that is cheap.. i was 37 when i insured my new RR - £600

 

And what you will find is that get a year under your belt with the Suzuki, and the cost of insuring a sports bike will come down significantly.

And with the £400 odd you will have saved you can afford some advanced training

 

i reckon youd be better off on a honda xr125 - comfy, tall and bullet proof.
but agree with esem - scooter much more practical with all the storage and just much easier when in heavy traffic

 

Wearing textiles prevents you looking like Daffyd from Little Britain - works for me

 

Here's my experience and my view:

I came to biking late. I passed my DAS in 2006.
First bike I bought was an 05 R6. Great first bike, but underpowered in the low revs for town commuting purposes.

I had it for a year and went on to a K7 GSXR1000, despite similar comments about 'hearses' etc.

It's the best 'vehicle' I have ever bought and have absolutely no regrets. I have <touchwood> not dropped it or come off it. That's despite 4 days of tracking it in the last 2 years (would have been more except for work, etc), and some commuting in shite weather.

However....

....I wouldn't say this was necessarily the way to go for you.

1. Sportsbikes are small

I'm 5'8"-ish. The R6 was a little cramped. The GSXR is BARELY ANY LARGER. All sports bikes are being made to a smaller scale to improve handling and weight; so there's little point in buying a litre bike as a first.

2. You have to know how sensible you are going to be.

Do you trust yourself to be sensible when the tarmac is damp, but your gut feeling is to hoon it? Sportsbikes will respond to the slightest twist of your wrist.
I think the reason I have been lucky enough to stay upright so far is that I completely trust myself to be 'sensible' when it is necessary.

But then, this is the case with any bike really; you are going to cause yourself serious damage at 100mph. But will it be much less at 70mph? If you come off, you are at the mercy of whatever object(s) you will hit.

3. I would only buy a sportsbike if you are going to use it on a track or for spirited rides on quiet roads.

For commuting, I would get a sports tourer personally eg. a VFR. Fazers, SV650s are fine if you like that sort of thing.
Sportsbikes will get uncomfortable quickly because you will be leaning forward a lot more than other types of bike, putting strain on your wrists. (Speed is the only way to reduce this. )

4. There's only so much people can advise you about which bike to go for.

The only way to find out if you are comfortable on a particular bike is to go and test ride it. Most dealers are happy to let you do so, but if you break it you pay for it!
Take your time and don't rush into a decision.

5. What you wear is much more important than the type of bike you get.

Always wear gloves and a jacket at the very least. A helmet is of course a legal requirement.


Oh, and bike maintenance is as important.

Good luck. I will try and organise an s2ki rideout next year when I have a bit more time. If I still have my bike!

 

Thanks for that San - great post and makes a lot of sense.

I'm thinking as I'm getting older I am getting more sensible and yes I do trust myself - maybe not if it was a few years ago and the fact that I now do is one of the reasons I've decided to get a bike

Hopefully next year if you organise a ride I'll be up for it

Andy

 

vision of LL in tight fitting leathers



Motorbiking is like commuting on my pedal bike - both require you to treat everyone as if they are out to get you. I'm certain bikers make better car drivers too - better road awareness.

 

Only if you ride like a nutter

 

A friend I was talking to last night pointed out that a Supermoto maybe the way to go for me !!

Good to learn on and big enough for me

Anyone any experience or advice on this one

Andy

 

Oh yes! .....



Since I bought it, just over a year ago, I have hardly used my R1.

Great fun, especially on country roads, easy to ride and it makes a handy runaround.