Looking to Get my First Motorbike(Your thoughts as a biker)

[the_guy_you_need_to_know]

Ok guys, so as the topic says i am in the market for my first motorcycle.Just a little background info i learned to ride on a beat up 02 CBR 600 F4I (with some wear in the throttle i might add) over a period of 3 months riding about once sometimes twice a week.

Most of my riding has been doing low speed navigating in small spaces with 3 Arima to Port-of-Spain rides and back on the highway and coming through the traffic.Gotten up to some ok speeds(don't really know exactly cause the panel not 100% functional ) in 3rd gear at around 6000 rpm. Haven't had any mishaps or problems while riding except for letting out the clutch to fast at traffic lights on a few occasions...lol

I can get a decent 2006 F4I rite now but i am thinking if its better to hold up a bit and look around for a smaller displacement bike(150-400)although they are really hard to find good small road bikes unless you buy them new and ride that for a year or so before stepping full on into the big bike scene.
I would like to hear the opinion of other bikers out there and know whats your take on my predicament taking into account how the nation roads are and my experience do you think it should be ok to get that 600 or hold up

[Keyser Soze]

read here first. viewtopic.php?f=25&t=227765
Do you have any driving experience? yes, i asked driving experience.
A big part of riding is anticipating what drivers are doing on the road..... that's where driving experience comes into play.
Ride at your own capability.
Be courteous on the road. A large percentage of road users hate the fact that motorcycles can lane split and get to their destination faster than them.... plenty of them show this by bad driving etc.
Also note that every rider will go down eventually. Proper riding gear and a new helmet in most cases is the sole difference between life and death. most cases. No amount of riding gear can protect you from an impact at high speed or some car hitting you unexpectedly.


there's a lot more advice i can give and its purely from an experience point of view but i'll let others chime in here.

[TrinbagoMan]

I would recommend you talk to a good motorbike man, however all the really good motorbike people i knew died in motorbike accidents.

[daas]

I would recommend you talk to a good motorbike man, however all the really good motorbike people i knew died in motorbike accidents.

the irony

[Ted_v2]

Gsxr600 bess bike to learn on.

[10-01]

I would recommend you talk to a good motorbike man, however all the really good motorbike people i knew died in motorbike accidents.

5141745.jpg (127.84 KiB) Viewed 6012 times

get this head up wallers and show dem bike men how its done

[Slartibartfast]

Don't listen to Ted_v2. What Keyzer Soze said makes sense.

While it is possible to learn on a 600cc or even a 1000cc, I highly recommend starting on something between 125cc to 250cc. Firstly, you most likely to have a stupid fall with your first bike. Best it is something cheap that requires little to no repair. Secondly, smaller bikes are a lot easier to handle and maneuver which means they are a lot easier to get comfortable on. This allows you to focus your efforts on getting comfortable riding in various conditions. It also allows you to start working on your riding techniques like body positioning and counter steering. Thirdly, the throttles on smaller bikes are a lot more forgiving. If you start on a big bike this won't be a problem until it is, and when it's a problem, nine out of ten times it's too late.

My recommendations is buy a small bike and ride it as much as you could. There is no substitute to seat time. Ride to and from work, in traffic, in sun and rain... just ride. On weekends find some hills with lots of turns and ride it like you stole it. On a 250cc you most likely won't cross 60-80 in the hills and 120-140 on he highway but it's lots of fun and would help you a lot when you get a bigger bike.

Remember Alex Atherton?
viewtopic.php?t=619551&p=8587742
He started on a big bike and look what happened. It doesn't matter how good you are at driving, the skills don't transfer to riding (but a lot of skills from riding a small bike transfer to riding a bigger bike). He crashed on a corner I never heard of anyone crash on and my friends and I are from up that side so we know that road. Truly sad what happened to him.

[MobSpec]

Getting from point a to point b doesn't mean that you can ride. You should take time to learn all you can about motorcycles and control techniques that suit your comfort. The roads of Trinidad are dangerous because of the drivers that use it. Makes it harder for beginners.
As far as your next bike, if u getting a good f4i then go for it. Just be safe and keep riding. I support new riders since it raises awareness on the road for the other drivers.
Feel free to message me if u have any questions, 2945778

[j.o.e]

Get/ increase life insurance (I'm not a biker but statistically speaking inexperienced bikers are not having a good year locally)

[the_guy_you_need_to_know]

read here first. viewtopic.php?f=25&t=227765
Do you have any driving experience? yes, i asked driving experience.
A big part of riding is anticipating what drivers are doing on the road..... that's where driving experience comes into play.
Ride at your own capability.
Be courteous on the road. A large percentage of road users hate the fact that motorcycles can lane split and get to their destination faster than them.... plenty of them show this by bad driving etc.
Also note that every rider will go down eventually. Proper riding gear and a new helmet in most cases is the sole difference between life and death. most cases. No amount of riding gear can protect you from an impact at high speed or some car hitting you unexpectedly.


there's a lot more advice i can give and its purely from an experience point of view but i'll let others chime in here.

yea to answer you question i have been driving for about 9 years now with no major accidents.
roughly 45,000km per year
and no im not planning to do like some people and sell my car to go buy a bike, that not making sense

[Slartibartfast]

Oh btw, I have an F4, older version to the f4i and it's a great bike. More pep than you will need and a lot more comfortable than an RR so you can ride for hours without feeling fatigued.

[TrinbagoMan]

OP, can i pay you to take out a life insurance policy, with myself as beneficiary?

[the_guy_you_need_to_know]

Oh btw, I have an F4, older version to the f4i and it's a great bike. More pep than you will need and a lot more comfortable than an RR so you can ride for hours without feeling fatigued.

so tell me Slartibartfast
what was your first bike and how long have you been riding

[Slartibartfast]

I started riding in December 2013. First bike was a Bashan BS250. 250cc Chinese supermoto. I rode that to work in town and back every day and sometimes on weekends. I rode that bike for a year and in December of last year bought the F4 I have now. I want to upgrade to a sportier 600 like the RR or a gixxer but I know I will miss the comfort and trunk space of the F4. Where are you from?

[the_guy_you_need_to_know]

I started riding in December 2013. First bike was a Bashan BS250. 250cc Chinese supermoto. I rode that to work in town and back every day and sometimes on weekends. I rode that bike for a year and in December of last year bought the F4 I have now. I want to upgrade to a sportier 600 like the RR or a gixxer but I know I will miss the comfort and trunk space of the F4. Where are you from?

from up arima side
Ive also been looking at a 1987 TDR 250 a dude got for sale on trinicarsfor sale.
Dude asking 15,000 for it negotiable .The bike looks like its in good condition for an old machine .What do you think
go on the trinicarsforsale and look under motorbikes and you would see it

[civicious]

I was in the same boat like u when i just started off. I got into the scene via an atv actually and then started takin weekly rides on a padna dr500 and a yamaha r6. Was pretty thrilling how 'easy' it was to ride a bike like the r6. I soon wanted a gsxr600. However due to finanacial constraints at that time i settled for a DT175 which i paid 5000 for. I am glad that was the bike i gained my first experiences on. Trust me, as a biker u want to learn what it feels like to break traction, and how to regain control of the bike when it slips out of your control, the limits of traction, etc. To learn these things on a bike like a DT is alot more forgiving, as one rider pointed out when u fall with a sport bike is paper hadda jump out, but other than that a trail or dual sport or a supermoto is a perfect bike to gain experience on as you arent overwhelmed with power and get time to concentrate on the dynamics and handling of the bike. Yes a beginner can learn with a 600 or 1000 and become good riders as per say but a strong foundation goes a really long way. For a learner to jump on a sport bike and master all what the bike is capable of is alot larger of a learning curve than if u start otherwise. That said, over the years ive owned gsxrs supermotos trails and rode alot others, best imo, a bmw s1000rr. Anyway the last point i want to get across to you is no matter what you do or how good you ride, sheit can happen at any time. I sold my sport bike shortly after my last accident. Three bikers, two of them 1000cc, were trying to catch my little 600 on the highway. Upon seeing them disappearing in my mirrors, lol, i proceeded to slow down and come to a complete stop between two lanes of standstill traffic due to road works on the highway. As i rest my foot down, i just hear tires bawlin and i skying up in the air. 2 bikers fell one of them skated into my bike. All i remember was pain and seeing my fresh less dan a year old gsxr with ugly bruises and leaking fluids. This just months after a drunk driver pull out in the middle of the road and stopped in front of me, causing a low speed head on collision. Talk about losing motivation. I bought a DR650 after that which i explored the whole of trinidad with and didnt feel the need for high speed again. Honestly, my best days of riding were on the DR. Its the only bike ive owned that i enjoyed more with every single ride. Then came the wheelies Still have the faithful DR but i havent rode even 10 times in the past year. I just dont feel it anymore, the idiots on the road boy, they do their sheit and you have to pay. A sad day has come....but i think its really time...
FS: ONE SUZUKI DR650

Lol, sorry for the lengthy post. But i would have been glad for this info when i was learning. Motorcycles are very fun, but not more fun dan walking talking and breathing. My $0.02? Get into the motorcross scene...all the best my biker brother

BTW, ive owned a tdr250 as well and its a nice bike with good power. But parts are very hard to source due to its age and market. Also, its a 2 stroke, which makes maintenance a bit more tedious.

[the_guy_you_need_to_know]

I was in the same boat like u when i just started off. I got into the scene via an atv actually and then started takin weekly rides on a padna dr500 and a yamaha r6. Was pretty thrilling how 'easy' it was to ride a bike like the r6. I soon wanted a gsxr600. However due to finanacial constraints at that time i settled for a DT175 which i paid 5000 for. I am glad that was the bike i gained my first experiences on. Trust me, as a biker u want to learn what it feels like to break traction, and how to regain control of the bike when it slips out of your control, the limits of traction, etc. To learn these things on a bike like a DT is alot more forgiving, as one rider pointed out when u fall with a sport bike is paper hadda jump out, but other than that a trail or dual sport or a supermoto is a perfect bike to gain experience on as you arent overwhelmed with power and get time to concentrate on the dynamics and handling of the bike. Yes a beginner can learn with a 600 or 1000 and become good riders as per say but a strong foundation goes a really long way. For a learner to jump on a sport bike and master all what the bike is capable of is alot larger of a learning curve than if u start otherwise. That said, over the years ive owned gsxrs supermotos trails and rode alot others, best imo, a bmw s1000rr. Anyway the last point i want to get across to you is no matter what you do or how good you ride, sheit can happen at any time. I sold my sport bike shortly after my last accident. Three bikers, two of them 1000cc, were trying to catch my little 600 on the highway. Upon seeing them disappearing in my mirrors, lol, i proceeded to slow down and come to a complete stop between two lanes of standstill traffic due to road works on the highway. As i rest my foot down, i just hear tires bawlin and i skying up in the air. 2 bikers fell one of them skated into my bike. All i remember was pain and seeing my fresh less dan a year old gsxr with ugly bruises and leaking fluids. This just months after a drunk driver pull out in the middle of the road and stopped in front of me, causing a low speed head on collision. Talk about losing motivation. I bought a DR650 after that which i explored the whole of trinidad with and didnt feel the need for high speed again. Honestly, my best days of riding were on the DR. Its the only bike ive owned that i enjoyed more with every single ride. Then came the wheelies Still have the faithful DR but i havent rode even 10 times in the past year. I just dont feel it anymore, the idiots on the road boy, they do their sheit and you have to pay. A sad day has come....but i think its really time...
FS: ONE SUZUKI DR650

Lol, sorry for the lengthy post. But i would have been glad for this info when i was learning. Motorcycles are very fun, but not more fun dan walking talking and breathing. My $0.02? Get into the motorcross scene...all the best my biker brother

BTW, ive owned a tdr250 as well and its a nice bike with good power. But parts are very hard to source due to its age and market. Also, its a 2 stroke, which makes maintenance a bit more tedious.

Thanks for your insight in the bike scene. much appreciate it. with that said were can i pick up a dicent trail for cheap so i can start my own learning curb. ive been doing my research and to be honest i am seeing a lot of garbage for sale out here.everyone rates 250,200, 175, and 150 trail bikes but im finding it hard to locate decent ones in good condition for sale.
spoke to greens in curepe and he said the same thing about the tdr. as a 27 yr old bike, parts are gonna be pretty hard to locate

[amd-dude]

I learned on a yamaha vstar 650. I personally think the cruisers are better to learn on. Much more comfortable than yuh batty stick up on a gixxer which I also rode but didn't like. You're just more at ease I guess and can make better decisions.

Just my 30cents.

[the_guy_you_need_to_know]

Gsxr600 bess bike to learn on.

so how long have you been riding Ted. what did you learn on and what you riding now

[the_guy_you_need_to_know]

nah "amd-dude" im not really into the cruisers but thanks for the info tho

i will consider the dual sports, supermotos, road bikes and th sport bikes for now

[Slartibartfast]

Damn civicious, sad to hear you giving it up but I completely understand. Last accident I was in was a couple month ago in rush hour traffic. A biker was tailing me while we were going through traffic. A car hit him a bad drive as I was slowing down. He swerved to avoid the car and couldn't stop in time and hit into the back of me. I ended up hitting three cars after that.

Two weeks earlier I hit and oil slick on the road while it was raining and the bike fell while in traffic. Luckily I was only going about 40 at the time. Slid into the back of another car.

A month before that one a taxi was turning left into a side street (indicator on and car angled halfway into the road) while I was riding past him. All of a sudden he decides he wants to turn right instead. Swings hard and mashes accelerator and cuts in front of me. If I didn't swerve he would have hit my front tire. I ended up skidding my bike sideways into the side of his car.

Good thing I wear full gears so all I've ever gotten was some black and blues and a little whiplash.

BTW OP, I could probably help you get a cheapo chinese bike. Normally ATV parts work for those bikes so it's not too bad. Also, the less you pay for your bike is the less it can depreciate by the time you ready to sell. I'll keep and eye out for you.

[civicious]

Yea boy. That oil thing rell dread. Highway too...hmmm. i know u real thankful. Reminds me of an incident i had on the highway. My car had broken down in south and i borrowed my friend gsxr6 to head bk up central. He just got the bike that day. Unkown to me, the bike was stolen in the states then shipped here which is now a well known common practice. Being a hot, the ignition switch was broken and held in place only by one faulty nut. So yea, the switch became loose and fell out of the triple clamp and got wedged between the frame and a shock, which in turn caused the handlebars to b impossible to hold straight. This whilst leaning between two cars at 160km/h. With an oversized helmet not even a gloves or jeans, a rubber slippers on meh foot and my whole front wobbling. Yes, imagine my thoughts at this moment, lol. What did i do u ask? Give that beyotch sum more throttle!!! Took balls of steel i wont lie but when i did that, weight transferred to the back which enabled me to steer my way out of the cars paths onto the shoulder then i slowed and slowed the bike, all dis time it leaning heavy to the left and cant straighten den stopped at an angle and just literally stepp off d bike loll. By gods grace i had not one scratch! Well i rell cuss lolll. Tie up dat sheit wit a piece of plastic bag and ride up d road yes, makin sure dat damn switch remain in place. That was an experience boy...you really never know what to expect when u riding a bike yes.....

[civicious]

Oh yea the bike got minor damage, slider broke and one scratch. The gsxr surpisingly hard at standstill drops

[kdere]

Firstly don't listen to Ted... ask slartibartfast, we had a friend sell his 08 gixxer to a newbie and he ended up starfishing by caroni roundabout. The speed is addicting but not easily controllable. Super sports are unforgiving. You could buy a super sport and look cool and not be able to ride for a long period of time or make the sacrifice and buy a small bike, get in your seat time and when you're ready to jump out you're a bike man. I ride a gixxer 750 srad and it has gotten me I to enough trouble, mostly from my own bad decisions and the fact that everyone in my team does ride too damn hard!!! Learn the road first and take your time because every sport bike rider with that adrenaline addiction will go through his hard riding phase. We start every ride "aite fellas. We taking we time and heading up the road. 160 and we cruising". 5 mins later one man throws up his front wheel or a tiida man flies past us and is pure madness. We are trying to work on that as a group. Lol. Riding is fun. Riding is life, but u have to know what you want out of it. Start small, be safe and enjoy it.

[the_guy_you_need_to_know]

so guys lets not stray from the topic to much.....but i appreciate the tell all tales of your experiences on your bikes.

think i should get that o6 f4i or what

[the_guy_you_need_to_know]

Firstly don't listen to Ted... ask slartiblast, we had a friend sell his 08 giver to a newbie and he ended up starfishing by caroni roundabout. The speed is addicting but not easily controllable. Super sports are unforgiving. You could buy a super sport and look cool and not be able to ride for a long period of time or make the sacrifice and buy a small bike, get in your seat time and when you're ready to jump out you're a bike man. I ride a gixxer 750 srad and it has gotten me I to enough trouble, mostly from my own bad decisions and the fact that everyone in my team does ride too damn hard!!! Learn the road first and take your time because every sport bike rider with that adrenaline addiction will go through his hard riding phase. We start every ride "aite fellas. We taking we time and heading up the road. 160 and we cruising". 5 mins later one man throws up his front wheel or a tiida man flies past us and is pure madness. We are trying to work on that as a group. Lol. Riding is fun. Riding is life, but u have to know what you want out of it. Start small, be safe and enjoy it.

thanks man i think this is what i need to here

[civicious]

so guys lets not stray from the topic to much.....but i appreciate the tell all tales of your experiences on your bikes.

think i should get that o6 f4i or what

Im gonna hv to agree with kdere there on that one. It all depends on what your goals and objectives are as a rider.

[the_guy_you_need_to_know]

occasional rides from arima to pos or down the manzan streach and through the back roads in central and south trinidad .cuuzing speeds. not into drag raceing and bar hopping . not into group riding at this point. just a cool cruse around the place

[civicious]

Well those are high traffic routes so you definitely want to have a solid foundation and a bike that can b easy to correct mistakes on.

[EFFECTIC DESIGNS]

read here first. viewtopic.php?f=25&t=227765
Do you have any driving experience? yes, i asked driving experience.
A big part of riding is anticipating what drivers are doing on the road..... that's where driving experience comes into play.
Ride at your own capability.
Be courteous on the road. A large percentage of road users hate the fact that motorcycles can lane split and get to their destination faster than them.... plenty of them show this by bad driving etc.
Also note that every rider will go down eventually. Proper riding gear and a new helmet in most cases is the sole difference between life and death. most cases. No amount of riding gear can protect you from an impact at high speed or some car hitting you unexpectedly.


there's a lot more advice i can give and its purely from an experience point of view but i'll let others chime in here.

Quite a few times as I cycled from Work to Home I noticed drivers in Trinidad purposely try to stop me on my mountain bike by pulling to the far left of the road when they see me approaching. I never actually realized that this was the reason, I always thought they were just bad minded and evil for no reason at all, didn't realize that they were trying to stop me from getting home faster than they can.