Learner/Newbie Sticky **All Learner/newbie/Starter Questions Go here!!****

Richard tea

cullenswood wrote: »

Hi Guys,

Great thread.

Couple of questions from a complete newbie, in his mid thirties, whose only motorbike experience was 13 years ago on a scooter in Crete!

Anyway I commute daily on the bus from Enfield to IFSC. I was thinking of going down the motor bike route as my work has changed and I may now be working hours whereby the timetable might not suit.

How long would this commute roughly take (40km give or take).
I have to wear a suit, how does this work out for bikers. Would I have to change once I get into work, or would my gear be fine over the suit (obviously not the suit jacket)?
My weekly commute costs €30 on the bus. What would petrol be like for a 80km round trip. I wouldn't be going for a massive sized engine, probably a 250 of somesort. I am not thinking of changing to bikes to save money, just time, so I know it would be cheaper to stay on the bus!

Cheers

The commute would roughly take 45 mins ( if you filter )

As regards the suit, I think you will find that its a better option to change in work rather than wear your suit under your protective motorbike gear. Even the best of gear can leak when it rains.

Not sure about the costs of petrol. It Really depends on engine size and so on.

Hotblack Desiato

Rough indication - a litre sports bike would be pretty similar to a family car around town on petrol. A 125 would use half as much, everything else in between. A commute of that distance would be a bit much for a 125 though imho.
On a sporty bike it's easy to spend more on tyres than fuel. A pair of sports bike tyres costs about the same as a full set for a family car and lasts a quarter as long or sometimes less.
Insurance is high especially for beginners (but can go down rapidly with an insurance assessment and a test pass and a year's NCB so aim to get the test in your first year)

Please Kill Me

cullenswood wrote: »

My weekly commute costs €30 on the bus. What would petrol be like for a 80km round trip. I wouldn't be going for a massive sized engine, probably a 250 of somesort. I am not thinking of changing to bikes to save money, just time, so I know it would be cheaper to stay on the bus!

Cheers

Richard tea wrote: »

Not sure about the costs of petrol. It Really depends on engine size and so on.

To give you an indication (maybe) I have a 900cc bike, my commute was 43 miles in, 43 miles out and it cost me €28 every 2 days. Bear in mind the bike (as said) is 900cc and I didn't ride her easy. So on a smaller bike, it'll be a LOT more fuel efficient.

daenerysstormborn3

cullenswood wrote: »

Hi Guys,

Great thread.

Couple of questions from a complete newbie, in his mid thirties, whose only motorbike experience was 13 years ago on a scooter in Crete!

Anyway I commute daily on the bus from Enfield to IFSC. I was thinking of going down the motor bike route as my work has changed and I may now be working hours whereby the timetable might not suit.

How long would this commute roughly take (40km give or take).
I have to wear a suit, how does this work out for bikers. Would I have to change once I get into work, or would my gear be fine over the suit (obviously not the suit jacket)?
My weekly commute costs €30 on the bus. What would petrol be like for a 80km round trip. I wouldn't be going for a massive sized engine, probably a 250 of somesort. I am not thinking of changing to bikes to save money, just time, so I know it would be cheaper to stay on the bus!

Cheers

Like yourself, I work in an office and have to wear a suit or rather formal clothes everyday. I bring my change of clothes in a bag and change in work. Your gear over your work clothes will mean that if you are wearing textiles, by the time you get to work your shirt might be a tad sweaty.

I do 30kms each way everyday and it takes €21 to fill the tank and I fill up every 4 days or so - that's when I'm just going to and from work, obviously I use more petrol otherwise.

I drive a 690 Duke now but I had a CBR250 and it took about €20 to fill the tank and on the same commute, that would last me the whole week and even into the weekend. KTMs tend to eat up petrol in comparison to other bikes - my bf has a Superduke and a gixxer and he has noticed a huge difference in how quickly the Superduke goes through a tank of petrol.

Wossack

twins are generally thirstier then il4's (generally)

Damien_d12

i'm thinking of buying a motorbike and i've had a full car license since 2006 (with M). will i need to redo my theory test to get a learner permit for motorbikes ? and will i then need to do the I.B.T.?

Faith+1

Damien_d12 wrote: »

i'm thinking of buying a motorbike and i've had a full car license since 2006 (with M). will i need to redo my theory test to get a learner permit for motorbikes ? and will i then need to do the I.B.T.?

Yes, You have to start from scratch I'm afraid. Theory, Ibt etc...

Hotblack Desiato

Wossack wrote: »

twins are generally thirstier then il4's (generally)

Usually it's the other way around. Fours have shorter strokes, more valve area, higher redline, all of which are bad for economy but good for higher bhp/litre.

Damien_d12

Faith+1 wrote: »

Yes, You have to start from scratch I'm afraid. Theory, Ibt etc...

I rang the motor tax office in Dublin and it turns out that because my full car driver license was obtained <2007 i do not need to resit the theory test.

Faith+1

Damien_d12 wrote: »

I rang the motor tax office in Dublin and it turns out that because my full car driver license was obtained <2007 i do not need to resit the theory test.

One thing less I suppose!:)

kierank01

Hi, total n00b here, doing my ibt in a couple of weeks, and looking at that bike I might get...

Went into a bike shop, and the guy recommended a cbr600 or a fazer600 factory restricted.

I'm 31 about 6ft, is this the right type of bike for me?
What is a reasonable price for something like this, and how much is it likely to cost to insure?

Roadskill

kierank01 wrote: »

Hi, total n00b here, doing my ibt in a couple of weeks, and looking at that bike I might get...

Went into a bike shop, and the guy recommended a cbr600 or a fazer600 factory restricted.

I'm 31 about 6ft, is this the right type of bike for me?
What is a reasonable price for something like this, and how much is it likely to cost to insure?

Hello and welcome.

I would take time to read through this thread regarding the new licence laws due in January before making any decisions. I think you would be mad to go that route now if you want to be able to have a wider choice of bikes available to you. Like I said have a read and then think about it.;)

kierank01

Hi, forgot to mention that I have just got an A permit, so from what I've read the changes in january will have very little effect on me since I am over 24.

So correct me if im wrong, what it comes down to is what bike is right for my size/age/experience.

I'm looking for a second opinion on the bikes that were recommended. Are there other options?

minidazzler

kierank01 wrote: »

Hi, forgot to mention that I have just got an A permit, so from what I've read the changes in january will have very little effect on me since I am over 24.

So correct me if im wrong, what it comes down to is what bike is right for my size/age/experience.

I'm looking for a second opinion on the bikes that were recommended. Are there other options?

You will have to swap your licence after January 19th then do the 1, 3, 5 set up of IBT and then anything you can afford to insure becomes available to you.

Long story short, you don't HAVE to get anything restricted. I'm not on bikes long enough to suggest one, but know that almost anything is open to you if you go the A LP route and are over 24.

kierank01

But I'll still be restricted for 2 years after I pass my test, yeah?

Faith+1

kierank01 wrote: »

But I'll still be restricted for 2 years after I pass my test, yeah?

If you pass your test before January 19th then Yes. If you apply for the New LP, complete your IBT and pass your test you'll have no restriction.

Canis Lupus

Hey everyone,

I'm thinking of biting the bullet and buying a bike (once I get through lessons/licence etc)and I guess this is a good place to begin with the following questions

Honda CBR250. I was looking at the 125 as I would like to take a sensible approach but I figure the 250 is a better compromise between economy and speed for use on motorways. Are there other bikes I should also consider? (I'm 31, m, 6ft). I imagine my opinion will change in the future but right now I just want a reasonable bike that won't break the bank to run. I'm not really planning on commuting on it but it'll be used some days and mostly on the weekend (I enjoy cycling better for commuting)

2nd hand seems to be the way to go but I don't know what's good/bad mileage on a motorbike How much would you pay for a starting 2nd hand bike?

Gear: How much should I expect to put aside for a reasonable jacket/helmet/gloves?

Are bikes easy to maintain?

EDIT: thanks for any advice

minidazzler

Canis, given your age, you will be waiting until after January 19th anyway and you'll then do your IBT for a provisional A licence which means you can ride anything you want.

As someone who got a 125 to start at the age of 23.... go for a 400 minimum. My Varadero is lovely and I get good speed, but she's like a girlfriend who just lies there. She's gotten boring already for city riding.

As regards gear, how much do you consider your body to be worth? That'll tell you how much to spend. There is a difference between cheap and inexpensive gear. It's alright to buy inexpensive, but not cheap. In particular stay well clear of cheap helmets,

eurofoxy

as above for gear try to get the best you can afford, have a look as fc-moto.de, they ship to ireland no problem,for a helmet go to cotters or somewhere and try on every one they have, pick the right size that fits your head and take it, it will cost more there but they will make sure the size etc is correct, which is more important to someone new who maybe does not know what a helmet should feel like when its on...

as for the bike, my only opinion is find a school that will let you do the ibt on their bike, then when you have your prov licence go try out a few bikes, different styles of bikes require completely different riding positions, sports bikes look good but if you are too tall for the bike you will be bent over and after 1-2 hrs riding you might get sore wrists/back,
As above the varadero is a good bike worth looking into, that or an sv600 something along those lines are good starter bikes, and they can be gotten in good condition with low mileage very very good money...
I started out on a ninja 250 and got bored after about 3-4 months as my confidence grew, i then bought a cbr600 restricted and am now on a gsxr600 also restricted,


and dont worry about asking questions most of went through the circus that is the rsa and testing...

Canis Lupus

Thanks for the input.

Re the lessons, I was planning on doing all the testing on an instructors bike and then checking a few bikes out. Will I really grow out of a 250 quickly? I'm not looking at tearing around, just want a nice looking bike that'll give reasonable performance but won't break the bank to run.

Re the gear, I appreciate the cost vs safety but I was looking at some items and the prices are nuts. Does $=safety or at what point am I paying for branding over substance? Can you recommend some decently priced brands that won't break the bank for helmet and jacket in particular?

thanks.

Please Kill Me

Canis Lupus wrote: »

Thanks for the input.

Re the lessons, I was planning on doing all the testing on an instructors bike and then checking a few bikes out. Will I really grow out of a 250 quickly? I'm not looking at tearing around, just want a nice looking bike that'll give reasonable performance but won't break the bank to run.

Re the gear, I appreciate the cost vs safety but I was looking at some items and the prices are nuts. Does $=safety or at what point am I paying for branding over substance? Can you recommend some decently priced brands that won't break the bank for helmet and jacket in particular?

thanks.

You might not want to hoon around, but I guarantee you WILL get bored of a 125 or 250. A nice Super Four (400cc) is a bulletproof bike, learner friendly and can give you miles of smiles on the twisties. Great commuter bike too.

Re: gear, no point getting brand name stuff starting off, but no point getting useless stuff either. Good value for money, where the items are inexpensive would be something like this:

Helmet: Nitro, AGV, Shark (S900 or something) HJC (IS-16 or similar)
Jackets/Pants: RST are very good. Cant' really think of any others. Buffalo and Swift would be lower than that (IME) wouldn't break the bank and aren't bad.
Gloves: These tend to not be mad money anyway. Spada and Held would be good value for money. Although you can get Alpinestars cheap enough too, you don't have to get their top-of-the-range stuff.
Boots: TCX/Oxtar are good value for money, not bad boots either. There are others, but my mind is blank right now.

You don't have to get top-of-the-range Alpinestars or Richa or Dainese to have safe gear. Most of the entry level stuff is decent enough in fairness. But it's your life, your body - you can't scrimp on safety.

Canis Lupus

Thanks for the advice. Gonna have to mull over what to buy once I have a bit more money saved

Speedy199

Can someone please explain to me real quick about the new laws.

I dont get it. Im a 19 year old student looking to get a bike for college. Have the theory passed but not got the permit yet.

Should i wait for the new laws to settle in or what?

These new A2 licence and A, its all too confusing.

Much thanks for replying

Speedy.

Speedy199

Hi lads whats the story with these new laws?

Im 19 year old student that wanst a bike for college. Whats the story with the new licences lik "A" and "A2"?

Would i get insured on a 600 that was restricted by a dealership not factory.

Thanks
Speedy

bitburger

wait for the A2 at this stage, from my understanding of it you are stuck into that category anyway and the A2 allows for more horsepower than the current A, even if you get the A now and pass your test your getting an A2 for your troubles,

Speedy199

bitburger wrote: »

wait for the A2 at this stage, from my understanding of it you are stuck into that category anyway and the A2 allows for more horsepower than the current A, even if you get the A now and pass your test your getting an A2 for your troubles,

Thank you for the reply.

So if i wait on the A2 i can drive say a 600 restricted 250 or what? IM so confused haha.

Ive the theory passed but will i get the new licence if i wait and not apply for the permit yet?

Speedy199

A2 Licence – Motorcycle less than 35kW, a power/weight ratio not greater than 0.2kW/kg and not derived from a vehicle more than double its power. Two routes (a) Direct access at minimum age 18, you must pass a Theory Test, get a Motorcycle Learner Permit, take Initial Basic Training (IBT) modules 1,2,3 &4 on an A2 type Motorcycle and pass a Motorcycle Driving Test from six months after the start date of the A2 Motorcycle Learner Permit. (b) If rider has an A1 Licence for a period of 2 years then this Licence can be achieved by taking a prescribed Training Course (IBT 5) on an A2 Motorcycle with an ADI, OR by completing a Motorcycle Driving Test on the A2 vehicle after waiting six months.

A Licence – all Motorcycles including those greater than 35kW. The minimum age at which this New Plastic Drivers LicenceLicence can be held is age 20. Two routes- (a) Direct access at age 24, pass a Theory Test, get a Motorcycle Learner Permit take Initial Basic Training (IBT modules 1,3 and 5) and pass a Motorcycle Driving Test. (b) Progressive access at minimum age 20 where the Rider has held an A2 Motorbike Licence for 2 years, then this Licence can be achieved by taking Initial Basic Training (IBT) module 5 on an A2 Motorcycle with an ADI or by sitting a Motorcycle Driving Test.

Please explain this. Im such a noob.

bitburger

as far as i know you cant get the A until you have had a full A2 for 2 years or you are 24, with the A2 you will have to take the ibt and then you will be restricted to driving a bike with a power of 35 kilowatts or less(just under 50 horsepower), if you restrict a bike larger than this it cannot be more than 70 kilowatts

Hotblack Desiato

At your age it's not just what bike you can get on the licence you have, but what bike you can afford to, or will be let, insure.
Get some quotes on 50cc twist-and-go and something like a Varadero 125 for starters.
Most people start out with the bike they can afford, not the bike they want, but it's not a bad way to learn.
Don't forget to budget for protective clothing and helmet (you're looking at at least €500 for the cheapest possible decent head-to-toe protection) and your IBT / training.

Speedy199

ninja900 wrote: »

At your age it's not just what bike you can get on the licence you have, but what bike you can afford to, or will be let, insure.
Get some quotes on 50cc twist-and-go and something like a Varadero 125 for starters.
Most people start out with the bike they can afford, not the bike they want, but it's not a bad way to learn.
Don't forget to budget for protective clothing and helmet (you're looking at at least €500 for the cheapest possible decent head-to-toe protection) and your IBT / training.

Thank you

Would i not get insured on a 250? would they be suitable for learning to drive? Ya my brother said to go for a 600(restricted) but i know id be in idiot on it and wouldnt trust myself.

Time to pick up the phone and ring for a few bikes id say haha

Speedy