Automatic bikes?

[HenryDorsetCase]

Kiwibiker....... where Manliness and 'testicular fortitude' is judged by how abusive you can be towards people from a distance (keyboard)

what's your problem m8??? Time for the bash!

[ryanstev]

ne day you will be fortunate enough to receive "the nod" perhaps even "the handshake".

Don't know about "the nod" or "the handshake"? Well, that's as it should be. Only manly men know about those things.

Those aren't exactly secrets.

[Reckless]

what's your problem m8??? Time for the bash!

Couple of the KB Crazies got into him in couple threads needs to learn "let their shit, be their shit" LMAO

[Moi]

Just had a brain fart. Wonder how a Piaggio MP3 would go?
Just sayin.

As already noted, they go very well...

downsides to one - heavy, weigh around 250kg, and all the beautiful Italian bodywork to be damaged by a drop

[Moi]

You have been given some very sound advice in amongst the dross...

Whatever you decide to get you need to do the Basic Handling test and get your 6L. Talk with the people who do the Basic Handling test and seek their advice - someone suggested get them to look at your situation and give you advice on how to tackle your driveway. A number of alternatives have been suggested: scooter, trail-bike, 250-bike, motard - do the research and go look and sit on a few. If your driveway is a major concern you need to be able to flatfoot the bike you have and feel confident in maneuvering it around at the bottom of your driveway [looks like a large area of flat gravel under the house which would make turning easier] and to feel comfortable doing a start on the driveway and also be prepared to pick the bike up when you drop it - bike with no fairings makes good sense for that reason. For the first few months of riding the north-western m'way you'd be advised to go with the traffic and leave the lane splitting until the skill has grown - lane splitting is not for the faint-hearted [a number of threads on this site about the woes of lane-splitting]. There are a number of courses available for the new rider and the NASS might also be of assistance.

As an aside - you said you learnt to drive in manual car - a bike is not that different. OK, so the hand does the clutch and foot the gearshifting but the principles are the same if not a little easier with a wet-clutch - but that will all be explained and taught in the basic handling course.

Go for it - you'll enjoy it!

[imdying]

I'm not sure why anyone would suggest a motorcycle... clearly she is going to need a scooter so she can put her purse under the seat.

[ryanstev]

I'm not sure why anyone would suggest a motorcycle... clearly she is going to need a scooter so she can put her purse under the seat.

I keep my purse and tampons in a backpack.

[pritch]

and all the beautiful Italian bodywork to be damaged by a drop

How can you "drop" something with three wheels?

And hot from the Cologne show; it would seem someone at Yamaha has been smoking the electric puha.
http://www.motorcycle.com/manufactur...r-concept.html

[Daffyd]

How can you "drop" something with three wheels?

And hot from the Cologne show; it would seem someone at Yamaha has been smoking the electric puha.
http://www.motorcycle.com/manufactur...r-concept.html

Article says Yamaha don't state specs. MCN says it's T-Max powered. That means 500cc.

[Banditbandit]

There seems to be a lot of unhappy people on this board, who care far too much that everyone rides the same way they do.

I thought the whole biker spirit was about "being free" and not being caged, nope, people try anything to build themselves up, well I hope it worked and you're slightly happier.

Yeah ... you would think so ... but bike riders are generally fucked up human beings ... (And yes, I have ridden for 40+ years ...)

Seriously, a bike will handle that driveway - and a gear shift/clutch will be better. On steep hills non-manuals can struggle and will wear out faster than gear shift clutches ... if you get a gear shift bike chances are you will stall it going up the hill a few times before you get used to it .. there's more chance of that, as a new rider, than wheel stand and flip it ...

[Banditbandit]

I keep my purse and tampons in a backpack.

I don't ride with a back pack - there's going to be a whole argument now about this - my position is based on the fact that if you come off, a backpack is more likely to make you tumble and upset any slide ..

[ryanstev]

I don't ride with a back pack - there's going to be a whole argument now about this - my position is based on the fact that if you come off, a backpack is more likely to make you tumble and upset any slide ..

Thanks, that's good to know, I'll get a rack for my future bike.

[danchop]

they can go pretty well. I really like them.

everyone of them I pass in motorway clog,acts and thinks like a car,ie sits in the que.
now I live west and own 4 Suzuki uz125s(scooters),a burgman 650 scooter and have owned untold normal bikes,ive also lived in a house where we had to drag the wheelie bin up the drive with a car because it was too steep to pull humanly..
now id rule out the big scoots fullstop,theyre fuckin heavy,wide and not great lane splitters..
the 125 scoots would be ideal but your a heavy prick(im only 75 kg @ 5 10)only downside with them is going down your drive because theyre bascilly in neutral unless you have power to them,so your relying on all the brakes.its hard to beat a 125 scoot lanesplitting on the northwestern
so manual like sit up right kind of thing(gn250,trail bike etc)probably if you go that way.
you can try my uz125 out on your drive one day if you feed me piss while I watch,i don't mind it being dropped hard(theyre tough as nuts),heres my number if your keen 0272755860

[5150]

Get an R6 (very learner friendly bike) and then move house

No seriously, in my honest opinion, the automatic scooter / bike might seem like a good idea now, but in the long run you will wish that you have bought a proper motorcycle. Once mastered, it is easier and safer to do it on a proper bike then on a scooter, especially going down hill on a wet morning. I would suggest you get a learner friendly motorcycle, 250cc or above and learn to ride it. You will be glad later. More of a cruiser type rather then sports type as there won't be soo much weight over the front wheel (great if you suddenly apply breaks on the wet surface). Go try one, and also go and do a basic skills course. Any local bike shop will help you with getting in contact with them. The more you do now, the easier will get later. There is no right or wrong way, just that if I was starting from scratch, that is how I would go about it.

Good luck

[vifferman]

As an aside - you said you learnt to drive in manual car - a bike is not that different. OK, so the hand does the clutch and foot the gearshifting but the principles are the same if not a little easier with a wet-clutch - but that will all be explained and taught in the basic handling course.

In fact, the manual gearchange on a bike is MUCH easier than on a car, being sequential, so learning to use it should be a doddle.