Some questions about moterbikes
August 15, 2024 10:40 AM Subscribe
I've wanted a moterbike for as long as I can remember and I think it's about time I made it a reality if I can!
There are a few complications however ... so I need some advice ... some of my questions might be a bit obvious but I'm hoping there are some enthusiasts/experts out there that might be able to guide me without a thousand different Google searches!
Firstly I have a mental health diagnosis that I believe is on some kind of list as regards being legally allowed to drive. Without being specific does anyone know if this imposes a ban on me being able to ride/drive or if I just need to declare it or jump through hoops?
Secondly I'm interested in buying with credit, does this rely on me having a decent credit score? If so how do I find out if I'm eligible?
I'm also confused about insurance ... I did a quick check with a bike I'm interested in and it came up with no options ... why might that be?
I really want to be able to ride on the motorway and I'm over 24 so as far as I can see I just need a CBT and then pass the theory and practical tests ... is it realistic to get a decently powered bike as my first or might the fact I'm looking at over 125cc be why the insurance is coming up blank?
Also some bikes for sale come with a rear storage box and some don't ... can you attach storage (panniers) to any bike?
Firstly I have a mental health diagnosis that I believe is on some kind of list as regards being legally allowed to drive. Without being specific does anyone know if this imposes a ban on me being able to ride/drive or if I just need to declare it or jump through hoops?
Secondly I'm interested in buying with credit, does this rely on me having a decent credit score? If so how do I find out if I'm eligible?
I'm also confused about insurance ... I did a quick check with a bike I'm interested in and it came up with no options ... why might that be?
I really want to be able to ride on the motorway and I'm over 24 so as far as I can see I just need a CBT and then pass the theory and practical tests ... is it realistic to get a decently powered bike as my first or might the fact I'm looking at over 125cc be why the insurance is coming up blank?
Also some bikes for sale come with a rear storage box and some don't ... can you attach storage (panniers) to any bike?
Response by poster: UK yes, sorry I completely forgot to put that in!
posted by an opinicus at 11:14 AM on August 15
posted by an opinicus at 11:14 AM on August 15
A 125cc bike will not be able to hit 100km/h reliably. A 150cc bike will, barely (I have a 150). 250cc is really all the power anyone needs for any reasonable use of a motorbike.
Aftermarket storage can be applied to any motorbike in many different ways, some you can DIY, others you can have a shop do. If you have the option, I would advise getting a bike with a top box (behind you on the top of the seat) already attached; you can get detachable panniers later.
Be sure to budget for body armour if you're going to ride on the motorway. You need a full face helmet, a jacket with armoured spine and elbows, and ideally matching pants that zip to the jacket with knee armour. Always wear boots that cover your ankles on the motorway. Get leather gloves with knuckle padding and wear them all the time.
posted by seanmpuckett at 11:31 AM on August 15 [4 favorites]
Aftermarket storage can be applied to any motorbike in many different ways, some you can DIY, others you can have a shop do. If you have the option, I would advise getting a bike with a top box (behind you on the top of the seat) already attached; you can get detachable panniers later.
Be sure to budget for body armour if you're going to ride on the motorway. You need a full face helmet, a jacket with armoured spine and elbows, and ideally matching pants that zip to the jacket with knee armour. Always wear boots that cover your ankles on the motorway. Get leather gloves with knuckle padding and wear them all the time.
posted by seanmpuckett at 11:31 AM on August 15 [4 favorites]
An often-repeated maxim for motorcycle riders is, "Dress for the crash, not for the ride." Agree with seanmpuckett's suggestions on attire.
Another rule for motorcyle riders is to keep your head on a swivel. You need to be constantly on the lookout for other vehicles, debris on the road, ruts in the road, construction hazards like steel plate or gravel on the road. Most car and truck drivers are complete idiots when it comes to watching for pedestrians, bicyclists, and motorcycle riders. If you're not also driving a car, you may as well be invisible. So you have to be very alert. What will you do if (when) that car pulls out right in front of you? What's your escape route? If maintaining high alert level and situational awareness for the duration of your ride is going to be a problem, please reconsider.
Not sure what the licensing requirements are in the UK, but where I live in the US for engine sizes greater than 50cc, you must have a valid driver's license with a motorcycle endorsement, obtained by successfully completing a motorcycle ridership course. Even if such is not a requirement in the UK, I would strongly suggest doing so before buying. The courses are well worth the money; at least around here, it's part knowledge of local laws and rider responsibilities, and part skills training and testing. It may well be that in the course of the um, course, you discover that riding is definitely not for you, and that's okay; at least you learned such in a safe, controlled environment.
posted by xedrik at 11:52 AM on August 15
Another rule for motorcyle riders is to keep your head on a swivel. You need to be constantly on the lookout for other vehicles, debris on the road, ruts in the road, construction hazards like steel plate or gravel on the road. Most car and truck drivers are complete idiots when it comes to watching for pedestrians, bicyclists, and motorcycle riders. If you're not also driving a car, you may as well be invisible. So you have to be very alert. What will you do if (when) that car pulls out right in front of you? What's your escape route? If maintaining high alert level and situational awareness for the duration of your ride is going to be a problem, please reconsider.
Not sure what the licensing requirements are in the UK, but where I live in the US for engine sizes greater than 50cc, you must have a valid driver's license with a motorcycle endorsement, obtained by successfully completing a motorcycle ridership course. Even if such is not a requirement in the UK, I would strongly suggest doing so before buying. The courses are well worth the money; at least around here, it's part knowledge of local laws and rider responsibilities, and part skills training and testing. It may well be that in the course of the um, course, you discover that riding is definitely not for you, and that's okay; at least you learned such in a safe, controlled environment.
posted by xedrik at 11:52 AM on August 15
This is a list of conditions that may or may not prevent a license being issued - it looks like it depends on whether your illness is well controlled and presumably on the sort of medication you take to control it (if any). I am a diabetic on insulin; my blood sugars are stable and all that happens is that I get a form every three years that I have to complete and return to DVLA, who check with the doctors at the diabetic clinic and then reissue my license. It's very straightforward.
I tell every insurance company I use about my treatment and all they ever wanted to know was whether DVLA knew. When I said yes, because I told DVLA first off, they were fine.
posted by Martha My Dear Prudence at 12:13 PM on August 15
I tell every insurance company I use about my treatment and all they ever wanted to know was whether DVLA knew. When I said yes, because I told DVLA first off, they were fine.
posted by Martha My Dear Prudence at 12:13 PM on August 15
When I took my bike driver test in the UK, 250cc was the limit until passing the test. As seanmpuckett says, 150cc is barely enough for motorway driving. I'd urge you to aim for 250cc for your own safety, as (unless the law has changed since I left the UK 40 years ago) you could ride that as a learner.
xedrick's advice is GOLD. Staying alive on a bike means knowing what all the people around you in cars might do.
posted by anadem at 3:15 PM on August 15
xedrick's advice is GOLD. Staying alive on a bike means knowing what all the people around you in cars might do.
posted by anadem at 3:15 PM on August 15
I don't think there are motorcycle specific provisions for a UK licence as regards health, so I think if you can get the provisional licence in any form you can get a motorbike licence. That said, the DVLA website is pretty easy to read.
When I tested for this, years ago, I did the CBT (you can fail, turns out - but my course covered the remedial) and the full test training in a week. That saves you trouble.
If you get the basic licence you're limited to 500cc and 55hp (if I'm not out of date). That restricts your bike options. You can retest or wait out the upgrade to the full licence, but if you are old enough to be allowed to take it (21+) there's really no reason not to get a full licence up front. The test is the same, you just do it on a bigger bike, which the training company usually lends you either way.
Bikes that new riders crash are generally a lot more expensive to insure. Also, you will drop your first bike, embarrassingly, more than once, quite possibly while stationary (forgetting the kickstand, for instance). You will feel dumb, but if you get a bike with a lower fairing you will also scratch it up and the plastics don't come cheap. Naked and half faired bikes are a bit more tolerant of this - no plastics to break. It's also worth buying a pair of crash mushrooms so that that's what hits the ground first.
Typical beginner bikes in the UK used to be 500cc/600cc twins - they are going to be better bikes than you are a rider. Honestly: don't buy your first bike new. If you do need a loan, talk to your bank or other banks - if you go to a dealer they will try to profit on your loan and it is usually more expensive.
Check a bike mag, or a website, that has insurance bands in it, then get an online quote of a bike that you would like to ride in a low to middling insurance band. The groups used to be 1 to 19 (a long while ago) and you do not want to be paying for a top group bike with no riding history. There are several motorcycle specific insurers - Bennetts and Carole Nash come to mind - another reason to pick up a copy of a bike mag.
If you did get a bike on a bike loan I imagine they would insist you got comprehensive insurance. If you can find a cheap second hand bike that you can afford outright you can get TPFT, for a lot less money, but you need to be prepared to lose the bike (and therefore the money) if you crash it.
And absolutely price in gear - a helmet that is comfortable and that fits properly, and at least a jacket, boots, gloves and ideally some trousers. There may be a second hand market for some of that, but absolutely without question buy your helmet new - if it's been dropped the padding won't work in a crash and you can't always tell by looking at it. You might also want to buy a chain and lock.
posted by How much is that froggie in the window at 5:38 PM on August 15
When I tested for this, years ago, I did the CBT (you can fail, turns out - but my course covered the remedial) and the full test training in a week. That saves you trouble.
If you get the basic licence you're limited to 500cc and 55hp (if I'm not out of date). That restricts your bike options. You can retest or wait out the upgrade to the full licence, but if you are old enough to be allowed to take it (21+) there's really no reason not to get a full licence up front. The test is the same, you just do it on a bigger bike, which the training company usually lends you either way.
Bikes that new riders crash are generally a lot more expensive to insure. Also, you will drop your first bike, embarrassingly, more than once, quite possibly while stationary (forgetting the kickstand, for instance). You will feel dumb, but if you get a bike with a lower fairing you will also scratch it up and the plastics don't come cheap. Naked and half faired bikes are a bit more tolerant of this - no plastics to break. It's also worth buying a pair of crash mushrooms so that that's what hits the ground first.
Typical beginner bikes in the UK used to be 500cc/600cc twins - they are going to be better bikes than you are a rider. Honestly: don't buy your first bike new. If you do need a loan, talk to your bank or other banks - if you go to a dealer they will try to profit on your loan and it is usually more expensive.
Check a bike mag, or a website, that has insurance bands in it, then get an online quote of a bike that you would like to ride in a low to middling insurance band. The groups used to be 1 to 19 (a long while ago) and you do not want to be paying for a top group bike with no riding history. There are several motorcycle specific insurers - Bennetts and Carole Nash come to mind - another reason to pick up a copy of a bike mag.
If you did get a bike on a bike loan I imagine they would insist you got comprehensive insurance. If you can find a cheap second hand bike that you can afford outright you can get TPFT, for a lot less money, but you need to be prepared to lose the bike (and therefore the money) if you crash it.
And absolutely price in gear - a helmet that is comfortable and that fits properly, and at least a jacket, boots, gloves and ideally some trousers. There may be a second hand market for some of that, but absolutely without question buy your helmet new - if it's been dropped the padding won't work in a crash and you can't always tell by looking at it. You might also want to buy a chain and lock.
posted by How much is that froggie in the window at 5:38 PM on August 15
Oh, and dealers don't mind you walking around and sitting on bikes. Do that. There's no obligation to buy, and different bikes suit different body shapes so you don't want to be going in blind.
posted by How much is that froggie in the window at 5:40 PM on August 15
posted by How much is that froggie in the window at 5:40 PM on August 15
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posted by lokta at 10:47 AM on August 15