thinkin about a bike

Catsmokinpot

im thinkin about gettin a bike or a scooter ive ridden a few scooters b4 and im dyin for some transport so i was thinkin either 50c good for nipping round the town or 100cc good for goin a bit further but i dunno what to get anyone know any nice bikes out there? was thinkin about the honda shadow(scooter version) or a pugeot got about 2 --- 2 1/2 grand to burn on the bike and around a grand for the rest any ideas?

ps dont suggest a car cause they cost an arm and a leg to insure

Tree

was on an ovetto scooter for 4 years, got a suzuki vanvan rv125 last week, its excellent for learning and going round!

Catsmokinpot

cheers tree ill think about it those ovettos look pretty decent

Tree

the ovettos will cost you more than theyre worth unless you take care of them, i had mine four years and the only prob was when i drove it over a curb and tore open the exhaust, ive friends whos ovettos were in a bad way coz they didnt take care of em. would still recommend it though if you mind it

jackal

I had an Ovetto, and as scooters go, they are very very tough. They are yamaha underneath the badge, so if something does need replacing, it will cost you a little. As with any bike, particularly a two stroke, if you keep topping it up with oil, change the pads before they bite the brake disk, get it serviced regularly it will keep going. Every second scooter on the streets is an ovetto, that speaks volumes. go for it!

If you are thinking of anything more than city driving, you probably need a 125.

JohnCleary

*ONLY* consider a scooter if your using it STRICTLY for town use. The thing is when you buy a scooter, you go mad on the idea of having the freedom to drive all the time. Then soon after you buy you get sick that your limited to city use as if you try driving on a big road you'll get blown off.

If you ask me, you should go for a 125cc. Theyre small enough for town usage and run on about a fiver of petrol a week, yet at the same time you can do some serious travelling on them.

I'm selling my 2000 Honda NSR 125. Such a relible bike, yet is not short on looks. Its a beauty. I'm reluctant to let it go, only reason for sale is because im upgrading. I'm looking for about €2000 for it. (think about it, a new scooter would cost you that).

Pic:
http://hayabusa.bikepics.com/hon-nsr125-00-bikepics-03989.jpg

Just my 2cents about the situation

malico

The NSR is a BEAUTIFUL bike. Fast, reliable honda engine. Bulletproff build quality and will run forever.

HOWEVER i would never recommend it to anyone. I tell all my friends to not buy it as a first bike for these reasons:

* Your riding experience fromthen on will be tarnished as the bike is so powerfull (33bhp) you'll be hard pressed to find a better 250

* The NSR is being retired this year by honda. The CBR 125 will hit out streets early 2005 I hear

* The NSR is insanely costly to insure. Its a group 7/12 in Hibernian, the only ones that will insure you for a first year.

I assumed you were 18, living in Dublin with a provisional liscence.

If you want Comprehensive it's €20488.73. But don't worry, TPO is a mere €13681.31

Yes that's right, Thirteen THOUSAND a year... And that's the same if you're 16.

So getting a NSR not good. Get a bike for a hack bike. I drive a Kymco Pulsar 125. Well my RVF 400 r is in repair and I find it a great started bike, and now I 've been driving it for 2 montsh waiting on parts. So all is good. My one, bashed and bruised exterior as it is woudl be about 1000 euro, and the insurance is TPO: 5386.82 and Comp: 8956.01.

So the moral of the story.. You're gonna need alot for insurance, cause Hibernian will rip you off

jackal

Agreed, a 125 is a much better idea, than a scooter, as you will want to go outside the city. However, be aware that all 125's are different.

A 125 Cruiser (Maurader, Virago, Dragstar) or Commuter (Honda CG125) are in Insurance group 2. Scooters are group 1.

A 125 Race Replica (NSR, RS125, MITO) are often in insurance group 7, up there with 650cc bikes etc. This is because of their power to weight ratio, which makes them go like stink. A bike like this will cost more to insure than to buy for an inexperienced\young rider think 2500+ for a 22yr old on a provisional 3rd party only.

Go with a cruiser, they are easy to ride, look alot cooler than a scooter, will teach you how to handle gears, and "big-bike" handling. They will go 50 -60MPH, but will not cost that much more than a scooter to insure.

You can also go for decent spins on a 125. I went up and down to rosslare from dublin during the summer, and it was great!

JohnCleary

I was sly when it came to insuring. I got insured €1800 from Hibernian TP-F&T as it was a factory restricted when bought, I just removed the restrictors myself, I can hit 106MPH on decent road.

Agreed though, the NSR may not be the best first bike as they are very powerful, you might end up killing yourself if you hopped on without any experience

RicardoSmith

Originally posted by JohnCleary
...I can hit 106MPH on decent road.....you might end up killing yourself .....

Yes its the bikes fault....:D

I'm looking for something to commute on, myself. Would like a bike but that wouldn't go down too well at home as I've had a few mates over the years cream themselves. So I'm thinking of something like a 125 scooter. Mainly because they give you a bit more protection from the weather (commuting I want to try and keep the threads clean) and aren't as stressed as a 50cc. Though I like the look of the Yamaha 50cc scooters,(AEROX I think?) the ones in plain colours without all the fancy graphics.

jackal

Aerox's are 50cc Scooters, with the engine Tuned to Death. They can go a bit faster than other 50cc scooters, but the engine doesent last in them, and all the second-hand one's are thrashed by their previous owners. They really need looking after.

On the other hand, a 125cc scooter will offer excellent weather protection, comfort, loads of storage, enough grunt to go on a motorway for a while, etc, and the engine wont pop!

Catsmokinpot

thanks for all the advice dudes. will take the 125 in to concideration(was actually thinkin bout a 125 scooter), although tis quite alot of money. dont really want to start with a racer bike, just want to get from A to B is all

Tree

i wouldnt call my vanvan a racer bike, but i reckon 125 are the way to go! theres more to 125 than racers, you got cruisers, trailies, street bikes, and funny things that dont quite fit those categories, (like my preciuos)

JohnCleary

Take my advise, never get on anything that has 2 wheels. You have no protection.

I'm in a wheelchair because a car knocked me off my NSR 11 weeks ago (12th dec to be exact). Theyre a great buzz, but not worth the risk. I was being perfectly legit, had all leather gear on, then a car decided to run into me and drive into my spine, breaking my back and snapping my spinal chord.

It's not worth the risk mate, save up and get yourself a car, at least that way you have some protection.

Tree

Originally posted by JohnCleary
Take my advise, never get on anything that has 2 wheels. You have no protection.

I'm in a wheelchair because a car knocked me off my NSR 11 weeks ago (12th dec to be exact). Theyre a great buzz, but not worth the risk. I was being perfectly legit, had all leather gear on, then a car decided to run into me and drive into my spine, breaking my back and snapping my spinal chord.

It's not worth the risk mate, save up and get yourself a car, at least that way you have some protection.

thats very cynical. sorry to hear what happened but accidents happen, bike or car. an extra half tonne of protection to get mangled into? buy a truck if its protection youre after.

DO get kitted out properly for a bike, DO drive carefully, don't get a bike if its only the buzz youre after.

i know an awful lot of ppl who have been killed, seriously ijured or otherwise on bikes, wouldnt stop me getting on one though.