Motorbikes for a first timer

Might have been true before EVs became popular, even with 120bhp & 300kg incl rider, I don't find it's a given these days.

Yea, true I guess. It used to be easy to just out accelerate everything and have a clear road to stay safe at junctions (same principle as ASL boxes for cyclists).  

I live right next to M4-J11 and ride over it most mornings.  There's a definite tendency for EV's (for some reason Polestars seem to be the worst culprits but that might be because there's a dealer half a mile away doing test drives) to just out accelerate the traffic from any lane and then change to the one they wanted to be in (it's a big 6 lane spiral roundabout). There's no way they're doing enough observation to see if another EV is pulling the same stunt from another lane.  

20 years ago I'd have filtered through that junction, now I just sit in the traffic.

Give it another 10 years and I'd sort of hope the novelty will wear off and people will scare themselves almost crashing / will actually crash and learn their lesson.   A bit like ICE cars, my 50yr old Midget (or the diesel Berlingo, or the 80hp Fiesta) keeps up because 99% of people don't do 0-60 in 5 seconds just because they can, they still do it in ~30 seconds as that's slow enough that everyone can see what everyone else is doing, filter down the slip roads, etc.  And it's only the odd prat trying to "make progress" that'll floor it and try and 'overtake' everyone else filtering.

What about something with a sidecar ? 😀

KTM Duke?. My 18 y.o has a 2022 125cc version and its a great bike. Nice upright position and he has put 5000 miles on it in just over a year. Water cooled and parts are cheap enough. Plenty of poke to keep up with traffic and will top 60 mph. Same chassis as they use for the 390cc.

What about something with a sidecar ? 😀

A nice Ural, Comrade 🙂

Looks like it’s got interesting dynamics :-).

Mine 

I’m not sure I’d recommend for the U.K. thou, but they are very popular here(Spain).

Drivable on car licence, I’m one of those people pretty drove a car from the day I could due to parents not keen on motor bikes (although DOD dad was a biker and always had them about- mum had a new kitchen dad had a new toy bike sort of thang 🙂

Apologies in anticipation for  the grass being bit rough 🙂

Quads are a funny one thou and people seem to (incorrectly)assume they are safer, always need skillz and respects for whatever it is your piloting 🙂

Quads are ridden by people who aspire to jet skis.

Completely pointless in the UK.

Passed my test at 49 (another mid life crisis to add to the others)

Did my CBT and then went through the DAS (direct access route) which I would highly recommend if funds and timings work for you.

First bike was a Honda Varadero 125 which looks like a bigger bike and as a taller rider worked really well for me and just rode it everywhere to build up experience and confidence.

Current bike is a Ducati Monster 797 which i love... 75 bhp is enough grunt to have fun and with a Termi exhaust it sounds like a proper motorbike, bikini fairing, no electronics, air cooled and a few tasteful mods to make it my own. I cant bring myself to sell or upgrade it to anything with more bhp... I suspect it will be like my first proper mountain bike (Orannge 5) and stay in the fold for ever...

advice to the OP would be.... the insurance is going to clip your wings on how big a bike you initially purchase, throw your leg over some bikes and test ride a few...oh and the feeling of rolling on the throttle and wafting past traffic and filtering (which is the best ever) never leaves you...  

Just go and enjoy it.

Posted by: thisisnotaspoon

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Personally I learn by doing stuff so it works better for me when I can learn the syllabus for this sort of thing in advance and then just use classroom training days to ask questions. 

The two times I did my CBT the people who didn't complete it

The CBT is literally doing stuff.

A mate of mine did it as the same time as me, he was hopeless and was invited back for a second session the following day.  I don't think it's possible to not complete it, it isn't a test.

Posted by: Northwind

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if you don't know the basics

Remind me, what does the "B" in CBT stand for?

Quads are ridden by people who aspire to jet skis.

Completely pointless in the UK.

Nah, I don't aspire to jet skis 🙂

But yes not a uk thing, you look a right throbber on them in an uk urban setting, but for those lucky enough to have access to  the right  terrain 🙂

and the thread needed more pics...

They don't do many sports quads these days, they have clutches and gears (I've got a reverse 🙂 as opposed to the CVT's  with funky 4 wheel drive, ABS,and er powersteering.  

I'm undecided on whether to have Motorbike mid life crisis but an interesting thing of being in Spain is that they allow you to ride a 125 on a car licence (I think they are closing this for new drivers as someones realised its not a great idea).