I had a cbf1000 courtesy bike for about a month, really loved it! Nice riding position, plenty of power, really smooth, nice lot of torque, wheelies nice as well! It was really comfortable, honestly wouldn’t mind getting on. Only thing is the forks dive a fair bit and you can get proper slappers if you take your hands off the bars! Apart from that, great bike!
I know where you’re coming from, but if you have not had a big bike before, the power of a Hornet (or many others) will be fine while you learn enough roadcraft and general good biking practice to make the transition to a (super)sportsbike a little smoother. There is something to be said about putting off the pleasure 
So much depends on things like how you learn, how you behave on the road, and what you can realistically see yourself doing on the bike you buy - a lot of which you can’t know until you buy.
E.g. some people can get an R6 or a similarly ‘challenging’ bike as their first ride (given that they can afford the insurance) and be fine learning how to ride on it. Whereas others who aren’t as conscientious jump on the same bike and are ‘calling their insurance companies’ sooner than they intended just because of their lack of consideration or over-enthusiasm.
Don’t forget, the D.A.S. tells you what you need to know to pass the test, the real learning comes afterwards - with miles on the road, reading and further training. Don’t be too hasty to go as fast as possible ASAP.
I’d also like an R6 or CBR600RR, but my back says NO 
Hornets are cool, but if your heart is set on an R6 than I don’t think you’ll ever be happy with anything else but. Have you test ridden any bikes yet?
When it came to buying my first big bike to commute in London, I had my heart set on a Ducati Monster, but after riding one I decided against it as it was way to small for me and I hated the riding position.
I now have a Kawasaki ER6N, which I absolutely love. It’s the perfect size, light and nimble, plenty of grunt, cheap to run/insure and looks cool - IMHO 
Plus, you won’t see as many out on the road - Hornets are everywhere in London.
All I can say, get down to a big motorcycle shop like Metropolis and test ride a few bikes. It won’t cost you a penny and you get a better idea of what’s out there.
Hope this helps
Unfaired Sv650
Light, cheap, v twin means good low down pull.
Jack up the rear for quicker steering and cover it with crash bungs.
Change over the rear shock for £60 max, for a kwaka one and change the front springs.
You can also stick a set of nissin 4 pots off a honda on with the bracket you can get from chewys I think.
I do also like the XT600 but not to sure about the fuel injection at low speeds (not rode one myself thou so dont know for sure that this is an issue)
Yep, that basically reads as “get an sv, they’re great bikes…as long as you change almost everything about them”
…which is true. I had one (and loved it) myself, but pretty much everything on it as stock sucks (and even when you’ve sorted it’s still only half as good as a good sports bike
Perhaps I should post what planted the childhood seed of always wanting a bike. Not afraid to admit it!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2frAjTobZ3U&feature=related
Get a GPZ then! It will (probably) be a reasonably priced, easy entry to the biking world and your dream come true! Sorted
Try to persuade The Sleeper (LB member) to sell you his - he don’t use the bugger no more! Only jesting K!
I remember watching quite a few of them from youtube, they sound great!
I wonder what ‘Maverick’ would ride if Top Gun was made today. Maybe a Ducati?
Try one out and see what you think. I never had any problems with mine, but it had a PC3, open exhausts and a stage2 air filter.
I would first test a bike of all popular engine configurations, try, for example, an XT660, SV650 and a Hornet, then see which sort of engine you like then narrow down the choices.
Oh, and don’t go to Metropolis. I was spending 8-10k on a bike, and they let me test ride the hypermotard for 30 mins, giving me crap about usually charging for test rides, and being really difficult when I asked if they had a Tuono as a demo. Really horrible people!!
duncmac (29/12/2010)**
Oh, and don’t go to Metropolis. Really horrible people!!
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Yup. And very expensive labour costs. The Triumph sales are not as bad as the others though. But still still a crap workshop.
Supermotos are the greatest urban attack bikes!
They have the narrow profile of a 125cc which is great for combat filtering. My DRZ400sm’s handle bars fly over the majority of car mirrors.
Also now I have little under bar mirrors I can pass taller vans without the risk of clipping my mirror into theirs.
Another day, another bike idea: Bandit 1250
Can’t see anything bad about it.
one word… FIREBLADE
HAHA. I get bloody scared looking at any biek over 100bhp
If you want an all-rounder that can do the commuting thing in the city, as well as blatting round the lanes and two-up touring with a ton of gear, then it’s got to be the Bandit 1250 ABS.A truly superb engine which, once you’ve got used to its torque, makes the bike feel weightless and handle very easily.
And it’s a very cheap bike to buy and run. Also, they get completely ignored by the bike thieves
900 Hornet is worth a look.
**** 700 odd quid to ins ure on the 1250 Bandit.
Is there an equivilent that is cheaper? I sat on the 1250 and it felt like I was sitting in my arm chair.
The main requirement will be:
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Occasional commuting or travelling into London
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Riding out of London loaded with gear
I dont think I will be riding recretionally or fast too often
It’s clear that you don’t have a clue what you want … 
You want a Hornet/V-twin/something that will do 6 weeks around Eastern Europe/Versys/Shiver/Fuel economy/Need to carry loads of stuff - tent etc/Clutchless wheelies (1250 engine)/Reliable/CB500/ER5/R6/GPZ/probably something else that I’ve missed :hehe:
Tell us how much you’ve got to spend … including money to spend on insurance … and money to spend on helmet/gloves/leathers/etc … also tell us how old you are and what postcode zone you live in/whether you’ve got a garage (will obviously effect your insurance price).
Haha Mr C - so true!
Right
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I have no money so will need it on finance, though I can stretch to 2k if using my overdraft. If on finance ideally no more than 4k.
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I am 26 and live in Twickenham (TW1) which is stuill an expensive area insurance wise. No garage but parking spaces behind the flat (not convinced this will reduce cost).
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Would like to budget 500 quid or so on gear and was thinking of some dragon nice jeans, a leather jacket and a good helmet. I already have TCX infinity boots.
Use as I was saying will be urban (but not much commuting) and longer trips with a bit of gear (but in truth this wont be more than a handful of times a year for certain. Yes I like the idea of popping over to France snd atuff but this may not happen and I suppose should not be the main determinent). I also really want to look after it so will avoid **** weather to the fulest extent possible.