T/RGA Posted November 9, 2004 Posted November 9, 2004 Hi, I am very much into cars, never been into bikes. But I've been bitten... I wish to get an unrestricted license & buy a used Yamaha R6. I want to do this yesterday but think it'd be best to wait until early next year to go for the test, get the bike etc. Would I be correct in saying I can go for direct access, do the test in a couple of days (from scratch) and buy the bike... All comments welcome - good or bad. I'm 27, never ridden before :twisted:
N_Tart Posted November 9, 2004 Posted November 9, 2004 Hello I believe you are correct about the training but it would be best to check it with a training school as the rules have changed a lot lately. Insurance will be pretty steep on an R6 though if your a new rider, some places may not even insure you.
T/RGA Posted November 9, 2004 Author Posted November 9, 2004 Good point - I did a couple of insurance checks (online) and it looks as though I could insure an R6 for 700-1000 UK.
Pete Posted November 9, 2004 Posted November 9, 2004 [ ] Bon was The Man! [x] You want a nice Gay Honda you do! [ ] Did I mention that Tym's unstable? [ ] There's no excuse for Suzuki ownership! [ ] You need to embrace the James Dean/Silkolene lifestyle! [ ] That's a girl's bike! [ ] Did I mention that Ren's a Twat? [ ] What's the weather forecast? [ ] What's Argentina got to do with it? [ ] TONY DANZA!
N_Tart Posted November 10, 2004 Posted November 10, 2004 Good point - I did a couple of insurance checks (online) and it looks as though I could insure an R6 for 700-1000 UK. 700-1000uk :shock: Go for it if you can afford it! Will you be looking for new or used? My mate had a '99 model and I bought it of him when he went travelling, the intention was to pass it straight on but I ended up keeping it for 11 months cos I liked it so much! You can pick the early ones up reletively cheap now but watch out cos many of them have been raced!
fazer6 Posted November 10, 2004 Posted November 10, 2004 If you've never ridden before and are going to do your direct access after a couple of days training then you might be better off getting something else and riding that for a bit before going for the R6. I really hate to be the voice of reason but bikes are a lot less forgiving then a car and a misjudged corner could end up being quite serious. Oh and this isn't scrapey again is it?
Pete Posted November 10, 2004 Posted November 10, 2004 If you've never ridden before and are going to do your direct access after a couple of days training then you might be better off getting something else and riding that for a bit before going for the R6. I really hate to be the voice of reason but bikes are a lot less forgiving then a car and a misjudged corner could end up being quite serious. What Claire said....I've just lost the will to keep repeating the same advice over and over again.
T/RGA Posted November 10, 2004 Author Posted November 10, 2004 I understand the voice of reason - but we all know I'll ignore it. That doesnt mean to say I'm not aware of danger, it doesnt mean I'm going to be a wreckless rider. There are risks involved.
R6Babe Posted November 10, 2004 Posted November 10, 2004 u should get a 2000 model, they r the best model of R6 produced! i had one, but it got a icle bit smashed, im on an '02 plate now, still totally love it, R6 is a good bike but u will need to be carefull as a first bike. although it was one of my first bikes, was on a 500cc for a year, am totally happy with R6, is a wicked bike and i will keep mine for a good few years, insurance quotes are good, so if i was you id go for it in april/may time....but u may want to start looking for ur bike in march.....
fazer6 Posted November 10, 2004 Posted November 10, 2004 Please read this account of the result of a new rider on a sports bike http://p196.ezboard.com/ffazerownersfrm6.s...icID=1493.topic Now you want an R6 and it will be your pride and joy right? Well when you first get a bike you're more likely to drop it. You have a lot of expensive plastics to replace on the R6 so I hope you're going fully comp. At the moment it's not perfect sports bike weather, there are more leaves on the road and it's coming up to ice and salt on the road time. Not so perfect time for someone with 4 days riding experience to have a lot of power at the back wheel. Right as a new rider do you need all of the performance that the R6 has to offer? Will you use it to even 50% of its capabilities within the first year? You say you're not going to be reckless but mistakes can happen. Seriously please at least consider getting a cheap hack for over winter to get you used to riding and getting some practice in, then next march buy an R6. If I had been driving for 4 days would you suggest I buy a Nisssan 300ZX (twin turbo version)? Bearing in mind that I'm not used to cars in general let alone the power delivery of the fairlady? Oh and with it being winter and ice and muck on the roads I'll loose the back end a few times. Oh and also not being used to a car, let alone a large car, I'm sure when I park it I will scrape the back and sides and ruin my pride and joy. The R6 is a superb piece of machinery but perhaps a couple of months on a less expensive and more forgiving bike might be better. How impatient would you be if (like in the thread I linked to) you have an accident? I have a friend who had an accident on August bank holiday weekend and has a fixator on his leg and is waiting for a bone graft. Hopefully he will be able to ride again though. What do you want from a bike? What will it be used for? What criteria does it have to fulfill? Sorry for sounding like an old fart and there are lots of people who do cope fine with going straight to a sports bike, but I just don't want you to become a statistic. You'll won't get as much use out of the R6 this winter anyway so isn't it better to have more riding opportunities rather than having an expensive ornament in your garage?
T/RGA Posted November 10, 2004 Author Posted November 10, 2004 I agree with many of your points - I should make it clear that I'm not looking to get the bike until the weather improves next year. So we're talking about May/June time really. I wouldnt consider riding the bike in the Winter to start with. It wont really be my pride and joy so to speak, my car will remain closest to my heart BUT - I would expect a couple of minor scrapes and drops to be part and parcel of new rider/bike experience, I can live with that. The bike will be my ultimate toy What do you want from a bike? Acceleration and liberation What will it be used for? Occasional fun days out (Sunny/Clear weather) What criteria does it have to fulfill? Good looks & performance that I can grow into as my experience increases.
dragon lady Posted November 10, 2004 Posted November 10, 2004 Reading what you want a bike for, you are going to go out there and kill yourself or some one else. If you really want to know how to ride a bike like that I suggest you go and get something you can ride now on your car licence, give it at least 6 months on that then see if you still want to ride. I got back after 30 years of being away from bikes and for the first 3 months i scared the shit out of my self, after riding a cruiser for the last 12 months I now feel ready for something bigger, bikes are not toys they can kill as easy as a car. As you live only 16 miles from me I would be worried if you were riding round here.
Pete Posted November 10, 2004 Posted November 10, 2004 Dragon Lady is OldSchool....and she knows her stuff too. DL...you notice that in your absence from Bikes things have changed a bit? We've gone from a Brotherhood to a Fashion Show. :cry:
T/RGA Posted November 10, 2004 Author Posted November 10, 2004 I dont mean to offend anyone, nor do I wish to give the impression that I will purchase an R6 and then go racing around the roads. Not at all, not in a million years. My reference to the R6 as a toy for myself still stands. I do not need a bike, I do not need a car. I would be purchasing the bike because I want some enjoyment out of it. Put it this way - if you had plenty of money and went out to buy yourself your first car, would you buy a Fiesta or something a little better? I dont legally have to start out with something less 'hostile' because of my age and intended license/test. I'm all too aware of the horrors that can result from accidents/foolishness on the roads today. I do intend to listen and learn as much as I can from experienced riders - both here and through my girlfriends circle of friends (again, experienced riders).
dragon lady Posted November 10, 2004 Posted November 10, 2004 Unmutual is right I am old school in some ways, I like a lot of the new bikes, I like the R6 but I the advantage of my age to tell me it is not a bike to get on as soon as you pass your test, he may end up the best rider on the rode, but it is all the other idiots out there that are the problems, starting on something smaller might do his street cred for a while but it could save his life there are some really smart smaller bikes out there that have speed and exceleration as well,
R6Babe Posted November 10, 2004 Posted November 10, 2004 hey dragon lady, Well ive got an R6 and its my toy, my pride and my joy!! i go out for a blast. i think u have missed out from the 30 yrs u were out of biking, things are very different now as is the training recieved with new riders, the test is much more than riding up and down a road and doing an emergency stop. its now about a 30-40min test including all types of roads and speeds. i ride round guildford with the fellas n we have a good burn out. but we are all aware of the dangers involved in riding...i too am in guildford area
R6Babe Posted November 10, 2004 Posted November 10, 2004 hey dragon lady, Well ive got an R6 and its my toy, my pride and my joy!! i go out for a blast. i think u have missed out from the 30 yrs u were out of biking, things are very different now as is the training recieved with new riders, the test is much more than riding up and down a road and doing an emergency stop. its now about a 30-40min test including all types of roads and speeds. i ride round guildford with the fellas n we have a good burn out. but we are all aware of the dangers involved in riding...i too am in guildford area
N_Tart Posted November 10, 2004 Posted November 10, 2004 Learning how to pass your test is a completely different thing to learning how to ride IMO. All those bloody stupid "life savers" your so busy bloody looking behind you your not taking any notice whats in front!
Pete Posted November 10, 2004 Posted November 10, 2004 It's all fun and games till somebody loses an eye! 8) They'd never have hacked it in the 70's would they DL? Running street battles with Skinheads, Police moving you on everytime you stopped, refused service in cafes and pubs....not to mention the bike funerals you attended on a virtually monthly basis! I miss the Good Old Days! 8)
T/RGA Posted November 10, 2004 Author Posted November 10, 2004 LOL - that would not have been an attraction to me
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