advice on DAS bike

[simonbbt]

Whats it to be for an old git with no real bike experience but lots of driving experience....BIL he of jag magic

[Cousin Jack]

Honda CB500 Cheap([ish), light, A2 and very capable.

Biased? Moi?

[Rockburner]

Honda CB500 Cheap([ish), light, A2 and very capable.

Biased? Moi?

Totally agree.

[KungFooBob]

Panigale.

[Tigs]

Can you talk me through the different types of bike - I love the look of that there honda... I like 'naked' .. I don't like the pointy bits under a sports bike

But how do they feel to ride?

Is it true that a bigger bike is easier to handle slow?

What is the difference in feel between 125 - 250 - 500 etc (if you mostly do slow road commuting does a really fast bike even make sense.. most roads round here are 20MPH now)

[A_morti]

Can you talk me through the different types of bike - I love the look of that there honda... I like 'naked' .. I don't like the pointy bits under a sports bike

But how do they feel to ride?

Is it true that a bigger bike is easier to handle slow?

What is the difference in feel between 125 - 250 - 500 etc (if you mostly do slow road commuting does a really fast bike even make sense.. most roads round here are 20MPH now)

Ah, so you're really right at the start of the journey!

Depends which one, a 125 will have 10-15hp and max out around 60-70mph. They will take a little while to get there, and I do mean max, you'll have to think skinny thoughts and duck your head to achieve that. It can be fun in its own right and you will learn a lot about riding on a non threatening machine, but it will get old pretty quick.

250-300 class bikes such as my cb300r will mostly have around 25-30hp and stretch to just under a ton. They're nippy around town, but no one is going to tell you they're fast. For some people this will be enough power, but for some it won't.

500cc bikes will be up to 47hp, which is considered A2 legal. Doesn't matter if it looks sporty or like a big adventure bike, the power will be the same. These aren't rocketship fast like a litre bike, but they're pretty quick and will give you a decent bit of excitement.

As for style of bike... Get whatever you want! Maybe you want to feel like Ewan and Charlie: get a cb500x. Maybe you like classic looking bikes: consider a Royal Enfield if you don't need much speed, or something else if you do. These will have subtle differences in how they ride, but you'll probably get used to any one of them. Probably most important will be to consider whether you want handling (typically sport and Streetfighter style bikes) or comfort (typically adventure and 'normal' naked bikes).

Go to the local dealers, and sit on any of their bikes which take your fancy. See how the seating positions feel, see how you feel sat on them. They won't mind at all, and will happily chew the cud with you as a newbie, especially if they've not got a livelier fish on the line at that moment.

[Tigs]

I'm properly green.. about 18 years ago I rode my dads - MZ..125.. then I didn't pass my test.. retook the cbt 2 years ago - bought 125 - had a pretty flat training experience - felt a bit rubbish - didn't get as far as the test.. stopped riding after about a year..

Re took CBT last week (different school different feel) ... and now I really want to pass - started looking at bikes .. thanks for your explanation tho - it helped

[Horse]

... had a pretty flat training experience - felt a bit rubbish - didn't get as far as the test.. stopped riding after about a year..

Re took CBT last week (different school different feel) ... and now I really want to pass

Ah, had wondered after you disappeared. Glad it's now working out at last.

[A_morti]

Not defending the first school as I wasn't there, but worth considering that after a year on a 125, you'll now be a very different student compared to the one who'd never ridden on the road before.

Stick at it, it's one of the best things I ever did and played a pivotal role in my life from 17 years old for 20+ years til now. I think most of us here will tell you the same.

What bikes have caught your eye so far, or even what types speak to you?
Do you have any idea what level of power you want? If not don't worry, you'll have one by the end of your DAS since you'll probably be learning on a 500 and be able to say whether it's about what you want, or it's more/less than you want/need.

[Horse]

Is it true that a bigger bike is easier to handle slow?

It's the ratio of your weight to the bike's, along with aspects such as seat height Vs inside leg measurement and bar height & width.

A heavier bike will need more commitment, plus you will need to plan how you stop.

On a small, light, low bike, if you want (or need, or panic) to stop mid-tight turn and the bike's leant over, you may be able to hold it.

On a big bike, you can't 'just' stop. You'll need to plan - look out of the turn, bring the bike upright and straight, then stop.

[Rockburner]

Is it true that a bigger bike is easier to handle slow?

It's the ratio of your weight to the bike's, along with aspects such as seat height Vs inside leg measurement and bar height & width.

A heavier bike will need more commitment, plus you will need to plan how you stop.

On a small, light, low bike, if you want (or need, or panic) to stop mid-tight turn and the bike's leant over, you may be able to hold it.

On a big bike, you can't 'just' stop. You'll need to plan - look out of the turn, bring the bike upright and straight, then stop.

So, no.

[Horse]

Is it true that a bigger bike is easier to handle slow?

It's the ratio of your weight to the bike's, along with aspects such as seat height Vs inside leg measurement and bar height & width.

A heavier bike will need more commitment, plus you will need to plan how you stop.

On a small, light, low bike, if you want (or need, or panic) to stop mid-tight turn and the bike's leant over, you may be able to hold it.

On a big bike, you can't 'just' stop. You'll need to plan - look out of the turn, bring the bike upright and straight, then stop.

So, no.

Probably no.

But doing relatively minor changes such as slightly higher bars and a lower seat can affect slow control.

If you have higher bars, so don't feel that your weight is through your arms ('fix' = grip the tank with your knees to support your body), then you may feel more relaxed and so less likely to panic grab the front brake which, with a heavy bike is usually going to end with the front wheel contact patch stopping and the rest of the bike still moving. Towards horizontal.

But probably no