First Bike - possibly Transalp

[Sharribee]

Filipa please bear in mind I am one of the most clumsiest people in the world. I managed to dislocate my patella just turning around. I have rubbish balance and fall over just because I can, in fact I failed my second test because I fell off the bike in the test centre

3 months for me may mean a lot less for someone else, speak to your instructor and be guided by him

[pdsquire]

Yo Filipa! Stop being so polite. Everyone here enjoys giving advice even if it is useless, so there's no need to keep saying thank you!

The Transalp IS quite a heavy bike and the weight IS carried quite high up but that doesn't matter when you are moving. So if your journey involves a lot of stopping and starting then perhaps a CB500 would be a good place to start: if it is off the drive; 32 miles; then into a carpark, the TA will be fine. (To answer your earlier question, the first TAs were 600cc and later went to 650 (and even later 700 but those are out of your price range)) Once rolling, the TA is in my view easier to place on the road and more responsive to steering inputs than the CB but both are easier to ride than a 125.

If you do buy a TA, get some engine bars so that you won't do much damage if you drop it.

Don't worry about the CBT result. Riding is so strange that some people don't immediately click but become good riders fairly soon.

As regards the DAS, hundreds of people each year start with a CBT on the Monday and pass their DAS on the Thurs or Friday of the same week. Of the four riders I know who have passed the DAS recently, none had more than about a week of riding and tuition between CBT and DAS. It really is doable, but if you don't get there, try again!

Welcome to XRV land and we hope to see you riding soon.

[Filipa]

Hey Sharribee, fair play. I guess it does depend on the person riding it. I shall see Well, the instructor did say he could see me in a bugger bike which is a good sign.

[Filipa]

hey pdsquire,

sorry sir, but just comes out..ahahah
i guess the politeness will soon wear off

engine bars, cool..i'll remember that

i'll speak to the instructor next week and see what he makes of the whole thing.

[Lord Vader]

But then I'm just a big girly woos really

Oh yes at least you drink like one

pah!

[Filipa]

Hey everyone,

WOOOOHOOOOOO... I'm officially part of the motorcycle group!!!
In fairness I have only passed my CBT, I need to book my theory test and Direct Access but still...

So the question is that I have started looking for a bike on eBay a while ago and I wonder whether to get it now or leave it until I get my direct access.

The latest one i saw was:
HONDA XL 650 V-Y Transalp. 2000. FSH. 11000mls on eBay (end time 05-Apr-10 19:57:37 BST)

However, i haven't got much knowledge of bikes and was wondering if you could help me????

Cheers

[tramp]

Hi , congrats on the first step, The bes thing would be to wait and spend the time having a look around with someone who knows the bike you want, were`s DC he`s in your neck of the woods.

The Ta 650 are great forcommuting and jus tabout a good allrounder, not fast not slow they just get on with the job at a sensible pace. Not many problems either and hold there money well , plenty stuff in the Ta section under the Homepage header -do a search under that section for loads info on whats bad/dodgy.

My Advise would be when you get the bike Head out to a closed car park on the industrial estate and practice turning at low speed around cones to ge tthe feel of were the weight changes, as the back brakes aint upto much and dont use the front at low speed turning/manovers.

best of luck

[Mudwiz]

Hey everyone,

WOOOOHOOOOOO... I'm officially part of the motorcycle group!!!
In fairness I have only passed my CBT, I need to book my theory test and Direct Access but still...

So the question is that I have started looking for a bike on eBay a while ago and I wonder whether to get it now or leave it until I get my direct access.

The latest one i saw was:
HONDA XL 650 V-Y Transalp. 2000. FSH. 11000mls on eBay (end time 05-Apr-10 19:57:37 BST)

However, i haven't got much knowledge of bikes and was wondering if you could help me????

Cheers

That seemed like it would have been quite a good bike for the money. Cosmetic scrapes are nothing, autotrader runs 650 TAs for 2600 ish, so saving a bit there.

remember you can get a lower seat for the TA if height is an issue, the seat is quite wide and I like odd times for both feet firmly on the floor.

Also, you could pass the test on a 125, and run a restricted TA (33hp) for a couple of years. That doesn't seem to really let the bike down, at least it didn't with Palmer's one.

[droid]

Hi Filipa,

i have a Transalp 650 for sale. X reg (2001) 23,000miles great condition but looking for nearer 2000 for it. you can have a look through this link...

HONDA XL TRANSALP XL650 V-Y Any

[Traveller]

Hi, attached is a picture of my daughters bike. It is a Honda VRX. It is rated at 33 bhp so you can ride it after passing your test on a 125. She has used it for all sorts of trips. From commuting 50 miles each way to touring Scotland a couple of times.
It is an ideal starter bike. Far more planted on the road than a 125 and low enough to get both feet on the floor. It is a very smooth bike to ride and will hold its own in traffic.
You see them for sale on e bay from time to time. She has owned this one for five years and covered some miles. It has not given any cause for concern during that time. The engine is of the same gene pool as the transalp and africa twin and seems just as bomb proof.
Just food for thought.