NEW BIKER

Ok I know ive left it late Im 37 .

I have an issue im sure some of you can help me with.

Im 37 6 foot 3 and have a niggling lower back problem.

Here is the problem , I have been looking at a bike to buy (my first) I
have looked at the CBR600RR and the YAMAHA R6 as mates have these ,
However they are both 5 foot and a bit , I thinkthese bikes are a bit
small . And require leaning over to reach the throttle etc.

SO i need something that doesnt require me to lean quiet as much. I am a
lover of the style of the r6 and cbr however and dont really want to go
down the route of a lean back harley etc. The kawasaki ZZR looks a litle
easier on the back .

Any recomendations chaps .I intend to ride it fairly regularly and as im
a member of the Institute of Advancd motorists , I plan to add my
advanced bike test to my advanced car test.


Thanks in advance

Ken (mid life crises comes early to whitley bay)

 

Sorry mate UKRM doesn't do surgery of that sort.

these bikes are also rather focussed on racing as opposed to everyday
use, the CBR600RR is an ikle thing which is fantastic at everything and
will quite happily do everything at 100mph and maintain an excrutiating
level of discomfort whilst also causing you to lose your licence and
cost a fortune when droppped.

R6 is to Harley what chalk is to cheese. As a first bike I would
recommend an "old" (i.e tatty) bindit or hornet or the like, something
you won't be too fussed about dropping, cos you will drop it.

all the theory in the world isn't going to prepare you for the first
time you lock up your wheels or misjudge a bend. Practice, practice
practice.

at 37 I reckon your past mid life.

--
Martin:
"For a minute there, you bored me to death."
VTR1000 Firestorm
TDR250 http://ukrm.net/BIKES/Yamaha/tdr250.html
martin dot smith nine zero three at ntlworld dot com

 

No worries, but mine's a pint of Young's Special as you're offering.

[snipped]
Triumph Tiger?

I wouldn't be too proud of the IAM membership here

 

Are you planning on buying new or second hand.
If you fancy a modren faired bike but don't want anything with quite as
sporty a riding position as an R6 then have a look at a Yamaha Thundercat.
You can get one for quite a civilised price now and they don't require you
to hunch right over the tank.
I'm over 6ft1 and find them very comfortable.
A ZZR600 would be another bike worth looking at as you say.

--
Alex

Hermes: "We can't afford that! Especially not Zoidberg!"
Zoidberg: "They took away my credit cards!"

www.drzoidberg.co.uk
www.sffh.co.uk
www.ebayfaq.co.uk

 

Play yourself in gently, man. A bike has much more potential to get
you into trouble than a car.

I'd suggest a Bandit - Suzuki GSF600N to start with, maybe a 1200 if
you feel particularly confident. Easy on the back, cheap to buy,
plenty of room for tall blokes - or, as suggested elsewhere, one of
the big trail bikes such as the Triumph Tiger.

 

I quite like the bandit , Im not a nutter and I know a bike can get u
into trouble a lot easier than a car. My racing around days are behind
me (Ive rolled a car before that was scary enough). All my mates have
bikes and its time i got one. I appreciate the advice and I dont want to
get a bike thats gonna end up putting me in hospital the first time i
get on (and fall off). Where i love to get a gsxr1000 and fly around at
crazy speeds , Im not dumb enough to realise with my lack of experience
I really couldnt handle it.

I dont want a trials bike , I ve got a mountian bike if i wanna get
dirty. So my short list so far is the Kawasaki ZZR600 , Suzi Bandit600 ,
Yammi thundercat.

I appreciate the response.

Thanks

Ken

 

And I was just about to recommend a Montesa.

 

magpie was seen penning the following ode to ... whatever:

But you *may* want to have a look at the UKRM FAQ and especially the
section about 'how to post' therein.

Like, at the bottom.

You're welcom

 

37, is that all?
When you get a bit older I'd try an SV650 or 1000. I did, and bought it,
(650) but not the faired one as my reasoning that the wind blast is a better
insurance against gatsos than a fairing would be has so far worked. Mind
you I'd always had unfaired bikes and was only without one for nearly six
whole long years.......
Cheers
DP

 

OH My apologies for any offence .. (im big enough to admit i didnt read
your faq)

ken

 

You don't have to be racing around to get into issues.

The R6 you were looking at is capable of 160mph and 0-60 in 3 odd seconds.
It's more than capable of sticking you in a hedge if you aren't careful

Tiger/V-Strom/RGS aren't full on trails bikes - they're big road bikes with
long travel suspension etc.

If you're thinking new/new'ish, I'd say get a Bandit - the ZZR is out of the
arc now.

You'll probably get the piss taken out of you by your mates though, in which
case get that GSX-R 1000.

 

As long as you remember that absolutely no car you've ever driven will
prepare you for the experience of riding a bike.

You may be an ace driver, but believe me, the learning curve is about to
start again from zero.

 

What he said.

Or possibly a BMW F650.

 

Heh

 

Er, I don't believe you meant to say that!

 

A 'lean back harley' would be the worst possible thing for you back, so it's
a good job you're not interested. If you have back trouble, I'd stay well
clear of race reps, which generally place lots of weight over the front of
the bike, forcing you into a hunched-forward position and playing havoc with
arms, shoulders and back if you're riding at anything like sensible speeds.

For a 'first bike for a while', go for something a few years old, either
without a fairing or with a small 'bikini' fairing. Something like a Bandit
600, Honda Hornet, SV650 or Fazer 600 should suit you nicely, and still have
enough poke to keep up with your mates on the road.

Do a Bikesafe course - 20 quid for a day of observed riding, being tailed by
a fully-marked police bike.

 

haha yeah your right , but Im a geordie my grasp of english isnt as good
as yours !

Ken

 

Good advice. I'm a BAB (Born Again Biker) and also recently bought an SV.
I'm glad to say I've no regrets (though I have only 210 miles on it so far).
The more I ride it the more I love it. Roll on summer (apart from them
pesky flys that stick to my teeth).

 

All good advice received and processed . How about the Triumph SprintRS
995cc. This looks like a decent tourer not too much leaning over the
petrol tank. Plus its going out of production this year so deals to be had.

Where can i find info about the bikesafe course and any other training aids?

cheers everyone very helpfull bunch.

Ken

 

I'd have a Tiger if I had the cash.

www.bikesafe.co.uk at a guess.

Bwahahahaha.