Motorcycles....

[ltp22]

Right, I'm looking at getting my first bike soon and wandered if anyone could give me a few pointers? Got a budget of about 1500 maybe a bit more if its the right bike. Been looking at Bandits, VFR400 and other 400 sports bikes, SV650 and possibly a ZX6r. Anyone had any experience with any of them?

Cheers

[Carl-h]

Had a ZX6R and know a lot about most bike tbh. What do you want to know?

[ltp22]

Just reliability, and if they are a good starter bike, to used to riding etc.

[tobomoto]

I got 2 zxr400's (one for sale soon). Cracking first bike and they have been known to embarras bigger bikes.

[Carl-h]

Take it you've just done your DAS? No matter what bike you get it will feel stupid quick at first. I sold my ZX6R as I'd of ended up dead or banned at the time. Come out of a corner, on the power and before your even upright your doing 120.

From those I'd go with a SV650. I'd rather a Honda hornet than a bandit too. I'm not convinced about Suzuki build quality. They are reliable but just built shit and corrode.

[L33h]

i wanted a ZX6 before i got my bike. Theyre quite small and light for a older 600. I only got mine cos i cos i bought it off my aunties boyfriend cheap.

zxr400s would be a great first bike if you havnt got much experience on em. I dont really like VFRs but thats just me lol

[Carl-h]

My 6R was a 2003 B1H by the way. One of the more track focused and wouldn't come into budget but an older G1 would and they are brilliant bikes, although still needs a lot of control if its your first bike. My 6R was my fifth I think and I had over 20,000 miles experience.

[ed-bradley]

650 twin would be a great starter bike.

Reasonably quick for a first bike, bulletproof, quite fun to ride.. Parts are cheap and upgrades are getting more common now.
Insurance and running costs are dirt cheap too!

Things like SV650's hold there money well too, so if you wanted rid for an IL4 600 in 12months time you could probably make your money back.

Edit; Only thing about 400's nowadays is that they're getting rarer and rarer for a decent one thats not been peppered.
Plus, they're not that cheap either.. Can buy a 600 for the same price as a VFR now.

I got an 05 C1H 636 with under 5k on the clock for £2500.. Bargains are out there.

[ltp22]

Maybe the SV might be a good choice then. My budget isn't massive at the moment so value for money is key. I'm only going to be keeping the bike for a year or so, just to get my experience up.

[Carl-h]

The more I think about it the more an SV sounds great. I've never rode one but I've only heard good things. I've rode with a couple on my 'berg and for what they are they're not too slow. Perfect first bike bike if you ask me. Can pick them up really cheap too.

Problem with getting a ZX6R as a first bike is that you'll never learn to ride it properly. It's too easy to wait for the straight and pin the throttle. I started on a 50 that I could hold pinned for the majority of every journey doing 45-50 depending on how much I tucked in haha. I learned to corner on that thing then since then just progressed fairly steadily so always keeping the skills there rather than relying on the power. I'd always reccomend a smaller bike that needs the speed carried through the bends to any beginner.

Even an SV650 is quicker than most the cars on the road. I'd guess its roughly 4-5 seconds to 60 and 120 ish top end which is bloody quick!

[ltp22]

If I'm honest the Bandit and the SV are the 2 that I'm more inclined to buy, purely because of the running costs. Like I said its only for a year to get me going then il look to get something else

[L33h]

My mates got a 600 bandit. Pays harllys fuck all for petrol and something like £80 a year insurance. Hes 24 and only just passed his test lol. Im geussing the SV is going to be similar

[gazza808]

Wouldn't bother with a bandit,
Pile of wank compared to a Honda hornet,
And I'm Suzuki through and through lol,
There's so many bikes in your price range,
Sv is ok, I rode my mates for a bit an hated it, very soft an willowy, uprating the forks with stiffer springs and sorting the rear shock transformed it,
I got a gsxr600 as my first bike still got it now as a track bike and love it,
I thought I may as well buy the bike I'll want in a year so I'm not wasting money swapping bikes,

[ltp22]

I see your point but insurance rapes me on a gsxr600. I've been looking at hornets as well but the bandit/sv seems to be the cheaper option all round. Once of got 1 years ncb ill be able to get one for decent money

[Rogue_Shadow]

SV650 :y:

Tis what I aim to get after I hopefully pass my tests.
Just be sure to make a fender extender your 1st mod, otherwise you'll likely have single cylinder twin in the wet :wall:

http://www.sv650.org/gallery/pic29/jan%20sv650_03.jpg

[ltp22]

I've been keeping my eye on this hornet (http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2001-HONDA-CB-600-HORNET-IDEAL-COMMUTER-WINTER-BARGAIN-/290780443879?pt=UK_Motorcycles&hash=item43b3dd74e7&_uhb=1#ht_1009wt_984)

[Rogue_Shadow]

MPG is poor on a Hornet, is the only downside from what I've been reading

[ltp22]

The only thing that puts me off of the sv is I think they sound shite lol

[Rogue_Shadow]

Yea but you could always add another exhaust fairly (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k7ifmDre1FQ) cheaply if that bothered you.
From the video's I've seen, the V twin sounds good :A:

(First link I found btw)

[ltp22]

That sounds pretty decent to be honest. They are dirt cheap to insure aswell

[Rogue_Shadow]

The SV is top of my list :y:

However also consider

http://motorbike-search-engine.co.uk/2007_bikes/bandit%20650.jpg
(Suzuki Bandit 650 - not the older 600)

http://www.totalmotorcycle.com/photos/2005models/2005-Yamaha-FZ6b.jpg
(Yamaha FZ6 600)

http://www.kawasaki.co.uk/Objects/3A/w475h321_000003409D83A55B.JPG
(Kawasaki ER6N - Expensive new, but good might find a bargain second hand)

http://www.motorcyclenews.com/upload/219659/images/01-yamaha-XJ6.jpg
(Yamaha XJ6 - Same as above, likely more expensive though)

I hate recommendations without pictures :D

All are great first bikes, with good MPG and insurance. (I've done ALOT of research)
Any bike with a fairing will cost more than a version without also, a bike with no fairing is lower insurance group, cheaper to buy and cheaper to repair cosmetically.

[tobomoto]

My brother has an er6 for commuting. Its about 3 years old now and done about 35k miles, the only thing that went wrong was the exhaust broke twice in the same place (bit of a design fault although kawasaki wont admit it) but he got it fixed under warranty. Ive been looking into getting a bike for commuting soon as i start a new job next month. All the above appeal to me apart from hondas. Youll never see me on a honda. Ever.

[Rogue_Shadow]

Good thing there are no Honda's on my list :y:

Hornet is too thirsty for me. Also I'll be on a restricted licence (33bhp) which is enough for me :)
But taking a 100bhp bike and taking away over 50% of its power will be awful!
SV and Bandit are my prime choices as both restrict well :y:
What you after tobomoto?

[tobomoto]

I was thinking about an sv650 but it would have to be the unfaired version. I dont really fan y doing alot of winter riding on a zxr400 or zx7r (if i ever get it rebuilt!) so im looking at somthing else. Sports bike for summer, winter hack for, well, winter.

[Rogue_Shadow]

I would of thought a fairing is even more important in the winter.
Naked SV's do look good though, specially in blue :A:

http://www.sv650.org/gallery/pic34/FLY_SV650N03GLOB.jpg

Harder to find though

[tobomoto]

Na, go naked- less to break/replace when you drop it! That is nice but id do away with the belly pan as well. Nice yoshi can on it and job done!

[Rogue_Shadow]

Yea the belly pan look so out of place on that SV.
I'd prefer a naked bike, but I figure a faired bike would be better all year round with mixed miles.
I'll see what turns up.

[Bodvts]

My mates just bought a sv1000 traded a gsxr for it said it best thing he done says it's great ride and sounds awesome not seen it yet though

[holdawayt]

Have you done your tests OP? You know the licence is changing after Jan 18th?

If I manage to pass my tests in time I'll be buying a Bandit 6.

Under a grand, plenty of speed for a first bike and cheap running costs. Almost bombproof too. I know others will suggest other bikes but I personally love the look and feel of the bandit.

[ltp22]

Have you done your tests OP? You know the licence is changing after Jan 18th?

If I manage to pass my tests in time I'll be buying a Bandit 6.

Under a grand, plenty of speed for a first bike and cheap running costs. Almost bombproof too. I know others will suggest other bikes but I personally love the look and feel of the bandit.

I've got my mod1 and mod2 in the next few weeks. I need to pass this year, I don't want to be on a restricted licence

[VexxedVTS]

I have had 2 big bikes, the first being a DRZ400SM which was a right laugh (heavy for a Sm though).
I also picked a bandit 600 up last Sunday.

http://i867.photobucket.com/albums/ab239/vexxedmonkey_2009/T2eC16VHJGwE9nyTd9EBQTObeE8iQ60_57_zps54bafcb9.jpg

I got that for £935

35000 miles
In AMAZING condition
previous keeper looked after it well.

Be patient when looking for a bike, because the right one will eventually come.

[Rogue_Shadow]

I'm hoping I'll act patient finding a Bike ...
Inpatient about getting my Licence before 2013 though :panic:

Lovely Bandit, the quality of the unfaded red paintwork alone shows it's been looked after :y:

[Bean]

Being a keen bike enthusiast and owning bikes since the age of 6 I will try my best to pint you in the right direction, if you're after looks,reliability and performance I think a good choice would be the baby blade, Honda cbr 400, best looking 400 in my opinion another good choice would be a zxr400 these aren't overly fast bikes and will leave you crying for more power after a few weeks but atleast you won't get ahead of yourself, I thinks if you get a modern 600 nowadays are just as fast as some old 1000s and before you know it you will have covered more ground than you think and that's never a good thing lol

[Saxorookie16]

friend of mine has a cbr 400 crackin bike sometimes shows up some of the bigger ones great bike to start on

[Ash1711]

Which of the bikes talked about in this thread are light? Im not a massive weight lifter and any bike i've been on in the past seems to be extremely heavy - like i wonder how the fuck it can be rode as they are that heavy!! I want a nice looking bigger bike, but one which I can pick up off the ground if ever dropped!

[Bean]

Cbr or the zxr both 400's

[CraigLovelock]

Passed my theory today so on the look out soon.

Have been riding a 125 for over a year or so now so going to a 600...

Gsxr 600 k1 is my choice but I'm 5ft 4" so seat shave and lowering kit :(

Would love a stubby tail like the triumph street triple r but too expensive for a first biggen...

[CraigLovelock]

Passed my theory today so on the look out soon.

Have been riding a 125 for over a year or so now so going to a 600...

Gsxr 600 k1 is my choice but I'm 5ft 4" so seat shave and lowering kit :(

Would love a stubby tail like the triumph street triple r but too expensive for a first biggen...

[nev6]

http://i246.photobucket.com/albums/gg116/nev6/100_0882.jpg

my nc30, bought for me as my first bike as a 21st bday present, which is why i still have it 7 years on.
As a first bike its brilliant nice smooth power all the way though the rev range so can pootle about town then open her up when you need too. in the 7 years i have owned it it has had a rear wheel bearing, a tyre, and brake pads,i don't ride it that much any more so it has sat for up too 6 months and still starts first time every time.
i can now insure it for £65 fc tax is £32 a year and mot £28, now thats cheap motoring.

[ed-bradley]

Passed my theory today so on the look out soon.

Have been riding a 125 for over a year or so now so going to a 600...

Gsxr 600 k1 is my choice but I'm 5ft 4" so seat shave and lowering kit :(

Would love a stubby tail like the triumph street triple r but too expensive for a first biggen...

Shouldn't be too bad on a 600 at that hieght.
Maybe drop the rear a tad.
I'm not that much bigger than you, and I get along just fine Lol.

[tobomoto]

Just be aware that if you start jacking it up/lowering it, it will need to be done properly or the handling and geometry will be affected. My nephew is 13 and about 5"4 ish and can comfortably reach all the controls ect on my zxr400.

[ed-bradley]

Just be aware that if you start jacking it up/lowering it, it will need to be done properly or the handling and geometry will be affected. My nephew is 13 and about 5"4 ish and can comfortably reach all the controls ect on my zxr400.

Handling will be affected, but its easily rectifiable.
Tbh, most people wont tell the difference anyway..

If your lowering the rear by 10mm for example, drop the front slightly more.
But be aware of ground clearance on the belly pan if you ride balls out..
Having the front nose heavy will make it tip into corners easier, which is what you want ideally.
Just have to remember to adjust the sag in the rear to suit.. most bikes warrant about 10-12mm. Otherwise, its gonna want to chuck you out of the seat and bounce like a twat on the rear.