whats your advice on starting out

blacksmith105

i have just landed a job after 2 years without one , problem is i will have a long trip to and from work round trip about 90 miles a day and will have early starts which dont really bother me , cant do it on pubic transport and a car would be too expensive to run but its motorway all the way so straight enough road
Would love to learn how to ride a motorbike and YES i know all about cold mornings and wet etc etc. I have never riden a bike before and wondering where to start and what sort of cc should i start out on. want something i guess around 250 cc and up

apprec any advice , I have around 2500 to spend on a bike and gear

positron

Apologies for the bad news, but biking typically works out more expensive than cars..! Bikes, although lighter and smaller than cars, are tuned for performance, and mpgs are fairly similar to a good economical car. Also motorcycle tyres don't last as long as car tyres, so maintenance wouldn't be that cheaper either.

A smaller engine bike, a 125 cc etc, might give you plenty more mpg than a small car, but you wouldn't enjoy it on a motorway, not to mention safety.

sleepysniper

positron wrote: »

Also motorcycle tyres don't last as long as car tyres, so maintenance wouldn't be that cheaper either.

.

Yup. I paid just over €300 for a new set Bridgestones (front and rear) supplied and fitted and I can expect to get no more than 6000-8000 mileage from them!:eek:

Only thing that really stands out being cheaper with bikes than cars is the tax. €78/year.:cool:

maameeo

dont skimp on gear

you'll need to take the IBT if you dont have your license now; that'll take a chunk out of your 2500

Alkers

What age are you? You also aren't supposed to go on the motorway as you will only have a learner permit for six months at least before getting a full license. My advice would be to buy a pos car and start off the process of getting your bike license. For those kind of miles you would want something with lots of weather protection anyway. Do you need to carry much with you to work? Do you have somewhere to change once you get there?

Xios

I vote Nay, don't get the bike for 45 mile trips, especially if you're just starting out. I did Lucan to Dun Laoghaire down the m50 on a 125 for a year, which was not very fun, i find bikes and motorways are boring and noisy. So a decent car is where you should be going for the commute.
Will you be hitting much traffic? as bad as dublin city centre? Cause if traffic isn't bad, then go with a car and you can carry more crap.

But if you're dead set on getting a bike for commuting, get a 600cc bike and get the engine restricted. Larger bikes are much more stable and will give you a much smoother comfortable ride. I'm thinking of Bandit 600, Fazer 600 and Hornet 600's are quite popular and well rounded.

I've had my fazer 600 for 18 months now, i still love the thing.

Del2005

blacksmith105 wrote: »

i have just landed a job after 2 years without one , problem is i will have a long trip to and from work round trip about 90 miles a day and will have early starts which dont really bother me , cant do it on pubic transport and a car would be too expensive to run but its motorway all the way so straight enough road
Would love to learn how to ride a motorbike and YES i know all about cold mornings and wet etc etc. I have never riden a bike before and wondering where to start and what sort of cc should i start out on. want something i guess around 250 cc and up

apprec any advice , I have around 2500 to spend on a bike and gear

I know it's the wrong forum, but I agree with the others. The bike will be nice in the summer but once the winter hits the roads will be cold and slippy, that's even before they freeze, and the air is cold it won't be fun driving a bike on a motorway. Then when it does freeze you won't be able to go to work.

For €2500 you'd get a decent car and insurance. You will get the same MPG out of a 1.4 car as a 600cc bike on a motorway.

Go for a car and then do your IBT and test on a school bike, then next year hopefully you can have both.

Orbiter

Go for it! I've commuted on bikes for the last 3 years and find it a great way to get about. I commute in all kinds of weather and it was only the severe snow/ice that stopped me from getting the bike out. If you have the right gear the cold or the rain won't bother you too much.

I agree with some of the other posts, best thing would be to look at a bike around 600cc and get it restricted. Pass your test and the 2 year restriction will fly in.

One thing I find about riding bikes is that you are as fresh as a daisy when you get to work because you are so much more focused than you ever would be driving a car, and it's much more fun.

Biking is not for everyone but if it is for you then it will be one of the best decisions you'll ever make. Best of luck!

inchiuvatu

i got into biking about 8 months ago and i love it, but it really isn't a cheap alternative. im by no means trying to convince you to not go ahead but just to give you a heads up on the costs to expect.

ibt - €500 (roughly can be more or less but it aint cheap)
gear - €800 - 1200 (for full set of decent gear, if you buy in one shop you should be able to bargain the total price down)
bike - €1250 (decent second hand 400cc-600cc some are restricted but most wont be)
restriction - €250 (if your lucky you can get second hand sets off poleon motorcycles for around €100 fitted bit of a journey but was worth it for me)
insurance - €1000 depending on age i assumed 26-30ish could be around that on provisional.

a way to make it cheaper is to buy a 125cc or 250cc bike would mean no restriction and maybe 200-300 less on insurance.

hopping on the bike is great craic, and with time and a head on your shoulders will make you a better road user aswell, but unless you go for a moped or similar i dont see you being on budget... and i wouldn't recommend anything other than a 400cc + for motorway commuting, thats just my opinion on it.
best thing to do is look on adverts.ie and donedeal.ie at bikes that suit 250cc+ make a list of them and call quinn and get 4-5 quotes for the different bike with different levels of insurance tpo/tpft/full comp.

Hope it works out for you man biking is great and can become a real passion but if you do it legitimately it wont come cheap.

daveyjoe

inchiuvatu wrote: »

i got into biking about 8 months ago and i love it, but it really isn't a cheap alternative. im by no means trying to convince you to not go ahead but just to give you a heads up on the costs to expect.

I'm in a similar position (less than a year biking) but I think it can be reasonably cheap if you're smart about your purchases.

inchiuvatu wrote: »

ibt - €500 (roughly can be more or less but it aint cheap)

You should be able to get it for €400 if you do it with a partner. Some of them throw in insurance assessments too which can knock a few quid off your premium.

inchiuvatu wrote: »

gear - €800 - 1200 (for full set of decent gear, if you buy in one shop you should be able to bargain the total price down)

Really? This seems a bit excessive for getting started. Aldi and Lidl do biker gear from time to time and honestly they are decent quality and fantastic value (don't get a cheap flip-up lid helmet though, they are nearly always crap). I paid €140 for my helmet but I picked up a spare for €35 from Lidl and it really is very comfortable, they are very safe too, German safety standards for this gear is very high. I would look online for a nice leather jacket with some protection, I paid about €200 for a good one but there is decent stuff available around the €100 mark. I picked up a great pair of jeans that have removable knee protectors online, I think they came to something like €40 including shipping. My point is that you can do it for a lot less than €800 without skimping on safety.

inchiuvatu wrote: »

bike - €1250 (decent second hand 400cc-600cc some are restricted but most wont be)

restriction - €250 (if your lucky you can get second hand sets off poleon motorcycles for around €100 fitted bit of a journey but was worth it for me)
insurance - €1000 depending on age i assumed 26-30ish could be around that on provisional.

a way to make it cheaper is to buy a 125cc or 250cc bike would mean no restriction and maybe 200-300 less on insurance.

Yep, sounds about right, <=250cc will definitely save on insurance. Just for comparison, I'm 24, currently on provisional and I ride a Virago XV 250, it cost me €1300 and I pay just under €600 insurance with Quinn. It's a lovely cruiser if you can get one in nice condition, smooth ride, great handling, I easily get 60MPG (sometimes more). You can definitely get started biking relatively cheaply if you make smart purchases.

Wossack

not allowed on motorways for at least 6 months, and budget a bit tight for something to do what you're asking of it

the car just makes more sense tbh - mondeo or the like

inchiuvatu

daveyjoe wrote: »

Really? This seems a bit excessive for getting started.

Start as you mean to continue..

If this is going to be a daily commute and not just a weekend spins for the laugh then i dont think there should be any compromise in saftety gear. i know your saying the german stuff is alright, but i wouldn't fancy "alright" between me and the tarmac at 70mhp.

Cuddlesworth

Would be much cheaper to buy a junker car for 1-2k with close to two years NCT, run it into the ground, scrap it and then buy another. Although you can get good mpg, consumable parts like tyres, sprockets, brakes and chains wear out much quicker. Even good gear becomes run down through constant daily use. The bike becomes useless when there is snow and ice, winter requires extra layers and gear to keep warm. And high mileage bikes become worthless as well, nobody wants to touch them.

IMO not a good idea for that length of a commute on motorway if price is the main consideration.

Del2005

daveyjoe wrote: »

Really? This seems a bit excessive for getting started. Aldi and Lidl do biker gear from time to time and honestly they are decent quality and fantastic value (don't get a cheap flip-up lid helmet though, they are nearly always crap). I paid €140 for my helmet but I picked up a spare for €35 from Lidl and it really is very comfortable, they are very safe too, German safety standards for this gear is very high. I would look online for a nice leather jacket with some protection, I paid about €200 for a good one but there is decent stuff available around the €100 mark. I picked up a great pair of jeans that have removable knee protectors online, I think they came to something like €40 including shipping. My point is that you can do it for a lot less than €800 without skimping on safety.

Unless I'm the 1st person into Aldi or Lidl I wouldn't touch their helmets as most customers don't realise how delicate motorcycle helmets are and I doubt the staff are much better. The rest of their gear is OK.

The problem with buying protective gear online is the risk of fakes, especially on Ebay, or the sizes being wrong and you'll loose any saving posting it back.

If you drop into Cotters he has good deals and is open to haggling.

daveyjoe

inchiuvatu wrote: »

Start as you mean to continue..

If this is going to be a daily commute and not just a weekend spins for the laugh then i dont think there should be any compromise in saftety gear. i know your saying the german stuff is alright, but i wouldn't fancy "alright" between me and the tarmac at 70mhp.

I didn't say that they were "alright", I said that they were "very safe" and I stand by that. The spare helmet that I got for €35 is certified ECE 22-05. That's a serious standard with thorough testing, it means it can be used in MotoGP! I would argue that you're not skimping on safety, you're skimping on style, features and possibly comfort.

I agree with everything else you say though, you definitely shouldn't skimp on safety gear when you're commuting daily.

Alkers

But the problem with the aldi or lidl helmets is the abuse they get before you buy it. They're probably shipped over in a container full of god knows what, thrown around the place by staff and then countless customers testing them out in store. At least buying from a bike store you know the helmets will be looked after before you buy it.

daveyjoe

Simona1986 wrote: »

But the problem with the aldi or lidl helmets is the abuse they get before you buy it. They're probably shipped over in a container full of god knows what, thrown around the place by staff and then countless customers testing them out in store. At least buying from a bike store you know the helmets will be looked after before you buy it.

That's a fair point.

BlackWizard

You don't know how those Helmets in the bike store were treated before they got to the store either. In face I'd trust Lidl transport before anyone else's. It's all modernised and high tech. Stuff is offloaded/loaded calmly and in a secure fashion onto large HGVs. Where as small stores only deal with small trucks with pallets of goods possibly being knocked about the truck and then quickly off loaded in what ever fashion the delivery driver feels like.

The biggest issue is people trying them on and dropping them etc. Go for ones that were not previously opened. I ended up taking one from the middle of the stack and it's very obvious if someone has tampered with it.

cantdecide

BlackWizard wrote: »

You don't know how those Helmets in the bike store were treated before they got to the store either. In face I'd trust Lidl transport before anyone else's. It's all modernised and high tech. Stuff is offloaded/loaded calmly and in a secure fashion onto large HGVs. Where as small stores only deal with small trucks with pallets of goods possibly being knocked about the truck and then quickly off loaded in what ever fashion the delivery driver feels like.

+1000

Worked in stores and warehousing for years. The emphasis is on throughflow and a few damages are par for the course.

I would definitely trust Lidl/ aldi do be more professional than your average white-van-man courier.

paulieeye

If you have never being on a bike before definatley get lessons. Take care of those bad habits before they even exist! Would be a good place to see if u like it as well. ISM have bikes that you can use (250 marauders i think) or bring your own.

edit: Just looked up this IBT. Never even knew that was introduced. Sounds like a good idea but bit on the schteep side