Going upto R-class from R-E

[sclarky]

Hey,

I've just had my R-E for 10 months now, thought it was bout time I started thinkin of my options. Just thought I'd start a thread to see what people think in terms of decent bikes, how big is too big, etc.
Also any info/tips that people can give on the whole process - eg rough cost, what the R practical involves, how many peoples mothers told them theyd get 'emselves killed etc.

Cheers!

[Stoneville]

mmmm going from a GN everything is going to be sooo powerful, you'll def get killed

Heaps of thread in the Two Fiddy section about going up a size or two on your bike, how to pass the test - basically the same, but with a years riding under your belt your'e expected to know your stuff.

Sit on and ride as many bikes as you can, same a shelmets/jackets, get the one that fits the best

[mickyjim]

You could always move to Victoria they have no R class test. To qualify all you need is your resticed for 12 months or more. Thats what i did, moved over on a good behaviour license and RE - and walked out with a full license with no points (Or all left depending on how you look at it).. then shopping.

[Rocky]

Hey,

I've just had my R-E for 10 months now, thought it was bout time I started thinkin of my options. Just thought I'd start a thread to see what people think in terms of decent bikes, how big is too big, etc.
Also any info/tips that people can give on the whole process - eg rough cost, what the R practical involves, how many peoples mothers told them theyd get 'emselves killed etc.

Cheers!

Hey Sclarky,

A bike is like a pair of pants, some will fit you, some will fit you but make your ass look fat, some you will love but your buddies will hate. It's an extremely personal choice.

I'm sure you have a style of bike in mind, whether it be a cruiser, naked or sports/super sports. If you don't, go and ride them as has been said previously. I am of the opinion that you know within the first couple of gear changes that the bike is 'right' for you, because you can't get the stupid grin off your face, and there's an embarrassing bulge in your pants.

Read, read and read. Any bike you like, read reviews with an open mind, as many as you can find. Youtube the living SH*T out of it. Ask people that have the bike you want. If something is consistently said that is negative, find out why, and if it would matter to you. When I got my bike, the only thing that people consistently crapped on was the seat discomfort...I can live with it, or change it relatively cheaply, no matter how many sore ass jokes I'm subjected to

As far as capacity, again, your choice. Generally though, don't go and get a Buza after a GN250... Yes riding is dangerous, riding a bigger bike is not more dangerous. You can ride a big bike as slow as a 250, but you can get out of trouble quicker, and usually stop quicker.

Just be warned, and this is only really if you haven't been on a 600+ before. A friend of mine test road a 600 sports bike after his 250 twin, and had no idea what sort of power was at his disposal. He didn't mess up, but just be weary - be ginger with the throttle before you see what the bike has got.

Get a couple of refresher lessons. Watch your speed during your test, big bikes can roll over 50km/h very easily.

PM me for any other advice I'm happy to help if I can - also can recommend an amazing instructor for your refresher courses.

Cheers, stay safe.

[Shellkat]

I just did my R class test on a ZZR 600 (which is going to be for sale if you want it!! Its a great start for a big bike!). It was a good bike to be tested on because it is really easy to handle. From my GPX to the ZZR, they feel sorta similar in handling. The ZZR was dead easy to do O turns with, plus pulls up nice and easy for quick stops. On the back roads it hits 200 easily and feels nice and secure.

For my test, they put me through most 'hazards' on the road - I had a school zone, stop signs, roundabouts, 50 zone, 60 zone, 70 zone. I had to merge when 2 lanes combined. I had to do 3 quick stops - one at 30kph, one at 40 and one at 50. There was no designated distance I had to stop in, I just had to stop as quickly as I could, safely. I had to do 3 laps for O turns. I was taken up a blind hill, down the other side then made to pull up on another hill and do a hill stop/start. I also had gravel & sand on several corners (thanks to the storms) - not just little bit either, full cover of sand.

[offtheshelf]

You could always move to Victoria they have no R class test. To qualify all you need is your resticed for 12 months or more. Thats what i did, moved over on a good behaviour license and RE - and walked out with a full license with no points (Or all left depending on how you look at it).. then shopping.

Exactly how I did it Micky..

Not a bad way of going about things (Provided you can get a cheap enough flight )

[thro]

If you've actually ridden your bike, the R class test will be a doddle (it's exactly the same as the RE test).

R bikes (nakeds, anyway) are easier to ride and do things like o-turns on due to the torque.

If you're going to try it on a sports bike it will be hard though.

Get one or two R lessons (maybe 1 to get acquainted with the school R bike, the second one for your test), borrow the school bike for your test and you'll be fine.


As to what to buy - up to you, but anything will be massively faster than your GN.



Fuck moving interstate, just do the R test, its a piece of piss.

If you like nakeds, the Street Triple R is a lovely bike, at a bargain price (unlike most nakeds, its got pretty much full sports bike running gear on it).

[Cone Cat]

How big is too big?

Well untill recently I as a bit worried about upgrading to a bike that was too big for me. I thought I'd be looking at a 400-650cc bike around the 200 kilo mark or lower as a logical step up. I didn't think I could ride any bike weighing over 200 kilo's/1000cc first up after RE.

Well now that Im doing my lessons for R class, that myth's been blown outa the water. Ive ridden two of the instructors bikes, a Fazer 600 and an XVS 650 cruiser. The cruiser is around 230 kilos and both bikes felt light on the road and the wieght was not a problem at all. Fact, now I think that I could easily handle a bike around the 250+ kilo mark or even more.
Im not a big bloke either. 5ft 8 tall and 75 kilo's. Hey, tom cruise rides a goldwing and look how big he is.

Power wise? Well, that's up to you more than the bike you ride. I can do some stupid things on the 250 that'll end up in a crash. After you have learnt more and ridden the bigger bikes, you'll just become aware of a couple of more scenarios that can end in grief and you learn how to avoid them. It's all part of the learning process. before you start riding it'll seem a bit daunting. Once you start however, you'll be eager for the "R" class and swinging a leg over plenty of bikes trying to find one for you.

Oh, one advantage of big class? getting up to 50kmh for the e-stops is a cinch!

[thro]

^^ most of the heavier bikes are lower set (with lower centre of gravity), so the weight doesn't feel anywhere near as bad as the figure may suggest.

if a 160kg sports bike fell on its side, most people would have a hard time lifting it anyway (unless you use the proper technique), so the theory that anything heavier is unridable (but a lightweight sport bike is) is a bit of a misnomer

[Humma.]

My Viffer is a heavy girl, ~220kg mark, but i still love her

[Dets]

Hey,

I've just had my R-E for 10 months now, thought it was bout time I started thinkin of my options. Just thought I'd start a thread to see what people think in terms of decent bikes, how big is too big, etc.
Also any info/tips that people can give on the whole process - eg rough cost, what the R practical involves, how many peoples mothers told them theyd get 'emselves killed etc.

Cheers!

well I did my REs like 5 years ago. Rode around on a Suzuki Across for not even a year and went straight to an R6 (riding out of class). My plan was to upgrade to a litre bike but I quickly found the R6 had enough go to:

-kill me
-get me into trouble
-get me out of trouble
-give me an erection

So I stuck with the R6 for 5 years.

I recently did my R's and I did it through Alert up at Joondas. Had 3 lessons all up and each one was with a different instructor all of which knew their stuff inside out. I found that each instructor also had their own little "trick" to help with different maneuvers. The R class bike they have up there is a Suzuki GS500 which to be honest felt weak as piss but so easy to do the O turns and e-stops on.

One recommendation I'll make is to do your test in an area you are familiar with. I don't live close to Joondalup anymore but I still did my test there because I know most of the streets. The guys at Alert also pointed out the most likely routes the assessor would take me on and as it turned out they were spot on.

Oh and don't worry about the weight of the bike too much. My M109R clocks in at 350kgs and I would probably need the help of 3 people to lift it should I dropped the dam thing but I wouldn't recommend something that big for your first big bike.

Good Luck

[Mckenzie]

well I did my REs like 5 years ago. Rode around on a Suzuki Across for not even a year and went straight to an R6 (riding out of class). My plan was to upgrade to a litre bike but I quickly found the R6 had enough go to:

-kill me
-get me into trouble
-get me out of trouble
-give me an erection

So I stuck with the R6 for 5 years.

I recently did my R's and I did it through Alert up at Joondas. Had 3 lessons all up and each one was with a different instructor all of which knew their stuff inside out. I found that each instructor also had their own little "trick" to help with different maneuvers. The R class bike they have up there is a Suzuki GS500 which to be honest felt weak as piss but so easy to do the O turns and e-stops on.

One recommendation I'll make is to do your test in an area you are familiar with. I don't live close to Joondalup anymore but I still did my test there because I know most of the streets. The guys at Alert also pointed out the most likely routes the assessor would take me on and as it turned out they were spot on.

Oh and don't worry about the weight of the bike too much. My M109R clocks in at 350kgs and I would probably need the help of 3 people to lift it should I dropped the dam thing but I wouldn't recommend something that big for your first big bike.

Good Luck

Riding out of class for 5 years... awesome!!

[SP33D]

Exactly how I did it Micky..

Not a bad way of going about things (Provided you can get a cheap enough flight )

but dont you have to live there for a certain amount of time or register as a resident of nsw or wherever?

[lit]

You could always move to Victoria they have no R class test. To qualify all you need is your resticed for 12 months or more. Thats what i did, moved over on a good behaviour license and RE - and walked out with a full license with no points (Or all left depending on how you look at it).. then shopping.

When did you do this? I have my full R class but would like all my points wiped. I may consider this as an option.

[mickyjim]

I got the new license about 2wks after I arrived, you just need a proof of address, like bill, etc or a statement from a Victorian Drivers License holder to say you are now living in Victoria, Easy as that and go from there.

Dont do NSW - they are so hard to deal with. Vicroads is better.

[Colonel]

I went from a 1983 Honda 250 FII to a 1996 CBR600F and i found it a pretty good transition. Personally I'd always go 250cc --> 600cc --> 1000cc. And yes I got all the temporary Australian jibes and you'll kill yourself stuff from everyone I knew not just my mum.
Just take it easy until you get used to the new bike and then its a whole lot of fun.

[jobbo]

Hey buddy I'm in your position right now apart from having just bought a new bike - huzzaaaah!

Jumped from 250 to 1000 (ninja to gsxr) and some may call me on it but more importantly than their opinion, I believe that I have the restraint to be careful enough and I'm willing to take plenty of time learning to ride it far under its capabilities. That is what you have to ask yourself with honesty. I'm sure there is a level of truth that going to a litre bike is more dangerous than a 600 but obviously it only goes as hard as you make it and as a mate pointed out...you'll likely end up respecting the power of a litre bike more in the end because you know that if you don't, you'll die whereas you might be able to get away with provoking a 600 alot more, thus increasing the risk.

IMO a healthy respect and a patient and aware attitude will stand you in far greater stead than any limit on engine displacement. So if you really trust yourself..buy whatever you want. My 2c

[98kellrs]

I've had my R-E's 6 months now, and have ridden a Kwakka 600, a CBR1000, a R6 and a CBR600 and have found all of them more than manageable. The first time you ride a bike bike you're probably going to be aware of the massive power underneath you, and it will scare you shitless, I could only take the CBR1000 to something like 6k revs before I crapped myself! You quickly learn to be very smooth and gentle with it, and coax the throttle open. I actually found the 600's easier to ride than my crappy 250 (a hyo), the brakes actually responded, the acceleration is good for getting out of trouble and the power was easy to manage.

Also if you go straight for a litre bike you'll get used to it in a year or so and then all you have to upgrade to is a fat-ass Busa! I'd go with 600 for a few years, then upgrade to a litre once you get totally bored with the 600. As for buying now, if you use your bike as primary transport, probably not a great idea just yet, but if you can deal with using the car for a couple of months, go for it!!

[AndyS]

I have ages top go before I can get R license, but I still bought my big bike (something that I am happy to be flamed for). I went for a GSXR 750, it was the bike I wanted (having test ridden a range of bikes) and the price was too good to refuse.
I am strongly of the opinion that I will never stop learning to ride, so the plan was always to do as many courses etc as possible in the first year using the 250 and gradually start to use those skills with the 750.
I'll do the odd run with mates on the big bike, rest of the time I'll ride the hell out of the 250.
What surprsied me was how easy the bigger bikes were to ride, scary as hell, but still manageable if you are careful with the throttle and respect the bikes power and ability.
There are plenty of riders who haven't ridden for 30 years and then jump onto a 1000 as they are open class licensed. I beleive that training, courses, training and more courses will make me a far better rider than these guys in a very short period of time, and in the meantime I have 2 bikes to polish and stare at

[filbert]

I am strongly of the opinion that I will never stop learning to ride, so the plan was always to do as many courses etc as possible in the first year using the 250 and gradually start to use those skills with the 750.

I agree that whatever bikes you buy in the future you learn to ride and adapt your style, but there is no reason that you would have to step up through size ranges, if you have spent the 12 months actually riding and learning how to ride your 250 the world is your oyster.

If you're a cruiser rider you can just find the one you like, my wife is stepping straight from a vtr 250 to a vn1600 cruiser because it's easier to ride, it could just as easily be a full bagger harley why start with a sportster or smaller cruiser when this is the one she wants?

In the nakeds and sports tourers the 1000+ are more comfortable bikes with better handling and braking, pick the bike you like that feels right, you'll be amazed at how much better all that extra weight holds its line on a country road, that said the 675 street triple mentioned is an awesome bike for riders of all experience levels and you may never need to go beyond that size.

Superbikes and supersports entirely up to the individual if it's what you want and you have self control go straight to the superbike/1000 and get any extra training if you feel you need it but they're a handful no matter who you are, if you want to ride a bike anywhere near its limits and challenge yourself get the supersports/600 they're not a toy they're a serious piece of technology, they are not a beginners bike and you don't have to own one before you get a superbike.

Training and learning the right way is far more important than stepping up through size ranges i know plenty who went the whole 250to600to750to1000tohayabusa route and still get nothing out of their riding because they never learned to ride they just frightened themselves with a new size every year or two, they ride around wondering when the bike will kick them off next instead of enjoying it. I know others who had their 1000 picked out before they even got a 250 license and were doing everything they could to learn to ride, and they're now enjoying laps of racetracks and spirited country rides instead of riding a 600 wishing they got the 1000 or riding a hayabusa wishing they stopped at the 600 lol