Brad Gee

Cheers meatloaf, Clarke. I mentioned my choices to my instructor via email as i figured who better to tell me than the guy who's been assessing me. He's recommended I get a 1300 too. so good news! Yes, I live in a town, but its Blackpool... not hardly a traffic nightmare when you know your way around it... you just don't go near the joke of a traffic system of a town centre. I'm quite happy to sit in a queue of traffic rather than trying to filter lol. Could see that going horribly wrong for an inexperienced rider on a big bike, as Task's post points out.

captf I see your point about adjusting to the throttle. guess once you're used to it its just as natural. Ttaskmaster lol thanks for sharing the link to your previous post. that was great to read and picked up a few tips from it too. il take a second look at the 950. will try and talk my dealer into letting me test ride both to see which one I prefer

Indeedy Captf ... the 600 felt like all it wanted to do was go go go.. while I like that for being able to get out of a tight spot when needed, I wouldnt want that kind of acceleration all the time. Looks like il be booking a test ride once I've passed then!

mutual input is always welcome and it's one of your points which led me to making this post. passing test and going straight for a 1300 ... I wanted to make sure the motorbike community didn't recoil in horror at the thought of someone who's newly passed going out and getting a 1300. Though again I appreciate thats a difficult one to answer... as there's a huge difference between an idiot who cuts cars up and rolls the dice with every ride.... or one which is quite happy poodling along just enjoying the ride..... Id rather arrive 5 minutes late in one piece, than push my luck. Im also under the impression that a 1300 cruiser isnt that big of a deal due to the power to weight ratio... compared to a 1300 racing bike for instance which as you would expect would go like lightning. (unless im wrong on this?) I guess the key to this is respect, and I have plenty of that. I took to the 600 Gladius like a duck to water. infact it was nice having a heavier bike to ride despite the posture not being my cup of tea .... when I got back on the YBR125 after training on the 600 it felt like someone had stolen my engine and so light it felt like a childs toy.

Thanks for the input 1900 is a little too big i feel! Perhaps in so many years. I do like the sound of more handling with the 950 as I do live in a town, but would appreciate the extra grunt for going up and around the lake district on occasion. without seeing them both in the flesh im under the impression the 950 looks alot smaller in size. spotted an XVS1300 in the showroom and fell in love with it.

Hi guys I'm a little giddy at the moment after passing my Mod 1 yesterday on a Suzuki Gladius (really dislike the feel of these bikes... cruisers all the way!), and booked in for my mod 2 next Wednesday I have 4 years experience riding on the road with my trusty work pony the YBR125 for the past two years, and before that a yamaha DT80. I am a confident and controlled rider, not interested in speeding and learned not to make silly risks & mistakes the hard way during my teen years (now 31) I have my eye on the XVS1300. the size of it and everything appeals .... but I'm uncertain if this is a wise choice and I should start off with the 950. Il be buying new so id rather not buy the 950 and get a month or so down the line and think i should have bought the 1300. Any advice would be greatly appreciated Brad