it’s nice to get the 125 part of your riding career out of the way as soon as possible and go straight onto a 500/600cc bike.

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You’ve definitely done the right thing by actually planting yourself on a few bikes, Stevie. It’s surprising what you can find out about both yourself and the machine you’d been thinking of buying, isn’t it!

Sid - I remember being intimidated by the DAS CBF500s back in July. Weirdly, even though I now ride an SV, the CBF still gives me the willies when I look at it. It’s sorta broad-shouldered and hunched somehow… while my SV is sleek and sex-ay!

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I was thinking of the old CB500 mate - which is probably even less ‘butch’ looking than the latest incarnation - cracking bike though.

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That looks like fun! :smiley:

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?varadero?

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I do like the look of the varadero, but it looks like a heavy beastie :smiley: may well plonk meself on one if I find it on my travels :smiley:

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My 125 experience was on a Suzuki Van Van which the GF now rides. Great bike and always drew attention, if we go for a rideout people always chat about the Van Van and generally ignore my Bandit…gf ribs me something terrible for it . :slight_smile:

Try one, looks and feels like a proper bike.

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Good that you are starting on the 125’s, might be worth a little look at the Hyosung GTR(?) 125, similar to the CBR125 but a ‘bigger’ bike, and have had very good reports.

Dont get too intimidated about the ‘weight’ of the bike, especially the bigger ones, and everything will feel a bit more ‘heavy’ when sitting on it, or doing slow speed test rides. Once the speed increases, bikes become a bit more nimble, and your muscles grow where needed and your balance comes into line pretty quickly to make riding easier.

But good luck with the hunt for the bike, the 125’s trailies are very good bikes as well :slight_smile:

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If you have the money and like the supermoto style have a look at a Husqvarna SM125R.

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The Van Van is a nice bike, we use them for CBT training at CAM riders in Hendon.

Its not too heavy for a learner, not too tall and an the seat is good for accommodating all different sizes of rider. Makes a great commuter bike as it “looks” like a big bike, to most car drivers, when on the road.

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I couldn’t believe the interest in it when I rode one. One bloke in London leaned out his Van to ask me how he could get to ride one when we were waiting in traffic.

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You are so doing the right thing – get out there and get a look and feel for the bike you like.

The only additional advice I can give is that the feeling of a bike just sitting on it can be very, very different to actually riding it. If you are a novice it may be an advantage to have a bike that’s not too tall so both feet can be planted on the ground quickly if things go terribly wrong.

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even if they are heavy most bikes carry the weight low - so as long as you dont tilt it too far you can hold it with little force…

just dont try and stop it from falling if it passes that point :ermm:

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Alta-Ego - yeah - I think the van van is a smashing looking bike - may well pop me backside on one if I see one :DElad - cheers - did look at the Hyosung GTR125 - Used Bike Guide had a bit of a write up on Hyosung (and the GTR250) recently - still a bit dubious about the brand though… maybe I’m just an old cynic :smiley:

Londondrz - will take a look at that - also been looking at the Pulse supermoto jobby - anyone know much about them???

Zeus - cheers - on the Suzuki DR125 and the Honda XR125 I can get both feet on the ground, but only the balls of my feet… On the Suzuki GX and the Honda CG I can firmly put both feet down flat… The trailies also require a big swing of the leg to get on - no way I could have a box on the back - I’d need another box on the floor to stand on if I did that :smiley:

Cheers Panagiotis - will keep that in mind.

Many thanks to all of you for the good advice - got my CBT booked for this Saturday (17/01/09) so will let y’all know how I get on :w00t:

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+1
I did my CBT on a yamaha 125 and my DAS on a Suzuki GS500. I hadnt fully committed to the DAS after my CBT and only paid for it after having a go round the training ground on the 500. I kept wobbling and falling over on the 125 during slow control manoeuvres.
My CBR600 is too heavy for me in that I cant confidently push it about and I definitely cant pick it up but my plan is to not drop it or drop it when someone is passing so they can help me! :smiley:

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All the best for the CBT Steve.

Follow it up with a DAS (if your legal) as soon as possible. You’ll be surprised how easy bigger bikes are once moving and you’ve got the balance thing sorted.

And you’ll be surprised how much insurance companies can shaft you for if you go that route as a new rider.

Which ever route you go, look at the whole first year package. It paid me to spend a year on a crappy small Kawasaki (in blue!) as I’d lost my NCD through lapsed time.

Despite owning biggish bikes, I’d not be embarassed at riding a well styled 125.

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I love the look of the Van Van. I wish they did bigger engine version, something like a 400cc.