Posts tagged yamaha
Finding cheap motorbikes to insure
May 23rd
Photo by Geraint Warlow (Click for image credit)
With hundreds of different models out there every biker should be able to find their perfect machine. But it’s not just about speed, manoeuvrability and ride: what about costs? Specifically, what about insurance costs? It’s perfectly possible to buy a bike and then have to fork out twice as much (or more) per year on insuring it.
Here the boffins at Bikesure, the freethinking motorbike insurance broker, offer a list of some decent bikes that won’t cost an arm and a leg to insure.
Japanese giant Honda is the biggest bike manufacturer in the world. The CB600 Hornet is a relatively cheap bike to insure and, according to motorcyclenews.com, it’s fun, easy to ride and offers great handling. The Hornet’s Nest is the home of the Hornet owners’ club and has loads of advice and information.
Other Honda bikes that are relatively cheap to insure include the 250 Superdream and the CB450.
Suzuki fans on an insurance budget should check out the GSF600 Bandit. Released in ’95, the first major changes were made in 2000 and include a bigger petrol tank and new steering geometry. Don’t let the relatively low insurance costs deceive you: according to Visor Down this is ‘a superb bike’ that spawned a host of imitators.
Kawasaki claims their ER-5, a 500cc naked commuter bike, offers ‘amazing fuel economy’. That’s a budget win-win when you add in its cheap insurance costs. If you have any questions then Bikers Oracle runs an owners club with an active
forum that may be able to help.
Bikers after a cheap-to-insure cruiser will find that the Yamaha XV535 and XV650 both fit the bill. There’s a selection of tourer spares and accessories for them at Motorbikes&Parts, a site that also offers a loyalty scheme which gives up to 20% discount.
Hog fans can find a cheap to insure machine in the Harley-Davidson 883 Sportster. In production for over 50 years, it’s a great looking bike with bags of pedigree. The Sportster.org site has a wealth of information for owners, including tens of
thousands of pictures, and a great tech section filled with essential maintenance tips. Once you’ve bought the bike, Jersey Harley-Davidson offers spares at VAT-free prices for online purchasers.
When it comes to insuring your motorcycle, the way to get the best price is to look around. It’s often worth ringing, too, as a good broker can be better at cutting costs than a computer programme. Whether you search around online or on the phone, be sure to ask Bikesure for a quote.
Yamaha R1 on influx
Apr 7th
Image by wordman1 via Flickr
Over at influx, the online magazine of Adrian Flux and Bikesure, there is a great post about the new Yamaha R1, focusing particularly on Yamaha’s revolutionary cross-plane crankshaft.
The post is attracting quite a lot of comment from bike fans, with debate over whether the awesome performance of the R1 on the track is down to the new crankshaft, or more to do with Valentino Rossi‘s riding skill.
Perhaps you agree, or maybe you think the equally innovative 6-caliper brakes played a part, either way you can pitch in with your comments on the Yamaha R1, or read up on some of Yamaha’s other motorcycle innovations, over the years.
Grant does his CBT
Jul 16th
Another biking virgin gets a taste of two wheels, courtesy of Bikesure. Well, we think that as a bike insurer, all our staff should understand how bikes are different from cars, and, crucially, get some experience in the saddle, so we pay for their CBT training. Here’s Grant’s experience, in his own words:
Now i was a little nervous going into it in the first place as the only time I have ever been on a bike was on the back of a Yamaha WR250 on a field doing 90mph ( all legal of course ) about 7 years ago, so my bike experience was about as relevant as Pat Sharp’s Mullet!
I pulled up to the CBT place in my car and saw the mean machine of a Suzuki GS125 that i would soon mount. We went through the pre-match run of safety and laws and so on. Stuck a helmet on and one of those ear pieces that makes me look like a bouncer, yea all 5’9″ of me and a protective jacket.
Now i always had assumed that we spend the first part of the test in a playground or car park getting to know that bike and how it handles…did we….did we bugger!
Right follow me says the instructor. I’m sorry!? Follow you? What…on the road??? “How does this bloody thing work?” I asked myself, but before I knew it we were off. It was brilliant, I felt awesome, I thought I was going so fast, wind blowing, engine screaming… all that at 30mph.
Then comes our first set of traffic lights. They go red… i wait… they go green… I STALL!!
“S**t!” I said, I’m turning the keys, pressing the horn, phoning the police – everything – and then my ear piece suddenly perks up and I hear “Just press the electric start.” Oh yeah.
“Right!!” I said, “I’m not stalling this time.” By now, the masses of cars are behind and then a bus pulls alongside and everyone is looking. I couldn’t really hide with fluorescent yellow jacket. So now I had a crowd all waiting to watch me pull off with ease (ed: To watch you what?!) So the lights go green, I rev up and dump the clutch, I swear the front wheel was about 2cm off the ground. Oh yeah! My first wheelie and the crowd in the bus went wild!!!
Next we were taken to a car park and asked to do a figure of 8. I thought I was going to fall off, but managed OK and even did an emergency stop! I thought I was the bo^*ox right now!
Anyway, 2 stalls later, we were doing 50mph down country roads I was loving it, though I did get told off for leaning into bends with my shoulder. “Lean with your hips,” I was told over the airwaves, little sinister laugh!
We did a lot of town riding and kept getting cut up by taxis. Those guys!!!! That started to get annoying but our instructor was already one step ahead. I finally realised one of the best things about bikes was the ability to overtake taxis in a traffic jam. It was the best feeling ever – sad I know – but just sailing past the cars kicked ass!!
So we pulled back into the CBT place and it was over. I loved it. I really wouldnt mind getting a bike – I mean £15 for tax and a much cheaper alternative to short little trips in a car. I only have to convince “the wife” that its a good idea, but it’s opened my mind a little more to the world of bikers and I liked it.
So next time you see a learner stalling at traffic lights, when you have finished laughing, spare a thought!
Be Good
Grant “ring me for a quote”, “cheese on toast” Varnham