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street triple second bike

8K views 11 replies 10 participants last post by  Aysee 
#1 ·
Hello all, I am looking for some advice regarding upgrading from my current bike (125) to a street triple. I have been riding for a little over 4 months in which i have done 2500 miles in all suitable biking conditions. I have felt for a while now that i have 'outgrown' my bike; I am still absolutely loving biking but i feel that the time has come to upgrade to something bigger (not to mention more suitable to distances - my 125 really isnt ideal for 200 mile motorway trips each weekend!). I have had the opportunity to ride a few bikes but it is the street triple that took me - I fell completely in love with it before i even got on it, it was more of an obsession after i'd had a go!

I passed my DAS 2 months ago and have since taken the ERS as well. I personally know people who have had serious accidents on motorbikes (including my father who has spent the 25 years of my life stressing to me how dangerous bikes can be) so I am not going to plump for something if the majority of experienced bikers say "no, hence the canvassing for advice.
 
#2 ·
Hi Tim0o.

As you can imagine you're going to get a whole bunch of different answers that is going to be based on how people moved on to their first big bike and what the Street Triple brings to the table. I applaud you for asking for advice .. even though we didn't have the internet then then I doubt I would have listened too much to those that gave me advice when of course I should have. Hindsight is a wonderful thing, as as someone once said, it's a pity youth is wasted on young ;-).

Anyhow, my 2 pence nutshell is that the Street Triple isn't too much of a first big bike (though it is more on the naughtier side of the 600cc range of first bikes) though it isn't your normal run-of-the-mill bike to learn the ropes. It's more appropriate than perhaps an inline 4 600cc supersport but not as dull as a CBF600 or Bandit. I'd also say make sure this is type of bike gives you what you need - do you require it to get to work, is it for pleasure only, much intended use on the motorway, are the areas where you live snotty back roads, etc.

Finally, go look for some advanced training with either RoSPA as I did or the IAM. Apart from very reasonable membership costs it's the best way of learning fast how to ride on UK roads. Wish I'd started years ago because my riding came on leaps and bounds after getting hooked. Really can't stress how important this might be irrespective of whatever bike you get.

Have fun deciding what bike to get and above all else enjoy the ride!
 
#3 ·
Would I talk you out of it? No. If you're inspired and only have eyes for this bike then get it and try to stay sane. Take some training courses as Eunuch mentions and then go crash the S#!% out of the thing until you've sorted it out =)
My advise though? Moving up from a 125 and only riding for months (not years) you are pretty fresh, even if extremely competent. The danger with moving up to a bike like the Str3 is not just the speeds that it is capable of but that it is very responsive which means that mistakes are immediate and more than you are used to and the consequences can be more devastating. You may be able to gradually and safely get your skills together to take advantage of the Str3 but you'd be beating the statistics.
There are other more sane bikes that bridge the gap you're going over. Something like a sv650 is perfect for your situation where it will give you more performance but won't catch you out as much (there are other good bikes and a quick search of this or any forum you will find lots of advise). Plus it's a less expensive option that can be fixed up pretty well on the 'off chance that something untoward happens.'
Get your skills up first then jump to a higher performance bike rather than getting a bike that you have to build your skills up to. The Str3 will be still be there in 12months.
And the dad in me has to say it sorry: ATGATT.
 
#4 ·
Something like a sv650 is perfect for your situation where it will give you more performance but won't catch you out as much
Good advice & probably the one bike I would say comes out on top Tim0o. The SV has a great engine to ride the road, plenty capable, plenty available/cheap and easy to fix. Will keep you entertained for a couple of couple of years after which time you could start racking it!

Did I mention getting some trainning? :rolleyes:
 
#5 ·
thanks for the advice guys, I have looked at the sv650 might try and take one out for a run and see how i get on with it. I am happy(ish - maybe content is the correct word!) to leave the str3 as something to 'work towards', the problem is that it was just so damn enjoyable but I give more weight to the advice of experienced riders than my self confidence.

I am hoping to do RoSPA soon as possible as I want to do everything possible to increase my ability. despite my relatively short 25 years of life my body has already been put through quite a lot of pain and i have no desire to add to that, not to mention i would like to add on another couple of 25 year stints!
 
#6 · (Edited)
I'd say get the str3 if you like it. It is very light and the power is totally controllable so you don't have to use all of it... just ride to your abilities. Who needs to do screaming burnouts from every stop sign? If you get something less, you will get tired of it pretty fast and always wish you had gotten what you really wanted. If you get the best, you will never be dissapointed.

PS. Been there. I've only been riding for 50 years.
 
#7 ·
Powerful motorcycles must be ridden with respect and restraint; there are places where you can enjoy the power and speed safely and other places where conditions are dangerous and one should slow down. One must always be a defensive driver on a motorcycle, trust no one out on the road, and ride for conditions. The Striple is a light bike with excellent handling and very strong roll-on power in top gear; it is hard to resist going fast! It goes like a bat out of hell through the gears. I think you will be ok as long as you get used to it gradually and remember that road pavement can be unpredictable and not to ride like you are on a racetrack. If you are impulsive and accident-prone this is not the bike for you. If you have self-discipline and ride defensively you will really enjoy this bike. - Wayne :)
 
#8 ·
I would say go for a new one and the running in (break in) period will provide an excellent acclimatisation period. I went for a gentle 650 single after a 20 plus year break from biking and found the Striple entirely manageable as a next step.
If you were to get on one and try to use it's full performance from the outset you may get into bad trouble but your post suggests you already know that and have the necessary wisdom to flourish.
 
#9 · (Edited)
Four months on a 125 leaves you with a lot still to learn.

The Street triple isn't an impossible leap from a 125, but you need to keep it for quite a bit longer. About 10,000 miles on smaller bikes would be about the right level of experience for a 100 bhp bike.

Better would be a year on a bigger but more forgiving bike such as an SV or ER-6, and you still need about 10K total mileage to get the level of experience that you need for the striple. A good budget option is a used ER-5. It's very sensitive on both the throttle and brakes - there are a number of threads about throttle sensitivity - and it's easy to find yourself hitting speeds of around 120 mph inadvertently, especially on motorways where you've relatively little experience, and non at high speed so you need to know how fast you can take the bend that's coming up far faster than is sometimes comfortable. And motorways have more than a few bends that become surprisingly tight at high speed.

The high gear roll on and smoothness of the three cylinder engine makes it very easy to misjudge approach and closing speeds in traffic as well.

People who've recently passed DAS have the accident highest rates of any group of road users in the UK after 17 year olds, and the faster the bike the more frequent and more serious the accidents.


On the running in while acclimatising issue - I believe in a moderate break in that aims to be pushing the bike hard at the end of 500 miles. With your level of experience, you really don't want to be red lining and pinning the throttle on a Street to complete the break in process.

Rob
 
#10 ·
There is no set-formula for when you should or shouldn't get a certain bike. As long as you respect the machine, realize your limitations, and ride responsibly then get the bike you truly want.

I picked up an STR last August as my first bike & have put over 8,000km on it.

I'll be the parrot as well about wearing your gear... the one time you skimp is the one time some jackass will run a red & ruin your day.
 
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