Hi guys i was thinking would it be best for a 17 year old to restrict a 600 to 33bhp or just simpily get a 125. A very good friend of mine whos a bike delear says go with the 600 and restrict it. But what do u guys think. E.g performance comparison and the hefty insurance bill.
Thanks any comments welcome 
Or a 400cc perhaps ??
For fun I’d say get the 600 but get some insurance quotes first!!!
correct answer! +1 i have a zxr400 once and it was AWESOME - 33bhp kits for those are just four washers on the inlet man - easy removal for errrrm…after those two years;).
cheers guys tbh i never considered a 400 wot was the most u gt out of that when it was restricted
over a ton!
600 will sound (with right can) much better than a 125 hair dryer
Dunno about the 400’s!
I went from a cbr125cc to a honda hornet 2008 model. You can’t even begin to compare the comfort on the road. The 125 could feel every uneven bit of road, including painted lines, hatching felt unbearable.
Plus unless you’re a dwarf you don’t really feel comfortable physically. I’m about 5’11 and my knees would cramp up to the point of being painful on a little bike. Plus you get more road respect. Cages will do anything to bypass you if they see a 125 because they know you will slow them down on straight. Plus 33bhp is better than the less than half you will probably get out of the 125 and it sounds like a bike!! Not a pregnant fairy trying to take off. 
BM
+1
Go for the restricted 400 or 600! More power, speed and road presence than a 125. My (restricted!) 400 is a lot noisier than my 125 so people hear me/get out of my way. Cars and other road users give me more respect and less hassle then when I was on a 125.
I’d go for a restricted bike. More poke and less frustrating than a 125.
I rode a CBR125r for a year on a CBT. it was great fun but it ran out of poke so easily on anything other than town roads. I used to use it on the A13 for my commute and it wasn’t fun.
a restricted bike will be a lot biggger and more comfortable, but the power and grunt is there to shuffle you along. it’s so much easier and feels just like riding a full power bike until you get past around 80mph(on closed roads) when you start to feel the restriction. it’ll still pull cleanly to just over a ton and you’ll get used to riding a full size bike.
Beware which 600 you restrict though. full on spiorts bikes develop their power and grunt higher up teh rev range where most restrictors tend to start blocking the power, where as something like an SV650 builds from lower down and hardly feels the restriction at all.
cheers yer sounds like it shall be the 600 any suggestions?
power to weight ratio is important to getting the best out of a bike with only 33bp.
if you get a bike that weighs 200kg and only has 33bhp - 0.165 bhp/KG
the lower the weight, the more bhp for KG you get. simples.:w00t:
What about a 250? Its what im thinking about getting for my 2 restricted years
although they are hard to come by, a hornet 250 would be perfect. im hoping to get one in a years time
Honda Hornet - maybe I’m biased. They’ve been around forever the new models weigh 175kg dry weight can’t comment on the old ones but the seating and the handlebars make it a capable bike for a first time.
Alternatively kawasaki 250 if you can afford it, but even then I wouldn’t it looks the part but you’ll want something bigger in no time. Older hornet means easy commute I saw a scooter I pulled up next to today looking behind him trying to figure out how I managed to fit between him and the car he was in front of and still turn up on the other side of him…he kept looking at the bike, behind him and back to the bike again like he should have been stuck in the back window of a little old lady’s car.
Whatever you choose have fun on it and make sure you’lll be happy with it for a couple of years. if you have even the slightest doubt walk away and look again. But the older hornets have dropped in price because of the new shape and the bandits are also a favourite for a first time bike.
BM
MCN have a list: http://www.motorcyclenews.com/MCN/News/newsresults/First-rides–tests/2008/September/sep1508-top-ten-33bhp-bikes/?R=EPI-102691
When my wife passed her test she really struggled with the Kawasaki er5 so that was swapped for a Honda CBF250 and what a confidence inspiring bike , if your after more of a sporty image how about a 250 Ninja ?( Both less than 33 bhp)
As for the 125 i couldnt ride a 125 for too long far too slow.
Suzuki SV650 is a good choice for restriction. It’s twin cylinder engine makes power from low revs unlike the four cylinder 600s. This basically means it will feel less restricted and probably easier to manage.
Good bike and cheap…'99 models can be had for £1200 and under.
id get a 400cc + restrictor kit. I had one when i was 18 and it was such fun before getting the 600. Plus they hold there value really well. Also the restrictor is just a washer in the carb
VFR 400 NC30 Springs to mind…
All true but I would add that the 99/pre-injection model is a bit difficult to restrict (but by no means impossible) and would need to be done professionally rather than yourself (installation and removal).
There is also a very rare SV400 import.
FYI the average carby or fuel injected SV650 as standard puts out between 60 and 70 bhp.
