Is motorcycling allowed?

[patches]

So you NZ dwellers - isn't it crazy expensive to run a bike in NZ? - I have a good school friend who lives  in CHC and he used to have a CBR500 which he rode on the weekends.  Last time I spoke to him he said he sold it because it was waaaay to expensive to licence and insure - something close to the equivalent of R10000 per year he said.

 

I speak under correction but he was saying that because the NZ Government sees motorcycling as a high risk which could cost a lot in medical fees if you have an accident, they make it really expensive to do.

 

 

its swings and roundabouts.

 

You pay more on your road user charges(my last bike was about R4,500 a year) but I pay no medical aid at all so that’s nice.

 

As Wayne said, the "rego" as they call it is pretty heavy on motorbikes. It also increases with engine size. At current exchange rates...

 

Mopeds: about R1871/yr

0 - 60cc: about R4500/yr

61 - 600cc: about R4622/yr

601cc and up: about R5935/yr

 

The reasoning behind this is ACC (kinda like NZ's version of the Road Accident Fund). Whilst ACC covers ANY accidental injury (from twisting ankles to major car crashes), they deem motorcycles as a higher risk so the registration fees are increased. However as Wayne said, one can easily get by in NZ with no medical aid (as long as they are eligible for universal healthcare).

 

One does have the option to pay in 1 month increments, but this ends up a little more expensive overall. I do 3 months at at time.

 

Also one can put their rego "on hold" for 3 months or more, meaning no charges accumulate, but legally the bike is not allowed to be ridden on public roads. Lots of people (including myself) put their rego on hold during the rainy season.  Some of those people (not including myself) chance it and still ride, but if you get caught it can be big trouble.

 

Additionally, in order to reduce the risk, the ACC has a programme called Ride Forever which involves various day-long courses in small groups with professional instruction. Kinda like a "defensive driving" class. The motorcycle registration offsets the costs of the courses and in most cases they're about R220 for the day (and sometimes free). Each motorcycle license holder (from learners license up) is entitled to 2 subsidised courses/yr.

 

And as an additional benefit, and to encourage the seasoned riders to brush up on some skills and kick bad habits, if a rider who has had their full license for 5yrs or more completes 2 Ride Forever courses, they get about R2200 back on their registration fees.

 

So ultimately the whole system is designed to promote safe riding.

Edited August 31, 2020 by patches

[patches]

there is a saffa lady in Auckland selling a vitpilen on Facebook with the most amazing helmet.

 

ooh, is it the matching Pilen helmet?

 

[Wayne Potgieter]

ooh, is it the matching Pilen helmet?

 

 

 

Yes it is.

 

Although - I have my eyes on a nice Ruroc berserker lid.

 

Looks pretty similar and I love the interchangeable lenses.

 

https://www.ruroc.com/en_nz/berserker

[Wayne Potgieter]

Very nice!

 

The MT-07 engine is supposed to be majestical!

 

I'm guessing if you go for an MT-07 after getting your full license, it'll be the high-output version (689cc) as the other one is LAMS approved (655cc) and where's the fun in that!

 

I spent quite a bit of time on this very question. Here is where I landed.

 

The MT-03 keeps its value very well. I reckon its because people that are buying starter bikes are "scared" of the MT-07 LAMS bike. The MT-07 High Output also keeps its value reasonably well but the LAMS MT-07 depreciates rather rapidly. Its in a weird little "no-mans land" space.

[patches]

I spent quite a bit of time on this very question. Here is where I landed.

 

The MT-03 keeps its value very well. I reckon its because people that are buying starter bikes are "scared" of the MT-07 LAMS bike. The MT-07 High Output also keeps its value reasonably well but the LAMS MT-07 depreciates rather rapidly. Its in a weird little "no-mans land" space.

 

Yeah, I think you made the right call.

 

For a "temporary bike" one wants to spend as little as possible and recoup as much as one can on resale for the transition over to the big bike.

 

Saving $4k on the initial outlay is a plus, and also if you did go for the MT-07 LAMS, you may find it hard to spend another $1000 plus resale losses, to get a few more HP, so you'll end up settling on the LAMS version making the whole full license exercise less relevant.

[Wayne Potgieter]

Need some advice on riding pants.

 

I am leaning towards a reinforced set of jeans. Anyone have any thoughts/recommendations?

[patches]

Need some advice on riding pants.

 

I am leaning towards a reinforced set of jeans. Anyone have any thoughts/recommendations?

 

If I recall anything from the Ride Forever course I went on a couple of years back... it was something about leathers being the best protection, but not the most practical. Kevlar reinforced jeans are pretty decent and will save some skin. Adventure pants are kinda the bare minimum, but ensure the knee protection is installed. And regular jeans are only marginally better than PT broeke, hahaha

 

I'm slack and a bad example though. If I commute I do so in my work pants (unless it's raining) then I wear my adventure pants over the top. If I go to hangout socially, I'll wear jeans. If I go on technical rides I'll wear MX pants with knee guards underneath. If I go on an adventure I wear adventure pants with aftermarket knee guards (the built in ones are not the best). (I only wear boots with the last 2 activities).

 

These are my adventure pants:

 

https://www.alpinestars.com/products/andes-drystar-pant

 

They're no Klim with GoreTex but for the price they're decently waterproof and comfy. I've had 1 off on a gravel road and they held up well. And I have the matching jacket, which I hacked by replacing the built in protection with Leatt D30 stuff.

 

But for the commuting/casual look, I think reinforced jeans are probably the best happy medium. Those with some of those Alpinestars or TCX "tekkies". Finding a decent cut on the jeans seems to be the hard part though.

[Steven Knoetze (sk27)]

Go read up on the Vit/swart pilen's, non influencer reviews.

They are very underwhelming bitsa bikes.

Jensen Beeler of Asphaltandrubber.com was at the launch, was not impressed. He is one of the biking journo's I like because he is not afraid to call a spade, a spade. He does have a bias to Ducati's though so need to keep that in mind when reading "those" reviews.

[sawystertrance]

Yes it is.

 

Although - I have my eyes on a nice Ruroc berserker lid.

 

Looks pretty similar and I love the interchangeable lenses.

 

https://www.ruroc.com/en_nz/berserker

That Ruroc seems great and I looked at getting something similar but...but here's a question which influenced my decision.

Apparently the goggles are magnetic and fit really snugly into the front of the helmet and I assume therefore that they block airflow. What, then, is the advantage of that helmet over a normal Adv helmet where you could either remove of just flip up the visor?  How do they compare pricewise? At least with an ADV helmet you have the option of a visor for highway riding, for example.

 

[patches]

Go read up on the Vit/swart pilen's, non influencer reviews.

They are very underwhelming bitsa bikes.

Jensen Beeler of Asphaltandrubber.com was at the launch, was not impressed. He is one of the biking journo's I like because he is not afraid to call a spade, a spade. He does have a bias to Ducati's though so need to keep that in mind when reading "those" reviews.

 

Oh no doubt! With the Pilens one is paying for the Scandinavian design and  modern-retro aesthetics.

 

The 390cc in the 401's is mass produced in India, predominantly for Duke 390's, of which there is a cult following over there.

 

The 693cc in the 701 version has been used all over in some shape or form, from Duke 690's to the current KTM 690 Enduro. It's a workhorse not an Arabian thoroughbred.

 

And for the general bike design, my guess is that the Austrians sell the Duke versions for those that want to leather up and get adrenaline pumping (and even then, the Japanese probably do a better job), and the Pilens are for those that spend thousands on fade haircuts, beard oils, and use the bike to ride to overpriced coffee shops 

 

I would never consider a Pilen for anything more than a commuter.

 

If people only bought bikes because they rode well, Harley Davidsons wouldn't exist 

Edited September 1, 2020 by patches

[Wayne Potgieter]

[Andymann]

Go read up on the Vit/swart pilen's, non influencer reviews.

They are very underwhelming bitsa bikes.

Jensen Beeler of Asphaltandrubber.com was at the launch, was not impressed. He is one of the biking journo's I like because he is not afraid to call a spade, a spade. He does have a bias to Ducati's though so need to keep that in mind when reading "those" reviews.

 

 

I must be honest I thought that too about the BMW GS310 - it just didn't give me that BMW quality feel - It certainly looked the part but there was something I just couldn't put my finger on.  I felt something similar then we brought in the little YZF150 from India - lots of steel parts painted silver to look like Aluminium castings.....

[Steven Knoetze (sk27)]

I must be honest I thought that too about the BMW GS310 - it just didn't give me that BMW quality feel - It certainly looked the part but there was something I just couldn't put my finger on.  I felt something similar then we brought in the little YZF150 from India - lots of steel parts painted silver to look like Aluminium castings.....

 

The new 390 adventure also has a budget build look and feel. 

There is a catalytic convertor which is almost as big as the engine block and the whole instrument cluster looks like it was bodged on. That sells for just shy of R100K.

New bike prices are just ridiculous.

You can buy a very well looked after, but used, 1190 adventure for about the same money!!!!

[Patchelicious]

The new 390 adventure also has a budget build look and feel. 

There is a catalytic convertor which is almost as big as the engine block and the whole instrument cluster looks like it was bodged on. That sells for just shy of R100K.

New bike prices are just ridiculous.

You can buy a very well looked after, but used, 1190 adventure for about the same money!!!!

 

I have been itching to get a bike here npow that I have settled. 

 

So I started shopping. It was shocking to see that the Japanese bikes now rival the Italian bikes on price. It used to be at least 50% more cost effective to when I last looked. R1 vs 999 etc

 

A 675 F3, £15k is about the same price as a R6 which is £13k odd

Edited September 2, 2020 by Patchelicious

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

Does anyone need / want a pair of rd350 ypvs trispoke rims? A mate of mine has some in his rafters just taking up space.

[Wannabe]

Does anyone need / want a pair of rd350 ypvs trispoke rims? A mate of mine has some in his rafters just taking up space.

 

What does he want for them?

 

I might be interested.

Edited September 3, 2020 by Wannabe