Motorbikes

[poridge 0]

hi all,

 

Ok, ill start with the story. Basically i recently passed my driving test and looked into getting a car, when i saw the price of insurance £5000 on a 1l pergeout 206 3rd party, i changed my mind. There is no way on earth i can afford to buy, run and insure a car. So i decided to look into getting a scooter, i only want to commute around 20 miles per day so i thought this would be adequate but then when i got talking to the man in the shop i found out i could afford a motorbike. It would be a 125cc Yamaha YBR125, so basically my question is do any of you guys have bikes? what are your views on them and would you ever recommend them in terms of safety. Bikes have always been frowned upon in my family but for the first time ever i think they are starting to understand why i would consider it, safety is my main concern however.

 

Thanks

[DJTREV 0]

hi all,

 

Ok, ill start with the story. Basically i recently passed my driving test and looked into getting a car, when i saw the price of insurance £5000 on a 1l pergeout 206 3rd party, i changed my mind. There is no way on earth i can afford to buy, run and insure a car. So i decided to look into getting a scooter, i only want to commute around 20 miles per day so i thought this would be adequate but then when i got talking to the man in the shop i found out i could afford a motorbike. It would be a 125cc Yamaha YBR125, so basically my question is do any of you guys have bikes? what are your views on them and would you ever recommend them in terms of safety. Bikes have always been frowned upon in my family but for the first time ever i think they are starting to understand why i would consider it, safety is my main concern however.

 

Thanks

 

Go for it .

I am 69 years old and had never ridden a m/bike but decided that I couldn't afford to run 2 cars so I made the decision to buy a m/bike in 2000.I bought the YBR125 and it's one of the best decisions I ever made.

I have had more fun on my m/bike than I ever imagined.As long as you are sensible and don't go mad it is brilliant.Believe me they are very safe and very economical.

You wont regret it.

You might have to downsize your rig though :ads:

[vokf 0]

Carmen and I both ride bikes, she's also in various Scooter forums (she has a 400C scooter), and attends the meet-ups/rideouts.

 

I can't agree with Trev, they are not safe. Even if you ride carefully and read the road, there will be times when someone else will do something to put yourself at serious risk.

 

Years ago, a lady I worked with was knocked off her crusier whilst idle, by a pedestrian running across the road.. She broke her wrist in a few places...

 

I've been knocked off- stopped at a zebra crossing to let kids cross.. car behind didn't stop and I ended up on the bonnet of the car in front of me. (brusied by ok)..

 

When doing my Direct Access test, the instructor said "imagine all the drivers are always trying to get you.- so they will pull out of side turnings, they will not check mirrors, and will drive too close.."

 

Bikes are great fun - and Scooters are very practical - lots of storage, and some protection from rain etc.

You'll learn good road skills from riding. I recently did a defensive driving course as part of my job, and the instructor commented on my awareness of who was behind me, and how far ahead I was looking.

 

So, if you still want a bike, make sure you get decent gear. T-Shirts and shorts are not suitable, and even jeans won't offer much protection if you have a 125cc capable of 60+Mph.

Google gravel rash if you need convincing! lol

 

I'm very shocked by the car insurance quote... What car & level insurance was that for?

Can't you get a £200 banger and insure 3rd party only? Once you've got cover, subsequent years will become much cheaper. (until you get to my age, then it always goes up :-( )

 

Anyway, hope this is use!

Jason

[DJTREV 0]

Just being on the road makes you vunerable to other road users whether you are in a car or on a m/bike.

If you drive within your limitations and capabilities then your can be pretty safe and above all else you will enjoy it.

 

[MintyDave 0]

Like Jason says its not the riders thats the problem its the other idiots on the road. A 30mph scooter is IMO opinion more dangerous than something that that will keep up with traffic flow.

 

Im well jelous btw its been years since i have been in a bike seat. I used to have field bikes, motorcross, and all sorts on the road (smaller stuff) if it ran it went on the road. i never passed my test as i forgot and to be honest growing up in North Yorkshire in the 80's wasnt such an issue, the local bobby had a rather large patch and could be bothered to chase us lot about

 

however too many bruises and too many funerals eventually put me off and i coulnt get my guitar and amp on the back of a bike. my dad gave me my first 4 wheeler (a 1980 pick up truck) after my mother nagged him which also helped.

 

Obviously i have grown up now

 

 

[Carmen 0]

I've ridden two wheels since I was 16 as we lived in a village with a crap bus service so I got a moped and it got me freedom. It was dreadfully slow though and yes more dangerous than a more powerful bike out of town as cars are forever trying to push you into the gutter. They say you've got to "own" your space on the road, you pay tax and insurance (or at least should do) so have a right to be there, but when you've got a queue of cars and an impatient driver up your ar$e doing your max speed of 30mph on a 60mph road it's scary and dangerous. So if you're ever behind one have some sympathy they may be a 16 year old with no other choice of transport.

 

I was so glad when I upgraded to a 125cc and since then i've had two 250cc scooters two 400cc scooters and a 350cc motorbike. I have a full licence but for me the 400cc scoot is plenty fast enough to get me into and actually a lot of times out of trouble as having the extra acceleration away from that prat in the Beemer is very useful.

 

I reckon there's a lot more skill involved in being a good motorcyclist than car driving. Much more observation is needed as that pot hole might not just be uncomfortable to run over, it might throw you off course and into trouble, something that's not likely to happen in a car. You ARE more vulnerable too, car drivers inheavy traffic will let their attention drift anywhere as any accident that might happen at that speed will for them result in not a lot of damage, maybe just a scuffed bumper, but when you add a bike filtering through the traffic the result of that minor bump could be injury rather than just scuffed plastic.

 

 

If you can, get on a Bikesafe course. I've done two run by the MET police from the Ace Cafe in London, but they do regional ones in some areas too. It's a good way of bridging the gap between doing your test and doing advanced training. They don't hang about either, they use their motorcycles to their full advantage in traffic and on country roads, but what they do is stick to legalities (i.e. not offsiding islands, not crossing solid white lines) and they make progress safely and efficiently using their system of observation and control and appropriate speed, which is easy to learn but a bit harder to master. I've also read Motorcycle roadcraft which is the book the Police learn by and a good book to read if you're interested in improving your motorcycling.

 

I've had a few very near misses in my time, mainly caused by other road users but sometimes a result of me doing something very silly. Hopefully my training and experience provided some of the difference between me just having a near miss and me having an accident. But as said some kinds of accidents (rear shunts) can't be avoided and as a motorcyclist you WILL come off worst, but most types of accidents can by observation and riding defensively. Expect that twonk at the junction to pull out and you can act to avoid earlier rather than just reacting to the situation when it happens. It happened to me this morning, in fact. Driver at a roundabout looked directly at me an then pulled across my path making me slow to avoid him. I expected him to do that and so it wasn't a problem as I was already ready, but it did make me curse him.

 

 

There is nothing in the world like a good ride on a two-wheeler though, when you go on a long journey you feel like you've experienced all the places you've been through, the smells, the temperature, the weather, rather than just passing through in a tin box. Getting to the destination is an adventure and an achievement. The slight extra risk incurred on the way gives it more satisfaction than arriving by car. I never feel nervous before driving anywhere and yet plenty of people are killed in car accidents, and I never really feel a sensive of a achievement when I get to the destination like I do even every day when I arrive at work on the scooter. But I always feel a bit nervous before riding, which I think is a good thing, NEVER think you're invincible!

 

Enjoy and ride safe!

 

 

[Robster 0]

I don't ride a bike but i remember watching a Top gear episode where Clarkson said a surgeon friend called motorcyclists "donors" and the surgeon saw that it was raining and said its shouldn't be too long to a patient!

 

I would look like this

 

http://motorcycle-web.com/strange/fat_biker_1.jpg

[Carmen 0]

LOL, there are a lot of bikers like that!!

 

Clarkson is always keeping up his anti-bike guise as that's part of his on screen character. Both of his fellow top gear presenters are bikers. I believe Clarkson does have a motorcycle licence though as he has tested a vespa for a newspaper article - typical Clarkson take on a two wheeler of course.

 

Did you see the Top Gear episode where they rode tiny motorcycles and scooters the length of Vietnam. That was a classic episode. Made me want to do the exact same thing. There's something about riding a smaller bike to it's limits rather than never reaching the limits of a superbike which is partly why I've never been interested in owning a superbike!

[Robster 0]

LOL, there are a lot of bikers like that!!

 

Clarkson is always keeping up his anti-bike guise as that's part of his on screen character. Both of his fellow top gear presenters are bikers. I believe Clarkson does have a motorcycle licence though as he has tested a vespa for a newspaper article - typical Clarkson take on a two wheeler of course.

 

Did you see the Top Gear episode where they rode tiny motorcycles and scooters the length of Vietnam. That was a classic episode. Made me want to do the exact same thing. There's something about riding a smaller bike to it's limits rather than never reaching the limits of a superbike which is partly why I've never been interested in owning a superbike!

 

 

Clarkson actually seemed to be "converted" on that trek. When i was 13 and my sister was 19 my sister had a cycle accident as we were cycling to a national park she was going down a steep hill just went across the other side of the road hit a stone small wall flipped in the air and her head skimmed the wall effectively scalping part of her head and a on coming car ran over her leg she required 165 stitches and couldnt move her arm for about a year her leg thankfully healed . and has never been the same mentally and now has serious alcohol issues .

 

At that time safety head gear was not really common , wearing correct safety gear even on a push bike is essential... seeing my sisters skull as she lie there jittering on the floor means i sadly have not taught my kids how to even ride a bike although two of them have themselves ..something i loved and enjoyed doing as a kid.

I do as a car driver give plenty of room and look out for all hazards far more than my friends who drive.

 

personally i would save up and buy a car as Jason said .. a banger with third party probably not the right advice as there are equally bad things with that option too but my own issues would lead me to do that option.

[poridge 0]

thanks for all your advice so far,

 

yes i completely agree that a car would be much better but we have had a deeper look into it and its just not an option, it is far too expensive. I live in a small village and travel to school which is around 15 miles away, a journey that should take around 30 mins takes me two hours using public transport. This is the main reason for me wanting my own transport, it would make life much more efficient. I am planning on going to uni next year and so again getting a car isnt a great option a bike however could be affordable to keep at home and would still slowly build up my no claims. Then when i finish uni i would trade the bike in for a car or van. So basically im not wanting to go far or through busy areas on my bike, it would just be for commuting to school and back. I would also wear full protective clothing and a hi vis jacket to make myself as safe as possible.

 

I know i cannot escape the fact that bikes are dangerous but i do seriously think a bike could be a short term solution to my problems.

 

Once again thanks

[superstardeejay 0]

5000 quid for 3rd party anything seems a bit steep..though I admit its been a while since I passed my test. The last one was my brother and they wanted £1500 third party new driver on a van, which was understandable.

 

 

[Raymilkybarkid 0]

I used to ride bikes but after meeting a car driving on the wrong side of the road and turned in front of put me off.

I spent 4 weeks in hospital and have since had 6 operations on my left knee.

Bikes are as safe as the rider but....Put cars etc into the equation and the risks get much higher.

 

Buy a good quality helmet and protective clothing as it may save your life as mine did in the event of an accident.

 

I am not anti Bike I would love to be able to get back in the saddle and ride but my head won't let me mentally.

I passed my Bike test at 17 back in the day when you could ride a 250cc on L plates (Now I feel old) and rode regularly until the age of 23. Nowadays I just look.

 

I have got lots of friends who ride and get the thrill (which is awesome ant speed) and have ridden for many years without an incident.

Just remember to think that other motorists are out to get you when you are on the bike and watch what is going on around you.

 

As a car, Van & LGV driver I always keep a look out for bikes.

 

Go out and enjoy the ride but stay safe.

[Mick H 0]

Okey Cokey, as a bike instructor and advanced motorcyclist, I would like to add my twopennerth. I agree with the main point that other road users are a big variable in the equation, however, the quality of the training nowadays is far superior to what it was years back and rightly so. The majority % of accidents due to poor riding skills is in someway the 'Born again Biker' by which I mean 40 something and not ridden a bike since 1983 when they had a RD250. Stick these on say a cbr 600 and they will quickly become a stain on a bridge pillar. Take in what is taught on your course and look to do some further training of an advanced nature asap, the freedom of motorcycling is second to none and yes you can go mad, but if you had a bad boy vauxhall nova fitted with the obligitary Chieftain tank back box and drove beyond your means you would (as many do) come unstuck and waste my taxes when the fire brigade come to cut you out. Go for it, its great,but better if you get to germany on the Autobahn and let rip. tongue out icon

[poridge 0]

well,

 

i am pretty sure i am going to at least try out a bike and do a days CBT. If i like it then im sure i will end up buying a bike and if not it will be a nice day out. My main issue is convincing the mum that bikes arent going to kill everyone on the planet. My much older sister once got knocked of her moped and broke a few bones, having said this she didnt have the correct protective clothing and self confesses she wasnt driving particularly safely. Either way i need to some how convince my mum a bike is a good idea for the short term. Any ideas?

 

Thanks

[superstardeejay 0]

I once fell off my bike doing about 25-30, and I can tell you that all I saw was sky/road/sky/road/sky/road for quite a long time before finally coming to rest against the kerb! I was lucky to have been wearing Belstaffs, the bike however was a right wreck.

 

Me and the bike were given a lift home by a very friendly builder in his transit.

 

Glad when I got the car! No more water running down the back of my neck and into my boxers. Good riddance to it all!!

:yuck:

 

[Carmen 0]

Well for one thing you're getting a bike out of practical reasons, not the wish to become a road racer.

 

For some reason people see scooters as safer than motorcycles, maybe they think they're just too slow but overall the risks are the same. However you're less likely to be a "boy racer" type if you get a scooter (at least if you're over 16 years old at which age it seems cool to wear a tracksuit and no protective gear other than a helmet perched on the very top of your head and ride around stupidly on an illegally derestricted 50cc sports ped). So there is that aspect and as you are perhaps doing it more for practicality than performance.

 

Scooters are hugely practical. I don't have a top box on my scooter as I don't need one, I can get 2 tesco bags full of shopping under the seat and hang another one off the " curry hook". When I go to work I just stick my helmet/gloves etc under the seat and don't have to lug it around work all day. They can also be quite stylish these days. The performance is perfectly adequate for everyday roads, it accelerates to 60 faster than all but performance cars and it has a top speed of a around 95mph (real, over 105mph indicated). Oh and it does an average of about 71mpg.

 

The UK is completely different from continental europe in it's attitude towards scooters and 2 wheels in general. It's seen as much more NORMAL there, where as here if I say I ride a scooter to work (especially as a female) I get gawped at as if I said I come by alien space ship. Scooters and inparticular large cc Maxi-scooters are literally EVERYWHERE you look in France for eg.

 

Here's a pic of my XEvo when I got it brand new about 2 months ago - I've already put 1200 miles on her, loving every minute.

 

Edited May 15, 2010 by Carmen

[poridge 0]

well i have made my mind up and i think a bike is for me, i just need to convince the mother now :wall: any ideas welcome

 

Thanks

[vokf 0]

well i have made my mind up and i think a bike is for me, i just need to convince the mother now :wall: any ideas welcome

 

Thanks

 

 

I was never allowed a bike when I was living at home. My cousins husband died on a bike, and my dad had a bad crash.

 

Once I moved out, house+wife etc, I could do what I liked. :cheers:

 

However... Don't get married :lil devil: , but easiest option is to move out! lol

 

 

Best advice (if you really can't afford a basic car+insurance), is to convince her that you'll be sensible and ride safely. This would mean good safety gear (not a second hand helmet and jeans), and you won't be trying to wheelie down the high-street each night or do silly stuff.

 

If she is 100% dead against it, then try to work out a way to afford a car. I can't belive a basic 1L car would cost £5000 to insure 3rd party only, have you tried other cars - ie fiesta/ka/saxo/micra etc?

 

You may need a part-time job to pay for the car/insurance, but it would be a start.

[poridge 0]

after having a really good look around we have managed to get 3rd party insurance on the 206 for £2300 but that is only half of the problem. The car is used day in day out by my father so it would be pointless putting me on the insurance so then we would need to buy some beat up old thing adding around another £1000 ontop. Then theres road tax, petrol and parts because theres no way something at this price is going to run well for a year. We have had a look into it but it doesnt seem affordable especially with me wanting to go to university next year.