Triumph Striple - now or wait?

[ggreen]

Hi guys,

I currently have a Suzuki LS650. It is a good bike given it is LAMS approved, and has been great to learn on. However, I have "fallen in love" with the Triumph Street Triple (preferably the new "R"). I could easily sell the Suzuki and purchase one of these bad boys, however, there is one thing holding me back - I am only on my restricted. I have about 12 months left to go until I get my full, and I dont know if I can hold on that long (patience is not my strong point).

I am contemplating just doing it anyway (fuck it). End of the day, I rode around for 6 months on my learners without a L Plate and didnt once get checked, so what are the chances of walking home ..... I am almost at the stage of thinking it is worth the risk! In terms of risk there is obviously the fines and demirits that may come if pulled up and no insurance I am guessing?

Obviously the biggest "risk" is not coping with the increased power given my limited experience. I am not too worried about that given that i have put on over 20000km in eight months, but you dont want to be over confident either (I wouldnt even be contemplating a 1L Jap bike at this stage).

Does anyone have any views on this, and/or the 2014 Triumph Triple R (everything i have read about it is complimentary, and the time I have spent on one has impressed me, but I only have my LS to compare with!).

[Grizzo]

:facepalm: oh deary, deary me.

[EJK]

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/sCE6X5fSLd0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

10CHAR!!!!

[tristania]

You are going to love the Striple. Seriously. If you ease into it, the extra power isn't a problem. It's a versatile bike and I see them being used as commuters also. Comfy for long trips too. I haven't ridden the "R" version but I read it has better brakes and a sportier suspension and the first gear on the 2013 onwards is slightly taller. I can't comment on the legalities of riding it on a restricted though... I think it will make you smile, but you already know that ;)

[HenryDorsetCase]

What a wuss. Be a man and buy a Speed Triple R.

In for a penny in for small bike shaped crater in the landscape somewhere I always say.

[BuzzardNZ]

You'll have problems with insurance.

[Banditbandit]

Yeah .. you're gonna love the bike ...

The risk is not that you will get picked up on a learners licence ... the risk is that you will get picked up speeding and then they will check your licence ...


So - if you think you can spend 12 months riding a street triple and NEVER speed then get the speed triple ... (I seriously doubt I could do that ... they are too much fun ... )

[BigAl]

I'd go for it, just don't ride stupidly and you shouldn't attract attention.

The striple is a fun bike to ride, I rode the R last weekend after jumping off an MV F3.

Suspension, brakes and throttle control was better on the striple which I'd have over the F3 unless I lived next to a track.

Also plan to test the MT09 in very near future.

[HenryDorsetCase]

Yeah .. you're gonna love the bike ...

The risk is not that you will get picked up on a learners licence ... the risk is that you will get picked up speeding and then they will check your licence ...


So - if you think you can spend 12 months riding a street triple and NEVER speed then get the speed triple ... (I seriously doubt I could do that ... they are too much fun ... )

Here's a thing about that. I was riding very quietly back to work in my lunchtime one day and a po po (the one and only Mr Ratuscat I believe) pulled me over. He's quite a big intimidating man, and I am a little weasel so instead of saying "Oi, Carnt! Wot yew pull me ova 4 I din' do nuffink!!" I chatted him up a bit, showed him a bit of leg and whatnot. ... anyway, our date isn't your concern.

But what he did say to me was instructive. They pull over a lot of motorbicyclists because three in ten of the ones they pull over have an incorrect class of licence for the bike being ridden. Easy friggin pickings and why make it easier for them.

Plus if OP is trying to borrow money to finance this thing, he has to have comprehensive insurance. And one of the questions he WILL Be asked is "do you have the appropriate class of licence to ride the vehicle you have asked us to insure". Guess what OP? If you lie and say yes it entitles them to keep your premium and then not pay out on any claim. And when you inevitably ride the thing into a building, piece of public art, lake, river or other motorist, you run the risk, as an uninsured driver, of having to repair their Bentley.

My serious advice: suck it up princess.

[HenryDorsetCase]

So - if you think you can spend 12 months riding a street triple and NEVER speed then get the speed triple ... (I seriously doubt I could do that ... they are too much fun ... )

agreed: can't be done.

OP should buy a Duke 390.

[tristania]

Nah, get an orange one.. with a ventura rack.. and ride that sh*t around Akaroa ;)

[Tazz]

Spend some money on a quick trip to Raro and skip the last 12 months/go straight for your full ;)

[HenryDorsetCase]

Spend some money on a quick trip to Raro and skip the last 12 months/go straight for your full ;)

Is that still an actual thing?


also:

siwpn14IE7E

[Larksea]

yeah my first thought was yeah f it why not man.

heck what are the chances, I have been pulled over once in my life in my car and never on my bike.

But then it hits, big thing is that if anything happens and your insurance company finds out you dont have the correct license for the bike you will get nothing. That could be very very bad.

[Tazz]

Is that still an actual thing?


also:

[youtu]

Yup. There was a thread on it not long ago.

[Grashopper]

If it helps, the new CBTA system starts next month. You can do that to get your full after only 12 months on your restricted.

But yeah, I wouldn't want to have that additional excitement every time I see a cop. I got stopped 3 times in the last year of riding just for random checks. Once at the Eastcoast, once in Turangi and once in Taupo... Although I think they were looking for someone in particular in Turangi.

[ggreen]

Thanks everyone - some really good advice in that (and some absolute feral and unhelpful crap, but that's a reflection of life I guess!). May be right that it is the bike for me, but to enjoy it without the stress - hold on till legal.

What's with the Rarotonga thing though?

[Glowerss]

Thanks everyone - some really good advice in that (and some absolute feral and unhelpful crap, but that's a reflection of life I guess!). May be right that it is the bike for me, but to enjoy it without the stress - hold on till legal.

What's with the Rarotonga thing though?

Nothing. That loophole was closed ages ago.

Waiting is definitely the better option. There's a high chance you'd be too worried about riding a $15,000 uninsured bike on an incorrect class of license to actually properly enjoy it. Best wait till you can legally ride it with insurance and all that jazz.

[oneblackflag]

Nothing. That loophole was closed ages ago.
.

Not quite right... It was changed. You can no longer swap the Raro licence for a NZ full, but you can take the Raro one in and then sit the Full NZ test; negating the wait time.

[oneblackflag]

Not quite right... It was changed. You can no longer swap the Raro licence for a NZ full, but you can take the Raro one in and then sit the Full NZ test; negating the wait time.

Not sugested for noobies but the OP seems to have clocked up quite a few k's.

[Tazz]

What's with the Rarotonga thing though?

Have a search on here man.


Nothing. That loophole was closed ages ago.

No. You should look it up too ;)

[ggreen]

Thanks for that - a holiday and saving 12 months - may be a good plan!

[f2dz]

Thanks for that - a holiday and saving 12 months - may be a good plan!

This loophole was definitely closed if anyone from NZTA is to be believed. Unless someone has done this within the last year or so and can attest to it then I wouldn't believe anyone saying otherwise.

Email I was sent last year:


Thank you for your email dated 25 May 2013.

If you have resided in the Cook Islands for some time and have been issued with a Cook Island driver licence, you can apply to convert this to the equivalent New Zealand classes. However, if you have obtained a temporary licence as a visitor to the Cook Islands, you cannot convert this type of licence.

To convert a Cook Island licence you are required to present:

· your actual Cook Island licence that is current or expired no more than 12 months (a temporary licence is not acceptable and cannot be converted)

· an acceptable translation of your licence if it is not in English

· evidence of your address (eg a recent bill or bank statement that has been issued to you within the last six months)

· evidence of your identity (eg a passport that is current or has expired within the last two years)

· photocopies of your overseas licence, evidence of address, evidence of identity and any other evidence presented to support your application. We will retain these photocopies.

So unless you've been a permanent C.I. resident you have to go through the licensing system like the rest of us.

As for the original question of riding a big bike and middle finger to the law, I wouldn't suggest it. Main reason being if you bin the bike, not only will you not be insured for yourself but anything you hit won't be either, eg. Ferrari, house in Remuera, council property, etc.

Upgrade to a LAMS bike or sit on your current one until your full. My 2c. But your life.

[G4L4XY]

Don't do it. I never wore my L plates and never got checked but I didn't jump up to a bigger bike till I had my full. Image buying the triple and being involved in an accident, maybe it was your fault and you had no insurance as you're not legally allowed to ride it. Then you'd be well and truly f**ked.

If you wait, the bike will be cheaper once you can legally ride it. Because you will want to test it's limits trust me.

[HenryDorsetCase]

OP should buy a KTM 390

[Monkfish]

This loophole was definitely closed if anyone from NZTA is to be believed. Unless someone has done this within the last year or so and can attest to it then I wouldn't believe anyone saying otherwise.


This guy did it apparently..


13th of Jan. I did the full test for converting my Raro licence for NZ Full. Booked the test in Nov last year.

Still on my 250 and plan to be for a wile longer. The main reasons i wanted to do it was to 1) Get rid of the L plate 2) be able to ride after 10pm and before 5am.

so not sure whats happening anymore.

[Erelyes]

I'm an impatient bastard as well. Late 20's, on my restricted.

The devil on my shoulder says

'I rode that 600 that one time and it was fast but I could handle it'
'If I get a 600 I can keep up with my mates on group rides' :facepalm:
'Ain't been pulled over by the cops on my bike yet'
'Remember that guy we met with the Shadow who had been pulled over one month before getting his full and the cop let him get away with it'
'Ah it's only 5 months* til I am sure to pass the CBTA cos I'm farkin awesome so they'll be clamouring to give me a full licence so I can ride whatever the hell my wife will let me'.
*rounded down from 5 months 20-something days

But then the angel on the other side of my shoulder says,
'Are you at the stage where you're not learning anything new riding the 2fitty?'
'Do you wanna risk the $100 fine and 35 demerits for breaching licence conditions?'
'Isn't the 2fitty fun to ride anyway?'
'Wife and 2 kids, why risk it?'
'No insurance. None. Zip, nilch, nada.'

The advice 'Do whatever the fuck you wanna do' is perfect, but you've asked for opinions, so three options for ya:
- save your coin, at least until you're just about getting your full (remember you'll have to borrow a bike for the tests if you sell your LAMS one)
- if you just can't stand it anymore, buy some other older 600cc. CBR600F2 or F3's are like 4-5k, plus or minus. Stick good tyres on it. Ride it VERY occasionally, quiet back roads, SLOWLY building confidence. If you get pinged by the cops, don't come complainin'. Net loss when you sell it = fuckall. Net loss if you bin it = hopefully just your bike and a farmer's fence, and not a porsche.
- buy a track bike and go there to learn your limits.

[Tazz]

so not sure whats happening anymore.

Sorry to be a cranky twat/twit (it's not aimed at you either :p), but what is happening is people are to lazy to actually READ and are just glancing then giving dumb/the wrong advice.

What's new on KB though eh :lol:

You cannot TRANSFER the license straight over, and no one has said you can in this thread, someone just starting waffling that you can't :brick:

You CAN however use it to skip past all the BS and go straight for you FULL LICENSE TEST :clap:.

TEST
tɛst/Submit
noun
1.
a procedure intended to establish the quality, performance, or reliability of something, especially before it is taken into widespread use.
"both countries carried out nuclear tests in May"
synonyms: trial, experiment, pilot study, try-out; check, examination, assessment, evaluation, appraisal, investigation, inspection, analysis, scrutiny, scrutinization, study, probe, exploration; screening; audition, screen test; technicalassay
"we'll be conducting a series of scientific tests"

So, you can get your Raro license but you still have to go for (and pass) the NZ full bike license test. Hope that clears it up ;)

Things are changing next month with the testing system however (moving away from the AA and getting stricter or something for bikes?) so I would either do it now, or double check once the changes come in that you can still use it to go straight for your full test. (I underlined it just to make it easier for you lazy bastards :D)

[Monkfish]

Sorry to be a cranky twat/twit (it's not aimed at you either :p), but what is happening is people are to lazy to actually READ and are just glancing then giving dumb/the wrong advice.

What's new on KB though eh :lol:

You cannot TRANSFER the license straight over, and no one has said you can in this thread, someone just starting waffling that you can't :brick:

You CAN however use it to skip past all the BS and go straight for you FULL LICENSE TEST :clap:.

TEST
tɛst/Submit
noun
1.
a procedure intended to establish the quality, performance, or reliability of something, especially before it is taken into widespread use.
"both countries carried out nuclear tests in May"
synonyms: trial, experiment, pilot study, try-out; check, examination, assessment, evaluation, appraisal, investigation, inspection, analysis, scrutiny, scrutinization, study, probe, exploration; screening; audition, screen test; technicalassay
"we'll be conducting a series of scientific tests"

So, you can get your Raro license but you still have to go for (and pass) the NZ full bike license test. Hope that clears it up ;)

Things are changing next month with the testing system however (moving away from the AA and getting stricter or something for bikes?) so I would either do it now, or double check once the changes come in that you can still use it to go straight for your full test. (I underlined it just to make it easier for you lazy bastards :D)

So I was right in saying the loop hole hasn't closed... Its just changed.

[EJK]

Just throwing it out there, I rode a Yamaha Scorpio for a year, then got a Suzuk FXR150 for a year. After selling FXR I did not ride for 4 years. After no riding for a few years, I "did whatever the fuck I wanna do!!!" so I got myself a 1000cc Jap inline-4 ZX10R. Note: I was still on my Restrected back then.

It's been over a year I rode it. Went all around the South and North, did some crazy numbers on speedometer, also did many "spirited" rides to Akaroa. High power and performance never caused me trouble since I knew how to manage my right hand (if you know what I mean?).

Going from a learners bike to a "High Performance" bike is one thing, maintenance and cost is another. Even if you "HAVE" a full license, the cost of registration, insurance, regular maintenance, fuel consumption, and other consumables goes through the roof :eek5: If only someone warned me about the cost of owning a performance bike before I got mine...

If a friend of mine says he wants to go from a 250 to a jap IL4 litre bike, I'd NOT recommend it to him.

But hey, all of this is just advice... go out there and do whatever the FUCK YOU WANNA DO!!!!

[SMOKEU]

Buy whatever bike you want, then do a runner if the cops come after you.

You're welcome.

[MisterD]

I'm an impatient bastard as well. Late 20's, on my restricted.


Ha. I'm 43 and never quite got around to it, it's all a bit too much hassle when you're riding something that requires hand-signals.

DR650's looking like the best way to see more of the country at an acceptably higher speed.