What do you ride in real life?

  • Thread starter mrslick151
  • 322 comments
  • 59,490 views
Wolfe2x7
Would any veteran riders care to give me some tips on the process of buying and learning to ride a motorcycle?

Well - The best advice I can give - Take your classes. Get the license and don't go nuts when buying your first bike. Don't worry that it is not the flashiest piece on the block. Get something sensible that you, over time, can ride the tits off without getting into trouble (in this case without means - less chance of death). If I were starting today, I'd get something like a Honda VFR400R. Damn fine bike, steers beautifully and it is a little underpowered by todays standards. But a small bike like that will teach you to be smooth.. I'm willing to bet my left nut, that if you start out on eg. a GSX-R1000, you'll never learn to be smooth. And of course, it'll kill you faster than you can say Wheeeeelieeeeeee...

I started out on, what's known in the states, as a Katana. Suzuki GSX600F. Old, under powered (even back then it was under powered)

Never regretted it...
 
VFR400R. Great choice, that was my first "big bike". I'd spent most of my teenage life on motorcross bikes then on to the road equivelents with 50cc and restricted (initially restricted :sly:) engines.

By the time I got my VFR I thought I was a pretty good rider but the difference in road and off road bikes is immense. Never underestimate a road bike, it'll bite you in the backside (and wallet) quicker than you can say "whoa spilt diese....."

I don't want to put anyone off riding bikes, some of my favourite journeys have been done on the bike rather than the car, but don't jump straight onto 600-1000cc race rep just because you can afford to. Take the time to learn how to ride a bike on something much smaller, it's a totally different world out there on a bike.

If you've never ridden before it's probably a good idea to buy an old used bike, you don't want to go dropping a brand new bike even if it is only a 125cc. At least if you buy an old one and you do drop it (and you will drop it) it saves the hearbreak of scratching up that showroom shine. :)

Don't forget to buy the proper gear, the number of times I see people riding in T-shirts, shorts etc. I still have a large scar up my left thigh after getting knocked off at around 80MPH, I slid down the road and ended up with 2nd degree burns up my leg, through proper leathers. What would've happened to me in shorts and a T-shirt doesn't bear thinking about. :ouch:
 
SuperT
If you've never ridden before it's probably a good idea to buy an old used bike, you don't want to go dropping a brand new bike even if it is only a 125cc. At least if you buy an old one and you do drop it (and you will drop it) it saves the hearbreak of scratching up that showroom shine. :)
There's two kinds of riders - Those who have gone down and those who will ;-)

SuperT
Don't forget to buy the proper gear,
Good call 👍
 
Flerbizky
There's two kinds of riders - Those who have gone down and those who will ;-)

Yep, I've crashed and dropped bikes. The best one was dropping mine whilst turning round in the driveway, I hadn't even started the engine. :dunce:

Not sure which bit hurts the most, the injuries to me or the damage to the bike? :ouch:

Darren.
 
SuperT
Yep, I've crashed and dropped bikes. The best one was dropping mine whilst turning round in the driveway, I hadn't even started the engine. :dunce:

Not sure which bit hurts the most, the injuries to me or the damage to the bike? :ouch:

Darren.

I've only crashed once - In the spill after corn harvest. Add a little rain and it's as slippery as a frying pan with butter.. Only thing hurt was my jacket - Boy I appreciated the lining in the elbows - and that I put it on for a 2 mile ride...
 
Yup, kids joke about it and ignore it but it's serious.

WEAR SAFETY GEAR.

Countless times my helmet has saved me, £300-400 for a saved life, no question as to if it's worth it.

When I was 21 I came off a Gixxer at 45-55mph in jeans and t-shirt. Such a big mistake, the scarring was and still is horrific, rips off so much flesh.
So, if disfiguring damage to skin and tissue is what you want, just don't wear leathers or protection. If brain damage and a coma appeals to you, try riding without a helmet. It's not funny, the adverts about being a unsafe biker are tame compared to the real thing.
 
possibly the smallest engine and indeed slowest bike here?

54c059c4.jpg

1e832cae.jpg


1989 Simson S50 Enduro.

Currently off the road as I dropped it the other day after bump starting it and it's unridable.... :indiff:

Took it to Scotland last month though, and in 10 days covered 300 miles!
 
Guys and Gals...

Wasn't sure where to post this, so I put it here as it will be seen by the most people who will appreciate it.

Donington Track Evening, National Circuit. Quiet day, so nothing over 98dB.

Thurs 13th July 5:30 - 8:30, and it's just £65. You can book via the Donny website or Hottrax.co.uk

I'll be there on the green machine with a couple of mates, it would be good to get any GTP regulars with a bike and get using the skills we've learned in TT (?!) on a real track.

I've done a few others but never been to Donny, and one of our group is a total novice, so we're all in the novice group.

If there's loads of interest, I'll start a new thread to save clogging this, but I don't know which forum to do it in... Off topic? As there's no 'bikes in general' forum.
 
I'm proud to announce that I am licensed to ride and have a bike of my own to do it on! :)

I managed to get a 1997 Kawasaki 250R... :D
250Rfrontsmall.jpg

250Rsidesmall.jpg

250Rand318ibacksmall.jpg
 
I have two bikes: my daily ride is a Yamaha XJR1300 ('06). The one in my garage is a old Yamaha FJ1200 ('87), a bike I just can't sell.

Previous bikes -

Suzuki 450 GS ('86);
Honda CBR600F ('89);
Honda CBR1000F ('93) ... this is the one I sold to buy the XJR1300, one month ago.
 
I have a 1972 Honda CB750 bored out to 836cc.
901138543lri5.jpg

222222sz4.jpg

I’m sad they don’t have the older CB750 in the game. Guess im stuck with the cb400ss =(
 
I'm 17 and can barely ride a pushbike without falling off. The only time I tried to do a stoppie on my pushbike, I went flying over the handlebars because I didn't realise how strong the brakes were.
 
This is what i ride! Its a chinese import minimoto 49cc air cooled and it does about 28mph! I ride it at local go-kart tracks, so much fun.
I sprayed it up to look like the British Superbike HM Plant Honda CBR1000RR...
shiz.jpg


This is what it looked like before i sprayed it and applied stickers...
Moto3.jpg
 
New exhaust (Yasuni HMR/2 70cc)


but a policeguy on a motobike told me to stop, and he said I was going to fast blabla so took me to the station with my bike and put on the dyno.. allowed is 0.6kw's in all gears.. I had already 2kw's in my third gear.. 'little bit too fast hehehe'.. have to sell my exhaust to pay the bill..:nervous:

I filmed it to:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=glMFwizvnbo

the meter goes from 0.0kW to 2.0kW.. I still have to recieve my bill but the policeguy said this was going to cost over 300euros!!! O_O
 
I started with a Suzuki ER 21 50cc. After a few years bought a Honda CB 500 C. Sold it and bought an older model CBR 1000 F, red and white. After that one bought a CBR 1000 F new model, black. And my last one was a Suzuki Bandit 1200 , also black. If I should by another bike, its going to be a ducati S4R.
 
Back