What ever happened to ‘building up’?

Originally Posted by Blue_SV650S

When I were a lad … you got a 50 at 16, rode that for a year, then a 125 at 17 for another year or so … did your test and got a 250/400, then a 600 … then a tou …

When I was a lad you bought a FS1E at 16, then an RD250 at 17, passed your test asap and bought a Z650, then a Z1000 etc if you could afford the insurance (which was comparatively cheaper then)

Originally Posted by MiniMatt

Nowadays, with insurance being what it is, and second hand bike prices remaining quite firm, getting a four wheeled banger on the road is far cheaper.

Nope, not for us young folk anyways. I saw a 1.1 106 for £695 yesterday, did an insurance quote and it was over £900 TPO for me (18yr old). NOT CHEAP

Oh and I climbed the bike ladder anyway - 50cc, 125cc now 650cc

Originally Posted by SV225

Nope, not for us young folk anyways. I saw a 1.1 106 for £695 yesterday, did an insurance quote and it was over £900 TPO for me (18yr old). NOT CHEAP

Yep, Jelster's already corrected me on that one Well and truly corrected, I guess my thinking must have been twisted - when I was in your shoes I only owned a bike and hence got the impression "bike insurance expensive", first car I owned was when I was 25ish and at that time insurance seems to come down a lot, so I thought "car insurance cheap".

[the_lone_wolf]

Originally Posted by MiniMatt

Yep, Jelster's already corrected me on that one Well and truly corrected, I guess my thinking must have been twisted - when I was in your shoes I only owned a bike and hence got the impression "bike insurance expensive", first car I owned was when I was 25ish and at that time insurance seems to come down a lot, so I thought "car insurance cheap".

first car insruance @ 17 - £1000+ on a 1.6 focus

first bike insurance @ 22 - £99 fully comp, the man from suzuki he say yes

[Sid Squid]

Originally Posted by Blue_SV650S

I also disagree ... MY way is the better way

Blue is right about this.

There is a quality to the riding of most of those who made a progression through smaller bikes, that those who've come to biking later in life and straight to larger machines simply don't have. There are a number of ways it manifests itself, but I think the most obvious is the ability to be economical* with the bike.
Of course for most who did it like me there was no desire to own smaller bikes, but when I started most learners were 17 or so and so obviously most had limited finance, the progression was made dependant on the size of your pay on Fridays.

Unsurprisingly I wasn't pleased about this at the time, but in hindsight I'm glad it worked out the way it did, it's added a dimension to my ability that I'm not certain how to entrain in others, or indeed if it would be possible at all.

*I don't mean this in the fuel economy way.

I started on a 125 and moved up to the SV after i passed my test. Although it was annoying i'm glad i "did my time" on the smaller bike as learning the road and rules etc made it easier when i moved up, one less thing to learn when trying to handle a bigger bike!

chap i work with in his 40's has terrible eye sight, a bit of a Mr Bean type character? well he has a full license hes had it for years, a few years back he got cb500s and i can only put his riding skills in one category DANGEROUS.

[Sid Squid]

Originally Posted by kwak zzr

chap i work with in his 40's has terrible eye site

Bloody hell! Where are they?

well one is only 10% in his head if you know what i mean? not good for biking.