Best Starter Bike

Archer said:
Worldofaccesories is a bit expensive, checkout tracmac, and motorcycle world as well. I think I could have safely gotten away with my gear totalling R7k, the biggest expense being my helmet at R3500 (not including cash discount) because it was literally the only one that fit right. When you do go helmet shopping, take someone who has been riding for a while with you, one salesman I dealt with would have had me in a helmet thats not only a size too big, but the wrong internal shape as well.

But for me, gear is going to end up at around R11800 because of a neck brace, and proper ear plugs, and an expensive jacket
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Haha, will take a look at those shops in the future

TokoZAR said:
I bought my very first bike last year to replace my car as my daily commute. Best damn decision I've made in a long time.

Granted I've only been riding for a year but here are some tips from me.

1) Keep your car as a backup, it is a very bad idea to only have a bike.
2) Practise in your suburb over weekends\evenings till you are comfortable before you start commuting. It's a crap feeling to be nervous in the traffic when starting out.
3) Get the gear, buy sturdy rather than flashy. The adage goes "dress for the fall, not the ride". I bought fairly decent kit at the full throttle clearance store for a reasonable price.
4) Do not buy a cheapie, they are cheapies for a reason.
5) Get a top box, looks a bit crap but sooo much nicer than a back pack
6) Get a decent(metal) top box. Those plastic boxes crack open and spill your equipment everywhere if you go down.
7) If you ride like a car in the beginning ie not lane splitting or stopping at the line at robots/stop signs don't feel bad but stay in the middle of your lane. Cars tend to try and squeeze in if you give them half a chance by staying to the side of a lane.
8) Check properly before you change lanes(especially if you aren't going faster than the surrounding traffic). The blind spot on a bike is bigger than you'd think.

SauRoNZA mentioned a 650+ twin, I agree whole heartedly. I bought the F650 GS which is a detuned 800cc twin. Loads of torque which is awesome for traffic. Also has a comfortable seating position.

Only downside is that the top end is quite low for a bike. Anything over 160 isn't advisable(or even close to legal) but I don't want to go to jail so it doesn't bother me that much. Except when the superbikes come flying past, then I get a a bit jealous.

Ride safe and I hope you enjoy it.
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Great tips, will definitely help a novice like me, when I do join the bikers on the road.

AlmightyBender said:
I'm paying R230 for my CBX 250 and think the learners price was R240, so not much difference.
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R230? R240? is this monthly installment for a new 250cc bike? What is the deposit and interest rate as well as for how many months is this? I thought it would be much more?

Thanks
 
TokoZAR said:
I bought my very first bike last year to replace my car as my daily commute. Best damn decision I've made in a long time.

Granted I've only been riding for a year but here are some tips from me.

1) Keep your car as a backup, it is a very bad idea to only have a bike.
2) Practise in your suburb over weekends\evenings till you are comfortable before you start commuting. It's a crap feeling to be nervous in the traffic when starting out.
3) Get the gear, buy sturdy rather than flashy. The adage goes "dress for the fall, not the ride". I bought fairly decent kit at the full throttle clearance store for a reasonable price.
4) Do not buy a cheapie, they are cheapies for a reason.
5) Get a top box, looks a bit crap but sooo much nicer than a back pack
6) Get a decent(metal) top box. Those plastic boxes crack open and spill your equipment everywhere if you go down.
7) If you ride like a car in the beginning ie not lane splitting or stopping at the line at robots/stop signs don't feel bad but stay in the middle of your lane. Cars tend to try and squeeze in if you give them half a chance by staying to the side of a lane.
8) Check properly before you change lanes(especially if you aren't going faster than the surrounding traffic). The blind spot on a bike is bigger than you'd think.

SauRoNZA mentioned a 650+ twin, I agree whole heartedly. I bought the F650 GS which is a detuned 800cc twin. Loads of torque which is awesome for traffic. Also has a comfortable seating position.

Only downside is that the top end is quite low for a bike. Anything over 160 isn't advisable(or even close to legal) but I don't want to go to jail so it doesn't bother me that much. Except when the superbikes come flying past, then I get a a bit jealous.

Ride safe and I hope you enjoy it.
Click to expand...

Top advice
 
TokoZAR said:
I bought my very first bike last year to replace my car as my daily commute. Best damn decision I've made in a long time.

Granted I've only been riding for a year but here are some tips from me.

1) Keep your car as a backup, it is a very bad idea to only have a bike.
2) Practise in your suburb over weekends\evenings till you are comfortable before you start commuting. It's a crap feeling to be nervous in the traffic when starting out.
3) Get the gear, buy sturdy rather than flashy. The adage goes "dress for the fall, not the ride". I bought fairly decent kit at the full throttle clearance store for a reasonable price.
4) Do not buy a cheapie, they are cheapies for a reason.
5) Get a top box, looks a bit crap but sooo much nicer than a back pack
6) Get a decent(metal) top box. Those plastic boxes crack open and spill your equipment everywhere if you go down.
7) If you ride like a car in the beginning ie not lane splitting or stopping at the line at robots/stop signs don't feel bad but stay in the middle of your lane. Cars tend to try and squeeze in if you give them half a chance by staying to the side of a lane.
8) Check properly before you change lanes(especially if you aren't going faster than the surrounding traffic). The blind spot on a bike is bigger than you'd think.

SauRoNZA mentioned a 650+ twin, I agree whole heartedly. I bought the F650 GS which is a detuned 800cc twin. Loads of torque which is awesome for traffic. Also has a comfortable seating position.

Only downside is that the top end is quite low for a bike. Anything over 160 isn't advisable(or even close to legal) but I don't want to go to jail so it doesn't bother me that much. Except when the superbikes come flying past, then I get a a bit jealous.

Ride safe and I hope you enjoy it.
Click to expand...

Great advice.

I would add the following....

2) don't just ride mindlessly. Find a vacant parking lot and start trying emergency manoeuvres like hard braking to the get the feel for it. KNOW YOUR BIKE and your own abilities and use them to their fullest.

In fact check this YouTube channel.

http://youtu.be/7Xb7P8uznyE

8) Don't be lazy doing this on a bike, it's not a car, if you get it wrong it hurts.

You hardly need mirrors on a bike, drop your shoulder and physically look behind and around you when changing lanes and the like.
 
keymaster said:
R230? R240? is this monthly installment for a new 250cc bike? What is the deposit and interest rate as well as for how many months is this? I thought it would be much more?

Thanks
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Eish sorry for the confusion dude, that figure is referring to cost of insurance only. I got my bike new at R27000 financed over 5 years at 16% interest rate for about R700 per month. However I just paid it off in under a year. Yep that interest rate is ridiculous - it sucks being young and not having an established credit record.
 
Can't find the exact post here now but somebody mentioned NOT riding with hazard on because they are "irritating".

I'm of the exact opposite opinion especially in the rain/fog where without those hazards a car has a very hard time to differentiate between bikes and cars in a field of lights.

With Hazards on it's become quite obvious that there's a smaller vehicle and it's easier to place where it is as well, due to the distance between the lights changing.


Same reason most bikes with dual lights only have one on at a time because leaving both on makes it look like a car that is very very far away.


In fact I'm considering fitting some of those bicycle LED's to my handlebars on my next bike.
 
In normal traffic (no fog) I wouldnt ride with hazards, they are a bit distracting/annoying. But I'm getting the orange headlight cover thingy, so that will make me stand out much more. Handlebar DRLs though, are a very good idea.

Now... can anyone give a good option for a rain suit?
 
Archer said:
But I'm getting the orange headlight cover thingy, so that will make me stand out much more.
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Those are OK for daytime use, but if you are riding at night, they're downright dangerous - you can't see properly, and you'll be wishing you hadn't fitted it.
 
Colin62 said:
Those are OK for daytime use, but if you are riding at night, they're downright dangerous - you can't see properly, and you'll be wishing you hadn't fitted it.
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Normally they are installed so that you can just remove the orange film easily and slot it back in when you need to.
 
AlmightyBender said:
Normally they are installed so that you can just remove the orange film easily and slot it back in when you need to.
Click to expand...

That... Mine are applied with velcro, so at night they will be removed so that I can actually light up the road
 
Archer said:
In normal traffic (no fog) I wouldnt ride with hazards, they are a bit distracting/annoying. But I'm getting the orange headlight cover thingy, so that will make me stand out much more. Handlebar DRLs though, are a very good idea.

Now... can anyone give a good option for a rain suit?
Click to expand...

Yeah if I could do handlebar white lights that would work well enough for me.

Last bike didn't have hazards anyway.

http://worldofaccessories.co.za/index.php/road-gear/rainwear/rainsuit.html

Looks pretty good to me.
 
Colin62 said:
Those are OK for daytime use, but if you are riding at night, they're downright dangerous - you can't see properly, and you'll be wishing you hadn't fitted it.
Click to expand...

Mine is also installed with velcro. At night I can take it off and pop into my backpack or in my jacket if I have no bag . it's simply a plastic cover shaped to your headlight

Ever since I put it on I can feel a difference in drivers awareness of me. They work extremely well.
 
RandomGRK said:
Mine is also installed with velcro. At night I can take it off and pop into my backpack or in my jacket if I have no bag . it's simply a plastic cover shaped to your headlight

Ever since I put it on I can feel a difference in drivers awareness of me. They work extremely well.
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Those Orange lights, are F#$%ing bright!
Other than that, I'm always aware of bikers on the road and always give way to them. 5 out of 10 biker say thanks either nod their head or wave, or lift their leg?
 
keymaster said:
Those Orange lights, are F#$%ing bright!
Other than that, I'm always aware of bikers on the road and always give way to them. 5 out of 10 biker say thanks either nod their head or wave, or lift their leg?
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Haha yes if you are busy changing a gear you can't lift your hand in thanks so we just gooi a been out there :D
 
I normally just tilt my head to say thanks and do that disappointed side to side shake when they drive like chops.
 
My brother in law just got the Honda NC700 and I must it is an impressive commuter. He also opted for the DSG like automatic and it shifts gears blindingly quick. He travels 90km on the highway everyday and his Suzuki GSX1000 just became a little bit too much, especially with maintenance. He had a couple of near misses too and the lighter NC700 is much easier to handle in the traffic. If you can stretch it I think the bike offers a lot of value for money.
 
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