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650 Dragstar


jimmy
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Alright folks

The longrunning saga of trying to get my son a decent bike is leading either a virago or dragstar. The question being:-

Has anyone here (UK) bought a Dragstar on a restricted licence and got insurance for said bike. If so what are the general costs

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I haven't but a previous owner of my dragstar had it restricted, so it's certainly doable. It was then de-restricted prior to being sold to me.

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My ex did this.

If I recall, it cost £175 to buy the restrictor kit and have it fitted by an expensive Harley specialist mechanics (she was a complete div).

She was under 21 at the time and it cost maybe £600 to insure FC with Bennets.

A lot of it often depends on age, experience, area you live, security fitted and where it's kept.

Ring around and get some quotes. Also, try the companies' websites - You often get a different quote and can open negotiations by playing that against them, before you even think about telling them how X place offers a cheaper deal, often through the same insurance company - Equity Red Star are a very common one where brokers like Carole Nash and Bennets find different rates from the same place!

I personally found Carole Nash offered unbeatable rates for me - £200 cheaper than anywhere else could even dream of!

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I think its daft having to have a drag restricted. Another 10kg and it would be under the power to weight ratio anyway.

The law says 0.165 ish hp/kg. The drag is just 0.17.

Got to wonder if somebody isnt taking the pi55 somewhere.

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Doesn't the law specifically say 33BHP, regardless of anything else, or is that apocryphal?

It is almost pointless to take a 40BHP down to 33... but if that's the law.

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Doesn't the law specifically say 33BHP, regardless of anything else, or is that apocryphal?

It is almost pointless to take a 40BHP down to 33... but if that's the law.

Lifted this from Direct.gov....

After passing the standard motorcycle practical test, you will be restricted for two years to riding a bike of up to 25 kw and a power/weight ratio not exceeding 0.16 kw/kg. After this you may ride any size of bike.

25kw is 33hp, but that power to weight is almost what the drag makes anyway before its 'restricted'. It makes me wonder if they really get restricted. Who'd know.

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And if you ever dyno the draggie you'll find the 40HP quoted figure is at the crank. 35HP at the wheel.

(Am I to understand that both Mr Taskmeister's ex and current female companions are dragstar girls? Is there some club where you find such women?)

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My draggy came with a certificate to say it was restricted but I have never looked so no idea if it actually is. Seems to go ok so not too bothered about taking them off - and it may be a selling point some time in the future.

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25kw is 33hp, but that power to weight is almost what the drag makes anyway before its 'restricted'. It makes me wonder if they really get restricted. Who'd know.

Cool, thanks for that.

That leads into the next point...

And if you ever dyno the draggie you'll find the 40HP quoted figure is at the crank. 35HP at the wheel.

That would be brand new, out the box though. It loses HP over time. Therefore, if you dyno the bike and prove it's under the 33hp at the appropriate point, you'd be legal to remain unrestricted, right?

Am I to understand that both Mr Taskmeister's ex and current female companions are dragstar girls? Is there some club where you find such women?

Task 'Meister'?

Master, or Maister if you please. Or just Tasky, if ya like ;)

And yes, the ex was a Dragstar Girl. She turned out to be a brainless, childish twat though, with American Biker dreams fuelling her desperately sad Harley aspirations and last I heard she crashed it doing one of the many stupid things she used to. Everything about the bike was wrong from the start and everything about the way she rode was everything I didn't want in myself, as a rider. The last straw was pretty much after she caused my third ever crash (she also caused my first one, the second was a massive diesel spill). After that, she was gone.

However, not all Girlie Drastars are bad - My wife has many years of Dragstar heaven under her belt and is a proper Lady as well. Old school English rose, well mannered, decent values and so many awesome qualities - The best being a strong sense of her own mortality, which is kinds essential as a biker :D

First met her at a local bike show and later through similar such interests. Good women are out there!

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Only teasing with the name there Tasky! :-)

Your missus sounds like a great find! Well done sir!

Re power loss over time, well yes, but at 32K ish miles when she was dynoed the loss of hp would not be that much. you can lose up to 15% of power at the crank through the transmition to the wheel (more for cars). I reckon with the Dragstar it's somewhere like 10-11%.

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  • 2 months later...

Don't know if I'm a bit late to this thread or if the OP has already got sorted. But I live in UK and just bought the dragstar 650. Its 2004 with 12k miles for £2600, comes with all the extra's (pillion passenger seat, sissy bar, saddle bags, and and after market exhaust to give a more aggressive sound). I have also just recently passed my test so got a restrictor kit. The bike was bought from the yamaha dealer and they are charging £200 for the kit and fitting. If you want to do it yourself http://www.fiinternational.com/ is a good site for kits.

As for insurance it cost me £280 fully comp with pillion passenger through e-bike insurance but i'm 28 so don't know if the older age factors into the price, could be more for 18-21 yr old. I have never been asked by my insurance company for the restriction certificate but i'm sure if I had an accident they would soon be looking it, better safe than sorry.

Hope this helps

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