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Advice on first bike Cat. A


MarkK92
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Hi All,


So I passed my Mod 2 last Wednesday!


Anyway I've been trying to whittle down the list of the bikes I'd consider to about 3 or 4.


I looked at Honda, Suzuki, Kawasaki but nothing stood out to me.


So I'm down to the following:


- Yamaha MT09 or MT09 SP

- Yamaha MT07

- BMW F900R

- Triumph Street Triple S or Street Triple RS


I'm trying to set up test rides for them but also just wanted to get some advice on them. Appreciate that F900R isn't out yet but just some advice on generally how people have found these models/manufacturers in the past.


Things like reliability, running costs, riding quality etc. would be really helpful but just any feedback.


I had considered the KTM Duke 790 but the dealerships are far away in either Stoke or Blackburn so not sure whether its worth w trip up there.


Thanks


Mark

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As above, it's really a very personal choice so try as many as you can. What looks good on paper may well be a disappointment in the flesh.


My only comment is that from the guys I know with BMWs is that the build quality is not what it used to be.


Plenty of people with the Street Triple or any of the MT variants who rave about them.


Of course you should really buy a Triumph and anyone who tells you different is wrong. But it's a free world so they're entitled to be wrong.

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It is very much the case of until you ride it you never know and by ride it I mean for more than 60 mins the dealer typically gives you. A few dealers will offer longer rides at an additional cost and if you buy take off the cost of the "rental" against the final price.

By taking them out for longer you should be able to get past the initial learning of the bike, clutch point etc and focus on how it feels although this may be a little harder for you as you are fairly new to riding (not meant as a put down).


Personally I have a 2013 Street Triple R and it is a cracking handling bike, enough poke for UK roads and even the odd track day if you fancy it whilst giving you a little character from the triple engine, the 765R/RS is even better again with the extra grunt and electronics. A few friends have upgrade from the 675 to the 765 and have no feeling to move up to a 1000 as they don't see how much quicker you could actually go on a twisty country road without being someone special or suicidal.


The MT07 I found quite bland and more of a commuter bike but still not a bad bike at all, MT09 is a big step up from the MT07 and just does everything a little better. I haven't ridden the SP version or any middle weight BMW so couldn't offer my opinion on them.


General servicing costs depends heavily on whether you take it to a dealer or a regular garage but if you are buying brand new then costs will be fairly consistent from dealers and you can ask what they are before you buy as they are usually a fixed price.

Once out from the dealers warranty then most minor servicing can be done by even the most ham fisted person. Oil and filter packs can be bought on ebay for about £45 and will take about 45 minutes of your time to complete. Front and rear pads again can be changed within about 30 minutes and those costs are based on whether you want normal pads or something a little softer for extra bite. Brake fluid takes a little longer as you cannot rush it or you will end up with soggy brakes but still doable under the hour mark. Doing your own minor servicing allows you to check over the bike in a little more detail then just as you walk up to it and kick the tires and chain and turn the key.

With all new bikes I would suggest investing about £45 and get the suspension setup professionally for your weight and the type of roads you will be riding on as this honestly makes a huge difference to how a bike "feels" when you are sat on it, compliance is king on a normal road rather than setting it up for the "track" as trust me it wont make you any quicker and you will probably cry after catching a few pot holes.


Congratulations on passing and a few more bits of advice:

Sign up for a Rospa or IAM to continue learning and improving, riding a bike is a marathon rather than a sprint and they will help you build your confidence in a controlled environment with someone who knows what they are doing and give you quality time on your new wheels, you cannot fast track time or experience.

Never chase someone who is quicker than you, stay away from idiots who do stupid overtakes/ aggressive riding and learn at your own pace, bad habits are hard to unlearn and could cost you your life. This is especially true of riding in groups with friends or bike meets.

The stickiest rubber on the market doesn't mean it is the stickiest rubber on the road as they need to be worked to get the heat in them, sports touring tires are fantastic all rounders and work in a whole range of temperatures and will offer more grip that you will need for quite some time so don't think tires or the size of the hero strips maketh the rider, save your pennies and your sanity.

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I can’t comment directly on the F900R but have ridden an older F800R and really liked it, the amount of stuff that the F900R comes with now seems great too, a lot of the safety and innovation seems to be filtering down from the more high end stuff.

While for example the electronics package on my bike will be of a more advanced standard and adjustable more for track etc, the stuff you can get on this bike is great for the road and comes with way more options like tyre pressure, Bluetooth, direct calling the emergency services etc, and I bet it has a fuel gauge!, none of which are even a remote possibility on mine, I’m impressed and it gets my vote!.

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Congrats on passing.


My first bike was a street triple R. I still love it and can honestly say I don't regret it.


Test ride them all and see what fits your style best. It is exciting times shopping for your first big bike.

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Well done on passing I'm sure ur over the moon. Certainly test rides are a must, this was when after shortlisting like you did I knew which bike was for me.

I cc an only come t on the mt09, I went for the tracer 900gt. It fitted the bill and the extras I got with the gt I thought were great value. I've had mine since July and put over 4k miles on it in all weather with no issues. It's a really flexible engine and for a bigger bike still offers great fuel economy, it's more than happy to be ridden like a commuter in low revs, long distance touring and being opened up for some fun riding.


See which bike you like best, work out the running costs and insurance etc and go for it.

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