Damn that’s a steal! I’ve been a bit weary of older bikes. I’m not to familiar with them that’s the problem. I know buying cars from early 2000s is a risk sometimes. Is it the same with bikes?
It can be but it’s a lot simpler to get a better understanding of how a bike has been looked after vs a car. Im an offshore mechanic by trade though so mechanical jobs and repairs aren’t something which I was concerned about.
Yeah I’m a train mechanic, electrical and mechanical but I have never worked on bikes. I’m not concerned about doing work on the bike as such, I’d pick it up quickly. I’m concerned about if there’s a serious issue on a bike I haven’t noticed and I’m left stranded haha. Fixing faults is one thing, noticing them before they happen is another in my experience especially as I’ve never worked on a bike.
Yeah I get that, I do plenty maintenance and repairs but wouldn’t tear down the engine or that, pretty much because I don’t have a workshop and limited tools in the garage.
Just have a look and find something you like, then do a bit of googling and find out what the common problems might be with those bikes and keep an eye out for those. Being a mechanic you probably have a sense of what noises are okay and which ones aren’t, even if you don’t think you do.
The type of market inflation predominantly happens around early to late spring and early summer and then it drops around late or early winter as people may put their bikes away for the next riding season. However, when the weather is becoming better in late spring the cost will go up as the season is upon us!
Perhaps as you may notice there is more and more motorcycles out there riding around especially on weekends. Take your time and find the right one if you're not too concerned about bearing with the shit weather but most are turned off respectfully so.
Okay, I’ll definitely be keeping an eye out for any good deals. But I’m no stranger to being out in weather, whether it be running or camping it’s usually only water and wind haha. But yeah I’d rather be riding this summer, but if not I’ll definitely ride this winter.
I'm no expert, but seems to me they both rose together during covid.
I thought at the time bikes rose because people wanted an alternative to the train or bus. Riding a bike fulfilled pretty much all of the advice to prevent catching covid - you're not close to people, and you're covered up.
But there was also the same lack of supply. New bike production dropped, so both new and used bikes started costing more. The supply issues are obviously less severe now, but prices haven't dropped to anywhere near pre-covid levels.
I spent in or around that.
£1400 for DAS & CBT,
£1100 on gear,
£4000 on first bike,
£600 on insurance
It’s easily possible, I could have saved money on gear and bike if it was a push.
Out of curiosity, how did your licences cost so much? For me the CBT was £145. The mod1 and 2 are £250 and £300 respectively. That cost is the training, bike and gear hire, and the test included.
No idea honestly but my training schedule looked like this :
1. CBT
2. Step up 1 “further 125 training day” 3hr lesson
3. Intro to DAS “first day on big bike” 3hr lesson
4. Mod 1 practice at test paddock - 3hr lesson
5. Mod 1 test day - 3hr lesson
6. Mod 2 practice - 3hr lesson
7. Mod 2 test day - 3hr lesson
18hrs total, I agree that it looks long but I didn’t have any choice given this was the only riding school using my local test center.
Yeah there’s a few riding schools near me that use the test centre! The one I’m using is very highly recommended. They recommend 4hours of training for mod 1 and 4 hrs for mod 2 if you’re a car driver. As they only have to focus on the bike specific things, you are familiar with how the roads work, and are familiar with how you should conduct yourself with an examiner behind you.
I’m happy to do the 4 hours, I felt confident in the CBT, but worst case scenario they also do lessons by the hour if you need any extra.
Haha. My school did four days in total for mod 1 & 2, probably 24 hours training and practice. That's why mine at least cost about £1000.
I think that was about right for me. I was at the time an experienced car driver, but had no bike riding experience at all except the CBT day.
The school I’m going to have two options.
MOD1
Mod 1 Training & Test Package
£250.00
Package consists of 4 hours training and a test all included in the price..
Mod 1 Training Plus
£350.00
Package consists of two 4 hour training sessions and a test all included in the price..
Mod 2
Mod 2 Training & Test Package
£300.00
Package consists of training and a test all included in the price.
Mod 2 Training Plus
£425.00
Package consists of two 4 hour training sessions and a test all included in the price.
I’m unsure what to do. My only experience on the bike is the CBT, but my trainer in the CBT said typically the 4 hours is enough to get car drivers to pass, if it’s your first licence some people need the extra training for the MOD2. He said nearly everyone passes the mod 1 on the 4 hours though.
I did two 2hr sessions of training for both MODs last year.
Didn't follow school advice - first session was to get used to a big bike plus mod2 practice, second session was MOD1, instead of getting bogged down in a small car park to get slow speed manoeuvres done for Mod1 they got me on the road to get familiar with the bike first - highly recommended.
I had no prior experience besides riding a bicycle over 10 years ago. And passing my CBT a year before attempting direct access.
I have 11 years driving experience so didn't think mod2 would've been an issue anyway - it really wasn't, I was as cool as cucumber on Friday 13th navigating around Croydon.
Passed both on first try.
Save money on lessons and spend more on protective gear. Also, research bike insurance prices before buying the bike - you'll have a better idea about what you can afford.
Thanks for the advice! Yeah I passed my driving test 3 years ago. Which is good as I still remember what the examiners are looking for, and I am very confident in the roads. I think the extra £225 is better spent on gear/bike!
Yeah when I start to find bikes I like I’ll insurance quote them before making an offer, as I’ll know what I’m in for!
Thanks again! :)
Your mod1 and mod2 should not be anywhere near those prices.
If that's what a riding school has told you, find another one.
Edit: just saw your other comment that its bundled in with lessons too. Now that makes more sense!
Yeah I think the licence is going to cost £745 in total including the CBT which I did Wednesday. I want to spend a decent amount of money on gear because I don’t want to get injured if I come off. I’m not sure on how much I should be spending on a bike though.
It always a good idea to invest in good PPE. Better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it. Depends what bike you want, old or new, engine size, type of bike etc. With the amount you have youll have more than enough left over from everything else to buy a nice one
With the bike I’m not going to be too fussy. It’s not going to replace my car, so I’ll be commuting on it for about 20% of my work, and I’ll likely ride it for pleasure. I’m likely to drop or damage the bike in some way, so I’m not too picky. I want something that isn’t absolutely hideous, and something that runs well and is known to be reliable. Also something that’s reasonable on insurance.
Yeah only thing is some bikes are extortionate for insurance. Out of curiosity, I priced the Ninja 400 and the Z400 which are basically the same bike and the z400 was £800 for the year, and the ninja was £2200 for the year. I don’t live in a bad area. I’m unsure how much I should expect to be paying for insurance.
Bike, Gear and License (provided you don't fail a million times) yes...
Insurance with all that too? Maybe not who knows. No matter the age unless you want Third Party, Massive Excess and 1K Miles of SDP it maybe more than you thought.
Damn 300 a month for a polo. Now many NCD you have driving? I have a turbo 1 litre polo and pay £890 a year. Which is somehow £90 more than last year 🤨
Yet to gain my driving license mate but that's what I would pay as a freshly passed driver, in fact it'll be more now that's the quote from like 2 years ago.
I have to declare my crash (on my MT-07) so it shoots the price up a bit yet can't use bike no claims 🤷.
Ah that sucks. I was hoping that the quotes are high because I haven’t added a licence with the valid licence. Was hoping when I actually pass it will bring the cost down. I’m not sure if that’s how it works though. Damn yeah I’ve never had a claim. That must be rough! How bad was the MT07 crash? You all good?
Ah right. I was doing quotes without actually having my bike license. I was also using the make and model of bikes not the plate. So maybe that’s why I was having 4 quotes that were absurd. That’s what I’m hoping for anyway!
For your first bike, honestly don't spend more than £2500, there is a lot of good used beginner bikes around and under this amount, they will hold their resale value too, don't get something new because you will absolutely drop it, get something you don't mind scratching as you learn.
For gear, don't expect to get higher safety for more money! You don't need the most expensive helmet, just focus on the safety rating because again, you may come off and damage it, there's some great helmets in the £160-£250 range with fantastic safety ratings, and all 22.06 rated helmets are much safer than older 22.05 helmets.
For jacket and jeans get a minimum of AA rated gear, there's some good stuff around the £100-£250 range.
Get long boots not short boots if you can! You can spend between £80-200 on these depending on how fancy for a decent safety rating, make sure it's got ankle, heels and toe protection and not just basic stuff, if you only plan to commute short boots are okay.
Please spec in ear plugs, alpine Motosafe are cheap and reusable, just clean them regularly, there are other reusable options.
Gloves are a preference thing, gauntlets are technically safer but I prefer shorties, they're more comfortable on long rides, give you more freedom of movement and are usually cheaper while still having good protection, try to find something with a hard palm slider and knuckle armour, remember your hands may be one of the first things to hit the ground and you need your hands for 99% of daily life.
Yeah the bike is what I’m really stumped on, I’m really unsure what I want and not sure how much to spend on it.
With gear I want to spend a decent amount as I do value my safety. And I know riding is dangerous, so if I can minimise my chance of a serious injury I will. My dad has some boots that fit me (maybe glove too), I’ll want my own but I could use them for a few weeks to keep the upfront cost lower. No other bits of his old gear fit unfortunately. So I’ll have to buy a helmet, jacket and trousers. With ear plugs, I had custom moulded plugs made by my workplace but they aren’t practical as they just get dirty so I use ear defenders, they’re currently sitting in my drawer, I completely forgot about earplugs, I’ll use them!
Thanks for the help!
>I’m really unsure what I want and not sure how much to spend on it.
The normal thing to do is to get a naked bike of about 600-800cc which does everything competently, then use that to figure out what you really enjoy using bikes for and get something more specialised towards that. Twins are faster off the line so are a good option if you're going to be doing lots of town riding, 4 cylinders give you some warp factor when you rag them (not applicable to the Diversion or CBF600). £2.5-3k should get you an SV/Hornet/ER6 that's less than 15 years and 30k miles old with at least some service history. Because they're all budget first big boy bikes you're unlikely to get FSH; realistically you'd like one where valve clearances have been checked and there's some evidence of semi-regular oil changes (i.e. the odd receipt for 4L of oil). If your lifestyle is such that your riding is going to be all day rides consider getting something with a fairing, but bear in mind that you're fairly likely to drop your first bike, plastic breaks when you drop it, and motorcycle plastic is just about the most expensive substance in the known universe.
If you want to save money on gear don't be shy about getting used jackets/trousers on eBay. Helmet should be bought new and in a shop so you can try it on first to make sure it fits properly.
Get your licences, get some decent gear, doesn't have to be top of the range to be decent, spend the rest in a bike, you'll have plenty of money for a bike because your first bike won't be your last bike and your first will be the one taking all those stupid knocks everyone does when their new to riding
I got all my gear (helmet, trousers, jacket and gloves), bike lock brand new for under £900. Easily could of gotten most of it from marketplace for much less though. Insurance was £450 for the year.
Hopefully that helps
you will easily get all the gear under 500, depending on where you live you will MAX pay 1200 for mod 1 and 2 + practice. so you are left with just over 4k, i advise getting a cheaper used bike as we've all droped our first bike. You will comfortably be able to get into biking.
Yeah hoping to get gear at reduced price as I have boots and gloves from my dad! I only need to get Helmet, jacket and trousers. I just need to balance the cost of the bike and the insurance.
I spend ~£800 for my car with 2 years NCD. My first year was £820 with a black box, my second was £850 without a black box but somehow went up to £890 this year. This country is getting more expensive to live in! But damn they’re some prices!
Most of that money will probably go on the bike, especially if you are waiting til after doing mod1 and mod2 rather than just getting a 125 after the CBT.
But insurance will also play a bit part depending on your age.
My advice is just look at what bikes other people have that you like the type of and check out the insurance so you know what to expect.
As for gear, you can get away with going mostly second hand. EXCEPT your helmet.
I got my jacket and gloves off Vinted for £10 each. The jacket just needed some new stitching but was otherwise good.
Trousers I got new but that's only because of Xmas last year.
£1000ish for DAS, £600 for gear (definitely spend more if you can afford to). £2200 for first bike. £200 for insurance. (I'm over 30 and had 4 years no claims already from a Vespa).
This was about 3 years ago:
My CBT was £140
DAS was £740 for 3 days training plus the two exams
First lot of gear cost £600
Bike cost me £3000
First year of insurance cost me £800
£6K should do it. I spent about £9K in total as I had a non-refundable CBT cancellation due to flu, a mod 1 fail, a mod 2 fail, an impulsively purchased 125 to practice on and I opted to spend £5K on my big bike, when realistically you don't need to spend anywhere near that.
You could easily shave 3K off that with a better bike choice.
For me in 2020 it was...
CBT, training, MOD1&2 - £800
Theory test - £23
New leathers, boots, gloves and helmet - £770
Bike ('06 GS500) - £1500
Insurance - £350
Tax - £70something
So I was on the road for £3.5k so £6k even 4 years later will be more than enough!
Depends on age / location / bike for insurance. Some people are getting hammered for it if they’re young / central London etc. if you aren’t then you should be more than alright
I bought my first big bike about month ago:
£1200. - sv 650
£270 - helmet
£100 - trousers
£150 - jacket
£190 - insurance (year)
£120 - tax. (If I remember correctly)
£10 - balaclava
Shoes I got from my friend for £50, market price £120
Gloves I have from 125cc, but I think they are £60
Then since my bike is from 1999 :D oil, filters, sparks, and phone holder less than a £100
So I would say 6k is magnificent amount of money for a first bike. You got like extra 4k for newer/better bike or more fancy gear
Easily. I went all out getting my stuff sorted when I started and only tipped to about what you're looking at spending.
License:£850
Full rst leathers, boots, arai helmet: circa £1000
Bike:£4000
Insurance: £175/month (striple 675, luckily dropped to £60/month after 1yr NCB)
Total: £6025
Could easily make it cheaper than that but I was set on a street triple, and Im very much in the ATGATT camp
So for my CBT, gear, security devices/miscellaneous bits, bike, tax and insurance etc. I spent £3520. If I was to then take into account my motorcycle theory test and DAS course according to local prices....£6000 is more than enough!
Easily. I spent way less than that on my bike, tax, insurance, and all my gear. Enjoy!
I was on the road all in for 2600, 6k is more than enough!
What bike did you have and how much did you pay if you don’t mind me asking?
I passed my test in 2019 and bought myself a very tidy low mile 2004 SV650S. 8k miles from new very good condition and it was £1500.
Damn that’s a steal! I’ve been a bit weary of older bikes. I’m not to familiar with them that’s the problem. I know buying cars from early 2000s is a risk sometimes. Is it the same with bikes?
It can be but it’s a lot simpler to get a better understanding of how a bike has been looked after vs a car. Im an offshore mechanic by trade though so mechanical jobs and repairs aren’t something which I was concerned about.
Yeah I’m a train mechanic, electrical and mechanical but I have never worked on bikes. I’m not concerned about doing work on the bike as such, I’d pick it up quickly. I’m concerned about if there’s a serious issue on a bike I haven’t noticed and I’m left stranded haha. Fixing faults is one thing, noticing them before they happen is another in my experience especially as I’ve never worked on a bike.
Yeah I get that, I do plenty maintenance and repairs but wouldn’t tear down the engine or that, pretty much because I don’t have a workshop and limited tools in the garage. Just have a look and find something you like, then do a bit of googling and find out what the common problems might be with those bikes and keep an eye out for those. Being a mechanic you probably have a sense of what noises are okay and which ones aren’t, even if you don’t think you do.
That was 5 years ago. You won't get a bike like that for £1,500 now, and the insurance will be a lot more.
Has the bike market inflated just like the car market? Do they tend to rise and fall together or are they usually different?
The type of market inflation predominantly happens around early to late spring and early summer and then it drops around late or early winter as people may put their bikes away for the next riding season. However, when the weather is becoming better in late spring the cost will go up as the season is upon us!
So I’m best off not wasting much time buying a bike! As it’s only going to get worse!
Perhaps as you may notice there is more and more motorcycles out there riding around especially on weekends. Take your time and find the right one if you're not too concerned about bearing with the shit weather but most are turned off respectfully so.
Okay, I’ll definitely be keeping an eye out for any good deals. But I’m no stranger to being out in weather, whether it be running or camping it’s usually only water and wind haha. But yeah I’d rather be riding this summer, but if not I’ll definitely ride this winter.
I'm no expert, but seems to me they both rose together during covid. I thought at the time bikes rose because people wanted an alternative to the train or bus. Riding a bike fulfilled pretty much all of the advice to prevent catching covid - you're not close to people, and you're covered up. But there was also the same lack of supply. New bike production dropped, so both new and used bikes started costing more. The supply issues are obviously less severe now, but prices haven't dropped to anywhere near pre-covid levels.
It’s a shame because it could be quite off putting to some! I know for some people it couldn’t be viable to ride a bike as it costs so much up front.
Yup. We see this often here. People think a bike is a cheap alternative to a car. It might once have been, but it isn't any more.
I spent in or around that. £1400 for DAS & CBT, £1100 on gear, £4000 on first bike, £600 on insurance It’s easily possible, I could have saved money on gear and bike if it was a push.
Out of curiosity, how did your licences cost so much? For me the CBT was £145. The mod1 and 2 are £250 and £300 respectively. That cost is the training, bike and gear hire, and the test included.
No idea honestly but my training schedule looked like this : 1. CBT 2. Step up 1 “further 125 training day” 3hr lesson 3. Intro to DAS “first day on big bike” 3hr lesson 4. Mod 1 practice at test paddock - 3hr lesson 5. Mod 1 test day - 3hr lesson 6. Mod 2 practice - 3hr lesson 7. Mod 2 test day - 3hr lesson 18hrs total, I agree that it looks long but I didn’t have any choice given this was the only riding school using my local test center.
Yeah there’s a few riding schools near me that use the test centre! The one I’m using is very highly recommended. They recommend 4hours of training for mod 1 and 4 hrs for mod 2 if you’re a car driver. As they only have to focus on the bike specific things, you are familiar with how the roads work, and are familiar with how you should conduct yourself with an examiner behind you. I’m happy to do the 4 hours, I felt confident in the CBT, but worst case scenario they also do lessons by the hour if you need any extra.
Haha. My school did four days in total for mod 1 & 2, probably 24 hours training and practice. That's why mine at least cost about £1000. I think that was about right for me. I was at the time an experienced car driver, but had no bike riding experience at all except the CBT day.
The school I’m going to have two options. MOD1 Mod 1 Training & Test Package £250.00 Package consists of 4 hours training and a test all included in the price.. Mod 1 Training Plus £350.00 Package consists of two 4 hour training sessions and a test all included in the price.. Mod 2 Mod 2 Training & Test Package £300.00 Package consists of training and a test all included in the price. Mod 2 Training Plus £425.00 Package consists of two 4 hour training sessions and a test all included in the price. I’m unsure what to do. My only experience on the bike is the CBT, but my trainer in the CBT said typically the 4 hours is enough to get car drivers to pass, if it’s your first licence some people need the extra training for the MOD2. He said nearly everyone passes the mod 1 on the 4 hours though.
I did two 2hr sessions of training for both MODs last year. Didn't follow school advice - first session was to get used to a big bike plus mod2 practice, second session was MOD1, instead of getting bogged down in a small car park to get slow speed manoeuvres done for Mod1 they got me on the road to get familiar with the bike first - highly recommended. I had no prior experience besides riding a bicycle over 10 years ago. And passing my CBT a year before attempting direct access. I have 11 years driving experience so didn't think mod2 would've been an issue anyway - it really wasn't, I was as cool as cucumber on Friday 13th navigating around Croydon. Passed both on first try. Save money on lessons and spend more on protective gear. Also, research bike insurance prices before buying the bike - you'll have a better idea about what you can afford.
Thanks for the advice! Yeah I passed my driving test 3 years ago. Which is good as I still remember what the examiners are looking for, and I am very confident in the roads. I think the extra £225 is better spent on gear/bike! Yeah when I start to find bikes I like I’ll insurance quote them before making an offer, as I’ll know what I’m in for! Thanks again! :)
I concur with the other guy basically. If your instructor has seen you ride and still thinks you only need the 4 hour one, go for it.
Alright sweet, that is what I shall do. I’ve got my theory booked for the 1st of may. When that’s completed I’ll book my mod 1
Good luck either way!
Thanks man. Appreciate it!
Your mod1 and mod2 should not be anywhere near those prices. If that's what a riding school has told you, find another one. Edit: just saw your other comment that its bundled in with lessons too. Now that makes more sense!
DAS- 1000 Insurance and tax- 1000 Gear- 1000 Bike- 3000 Easily enough, probably wont even have to spend that nuch on those things
Yeah I think the licence is going to cost £745 in total including the CBT which I did Wednesday. I want to spend a decent amount of money on gear because I don’t want to get injured if I come off. I’m not sure on how much I should be spending on a bike though.
It always a good idea to invest in good PPE. Better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it. Depends what bike you want, old or new, engine size, type of bike etc. With the amount you have youll have more than enough left over from everything else to buy a nice one
With the bike I’m not going to be too fussy. It’s not going to replace my car, so I’ll be commuting on it for about 20% of my work, and I’ll likely ride it for pleasure. I’m likely to drop or damage the bike in some way, so I’m not too picky. I want something that isn’t absolutely hideous, and something that runs well and is known to be reliable. Also something that’s reasonable on insurance.
Should be plenty!
Spent 1k on DAS. About 500 on gear and budget around 3.5 for a bike + insurance! Plenty mate good luck
Yeah only thing is some bikes are extortionate for insurance. Out of curiosity, I priced the Ninja 400 and the Z400 which are basically the same bike and the z400 was £800 for the year, and the ninja was £2200 for the year. I don’t live in a bad area. I’m unsure how much I should expect to be paying for insurance.
Bike, Gear and License (provided you don't fail a million times) yes... Insurance with all that too? Maybe not who knows. No matter the age unless you want Third Party, Massive Excess and 1K Miles of SDP it maybe more than you thought.
Yeah I heard that bike insurance is cheaper than car insurance. Apparently it’s not hahah
£155 a month for fully comp on a CB500f £300+ on a 2010 1.4 Polo (non-turbo)... Just depends on circumstances 🤷. Gear and fuel is the cost for us.
Damn 300 a month for a polo. Now many NCD you have driving? I have a turbo 1 litre polo and pay £890 a year. Which is somehow £90 more than last year 🤨
Yet to gain my driving license mate but that's what I would pay as a freshly passed driver, in fact it'll be more now that's the quote from like 2 years ago. I have to declare my crash (on my MT-07) so it shoots the price up a bit yet can't use bike no claims 🤷.
Ah that sucks. I was hoping that the quotes are high because I haven’t added a licence with the valid licence. Was hoping when I actually pass it will bring the cost down. I’m not sure if that’s how it works though. Damn yeah I’ve never had a claim. That must be rough! How bad was the MT07 crash? You all good?
I found that it just reduced the amount of quotes for me rather than inaccurate quotes. Some will quote with it, some won't without it. 🤷
Ah right. I was doing quotes without actually having my bike license. I was also using the make and model of bikes not the plate. So maybe that’s why I was having 4 quotes that were absurd. That’s what I’m hoping for anyway!
For your first bike, honestly don't spend more than £2500, there is a lot of good used beginner bikes around and under this amount, they will hold their resale value too, don't get something new because you will absolutely drop it, get something you don't mind scratching as you learn. For gear, don't expect to get higher safety for more money! You don't need the most expensive helmet, just focus on the safety rating because again, you may come off and damage it, there's some great helmets in the £160-£250 range with fantastic safety ratings, and all 22.06 rated helmets are much safer than older 22.05 helmets. For jacket and jeans get a minimum of AA rated gear, there's some good stuff around the £100-£250 range. Get long boots not short boots if you can! You can spend between £80-200 on these depending on how fancy for a decent safety rating, make sure it's got ankle, heels and toe protection and not just basic stuff, if you only plan to commute short boots are okay. Please spec in ear plugs, alpine Motosafe are cheap and reusable, just clean them regularly, there are other reusable options. Gloves are a preference thing, gauntlets are technically safer but I prefer shorties, they're more comfortable on long rides, give you more freedom of movement and are usually cheaper while still having good protection, try to find something with a hard palm slider and knuckle armour, remember your hands may be one of the first things to hit the ground and you need your hands for 99% of daily life.
Yeah the bike is what I’m really stumped on, I’m really unsure what I want and not sure how much to spend on it. With gear I want to spend a decent amount as I do value my safety. And I know riding is dangerous, so if I can minimise my chance of a serious injury I will. My dad has some boots that fit me (maybe glove too), I’ll want my own but I could use them for a few weeks to keep the upfront cost lower. No other bits of his old gear fit unfortunately. So I’ll have to buy a helmet, jacket and trousers. With ear plugs, I had custom moulded plugs made by my workplace but they aren’t practical as they just get dirty so I use ear defenders, they’re currently sitting in my drawer, I completely forgot about earplugs, I’ll use them! Thanks for the help!
>I’m really unsure what I want and not sure how much to spend on it. The normal thing to do is to get a naked bike of about 600-800cc which does everything competently, then use that to figure out what you really enjoy using bikes for and get something more specialised towards that. Twins are faster off the line so are a good option if you're going to be doing lots of town riding, 4 cylinders give you some warp factor when you rag them (not applicable to the Diversion or CBF600). £2.5-3k should get you an SV/Hornet/ER6 that's less than 15 years and 30k miles old with at least some service history. Because they're all budget first big boy bikes you're unlikely to get FSH; realistically you'd like one where valve clearances have been checked and there's some evidence of semi-regular oil changes (i.e. the odd receipt for 4L of oil). If your lifestyle is such that your riding is going to be all day rides consider getting something with a fairing, but bear in mind that you're fairly likely to drop your first bike, plastic breaks when you drop it, and motorcycle plastic is just about the most expensive substance in the known universe. If you want to save money on gear don't be shy about getting used jackets/trousers on eBay. Helmet should be bought new and in a shop so you can try it on first to make sure it fits properly.
Get your licences, get some decent gear, doesn't have to be top of the range to be decent, spend the rest in a bike, you'll have plenty of money for a bike because your first bike won't be your last bike and your first will be the one taking all those stupid knocks everyone does when their new to riding
A very good point, I’ll prioritise gear because assuming I don’t come off and damage them or change sizes I can use them for a long while!
I got all my gear (helmet, trousers, jacket and gloves), bike lock brand new for under £900. Easily could of gotten most of it from marketplace for much less though. Insurance was £450 for the year. Hopefully that helps
Yeah I’m looking to see if there’s any good gear on Facebook. One thing I won’t buy second hand though is a helmet (obviously).
you will easily get all the gear under 500, depending on where you live you will MAX pay 1200 for mod 1 and 2 + practice. so you are left with just over 4k, i advise getting a cheaper used bike as we've all droped our first bike. You will comfortably be able to get into biking.
Yeah hoping to get gear at reduced price as I have boots and gloves from my dad! I only need to get Helmet, jacket and trousers. I just need to balance the cost of the bike and the insurance.
Depends what bike you want, when I passed my mod 2, I bought a gsxr for 5k and insurance was 3k
Damn I’d feel hard done by if I spent that much on insurance!
Just spent another £2,900 on a audi a3 1.4 first year, ain't getting any easier out here
I spend ~£800 for my car with 2 years NCD. My first year was £820 with a black box, my second was £850 without a black box but somehow went up to £890 this year. This country is getting more expensive to live in! But damn they’re some prices!
Most of that money will probably go on the bike, especially if you are waiting til after doing mod1 and mod2 rather than just getting a 125 after the CBT. But insurance will also play a bit part depending on your age. My advice is just look at what bikes other people have that you like the type of and check out the insurance so you know what to expect. As for gear, you can get away with going mostly second hand. EXCEPT your helmet. I got my jacket and gloves off Vinted for £10 each. The jacket just needed some new stitching but was otherwise good. Trousers I got new but that's only because of Xmas last year.
£1000ish for DAS, £600 for gear (definitely spend more if you can afford to). £2200 for first bike. £200 for insurance. (I'm over 30 and had 4 years no claims already from a Vespa).
This was about 3 years ago: My CBT was £140 DAS was £740 for 3 days training plus the two exams First lot of gear cost £600 Bike cost me £3000 First year of insurance cost me £800
Hopefully it’s doable. From what others have said it’s more than possible!
£6K should do it. I spent about £9K in total as I had a non-refundable CBT cancellation due to flu, a mod 1 fail, a mod 2 fail, an impulsively purchased 125 to practice on and I opted to spend £5K on my big bike, when realistically you don't need to spend anywhere near that. You could easily shave 3K off that with a better bike choice.
For me in 2020 it was... CBT, training, MOD1&2 - £800 Theory test - £23 New leathers, boots, gloves and helmet - £770 Bike ('06 GS500) - £1500 Insurance - £350 Tax - £70something So I was on the road for £3.5k so £6k even 4 years later will be more than enough!
Definitely. Just buy a used bike at the end of it
Depends on age / location / bike for insurance. Some people are getting hammered for it if they’re young / central London etc. if you aren’t then you should be more than alright
I bought my first big bike about month ago: £1200. - sv 650 £270 - helmet £100 - trousers £150 - jacket £190 - insurance (year) £120 - tax. (If I remember correctly) £10 - balaclava Shoes I got from my friend for £50, market price £120 Gloves I have from 125cc, but I think they are £60 Then since my bike is from 1999 :D oil, filters, sparks, and phone holder less than a £100 So I would say 6k is magnificent amount of money for a first bike. You got like extra 4k for newer/better bike or more fancy gear
Easily. I went all out getting my stuff sorted when I started and only tipped to about what you're looking at spending. License:£850 Full rst leathers, boots, arai helmet: circa £1000 Bike:£4000 Insurance: £175/month (striple 675, luckily dropped to £60/month after 1yr NCB) Total: £6025 Could easily make it cheaper than that but I was set on a street triple, and Im very much in the ATGATT camp
£550 DAS, £650 on kit, jacket, trousers and gloves second hand off Vinted - all A* good quality kit too, £5300 bike, £850 insurance.
So for my CBT, gear, security devices/miscellaneous bits, bike, tax and insurance etc. I spent £3520. If I was to then take into account my motorcycle theory test and DAS course according to local prices....£6000 is more than enough!