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Looks like my budget probably dictates something battered with a rad paint scheme from the 90s... Any reason to avoid or look for something newer? Getting quotes between £200-700 which is ok at lower end and not too appalling at the top.
Dramatic_Hammer-
You know you want to!!
Also you London based? £700 is pretty steep. Fully comp?I used to run Pilot 4's on the old bike. Took a long time to warm up, so not keen on using them again. Also temperatures here even now hover around 13c at night with only a few days of rain a month, so looking for something a tad stickier.
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If you're in London bike between 1980-2005 (I think) will be caught in the ULEZ.
Like bicycles old bikes will have worn parts, and a lot depends on how they have been looked after. A lot of stuff on a motorcycle is fairly simple and DIY, so you can fix things, but parts are much more expensive. For eg if you had to replace tyres and discs you could be looking at +£500 pretty quickly. Not to say there's anything wrong with with that, but a just budget for it.
Stick to the most common Jap bikes, so you have a wide range of new, 2nd hand, and clone parts. It's a pain having an uncommon bike where say the fork seals cost £100 a pop and their only available from a. Distributor
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Chak
hugo7
Insurance is your biggest cost when starting out, gather a group of bikes you think you might like, get actual registrations and then spend a day putting them though insurance quotes. You'll have an answer after that, if your in the se, prepare for big £££
I think right now we have it very easy with a choice of solid bikes from 80s till recent, Mid size jap 4 banger with or without Fairings and good enough reliability can be had for £500-1500.
All the money in the world I don't think anyone should spend more than £1500 on a first bike (of any size). Your going to drop it, crash it, have it reversed over by a van or range rover, or just forgot to look after the drive chain. Having a cheaper bike your mote likely to go out in the rain, in the salt and really use it, because your not gonna cry when the triumph sticker peels off the engine casing*
*there is a lengthy thread on some bike forum about a guy who tried to submit a warranty claim for a 2 year old triumph that "sticker is peeling off". somehow I think that guy would never get a peg down.
Edit. If your buy anything used, unless it's already got recent decent tyres on it, put some new quality rubber on it.