Hello - and a bit of advice

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Lucaun
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Joined: Mon Mar 21, 2016 10:34 am

Hello - and a bit of advice

Post by Lucaun »

So Ive decided to get a bike... however I am unsure which route to take.

Im 36 and not ridden anything since my teens, and then it was only a scooter.

I have decided to get a bike mainly for a commute (30 miles or so each way daily), but I also want to do some touring with my better half, and love the idea of sticking a tent on the back and heading off anywhere.

So here is my dilemma... do I do my CBT then move onto the DAS over a few weeks whilst on a 125 for practice, or just do MY DAS in a condensed course?

Ive been looking at the Derbi Terra if I took the former option - is this good enough for the commute (Doncaster to wakefield)?

what similar style bikes are there out there once I pass my test?

OR

should both me and my partner get our CBTs and buy a couple of Derbi's and tour on those and save the money for our tests etc and just have fun that way.....
ollydog
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Re: Hello - and a bit of advice

Post by ollydog »

hi lucaun

this is going to be a good thread

steve
SteveW
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Re: Hello - and a bit of advice

Post by SteveW »

Welcome,
I'd do your full test. Then buy somthing Japanese 500-700cc.
You can hold your own with commuter traffic and have a bit of power in reserve then pile on luggage for a trip.
You can commute and tour on a 125cc, but really it's better to have that bit more power.
micksea
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Re: Hello - and a bit of advice

Post by micksea »

Welcome to the forum,will you and your partner be going touring on separate bikes or one big big? Personally I've never seen the point in buying small bikes to take your test then having to spend more money on a big bike straight after your test,better to use training school bikes to pass your full test then buy a decent sized bike.it can get expensive passing your test,buying a bike plus riding kit,camping kit and some touring essentials.keep an eye out on forums for good used kit,and enjoy yourselves
Lucaun
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Joined: Mon Mar 21, 2016 10:34 am

Re: Hello - and a bit of advice

Post by Lucaun »

If I get a bigger bike we will probably tour on just one big bike I think, initially, however we have the budget to get 2 Derbi's and tour on those with a CBT.

Ther biggest issue is I wont have the time to do the DAS in one short go (cant take a week off for 3 months as new job) so will be doing a day training a week at the most, im not sure ill get the practice in ready for the test.

If I get just 1 derbi for now and take the test then trade up it means I will be out daily practicing and building confidence daily... if that makes sense.
-Ralph-
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Re: Hello - and a bit of advice

Post by -Ralph- »

SteveW wrote:Welcome,
I'd do your full test. Then buy somthing Japanese 500-700cc.
You can hold your own with commuter traffic and have a bit of power in reserve then pile on luggage for a trip.
You can commute and tour on a 125cc, but really it's better to have that bit more power.
Agreed. On a 125 on the A638 you'll get bullied by BMW's and Audi's always trying to get past.
"Luke, you're going to find that many of the truths we cling to depend greatly on our own point of view" - Obi-Wan Kenobi
-Ralph-
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Re: Hello - and a bit of advice

Post by -Ralph- »

Lucaun wrote:If I get a bigger bike we will probably tour on just one big bike I think, initially, however we have the budget to get 2 Derbi's and tour on those with a CBT.

Ther biggest issue is I wont have the time to do the DAS in one short go (cant take a week off for 3 months as new job) so will be doing a day training a week at the most, im not sure ill get the practice in ready for the test.

If I get just 1 derbi for now and take the test then trade up it means I will be out daily practicing and building confidence daily... if that makes sense.
Sounds to me like you've answered your own question already?
"Luke, you're going to find that many of the truths we cling to depend greatly on our own point of view" - Obi-Wan Kenobi
-Ralph-
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Re: Hello - and a bit of advice

Post by -Ralph- »

So, I'd do DAS over the space of 1 week of training, get yourself up to test standard at least, and get the bigger bike straight away. More power to flow with the traffic, fatter tyres, better brakes, better headlights and more road presence and visibility.

Take it very steady for the first 3 months to get some experience under your belt, then go and join IAM or ROSPA and get advanced training.

Commuting is the most dangerous type of biking. The other drivers are all asleep in the mornings and desperately impatient to get home in the evenings, and there's twice as much traffic on the road compared to other times of the day. Poor early morning road conditions in winter. Riding in all weather conditions and poor visbility. Commuters do more more miles so their chances of an accident increases anyway, but they are doing those miles at the most dangerous time of day so it doubles again.

Reading about someone who's never ridden a proper bike, hasn't ridden anything for 20 years, then plans to commute 20 miles of busy main trunk A road, on a 125, with only a CBT for training, just leaves me thinking this isn't going to end well. Accident waiting to happen TBH.

I commute 37 miles each way, but if I didn't have my biking experience, I'd crash regularly. People cut lanes on me, or pull out of side roads on me, or generally just behave like an idiot around me, every day.
"Luke, you're going to find that many of the truths we cling to depend greatly on our own point of view" - Obi-Wan Kenobi
Tonibe63
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Re: Hello - and a bit of advice

Post by Tonibe63 »

Motorbiking is not for everybody (male or female) and commuting even fewer enjoy.
I would say talk to a few of your local training schools. They will ask about your bike/car experiences, advise as to how much time you need to commit to each stage and possibly offer a taster session.
Open your eyes and you see what is in front of you, open your mind and you see a bigger picture but open your heart and you see a whole new World.
Lucaun
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Joined: Mon Mar 21, 2016 10:34 am

Re: Hello - and a bit of advice

Post by Lucaun »

Thanks everyone :)

so general thought is do DAS and get a bigger bike...
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