Bike owners

[cc123]

Hi folks.
I regularly post in the Army forums but think this might be one for a more general post.

I'm booking bike lessons and going for my Full access course so I don't need to faff about with a restricted bike for 2 years. Been looking at different bikes and insurance for these bikes. Guessing that some of you's guys at sometime have owned a bike or own one just now??

I've decided to go for a Honda RVF400 NC30. Just from what I've read and also the insurance for a 'just passed' rider is pretty good for a 23 y/o.
Anyone own on or can comment on this bike. Price wise they seem good value if I can get hold of a good un'.

Observations, comments and rabblings welcome!

[cambridgebloke]

RVF is a good little bike, quite torqey engine - I had an imported one which was reliable as a commuter for 2 years. get a nice clean one and you are laughing. Alternatives could be ZXR 400 or GSXR 400, both good but a bit more revvy. If you are old enough you might want to read up about the RC30 quite rare and pricey but anyone who is into bikes knows that this was the daddy of the era Foggy did some damage at the island as did Joey Dunlop with one of these!!

[Ploggers]

How tall are you?

The RVF400 is a very small (physically) bike. Also they are relatively expensive.

Face the fact that as a new rider you need to gain experience on something forgiving or you will experience the unpleasantness that is road-rash.

Consider something a little less posey but with enough speed to keep you happy. Also there are bikes out there which will let you away with mistakes without spitting you off. GSX600 or an older CBR600 for instance. you will pick up an exceptional example of the former on a recent number plate for less that £2000. Learn on it for a while before getting into serious sports bikes.

[Benw]

I looked at all the 400's when I was on the market for a bike last year. The RVF is a great bike and a good handler, be wary though as most of them will have had the shit thrashed out of them. Also, parts are not cheap and can be difficult to get hold of on imports. If you have your heart set on a 400 look at the ZXR400 - it's a screamer and there are plenty of decent UK bikes about. I ended up going with a ZX6R (see avatar) because I wanted the extra power and stability of a 600. I also found that the insurance was relatively similar, I pay about £75/month TPFT. I also think it is a great first bike - forgiving, smooth, fast and stops on a penny.

[cc123]

I'm 5'10" and a bit and I know that I might be a little cramped riding the thing. Still not got to see one to get a feel for it but I'll hopefully get a look at one tomorrow.

I have also looked into the CBR600 or even the ZX6R (my mate owns one) but the looks of the little NC30 have won me over! The VFR is the only 400 bike I've considered, anything else I've looked at is a 600.

The next one I'd think about would be a Thundercat. Got about £2.5k to spend (being a new rider, licence, leathers, boots helmet, insurance) have ate into my savings!

[Benw]

Any 600 you might go for will have more power than you will ever need on the road. 400s are unique and if ridden well, will outshine most bikes on the B Roads. If you want to go any sort of distance though, you will need to go for a bigger bike, you may also find that after 6 months you will want more power than the RVF, particularly if all your mates are on 600's and you can't keep up

[Ploggers]

Thundercat would do fine, it's fairly forgiving. It's a good point about the speed thing on the RVF, although they will do a top speed of around 130 it's hard work keeping it on the boil. A fantastic track bike though.

Go for a 600. Which one is a matter of taste but being inexperienced stay away from the R6 and GSXR600 until you get some twisty miles under your belt.

[Gary_amsterdam]

some bikes I want

[druadan]

Ignore the RVF, go for a VFR. For your £2500 you'd be looking at the low end of the RVF market, or the high end of the VFR one. The RVF offers very little extra, the USD forks look nice but aren't really any better than the VFR right-way-up ones, the only other advantage is the RVF has a 17" rear which is easier to get sticky rubber for than the VFRs 18". Also bear in mind that the V4s are hard to get parts for and expensive to service. If you want a 400 I'd recommend you look at the ZXR and CBR (NC29) as well, servicing and parts easier and cheaper. ZXR has a storming motor, CBR handles like a dream even in standard trim. Check out www.400greybike.co.uk for loads of info on the various bikes. All of these bikes are quite forgiving for a learner in that you can get away with braking hard whilst turning for those cock-ups where on a bigger bike you'd end up either washing out or bottling it and going straight on; however they require a lot of effort and concentration to ride fast as you really have to keep them buzzing around the red-line and it's all about corner speed, whereas on a bigger bike you can get away with tootling around the corners and using the power on the straights to catch up, and there's a lot more grunt lower down the rev-range so you don't have to play the gearbox so much.

If the RVF really is the only 400 you're interested in, I'd forget it and go for a 600, far better money-wise (older ZX6-R good value, as is the CBR6 if you like the jelly-mould bland looks of the older ones, FZR600 often overlooked sweet bike). Thundercat is a good entry to sportsbikes, but don't expect it to handle like 'proper' sportsbikes on stock suspension...it's more than a little soft. Having said that, as a new rider it will probably take you a while to get to the point where you really start worrying about that sort of thing. I'd also recommend getting a ride on an SV650, it's a tad cheaper to insure than the others, and the torque from the twin makes it very easy to ride.

Bear in mind that fairings are expensive...as a new rider, you may like to consider a naked 600...they're cheaper to buy and insure, don't lose out that much on power to the sportsbikes, and handle almost as well (certainly as good as the Thundercat).

[RobT]

Gary, all of them are Puff chariots apart from the last one . Me old man has a Honda Blackbird, i'm gonna have a go on it someday!

[Gary_amsterdam]

Gary, all of them are Puff chariots apart from the last one . Me old man has a Honda Blackbird, i'm gonna have a go on it someday!

puff chariots?
harley's and choppers are real men bikes.

[El Prez]

harley's and choppers are real men bikes

You may think that......... so why do they dress like a member of the Village People?

[Wholley]

Two Words.
"Harley Davidson"
Nuff said.
I know Bert,Drop and give me fifty.
Wholley.

[Frank S.]

Gary, what's the third bike, looks like a chopped Yamaha? I can't recognize the engine: the heads look like a VMX12, V4, but the rest of the bike looks like a Virago?!?

My fave:

[goldie ex rmp]

Now thats a bike mate..........my third love of my life.........got me through many an adventure race