Motorbikes

Nathan Gould · Mar 1, 2009

This morning i passed my CBT, which is the test you have to pass in the UK to ride a motorcycle with up to 125cc's. I've been looking at the honda CG125's because they're cheap to run and reliable. Any other bikers on here could offer advice? It would also be nice to see what bikes you guys ride, or what was your first bike?

Nathan

a2d2 · Mar 1, 2009

they have licenses for different engine sizes in the UK? my first bike was a 67 BSA lightning chopper(not reliable at all, and dangerous to ride, but fun when it ran). my bike now is an 83 HD sportster, and i'm slowly putting together an older norton commando.
try to keep in mind that other drivers don't always see you. loud pipes save lives. keep both wheels on the ground, and stay safe out there.

Bob W · Mar 1, 2009

Since you're in England, I have no idea which bikes are available there. Some countries, perhaps the UK, have a tiered system for licenses - not all riders are eligible to ride all bikes.

Anyhoo... this was/is my first motorcycle, an 800cc Suzuki Volusia (now known as the C50). Bought it new in '04, having never ridden a motorcycle before.

I wouldn't necessarily recommend it for another new rider though - it's quite heavy, and learning the low-speed maneuvering was a real chore. But the shifting, brakes, and throttle are very smooth and beginner-friendly.

Wife took the MSF class in Colorado and bought two motorcycles, a new Kawasaki Vulcan 500 and a used Suzuki Savage (now known as S40). These bikes are well suited to very short riders. Each is very lightweight and easy to maneuver, but the shifting on both is clunky and more difficult to master compared to the larger Volusia.

Ride safe!

---------------------------------

Edited to add:
There aren't many 125cc bikes available here, and none that would be safe to ride on the highways. Here's the only 125cc street bike that I know of, the Kawasaki Eliminator 125. It would be suitable for someone who's shorter than 5' tall and only rides around around town.
http://www.motorcycle-usa.com/1063/Motorcycle-Photo-Gallery/2007-Kawasaki-Cruiser-Models.aspx

Bob W · Mar 1, 2009

loud pipes save lives.

Not to beat a dead horse, but that's a myth. Bikes with illegal exhausts, for whatever reason, are actually more likely to be in an accident.

http://www.motorcyclecruiser.com/streetsurvival/dangerous_motorcycle_safety_myths/index.html

a2d2 · Mar 1, 2009

i agree with most of what was said in that article, but i'm not sure i agree with him there. loud pipes don't just shoot sound rearward. i think the writer personally gets annoyed by the sound(he seems like one of the new school, condescending types i run into at rallies) . there have been other studies that have shown the opposite. loud pipes are not always illegal either. when driving a car one can not always see a bike, but with loud pipes they will know one is around.

a2d2 · Mar 1, 2009

i think what the writer is really trying to say is that ppl with loud pipes are more likely to be less careful, and try to show off more.

BlackHills · Mar 1, 2009

I can't offer any advice on what bike, but I can tell you to watch out. When I'm on the bike I assume every car is going to pull out in front of me. Also, buy the best gear you can afford...you want all the protection you can get.

a2d2 said:
they have licenses for different engine sizes in the UK?

AFAIK every country in Europe has graduated motorcycle licenses and have since the 80s.

i'm slowly putting together an older norton commando.

Very nice. :thumbup:

loud pipes save lives.

Pffft.....everyone knows it's.....

ETA: My first bike was a 100cc dirt bike, my current ride is this '95 900SS/SP.

a2d2 · Mar 1, 2009

BlackHills said:
AFAIK every country in Europe has graduated motorcycle licenses and have since the 80s.

trying to keep people from riding beyond their skill level?

a2d2 · Mar 1, 2009

nice bike btw. i've been looking at Ducati as my first sport bike.

BlackHills · Mar 1, 2009

a2d2 said:
trying to keep people from riding beyond their skill level?

I think that's a lot of it, it makes them start out with something easy and work their way up. When I lived in Germany (89-90) there were 3 classes, they were tied to horsepower and engine size. To get the 'unlimited' class license if you went through a driving school the cost was around $1200.

The written test over there was a bear as well, IIRC it was 200 questions. But then they take driving seriously in Germany.

BlackHills · Mar 1, 2009

Thanks, I love it. It runs and handles great, gets great mileage and is IMO the perfect bike....and I've owned a few. That's where the 'loud clutches' thing comes from, a lot of the Ducatis have dry clutches and they make a distinct sound.

a2d2 · Mar 1, 2009

BlackHills said:
I think that's a lot of it, it makes them start out with something easy and work their way up. When I lived in Germany (89-90) there were 3 classes, they were tied to horsepower and engine size. To get the 'unlimited' class license if you went through a driving school the cost was around $1200. The written test over there was a bear as well, IIRC it was 200 questions. But then they take driving seriously in Germany.

i guess that makes sense(my first bike was a bad choice to learn on. was like steering 12 foot 2 by 4 down the road). $1200 beans?! i'm glad i'm in the US.

a2d2 · Mar 1, 2009

BlackHills said:
That's where the 'loud clutches' thing comes from, a lot of the Ducatis have dry clutches and they make a distinct sound.

i was not aware of that. what is the reason for using a dry clutch?

BlackHills · Mar 1, 2009

a2d2 said:
i was not aware of that. what is the reason for using a dry clutch?

It doesn't rob HP by spinning in oil and the oil doesn't get contaminated with clutch particles. I also think some of it is marketing as most of the roadrace bikes (MotoGP, SBK) run dry clutches. They're phasing them out now though as the sound from them makes it harder to pass the noise limits. It makes a sound you either love or hate, I happen to love it but I'm always getting asked "What's wrong with your bike?"

BTW, my avatar is an aftermarket pressure plate, I took the clutch cover off so I could hear it better. It's only noticeable with the clutch pulled in or at very slow speeds when the clutch isn't under much of a load.

Shawn B. · Mar 1, 2009

This was my first bike. A 1978 RD400 Yamaha, got it when I was in 11th grade. I feel sorry for some of the younger people who did'nt get to experiance the 2-stroke street era. I ended up putting Toomey chambers, Lectron carbs on it with some phase 2 porting and polishing on the cylinders with some DG heads on top. the bike was a gas on Angeles crest highway. It handled like a dream.

a2d2 · Mar 1, 2009

BlackHills said:
It doesn't rob HP by spinning in oil and the oil doesn't get contaminated with clutch particles. I also think some of it is marketing as most of the roadrace bikes (MotoGP, SBK) run dry clutches. They're phasing them out now though as the sound from them makes it harder to pass the noise limits. It makes a sound you either love or hate, I happen to love it but I'm always getting asked "What's wrong with your bike?" BTW, my avatar is an aftermarket pressure plate, I took the clutch cover off so I could hear it better. It's only noticeable with the clutch pulled in or at very slow speeds when the clutch isn't under much of a load.

ah, ok makes sense. i don't know much about sportbikes, but i'm def becoming more, and more interested in them recently. i'm going to have to pay more attention to the sound next time i'm in earshot of a ducati. i've been looking into the ducati monster, and may pull the trigger sometime next year(but hopefully sooner).

ColdOne · Mar 1, 2009

Shawn B. said:
This was my first bike. A 1978 RD400 Yamaha, got it when I was in 11th grade. I feel sorry for some of the younger people who did'nt get to experiance the 2-stroke street era. I ended up putting Toomey chambers, Lectron carbs on it with some phase 2 porting and polishing on the cylinders with some DG heads on top. the bike was a gas on Angeles crest highway. It handled like a dream.

Some of us young people know what we missed and currently own a '76 GT500 2 stroke.

:thumbup:

Shawn B. · Mar 1, 2009

^ Always liked the RAM Air Heads on those Suzukis

BlackHills · Mar 1, 2009

Shawn B. said:
This was my first bike. A 1978 RD400 Yamaha, got it when I was in 11th grade. I feel sorry for some of the younger people who did'nt get to experiance the 2-stroke street era. I ended up putting Toomey chambers, Lectron carbs on it with some phase 2 porting and polishing on the cylinders with some DG heads on top. the bike was a gas on Angeles crest highway. It handled like a dream.

That's a beauty. :thumbup: I had a '75 RD350, mine was modded but not quite as much as yours. I keep telling myself I need to find a nice older one and fix it up.

a2d2 said:
ah ok makes sense. i don't know much about sportbikes, but i'm def becoming more, and more interested in them recently. i'm going to have to pay more attention to the sound next time i'm in earshot of a ducati. i've been looking into the ducati monster, and may pull the trigger sometime next year(but hopefully sooner).

I'm not sure if the new Monsters have dry clutches or not; the older ones 900cc and larger did, the smaller ones had wet clutches. I believe all the Superbikes/Supersports had a dry clutch though the new 848 doesn't (but the 1098 does).

a2d2 · Mar 1, 2009

Shawn B. said:
This was my first bike. A 1978 RD400 Yamaha, got it when I was in 11th grade. I feel sorry for some of the younger people who did'nt get to experiance the 2-stroke street era. I ended up putting Toomey chambers, Lectron carbs on it with some phase 2 porting and polishing on the cylinders with some DG heads on top. the bike was a gas on Angeles crest highway. It handled like a dream.

nice looking machine. looks like a fun ride.