Motors Tell me all about...Motorbikes

Being paranoid helped me the most, always try and have 2 escape routes for when some idiot in their oversized gas guzzling minivan decides while talking to someone on the phone that they deserve the space you currently are occupying. Luckily for me I havent been offed yet, other than the oblivious drivers out there I cant think of a more fun way of getting around that dosent require me to get a pilots liscence.

Seeing all these restrictions that you have scare me a little. Being cut off at a 125 until 21 seems a little harsh to me, Im 19 and ride around on a 1200. And the steady supply of r1's getting parted out on ebay would dry up too if it wasnt allowed as a first bike to someone who has never even sat on one before.

Depending on how hardcore you want to get your going to at least need a leather jacket and a helmet. Try and get a jacket with a removable insulated liner and a fair amount of vents so you dont cook yourself on warm days and dont freeze to death in fall. For gloves get a lighter ventilated pair to start with and if your crazy enough to ride when its cold then you get a heavy pair. Always try to ride with pants, not shorts, and with some decent boots on, not sandals or tennis shoes.

 

You have to remember the roads and traffic situation in the UK is very different to America. Nearly all the riding you do is in built-up areas, and our roads are far more congested. 50cc scooters are incredibly popular over here (catching up with the rest of Europe) and for day-to-day commuting a 125 is fine, as you rarely go over 30 mph anyway. Its only when you look at longer journeys or bigger roads that you could do with a bigger bike. That said I do agree with you that bigger bikes are more comfortable, and more stable to ride.

Also, you can get onto a 500 before you're 21...you are only restricted to a 125 before you have passed a full test.

 

So I finally got a(obviously pretty rough) quote out of Norwhich Union for what insurance would be. Full comp would be 810ish, TPFT would be about 550ish, and even just third party would be abour 340. That basicly puts the dampers on things. I might just be able to manage it, but it'd be a hell of a luxury compared with a car which I get free lessons and insurance for, don't have to pay tax, mot, services on and can effectively use just for the price of petrol on a day to day basis. Much

 

Thats a bit of a joke. Try Direct Choice (www.directchoice.co.uk) and see what they say.

What were you getting the quote on...a 125 or a 500?

 

I was getting a quote on the ER-5, aye.

 

I'm assuming that was for a 500cc? If that was for a 125cc then they're on drugs.

Here's another site to try out, I got my bike insurance from them, first time rider, 125cc, £53 TPFT - Granted it's for a 125cc scooter which is classed as a historic vehicle. (don't know if that makes a difference?) but still, that's damn cheap

Personally I'd recommnend going for something smaller than a 500cc as a first bike, I'd say 250cc at the most to start off with, I've had a fair few close encounters on my Vespa which I would probably not have escaped if I were on anything bigger. Just my 2c

Rain & cold hasn't bothered me or put me off using it at all, even before I got a full face helmet, as babychaos said, the freedom a bike offers more than makes up for the weather effects, and I don't think I'd ever be able to sit in traffic ever again tbh. Zipping past all the suckers burning their money on fuel & wasting their lives in traffic always puts a smile on my face

I haven't been riding for long enough to encounter the winter season yet, the only thing I fear is snow & ice - I'd have to get my car out for those days I suppose, & join all the losers in the traffic jams

 

Followed your link babychaos, went through it all again(that was the same place as I used last time) and I must have put in different numbers or something this time, because it ended up as £318 TP, £468 for TPFT, and £700 for Comprehensive. Would I be right in guessing that TPFT is the lowest level that anyone sensible goes for?

Regardless, £486 is still a fair chunk of money. Giving Lord A's site a try now, thanks guy

edit: Also, anyone got more thoughts on 250 stuff? I presume the bikes would be marginally cheaper, but acceptable for what I'm wanting? I'm stumbling about in the dark here basicly, so, info is always apreciated.

edit2: At Lord_A's link TPFT was 398 and TP was £247, again, some of the details I inputted are probably a bit iffy, but I guess it's an improvement. Comp would be 562. Thanks again guys for reading all this junk and helping me

 

My lowest quote so far has been around £750 for TPFT on a RS 125, with ebikeinsurance.

Just so you can compare.

Yatesy

 

I currently have TPFT on a Hornet 600, but I've just gone over the magic 30, so my premiums have dropped massively (£130 with 1 years no-claims, bike value of £2750...it was £330 last year, and I'd had a £2000 theft claim in that period as well).

If I ever got a new bike (and I have my eye on the Triumph Daytona 675 ) I'd get fully comp, but for a second-hand workhorse I don't think its worth shelling out about a third the value of the bike every year...

Regarding 250's, I must admit I don't know of too many on the market, apart from scramblers and trailies. the spread of sizes seems to be 125's, 500's and then into sports engines at 600+

 

Ok, so TPFT for £400 is pretty damn reasonable then by comparison. Right, think that's pretty much everything, now I need to think and calculate, thanks once more

 

Im asumming you wont need insurance for the car then? you'll be looking at alot more

 

Nope, I'll just get shoved on my folks insurance, it'll cost less then £100 and they offered to pay for it.

 

You sure about that? Seems remarkably cheap.

 

Positive, they shimmy their no claims(which is absolutely ancient) around and do some fancy stuff to get low premiums. They did it with mr brother and sister too when they both passed aged 18. Works extremely well unless someone crashes, but even then the excess and increase in premiums is reportedly still cheaper then shelling out for a new drivers insurance.

 

A biker was killed less than a mile from my house yesterday, head on into a lorry.

 

Can't go through life scared to be honest. If somethings enjoyable, do it. We have a billion different risks faced to us on every different level every single day. Best just to enjoy what you got while you got it.

 

I'm no stranger to motorbikes, I had a Yamaha TY trials bike when I was younger, great fun off road.

I wouldn't consider buying a road bike though, too many idiots on the road for my liking.

 

If the lorry was on the wrong side of the road he'd probably have died no matter what he was in...
...if he was on the wrong side of the road...well, he'd probably still be pushing up daisies even if he was in a tin. My guess is it would have been the biker taking a corner way too fast and going wide?

Saying bikes are more dangerous than cars is a bit like saying water is wetter than soil. 2 points of ground contact vs 4.

 

For insurance you may also want to try motorcycle direct - I have used them for the past couple of years and have found them to be very cheap

 

...or try Devitt - that's who I went with last time.