Where does "Beginners Bike" start and end?

I read all over the web about motorbikes where there are reviews etc. on bike models. I read a review on a Bandit 600SA and they are going on about it being a "Beginners Bike". I read reviews on GXSF 650 an they are going on about it being a good "Beginners Bike".


I thought a 125cc was classed as a "Beginners Bike" and anything higher was considered past beginner if you call it that?? If I saw someone on a 50cc or a 125cc I would say they are a beginner but not on a 250cc or higher since they have their bike license so obviously not really a beginner anymore.


Does one have to buy something over 650cc or go to 1000cc to lose the phrase of being on a "Beginners Bike"? Where does "Beginners Bike" start and end? Just curious.|||Don't focus on the CCs of the bike. Look at the type of bike and the different aspects of it, for example the performance it offers, the ride it gives, and the weight. There are some 250cc supermoto bikes that will knock your socks off while there are some 250cc cruisers that are slugs but offer a good learning experience. It's all in how YOU can handle a specific bike. My beginner bike may not be your beginner bike and so on.|||It depends where you are and what your laws are, normally a 125 is for beginners but some countries allow a 600 if it has been restricted so it should be a lot les powerful and less quick, I live in Switzerland and this is allowed, so a Honda Hornet 600 would normally be around 90 bhp but it is restricted to 25 kw which is about 34 bhp, so it wil still do around 85 to 90 top speed but not as quick but still a decent piece of bike.|||there is no definitive line to say which bike is a beginner bike. there are bikes that are better suited for beginners though. most bikes under 600 have potential to be a beginner bike. as for the qualifications to be a good beginner bike it would have to be comfortable, have predictable handling, have good brakes, have smooth power delivery, be forgiving in terms of rider error, ect, ect, ect. but then again as an experienced rider you would also look for the same things in a bike, except you would want the power from a "non" beginner bike.|||They're not referring to these bikes as "beginners bikes" in any legal sense, just saying (perhaps badly) that they would make a good introduction to "full-size" biking for newish or inexperienced bikers - as opposed to something like the Hayabusa, for instance, which could make your motorcycling career somewhat short-lived if you're new to the game . . .





In other words, for someone setting out on grown-up biking after having passed their test etc.|||You really don't want to purchase anything less than a 600. I 600 Bandit is a great beginner bike, but there are some issues with the carbs.





If you want to learn the basics of the clutch and shifting then take the course. They will have you on a 250, but a 250 is not practical in the real world. You'll get trampled on the highway. People don't care about you and that slow bike on the highway. You are just in their way and they want you gone.|||In places where beginning riders are limited by cc's or horsepower, it is possible to draw a legal line between beginners' bikes and others. Where the law doesn't tell you what you can ride, it's not so simple. A good first bike may just be the one you found available at an attractive price, or it may be a brand new Ninja 250.





The reason it is impossible to draw a clear line, is because many experienced riders will ride bikes that may be classed as "beginner" bikes.





For example, I know a couple of Iron Butt riders who are doing endurance events on Ninja 250s. They have plenty of speed for brisk road riding, and the excellent fuel economy allow them to keep gas stops at a minimum, essential to covering the most distance in the shortest time, even more so than outright horsepower.





Then there all the middle-aged "obsolete" bikes around that can be had at very cheap prices. My girlfriend got her first bike, a Suzuki GS425E, for $225. It was a sweet bike, quick, nimble and fun to ride. If she had not bought it, I would have added it to my stable. Another friend likes middle-aged Yamahas: XS650s, an SR500, a couple of Viragos, a Vision and most recently an XT550. He rarely pays more than $1000 for a bike, often much less. He is hardly a beginner, but any of his bikes might make a decent beginner bike.|||buy what you want and don't worry about it|||Hello





Do not get confused


All of the groups below you start with a provisional licence and L Plates


Then when you pass the driving test you have a Full licence and remove the L Plates





Licences


Minimum Age 16


Group P (Moped, Up to 50cc and not designed to exceed 31 MPH)





Minimum Age 17


Group A1 (Small Motor Bike, Up to 125cc and Maximum of 14.6 BHP)





These restrictions do not change at all





Minimum Age 17


Group A (Motor Bike) Any cc


If ridden on a provisional licence Maximum 33 BHP (When you pass the driving test the 33 BHP restriction stays for 2 years from the date you passed the test or until you are 21 whichever comes first.





So you can have a Full Group A licence but still have the 33 BHP limit





Most people on Mopeds do so because they are under 17 so cannot ride anything bigger.





As to the beginners bikes this refers to the handling of the bike and ease of operation. or being more user friendly.


Bikes with a lower centre of gravity are easier to get back upright after turning a corner.


In the case of the Bandit 600SA this could also refer to the difference in basic handling so may be a better option for someone who has ridden a 250 for years and has now decided to go bigger





Hope that clears things a bit





Andy C