What Bike to Select as First Time Driver


As a virgin biker it seems to me that Honda have got the learner machine marketplace well and truly stitched-up with their Honda CBR-150. As a 28-year-old newcomer to biking, I really would feel a little incongruous farting round town on an Honda Wave or other scooter like motorcycle, which to my idea are not much more then hair-dryers.

As for the iconic Honda Phantom, well, I'm not yet too old to dispense with taste - in that department; it just doesn't cut the mustard.

The choice of learner bikes is limited enough for acne-ridden teenagers getting their first set of wheels and when it comes to the 'mature' rider, there's something of a black hole in Thailand. Aren't the manufacturers missing this market?
Okay Suzuki has a Suzuki Raider 150Ri on the market, there is a Tiger Boxer 200cc, which is not that bad looking and Kawasaki has a Kawasaki Ninja 250R for sale, but the 250cc Kawasaki seems to be a total different price class. KTM looks promising, but they have currently not much roadbikes on stock.

And with a Honda CB400 I have the idea I dive direct into the deep of powerful bikes, and as a Bangkok commuter, I have no need for a heavy bike.
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Anonymous

Tuesday, 06 April 2010 @ 04:23 AM ICT
I've been riding bikes since I was 15, but at 52 I hadn't had a "big" bike for a few years, so I too selected a CB400 Super Four. I found it a good smooth bike, with decent power above 7000 rpm, but I could never gel with it. For a start, it has a very wide tank. I had a groin operation in my 20's, and after a two hour ride on the CB I was in real pain. The throttle had a lot of stiction and needed quite a lot of effort, and the power band doesn't match my style of riding. I also felt it was too expensive for what I needed, and I was looking into future maintenance costs. Plus it was heavy and didn't handle well.
In the end I sold it and bought a used Yamaha Scorpio, which suits me much better. The throttle always gives an exact response from the engine, and all the controls, and the handling, are completely effortless.
I now have the perfect motorcycle for me.
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