Advice for future 2A biker with no road exp

[slayer2cool]

to my fellow riders =) i have been an avid follower of this site for a while though i didnt really see the need to post anything till now *enjoyed reading the things here*

 

i need your opinion regarding my issue.. I have been holding to my 2B for close to 2 years now and currently taking my class 2A. I have no riding experience except when I ride my bicycle *avid cyclist myself too* im pretty much familiar with how nasty the road can be here but i understand with a motorbike, its heavier and the power and handling is a world a part.

 

last time i had no need for a bike till now due to future work situation. i have heard of friends saying, just go for my 2A bike like a super 4 and I be fine and it be better in the long run while other say i should really start with a 2B cos you will buang and its far cheaper. personally i feel a 2A bike is safer than a 2B for reasons i cant comprehend so how?

 

i need it to move me from home to work and visa versa and im eyeing either the super 4 or tw200 as both are reliable.

[scubasimon]

I happen to own both the bikes you mentioned. While it is true the tw200 is lighter, finding a good used one is always a challenge. Getting new today means high COE which isn't worthwhile. But it is a versatile bike. Only problem is the slow speed and the vibey nature of the single cylinder engine.

 

The superfour is heavier, more powerful but still very manageable. It is sized almost perfectly for a transport bike. Smooth engine with enough reserve power if you should need it to get out of a sticky situation. Good used ones are easier to find but will cost more of course since it has double the engine capacity.

 

My take is that you will be fine if you Practise safe riding. Why worry about things you cannot control? Get the best bike you can afford and get the beat gear you can afford. Then ride safely and go from there. Whatever the bike, I am sure you will adapt to the roads eventually.

 

All the best!

[CSV]

yeah, start slow. like 50km/h, ride around your estate, get a feel of the bike and what it can do. and slowly move on.

[papabread79]

start with a kupchai first. better.

[slayer2cool]

hmmm mixed response lol. but i guess there are some true to it, its not really the bike but more of the rider. anyway to papabread79. cant really use the kupchai or any cubs for that matter. its very uncomfortable for me to try to fold my legs onto the foot peg. tried it before, had leg cramps soon after

[crazydj]

Get your class 2A, get a super four and ride around. I assume you are taller than regular folk, so will be a little bit more heavier. Super four is the way to go. Unless you got no money like me, 2B bike should suffice ah...

[mild_slevin]

to my fellow riders =) i have been an avid follower of this site for a while though i didnt really see the need to post anything till now *enjoyed reading the things here*

 

i need your opinion regarding my issue.. I have been holding to my 2B for close to 2 years now and currently taking my class 2A. I have no riding experience except when I ride my bicycle *avid cyclist myself too* im pretty much familiar with how nasty the road can be here but i understand with a motorbike, its heavier and the power and handling is a world a part.

 

last time i had no need for a bike till now due to future work situation. i have heard of friends saying, just go for my 2A bike like a super 4 and I be fine and it be better in the long run while other say i should really start with a 2B cos you will buang and its far cheaper. personally i feel a 2A bike is safer than a 2B for reasons i cant comprehend so how?

 

i need it to move me from home to work and visa versa and im eyeing either the super 4 or tw200 as both are reliable.

 

Same I took my 2B license and didn't ride for 3-4 yrs duration. With the training given in school, I believe student should be capable of handling the vehicle. Can be done.

"2A bike is safer than a 2B" Hmmm actually I find all 3 classes of bike are equal, they undertake the "same" amount of danger etc. So far none of them have technology that make rider safe. Bigger tires, better seat, good suspension, higher BHP are more to comfort and better handling... don't you agree?

[muzzyfuzzy]

I think everything still more or less boils down to the mindset of the rider more than the bike. No matter the bike you ride you will still definitely need to spend some time getting used to the handling of that bike.

[deckard]

get smallbike first roadwin is the bike for you. super4 size.

[andrei]

So far none of them have technology that make rider safe.

 

Actually, there is one. ABS. And it is almost unavailable in 2B bikes

[slayer2cool]

true enough, ABS is good but perhaps rider skill and attitude matters too. maybe i can try for defensive riding soon enough also. but starting to really like the super 4. hahaha, i find it more stable than the 2B bike due to the weight and tyre width.

[niteblade]

im leaning towards 2a

 

you mentioned that youre an avid cyclist right. so you should know how cars generally are on the road... and you should be able to handle the 2a bike pretty decently. anyway certain countries that dont have license restrictions, some people start off with 600s...

 

my dad has been riding for 3 decades without a single accident!

[slayer2cool]

woah 30 yrs no accident ah? haha that's really good. anyway niteblade you ride the rvf? is it a good commuting bike? though i dont think i like the posture very much hahaha

[rodneyakj]

No worries that you will not get used to a 2A bike. I have very liitle experience on a 2B bike too, I clocked about 7000km on my (my first bike) before changing to a CB400. You wil feel that DB400 is a bit heavy at first but you get used to it. Ride slow and safe.

[smoothie]

super 4 was my 1st bike too - power & size perfectly suited for sg roads. i say go for an old non-vtec then when upgrade next yr won't make too big a loss; might even profit

[Constructicon]

Many of us have switched from a lower capacity bike to a much larger one (e.g. 125 to 400, 400 to 1000) without much trouble.

After all, the control is with yourself.

If I were you, I would get a bigger 2A bike like a Super 4. The newer ones comes with ABS (For those who think ABS is useless, please tell me again after you crashed).

The worst thing that can ever happened is when you need power to get out of sticky situations, and not have it.

 

The only concern I have is for those total newbies with zero road experience, riding bikes for the 1st time months/ years after they got their license.

There is no substitute for road experience.

 

Perhaps after you got your bike, try riding around places you are familiar with for the 1st few days.

If you are at a location you are not familiar with, the road situations, other road users...etc might cause an undue pressure while you ride.

 

Get used to the handling of the bike, get comfortable with your road awareness before heading out to the highways and further.

 

Cheers!

[Constructicon]

Same I took my 2B license and didn't ride for 3-4 yrs duration. With the training given in school, I believe student should be capable of handling the vehicle. Can be done.

"2A bike is safer than a 2B" Hmmm actually I find all 3 classes of bike are equal, they undertake the "same" amount of danger etc. So far none of them have technology that make rider safe. Bigger tires, better seat, good suspension, higher BHP are more to comfort and better handling... don't you agree?

 

Safety features on motrocycles:

 

ABS - Common on bikes, except smaller capacity ones. This one is a old, old technology.

Traction Control - Available on several 1000cc big bikes (Across all types of bikes)

Fuel Mapping - Ability to choose the power available on your bike with a single switch. (e.g.Raining, switch to rain mode. It lowers the power available at the throttle, giving it a handful is safer with 80bhp than 150bhp in wet conditions)

[slayer2cool]

thank you all for your opinions and advices =) will definitely sit down and ponder. as of now, will also try to clear my 2A TP hahaha

[niteblade]

woah 30 yrs no accident ah? haha that's really good. anyway niteblade you ride the rvf? is it a good commuting bike? though i dont think i like the posture very much hahaha

 

i used to ride a nsr sp. covered 25 000km with it on my first year. then i made the switch to my current rvf. i ride it pretty frequently. to work and and to meet my girl who stays on the other side of the island. i dont find any problems with the posture... im 21! it shouldnt be a problem!

Edited April 13, 2011 by niteblade

[Jehuty]

Doesn't matter the bike, just have to get used to it, just keep in mind that if you *touchwood* meet with an accident, bigger bike usually means bigger hole in your wallet. Must know your limits, different people different, I learn that I cannot ride if I'm sleepy by hard while my friend swears riding keeps him awake.

Edited April 8, 2011 by Jehuty

[sly2315]

get use to the bike get the feel of it and everything will just flow no worries just take care safety first

[slayer2cool]

know your limits. yup that is a good point. sometimes it doesnt take much for your mind to be out of focus when riding. thanks guys. i suppose you do need to give yourself time to get use to whatever bike you are using and see how it reacts to your braking and throttling etc.

[KeraKing]

i've got a sonic125 which is a cub and i feel it's much safer than my nsr250.

tho my nsr250 i feel is safer than my previous nsr150.

 

to me it boils down to the weight, chassis design, brakes and tyres.

on my 250 i have gotten away with front tyre skids a few times.

a cagiva mito feels safe too when skiding the rear. hee

 

the sonic is a very light yet stable bike due to its full length forks i suppose.

which make it easy and fun for rides below 20km. long rides makes me tired and bored.

 

i feel the 250 is so much fun but too fast for sg roads since its comfortable crusing speed is at least 130km/h

[SparkerS1]

Since u are taking cls2a, i am sure u can handle a S4, might as well get a S4 and ride safely.

S4 has the power and decent braking system, can put a box and various accessories to choose from.

Most shops know how to fix up S4 and parts are available anytime.

 

Getting the license is just the beginning, keeping urself alive OTR is a long way to go.

[SparkerS1]

Since u are taking cls2a, i am sure u can handle a S4, might as well get a S4 and ride safely.

S4 has the power and decent braking system, can put a box and various accessories to choose from.

Most shops know how to fix up S4 and parts are available anytime.

 

Getting the license is just the beginning, keeping urself alive OTR is a long way to go.