I have had a hankering to get my bike licence for a while. Lots of journies I do I am on my own so lugging 1.5 tones of estate car about for me, a box of sarnies and occasionally a laptop.

Daily commute is 20 miles of mixed driving that’s often a bit sticky. So thinking is I could get a journey time saving too.

Thinking about the “bigger bike” test route and the appeal to me would be something that’s comfy rather than mental quick (I slowed down in the car years ago).

So to bikers / anyone whose picked up on biking in 30s/40s for transport what advice can you offer? Is what I am aiming for realistic? Any suggestions about where to start/ how to learn?

Oh and what is the entry price/suggested type of machine for a “sensible ” commuter bike that will cope at LEGAL motorway speeds?

Reading what you said there, I immediately thought Honda pan European but I might be biased as I used to ride one 5 days a week for work. People who’ve never ridden one always underestimate just how well they handle.

go to http://www.therevcounter.com

God, there’s loads of bikes that will do what you want. £6k+ for a new one, used ones at anything under that.
A few that spring to mind
Kawasaki ER6 or Versys
Honda CB500 (Any of them, there’s a few….) NC series, CBR5650f
Yamaha Diversion or Fazer or the new (and brilliant) MT07
Suzuki – Any of the 650 V twins
Any maxi scooter.

Just do it.

Personally I’d recommend doing what I did – CBT then a 125 until you get bored of it, and THEN do your test. Honestly, the first time you open the throttle wide on any motorbike, it feels fast, even a 125 does,Mao it’s wise to step up slowly
I’ve had bike bikes and small ones and I’ve decided I presfer something small and light that I can use all the power on. A big sports bike is a true handful and you can’t ever really use anything like all of it.
Smaller, lighter bikes rule! Something around 175kg and 60-70’bhp is perfect.

I immediately thought Honda pan European but I might be biased as I used to ride one 5 days a week for work. People who’ve never ridden one always underestimate just how well they handle.

I’ve never ridden one but I had a chat with a Glasgow bike cop who was riding a Pan. The bike cops had just binned BMW and this particuar cop was so impressed with the work ride he’d bought one for himself. So all day every day on a Pan, then rides one for fun. IMO you’d struggle to find a stronger recommendation.
EDIT – also I’d skip any time on the roads especicially motorways on a 125, too physically small and you’ll feel far too exposed and vulnerable.

Do NOT bother with a 125. U will learn loads of bad habits . Do a direct access with a reputable bike school – in NW I highly recommend Valley Bike School. I fid mine 3 months ago from never riding a motorbike and not looked back. I picked up an 07 SV650S and it s a good first bike and cost be 2k with 10k on the clock. Direct access cost be 700 quid all in.

You’d get a mint SV650 for £1500. An excellent first bike. However, as a lifetime Triumph fan, I’d have to say – get a Street Triple. The most fun you can have with your clothes on. Should be able to get one for £3000 now.

Thanks keep them coming…

Big sports bike not really appealing to me but something with a little weight / presence for stability. Same as my car choices – nothing you need to thrash for sensible progress.

I had done cbt 20 years ago and rode an old c70 for a while (it was my mum’s before she had kids that’s how old it was).

Don’t want to run before walking either just trying to see an end game / long term goal add that’ll help me get motivated and help what I am getting into and go about it the right way!

I did my CBT 18 months ago and rode a 125 for a year before taking my Mod 1 and Mod 2 this summer. The 125 was great (I went for a ‘big’ 125 – a Honda Varadero) – I got 90 odd mpg and could manage 70 on the dual carriage way. However I decided to go for the full licence after a year and as soon as i’d ridden a 600cc the 125 felt laboured and a little dangerous in comparison.

I passed the test and within a week I’d part ex’d the 125 for a BMW F800. It still gets a decent 65mpg but is so much nicer on my 20mile commute. It is safer as you can get away from the lights so much faster and overtake with confidence. It also came with full luggage and handy options like heated grips making it so much more practical. Oh and it’s more fun!

Although it is probably a more costly route I’d recommend this way in. i’m not sure I’d have felt happy on a 600cc + until I’d got some road time on the 125. Respect to those who go for the full DAS 5 day option but it wasn’t for me.

Yeah – I’d second the direct access route. I did mine in November last year and finally got around to buying my BMW F800GSA in June. Already done 5000 miles!

Been back up North a few times, over to Bruges on the Channel Tunnel 2up and just packed for the ferry from Harwich to Holland tomorrow.

Loving it!

Rachel

I did the DAS route last year. Aged 48…. 😳

You start with booking your theory test then arranging a DAS. Mine was about £525 and inc the CBT, bike hire & equipment, 4 days training and the two module tests. I put my foot down on my U-ie and had to resit mod 1 but other than that it was simple enough 😀

Your local bike shop might have training or will be able recommend someone. I did a bit of research which confirmed the shops advise. Worked out ok for me.

I got a Suzuki V-Strom 650. I’ve racked up 7k on it in the year I’ve had it. The best way I can describe it is it’s not scarey fast but it can get fast enough to be scarey…. It’s an upright position, I’ve done several 400 miler days on it (did 300 miles on it today infact). It’s easy enough to ride, you don’t have to counter steer (although it does help) and even with a heavy right wrist will do 60 mpg (I did about 80-90 miles on the motorway/dualler at around 80, indicated, not actual, and it was reading 64mpg). You can overtake better than in a car (but you need to have enough time to wind it up on occasion). Filtering is easy enough too. Filtered like a bastard today in fact…

You can pick up a pre-reg from £5.5k and a year old one will be around £4.5k. List is about £7k.

There are some interesting Hondas to consider too, CB500X and the NC700/750.

Rachel thanks and enjoy the crossing. If you’ve not crossed there before I think the stena brittanica and hollandica are the nicest ferries I have ever been on!

Don’t approach riding a bike with the same attitude as driving a car. Keeping “LEGAL” like you said wont keep you safe on a bike. And that’s not just with regards to speed.

Don’t stick to rules and expect to stay safe use your own intelligence instead.

What is a uie?

Thanks all temptation rising….

Don’t approach riding a bike with the same attitude as driving a car. Keeping “LEGAL” like you said wont keep you safe on a bike. And that’s not just with regards to speed.
Don’t stick to rules and expect to stay safe use your own intelligence instead.

Sorry wasn’t being pious! Just trying to reinforce that unnecessarily going bat shit fast (midlife crisis organ donation) was not on my agenda. The point you make about applying intelligence is one I would apply to a car or push bike and would expect on that principle to do the same on a motor bike although like car and push bike I would expect the decisions to be different (and this is something I would need to learn).

I love the bike but (and it’s a big but) I don’t have to commute – I work mostly from home. I wouldn’t use the bike every day for commuting.

It’s not a cheap business, either. A good helmet, jacket, jeans, gloves etc can be a lot of money. I’ve just bought some new gloves – nice waterproof ones – £140 thank you very much…

Rachel

garage-dweller – Member
What is a uie?

Thanks all temptation rising….

A U-turn!

Rachel – I’ve got the F800ST and love it – once I’d got used to the indicators!

U-ie is a U-turn. Part of mod 1, the off-road motorbike test (it’s not really that bad and I think it’s good that you have to demonstrate that you can actually control a bike).

The main problem with starting sensible is that at some point you end up looking for something, er, a little bigger…:

California Custom #3 by Metalheart-UK, on Flickr

ooooh – liking the Moto Guzzi!!

Dr Brakes – We were parked next to an 800ST in Bruges. I did like the way it looked – belt drive looked interesting.

I might have accidentally sat on a 1200GS yesterday – I already want one!

If you’re going to be using the bike for commuting one of your priorities needs to be some sort of fairing. Naked or street bikes are great for city touring but they don’t offer much protection from the elements, especially on the motorways.

Definitely get at least a 500/600cc to keep yourself safe and be prepared to be assertive in your riding.

Probably best to get something reliable too, e.g. Honda or other jap rather than exotica Italiano (much as I love an italiani they are not great in the winter ).

Good luck.

I did DAS (the bigger bikes are easier to ride), bought an old BMW F650 single for £900. Got rear ended at a roundabout after 15 miles!!! No injuries though. Have had it 6 years now, the bloody thing wont die! Its an ideal commuter, light, nippy and upright. Use to go to work most days but I still need a car sometimes when its icy or snowy. Through shitty Reading traffic its much quicker. Its not a fast bike, but any car under 60mph can be dispatched with ease though motorways are a bit of a chore. Did my IAMS test which was a great learning process. The current single cylinder bmw which is just a more modern version is the G650GS, might be worth a look or as said the Kwak Verys, Honda CB500x or NC700x or the 65p vstrom or the smoother and faster ( than the single cylinder g650gs) BMW twin F650. The F800’s look nice ( same engine as the F650… i know) but might be overkill for a daily commuter. I prefer the more upright adventure style bike for comfort. Rode a Suzuki Bandit 600 for a few weeks once. Sounded like a demented type writer and was bllody uncomfortable, fast though.
Looking at a Honda NC or CB500 next year, havexa car fir this winter as just got my acl fixed…its going to be shit stuck in the car, even cold wet commutes are fun, just make sure you have heated grips.

Heated grips might just be the most significant invention of the 20th Century…

Get whatever takes your fancy, I don’t think there’s a bad bike made now – they’re all much better than they were 30 years ago (much better tyres too)! Once you’ve passed your test go and find the nearest advanced motorcyclist group and go out on a free observed ride with them, hopefully you’ll sign up and go out with an observer afterwards – it may just save your life.
I’d been riding motorcycles since before I was legally entitled and didn’t think there was much I didn’t know – until I went out with TVAM and realised how ignorant I was.

Just done my DAS – age 52. Now riding an ’02 plate Transalp.
Had a 125 for about 3 months which I thought was worthwhile as it enabled me to practice the key slow speed control skills. Not so useful for faster/longer trips as it had to be caned a bit and you ended up riding a bit too ragged. However, bike was a trails type bike whereas a 125 Varadero is probably a bit better.

a_a’s list of bikes is a good one. Add the Transalp too. Good all rounder.

Rich.

Took my test on a Tuesday (direct access via a training place in Devizes)

Picked up a 955i triumph on the Saturday – just took my time getting used to it.
Used it loads, off to race meets, riding round the roads of Wiltshire and Hants, even a track day or so

For commuting, avoid motorways like the plague – you have no real presence there.
For twenty miles commute – I would look at how long your current ride takes – there is loads of faff with taking a bike to work, more often than not it’s quicker to drive in – rather than fight with getting into leathers, getting the bike out and warming it up etc.

Overall, it’s great, a real head rush. You will most likely ride it beyond the speed limit, and get a buzz from that.

If you’ve got family then you need to consider that ona road bike you may end up as a smear on the road. I eventually packed in the sports bikes and bought a motocrosser/supermotard. Lower speeds, different roads, loads of fun.

Every summer I do get a hankering for a litre bike though….the acceleration is just the mutts nuts

I know I have said it above but thank you all. Feeling quite inspired to dig into the course options now, biggest concern I think might be how to fit a das course round work and family… Time to dig a little deeper and start negotiating!

takes – there is loads of faff with taking a bike to work, more often than not it’s quicker to drive in – rather than fight with getting into leathers, getting the bike out and warming it up etc.

Says the person who doesnt commute! I put my textile suit over shirt and tie and trousers unless its tipping it down or really hot. Have never warmed my bike up. Roll it out of garage get on ride off, just take it easy for a mile or so as I do with the car. Its much quicker and for me crucially much more consistent, heavy traffic or light traffic it doesnt make a lot of difference.

I agree a_a’s list is a good starting point. My F800 is a practical option, not the cheapest but the belt drive should be low maintenance and the extras were all things I would have opted for anyway given the chance. I’m only up the road from Reading in Oxford, and the option to filter through the, at time stationary, ring road can save a bit of time a peak hours. That said, as mentioned, with the faff time before and after to get into and out of gear the commute time is probably slightly longer, just more predictable.

It’s also an efficient way to travel but most importantly for me it’s more fun! I’m a teacher and with the luggage I can fit a good number of books in to mark at the weekend. Without the luggage it’d be a real challenge.

The heated grips were very welcome at the beginning of this week when it was 2 degrees down here in Oxon. Then this morning, when I’d added all the extra layers to my gear, the temperature had risen to 15 degrees and I was boiling in the bag!

If you get a pan to commute you might as well be driving a car. Same with a Range Rover (sorry GS1200)

Don’t even think about them as a newbie they are big, wide and unwieldy, Perfect for a world trip but try picking one up when you drop it on the third exit from your local Tesco roundabout.

The Transalp and Versys are your ideal starting point or as someone pointed out the SV650 if you have less budget.

Kit is expensive but you don’t need Rukka and £140 gloves to start with (or at all) – my Richa gloves were £30 and are fine for winter commuting especially with heated grips. Helmets are expensive so budget at least 150-200. I can recommend the Shark Vision R but only if it fits your head shape. A cheaper jacket can always be combined with a rain suit on really bad days.

Just ride like everyone is out to knock you off and you’ll be fine

anagallis_arvensis – Member
takes – there is loads of faff with taking a bike to work, more often than not it’s quicker to drive in – rather than fight with getting into leathers, getting the bike out and warming it up etc.
Says the person who doesnt commute!

Where did it say I didn’t commute ? If you have a journey such as I had (25 miles cross country through Wilts / a run down the motorway) – the bike gave me no/negligible advantage in time over the cars that we had back then.
My current journey is 40 miles each way in Scotland – I wouldn’t see the bike as a cost and time effective alternative to the train for my current travels.

I would use a bike to travel, but only when I wanted the fun of riding a bike to work – it was never a time saver overall for the types of journey that I made and the roads that I traveled on. If you live around London / Bristol and travel in rush hour then maybe there is a saving there for you – or you are looking for an excuse to justify a bike. Time saved overall wasn’t something that I saw as a reason to use the bike. Each to their own ?

Riding a bike to work for me adds on 4 minutes compared to a car. I think I used a bike 3-4 times this summer.

Riding a bike has changed my life, made me the person I am today, given me adventure, pleasure and many injuries ha ha. But all in all, I’m a better person for having got into motorbikes.

Riding a bike to work saves me around 5-10 mins and when traffic decides to grind to halt in Reading I have never been late. I have when using the car. Depends on the journey I suppose.

Of course. By the time I unlock the bike, move it out, get my kit on and ride off, I’ve lost 8 minutes. I only get 4 back due to speed. Admittedly I get in work at 6.30am right next to the motorway junction, so very little traffic.

Whilst I have to cross the centre of Reading. As I said time gains arent the main reason but predictability is. Also in the car I have to leave home before 7 otherwise its a nightmare on the bike I can leave when I like the journey time doesnt change much. I also arrive having enjoyed myself and feeling alive similar to if I had cycled, driving the car I just arrived bored and feeling like I just wasted an hour.

Do NOT bother with a 125. U will learn loads of bad habits

Twaddle. Such as?

Riding a bike to work for me adds on 4 minutes compared to a car. I think I used a bike 3-4 times this summer.

Saves me 15-25+ minutes each way over 26 miles, but I’m going into London
Also, my total running costs (fuel, servicing, tyres, depreciation) cost fractionally less than just the fuel on our car. Which does 41mpg. I’ve done over 9000 miles on my bike this year, I coudnt do my commute any other way, I’d go insane!

takes – there is loads of faff with taking a bike to work, more often than not it’s quicker to drive in – rather than fight with getting into leathers, getting the bike out and warming it up etc.

You’re doing it wrong.
Nobody I see on my commute (and that’s quite a few) wears leathers, it’s all textiles for a start, no harder to put on than a jumper.
Warming up a bike is pointless and has been for a long time. I can go into that deeper if you like, but suffice to say it’s counter productive.

Why do KTM for one recommend to warm the bike to a specific ‘3bars showing’ on the temp indicator?

Because they are highly strung Austrian shit boxes? 😉
My BMW rattles, coughs and vibrates just as much warm or cold.

I did my DAS in my early 30’s and went straight to a TDM850, but that is not what I would suggest as such, it is the right style though.

V-Strom 650, Versys, Wee GS, Wee Tiger… those are all good options for comfortable and plenty quick enough.

If you want something more tourer then the Duville wouldn’t be a terrible choice (it is a pretty dull ride, but it is cheap to run and comfy as). Used Pans are good, cheap choices too for something a bit bigger… or you could even branch out into the big tourers – the Guzzi Norge is lovely once you get used to the ride position.

I like big nakeds myself and went from the TDM to a 955i Speed Triple, 1050i Tiger (not naked, but I had a dalliance with big pseudo offroad tourer type things) and now the Griso. And since we have had a shot of the Cali already (which I really want to grab a test ride on one of these days) I feel the need to join the Guzzi love-in!

[url=https://flic.kr/p/ouhDZZ]17th August 2014[/url] by Rob Sutherland, on Flickr

Rob, please stop posting that photo, it makes me want one…. I wouldn’t mind asking you a couple of questions, ok if I ping you an email to the address in your profile? Oh, the Cali was fantastic. Surprisingly easy enough to ride (once you got used to the gear changer and back brake….) Don’t know if I could live with it an only bike though.

To the OP, no way was I suggesting a big lump like the Cali as a first bike. I’m really glad I went for a V-Strom 650 as a middleweight bike teaches you how to ride (you can’t really rely on BF&I on overtakes for example) and it’s pretty forgiving. If I was doing it all again I’d still get one but probably go secondhand. You get less precious about taking it out in shit weather and if you drop it it won’t hurt so much…

Some good suggestions for other bikes here as well. I initially was after a Yamaha XT660 (I used to tool around on a 500 back in my youth), then a Transalp. The Transalp is very highly regarded so unfortunately (for a purchaser) high residuals. My choice was £5k for a 4 yo T with 5k or a brand new strom at just over £6 (brand new everything, 2 years warranty and 1 years AA).

The Tiger 800 is a lovely bike, but at 90 odd bhp, not sure if it’s ideal as a first bike. I seriously looked at one when buying the strom, decided it was too expensive (both to buy and run). Triumph dealers also have, er, a certain reputation. Decent residuals though…