Having started uni this year i sold my Z, we're not even allowed cars here and its not like i would be able to afford it anyway. Driving normal cars, after having the Z, is just PANTS.

 

So i was thinking i could take my direct access bike test and get me a sweet little puppy of a bike. I know nothing about what bikes good etc tho, infact my bike experience is limited to hiring mopeds in Lanzarote, so what would be a half decent bike to start on?

 

Was thinking something around a cheap 400cc, but makes, models? bah dont have a clue.

 

Comeon what's considered quite good? I don't want the Nova of the bike world.

I passed my test when I were a lad, and I know that most of the rules and regs about bike tests, and what bike you are allowed to have after the test, have changed many times. I seem to remember that you are limited in power/engine size for 2 years after you pass your test! :eek: :(

 

If you are looking at a 400 there are a couple of models I would look at (they're all as old as the Z now LOL!) The Kawazaki ZXR400 is a nice little screamer of a bike (redlines at 18,000 IIRC!!! :D ) handles well, and stops very very well. The ultimate 400 as far as I'm concerned is the Honda VFR400RR (NC3045) - Hand built by HRC!! :bow: It's a slightly scaled down version of the legendary Honda RC30/RC45. It's the Kylie of the bike world! (small, beautifully formed, and a right little performer! ;) )

 

Good luck!!

I passed my test when I were a lad, and I know that most of the rules and regs about bike tests, and what bike you are allowed to have after the test, have changed many times. I seem to remember that you are limited in power/engine size for 2 years after you pass your test! :eek: !

 

I think if you are 21 and have had your car licence for a few years you are allowed to take your "direct access" test, letting you get any bike.

 

Like the look of the Kawasaki, infact would be tempted to give this guy a ring. http://www.bat10.co.uk/zxr400.htm . If i didnt know better i would say im getting a little excited. :dance:

That's a very nice looking example (even looks a bit Honda-ish with the colour scheme) They handle really sweetly, weigh nothing and with that end-can should sound good too. Just be aware that the ZXR is a straight 4 design engine (the VFR is a very complex gear-driven cam V4) and develops no torque whatsoever! As long as you don't mind pulling away from traffic lights at 14,000rpm just to get the thing moving then go and buy it. There's such a satisfying feeling of absolutely caning the nuts off something and still staying within reason of the speed limits! :cool:

 

 

I'd still look for a good example of a VFR first though, just to compare ;)

Be careful on a bike.

The reason this law about restricting the engine power is becuase people where passing their test and then killing themselves on a powerful bike. The reason for the restriction is so people can get experience riding first. About 2 years ago I saw 2 brand new bike being ridden by people in their 40s (Midlife crisiss) driving down the middle of the road past traffic about 30 mph (Which I thought was way to fast) they came to a part of the road which was covered in gravel and lose stones, they tried to stop. Both came off their bike very hard because the wheels just disapeared under them.

It was their in experience which caused them to crash.

 

Motorbikes contribute to 1% of road traffic but account for 17% of road deaths.

 

If I was you pass the normal test and get a smaller bike and be safe.

 

Plus larger bikes cost a lot of money too. How long to chains last? I think they are expensive. Big tyres cost an awful lot for a bike and they dont last half as long as a car's.

 

What ever you choose be safe!

Be careful on a bike.

Plus larger bikes cost a lot of money too. How long to chains last? I think they are expensive. Big tyres cost an awful lot for a bike and they dont last half as long as a car's.

 

And Nissan Micra's are cheaper to run than Z's,what's your point? :tongue:

 

 

Small bikes are fun because you can raz the tits off them at reasonably sensible speeds, but there is NOTHING to compare to the acceleration of a 'big' bike. I know you can get insane bhp from cars, but you are inside a box, sitting down and back. With a bike you are hanging out in the breeze, and the fooker COULD spit you off the back! :eek: :D

 

Oh, and the 'big' bikes now do 10 sec 1/4 OUT OF THE BOX WITH NO MODS :bow: :bow:

 

I guess to sum up, a big bike leaves you feeling a bit scared(and slightly inadequate?) where a smaller sports bike makes you feel like a GP God! :)

Get a 2 stroke for some hooligan action :D I like riding big bikes nowadays but screaming around the country lanes racing your mates on tuned 350LC's is all part of serving your bikers apprenticeship...and chicks dig scars LOL

Paul

Personally I wouldn't worry about getting a bike engined bike. You're unlikely to crash going at 170mph in a straight line (bike or Z!), but far more likely to come off going round a corner too fast, or doing something silly... both of which you can do on a 50cc scooter.

 

400 sports are great if you thrash them, but you have to thrash them to get and real reward. If you're set on getting a sportsbike, I'd get a 600 personally, Kwak ZX6R or Honda CBR, something like that... very much like the Z in that it doesn't complain too much if you poodle around in it, but had soooo much potential too if you want it. If you want something less than a sports bike, Suzuki have started doing a fully faired version of the GS500 which looks ok and will be very cheap to run (although all bikes are very cheap to run compared with the Z!!!).

 

Just my 2p's worth.

 

David

I work for Kawasaki and i've never heard of the Special Edition Itoham Japanese Race Replica, but i'm not saying there wasn't one. I personally love the ZXR400, it's physically the biggest 400 on the market (sports bikes) and proberbly the easiest to ride, the VFR is very revvy, the gear ratio's are too long IMO (70mph in first is fine for a 600cc+) even though the VFR certainly has the most torque. GSXR, CBR and FZR400's are good but be careful on what you are buying as the "I'm 18 year's old and can beat you" freternaty will have owned most of the bikes mentioned.

 

That ZXR does look like a good un, always best to have a good ride on every bike that you are thinking of buying.

 

good luck bud, If you need any advice PM me.

 

Rich

Get a suzuki SV650. The BEST beginner bike out there by far.

 

Not only does it look great in fully faired form, you can pick the old (2yrs) model up for peanuts. It has a lovely torque v-twin and with race cans sounds like a Ducati.

 

It handles like a dream and is raced in many series in the States. Parts are cheap to replace and it won't blow up like a 400cc 4. Insurance is v. reasonable too.

 

I don't own one but have ridden them and can't praise them enough for their value for money. And if you think you'll look cool on an old 400 race rep, try ruimbling into uni with a fully kitted SV with twin pipes - plus you've got somewhere comfortablish to sit the birds you're going to pull!

 

If you fancy an unfaired bike - get the unfaired SV650 - it's got slightly lower gear ratios making it easier to pull wheelies! Try that on a 400 without revving the *****x off it and clutching it up.

 

Trying to attach some photo's.....

Try that on a 400 without revving the *****x off it and clutching it up.

 

 

Erm, Easy.........

 

Sorry for the crap pic, the VFR400 is in the right of the pic...No clutch was needed :bow:

Get a 2 stroke for some hooligan action :D I like riding big bikes nowadays but screaming around the country lanes racing your mates on tuned 350LC's is all part of serving your bikers apprenticeship...and chicks dig scars LOL

Paul

 

 

ah, sweet memories. did my time on the old elsie. went well for it's time, but handled like a bag of shit. teaches you a few things about riding. IMO, if you are looking for a neat bike to start out with. go with something like a honda hornet or a yamaha fazer. they will last a bit longer (both 600cc) easier to ride, but still cheap to insure.

 

jase

Do direct access. If you get a tiddly thing then cars will bully you. Make sure you are fast enough to get out of bad situations. I got my first bike when I was 23. Did direct access and got a Yamaha Fazer600 (FZS600). Good bike. My mate had an Suzuki SV650 and that was good too. Slightly less revvy but still had punch.

 

Remember you will almost certainly come off if you push it even a smidge past your abilities, which you musn't overestimate. Winter riding got the better of me after four months.... thought to myself "I'll floor it here..". Didn't account for black ice, back end went sideways. So did me and the bike. Hey... your gonna make mistakes but owning and learning to ride a bike is the best thing ever. APART FROM OWNING A ZED OBVIOUSLY.....(quickly added!!)

Have looked up most of the suggested bikes (thanks ;) ) and there's quite a few i like the look of. Just did a couple of insurance quotes too, and £30 a month is much better than the £1200 of the Z!

Unfortunately havent even sorted out a direct access course yet, i wanna buy now!

I used to ride a Lambretta...........enough said!

Had several Vespa's too!

 

One of my mates had a Yamaha ''Banshee'' road legal

racing quad :bow: , anyone who knows what this is

will understand how much ''fun'' this was!

Basically an RD350, tweaked & put in a quad, sounds

absolutely awesome, think you can ride one on a car

licence too?

I agree wirth paul, a stroker should be a right of passage, but the only decent one out there now is the aprilia 250, and they are rare as hens teeth. My advice to you is get yourself an older cbr600, they are easy to ride, will come up with the goods if you feel the need, easy to work on, shed loads of mods and spares about and are as cheap as chips to buy and insure. Spend a couple of summers (and winters) learning to ride and building up your no claims bonus (hopefully) then look at a bigger bike (my personal choice would be a standard 98/99 Fireblade, for all the reasons above and a fooking fast machine if you wind it on. Only machine I ever felt 100% on, with my chin on the tank and the needle off the clock. Other bikes will do it, but the blade was as steady as a rock at an estimated 160+

.........My advice to you is get yourself an older cbr600, they are easy to ride, will come up with the goods if you feel the need, easy to work on, shed loads of mods and spares about and are as cheap as chips to buy and insure. ............... then look at a bigger bike (my personal choice would be a standard 98/99 Fireblade, for all the reasons above and a fooking fast machine if you wind it on. Only machine I ever felt 100% on, with my chin on the tank and the needle off the clock. Other bikes will do it, but the blade was as steady as a rock at an estimated 160+

 

 

Totally agree! The CBR600 was probably the best 'all-round' bike I ever owned. It will do everything you want, when you want it. MEGA reliable (I put over 60,000 miles on mine with nothing more than oil and filter changes :) ) And of course, there is a MASSIVE choice of second-hand models.

 

Blade was just awsome. Such a totally sorted bike. Ahhhhhh.....those were the days! :)

All this talk of ZXR400's has bought a nostalgic tear to my eye!! :cry:

I had one for about 3 years, fcuking great little bike.

Right i went to a local shop today to see what was generally on offer, unfortunately unable to ride anything with the fact i havent actually finished my direct access course yet..

Honda cbr600, Love it. Sounds great, looks great, and it felt (without actually moving LOL) great.

Another beauty which i liked was the 600cc Kawasaki Ninja. What are these like? I really did like it, but then again never got to ride it.

I've forgotten about the whole 400 idea, these are the beasts too have!

 

But fok me didnt realise they were like 200kg...heavy *******s...

Gotta agree mate, get a 600.

 

The CBR600 is proberbly the best all round 600cc bike on the market, It does everything well, If you want a little more fun the ZX6R will be a better choice.

 

I did 4000 miles on a ZX6R in 10 days and i didn't ache a bit, the CBR will also be no problem at long distance riding.

 

Depending on how much you want to spend the older the bike the heavier it will be, The F3 model (96) weighed 195kg (i think) and the J1 (2000) only weights 170kg the 04 model is 161kg, I'm not too sure about the CBR as i work for Kawasaki.

 

I really rate the ZX6R, and thats not because i work for them, I have owned Honda's, Suzuki's, Ducati's, Yamaha's etc but the ZX6 was the best of the lot IMO.

 

Good luck hunting and in the DAS.

 

Rich:)

got to agree there is very little to choose between the cbr6 and the zx6r. The kwacker has a nice induction noise. I would still side with the honda for a first bike tho, to get the best out of the quack you will have to cane it, and a) it will feel unnatural at first to be tharapping an engine @14k and b) you will over cook it , drop it and damage it, and the honda will be cheaper to repair :)

400 sports bikes are for better riders with more experience there is alot more cog changing to be done on a 400 i had a 400FZRR my wife had a 400ZXR kwaka the kwaka was a much more substantial and in my opinion better bike , the 600ZXR I bought after the yamaha 400FZRR was a much easier machine to ride and had instant pull without having to swap cogs all the time , go for a 600 unless you know what you are really doing on a bike as it could be oh so easy to be in the wrong gear at the wrong time on a 400 and it could be a nasty mistake