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I stuck with my 100cc for a little while after passing the test. Just to spend the money on some better riding equipment and save up a bit. It's all pretty personal but I've never had a bike I didn't love regardless of price.
I once bought a TZR250 for £200 from a crack den in Battersea on christmas eve! Rode that up and down my street all day christmas day :) Went on to become 3 TZR's just to keep me supplied in parts. Most of my biker friends seem to go through 2 bikes a season, or at least 1 new one. I've had the same one for 16 years so I guess I'm lucky to have found something that suits me.
One thing about bigger bikes is all the bills are bigger, in some cases much bigger. I think it's also pretty serious if you get caught doing any silly shit when you've only just got your licence, and then the insurance is crippling. I like the 300cc class at the moment, enough power for motorways but light and smaller bills.
Airhead-
Crack den? Hmmm... well I’m in Swindon so there should be a surplus.
From the camera/longboard/bicycle obsessions it’s easy to understand how people would get buy and sell syndrome, and have a different bike every opportunity. Kind of trying to outgrow that though.
The cost is certainly a big blocker for me. When the trainer guy said he gets 30/40/50 mpg out of xyz if he’s being good, I’m pretty sure you can get that from most modern efficient cars. Suppose it’s not a fair comparison, a little hatchback to a litre bike. And yup, I have the fear it’s not just that running cost, it’s parts, tax and insurance. Something up to 400cc would be nice though.
The GN’s original rating was something like 87.5mph/2.7L per 100km. I’m certain I’ve been getting better than that, 100mpg at least. Makes cheap chilled touring seem doable.
Tax £20, insurance around £160 one-off including some add-ons. Bike £625, plus parts/maintenance which have probably pushed it closer to £800 to get reliable, and then a small chunk on top like the windscreen or whatever.
Short of a Lexmoto, I’ve struggled to find a single 125 for less than a grand on gumtree/ebay/autotrader/facebook. Almost guaranteed to need that £2-300 on top to get roadworthy whenever listed below £1500. For sure I want to find my crackden bike, but that may or may not happen in the future.
I’d said to myself if I can keep the total cost under a grand, then I can’t be too upset.
Still kinda want a litre biek tho.
pdlouche
For sure! The bike running a Cheng Shin/Sava tyre combo lowers my confidence after years of riding fancier brands on road bikes, but then on the bmx Cheng Shin’s take some doing to lose traction. Taking no chances regardless, but certainly even more cautious than if I had some fancier winter-proof options. Tyre upgrade may come once I decide how long I keep the bike for*.
I doubt I’ll be hitting London til springtime, but for sure it’s an issue here in Wiltshire as well. I noticed thanks to the overnight rain and slow-to-evaporate damp roads lots of diesel patches. That wiggle outside the Shell garage was more than enough for a warning.
*Really stuck whether I can even afford to upgrade by the time I get the full unrestricted license. Probably I lose a little money on the resale, but gotta decide what’s best overall. Really do fancy a 125cc tour of Europe, but worried it might get frustrating after a taste of bigger bikes. MOT in March - not sure I want to invest too much more until I know if it will pass. 12month MOT is a lot more saleable than 1 month or fail, regardless of tyre choice. 12 month MOT and fancy tyres will be necessary before a tour of any kind.
...I’d love to have the money to keep this as well as have a ‘proper’ bike for serious riding. Would gladly strip it back to make a little cafe racer.