Can you help me choose a bike?

I currently own a Vespa ET4 125cc. Much as I love it for nipping in &
out of traffic in central London, it's a real struggle on the open
road because above about 40mph it really starts to run out of puff.
I've not owned it long, first bike I've had and I have zero no claims
discount on my insurance at the moment. Insurance costs are a worry
because of this and because I park my bike on the street in East
London, a high risk area for theft.

In about a month's time I'll be sitting my DAS test so if I pass I'll
be looking at buying a bigger bike to make life a bit easier on longer
journeys.

A friend of mine suggested that something like a Honda CB500 would be
a good choice for me initially - decent performance but not OTT,
comfy, reliable, economical, easy to ride, etc. Fair enough.

The thing that makes me hesitate is that before I bought a bike I'd
had several cars, all with ABS brakes - and I've come to rely on ABS
to stop me in a straight line without skidding in rain, snow, ice,
etc. From a safety point of view I'd quite like it back. AFAIK the
CB500 isn't available with ABS although the new CBF500 does seem to be
- would that be a good choice?

Or am I being too precious & should I not worry about ABS?

Any thoughts on whether or not the CB500/CBF500 would be a good
choice? Any alternatives I should think about? Are there any
websites that could help me narrow down my choices?

As far as my budget is concerned - haven't decided yet, but money
isn't likely to be a great worry for me.

Very grateful for any advice,
Thanks,
Alan.

 

If you have to rely on ABS on a bike, you'll be dead in a week!

 

On 5 Aug 2004 04:15:49 -0700, (Alan) wrote:

<snip>

Gixxer thou.

 

says...

BMW F650 is available with ABS but apart from that and the above
mentioned CBF600 I can't think of any other small/mid range bikes with
ABS. Are you sure you really need it?

 

You can't drive. There's no reason you should ever be relying regularly on
ABS. You're either braking too late or driving too close to the bloke in
front. In snow you shouldn't even be using the brakes any amount.

 

Doki says...

Bollocks

 

Do elaborate.

 

How you gonna stop if you don't brake. Eh?

 

If you have to rely on ABS brakes in a cage, you're a crap driver!

 

Doki says...

If you need to stop in deep snow locking the front wheels builds up a
wedge of snow in front of the wheels which stops the car faster than ABS
or just engine breaking.

 

"Total bollocks"

 

You're a troll, right?

 

Spot on. Apart from the "breaking" bit, anyway.

It works the same way with dead leaves and even mud-filled gutters and
rural road edges.

 

I drive a lot in snow in a 4WD volvo, with traction control linked to
the ABS system. While I wouldn't say I rely on it, it's certainly
bloody useful.

Nowadays I always fit snow tyres in the winter, but the first time I
was driving solo to the alps (from the UK) I got into a four-wheel
drift on the road up to Tignes. I was most definitely going to hit a
road-sign, so I thought '**** it, why not try the brakes?'. A gentle
application locked and unlocked them, at which point forewrad, rather
than sideways, momentum was restored.

Since then I've often deliberately engaged the ABS simply to get
better traction, or sometimes just for the fun of it

 

Icepick (usb port optional)

 

Does it work with pedestrians?

 

Pip says...

Urm, I was using Timo's car as an example, Yer onna...

 

Hell, yes.

That's why so many modern cars are fitted with cow-catcher spoilers
below the front bumper. They have little to do with downforce or
directing airflow, they are there to catch and retain pedestrians to
aid braking. Three or four grannies on the extreme front edge of the
car provides more downforce than a spoiler, especially at urban speeds
- as I'm sure you can appreciate.

Fitting an "eyebrow" spoiler immediately above the headlights is
recommended, as it greatly reduces the quantity of blood and snot
smearing the windscreen and can help to retain the tartan shopping
trolleys below bonnet level too. A nice sharp edge should be
maintained in order to trim off potentially distracting waving limbs
which would otherwise oscillate annoyingly in the line of sight.

Bull bars can work well too, but are less aesthetically pleasing and
may allow younger downforce weights to gain sufficient purchase to
climb over the bonnet.

 

<LOLLERSKATES>

Would you advocate hitting different sorts of grannies for different weather
conditions?

 

Yep. All good points. Someone around here (Oldbloke, I think it is) has one
for sale. Buy now, and bask in the glory of a bargain well found.

Yes. You are being precious. Practice progressive braking. It may be
blindingly obvious, but if you feel reliant upon ABS to save your skin you
probably need telling. Grab enough front to throw the weight forward, then
grab some more. If you feel it lock, ease off and reapply. If you`re going
to lock the wheels up, it`ll be if you panic-grab at the brakes. Be smooth.
No doubt someone more expert will be along to tell me I`m full of bollocks,
but that philisophy works for me.

Alternatively, buy a 70s Honda. Not much chance of locking the brakes up on
one of those bastards.