My brother in law has just bought himself a rather nice Ducati motorbike. This means he's in a position to be selling his 50cc Aprilla scooter thing.

Now, I'm very tempted to buy it from him and use it to do my CBT as biking has always been of interest to me. However there is always the opportunity to injur/kill myself quite easily.

What sort of MPG do you get from a bike? It could also open up a new range of jobs that are a little too far to travel by car. WHat are running costs like? I hear insurance on "tasty models" can be expensive?

I'm looking for advice really, I need someone to convince me its a good/bad idea.

Any thoughts welcome.

Don't bother with a rev and rip scooter. Get yourself a real bike with a proper gearbox and clutch.

I sold my last bike after my car crash as my back is buggered and wish I still had it.

I'd say go for it but I expect there will be a huge amount of people who tell you horror stories or tell you that you're an arsehole.

I was riding for over 15 years and had three accidents, two minor and one quite bad which wasn't my fault.

A local bike shop does an intensive cousre for over 25's (thats me) where they supply a little bike for a weekend long session culminating in a test.

Looks like that may be the easiest way to go.

I'm a biker too.

Have an SV650S in silver dating back to end 2002. Rare bike because it was only produced for 1 year in that colour :P

Been riding for 7 years - got the bike licence before the car, although I've hardly used it this year. Probably costing me more than

Been riding motorbikes since I was 7 as my dad used to ride speedway so it's in the blood so to speak, now at the tender age of 31 I have experienced alot of idiot road users that don't care about bikes.

Bikes are great for a weekend rip but you are more than likely to have an accident if you use them to commute to work. I have been lucky and only come off twice in all the time I have been riding but the last accident was quite bad and a broken 3 bones in my wrist.

Best advice I can offer is, the 50cc is a good base but don't do like alot of people do and use it to pass their test and then go and buy a 600cc bike as the power increase is IMHO is to much for alot of people to handle.

The fastest bike I have owned was a Kawasaki ZXR 600 Ninja, I remember seeing over 170mph + on the clock, at that speed that is NO room for error though.

Like tfboy I passed my bike test before my car. I used to ride everyday, commuting over 20 miles each way into Leeds City centre and it's a great form of transport, only had one accident and that was caused by someone driving through a red light. Having riden bikes and driven cars I don't car drivers are as bad as they are portrayed when it comes to seeing bikes. IMHO much of the blame lies with the bikers, they often sit in a cars blindspot waiting to overtake, overestimate how fast they are compared to over vehicles often thinking they are the fastest thing on the road, don't look behind when they overtake because they don't expect anything to be going faster, expect people pulling out of junctions to realise they are doing 120+mph. Now I'm not saying car drivers are blameless but I think the poorer bike riders are ones who have driven a car for sometime before riding a bike and so don't fully appreciate how invisable they are and how hard it is to judge the speed of something with such a small visual frontal area.

I went straight to a 600cc sports bike after passing my test and never had an accident on it. However I did commute on a 125 for some time before that.

I would say don't get a 50cc as they are dangerously slow, you should go for a minimum of a 125cc preferably with gears if you want to use it to learn on. However don't go for a sports 125cc as they are pretty difficult for learners due to the powerband.

How come the 50cc/125 ones drown out the sound of the whole of the rush hour traffic and the big ones sound fine.

Would like a sports bike but never going to happen.Quite fancy a Vespa too though

My brother in law has just bought himself a rather nice Ducati motorbike. This means he's in a position to be selling his 50cc Aprilla scooter thing.

Now' date=' I'm very tempted to buy it from him and use it to do my CBT as biking has always been of interest to me. However there is always the opportunity to injur/kill myself quite easily.

What sort of MPG do you get from a bike? It could also open up a new range of jobs that are a little too far to travel by car. WHat are running costs like? I hear insurance on "tasty models" can be expensive?

.[/quote']

Bikes rarely save you money unless you are running a dull commuter bike.

They are damn good fun though and save plenty of time.

How much does he want for the 50?

You'll probably pay a couple of hundred quid a year on insurance , and get 50mpg.

Service intervals are short but it's cheap and easy to do yourself.

He's after

At 500 quid it's almost certainly worth buying as long as it's roadworthy and not too trashed.

It is very much road worthy and has hardly been used, it was my father-in-laws from new before he owned it. Each has used it just to pass their CBT. I guess its about 6yrs old.

Yes, get yourself a bike, they are great fun! If you do a 3 day Direct Access course then you will be able to ride anything if you pass the test. I would'nt bother with the 50cc bike, because training schools provide the bike during the duration of the course and test. Best buy your own helmet though, the ones at training schools always seem to be filled with unrecognisable wildlife

Im a biker 2, got my licence 2 years ago, did a direct access (Over 25`s)......

The only downside i can see, is that unless you are prepared to ride through winter etc, its a pig having the bike sitting in a garage, calling out to be riden, and you just cant go out.....it kills me.

No horror storys to tell, just be sensible, always wear leathers and decent boots, even if its just a ride to the shops..... trust me my friend, regreting owning a bike is not something i will ever do, and neither would you.....

I own a CBR600 by the way 1998 and insurance was £320 fire/theft first year, £280 second year....about to go up to 650 fully comp though as a nice shiney 05 model Kwak 636 will be in the garage soon......oh yes......

I was 26 when i first insured a bike by the way...

get and do it, and see you on the road my friend

Dread1977

Been riding bike since i was pretty young,fields etc

Had a bike on the road from 16(Aprilia AF1) then went onto a RG125 Gamma then to a KR1-250 and then RGV250K.

took a few years out due accident and rising insurance costs.

then bought a CBR600 in 1999 and have had 2 bikes since then,RGV250 for trackdays and various CBR600's for the road.

unfortunately saw one of my best friends have a very bad accident(Car pulled out in front of him,broke both his arms and both his legs)

and haven't ridden on the road since hence why i'm selling the CBR and sticking to trackdays with the RGV250.

haven't got to worry about cars cutting corners or junctions!!!

go for it do your test it will improve your driving skills and judgement of differing road surfaces etc and make you a even more aware driver to your surroundings.

I would NEVER advocate a bike for commuting. One of my students (6th Form) was killed on Xmas eve cos a car didnt see him and pulled out. He was only travelling at 30mph (Witnesses) and was killed outright. Drive a car or get the bus or train if you can (IMO)

I ride, and a fellow Briska and Triumph rider Fluff. Do it. You are as likely to have an accident on a bike as in a car. You must realise that the bike accident MAY be more serious, that's all.

With good training and a follow up course with BikeSafe, or the likes of, you will gain confidence and will learn to pre-empt dangerous situations. More importantly not put yourself in vulnerable situations.

There are thousands of riders who will tell you of years of happy riding. I've had three minor scrapes in 7 odd years and all can be attributed to lack of concentration on my part.

It's no more dangerous than any other form of transport.

If you have good observational skills you'll be fine.

Blimey - this is a thread from the past, well done to who ever managed to drag this one up again!

Still seriously considering it - but not while it is cold, wet and slipery out there.

Still seriously considering it - but not while it is cold, wet and slipery out there.

What do you think makes so much fun:D

I am a biker too but rarely get it out in this weather cos they hate salt and are a little expensive to repair if you drop it on these greasy roads and also I dont bounce too well ,my average mileage a year on the bike is about 4k and use it for a mix of commute and fun.