Hi ozbargainers,
I recently got my learner's licence and now looking to buy a used motorbike.
I would prefer to get a naked bike as I find them more comfortable than sports bike.
I quite liked the Honda VTR250.
Could you please provide any other recommendations? Budget: $3k
Another problem I have is that most bikes are too far away from where I live in Sydney and do not feel comfortable yet riding a long distance back home. Is there any way around it?
Please help!
I bought mine at a place 30 minutes away and through a 100kmph freeway.
I had to take a rest stop on the way back. No one gave me this advice.
Do you wish they had?
I got home safe. So it's adventure +1.
I'm sure I would have thought otherwise if I had not, or had shat myself.
@tshow: That's my biggest fear when I wanted to buy a motorbike. Riding it home. I could probably rent a trailer from Kennards or something, too but I didn't do it at the time and my Learners expired before I could go in for my P1.
Thanks - i definitely feel no where near confident enough to even travel at 60 km/hr. Also which bike did you buy and did you sell it after get P's?
Do further riding courses before purchasing
This,
Unsure about NSW, but QLD have quite a few courses you can take. After a couple you would feel a bit more comfortable riding. It may also give you a better idea of what you want in your first bike.
I picked up my bike 30mins from home with a main highway and torrential rain to test my nerves.
How on earth you passed your learners permit without feeling confident to ride at 60km/h is mind boggling.
You will be a hazard to yourself and everyone else on the road until you are confident enough to go the speed limit.
When I got my learners they had us doing emergency braking from 60km/h and ultra low speed stability tests where a few people dropped their bike and failed the license. I really hope that's still the case and that standards haven't slipped to the point where people who are not confident to do 60km/h get their learners.
The pre-learners course could potentially be different in VIC, however in NSW we mainly stayed in first and second gear (top speed of probably 30 km/hr tops). I lack the confidence as I haven't done it before and hence I really do wish they put us in a more realistic situations during the course.
In terms of failing, I had someone in my course accidentally drop the bike while trying to stop yet they passed.
I'm actually having a bit of trouble finding the practical testing conditions for Vic.
https://www.vicroads.vic.gov.au/licences/licence-and-permit-…
Also through companies that have the testing facilities I'm having trouble finding the actual criteria on their websites.
It's possible that those tests were not parts of Vic learners licensing, but additional tests my facility wanted their learners riders to have before they passed you. Some of them advertise this and I went through one of the companies that was a 2 day course with all the bells and whistles in 2008. So it's very possible there's been changes just based on time.
So I can't confirm 100% what the actual criteria in Vic is..
Take a look at the market place on netrider.net.au and the new rider forums. If you can't find it there look at bikesales.com.au. VTR is a great learners bike.
+1 here for netrider. Its a great community to join when you're first starting off.
OP, You don't have any other rider friends? my friend rode my first bike home for me, and then a couple of years later I help another friend ride his first bike home as well. circle of life…
The few friends i have with a motorbike licence are also in the same situation as me. Hoping one of them pulls the trigger on a bike before me and then can help me ride mine too.
Thanks - I'll keep a look out unfortunately there does not seem to be too many listing for NSW atm
+1 for netrider. Even if you don't buy off there, someone may help get your bike home if you ask nicely. Else try a motorcycle transporter - should cost a few hundred dollars.
I learnt on a 91 cbr250rr and really enjoyed it but a VTR is pretty much the perfect learners bike. Also consider a slightly older Suzuki Bandit for that sweet sweet inline 4 sound.
Thanks - I'll check it out though I'm a bit vertically challenged (167cm) so it limits my options a fair bit. Did you do your MOST test on the cbr250rr as well? If so - how did you find it harder than if you were to use a naked bike?
I'm from Qld but I did my q ride with the supplied bikes (cb125) but a naked bikenisnhanda down a better riding position for new riders.
the supplied CBR125 struggled to get me up hills or up to 80KPH during the test haha
Cbr250rr has very angled bars compared to a vtr250, similar to that of modern super sports, which makes low speed manoeuvring a lot harder. That being said, they're fine to do the test on (I did, and lots of people do).
Vtr250 has a great reputation for a reason, they're cheap, reliable, and a great learner bike because they're so easy to ride.
Ask the seller to deliver it? Just be careful to ensure payment happens after delivery.
Thanks for the tip - I'm worried that private seller may not be willing to ride it all the way out to my place, especially with Sydney traffic (would make one-way trip 40-50 mins).
I once had a seller drive 200km (about 3hrs drive) from lower Sydney up to Hunter valley just to deliver a bike to me.
If you have been to look at the bike and tell them you will take it, just ask them. Just say you have to go home to get the cash and if they can take it to your house, you will pay for it when you get there. If I had a genuine buyer, I would have no problem dropping the bike off for them.
I assume payment was already made? One last journey with the baby before he/she let it go?
Payment was not made until the bike arrived. But I was genuine and went to see the bike in person while I was driving through on a job.
I have done the same thing a few times for buyers. If they come and see the bike and say they want it but don’t know how to get it home, I always offer to take it to them.
It’s like a final send off to an old and dear friend. One last ride. And I’m always happy to help out fellow motorcyclists. :)
had mine delivered from da gong, didn't even put down any deposit, but i just told the guy to come down when he can, so i work around his timeline instead of mine.
Don’t worry, just ask the seller if they are willing to deliver. They have been in the same boat as you. I had my bike delivered to me by a private seller which in turns I deliverres the same bike to a new buyer 3 years later. The trip for me was one hour in the cold with an accompany car.
Biker stick together :P
Airtasker for somone with a trailer.
If you're willing to ride it back, i'd join you on my bike and give you some tips.
Otherwise maybe find a friend who'll ride it back for you.
Have you checked out the Suzuki SV650.
Nice smooth v-twin and I believe learner approved.
Also doesn't look like a postie bike like a lot of 250s can.
The SV650 also doesn't fit within OP's budget like a lot of 250's can… ;)
And anyway, if he's going to pay $10k for a first bike, it's already been mathematically proven that there's only 1 real option and that's the Honda CB400.
Woops… didn't see the budget of $3k… my apologies.
I would have loved to have gotten the CB400 if I had the money for it. The plan atm is to do the MOST test on the VTR250 and then hopefully look into getting the funds for CB400 after.
You'll probably want a higher capacity bike after your first one, but of course it depends on what your primary use is going to be.
I did a Q-Ride course years ago (QLD) and my first bike was a CBR600.
My main use for the bike was Sunday rides (very spirited mind you….) and track days.
After about a month I was wanting a 1000.
If you're main use is commuting, the CB400 would probably serve you well. If you want to have fun, I'd be looking into a bigger bike (after your first one).
With me however, kids then came along and I started thinking more about the future… Sometimes on "spirited" rides the red mist takes over. I often think back at my time on the bike and shake my head.
I don't ride anymore but I do miss it.
I was teaching my GF to ride, and so to get the experience safely, I just bought one of the postie bikes from pickles for $1000.
I was teaching my GF to ride
Motorbike?
I started with a Honda CBR125R - rode it home from the dealership. Same position as you, no idea how to ride the thing.. i spent about 2 hours plodding around a nearby industrial area practicing.
Was the ride home terrifying? Yes..
Would i recomend getting it delivered to your home? Yes..
As for a bike choice, just pick something thats reliable & easy to fix/maintain (Honda/suzuki) that can also handle the speeds that you typically want to do.
I started with a Honda CBR125R - rode it home from the dealership. Same position as you, no idea how to ride the thing..
Lol, I love how you threw yourself in the deep end and just went for it.
Thanks for sharing your experience - I plan on mainly sticking to the quiet roads until I feel confident enough not to panic when the most little thing goes wrong. Also what made you choose a dealership over looking at listings on bikesales (&co)?
It was the only newer model second hand Honda CBR125R that I could find at the time. I've since upgraded to a Suzuki V-Strom 650 - I purchased this privately no worries.
I bought my bike brand new, and it had been a over month since I did my pre-learners at the time. It was also a sports bike and I’m the same height as you, so I couldn’t flatfoot with either foot.
Rode it home a short distance but I wouldn’t like to do it for a longer ride. I did it at dusk too, so maybe middle of day would be better.
Dealer would be better in general for used bikes as they can help you with any issues you have especially if you don’t know too much about bikes. Whereas private can scam you as your first bike.
Transporting home can be done with Sydney Motorcycles, which was the company who does it for my dealer. But you can ask a friend or even someone online to ride it home for you, provided you supply a case of beer and stuff (only after though, no alcohol on L’s)
If you do ride home, remember to gear up. Helmet is a legal necessity but gloves, boots are a must in my books. Then jacket and Kevlar pants would finish off the gear. Budget for this! $500 bare minimum, but a helmet can cost that much alone.
nothing more comfortable than a trail bike.
lots to pick from.
.
I wouldn't recommend a trail bike.
Sure, they have soft, comfortable suspension but they're not tuned for the road.
A naked bike is probably more comfortable any way.
With a trail bike, you'll also likely to be on tippy toes at lights etc, unless you're at least 6 foot tall (and you'll likely still be on tippy toes, depending on the bike).
That very much depends on the bike. Many of the more dual sport style bikes have a decent seat height. I have been riding road adapted trail bikes for the last 7 years, and I'm only 175cm - with short legs.
As for dirt bikes not being tuned for the road, they're tuned for easy power at low speeds, easy manoeuvrability, and they take a beating. I could give you two solid examples where my previous bike, with its long travel suspension and flexible frame, saved me from certain high speed crashes. Both times I lost traction on the rear wheel and should have highsided, but the bike saved me - it was not skill on my part.
Dirt bikes are not for everyone, but if you can fit them then they make excellent learner bikes (and fun bikes when you have more experience).
Motards are definitely a lot of fun (if that's what you're referring to).
Forgot about those.
Oh I miss riding now…. 😪
at 168cms, I managed my 200kg KTM 990 Adventure just fine. one foot flat, or both on toes.
A 'trail bike' is more like 120-140kg and shorter, not talking motocross/enduro. think more like the venerable DRZ400, reliable as a rock.
tyres probably have a bigger impact to road holding than suspension tune. fit some more road oriented dual purpose tyres instead of knobbies for commuting.
http://cycle-ergo.com/
add multiple bikes and scrolling on mouse shows it fade from one to another.
i thought it had a stationary setting too (ie when stopping the bikes re seat height and leg length) but can't see it now.
.
My friend was in the same position, I ended up driving him to pick up his bike and drove behind him the whole way home.
As for tips, when it’s too good to be true it probably is. Ask to do a test ride and maybe bring a friend that has a bike if possible?
Thanks for the tips - What are you thoughts on the people that offer professional bike inspection services? Do you think it would be worthwhile given that I personally do not know many people that ride bikes?
This is where dealer used may help alleviate your concerns.
Pay close attention to the seat height and whether or not it needs to be adjusted to suit you.
If the bike is a lot higher than your inseam then you'll feel perched and unsteady.
If the bike is a lot smaller than your inseam then you'll get sore legs.
Reminds me of a short mate (5'6) that bought a BMW r1200gs. Had to stop next to curbs, often way before the lights if there isnt a curb to put a foot down.
Thanks - I'm only about 167 cms tall (though more accurate to say short) so seat height is defs an issue for me. I rode the CB125e during my pre-learners course and that was just about okay so trying keep seat height thats about the same.
What about a Honda Grom? Low seat height, shit loads of fun, heaps of aftermarket bits to customise it with and a big Sydney community that you can go on rides with https://www.facebook.com/sydneygromsquad/ There is one on gumtree for $2900 which you could probably haggle down https://www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/glebe/motorcycles/honda-grom…
He said that he is 167 cms talls, not a midget, all naked or road bikes are not too tall for his height, the Honda Grom only comes 125cc
adjusted to suit you
How do you adjust a motorbike seat!?
You can adjust the rear suspension preload - which will effect seat height. This will, however, effect the handling of the bike as well.
Another reason to buy new and not second hand is they could sell you a lemon and you'd have no idea (not able to properly do a test ride and know what to notice).
If you really want to buy second hand then find a mate who rides and can test ride it for you and tell you if it is a lemon. If not a lemon, have him ride it home for you (with you driving). Recompense him for his time with a slab of beer.
Quite a big concern for me as I know next to nothing about bikes. Though buying new may not be possible in my budget.
Get a little postie 50-100cc bike, they're everywhere. Upgrade to your preferred bike in a year when you feel 100% confident about riding.
New CB125e is 2.7k rrp, the one you used for pre learners.
Because it's hardly more bike than a postie.
You can get a ninja250 for about $1500 if you look around. It will have been through a few learners and won't be pretty, but they're a fairly simple and solid bike (having not changed that much in 30 years)
@ATangk: Brand new also means you're spending twice as much on something which is probably going to look like the cheap used one when you're done with it. You're almost certainly going to drop your first bike at some point, so you may as well get something pre-dropped so you don't have to live in fear of doing a thousands dollars worth of damage when you put your foot down on some gravel at the traffic lights, or trip over something when you're wheeling it in the driveway.
Look something local if you dont feel riding too far to get it, I would recommend finding a motorcycle shop to do an inspection before buying it…..is better to spend 60 dollars and they can tell you better the condition of it so you dont have a surprising high repair or service bill if you dont know how to fix the bike. Good luck in your search!
Thanks - the places i have search for inspection are charging about $250 if they come out or $150 if you go to them. Worth it?
Honda VTR250 is a great fit for your budget and a good all round bike, I started on a 400 so I'm going to recommend you go bigger than a 250 if you can afford to.
I chose to ride my first bike home rather than have it delivered, while it was a bit intimidating for the first ~5 minutes I settled in really quickly and by the time I got home felt comfortable and just wanted more! It was quite helpful that there was an empty industrial estate near the dealership I bought at so I could spend a bit of time putting around there getting my bearings before heading out into traffic.
At the very least, go and inspect the bike, test ride if possible.
I actually just got my Ps about a month or two ago.
I did the Ls test having never ridden a motorcycle before and I bought my bike a few months later. I got a VTR250 myself and it's been great I forget the price it had on it on bikesales but I ended up getting it for $2700. In the year I've owned it I've had to get both sets of brake pads replaced and the front fork seal repaired as well as an oil change and some chain maintenance but since then it's been great. Definitely a great learner bike that was very forgiving with the clutch and gears as I was learning.
It's too bad you're in Sydney since I actually might be looking to sell mine soon to get something a little bigger!
Thanks - I'm in a very similar situation - never ridden a bike before my L's. For your P's test, do you know if there any issues with an after-market exhaust. I believe its not allowed on a LAMS bike however most of the bike listing appear to have replaced the stock exhaust?
It's a bit of a grey area and it depends who you have when you do the Ps test. I beleive you will get a different answer depending on who you ask but my Ps instructor said if you change the exhaust it's modifying the bike and it's no longer a LAMs bike so be careful. I made sure to get a VTR250 that was completely stock exhaust and all which is rare by the looks of things!
Good luck with your riding and check out my latest post with the ALDI bike gear sale since that's where I got all my first gear after I got my Ls last year!
I've been riding for many many years and I always give this advice to those who are new to this:
Get a motorcycle with ABS even if it's a bit more expensive!
It will save your ur ass and you will not regret it. All you need is a panic grab even at 30km/h and you will bite the asphalt. That will cost you more than the price difference!
Again, I can't stress this enough, get a bike with ABS!
Source: I ride about 30.000km/year, every year, every weather.
Or learn how to brake calmly and smoothly so that it becomes muscle memory and you'll do it automatically in any situation.
ABS might save you if you're prone to grabbing a handful of front brake in an emergency situation. If you're so panicky on the bike that you need to rely on ABS to stop safely then I'm sure you'll come a cropper in some other way eventually.
Exactly the same arguments ensued when cars first had ABS.
Would you buy a car without ABS or other safety systems or… don't know airbags?
You are asking a NEW person who NOW LEARNS how to do something and you say it's ok to learn with no safety in place. I bet your mother hold your hand when you first learned to walk and didn't let you do it on your own. Same thing, different age.
I will never buy a bike with no ABS. So easy to lock the tires in wet, especially when the good ol' grandma pulls in front of you from a side street in a 70+ zone.
You have the freedom of making 1 mistake.
No doubt that Nomadesque would also be the type to have “classic, not plastic” stickers on their cars and sprout that “no true man drives an automatic car…”
ABS is such an asset on bikes. I buy what I like when it comes to my motorcycles, but if there is an ABS and a non-ABS version of the same thing, I will go with the ABS version without hesitation.
I have been riding and racing bikes almost all my life (40+ years) and with all the muscle memory I have built up with regards to riding motorcycles, there is just no way in an emergency situation there would be no grabbing action…
Would you buy a car without ABS or other safety systems or… don't know airbags?
I own one. Rear wheel drive. I just drive to the conditions and don't have a problem.
You are asking a NEW person who NOW LEARNS how to do something and you say it's ok to learn with no safety in place.
No, it's just that ABS is not a common thing you find on learner motorcycles under $3,000.
I bet your mother hold your hand when you first learned to walk and didn't let you do it on your own. Same thing, different age. Same thing, different age.
Actually, I think you'll find that learning to walk happens once muscle memory-related synaptic connections have been made in the brain through repeated practice. The same as emergency braking on a motorcycle.
So easy to lock the tires in wet
No. Locking the tyres happens when you grab the brakes instead of squeezing the lever in a smooth progressive motion. Yes, you'll skid further once you've locked your tyres in the wet, but the reason why the brakes lock has nothing to do with how wet it is.
You have the freedom of making 1 mistake.
Scaremongering. I have made mistakes that have caused me to come off my motorcycle on bitumen and dirt and I'm still here not sucking from a straw. ABS would not have helped in any of those scenarios. Those experiences have taught me to become a better rider.
No doubt that Nomadesque would also be the type to have “classic, not plastic” stickers on their cars and sprout that “no true man drives an automatic car…”
Straw man does nothing for your argument. Automatic transmission has nothing to do with safety. I own two cars and one motorcycle. None of them would be considered classic vehicles.
there is just no way in an emergency situation there would be no grabbing action…
Look, don't assume that everyone would do that in an emergency just because you would. Source: I've saved my own skin that many times using good braking techniques, including when I've lived in developing countries with far more obstacles to contend with. If you're going 80km/h and someone pulls out 5m in front of you, nothing is going to save you other than reading the road and acting before danger is present.
I distinctly remember emergency braking taking up a decent portion of my lessons. The same goes for head checking. Would you also advocate not doing that and buying a helmet with a blind spot HUD and rear camera instead of a regular one? Safety equipment only works up to a point and then personal responsibility takes over. If you regard safety systems as a replacement for skill development, that's going to breed complacency.
You need to read up on what a straw man is. I was making an observation based on your running commentary. Now that you added “my car is rear wheel drive”, it only reinforces the stereotype. I’m not trying to break down your argument, I was merely giving my own opinion of my experience.
Sweet tip for you; If you don’t want people to make assumption, don’t make it easy for them. :)
Would you also (add some ridiculous notion)…
Isn’t there a “logical fallacy” you can quote for that?
If you are going to base 90% of your side of a debate on sprouting logical fallacies, then best not make them yourself ;)
@pegaxs: OK, so you don't want to address any of my points. That's fine.
I mentioned that one of my cars is rear wheel drive as oversteer tends to be more dangerous than understeer if you lose traction while accelerating. By the way, one car is a 2001 Mazda Tribute with 220,000km (automatic), one is a 1994 Nissan Navara with 400,000km on the clock for work (manual, RWD) with a 2.4L four cylinder engine (hardly a rev head's dream vehicle). My motorcycle is a 2004 Kawasaki KLR650 (again, not a performance / classic machine). Most 250cc riders would beat me off at the lights thanks to my single cylinder setup.
So again, what "stereotype" do my words reinforce?
You're right, not a straw man. More of a red herring. Apologies for mixing my logical fallacies.
No particular one I can quote for the example you picked from all that I wrote. I was actually just asking a question?
I believe the term is "spout" logical fallacies, not "sprout".
Thanks for the negs by the way. The last desperate clutch at winning an argument for someone who only contributes an ad hominem attack instead of dealing with the substantive points.
Don’t have to justify yourself, or your life choices when it comes to cars, to me.
I’m not going to debate anything with someone that screams “logical fallacy” every time a comment they don’t agree with, is made.
I didn’t bother reading your diatribe after I got to the part where you started telling me what cars you own and drive, it’s all a bit off topic for my liking. ABS is an invaluable tool for any motorcycle, and anyone who doesn’t think so and thinks “muscle memory” is a suitable replacement is in a deep pit of denial.
As for the negs, I ran out a long time before I even got to your comments today. But rest assured, I will be back later on today when they re-spawn. Complaining about negs is a sure fire tell tale for no substance to your counter point and a declaration of butt hurt. (Along with picking up spelling and grammatical errors…)
I’m not going to debate anything with someone that screams “logical fallacy” every time a comment they don’t agree with, is made.
I didn't though? In fact, the discussion was solely about ABS until you weighed in with your opinions about who I purportedly am and what stereotypes I reinforce.
At the end of the day, people have been braking in vehicles and surviving well before the introduction of ABS. Motorcycle riders especially have been braking and surviving without ABS for longer than car drivers. If you go back and read my original post, nowhere did I say that ABS was not a valuable tool. I said that it wasn't a replacement for good braking techniques and road craft in general.
Then we can go back to the original poster's request for recommended LAMS bikes under $3,000 and see how ridiculous the proposal of buying a bike with ABS is. It's like someone asking for suggestions of cheap and cheerful hatches and having people tell them they should buy a $100,000 European import with curtain airbags and driver assist because they're safer.
I look forward to the negs when they're available to you again. I've never gone over the limit since I've been on this site so I have trouble understanding how exciting the wait must be for you.
So now it’s my opinion, not a straw man that I’m building?
Anyway, it’s all a bit off topic now, and for that reason, count me out.
I’ve set my alarm for tomorrow morning, and I’ll be sure to come back and neg your comments.
And for the record… here is a list of learner legal bikes that all come in at around the $3000 budget that OP was looking for. So, it seems the suggestion for OP to get a bike, for around $3000 that has ABS isnt so unobtainable after all.
But you know, feel free to blow it all out of proportion… on a side note, do you actually have a bike or have ever ridden one in the last 20 years?
do you actually have a bike or have ever ridden one in the last 20 years?
Yes, I told you what I ride in one of my earlier comments. I didn't think you were interested in my choice in vehicles though?
OP's budget is $3000, not $3500. So 15 bikes Australia wide at $3000 or lower with ABS. What a huge choice! That's compared with 1349 if you don't put a price limit. So about 1.1% of the Bikesales market at $3,000 or under has ABS. Everything else costs more than OP's budget.
Take ABS out of the equation and there are 739 bikes to choose from at $3000 or lower. So roughly 49 times more choice.
I just drive to the conditions and don't have a problem.
Yes but what if you've got a head cold, or a little tired, or momentarily distracted, or f'n human?
Plenty of folk die by bike every year, but i guess they didn't drive to the conditions ay?
Yes but what if you've got a head cold, or a little tired, or momentarily distracted, or f'n human?
If you think that any of those factors will mean that you'll drive less responsibly, perhaps consider not driving a vehicle until you feel better? Consider other road users before putting them at risk.
Plenty of folk die by bike every year, but i guess they didn't drive to the conditions ay?
Some of them weren't, especially those involved in single vehicle crashes (around a third of motorcycle deaths if I recall some recent stats correctly). Ditto those involved in head-ons while overtaking if they were the ones who instigated the overtake.
If you get t-boned on a bike at an intersection and die, that's just bad luck. No bike safety system will get you out of that situation.
been riding 10 years on a bike without ABS.
Its not essential. in fact I would prefer a bike without one. This aint the same as buying a phone without Band28
Why the preference for a bike without it? What do you get from not having it on there? What does a non-ABS motorcycle offer that an ABS equipped bike does not?
I have no slipper clutch. I learn to blip. I have no ABS, i learn to brake. Certain things are skill based. Its always good to learn to do thing properly.
Not convinced, sorry…
1: if I gave to two identical bikes to ride, and one was 2kg heavier, you could not tell me which one was. That 2kg makes up about 1% of the total weight of the bike with fuel and a rider…
2: ABS systems take no more maintenance than a normal brake system. There are no adjustments or special things to do.
3: so, what you’re saying is, for any bike in a range that comes with and without ABS, I can knock $2000 off the price, simply because it doesn’t have ABS? Care to share an example of a motorcycle that has a $2000 premium on it for ABS?
As for blipping and slipper clutches… I don’t think you know what a slipper clutch is or how it works. Motorcycles have sequential gearboxes, that’s why you need to “blip”. It’s nothing to do with if it has a slipper clutch or not…
And you do realise that ABS is an assistant system, not a replacement/automated system? You can use ABS equipped motorcycles in exactly the same way as you do a normal non-ABS motorcycle. Outside of loss of grip, the ABS system is doing nothing and you are braking on a normal braking system. Same as your 2kg example above. If I gave you two identical bikes to ride and one was ABS and one wasn’t, from a normal road ride, you could not tell me what bike had ABS and what one didn’t.
This aint the same as buying a phone without Band28
Absolutely correct.
A phone without band 28 won't kill you.
I am not trying to convince you. I am expressing my opinion. Feel free to ABS everything. Get some ABS shoes as well.
I dont think you know what blipping does. It is more than making loud noises.
https://motorbikewriter.com/learn-blip-throttle/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slipper_clutch
Incidentally, cars with manual transmission can be blipped too.
There really isnt any point arguing this. I rode a CBR250r for 5 yrs and I am riding a CBR600rr for 9 yrs. I didnt need ABS then, I still dont. If a VTR1000 SP2 came up for sale cheap, I am not going to knock it back just because it does not have ABS. In fact I am hoping I can get it cheap because no one wants it because it does not have ABS. (highly unlikely)
My point is ABS is not a necessity. If the bike has it, good. If it does not, you are not going to die when you brake. There are a not of other factors/skill that will help a rider stay safe. I do not rate ABS high on the list.
You buy what you want to buy. I’m just letting you know that for all the reasons that you stated above, you are incorrect.
On a side note, I’ve been riding and racing bikes for about 40 years. Quite well aware of what “blipping” is. Never said it was for making loud noises, just said that it has absolutely nothing to do with slipper clutches.
Speaking of slipper clutches, did you actually read that Wikipedia article?
And incidentally, did you know that trucks can also be “blipped”… in fact, trucks have to be “blipped”.
And I never said that ABS is essential. I was merely pointing out that the reasons you gave for not buying a bike with ABS were totally incorrect and consistent with typical misinformation on what it is and how the system works. If you do not rate it, then you have never had to use it and shows that you do not understand how it works or how it makes bikes safer.
Keep in blippin’’
I was merely pointing out that the reasons you gave for not buying a bike with ABS were totally incorrect and consistent with typical misinformation on what it is and how the system works.
You buy what you want to buy. I’m just letting you know that for all the reasons that you stated above, you are incorrect.
Three reasons were given: weight, maintenance needs and cost.
ABS weighs more, so if you care about minimising weight then it's a valid reason to not want ABS.
ABS systems are complex to repair. Not sure if you've ever bled brakes on an ABS system, but they're a lot less forgiving than systems without it. If you get air in the module you need a scan tool to cycle the valves to get it out. You can't fix it with the standard pedal pumping method of replacing brake fluid. Ditto for issues with tone rings. Removal and replacement of those is a pain in the proverbial. So again, if you maintain your own bike and value simplicity it's a valid reason for not wanting ABS.
Hard to quantify the extra cost of ABS as it's rarely an option and now just incorporated into the price of the vehicle. You're definitely not getting it for free out of the goodness of the manufacturers' hearts though. Also see my previous post with a breakdown of the data source you provided in relation to the availability of LAMS bikes at $3000 or under with ABS. If you're wanting to save money, again, it's a valid reason to not want ABS.
Never said it was for making loud noises, just said that it has absolutely nothing to do with slipper clutches.
Actually, it has a fair bit to do with slipper clutches.
With a slipper clutch you can engine brake at high speeds while downshifting to your heart's content with no consequences. If you do the same without a slipper clutch you'll likely experience some rear wheel misbehaviour such as traction loss or chatter unless you appropriately match the revs with the gear you're shifting down to.
Like ABS, it's a "nice to have" thing as a backup if you mess up your blipping. I can totally understand people who don't like them if they want to ride unassisted with the knowledge that they are relying on their own skill to match engine revs when downshifting.
in fact, trucks have to be “blipped”.
Not all trucks. Synchromesh and automatic transmissions are becoming more and more common on trucks nowadays and the days of double clutching are going the way of blipping and good braking technique.
Actually, it has a fair bit to do with slipper clutches
Wrong, again. But thanks for playing. "Blipping" has nothing to do with what a slipper clutch does. This is evident that you also "blip" non-slipper clutch equipped bikes. "Blipping" is related to how the gearbox works. A slipper clutch works on the drive end… One is to match engine revs, the other is to prevent wheel lock up.
ABS has nothing to do with "blipping" or slipper clutches. ABS won't help with either of those.
Not all trucks
OMG. Really? Well, not all bikes need blipping. Some have CV transmissions and some are automatic. Hell, cars are the same. Some have auto and some have CV transmissions. So your last comment was pointless.
And since you are taking the opposite side of the conversation for the sake of arguing, making extreme and invalid points and go on pointless 3 page diatribes, you're going to have to count me out.
This is evident that you also "blip" non-slipper clutch equipped bikes.
Seriously, you're just embarassing yourself by not reading my posts. I never said that you couldn't? In fact, I said the opposite.
The second and third paragraphs of my reply will reveal all, if you choose to read past my first sentence.
If you didn’t post misinformation and 3 page off topic diatribes, I would probably read them in full.
I seldom get past the first paragraph when I realise that it’s going to be another 2 hours to get to the punch line.
And again, this is off topic, so, again, I’m out.
I seldom get past the first paragraph when I realise that it’s going to be another 2 hours to get to the punch line.
Hmm, yet you managed to read what I wrote about negs (final line), bikes under $3000 with ABS (third paragraph) and truck transmissions (final line). Odd.
You've been "out" three times thus far. Let's see how you go this time.
Thanks for the advice - It's a bit difficult to find naked bikes that are within my budget and also have ABS. However, it has defs helped on numerous occasions with my car.
As I said, you have the freedom of making 1 mistake. After that only luck will tell if you will be able to walk again or spend the rest of your days sucking from a straw.
Loosing your life in a crash is the easy way out. Spending the rest of your days as paraplegic, well that's difficult.
Ride with fear! Ride as everyone on the road is there to get you. Ride as if no one can see you. Don't assume anything.
I've been riding for 8 months now. I have a 2015 Kawasaki Z300 with ABS. I'm still a learner.
I rode in the wet yesterday and it was the first time the ABS has ever kicked in. It wasn't an emergency situation. I was simply travelling slower than usual (40km/hr in 50 zone) because of the rain, and the traffic lights ahead turned amber. I applied front and rear brakes, and I felt the foot pedal shudder slightly. I didn't even realise at that moment it was the ABS because it's never activated on me before and I wasn't braking hard enough to expect to lose traction. It was a non-event in my head. It was only afterwards that I thought about why the brake lever shuddered, that I realised it was the ABS.
Basically, what I'm trying to say is, as a learner with 8 months more experience (commuting daily) than the OP, I still don't have a good feel of what might make the bike lose traction because I've never been in that situation. If i didn't have ABS, and the bike lost traction, I don't know how I would have reacted. I probably don't have the skills, reaction time or experience to get myself out of trouble. So, that's my 2 cents, I'm very glad I have ABS.
My first bike I bought new and had delivered to me. I wouldn't go riding long distances until you have some experience under your belt - my trip to the RTA to get registered was scary and uncertain enough, and I was only going max 60 km/hr! You'll want to stick to what is available locally (or buy new like I did).