First cafe *Kick the noob*

[Flyer]

I'm ready.

Ok, so I started learning to ride when this guy buzzed past me on a beautiful bmw cafe style machine. I'm a cycling nut but it got boring for commuting, and time consuming.

I'm nearly done with my tests etc. (UK) and I'm after some advice on what a good first bike would be. I'm a fairly competent rider as I ride motocross etc. And my heart is set on something with at least 500cc, probably no more than 750 for my first bike.

I'll be looking to buy a 2nd hand cafe that is in pretty good working order but scruffy around the edges so I can do some easy work on it, and eventually begin tinkering with it, breaking it and fixing it. I've been looking at honda 750's and the like. I'm going to be commuting on it, about 65-70 miles a day. I want to spend around 2grand maybe a little more if needed. Would like to be able to do some road trips on it too, but i'm not bothered about comfort at all.

What sort of bikes should I be looking at that will be great fun, quite simple and reliable? Is that a pipe dream?

cheers!

 

[axeugene27]

For a first bike you want something you can ride right away. Id look at sv650, bandit 600, triumph adventurer/legend , kawi gpz750 (if you can find one), an early vfr interceptor.

an early bandit 600 is probably the most affordable, best all around bike on the used market imo. can be had under 2k as well as a fair amount of sv650's can. I think the bandit would be a better commuter though for the smooth inline 4

i love cafe bikes but if i had to own just one bike it wouldn't be a cafe racer.

For the cafe , you want something easy to wrench on, i would go with a smaller bike than the 750 i always find them a little clunky and certainly are more difficult to tune for the novice mechanic because of the 4 cylinder.

good luck

 

[boingk]

As far as I know, in the UK you're limited to 125cc and 15hp or so, then graduate to 250cc and 33hp before full licencing.

Either way, I would highly recommend starting on a machine between 250 and 600cc with between 30 and 50hp. Anything more will lead to poor ridind style due to relying on power to haul you around to the neglect of braking and cornering prowess. Anything less is insufficient for anything but slow (under 70mph) or urban riding.

Check if you're restricted in your bike choice, then get back to us and we can suggest some bikes.

- boingk

EDIT: If you're after affordable, simple, cafeable and roadtripable then a Suzuki GS of any vintage and capacity would be almost ideal. A latelish model GS500 would be awesome - comfortable, practical, good on fuel and a top whack about 120mph. Throw clipons, seat set and pegs on and you're getting somewhere. Its already got the big single headlamp and simple instruments, keep them. See what pipes are available and get some basic ones. Also get a K&N filter but keep standard airbox. Most importantly? Love it.

 

[Pod70]

Don't envy you going through the test at the moment, lot easier when I did mine. I think you are looking in the right range. Being in the UK we're affected by the weather so something with a fairing helps- it's nice the have something to tuck out of the rain behind.

Personally, I would buy something cheap to commute on like a bandit, sv or gpz500 because if you need it for work, you don't want be pulling it apart. With the remainder buy a project to work on so that way if it's still in bits on Sunday afternoon, no big deal.

Do you have somewhere to work on the bike as this will make a huge difference.

Where are you based?

 

[crackerman]

Get something like this:

GS650

Make sure it's all there. This was my first bike I got about 3 years ago. Scored it for $600 because it didn't run. I wish I still had it.

 

[Toast]

Damn man, is that a pic of your actual bike? $600 for a clean ass (rare) 650E... There are never bikes like that here in CA :'(.

Well... unless you wanna pay 2k+