Motorcycle vs car

[MarkF]

[QUOTE 1726870, member: 45"]My PX125 was fine in city traffic. Annoying on dual carriageways though as it was just short of grunt to get past trucks with limiters. Sometimes they'd toy with me.[/quote]

It was the hills for me, I live in West Yorkshire, often I'd struggle to hit 30mph and end up with a queue of irate drivers behind me. Up Otley Chevin it'd struggle to get to 25mph with my hands frantically whipping it between gears.

 

[Archie_tect]

Proper Vespa. Cooler than a cool thing.

Hardly... just a poser's machine... unstable in side winds, noisy [wing-ding-ring-ding-brrrrrup], smelly... and yes I'm biased.

 

[Linford]

[QUOTE 1726870, member: 45"]My PX125 was fine in city traffic. Annoying on dual carriageways though as it was just short of grunt to get past trucks with limiters. Sometimes they'd toy with me.[/quote]

In an ideal world, you really need something which can sit at 60 all day with a margin above it of about 20mph in reserve to overtake, without having to sit alongside a lorry for an extended period of time as you go past. I used to commute to Gloucester on a Honda CB250RSA single, and it was just abut there with a top speed of about 80mph at a scream. My brother used it as a despatch bike for a few years in London, and they are very good for the slower work. You will get buzzed by a lot of cars though cruising at 60 on the duals.

 

[MarkF]

In an ideal world, you really need something which can sit at 60 all day with a margin above it of about 20mph in reserve to overtake, without having to sit alongside a lorry for an extended period of time as you go past. I used to commute to Gloucester on a Honda CB250RSA single, and it was just abut there with a top speed of about 80mph at a scream. My brother used it as a despatch bike for a few years in London, and they are very good for the slower work. You will get buzzed by a lot of cars though cruising at 60 on the duals.

That's just where a 250 (or larger) belt driven scooter excels, there is no changing down, hunting for a power band.

 

[Linford]

That's just where a 250 (or larger) belt driven scooter excels, there is no changing down, hunting for a power band.

Or alternatively, just go get a GSXR1000 which pulls like a train from 20mph to 180mph in top gear

It wil cost you your licence though at some stage and is totally OTT for the road

 

[MarkF]

I was, of course, comparing the scoot to the RS250.

The pic reminded me, there is another reason I gave up motorbikes, at 50, I was often the youngest rider at meets. Motorcycling is an old man's game nowadays, you see some cracking machines parked outside bridge clubs.

Or alternatively, just go get a GSXR1000 which pulls like a train from 20mph to 180mph in top gear

It wil cost you your licence though at some stage and is totally OTT for the road

 

[kishan]

motorcyle will always be cheaper over car mate

cheaper on fuel on my 125cc my fuel costs 5-6 pounds full tank which lasts about 1 1/2 weeks
cheaper on insurance on my 125cc my insurance is 300 fully comp
cheaper on maintaince a service costs from 70 to 150 max depending on what sort of condition the bike is in.
free parking
with a motorcycle you are able to get out of traffic
road tax will be probably the same as for a car depending on what cc biek you get my 125cc is 15 pounds a year road tax.

 

[Linford]

I was, of course, comparing the scoot to the RS250.

The pic reminded me, there is another reason I gave up motorbikes, at 50, I was often the youngest rider at meets. Motorcycling is an old man's game nowadays, you see some cracking machines parked outside bridge clubs.

I should add that the pic is not me, but my mate who wrote my bike off when a car pulled out on him, and ended up lending me it for a season until he replaced mine and was fit enought to ride the gixxer again. Even he has fessed up eventually and swapped it out for a 750 now as he found the warp speed performance to be a hindrance (the thing was geared to do an indicated 100mph in 1st to keep the front wheel down, and would wheelie off the power as it approached the redline @140 in 3rd). It also sounds very impressive, and it was a lot of fun, but the absolute reality of riding something like that is that you only really have fun on a motorbike when pushing them on at the limits of either your ability, or theirs,, and for something like that it means that you can't have fun within the legal limits. for this reason alone, I was happy to hand it back and get something smaller - if I'm totally candid. 600's great fun and a proper toy which will do everything you ask and more - 1000cc superbikes = penis extension which are OTT in the real world.

The problem is also that there are so many barriers for younger riders to get into biking, that a lot of them don't bother now.

 

[yello]

It was not nice riding in heavy rain on a busy motorway and A road

Absolutely. You really cannot overlook this fact if you intend to commute. There are days when it won't just be unpleasant but dangerous.

I'm a year round biker and have decent wet weather gear. Wet and cold don't tend to bother me from a comfort point of view. When it does get downright unsettling is when the rain is hammering down. It restricts your visibility and significantly increases your braking distance. If your on a motorway with cars right up your backside (because you're leaving a decent gap ahead of you) then it all starts to get a bit hairy. Many car drivers seem to make no allowance for the driving conditions nor for the motorcyclist's vulnerability and limitations in the wet. It's perhaps the only time when I'd prefer to be in a car.

 

[simon.r]

Or alternatively, just go get a GSXR1000 which pulls like a train from 20mph to 180mph in top gear

Nah, if you want something really torquey get one of these:

Gears, who needs gears?

 

[Linford]

I have sat on one at the bike show when they first came out - huge lump of a bike. I followed one as well on my 600. A lot of urge without a lot of effort, and had to wind it right up to keep up (to 70mph of course ) , but they don't really do corners very well, and the fear of the rider was palpable when he came to one

Still, I'd jump at the chance if I was offered a ride on one - it would be rude no too...

 

[terry_gardener]

I would like to say a massive thank you for everyone on this thread, i have also been very surprised by the amount of response this thread has generated.

while at the town today I went into a bike dealer to just ask some questions and I was told about the geton.co.uk scheme which gives a free 1 hr taster session so i have just registered online as it will give a good insight and it is free so can't really lose.

 

[col]

Im well out of date with everything bike, as when I passed my test it was a two part and thats it. Im just wondering if a car licence still covers a bike up to 125cc? it used to be 250 but that changed and cant remember? Just thought a 125 would be a decent commuter if thats the way your thinking? Now if I had the spare cash a nice 125 would do for summer methinks.

 

[Archie_tect]

The examiner still stepped off the kerb to check your emergency stop when I did mine in 1976.... happy days.

 

[simon.r]

The examiner still stepped off the kerb to check your emergency stop when I did mine in 1976.... happy days.

Ditto for me in 1981. I couldn't master the emergency stop without locking my back wheel, so on the day of my test I slackened the cable operated rear drum brake on my CB200 off so much that it barely worked I passed!