Confused about bikes? Read this.

[scubasimon]

I have seen several new riders asking the question: "What bike should I buy" in SBF and decided to write a simple article to share some important points to consider. I also put together a simple chart to show the different styles of bikes so its easy to see. Have a read if you are new. I hope this helps you.

 

If you are an experienced biker, please leave your comments so the article can be improved upon.

 

[i removed the explicit link to my blog page as it is against SBF rules. So I am reproducing the article below in words. Please go to my blog if you would like to see the picture as it gets updated]

 

***start of post***

 

I wrote a post earlier about my current motorcycle (the Yamaha TW200) and why I chose that as my first bike. Since I have seen so many beginning motorcyclists ask the same question: “Which bike should I get?”, I thought it was a good idea to write a simple post on this so their journey towards choosing the bike of their dreams can be an easier one.

 

The Singapore motorcycle licensing scheme is a conservative but sensible one. New riders, regardless of age, are limited to motorcycles with a maximum engine capacity of 200cc upon obtaining their class 2B license. This automatically reduces the amount of power available to new riders, thereby reducing the probability of a new rider losing control of the bike due to their inexperience. Riders have the option of upgrading to a class 2A license a year later which raises the engine capacity limit to 400cc, and to a class 2 license yet another year later which removes the engine capacity limit altogether.

 

First things first

 

Most new riders (including me) are usually excited about getting a class 2B license and are eager to get a bike as quickly as possible. However, it is really important to do some planning before you go out and buy the first motorcycle that grabs your fancy…and the most important thing to plan is your budget! Many new riders, especially younger riders, only consider how much upfront cash outlay they can afford and go hunting for financing deals. This isn’t the most prudent approach because owning a bike involves expenses beyond the machine price. So yes, be clear about how much cash you can afford upfront, but also consider the realistic amount of cash you can spend on your riding lifestyle on a monthly basis for the other expenses. This little inconvenience at the start can save you a whole lot of grief and trouble later on. Remember to be REALISTIC!!! Do not make the mistake of thinking you can put 90% of your income on your bike…because you probably cannot afford to…unless you are intent on being a goat and survive on grass!

 

A word on protection

 

Well, a few words actually. You just have to look around when you are next on the roads to see that many motorcycle riders think that a helmet on the head is all the protection they need when riding a motorcycle. Sadly, that is not the case. Let me relate my inline skating experience and, hopefully, you will understand why.

 

I usually go inline skating with hand/wrist guards, elbow guards and knee guards. However, I got complacent one evening and decided to forego my hand/wrist guards while skating at Bishan Park. I could not really go that fast at that place because of all the joggers, so I was going relatively slowly. On one particular stretch, it was an uphill stretch, I hit a twig that snagged my wheels and fell. Remember I was going uphill and my speed was very limited! However, I remember the fall and how it took all the wind from my lungs and that I slid on the tarmac for a few agonizing feet. When I finally got up, I discovered cuts on my fingers, hands, elbows and knees (even though I wore my guards on my elbows and knees), PLUS I had really bad road rash on my thighs since I was wearing shorts. All this from a low speed fall that had me sliding no more than three feet on tarmac. Imagine the same situation on a motorcycle traveling at 50kph!

 

So…I know that we all have a choice to exercise. I know that we all think we ride safely (especially new riders). I know that we all think that a slow fall won’t be that bad compared to a fast one. However, the fact of the matter is, a fall is unplanned and will happen when we least expect it. We have to decide based on this, what kind of protection gear is good enough…as the saying goes, dress for the fall, not for the ride. You decide what is appropriate for your fall…and plan your budget accordingly. For your information, I ride with my full face helmet, riding jacket, riding pants, riding boots and gloves.

 

So what about that bike?

 

I kept this part till now because I feel this is the correct priority. So now that you know what you can realistically afford from the upfront cash outlay and monthly cash flow perspectives, considered what you need (and can afford) for personal protection equipment, it is time to think about your bike.

 

There are so many different bikes available to the class 2B license holder that most new riders are simply overwhelmed! So let’s take a look at the different offerings available today (this will change over time, obviously) and you can decide what is most suitable for you.

 

In general, we can classify the bike styles on two dimensions: surface and riding style. Surface refers to the kind of road you will most likely be riding on. Will it be mostly on asphalt, hard pan dirt, loose gravel or sand? Or will it be a combination of these surfaces? Knowing the kinds of surface that you will be riding on is an important one in selecting your bike. Riding style refers to how you prefer to ride. Do you like the more sporty style of riding? Do you like to ride long distances? Do you like to ride the laid back way? Do you like to ride the retro way? Your answers for these two dimensions will help you narrow down your choice.

 

http://simonnunis.smugmug.com/Other/Wordpress/bike-spectrum/785273445_KL5sd-S-1.jpg

 

As you can see from the above diagram, there is a multitude of bikes available for you depending on how you responded to those two dimensions.

 

As you can see, there is a multitude of bikes available for the class 2B license holder depending on how you responded to the two dimensions. Of course, how the bike looks will have a bearing on your choice as well. So take a good look at what is available and decide which style suits you better. Once you have decided which style suits you better, you can do a simple search on Google (or any internet search engine of your choice) to see what models are available for purchase.

 

Ready to buy?

 

After going through all of the above, you must be raring to buy your bike. But before you do, be sure to do the next few steps…just to be sure! I know you have thought long and hard about your riding surface and style preferences and decided on your style of bike, and you have researched which models look best to you and all that. Still, be sure you actually hunt down a real life model and sit on the bike. Feel the way the bike feels. Is it too heavy? Is it too high? Is it too narrow? Is the seat comfortable enough? Are your legs feeling cramped because of the position of the foot pegs? Is the riding posture comfortable? Getting this feel is important as you will be with this bike for awhile after you plonk down your money for it! So make sure you are satisfied with your answers to those questions…and any others you (or your friend) have thought of.

 

Now the final step…should you buy new or used. Well, for a motorcycle purchase (just as in a car purchase), you should consider ALL your expenses before committing to a course of action. So be sure to include all the expense elements before you decide.

 

For a new bike, check the machine price of the bike, down payment, insurance premium, road tax, certificate of entitlement (COE), goods & services tax (GST), and administrative fees for the upfront cash component; check the interest and loan tenure, maintenance, electronic road pricing (ERP), petrol, parking, farkles, and personal protection gear (don’t forget this) for the monthly cash flow component.

 

For a used bike, check the machine price of the bike, down payment (if applicable), insurance premium, renewal of road tax (if applicable), renewal of COE (if applicable), GST (if applicable), administrative fees (if applicable), required repairs cost and transfer fees for the upfront cash component; check the interest and loan tenure (if applicable), maintenance, electronic road pricing (ERP), petrol, parking, farkles and personal protection gear (don’t forget this) for the monthly cash flow component.

 

It is a toss up whether you buy direct from the official distributor, the parallel importer, the bike shop, or the previous owner. If you are buying new, the bike will generally be in good condition. If you are buying old, bring along a trusted friend who has motorcycle riding experience so your friend can help you inspect the bike and stop you from purchasing a lemon! If you don’t have such a friend, read this and try to do the inspection yourself.

 

Whichever way you go, whatever bike you buy, you will be on the roads. I know you will enjoy riding YOUR bike…just remember to stay safe…and be protected!

 

All the best!

 

PS: Here’s a link that delves a little more into bikes and has further explanation on the different types for your research.

Edited February 10, 2010 by scubasimon
Removed the explicit link to my blog site.

[swiftee]

info abt types of bike rather general... most ppl have an idea what type of bike they want but r not aware of the available models

[areal]

great of u to write up something for the new riders!

there is also an excellent guide for newbies here: http://www.singaporebikes.com/forums/showthread.php?t=91678

but its slightly dated as new 2b bike models have been produced

[scubasimon]

@swiftee: yeah, i kept it general because so many people come in with some models in mind but those can sometimes be so disparate that comparisons aren't meaningful. also, my main aim is to ensure people keep personal protection gear high up on the list. is there a site that lists the current models that we can refer people to?

 

@areal: exactly! models change over time and if the posts aren't kept up-to-date, they run the risk of becoming irrelevant. but that is a good thread for people who want to be informed of the additional details will go add a link to it!

 

any other comments?

[Kampfer]

Simon, I noticed you put a fz150i as a street fighter =D....

 

I think the correct term is standard/naked bikes, street fighter is a genre within naked bikes, I believe it refers exclusively to naked bikes with a retuned sport bike engine for better low-mid range, such as the Triumph Street Triple with a daytona 675 engine, or a Ducati Streetfighter with a retuned 1098 engine

http://www.motorcycle-usa.com/photogallerys/2009-Ducati-Streetfighter.jpg

 

The 2b streetfighter bike that I know of is the Aprilia Tuono 125.

Apart from this, great article!! I'm sure many will appreciate the time and effort you took to create it.

[scubasimon]

@Kampfer: really ah? ok...will change!

[scubasimon]

done!!! thanks Kampfer

[rocklobster]

good post, enjoyed the chart of relax/aggressive....

[zyrofillica]

hoi uncle, scooter shd be placed before cruisers in the relax aggresive scale but this is just my opinion having ridden both

[scubasimon]

hahaha...i was having trouble figuring out which one is more relaxing...but thought the almost lying down posture of the cruiser wins the toss up...hahaha! anyway, its non-scientific lah

 

so what do others feel...seriously...scooter more relaxed? if so...i will change that picture for sure. don't want someone to buy a cruiser then say i gave them wrong info. hahaha!!!

[Kampfer]

done!!! thanks Kampfer

 

Welcome:cheeky:

Maybe can include underbone motorcycles a.k.a the kupchais .. I think they are a separate category from scooters since they are rather different from scooters such as a vespa. Can throw it in front of a scooter on ur scale, since they are mostly much lighter and have a better power/weight ratio.

 

hoi uncle, scooter shd be placed before cruisers in the relax aggresive scale but this is just my opinion having ridden both

 

I think its debatable in the sense of riding posture and overall comfort, especially over long distances, not the mood the rider is while riding it . Harley = Aggressive/ Vespa = Relaxed! My opinion is that the chart is fine how it is.

[scubasimon]

oh yah...cubs!!! will think about that tonight when my teleconference starts...hahaha!

[crazydj]

Is cruiser really relaxing? I find a street bike is more comfy than a cruiser.

[scubasimon]

hahaha! i tried once...almost fell asleep! maybe i was tired

[zyrofillica]

dunno leh, tried street, sports, cruiser, scrambler, big/small scooter.

 

big scooter riding can really doze off while riding. no wind blast to wake u up, the only part of your body moving is your right wrist and fingers (dun even need to use left brakes) how to not fall asleep? really get extremely bored especially on eway. however, constantly dodging the crazy cagers keeps me wide awake.

[scubasimon]

hahahaha! oh yeah...i do remember a semi-cub-scooter experience with a Hayate...so smooth its almost like the starship enterprise!

[scubasimon]

ok, added the cub in between the scooter and the naked/street bike.

 

any other improvement areas?

[taaouicha]

I think that was a well written guide for new 2b holders

prolly should be stickied

Thumbs up 4 ya bro

[Snoek]

Great info by TS !

[scubasimon]

thanks folks. do let me know how it can be improved for new riders and i'll do my best to include the information.

[DM]

i would like to sticky this thread but there is a new bike rider's section currently pending. will keep this thread in it's current form until further notice, big thanks to scubasimon for the information!

[LuckyThirteen]

Good job on the general info on bikes bro scubasimon however another detail I believe is essential that was left out is the type of engine: 2 stroke and 4 stroke.

[scubasimon]

@Flea.: that is way cool! i sure stumbled around a lot when i started...not too long ago

 

@LuckyThirteen: yeah, someone commented on that on my blog site as well. there is a link to an article on SBF that does talk a little about that...and i will update this article on that distinction once i am not so sleepy...hahaha!

[kmax]

there's one more old link..

 

http://www.singaporebikes.com/forums/showthread.php?t=164254

 

and ofcuz our very own MetalFyre's post mentioned by areal

[RaysonSKS]

thanks for the great info ^_^ helps alot