Rider's Licence (1 Viewer)

[MuffinMan]

Ok, to cut a long story short, my parents take both the car out on the weekdays so I have nothing to drive to get me around. I have nowhere near 10 grand or anything like that at the moment, and I don't know if I can afford a decent car which won't break down etc.) So I'm thinking of getting a motorbike, the petrol will cost less as well. What do you guys think? I only need it to get around Sydney and stuff, probably not going to do long distance with it. What do you guys think? Should I get one?

 

[breaking]

No.

 

[quik.]

There's no concrete reason why you shouldn't.

However I would advise against it unless your willing to go take the stay upright test and then some defensive and advanced riding courses.

In a perfect world riding a motorcycle would be nice n safe, and most of the time around majority of drivers, it is. But when that one driver swipes you... :]

If you do decide to ride, don't skimp on the gear. Don't ever ride without it, either.

 

[D.]

The rider courses are relatively easy, it's just a matter of getting used balancing a 150+kg motorbike. The thing is that cost wise bikes aren't as cheap as you think, when you take into account, rego and greenslip.

 

[MuffinMan]

but I'd have to pay for rego and greenslip on a car anyway?

 

[Serius]

performance wise they are though. You can buy a second hand bike for like 5 thousand that will tear apart just about any car on the road. The "high performance" bikes go for around 20k and basically nothing beats them. Bikes are cheap, cost hardly anything to run and are very fast when compared to cars[which weigh like 10 times more] just they arent that great safety wise.

 

[quik.]

I really dislike it how bikes are seen as more dangerous than cars.

As long as the rider is sensible and keeps an eye out, should be right as rain.

For the most part it's cars snapping bike riders who they 'couldn't see', but if the rider is alert and everything it shouldn't be an issue.

 

[D.]

but I'd have to pay for rego and greenslip on a car anyway?

Of course, but in you're original post you indicated cost was a factor, and since the insurance companies re-adjusted the costs for green-slips last year, a bike's not as cheap to run as it used to be. You're right though, it's still cheaper when compared to a car. You'll also be paying a lot more for tires and the like.
The other thing is you're going to be limited in what you can ride while you're on your learner and provisional license. I recomend just buying something cheap that'll hold it's value so you can upgrade to something decent later on with minimal additional cost, unless you're happy riding around on a 250, or some underpowered 500.

 

[quik.]

Doesn't have to be an underpowered anything.

You can hop on an Aprillia 125 if you want, zoomzoom.

There are plenty of solid choices for learner bikes that are no longer weak 250s.

 

[D.]

Doesn't have to be an underpowered anything.

You can hop on an Aprillia 125 if you want, zoomzoom.

There are plenty of solid choices for learner bikes that are no longer weak 250s.

Yeah, but I know that I never wanted to keep riding my P bike after I got my full licence. By the way, you're not seriously recomending an Aprillia 125 are you? The guy would kill himself on it.

 

[quik.]

Just using it demonstrate that not all the P plate bikes are little sissies.

Doubt many L platers can be fucked riding the clutch all the time anyway. :]

I agree that whatever bike you end up on, once your out of your learning stage etc you'll move up as quick as you can. Thus why learner bikes are always for sale!

 

[lengy]

i'd get one when i'm tired of life.

also:

you need to wear heavy biker gear.
weather.
no music.
death wish.

 

[lala2]

Do you have any friends who have motorcycle licences? MAybe they can recommend a bike to you. My friend also has just gotten her L's for her bike, it's much easier for her to bike around than drive a Kingswood that is older than she is! She was able to get a good deal on a bike through several friends (all are motorcycle enthusiasts)

 

[quik.]

Honda VTR250s and the Kawasaki 250s hold their value very well.

Pretty much sell them for what you bought them for.

 

[Riet]

I have a bike license but my dad won't let me get a bike. My friend who did the course and that with me has one and I ride that sometimes. It's alot of fun but can also be kinda scary. Look for a 250cc road bike like a GPX250 or CBF250. Don't get racing replicas as they are harder to ride and promote bad technique. For a learners bike looks isnt nearly as important as quality.

 

[CieL]

Only thing I dont like about bikes is inconvenience.

I dont know what it's really like, but I see all these bikers wearing their leather gear and carrying their helmet around shopping centres.. it seems pretty annoying.. and then if you need to carry stuff you'd need to wear a backpack around all day long..

Only relatively good thing is that you can park in dodgy places.. like under the stairs in which a car can't fit or something..

 

[MuffinMan]

Bikes aren't that dangerous I don't think. Just got to be very careful of other drivers cutting in or doing other stupid stuff. As long as I don't do something like this it should all be alright.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=vAoeJUKg36g

 

[Riet]

Bikes aren't that dangerous I don't think. Just got to be very careful of other drivers cutting in or doing other stupid stuff. As long as I don't do something like this it should all be alright.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=vAoeJUKg36g

Wrong. Bikes are 16x more fatal than cars. The problem is that you can do everything right and then if someone else fucks up you are the one that pays. There is like hardly anything to absorb the forces and so yeh, it's dangerous. Don't be under the impression that you can just take it easy and you'll be safe. Good riding needs you to actively avoid danger.

 

[Riet]

Doesn't have to be an underpowered anything.

You can hop on an Aprillia 125 if you want, zoomzoom.

There are plenty of solid choices for learner bikes that are no longer weak 250s.

Why would anyone want a 2-stroke race replica to learn on though? If you don't want a bitch 250 (if you're a big guy or something) you can get a GSF500 or something that has plenty of torque but is still easy to ride. I don't see why you'd need that even, a GPX250 is a shit load faster at legal speeds than my Toyota Camry.

 

[Bacilli]

Ok, to cut a long story short, my parents take both the car out on the weekdays so I have nothing to drive to get me around. I have nowhere near 10 grand or anything like that at the moment, and I don't know if I can afford a decent car which won't break down etc.) So I'm thinking of getting a motorbike, the petrol will cost less as well. What do you guys think? I only need it to get around Sydney and stuff, probably not going to do long distance with it. What do you guys think? Should I get one?

You know what dude? I've been riding a motorcycle for well over 2 years now, and the fun never ends. I wont lie, I've been in two accidents- 1 of the accidents put me in hospital for 3 weeks-but I love it!

I have my new bike now btw, but I can't ride it until I get off my P's.

On your L's, you can ride where ever you want so I couldn't have bothered going down and getting my P's done. But I eventually did, after about three L periods.