Learn to ride a motorbike

Myself and a pal have been thinking about learning to ride a motorbike for some time now.

I’m not interested in riding big, fast bikes, just looking for something to commute with and eventually later on, some touring etc.

Any advice on where to start ?

Where are you based?

Sign up to do direct access as you want licence to drive big bikes, if not necessarily fast ones. I looked at just doing CBT but Mr MC said that the 125CC are most lethal especially if you end up on dual carriageways etc as they aren’t powerful enough (should you have to) accelerate away from dangers, ie muppet pulls out or something similar.

Look at something like a hornet, Suzuki SV650 (What I ride). I would start by passing then look into what style bike you want and what you want it for. I imagine it may also be factored by insurance costs??

Yup ,try something like this in your area

Direct Access = first step, but then you need to get something bigger as soon as poss. 125’s are lethal anywhere out of town as you don’t have the poer to get out of trouble (more idiot political legislation that was). My cousin rides a SV650, loves it. finish gets a bit ropey after a couple of years, but is completely reliable. bandit isn’t bad, were hot favourites with the dispatch riders when i did that sort of thing a 9good) few years back

AndyRT, I’m based near Bewdley, Worcestershire.

I was in exactly the same boat last month. My works moved so a bike was the best way to commute. I took a week long intensive DAS, passed both MOD 1 and MOD 2 and am now commuting on a Suzuki Bandit.

I’d recommend the DAS. I was thinking of riding round on a 125 to get some experience before going for a bigger bike but figured it was only going to be a temporary thing so I may as well just go the whole hog and buy the bike that I want.

Don’t regret it – loving my new commute (that may change over the next month mind!)

I have been riding about on a 125 for two years, true it’s not great on dual carriageway, but you can avoid that. Manages 60 fine on A roads and I am quite a safety oriented rider and driver, if I come up on something slower I don’t mind sitting behind it for a while until there is a good long bit to pass, you don’t HAVE to pass every car in front of you, shocking I know.

Brilliant in town, and £10 to fill the tank which gets me to work and back 4 times.

Lot cheaper then all the phaff with big bike licence, can park on the street as not a thief magnet, cheap servicing etc, there are some bonuses.

The plan was to keep the 125 for a summer to see if I took to it, has ended up a bit longer ! Still want to go bigger tho…

Or take your test on a 125 and then you can ride anything with a 33hp restrictor. After two years, ride what you like

+1 for suzuki bandit 🙂 enough grunt to get away, built like a brick shithouse and can pick them up relatively cheap. if you’re old enough, don’t bother with the restriction as after a few months you’ll be fed up of it.

afaik the 33hp restriction is only if your under 21 I think

as above DAS then get something a bit bigger than a 125, CBT’s isn’t up to the job on it’s own imo DAS is much better. I had a CBR400 for a few years and it was great commuted on it daily almost all year

really want another bike, I will when I’ve the £’s for one as a luxury nothing flash just a few year old 600 would do the job perfectly

😥 Gone are those days…

did the DAS route myself in Jan with a mate, used CAMRider as they had an offer on for courses in jan/feb

sorted the theory stuff out in december, then had the 5 session course over a three week period once the tests were booked, 2 sessions on 125cc’s and the other three on 500cc ER-5’s, we both passed part 1 and part 2 first time, the bigger bikes are easier to ride

can’t remember the exact costs, something like £550-600 which included the test costs, course fee and insurances

Reason for asking was to see if you could get to the team I did my DAS with, in Surrey, but I think not 😀

Basically, it’s worth digging around to find out who is well respected in training circles in your area. A good start would be IAM or ROSPA,

Just be careful, because not all schools are the same. The best schools have good bikes, and gear you can borrow to stop you shelling out a fortune before you know it’s for you.

CBT is designed to scare you, and if you then ride about, being highly aware of the risks, then it’s done it’s job.

Get on a DAS course as soon as you can. Get your license and then book time with n instructor to learn how to ride, and not how to pass mod 1 and mod 2.

It all seems way complicated, but you’ll be joining a brilliant part of society that just reserves the right to love noise, 2stroke exhaust fumes and knows where to get the best burgers and a brew between Inverness and Gibraltar.

I hope you enjoy the experience, and at the very least it should make you a better driver. It did for me

Cheers AndyRT and everyone else, some really good points and info 🙂

29erKeith – Member

afaik the 33hp restriction is only if your under 21 I think

nah i was 28 when i did it that way

In the same boat. I passed my test years ago but never bought a bike (long story) but now looking at an SV650. Is there much difference between this and the 600 bandit?

I did my CBT in April and have been commuting 45 miles 3 days a week since on a Honda PCX 125 scooter. I agree about comments on dual carriageways, but for everything else the 125 has been great. It tops out at 65mph, does a consistent 120 mpg and only costs £7 a week to run as opposed to the £30 for the car. Tax is next to nothing and insurance is about £200 and the bike cost less brand new than my MTB.

I figure I’ll get through this winter and then decide what route to take, but to be honest, the economy of this bike means that what ever I do, I’ll probably stick with a 125 if I can.

My advice – spend decent money on riding gear – as much as you can afford. Make sure you are comfortable and warm so that you can concentrate on the road. The Honda dealer I got the bike from threw in about £350 of kit with the bike – it’s worth asking.

+1 for suzuki bandit

PUKEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

Mind you if you’re one of them they are ok. If you’re one of the other they are not.