any advice on getting started

blacksmith105

I am looking at the option of getting into motorcycling and a total novice to it .
I work at the airport and live in bray so will be using the m50 on a daily basis
Cant really afford to run a second car as the wife has it for her job and I am on the bus which is also costing me a fortune about 60-70 quid a week
Would consider running a bike
what is the best way of getting a bike and learning how to ride one , was told a 250cc would be ideal or a 650 restricted for the extra weight in rough weather .
What are the best learning schools and should I buy a bike from a dealer or private

Also will my insurance be high . I am 47 make will full no claims on a car but not on a bike , I know I have to get my bike licence before I can go out on my own

Looking for some advice

thanks

eurofoxy

firstly the myth that bike are cheaper is exactly that a myth...

also bikes are not for everyone, as the concentration that is required in the morning time on the M50 is immense and it can be quite daunting to be on such a busy road when you start off..so i would advise that you go do the bit and see how you like it and if its for you then you can invest in the gear etc, as most schools would offer a helmet and clothes etc..

other than that have a look at citizens info.ie they have loads of info about starting off and what you will have to do to get your licence, e.g. theory test, IBt, etc..

if you plan on riding year long then some decent gear will cost you but things like water proof layers for the winter can be gotten cheap in lidl/aldi when they are on sale... most here will be will to give advice about a school in dublin, i don't know of any but expect to pay 450-550 for the ibt alone..

and just like the car insurance in this country is a joke..starting off i was paying a lot but now i have 2 years under my belt and have a factory restricted bike so my insurance is a lot cheaper..depending on the cc of the bike and the type of restriction, they will use some form of magic to create a premium for you..either way you will be surprised how much biking will cost you..

and just to get an idea have a look at quinn directs website and fill in a bike that you like and see how much it is going to cost you to get insurance, then add the lets say 550 for the IBT now add 450 for gear etc, then find a bike/year that you like on adverts.ie and add that to the what we already have.. my bet is it will be a lot more than you thought it would be...i know it was for me..

Please Kill Me

eurofoxy wrote: »

firstly the myth that bike are cheaper is exactly that a myth...

I disagree to an extent mate. My bike tax is €76 for the year, the car is €700. To drive from my home to my work is 53 miles each way, the car costs me €40 per day, the bike costs €28 for TWO days. So it is cheaper. I know when you take the cost of gear/helmets etc, yes the initial outlay is dearer but that's it. And timewise - the car takes me an hour and a half, the bike is 35 minutes. So I'm saving money AND time!

But you are completely right in what you said about the M50 in bad weather, when it's raining heavy, there's a wall of spray that would be very daunting (even scary) for a complete newbie. SO it's something the OP needs to think about.

BlackWizard

Ive been thinking about if it is actually cheaper. I think if you set a budget for gear plus a bike then stick with them for a while it works out a lot cheaper.

But I think what happened to me is that I kinda bought better gear and now I'm on my third bike in the space of a year. Also I have two bikes now. At this stage I think I've spent nearly 4k euro on bikes and gear. I just wanted to use the bike to get me from A to B each day but I got sucked into the other things which come with driving a bike like pleasure and excitement.

If I wanted to save money I should of kept my Varadero 125 and just drove about on that. But now I have a new SV650s which costs more insurance,tax, petrol but a lot more smiles-per-gallon.

If I was starting again I would look for a Varadero 125 and use it until I get a full licence. Then buy older bike like a Bandit and get it restricted.

Roadskill

Also don't forget you will need an alternate route to work as you're not allowed on the motorway with a learner permit.

Please Kill Me

Roadskill wrote: »

Also don't forget you will need an alternate route to work as you're not allowed on the motorway with a learner permit.

Pffft. Never stopped me! How will anyone know with no L-plate up? If you're gonna go the long way round, ya might as well use the car! :rolleyes:

eurofoxy

Please Kill Me wrote: »

I disagree to an extent mate. My bike tax is €76 for the year, the car is €700. To drive from my home to my work is 53 miles each way, the car costs me €40 per day, the bike costs €28 for TWO days. So it is cheaper. I know when you take the cost of gear/helmets etc, yes the initial outlay is dearer but that's it. And timewise - the car takes me an hour and a half, the bike is 35 minutes. So I'm saving money AND time!

thats a good point in fairness, and with the way fuel is going is going to be too expensive to fill de car..but what i was more trying to say is starting off the initial outlay is crazy expensive as the insurance on bikes at the moment is stupid as there are 2 companies who will do new riders and they seem not to want to compete with each other. my insurance on my car a 2011 mini is just shy of 400 for the year, my ninja 250 is almost 1000 even though i have 2 years NCB and a full licence, combine this with IBT etc its far from cheap..

but yeah maybe i am wrong but to be honest i think the difference is so little after everything is considered, and in the end i don't think biking is cheaper.

eurofoxy

Please Kill Me wrote: »

Pffft. Never stopped me! How will anyone know with no L-plate up? If you're gonna go the long way round, ya might as well use the car! :rolleyes:

if you have the balls to ride on the M50 then you should be allowed...but ok this could bring up the stupid insurance crap...

But sure wouldn't they see your yellow tabard............i will be off then....

Demonical

eurofoxy wrote: »

if you have the balls to ride on the M50 then you should be allowed...but ok this could bring up the stupid insurance crap...

But sure wouldn't they see your yellow tabard............i will be off then....

Ive a full licence for 5 years and Im still scared sh**less of the M50 so fair play to any newbie willing to tackle it in rush hour traffic..

pa990

Get a 250cc bike, and get your test passed as soon as you can.

Simples

Please Kill Me

eurofoxy wrote: »

...my insurance on my car a 2011 mini is just shy of 400 for the year, my ninja 250 is almost 1000 even though i have 2 years NCB and a full licence...

Ah, well my car insurance (on a 2 litre Mitsubishi) is €390 fully comp, and TPFT on a 900cc Kawasaki is €276, so again, the bike is cheaper. The joys of being old I suppose!! LOL

eurofoxy wrote: »

But sure wouldn't they see your yellow tabard............i will be off then....

PMSL! Eh, no, not if you don't wear it.

Demonical wrote: »

Ive a full licence for 5 years and Im still scared sh**less of the M50 so fair play to any newbie willing to tackle it in rush hour traffic..

Like anything, you get used to it. I was a bit apprehensive myself at first, but I quite enjoy it now, it's a buzz. :cool:

cgarrad

If your only commuting a large scooter is probably the best, easy to ride and much more weather protection. BUY GOOD BIKE GEAR WITH THE MONEY YOU SAVE!!!

Jumping on a bike to save a few euro is not a good plan unless you are very "road" aware and have GREAT observation of the road ahead.....

That said there is nothing like it ;-D

Please Kill Me

cgarrad wrote: »

BUY GOOD BIKE GEAR WITH THE MONEY YOU SAVE!!!

Can't stress it enough. Drives me mad with clowns buying helmets for €30 to save a few quid, it doesn't make sense!

cgarrad wrote: »

That said there is nothing like it ;-D

Nope, can't be beat man! Best feeling in the world! :cool:

AgileMyth

eurofoxy wrote: »

my insurance on my car a 2011 mini is just shy of 400 for the year, my ninja 250 is almost 1000 even though i have 2 years NCB and a full licence, combine this with IBT etc its far from cheap..

My car (1.4 Fabia) is 880 for the year while the bike (650 GS) is 320. Insurance will differ for everybody based on a lot of things. I'm getting rid of the car because the bike is much cheaper.

Also, how are you spending a grand on insurance? Haven't payed anything like that since I was 16.

blacksmith105

thanks for the advice


So would i be better with a suzuki 250 bandit or a yamaha dragstar

cgarrad

Have a look at these,

http://www.carolenash.com/insidebikes/bike-reviews/yamaha/yp250-majesty/

If it goes well get a manual once confidence has been established ;-)

AgileMyth

blacksmith105 wrote: »

thanks for the advice


So would i be better with a suzuki 250 bandit or a yamaha dragstar

I personally don't think cruiser style bikes are great for learners for a few reasons so I'd say the bandit of those two.

600 Bandit/fazer restricted? Can't see insurance being too much higher than the 250. The benefits of your senior years!

If you're using it purely for commuting the Honda Deuville is ideal though its size and weight might take a while to get used to.

Please Kill Me

AgileMyth wrote: »

I personally don't think cruiser style bikes are great for learners for a few reasons so I'd say the bandit of those two.

600 Bandit/fazer restricted? Can't see insurance being too much higher than the 250. The benefits of your senior years!

If you're using it purely for commuting the Honda Deuville is ideal though its size and weight might take a while to get used to.

Sound advice there. I wouldn't be going for a 250 or 400 Bandit thought, engines are sh!te. Better off (for so many reasons) going with a Hornet or Bandit 600 restricted.

eurofoxy

Please Kill Me wrote: »

Sound advice there. I wouldn't be going for a 250 or 400 Bandit thought, engines are sh!te. Better off (for so many reasons) going with a Hornet or Bandit 600 restricted.

this is good advice, the 250 is great to start off but you will get tired of it fairly soon, getting a restricted 600 is a better investment as when you are finished with your restriction you can get it removed and you now have what will feel like a new bike...

to answer AgileMyth's question my insurance is high as i have a CBR600RR that was not factory restricted, hence the high insurance, my 250 does not cost much i would say less than 350 but the 600 is my everyday bike and it costs a lot more.
there is a big difference in insurance quotes if the bike is factory restricted or not, as in the 2 main companies will not recognise a non factory restriction and will give you a quote based on the cc, whereas if its factory restricted they will give a quote based on the HP.....stupid you say well yes these are the rules that the 2 companies have come up with and when you argue with them well that won't help your cause...
this is what happens when someone like uncle gaybo is given free reign to do as he sees fit and which will eventually lead to all of us looking like traffic cones and riding only when its sunny outside...

carsQhere

@OP - Some info here, here, and here which may help you.

If you're going to do it, do it this year, as it'll be much harder from next year after the third driving license directive kicks in.

tiernanobrien

Im 23 and i can definately say the bike is cheaper than the car. Tax for one, easily serviced at home, petrol is probably much of a muchness - depends if im commuting or havin the craic. Insurance saves me about €1000 per year versus a car (Full car licence for 2 years + 2 years NCB versus bike license 4 years and 4 years NCB) so I don't mind spending on gear.

If you're going the M50 I'd be more inclined to get a 600 restricted. You'll need the power/torque. At your age I doubt the insurance will be too much. The initial setup costs will be alot. Decent restricted bandit or similar maybe 2k, gear about 1k and IBT and other little bits about another 1k. If you're planning on doing the commute for the next few years definately worth it!

Also, I have a hornet 600. If your doing motorway's get a faired hornet/bandit!

RosieJoe

OP, try getting a Factory Restricted bike as it could lower your insurance. Th likes of AON will give you a bigger discount due to it for definite.

The IBT will stand to you in getting you up an running and give you some confidence but you should try getting out and about for short runs to get more confidence.

Get yourself the likes of a Factory Restricted 650 bandit or 600 hornet as the have a more upright seating position giving you a better view of things. This would be far better than a sportsbike or a cruiser. Bigger bike will be less likely to get knocked about by wind. Plus, other road users will be less likely to do silly overtakes on a bigger bike than a smaller one.