Questions from a Total Newbie - Please help!

Zascar

My short journey to work is taking me an hour at the moment, I recon I can get there in about 15 minutes if I have a bike, so I think I'll take the plunge when the weather gets a little nicer - but I'm a total newbie so need some help from you guys please!

1. I have a full driving licence, does this allow me to ride a bike or do I have to get a separate licence, or do a theory test etc? What's the process?

2. Can someone give me a rough estimate on how much insurance costs, I'm 27, male, full driving licence for 6 years, live in south Dublin.

3. I don't want to spend a lot of money on my first bike - if I get more into it I will undoubtedly get a better one after not so long. I'm thinking a 125cc - A mate of mine suggested a few bikes: Honda XL125 Varadero, [SIZE=-1]Honda NSR125 or Aprilla 125. Can anyone comment on there or give me some other suggestions?

4. Where should I buy it? Can anyone please post some links of bike shops in Ireland?
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5. What other gear do I need? Helmet & Gloves obviously. Decent jacket I assume. Do you normally wear the trousers etc to?

Any other advice is appreciated.
Cheers

mastermind2005

ive an Nsr 125 for sale adverts.ie/41507 have a look! insurance for me on a prov and im 25 costs €530

you would need a seperate bike licience

mastermind2005

Oh and i forgot adverts.ie/40178 for the more laidback rider

colm_c

You'll need to apply for a A or A1 learner's permit see here for more info: http://www.msa-ireland.com/licenses.htm

Having experience in a car doesn't mean anything when riding a bike.

You'll most likely have to do your theory again since it's been a while since you've sat it.

The bike you choose is a personal choice, go to a bike shop and sit on a few, depending on how tall you are some bikes will suit you better than others.

Gear you need will be helmet, jacket, gloves, boots and pants. You'll also need a hi-viz tabard with an L on it (mandatory for any one on a provisional license or a learner's permit).

KTRIC

Zascar wrote: »

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5. What other gear do I need? Helmet & Gloves obviously. Decent jacket I assume. Do you normally wear the trousers etc to?

Any other advice is appreciated.
Cheers

Please don't make the same mistake as many newbie bikers. Spend money on your gear, its the only thing between you and the road when you come off and you will come off.

Wearing normal jeans or trousers is absolutly no use. You'll need abrasion resistance trousers with impact protection if you value your legs in any way.

rs

Zascar wrote: »

1. I have a full driving licence, does this allow me to ride a bike or do I have to get a separate licence, or do a theory test etc? What's the process?

You need either an A or A1 License. I'd go for the A so you can drive any size bike (A1 restricts you to 125cc or less)

You will need to do theory test (there are a few bike specific questions on it). Car license does not count, you have to start right at the start again. I did this back in november.

Zascar wrote: »

2. Can someone give me a rough estimate on how much insurance costs, I'm 27, male, full driving licence for 6 years, live in south Dublin.

Budget for around 500 to 1000 euro. Car license or no-claims will not be taken into account at all. Cost will depend entirely on the bike you get, so ring up the insurance companies and get a few quotes.

Zascar wrote: »

3. I don't want to spend a lot of money on my first bike - if I get more into it I will undoubtedly get a better one after not so long. I'm thinking a 125cc - A mate of mine suggested a few bikes: Honda XL125 Varadero, [SIZE=-1]Honda NSR125 or Aprilla 125. Can anyone comment on there or give me some other suggestions?

A two-stroke 125 like the Aprilia or NSR 125 will have a higher insurance rating and be more expensive than a four-stroke 125 or 250cc bike. Two-strokes are also more expensive to maintain, but they are pretty quick and lots of fun. Maybe not the most practical commuting bike.

Zascar wrote: »

5. What other gear do I need? Helmet & Gloves obviously. Decent jacket I assume. Do you normally wear the trousers etc to?

Helmet is a legal requirement. Gloves and a good padded jacket are a very, very good idea. I always wear a two-piece leathers when I drive. Roads are very hard and it's cold out there.

murphaph

May I suggest a few lessons. A bike requires more skill to operate safely. It is a naturally unstable vehicle afterall!

Zascar

Cheers guys.

I did a quinn-direct quote online and got a quote of €685 for fully comp on an NSR125. (Do most people go Fully Comp or just TPF?) Seems ok to me.

I want a sporty type bike more than a cruiser etc. But how much do they generally cost to maintain?

There are not really very many for sales in Ireland so far as I've been looking. What are the best websites? What about buying from the UK? How does VRT work out etc?

Pigeon Reaper

Most go for TPFT as fully comp will normally work out at a very high percentage of the bike cost. Bringing a bike from the UK can work out well but for a small first bike you may not save much. The costs also change alot from bike to bike. What you save in fuel normally goes into maintaining the bike.

j@utis

Zascar wrote: »

Cheers guys.

I did a quinn-direct quote online and got a quote of €685 for fully comp on an NSR125. (Do most people go Fully Comp or just TPF?) Seems ok to me.

I want a sporty type bike more than a cruiser etc. But how much do they generally cost to maintain?

There are not really very many for sales in Ireland so far as I've been looking. What are the best websites? What about buying from the UK? How does VRT work out etc?

NSR125 was my first bike. Sold it yesterday, it was very sad to see it go, I absolutely loved it but the time had come to move on (cbr 250 now, 600cc in autumn when two years restriction runs out).

NSR takes up to 7ltr/100km of petrol and ~8eur for 1ltr 2-stroke oil which last for approx 30 tanks of petrol. brakes pads ~25eur front 20eur rear, chain + sprocket set ~80eur, piston rings have to be changed at 24k kms mark ~120eur + labor cost and etc etc...

I tell you this: if you're realy into bikes, I mean when you're almost physically in love with your bike (jokingly) then you don't care that it cost a bit too much. there's always something that can be improved

Zascar

I'm sure the cost of maintance won't scare me. I already have a Honda Civic Type R 2 liter to maintain - it can't cost more than that!

Been talking to a few people and so far thinking of either the Honda NSR125, Aprilia RS125, or the Cagiva Mito 125. But I'm still considering alternatives.
Can anyone give me some advice as to what they think of the above choices or point me to some similar bikes worth considering?

Hotblack Desiato

Don't go off importing a bike until you have enough experience on bikes to know what bike you really want (often not what you originally liked the looks of) and what faults to look for mechanically.

At least if you buy off a dealer here, you have some comeback.

Importing is easy if you can ride the bike back, less so if you can't, and you are not licenced to ride in Northern Ireland or Britain on a provisional licence.

skelliser

head over to www.biker.ie and ask the same stuff there, some great advice been dished out there.
get lessons, by the best clothing you can afford
i have a honda shadow 125 which is a cruiser so maybe not up your alley, the varedero is a nice bike good seating height, good control for weaving in heavy traffic, expensive tho.

i had a budget of 1500 for my bike which was more then enough, but you do need to know what your looking at re bike condition, sprocket, chain etc

j@utis

Well if there's some spare cash available, go for the new Kawasaki ZX250R

Zascar

Cheers I'll take a look. How much would a ZX250R cost?

One questions guys. I'm quite small - 5-6' - so I can't have some monster bike as it would just be too big for me. Is this a real problem or is it generally fine unless you have some 1200cc beast...?

mag_phil@hotmai

my advice to you is to visit some reputable dealers and have a look at what,s on offer. ask to sit on various models. get the salesman either to hold the bike while you are on it or if it has a central stand you can sit on it unaided. you want to feel comfortable and safe so make sure you can reach both the handlebars and put both your feet firmly on the ground. when you do the foot test bike needs to be off it,s stand.

Hotblack Desiato

CC doesn't matter, some of the largest cc bikes are cruisers which usually have a low seat height. Some 125cc bikes like the Varadero are pretty high up off the ground!

The best thing you can do is just go around bike shops, explain that you are just starting out and aren't sure yet what you want. After sitting on loads of different bikes you will have a better idea of what suits your build. An experienced rider can cope with being on tippy toes when they stop, but a beginner in that situation will fall over a lot!

Most people start out with smaller cc bikes but insurance is a big factor in this. Riders over 25 are often starting out on larger bikes now - insurance drops a lot at that age.

With a class A provisional licence, you can have any cc bike you like as long as it is restricted to meet the power or power-to-weight limits.

mastermind2005

Quinn direct quoted me 775 tpft and these guys are costing me 523! on the nsr 125r dont for get it only the newer model of the nsr which is group 2http://www.aon.com/ie/en/indiv/bikecare.jsp

rs

Something you should consider. You can drive a larger bike as long as the power is restricted to less than approx 33bhp.

You can get a factory restricted 400cc or 600cc bike and insure it for a good bit less with AON insurance as they will factor in the restriction.

I have a Ducati monster 400 now (I learned on an Aprilia RS 125 years ago).

The Aprilia was great fun to drive, tons of fun really but was pretty high maintenance. The engine blew on in only a few months after I sold it. They need pretty major servicing every few thousand miles.

To me, a two-stroke 125 is great for driving twisty country roads on the weekend. Not so great as a commuting bike though because all the power is very high in the rev range (7,000rpm+) and you can't really use it in traffic.

rs

Zascar wrote: »

Cheers I'll take a look. How much would a ZX250R cost?

One questions guys. I'm quite small - 5-6' - so I can't have some monster bike as it would just be too big for me. Is this a real problem or is it generally fine unless you have some 1200cc beast...?

Generally it should not be a problem unless you go for quite a tall bike or something with a massive engine. All the smaller sporty style of bikes should fit you just fine. Just remember that most bikes are Italian or Japanese and the average height in both countries is around 5'5 in Japan and 5'8 in Italy

Wii2000

I have a full driver's license for a car and am 26 so did not want to go through the hassle of a driving test again so opted for a moped. The tax is the cheapest available, insurance is low and running costs are absolute minimal as I opted for a Verde 1500 electric scooter. At first I was hesitant to get a machine that would only do 50km/h but found in reality that in city driving I never really need much more and because I can go around traffic it now saves me a lot of time commuting daily.
If this sounds of interest you should check out there website www.verdeautos.com

BlueBandit

All good points here but just my 2c.
You might condier going for a 250c bike on an A licence, if you go down the 125cc and A1 route and find after a year or so that you want a bigger bike you'll have to go back and get a prov A licence and start all over again, get and A licence in the first place and youll avoid all he hassle. A bike like a Honda Bros (400cc) would be no perfect for a beginner. Also when you are looking around for insurance AON will do a discounted rate if you have another policy, it doesnt even have to be with them. Anyway make the switch and you'll deffinitly not regret it

Hotblack Desiato

Wii2000 wrote: »

I have a full driver's license for a car and am 26 so did not want to go through the hassle of a driving test again so opted for a moped.

Not all full car licences have a moped entitlement, if you took your test after approx. 2006 you definitely will not, same if you have a non-Irish licence, and probably also if you exchanged a foreign licence for an Irish one. If there are any code numbers printed on the back of your licence that means there are restrictions on it, one of the numbers (can't remember offhand, but google is your friend) means you have no moped entitlement.

Even if you only wanted a 50cc, you would have been better off doing the A1 or A test, not only would it keep your options open for the future, but the process of preparing for the test (presuming that you take proper training) would make you a lot safer on the road.

Zascar

I definitely don't want a moped lads. This bike is not just for commuting, I've always liked bikes and i'm into fast cars etc so want to give the biker thing a go too!

Anyway, you look like a gaywad on a moped unless your 16 or a girl....

Zascar

My main decision to make now is what bike to get. At the moment I'm looking at a 2006 Honda CBR125RR with 1k miles for about €2700 from the UK.

I was originally thinking of getting an NSR or Aprilla RS but have been advised that the CBR will be a better bike for my needs, as its more comfortable and it is a 4 stroke so will be more reliable etc. Although the CBR is not as fast/powerful as the other two. Others say go for a bigger bike that has been restricted. I'm so confused!!

I like the above CBR cause its a good starter bike, I like the look etc and its a cracking deal i think. But will it be slow? Some say no matter what 125 you get they are all slow compared to any real bike, so just get whatever is comfortable and then get a decent bike when you get your licence!

What do you think?

BlueBandit

A 125 is a small engine so will be slow enough compared to a 250 or over, although a cbr/nsr 125 would prob be faster than a 250 cruiser. If your interested in gettin into bikes more than just a quick runaround for getting to work then I would advise to go straight for a 250 and avoid the A1 licence. By the sounds of it you'll be bored of the 125 in notime and want to move up. All provisional licence holders are restricted to 33bhp, this restriction continues for 2 years after passing your test. While alot of 250's will come in under this most sports 250 would be higher (I think). As a result a lot of people a ride a larger bike but with the engine retsricted, I ride 600cc suzuki bandit and this will still do 100mph but isnt as powerfull standard.
If you still fancy the starting on a 125 you can do so with a A licence but when you sit your test you will have to do it on a bike over 125cc. You can rent a bike from a training school or you might have traded up already by then.

Zascar

Thanks that's very helpful.

So, I have to apply for a provisional now - do I apply for an A provisional and not an A1 - is that correct?

Is A1 only for people who only want a 125 and no more?

Hotblack Desiato

Zascar wrote: »

Is A1 only for people who only want a 125 and no more?

Yes. A full A1 licence is no benefit to you at all if you later want to move up to class A, you will be treated exactly the same as someone with no bike experience at all (although you probably wouldn't have to do the theory test again.)

BlueBandit

Just spotted this on another site, could be right up your street or even just an idea of whats out there.
http://www.biker.ie/forum/showthread.php?t=31839
Learner legal and all that bit older than the cbr but looks like its been looked after. Best of luck with the search and remember to keep some cash back for good safety gear and training

Zascar

Cheers ajmcom, that's a really nice bike! I would be very interested, except that fact that I'm only 5'6 and that is a pretty big bike to start off on. One of my mates has exactly the same on in work - he's bigger than me and he reckons its too big for him. I'll go have a look at his tomorrow in work and see what i think and get back to you.

I do however have another mate who is also buying a bike, I showed him the add and he's interested so I'll get him to contact you.
Cheers

Zascar

Dam it that Honda CBR125R was sold before I could go see it. There is so little in terms of appropriate bikes around at the moment. If anyone sees anything appropraite please let me know!