New rider; car vs. bike?

[xee]

Hello!

I am new to riding, got my motorcycle licence last week. At the moment I am trying to find a used 650 Transalp. I really love the looks and the sound and feel of riding with TA - tested out my friend's TA, so I am determined to get one.

I am at University's campus during the week and I go home for the weekends. So I drive around 220km each week with my car. On one side that means 110km (40km highway, 60km normal road and 10km small country road). I want to sell my car and get TA. But I have my doubts. Not sure if it is such a good idea to replace car for a bike (and I don't have money to have both :P).

My biggest worry is rainy days? Is it very dangerous to ride 110km when it rains? How fast do you get wet with usual clothing?

So any of you out there that ride to work with a bike and have no car? How do you manage? Is it doable to ride throughout spring-summer-autumn?

[Annette]

Hi Xee

Welcome to the forum and congratulations on passing your test.

Many of the members here use their bikes everyday, whatever the weather. Although snow seems to put most (but not all) off.

Living in the UK, if we didn't ride in the rain, we wouldn't ride very often:p:p

I ride to work most days, whatever the weather, unless I have a lot of stuff to take into work and then I take the car.

As for keeping dry, you will need to buy at least a waterproof oversuit if you don't already wear motorcycle clothing. I always wear full, protective motorcycle jacket, trousers, gloves and boots, just in case, but everyone has their own personal experiences on what gear they feel is suitable.

But a waterproof oversuit (either 2 piece or 1 piece) will keep you dry and protect you somewhat from the wind.

Whatever you decide is best for you - good luck. Once you get your bike you probably won't bother about the rain as you'll be having so much fine, you just need to adjust your riding when it's wet.

[Snaphappy]

Dont be put off by the weather, yes its cold and wet (even in the summer) but really heavy snow for months on end is a rarity save a bit when buying your first bike and invest in good protective clothing, it will outlast your bike (except your lid) (and your trousers if your like me and stuff yourself with ****ty fatty but tasty food) I'm drivelling

where was I... no such thing as bad weather just bad clothing

Welcome to the madhouse, welcome to Biking
stay safe, be alert








Britain need more lerts

[krisg]

I would agree. Get some proper gear to wear. You can get some really good water proof jackets trousers etc and cheap price. Check out Sprada stuff.

Like they say Snow is not here for that long in the UK. But I personally don't like riding when its cold. And i mean cold enough for Ice on the road.

Its all down to what your happy with.

One possibility to enable you to have both car and bike. Is look for an OLd 600 TA....
Shouldn't cost to much and don't forget your new to riding so you WILL, drop it at some stage. he he.. I did.

[spicy mchaggis]

Im 17, and i passed my test back in January. At the moment im riding my dads 600 TA, which is also my only mode of transport, i use it daily through all weathers, and its still fun, practical and safe (so long as you don't ride like a tw*t :o).

Although im lucky, as i have only had to pay for insurance, but the rest of the money has gone into gear. I would really recommend purchasing some quality riding gear, especially a warm, waterproof, protective jacket which is well vented, and a decent helmet... it makes all the difference.

Despite my very limited experience of a moped, a couple of 125's and the TA, i would say its a great bike, its easily maneuverable, comfortable and it has plenty of power for a novice like myself.

:thumbup:get a TA, you wont regret it!!!
hope it helps, Will.

[xee]

Thanks for replies everyone!


One possibility to enable you to have both car and bike. Is look for an OLd 600 TA....
Shouldn't cost to much and don't forget your new to riding so you WILL, drop it at some stage. he he.. I did.

That's an option yea, I might get and older 600 model.

But what concerns me is that I am not really a "mechanical type". And an old bike with some millage on it might be quite hard to properly maintain/service by a rookie... or would it?

Also how much millage can bike like TA handle? If I buy 600 with 35-40.000km, is that a lot? Would I have many mechanical problems with bike?
P.S: Thats 21-25.000 miles, forgetting I am on UK forums :)

[krisg]

I dont know were you are in the UK but theres an old 600 for sale in our sale section.

[Raven]

I think if you are prepared to rdie through any weather, then it is more than feasbale for you to use it as your everyday transport. Make sure you have some top quality kit to keep you warm and dry in the winter and with vents to open in the summer, and you should be fine kit wise.

Just remember when riding in bad conditions to ride accordingly ( experience is always the best teacher here). I ride all year round, all weathers (even snow) and it hasn't done me any harm :D

[Lord Stig]

That's nothing for a Transalp - 600 or 650 (700 not been around long enough for us to know, but probably the same as its predecessors) can easily go to 100,000 miles with only basic maintanance. My last had 78,000 miles or so when I sold it, and my current Africa Twin (basically the same engine) is on 86,000 miles. The 600 is one of the easiest to work on - don't let mileage put you off. However, I'd aim to get one with under 50,000 miles/80,000 Km on. Have a look around the forum on what to watch for (e.g., alloy corrosion on the wheels, output drive bearing and seal wear...). This site is a fountain of knowledge.

Good luck

[Snaphappy]

I would agree. Get some proper gear to wear. You can get some really good water proof jackets trousers etc and cheap price. Check out Sprada stuff.



Doesn't the devil wear Sprada?

[Snaphappy]

You will gain experience faster and be a better rider after a winter and I can only recommend it, it can be a pain (not only in the arse, neck fingers and toes) but you will benefit from it.
But get a bike with electro starter, getting dressed for the winter roads and then trying to kick start is no fun , get dressed, get sweaty, get undressed, get cold, get starter pilot, get high, and after a long time kicking get started.

[Sharribee]

I have an 04 transalp, it has done just over 36,000 miles. I ride 60 - 70 miles every day with a few extra hundred on a weekend.

I ride all year round, all weathers. I have borrowed / nicked kit (from my dad) although I have to say the pink jacket is all mine,

I can't imagine taking a car to work - ever ..............................shudder at the thought

I have had no major problems with my transalp, and I can assure you that I am more non technical than you are and I have managed to do a small service on my bike with a bit of friendly assistance from my beloved. (assistance in the way of sharp intakes of breath when I go to do something not quite right)

If you love riding and love your bike you will manage, and dare I say it even love riding in the very worse weathers.

[xee]

Well I am certainly more confident now.

Bike it is then! :thumb:

Thanks again for all the answers.

[krisg]

Spada. oops. lol.

[mally]

:toothy4:
hi
i am junior too :thumbup:
'n' now when you have the money get the bike but ...
for the moment i prefer the car
:blob:

[Whealie]

Bike for sure. Kit is vital but you can always buy cheap gore-tex stuff off ebay to wear over whatever protective gear you buy - I do this in the summer, when winter gear would make me too hot.
Get a set of heated grips too and you'll never get cold in the winter.
Honda engines will do 130,000 miles before you need to start worrying that they are getting on a bit.
do a police Bikesafe day and maybe join the local IAM to learn a bit more about roadcraft. You will improve your riding and feel more confident.

[matthelliwell]

So any of you out there that ride to work with a bike and have no car? How do you manage? Is it doable to ride throughout spring-summer-autumn?
Like plenty of others, I ride all year round. Handle bar muffs and a heated jacket make winter riding a pleasure - I wouldn't be without them.

[StumpyFingers]

i had abike anted car, got car, then did some mini cabbing when I was made redundent. sold car and went back to bikes when in financial difficulty, bike got stolen so bought one of the cheap cars from roadside. I then kept doing that for a few years but found I left it parked outside my home for weeks at a time, sold the car last year and am now back on a bike, the ta is my second bike since then and the combined milage of both bikes is twice what the car did in a year. would be a lot more but I am off sick with an eye infection and cannot drive or ride at the moment, quitely going insane, oh well back in the strait jacket for me

[Chad]

Well I am certainly more confident now.

Bike it is then! :thumb:

Thanks again for all the answers.
good for you mate i think once you start commuting by bike you wont look back as all the best advice has already been given i'll add this


in the imortal words of billy connolly

their is no such thing as bad weather !!


only bad kit:grin:

[russh]

Agree with everyone else, get some good gear, make sure it's breathable, although it doesn't have to be GoreTex, I've some Heine Gericke breathable stuff (Sheltex maybe??) which seems to work just as well.

(I do have a vented jacket for the hot weather though. I find I cope better with cold than hot!!)

I commute all year round, I've only not used the bike on one day in the past year, this was when the roads were completly covered in snow, so much so my wife even put the car in a ditch that morning :(


The best bit though are the heated grips, they even seem to keep my feet warm:confused:

For an all rounder you wouldn't get anything much better than a Transalp:)

[phil w]

Got to agree, sometimes I find hot weather much harder than rain an cold. If Im going somewhere local I would rather leave the board shorts and flip flops on and go in the car:teeth:

[squirrelciv]

With everyone here on the 'riding all year' issue. Get proper kit, take your time to get your confidence up and enjoy the ride.:thumbup:
Only thing I'd add is about your choice of steed. If your new to it all and that includes the mechanic side of things, maybe consider a Dommie instead? I know people here will scare you with tales of vibes and low speeds, but as a newbie, keeping things slow ain't so bad, and the vibes only kick in if you're caning it. The big plus for the Dommie is it's simplicity. Easy to work on and great to learn on. They're also holding their price at the mo so you could 'cut your teeth' so to speak, then sell it on without losing too much.(as long as you don't throw it down the road!)
Whatever you decide, get on two wheels and enjoy yourself.:lol:;):thumbup::D

[Chad]

With everyone here on the 'riding all year' issue. Get proper kit, take your time to get your confidence up and enjoy the ride.:thumbup:
Only thing I'd add is about your choice of steed. If your new to it all and that includes the mechanic side of things, maybe consider a Dommie instead? I know people here will scare you with tales of vibes and low speeds, but as a newbie, keeping things slow ain't so bad, and the vibes only kick in if you're caning it. The big plus for the Dommie is it's simplicity. Easy to work on and great to learn on. They're also holding their price at the mo so you could 'cut your teeth' so to speak, then sell it on without losing too much.(as long as you don't throw it down the road!)
Whatever you decide, get on two wheels and enjoy yourself.:lol:;):thumbup::D
sound advice:thumbup::thumbup: