I ride a 125cc twist and go as well as a ‘semi-auto’* bike daily.

When I return to the UK for a year next summer it makes sense financially to get a bike (and do my licence etc).

I’d rather get some experience here before getting back home so am after a manual bike. Enough power to make progress umm … safely overtake umm …, understand how quick and fun bikes can be but at the same time, not kill myself.

What should I look for? Honda Shadow Phantoms look popular. Plentiful spare parts, smaller capacity engine but still a ‘proper’ bike. Should I go bigger? I’m not looking to spend much money. May even rent one for 6 months.

Also, are open face helmets stupid?

Thanks.

*gears controlled by left foot, rear brake by right foot, no clutch

KTM Duke 390

To answer the easiest question, yes open face helmets are only marginally less stupid than not wearing a helmet on a motorcycle.

Also, are open face helmets stupid?

Yes.

And as a first “proper” bike I’d get a Japanese 600 something or other, nice and reliable, powerful enough to be fun, and cheap.

weeksy – not a Ducati Monster?

makecoldplayhistory – Member

weeksy – not a Ducati Monster?

I’ve owned 8 Ducatis and 12 KTM’s over the years. The Monster just doesn’t do it for me at all aesthetically. Although the newer generation with the curvy exhaust headers are better. Overall though IMO the KTMs are better finished, the Monsters suffer from engine paint flaking issues, rocker cover flaking paint and corroded oil cooler gubins. Maybe not an issue for you, but it’s an issue for me.

Reliability these days on both KTM and Ducati are fine and no probblem there, servicing costs about the same.

I have to say i loved my KTM 390 though, it was just a cracking little toy.. I kept it for 6 months which is pretty good for me before swapping to a Duke 690 for a bit more grunt for track use.

Ah, you were serious? 🙂

I forgot to use the word ‘cheap’ as well as explaining just how stupid I can be. That KTM looks amazing but seems like a big jump from my bike (or should I embrace the ‘jump’).

Was the 390 your first proper bike?

My current ride below.

first big bike – CB500, Bandit 600, SV650 or something like that? Won’t set your world on fire, but not all that likely to kill you either (well, comparatively). Not exactly the aesthetic you seem to be aiming for right enough…

Open face? Just no. Even if you really like soup.

Nah mate, i’ve been riding bikes both on the road and track for 15 years or so now. I’ve owned just about every 1000 made, ridden most others on track. The 390 was my 42nd bike in 8 years 🙂

The 390 isn’t such a jump in honesty, it comes with ABS so is nice and ‘safe’ in that context. Low weight, low seat height and a great riding position.

Many many riders on the 390 forums have a 390 as their first bike.

The only thing it’s not though is ‘cheap’ in the context you’re asking. IMO it’s a cheap bike for a machine that can run 100mph and keep up with bigger/faster bikes due to great handling and low weight… but it’s not cheap in a real world context as some others.

Thanks all.

Food for thought.

Full face it is!

cb500 is the answer

Yamaha MT-07’s are supposed to be good. I have an MT-09 myself but it might be too much for what you’re after

Another happy Duke390 owner here – one of the easiest bikes to ride, also happen to be much fun. I keep thinking I want something a bit more retro but whenever I test ride something else I’m disappointed that it’s so far away from the Duke in terms of fun.

Low miles examples are availale for less than £3k now and with a facelifted model coming out next year I would be looking to find a 2014 one for £2.5k early 2017 if buying now.

Triunph street triple, so user friendly,love mine, torque wherever you are in the rev’s, very forgiving machine when learning and awesome when you really know what your doing

Smokey, personally i’d got 2015 as the slipper clutch and revised front caliper are better on the 15’s

TRIUMPH (blame thick digits and cold weather for spelling mistakes)

You’re in SE Asia, right?

In which case you want an RXS King or a ZZR-150 for maximum antisocial clouds of blue smoke.

Triumph Street Triple would get my vote too.

Easy enough to ride for beginner and fun enough for someone experienced.

Mrs iolo had the same dilemma. She test drove the duke 390, it was a hot summers day in Vienna and it overheated twice in traffic. She had an RC390 for a weekend demo. I loved that but she didn’t so much. I finally got her a bargain 2012 ER6n. It’s great in the city and actually a lot of fun in the twisties. It won’t bite you if you make an error like some bikes do and it’s great for the not so experienced rider. There’s a reason so many DAS trainers use them.

thanks again

Useful info.

Yes, I’m in Thailand so especially worried about overheating.

Honda NC750 (or IMO, the better but older NC700)

Cb500 for efficiency and cheapness, Sv650 for character and cheapness.

in thailand I’d get a crf250l or klx250. so much more opportunity to get places off road and dodgy tracks. Plus you’l learn a lot more on controlling them.
prices 60-120k bt.
If you need just a road bike the cb500 twin would be my choice.
for cheap road, the cbr150 was a good little bike, but getting old now

I’m flirting with returning to motorbike ownership. I’ve had a few bikes (CB1300, 2 x CBR600s, GS500). The GS500 was used daily to ride around london and the south east for my job.
I think that if I was to buy one now, i’d opt for a cb500x.

I always felt that on anything bigger than the GS500, I was pushing beyond my limits. Cheap to run and insure too plus fast enough for motorway speeds.

Motorbikes should only ever be purchased with your heart, never your head. Other people’s views are almost to be actively ignored – you need to clear out those sensible thoughts.

Rachel (started on a BMW F800GSA and now riding a S1000XR called Idris…)

S1000XR.. .sheesh.. that’s a big bike for a girlie ! Well done.

I’ll try to ignore that 🙄

given the bike registration scenario in thailand, and availability youd be better off with the ones I mentioned.
I wouldnt get a phantom
other choices are klx150, cbr300(or kawa version), er6n, ktm200 duke
others cost a lot more
better to get something agile, lighter, with some power rather than a dead donkey to learn on

I’ll try to ignore that

I did specifically write it like that for amusement effect 🙂

I’ll let you off, then 😀

I’ve been a little sensitive to comments like that since I was sat in the sun next to my bike and some random guy walking past asked me what my boyfriend (who was nowhere to be seen, given he doesn’t exist) thought of the bike. I had ridden back from the Turkish border only the week before and I was just a tiny bit miffed.

I may have been a little short with him.

Rachel

In the great tradition of…

I’d buy a CBR600, but not an RR, I bought an F4i which was the last of the non-RRs.

Whilst it looked like a Sports bike, abet one with a tourer seat, it was a complete pussycat.

Reliable, Fast, Easy to ride, comfortable.

|http://thumbsnap.com/K9x0J87R[/img]

Have you had any ignition barrel problems yet Rachael ?

Mine would not switch off and I had to disconnect the battery.

Pain as I had just got back from the Aragon MotoGP and the bike was in an underground carpark in Zaragoza and another 8days left of my tour.

Bazzer

Bazzer – no, it’s been fine so far. My only problem so far is self-imposed stupidity – I changed the sidelights for some led ones that came with new Philips headlights. Part of one of them has fallen off inside the headlamp enclosure and I have no idea how to get it out – it rattles around at low revs and drives me nuts!! 😳

edit – why the need to disconnect the battery? Surely just leaving it in first and putting the kickstand down will kill the engine?

I’m not really answering the question, just joining in cos I’m bored. I reckon I’m going to go for a second-hand CB500-X for my first bike. Then I can either flog it for something bigger, or get a Rally Raid stage 3 kit, and keep it for off-road use.

I do also quite like the VFR800-X. But as a first bike? Dunno. Bloke in the shop said it would be OK…

That Rally Raid kit looks like fun – far more so than a huge R1200GS ever can be!

fun – far more so than a huge R1200GS

… yeah that’s what I reckon. Cheaper than a CCM too.

S1000XR

Quite interested in the surface in your photo – how’s that bike on gravel then?

It was fine – but then most motorbikes are, to be fair. Obviously, if I was riding to the North Pole, I’d take an R1…

I stuck it in rain mode to drop the throttle response down a bit and disabled the ABS so I could go back down the track without worrying I would never stop. Pretty simple, really.

I had Michelin Pilot Road Sport 4 tyres on, so not terrible but hardly knobblies. There was one section after than one where we had to go down a wet, muddy track. Scared me a bit but was told to turn engine off and use the clutch as an “inverse brake lever” so I could keep both feet on floor for a few metres of the worst of it. Worked a charm.

So, off-road tracks in the mountains, wiggles on the road through Spain or 200kmh on the Autobahn – it’s perfectly happy at them all. 😀

Rachael

I could stop the engine with the kill switch. However that left all the lights still on and more importantly you could take the key out and it would still start. I guess it only reads the code in the key once when you turn the ignition on.

I do like it but there have been a few niggles. Even the slightest bit of camber and the sidestand does not feel that stable.

I think I will keep it next year do another big trip on it then look for a change. I am very very taken with the KTM 1290 GT !!!

I’d recommend a Street Triple.

I had the R for about 2 years, it was so much fun. Bought an 08 Fireblade and while the bike is excellent, and I still have it, I do miss my STR