Best route back into motorcycling

[lacmag3]

I rode a Honda 500T (a plodding vertical twin) during the seventies but nothing since. I want to get back into biking and hope to buy something like a Kawasaki Versys 650. What's the best means to bring myself up to scratch as a competent rider?

[AlBags]

Try a Bandit. Easy to ride and maintain.
Join a local club.

[Impret-Sir]

I would definately recommend getting some training, the roads are a lot busyer than in the 70s, and bikes are an endangered species these days out there! A Bandit is a good choice, also somthing like a Honda CRB600, which will do just about anything, tour, commute, and be fun an a Sunday blast. Then spend a few weeks riding away from main busy roads till you build up your confidence again. BTW, I had a 500T in the 70s too, at the time I thought it was the dogs danglers and certainly didnt feel 'plodding'!

[piggynose]

in a word DONT!!!
i had a lot of fun in the 80´s owning 3 bikes, had several near misses, yeh took risks, think the angels were guiding me(no not the hells)
but apparently if you look at the stats, theres a lot of men returning to biking after a long layoff(50plus age group) getting either maimed or killed.
so think twice.

[RATTER15]

lol, bikes are so different now, more like rockets on wheels!!

[R1Geezer]

No1 is get some training, then get yourself an easy bike to ride, Bandit/Fazer/Hornet. Though beware even the 6 is a quantum leap in preformance above the last bike you rode. You'll get used to the power very quickly.

[dotty.]

i'm in a very negative place as regards motorbikes at the moment, it was 3 years yesterday since danny died being thrown from his bike and hitting a lamp post, he was doing 26mph and hit some diesel in the road. killed instantly. then on sunday two friends were killed on their classic harley by what seems to be a mistake by a foreign driver, they had 30 years bike riding experience and were out in their harley most weekends, so all the experience and training and care in the world can't protect you from being in the wrong place at the wring time.

[piggynose]

also your reactions slow down with age.

[gsr600]

firstly Hornet & fazer will do over 130mph so maybe DON'T get a 600cc 4pot to start back to biking, maybe a 500 twin may be a bit slower - kawasaki er5 or Honda cb500
or something smaller plenty of choice & price to suit you, i am a born again biker as they call them - i have been back in the saddle for the last 7 years & in my mid 50s, just take it easy there are plenty of to$$ers in cars as you probably know, just as you say GET back up to scratch - if you find you dont like it anyway you can always sell it on again.
good luck with your decision.
i may be called GSR600 but now ride an XJ6n

[lacmag3]

Thanks everyone for your replies, both encouraging and discouraging. If I am to take the plunge, so to speak, I want to be prepared. I know IAM do courses for bikers but I get the impression they try to make good bikers better; I'm not at the good biker stage yet, though I have a full licence. Are the other training "schools" you see out and about regulated, is there an association or can any Tom, Dick or HArry set up a training school?

[lacmag3]

Dotty,
Thank you for taking the time to post an answer. Just wanted to say sorry if this brought back any painful memories for you. I'll bear what you say in mind.
Lacmag3

[Dris]

Im with Dot -avoid August Bank Holidays at all costs.My ex husband -my childrens dad was killed 3yrs past Monday to the day and he was the sh!ttest hot biker you could get and that was all his life but you cant make allowances for numpties who dont see you.He was 50 -she got a years ban we got life :(

[R1Geezer]

Just go to a school for learners and explain your situation they'll tailor the course for your standard. They'll probably do CBT even though you don't need it just for assessment purposes. I always encourage bikers to get on the road but do take on board some of the negative comments above. Accidents do happen and you can be unlucky. However training will give you road craft and assist surival. I have been biking since I was 17 and have never had a collision with another vehicle. I've had some close calls mind and I've come a cropper on slippery roads etc so I do believe you can avoid crashes if you treat every journey like a death waiting to happen. Good luck, get a 600, believe me you can feed in the power as you get used to it. Natural self presevation will kick in. Once up to speed you'll never tire of that acceleration. No car you are likely to encounter will beat a bike. My car does 0-60 in 4.6 secs, not bad by car standards but positively tortoise like compared to the old R1. Good luck, get out there!

[saxy_jag]

Agree with the others - get some training. The shop you buy from should be able to point you in the right direction of decent training providers.

Dotty, I'm really sorry for your losses. My friend's son was killed a few years ago by some stupid idiot driver who pulled out of a side street. Again, this was at a relatively slow speed, in city traffic. Driver claimed he 'didn't see him'. Makes me so angry when people claim this. My own son and husband are both bikers, as are, naturally, a number of our friends. I'm probably more 'bike aware' than many drivers because of this - I always think, 'that biker could be my son/husband/friend'. I'm also an experienced pillion passenger, so I know almost first-hand what the average biker is up against. I really do believe that everyone who drives should have some experience of riding or at least being pillion on a motorbike.

Training doesn't guarantee safety, but it does at least teach you how to cope with some of the idiots out there to whom bikers are an expendable species.

[Dris]

Sorry RIGeezer -you cant 'avoid crashes' thats like saying anyone who drives goes out with a death wish.Do you seriously think a driver thinks will I risk death or not?
My father and brother are still very keen bikers despite our tragedy-attend rallies etc,TT a few years back.Come from a biking family BUT I have to dispute that statement.The rest was solid advice though.
My ex was a Motorbike Mechanic and had ridden and built bikes all his life and was so well known in the biking fraternity that a few lay their bikes down as if he went down they didnt think there was much chance for them -fact.
However -I have since been pillion and it wouldnt stop me ever.Its the doughballs who dont see you that you want to watch out for.
Be cautious at junctions even if you have right of way -we cant train up car/van/lorry drivers so we have to make Bikers more alert.

[R1Geezer]

All I said was I have up to now avoided a collision. No barbs intended.

[R1Geezer]

The most important thing I was ever taught, this was by a police officer on a biking course I did: "There is no such thing as right of way, it is not mentoned in the highway code or any serious driving manual. The rules of the road tell you when you should give way, the list is not exhaustive. Ie give way if you think you are going to get squashed."

[dotty.]

Noone can prepare you for being on an open road and a French driver comes round the bend at 60MPH on the wrong side of the road R1, their harley stood no chance, the Frenchman and his wife walked away and are back home in France with a note to come back to answer death by careless driving charges, meanwhile there are two people dead in an Inverness morgue whilst their daughter is in premature labour from the shock and their son is trying to decide where they will be buried.

[R1Geezer]

Hey back off, I'm making no points here, really, wrong place wrong time = night night I'm not denying that.

[dotty.]

Nothing personal to you meant R1, I was just stating facts

[gonzo00]

well lacmag3...don't let the scare stories put you off mate..how many people are killed driving cars every day?? answer.... hundreds worldwide! dosen't seem to put anyone off driving to work everyday,does it?? get yourself some refresher training and go out and have some fun. ps. you can avoid accidents....it's called defensive riding/driving...it's been working for me for 25 years! ;0)