If you decide on a 125 hack after your CBT it's worth going Japanese. Will cost you more but you will hardly lose anything on it when you sell - there is always a demand. My Honda CBF cost me £1050.00 when I bought it and I sold it for £975.00 12 months later.
Go for Tiger 800xcx low. I too am vertically challenged in the leg dept. Easy to handle a low speed in town and has enough power for A roads/motorways. I'm taking mine to Morocco this year. A can do all bike.
Just to modify the original question a bit. Same age. Same immature outlook. Only, I’m 6 foot three, long in the arm and leg, and weigh 230-240, and I live in a New England world of pot holes, gravel, and unpredictable weather. Trying to balance first bike middle age conservative mindset with my size. I wonder if a small bike that doesn’t fit my arm and leg length would cause me to be learning bad habits. I hear “learn on something like what you want to ride”, which for me is T100, T120, Thruxton (longer term). Also, while it makes sense to start on old beater, the safety features (abs, stability control, etc) of a new t100 seem tempting if fixing it from an shorts changing incident does not. I wonder if the new bike tech balances the drawbacks of more weight and torque. Bikes seem, well, much bigger than they used to. I’m a life long manual transmission driver, so at least that part won’t be new. Thanks for your advice!
My advice would be a used, battered XT250 Yamaha or similar for 12 months to learn basic skills on something forgiving. Those trailies are no longer sold here but I learnt more on one on loose surfaces in weeks than in years of on road riding. I assume as a car driver you have basic roadcraft. After that, it is about discovering how invisible you are to swathes of yawning drivers! So just ignore me and buy a T120.
Repooh Its all been said. The only thing I would add is if you get an older bike then you can qualify for classic insurance. Little bit cheaper whilst you gain some confidence. And some of those 600's are fantastic bikes. I have a hornet and it is so well behaved. But if the need come it can also move it some. Really its all down to what you want to do. All the advice in the world won't change when the bug bites. Regards Joe
I'd agree here, riding off road teaches you far more about bike control than pure road riding, the use of throttle on a loose surface has an immediate effect on traction if applied too quickly. When my son passed his test I wouldn't let him buy a big capacity sports bike, he spent a year on a DR400 Suzuki, riding both on and off road, he fell off on the dirt quite a lot but never hurt himself & learned a great deal from it, he eventually had a GSX-R 750 and is a very capable road rider.
Pass your test then take your time. The important thing about all of this is CONFIDENCE! This starts with the little physical and psychological things; 1. Feet comfortably on the floor 2. Weight, not yours but the bikes. Out and out numbers isn't always a good indicator as where is the weight i.e. balance. 3. Spend some time making the bike fit you. The bike is made to fit 95th percentile or whatever but that doesn't help YOU. Is the clutch bite point in the right place, stretching too far and you will soon damage your little confidence you do have at this stage and most likely drop it. Likewise front brake; set it up so it has some travel and not too tight will help provide some feedback. A full on ar*se nip and totally stopping the front wheel will soon have you down. 4. Be sensible with yourself, how much power do you need? I met an young guy in his late 50's (bet you can't guess how old I am?) at the Manx GP and he had a Street Twin. Short ar*se and he absolutely loved it. My mates dad was going to buy one and instead bought a Moto Guzzi I think when he was looking and sitting on this one he realised his mistake. Go for it but methodically and steadily, one step at a time
Chaps Repooh made his choice ages ago, this is Andrew jumping on the back of my original question. As for Repooh, he bought a shiny new Street Twin, black of course, thrown on lots of bits, and removed a few, has clocked up an mere 1200 miles during the Uk's glorious summer and loved every minute. Edna, has gone to bed now as I'm a namby pamby southerner and don't want to get cold. Roll on spring Mind you starting to get un-natural stirrings for a Speedmaster, I rather stupidly rode one for half an our and she was fab.
Those voices in your head telling you that you NEED a Speedmaster will only grow through the winter, remember to take your meds or you will end up with one!
Bloody hell you are morphing into @dilligaf Don't start looking at fecking trailers what ever you do!
Lots and lots of Jack Daniels and a Speedmaster called NUDGER I’ve got it all @Repooh....you know it makes sense
Its his fault I'm on the JD, he told me I was a souther softie drinking red wine, I bow easy to peer pressure when alcohol is involved
