Can anyone think of a good bike to get as a 1st bike? I have full licence but dont want anything too big as it'll be a pain to insure and its a bit dangerous. Ive got an idea but i'll keep it to myself until theres been some posts on here. Bike needs to be cool, resonably fast but preferably not a sports bike.

Cheers
Carnut

If you want to stay away from sports bike, but want something really cool that not everyone has got, get a Ducati Monster.
If you're worried about reliability of one, but like the idea get a Honda Hornet.
Loads of pics of both on t'internet if you don't know the bikes...

cheers,
Steve. (Honda CBR600RR with full carbon track fairings, no lights mirrors etc -as my road bike!)

Get an old 250 2 stroke, carnt beat the smell of Castrol R!
Had a Kawasaki KR-1S myself

bandit 600???

i,d second the 600 monster.

good fun bike,i had mine 2 years, no reliability problems at all.
Ray

First bike and considering the shite winter weather get a trailie.

Buy the Revere from Dazza and ride it till you decide what you want. It's shaft drive V twin so no chain maintenance and the single sided swing arm looks cool. If you want something newer and sportier I would go for the 600 Hornet. Here's a review of the Monster . I frequent the local bike shop and they currently have a matt black one in and the mechanic is dreading it selling as he knows it will be back. He says they always misfire on the back cylinder.

[Edited on 26/11/06 by Peteff]

Kawasaki Gpz5oo

Infact I want another.

Mid-Range 600 (Bandit, Monster) would be my choice

Or...take a look at what the courier guys use - NTV etc and buy the one you like the look / feel of.

FWIW, I went straight from an N125R to ZX-7R and found the larger bike actually easier to ride as the large tyres etc actually gave it more stability.

Just be warned - if you've not been riding for long, you *will* fall off - especially in poor weather. Just make sure you ride it so that it's not a fatal fall.

Having never owned a "cool" bike Im not especially well placed to offer you any advice on that aspect but Id say go for something cheap and reasonably pokey that you can have fun on - I reckon a VFR 400 is they way

i was thinking about a thruxton.

My bike instructor told me to get the biggest bike I could afford to insure as you would soon find yourself growing out of a 600, not what I was expecting him to say at all.
I’m thinking of getting a Buell XB9 in the spring. Go for something without a fairing, loads cheaper on the insurance!

They are an acquired taste. The front brake disk on the rim is weird and will cost a fortune if you ever need a new one. They had one in the shop earlier this year, the bloke who brought it in had it for 3 weeks, tried to take it back where he bought it and they offered him half what he paid for it. He declined their offer.

Thruxtons look cool in a retro sort of way. You could get a MZ Baghira, Mastiff or Skorpion if you want to be different.

two stroke

I have this for sale if you are interested.

M reg, rattles a bit from cold which could be the camchain, but once warm its fine.

6 months T&T, in pretty good condition, 29K, £600.
Rescued attachment Picture 023a.jpg

My first bike was a YZF600R. Damn good and more of a bike then Ill ever be rider.

Oh and its now for sale!!!

If you want details then send a U2U.

Ian

The Suzuki GSX600F is a good compromise between a full on sports bike and something like the bandit.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/SUZUKI-GSX600F-NO-RESERVE_W0QQitemZ150063337408QQihZ005QQcategoryZ9808QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

I really like these.

Easy to ride, fast enough to kill yourself on. comfy etc etc.

Honda Transalp
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HAVING RODE NEARLY EVERY BIKE GOING OVER THE YEARS (MAINLINE BIKE FROM 85 TO TODAY) I WOULD BUY MYSELF SOMTHING LIKE THE THUNDERCAT.CHEAP EASY TO RIDE AND A GOOD ALLROUNDER.

As above somewhere, VFR400, fantastic little bikes with the biggest grin factor going.

You can climb all over them, great for tracks and will always make you smile.

The one I had a few years ago cost £1,500, sold for simlar money after a couple of years... these things do not devalue, owners know how good they are.

Regards Mark

Not a biker (know I'd kill myself) but if I were you, I think I'd get a Buell.

Hi,I havn't ridden much for 20 years and decided to pass my test in march this year,I'm now 42 and decided that I would buy somthing old and comfy and easy to ride,just until my old velocette venom is finished.

So I bought a CBR1000F 1987 low mileage!!!!!Lad I bought it from said he'd tuned it a little and bottled it on a trackday when he got to 172mph!He only told me that after i'd paiid him.
Well its old and comfy being a sports tourer!
Found my mates Thundrace really easy to ride but after half an hour my ars@ goes numb and my back aches a lot!
The question now is:will I make to 43?

I've always rode bikes and I'm a bit older than that Know your and your bikes' limitations and you'll survive. You'll still scare yourself occasionally

build one. Id recommend a CEB, with a pinto engine.

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Originally posted by Peteff
I've always rode bikes and I'm a bit older than that Know your and your bikes' limitations and you'll survive. You'll still scare yourself occasionally

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I mean the capabilities of the two together . I know mine will do 115 flat out and how far I dare lean it and it will scare me long before it lets go or decks anything. If you feel confident to get your knee down and push it to the limit that's o.k. but if you chicken out and hit the brake you are going to come to grief big time. Better to have it slide out from under you than throw you off the high side. It's a long time since I landed in the ditch and luckily nothing was coming the other way.

quote:

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but if you chicken out and hit the brake you are going to come to grief big time. Better to have it slide out from under you than throw you off the high side. It's a long time since I landed in the ditch and luckily nothing was coming the other way.

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