Bike Recommendations

[JTDG]

17 minutes ago, RideWithStyles said:

 

Hi and congratulations.

Until end of last year we had the wife’s cbf125, some Pretty steep hill around us, as long as you keep it in the sweet spot of the upper range it should be good, don’t worry aslong as it’s got fuel and a good amount of oil in it keeping it to red line is ok for it and wont harm it.

skinny tyres don’t need much action to get them to turn, we had a top box on it so wind could catch it, if you tuck in it reduces the wind drag- a little goes a long way with those things.

 

well one question goes, who’s gonna service it? You or the Honda dealer or some other some dealers/garage?

Need to check what conditions this dealer has? Some have a policy of only servicing their own sold bikes first and others to a certain age it reaches…so just don’t assume.

So this dealer with a “poor selection of used bikes” is already saying what it does and has an interest in…

 

Should be a small bike business somewhere rather than a stealers about, maybe you havnt noticed? Some don’t bother with FB or online side of stuff, too costly and time consuming.

 

just to note be mindful that the list their are roadsters apart from the cbr650r which is sort of classed as a my first sportsbike…

What sort of price bracket are you thinking? Plus check the insurance for any bike prior to committing to, they can vary wildly.

the engine configurations will have a very different aspect to how it goes about its business not just power, a low powered but revvy inline 4 might be tiresome around your area for you (plus smaller profile bike for a big chap).

 

mt07 is more of a wilder Beast, giggles for experienced riders Sunday blast but maybe abit too wild and edgy? Depends on you mind set but is suspect if your put off by the cbf125 moving about abit then I think edgy is not the way at the moment…

 

the trident triple is a good alternative but expensive and some don’t like the triple engine….personally I love it.

 

a parallel twin or vtwin (like a Suzuki vstrom) is a great road choice.

tons of torque low down and flat delivery, I spent a happy 4years on one (A2class bike of 500cc 46hp so roughly five times the power of the cbf125) AFTER I sold the triple 955cc so a massive down sizing, would easily do over 100 with at least 4thou left in reserves even with a pillion on, never got below 75mpg, service was cheaper, consumables were cheap and lasted.

 

if your a tall and big chap then maybe a adv style of bike maybe better for you? More details will narrow it down for us.

Hey, thanks for the detailed response! I won’t be servicing it, complete novice, so will leave that to experts (I barely managed to replace a bent bracket lever)  which is what makes the Honda dealer so appealing. 
 

There are 3 places nearby. Honda dealer (BMW dealer next door) a Ducati dealer (only services Ducati though) I went to look at a used Yamaha yzf 125 when I first passed my CBT, and he was the one who said better to go Honda as the others will be difficult to get serviced as there isn’t any local anywhere.  (I do think there is a place that does servicing nearby but they also only sell lexmoto I believe. 
 

Price bracket I’m pretty flexible. Used would be preferred, but I have also considered a pcp on new, as I like the flexibility of that. Insurance wise all are around £25-£35 a month (benefits of living rural with a garage I suppose) 

MT-07 I did read somewhere pretty much exactly what you said and I’m not really looking for “ease of wheelie” 

 

My commute isn’t partially long, but it’s very windy with lots of hills and very windy. But if I want to go anywhere not my town I have to pretty much take the A75 (if anybody here has driven it, you know how bad it is for HGVs, overtaking bits are steep etc) 

 

I’d say I want something “boring” but more so sensible, something that is punchy but i am not going to feel like one misstep and it’s wheelie zone. Something that is comfortable cruising around town, but something that has that punch when you need it. Something that will take the windy roads nicely (but I’m not going knee down) 

 

I plan on sitting on a bunch and once I have a complete selection in mind I will be doing a day trip to whatever city has as many of them as possible and will be sitting on them! 
 

 

 

 

[RideWithStyles]

Is the bmw same dealer as the Honda but two different parts or different franchises?
if not I’d ask at the beemer one? Pop in? they do a 300, 400scooter, and a 800 av that can be detuned to 46hp…might uave good used examples, worth a shot?

Id also ask the lexmoto one?
They might be a garage to fix things primarily but has the lexmoto as a side part of the business? Many smaller places work that way.

 

yes spend time sitting on them, not just a quick jump and off, you might find a fixed lever annoying or the pegs to high etc, they only show up after a little bit.

 

me personally I’d try to stick away from pcps if you can for now as they stick you to it and d expensive to change, especially if your not sure what you really want or need or have plans in the near future.

 

If they bought it and then they say boring, just the wrong choice from the individual.

 

[JTDG]

11 minutes ago, RideWithStyles said:

Is the bmw same dealer as the Honda but two different parts or different franchises?
if not I’d ask at the beemer one? Pop in? they do a 300, 400scooter, and a 800 av that can be detuned to 46hp…might uave good used examples, worth a shot?

Id also ask the lexmoto one?
They might be a garage to fix things primarily but has the lexmoto as a side part of the business? Many smaller places work that way.

 

yes spend time sitting on them, not just a quick jump and off, you might find a fixed lever annoying or the pegs to high etc, they only show up after a little bit.

 

me personally I’d try to stick away from pcps if you can for now as they stick you to it and d expensive to change, especially if your not sure what you really want or need or have plans in the near future.

 

If they bought it and then they say boring, just the wrong choice from the individual.

 

I believe the bmw and Honda are the same dealer. If you go to BMW website, you can select Honda and vice versa. Will speak to the lexmoto place and see what they say. 

[S-Westerly]

17 hours ago, JTDG said:

I believe the bmw and Honda are the same dealer. If you go to BMW website, you can select Honda and vice versa. Will speak to the lexmoto place and see what they say. 

Personally I wouldn't touch a Chinese bike with a 10 foot bargepole but that's probably me showing my age. However they do have a pretty dreadful reputation generally so be very cautious if you go that route particularly as a complete novice. 

[RideWithStyles]

3 hours ago, S-Westerly said:

Personally I wouldn't touch a Chinese bike with a 10 foot bargepole but that's probably me showing my age. However they do have a pretty dreadful reputation generally so be very cautious if you go that route particularly as a complete novice. 

If you remember westy, it was about finding out if they would service and fix a bike that wasn’t bought through them or has any affiliation with the brand they deal with, not about buying a “Chinese” bike.

they might very well have a better used examples aswell…

[S-Westerly]

2 hours ago, RideWithStyles said:

If you remember westy, it was about finding out if they would service and fix a bike that wasn’t bought through them or has any affiliation with the brand they deal with, not about buying a “Chinese” bike.

they might very well have a better used examples aswell…

That's fine. You'll be needing a lot of servicing with a Chinese bike.

[RideWithStyles]

As I view “Servicing”,  not really.

warranty claims and time maybe?

from my actual “experience” of, I had as whole better than the neighbour had with his time on the Yamaha he bought himself as a retirement present.

So to clarify: would i recommend one to someone I didnt know as Chinese bikes stand as of now? No, not yet.

if I knew them and made sure they knew why, to look for and risks if I thought it was the right bike for them, maybe.

yes I knew the potential problems and yes I did hit them but the dealer was good and the manufacturer just said yes to it all. So for me with my experience was less problematic and was better for it, and I would potentially venture to the brand again yet the neighbour won’t with is experience.

 

now obviously it would have been better if it didn’t have it but to me the back up you receive is just as important as anything else. Nothing worse than buying something expensive and the manufacturer being very difficult or just says fook off.

 

i love Italian bikes and cars but many wont entertain the idea to owning one.
are they reliable in general view, not particularly but yes they have gotten better but still a way to go, yet been at it for longer. 

Are they getting there, yes.
Will it take them long? Dont think so.

should other nation manufacturers be concerned about looking at the competition

, depending on who you are- yes.

Edited February 25 by RideWithStyles

[JTDG]

Ended up going into a triumph dealer (was looking to try helmets) gent was amazing, told him where I ride and what’s it’s like and he basically echoed many posts in here.

 

Recommendations he made:

Kawasaki Verys 650

Suzuki Vstrom 650

Triumph Tiger 660 Sport. 
 

He did say CF moto and Benelli do similar. Advised to test them all. Really top notch guy

 

Said I could go for a fully naked but he wouldn’t advise it as we live in Scotland and it’s bloody rainy and windy and the protection those recommendations offer will be a game changer. 
 

 

[S-Westerly]

20 hours ago, JTDG said:

Ended up going into a triumph dealer (was looking to try helmets) gent was amazing, told him where I ride and what’s it’s like and he basically echoed many posts in here.

 

Recommendations he made:

Kawasaki Verys 650

Suzuki Vstrom 650

Triumph Tiger 660 Sport. 
 

He did say CF moto and Benelli do similar. Advised to test them all. Really top notch guy

 

Said I could go for a fully naked but he wouldn’t advise it as we live in Scotland and it’s bloody rainy and windy and the protection those recommendations offer will be a game changer. 
 

 

Good to know that there are some honest guys around.  Wasn't trying to BS you into buying something either.

[JTDG]

So did a taster session for some exposure to bigger bikes. 
 

Did it on the new Honda Hornet. Wow that bike is smooth, however I instantly knew it was not the bike I wanted. It has a good sitting position but the foot pegs seemed in such an aggressive position and it made me feel so cramped.

 

Did my first lesson of my DAS (this time on a Kawasaki z650)

 

Not nearly as smooth as the Honda in my opinion, but far more comfortable, but easily a no from me.

 

Takeaway, fully naked bike is 100% a no go. So can’t wait to be able to test ride some! 
 

I will say slow control is far far easier on these than my little Honda CB125F. It feels so light and unstable compared to both of them. So 100% happy I’m making the right choice moving up. 

[Steve_M]

On 24/02/2025 at 09:31, JTDG said:

Hey, thanks for the detailed response! I won’t be servicing it, complete novice, so will leave that to experts (I barely managed to replace a bent bracket lever)  which is what makes the Honda dealer so appealing. 
 

There are 3 places nearby. Honda dealer (BMW dealer next door) a Ducati dealer (only services Ducati though) I went to look at a used Yamaha yzf 125 when I first passed my CBT, and he was the one who said better to go Honda as the others will be difficult to get serviced as there isn’t any local anywhere.  (I do think there is a place that does servicing nearby but they also only sell lexmoto I believe. 
 

Price bracket I’m pretty flexible. Used would be preferred, but I have also considered a pcp on new, as I like the flexibility of that. Insurance wise all are around £25-£35 a month (benefits of living rural with a garage I suppose) 

MT-07 I did read somewhere pretty much exactly what you said and I’m not really looking for “ease of wheelie” 

 

My commute isn’t partially long, but it’s very windy with lots of hills and very windy. But if I want to go anywhere not my town I have to pretty much take the A75 (if anybody here has driven it, you know how bad it is for HGVs, overtaking bits are steep etc) 

 

I’d say I want something “boring” but more so sensible, something that is punchy but i am not going to feel like one misstep and it’s wheelie zone. Something that is comfortable cruising around town, but something that has that punch when you need it. Something that will take the windy roads nicely (but I’m not going knee down) 

 

I plan on sitting on a bunch and once I have a complete selection in mind I will be doing a day trip to whatever city has as many of them as possible and will be sitting on them! 
 

 

 

 

Is the BMW / Honda dealership Lloyds, Carlisle, perchance? 

[JTDG]

1 minute ago, Steve_M said:

Is the BMW / Honda dealership Lloyds, Carlisle, perchance? 

It is! I have my bike in for a service this week, so will be using that as an opportunity to have a little nosey! 

Edited March 13 by JTDG

[Steve_M]

2 minutes ago, JTDG said:

It is! I have my bike in for a service this week, so will be using that as an opportunity to have a little nosey! 

I have my bike serviced at the Motorrad side of the business. Apart from one minor lapse, service has been good. I would happily buy a bike off them (I’m currently planning ahead and considering the Honda NT1100).

 

 

[JTDG]

How common is for dealers not to have a demo?

 

I have called so many places within 40 miles of me. Not a single dealer has a demo of any of the bikes I’m interested in. And surely it would be pointless to buy a bike without testing it?

 

[Simon Davey]

@JTDG

You'll probably get a better response by visiting in person. That said, agreed, no reason to to not tell you over the phone that there's a demo available. 

 

[RideWithStyles]

I know what you mean and I agree, A lot of them are avoiding it and it doesn’t matter if it’s new for a demo or used to see if its actually ok…

[bonio]

Yeah I went to a local place a couple of weeks ago and they had no demo dirt bikes. Just ones to sit on in the showroom. 

[Simon Davey]

When I bought my bike a few weeks ago, they didn't actually have demo bikes. The sales guy tried several times to get me out on his own bike though, as it's the same as I was buying. 

I'd already ridden one, and knew what I wanted . 

Edited April 8 by Simon Davey

[JTDG]

18 hours ago, Simon Davey said:

@JTDG

You'll probably get a better response by visiting in person. That said, agreed, no reason to to not tell you over the phone that there's a demo available. 

 

Thankfully the Honda dealer does have a cbr650r I can try (albeit this is not my first choice, it’ll let me know if that type of bike is for me or not)

 

Big win is a local dealership who has a Voge 900dsx demo. Sure I’m disappointed there isn’t a triumph demo available near me or a Suzuki gsx-8s or CFmoto 800MT. 

 

But onwards and upwards! 
 

 

 

 

[JTDG]

Today was a day with such excitement and such joy. I was finally going to test ride some bikes I was interested in.

 

Then reality hit. Not a single dealer could let me test ride a bike as all their insurance companies require you to hold your license for a minimum of 1 year. 
 

I could sit on as many as I wanted, but they couldn’t let me test a single one. They don’t like it, I don’t like it. But that was sadly the situation. 

[Terry Came]

On 08/04/2025 at 16:23, JTDG said:

Today was a day with such excitement and such joy. I was finally going to test ride some bikes I was interested in.

 

Then reality hit. Not a single dealer could let me test ride a bike as all their insurance companies require you to hold your license for a minimum of 1 year. 
 

I could sit on as many as I wanted, but they couldn’t let me test a single one. They don’t like it, I don’t like it. But that was sadly the situation. 

That is a shame. It really is a case of seeing what you need, what is comfortable, and what you can afford. I'm sure you have already come to the conclusion that you need something at least with a 500cc engine, fairing and a dealer reasonably near. If you are going used what about the Honda 650 NT? Old I know, but they do seem to be able to cope with the miles, they are shaft drive, have lots of built in luggage and fairing. 

[Mold]

I bought a Kawasaki J300 a year ago and it's turned out to be one of the best bikes I've owned in my long list of motorbikes and 30+ years of riding. I've carried passengers on it and the weight wasn't noticeable as far as speed went so it'll be no problem for a "heavy guy". I can't remember the MPG but mine is higher than what I read and the insurance is very cheap. There's a ton of storage space under the seat and should fit your helmet with room to spare. It's not a small bike for a 299cc so it should be just the right size for you (it has the same basic engine as the  Kymco Downtown 300 but I think Kawasaki did some mods on it). Oil and filter change are a doddle and should take no more than 20 minutes. I never thought I'd even buy a maxi scooter but it turns out that they don't get enough credit and for everyday use you can't go wrong with one.

[JTDG]

So after a bunch of back and forth. 
 

Honda dealer let me test ride (my excess went from £100 to £500 but I was allowed to test)

 

Tried a few. Nothing really screamed at me.

 

Ended up finding a dealer nearby that had a 4 year old ninja 650 for sale. Went and gave it a test ride and loved it! I suppose it helps that I learnt on a z650. So first big bike is official! Just need to collect it. 
 

Only confusion I have is how to transfer the datatag as the previous owner didn’t transfer it to the dealership, and the form says I need the previous owner. But do have all the info, so hoping to call datatag on Tuesday to see if they can just transfer it. 

[Simon Davey]

Congratulations @JTDG

We look forward to the pictures.

[skyrider]

On 25/02/2025 at 04:03, S-Westerly said:

Personally I wouldn't touch a Chinese bike with a 10 foot bargepole but that's probably me showing my age. However they do have a pretty dreadful reputation generally so be very cautious if you go that route particularly as a complete novice. 

yes im with you on that one