Have I given my mate duff advice?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Smalesy
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Smalesy

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My best mate wants to start motorcycling. He wants something that will tour & commute. He's probably not that into major speed and likes the quote "trail bike for the road style".

He wants to do direct access.

He's 5'10'', 17stone rugby player build and wants to tour two up with his wife who's about 5'10'' but slim.

He's asked me for suggestions as to what bikes to look at in the sub £3000 bracket.

I have suggested a Yamaha TDM850/900. I've done some homework and he can get comp insurance for £150, sussed that the headlamp's and finish can be not so good but other than that, have I given him duff advice?
 
im 5ft 8in.. 18st ... did all 3 courses (cbt, theory, 3day direct access+test) within 3 weeks and bought a great 1150gs at a bargin price of 4000 .. fully com for 350 .. . .2weeks later toured normandy for 5 days with great mates and enjoyed every bit of it. . . . throws me up the road like im 3 stone .. wouldnt change it for the world .. tell ur mate to stretch just that little bit more ... he wont regret it ... i am reborn
 
Might be able to get an 1100gs for that sort of money.

I must admit I looked at the TDMs at one point..and i'd rather ride one of those than a sports bike, but it's got no offroad ability above hard packed dry flat mud and it's bland bland bland.

As a first bike for that money, he could get a lot worse than a 650 GS, or even a well sorted Funduro (the previous version).

It will deal with his weight (I'm bigger and heavier and it was fine) and makes a damn good town bike, with more attitude and capability than a TDM.

And it's a GS.

sort of
;)
 
tdm, is a good bike, so you have not given him duff advice, finish is typicaly yamaha budget( newer bikes are better), they can use more oil than you would expect from a jap. is much more usable tourer than a 650 gs and can handle being thrown around the bends, it is certainly odd looking and not a trial bike.
 
Smalesy said:
My best mate wants to start motorcycling. He wants something that will tour & commute. He's probably not that into major speed and likes the quote "trail bike for the road style".

He wants to do direct access.

He's 5'10'', 17stone rugby player build and wants to tour two up with his wife who's about 5'10'' but slim.

He's asked me for suggestions as to what bikes to look at in the sub £3000 bracket.

I have suggested a Yamaha TDM850/900. I've done some homework and he can get comp insurance for £150, sussed that the headlamp's and finish can be not so good but other than that, have I given him duff advice?
Click to expand...

Yes you have. He should be learning on a small bike for 18 months if he has never riden a bike before or if he is returning to riding then a 650 may be OK for 12 months.
 
What has the size of the engine got to do with it?

My old RGV250SP ran rings round most things on the road especially through the corners!

It's common sense. Take it slowly and build up your speed.

Even if your an experienced rider if you jump on a new bike you don't ride it immediately like you just stole it... that takes at least 5 minutes ;)
 
I sometimes ride with a guy on a TDM and it goes very well on the tar. Never ridden it because he is short and the set up is too low for me but.... We have put in some good long days at respectable speeds and he has had zero problems with it over about 25 K kms.
We do the odd well made dirt road and it is fine for that but not for rough dirt or offroad.
Seems OK to me and not really deseving of its nickname - Tedium
 
Nippy Normans supply Touratech, Wunderlich, Desert Fox and many other makes of accessories.
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