125 or DAS

[Fidgetgreen]

Hi all,

I did my CBT last September and I'm doing my theory next month. I was planning on getting a 125 in a few months so I could get used to riding around London, to enjoy the warm weather and also to increase my chances of passing the DAS but I'm not sure if this is the best way to go.

I'd love to be riding in the next few months, but I also need to think about the cost of buying and insuring a 125, then spending money on the DAS after that.

What do most people here do? My worry is that if I try to go DAS first, I won't pass as I won't have experience and will have to keep spending money on it.

Thanks!

[Hoggs]

Riding in London on a 125 can be harder than on a big bike!

I'd also say that experience can bring bad habits. I was riding for about 18 months when I did my DAS, girl I was with hadn't ridden for ages. Instructor said we both had as much to learn but coming at perfect riding from opposite ends as it were - me trying to get out the bad habits and her having to pick up the way of doing stuff.

There's no right or wrong answer whatever feels best for you

[Arwen]

I think it depends on how quickly you can learn good riding habits and pick up the skills needed.

I rode around around on my 125cc for 2 years before completing DAS and passed with no problems. But that is pretty unusual as far as I can tell.

Yet I know others who do cbt-full licences in 5 days. It's up your confidence, abilities and being able to cost it all up. If you are only going to keep a 125 for a few months, spend as little as possible on it and you can probably sell it for similar money when you have done your DAS.

[Westbeef]

If you get a 125 you will want a bigger bike no more than 2 weeks after riding it

[Lateralus]

I did my DAS straight off. As I wanted to use it on longer journeys, a 125 was never going to cut the mustard, and as I'm in for the long haul I figured there's no point faffing around!

The school I learnt with did fixed-price DAS courses, so no risk of an open-ended number of lessons, and I passed​ Mod2 within 6 weeks of the CBT, having had about 14 hours of lessons and no practice in-between. I've driven for 12 years and ride pedal bikes quite a bit, both of which really helped in terms of road awareness and the assumption that all other road users are actively trying to kill me, so I found it relatively easy to learn, but it's different for everyone.

Also, as 125s are so popular to steal, it might be worth playing around on an insurance comparison site to see what the difference is between a 125 and 500-600cc bigger bike, if you have any idea what sort of bike you might want.

Personally, if you're wanting bigger bikes then I'd go straight for the DAS, but it depends on both your budget and also general confidence on the road as to how quickly you might pass.

[Guest]

I went pretty much straight from CBT to DAS. spent half an hour on a 125 in a one to one session before the DAS course. Found the bigger bikes much easier to ride and inspired more confidence. Not sure it's a route that would suit everyone but if I can get through it pretty much anyone can.

[Guest]

I'd say get the DAS all done and then ride whatever you want to.

[Tango]

Any decent DAS course will teach you how to control the bigger bike.....They are training you to pass the test...... But, yep, I'd go the DAS route.......

[Adamjf82]

I've had my 125 3 weeks and wanted a bigger bike after 10 days.

[Guest]

^ what they've said

If you can afford it do DAS

I've been on a 125 for just over a month. Dual Carriageways are NO fun with no get me out of trouble power left.

[someone]

I've been on a 125 for just over a month. Dual Carriageways are NO fun with no get me out of trouble power left.

 

Just to dissent, I love dual carriageways and regret being scared off them for so long thinking I would be too slow. They are brilliant on a small bike because you can just ride at your own pace without having to worry about people behind you.

On a road with one lane they can be impatient and get too close trying to intimidate you, will often overtake without even fully crossing into the oncoming lane so pass you only by inches, and try to overtake when there is not enough space and almost force you off the road. But fast dual carriageways with two or more lanes means they move across a lane and pass quite safely.

I doubted I would have been able to manage the DAS course straight away, though I had never ridden or had even driving lessons before my CBT. But the thing Hoggs says about 125s being more difficult to ride was part of my reason for wanting to learn on one. If bigger bikes are more forgiving, as everyone says, then to me it seems better to learn on something that will make you learn better rather than not realize and be forgiven.

Certainly I really wish my bike was about 10mph faster, and did not lose about 20mph going uphill, but that is as much of a bigger bike mine has made me wish for. And I do not commute, so almost my riding is going out and about on weekends rather than around town where it can accelerate and keep up fine.

Point is everyone is different as to why they ride and what they want from it. But also how they best learn, which in my case is through experience and analysis rather than lessons. And what they can afford. If you buy a second-hand Japanese brand 125 (CG, CBF, YBR etc.) and are only going to be riding around London and not adding thousands of miles then you should be able to sell it for roughly what you paid, and you should be able to change the bike on your insurance for the cost of an admin fee and the difference in policy costs.

I still have not done my DAS because I kept procrastinating then had an accident. So once I have checked my confidence is still fine I aim to get it done. But no specific intention of upgrading my bike after that, if anything I fancy showing it some motorways and find out what is so special about the 'A23' north of Crawley.

People can only tell you what is right for themselves though, only an instructor seeing you ride can say whether you would be better spending time on a 125 first, and only you know whether it would better suit you.

[arron]

If you get a 125 you will want a bigger bike no more than 2 weeks after riding it

 

I second that, there's cost to think of as well, you would have buy and insure a 125 then when you finally do your DAS you with have to get rid of the bike (probably make a slight loss if your unlucky) before you can get the bigger bike you want,

I pondered over this question for a long time but decided to go straight for my DAS and got my 750 straight away looking back I'm glad,

But also like has already been stated each individual is different so you gotta do what you think is right for you (generally speaking though if your intentions is to get a big in the end I wouldn't bother with anything else in between).

[Adam]

I rode on a 125 for two years, only reason being they changed the A2 licence so if I did it I'd have to pay to do my test twice which seemed stupid to me.

Maybe drivers are friendlier here in Norfolk but I never had any issues with other cars over taking closely or trying to force me off the road, but with that said I always took a dominant road position which didn't allow them too.

For around town 125's are perfect, you can squeeze through traffic and get away from the lights quicker than pretty much any car. Fuel is cheap as chips, mine cost me £7 to do 150 miles. Insurance was £700 for the first year which dropped to £400 for the next, I did do a quote on another 125 after 2 years and it was £69.

Currently I have no bike but will be doing my DAS when I'm in a financial situation to justify a car and a bike. Why? Because a 125 was good for town riding but longer rides it's just a bit gutless, and lacked that "fun" factor. Of course you need to factor in all the costs of owning a larger or small CC bike, Tax, insurance, and running costs.

[Fidgetgreen]

Thanks everyone. I think I'll go to a local training centre and let them asses me, I'm leaning towards the DAS as I know I want to get a bigger bike and I can easily see myself getting frustrated on a 125!

[Joeman]

Thanks everyone. I think I'll go to a local training centre and let them asses me, I'm leaning towards the DAS as I know I want to get a bigger bike and I can easily see myself getting frustrated on a 125!

do the DAS, the longer you've held your full licence, the cheaper the insurance gets so don't wait until your bored of a 125 to take your test

[TheSTIB]

Passed my CBT in February, bought a MT-125 which arrived last weekend and loving it! I had the money to do DAS, but I wanted to do it the old fashioned way. Its got stacks of power (relatively) as I use it to commute in Plymouth (30/40mph zones). Spent the weekend with my good friend who has a NC750 and his comment was "you ride your bike like you drive your car" (I drive a Honda Jazz ), really not sure whether it was a compliment or not tbh!

Everybody is different (as opinions are like as*holes, everybody has got one ). Go with what you feel not what people advise, after all its your arse on the seat and you will be the one riding it. I have my theory test in a fortnight and already booked my DAS for the end of November. This gives me 8 months of experience on a tiddler, and assuming I pass I will be trading in my MT 125 for a ...(I won't actually, for me its a commuter, 140MPG on the display makes me grin every time I look at it). Just my 2 cents as a newbie biker.