There are a number of changes to the driver licencing system coming into effect on the 1st of October 2012. While some of these have been clearly communicated to the public some have not. There are 2 key changes that will impact novice motorcycle riders they are:
LAMS approved bikes for learner's and restricted licence holders
This is the most effectively communicated change to the licencing scheme. Instead of relying on a cc restriction motorcyclists will now be restricted to bikes with a power-to-weight ratio of less than 150kw per tonne. If the bike is over 250cc it must be LAMS approved and unmodified. If the bike is under 250cc it must not be one of the bikes on the LAMS banned bikes list.
Changes to the Learner licence process
Currently a learner licence can be obtained by sitting a very simple Basic Handling Skills course and passing a theory test at a licencing agent. From the 1st of October the Basic Handling Skills course will include additional elements such as a hazard perception component and the theory test will include more motorcycle specific questions.
Changes to the Restricted licence phase
This is the change that people are least aware of. Until now riders who were over 25 years old only had to spend 6 months on their restricted licence. After the first of October this will no longer be the case. All riders will have to spend 18 months on their restricted licence. While this can be reduced through competency based training assessments no specific details are currently supplied.
While many will view this change as unfair it is an understandable move when you look at the crash statistics. In order to justify keeping the age split there would need to be a similar split in the crash statisitics (with young people being injured more often). This does not appear to be borne out by the statistics. Instead the greatest number of deaths are now in the 40+ age bracket. While there are a number of potential issues with these stats (discussed in an upcoming post) if you want to focus on reducing the absolute number of road deaths this seems to be an acceptable approach.
Progressing through the licence stages
Progression from a learner licence to a full licence will also move towards CBTA rather than licence tests. While tests will remain as an available option it is unclear how long both avenues will remain open.
Presentation of a stage one CBTA certificate by a learner licence holder applying for a restricted licence will:
waive the need to complete the learner licence six month minimum time period
waive the need to sit and pass a practical test at the agent
waive the need to pay the restricted practical test fee.
Presentation of a stage two CBTA certificate by a restricted licence holder applying for a full licence will:
reduce the minimum age from 18 years to 17 ½ years
reduce the restricted licence minimum time period from 18 to 12 months
waive the need to sit and pass a practical test at the agent
waive the need to pay the full practical test fee.
On October 1st 2012 the restriction on the engine size for learner/restricted licenced motorcyclists is moving from 250cc to an approved list of bikes of up to 660cc. There were 2 key reasons for this change. The first was that some 250cc bikes were deemed by many to be too dangerous for amateur riders. These 250cc bikes are now off limits to learner riders. The second reason was that many bikes with larger capacity engines weren't necessarily more powerful than the bikes that learner bikers were able to ride. Many argued for a shift away from engine size restrictions towards a power-to-weight-ratio restriction. This lead to the LAMS list of approved bikes for learner and restricted riders. This shift leads to an obvious question for new learner riders: Should I start with a bike that would have been approved before the 1st of October or should I go with a larger bike from the LAMS approved list?
Points in Favour of bikes over 250cc
1) Avoid the small bike stigma
If you thought you wanted a bigger bike before reading this post this was probably a big part of that. If you think that there is something that is inherently uncool about smaller bikes then buying a bigger bike will allow you to keep yourself safe from the small bike stigma.
2) Lower revs, deeper engine sounds
Smaller bikes often get mocked for sounding like sewing machines. They rev high and have a high pitched engine sound. Larger bikes tend to rev lower and sound throatier.
3) Power-to-weight ratio is likely to be higher (although this may not be the case)
It is rare for bike manufacturers to make a bike with a bigger engine that has a lower power to weight ratio than other bikes in their line-up. As a general rule bikes of the same age from the same company in the same line will have a power to weight ratio that increases with engine size. Take note that this will not necessarily hold for bikes from different companies, years, and/or lines.
4) Weight
A larger, more powerful engine means that the bike itself should also be heavier to fit the fixed power to weight ratio. Heavier bikes hold the road better and don't get pushed around by the wind quite as much.
Points in Favour of bikes less then 250cc
1) Fuel Efficiency
Generally speaking smaller engines use less fuel. Bigger engines use more fuel. For many the appeal of moving to a bike or scooter is the potential to save money on petrol. If this sounds like you a 250cc (or less) bike or scooter is likely to be the best fit for you although a 660cc bike should still use much less fuel than your car.
2) Light Weight
Light Bikes are easy for you and your engine to push around. This helps to contribute to fuel efficiency and also makes bikes easier to manoeuvre while parking. Finally if you ever drop your bike a lighter bike is much easier to pick-up.
3) A glut in the market
As 250cc bikes have been a necessary stepping stone for a number of years there are plenty of them around. After October 1st it is possible that there will be a shift in the supply and demand equation. Specifically the demand will drop as the learner buyers will no longer be restricted to 250cc bikes. This could lead to an over supply of 250cc bikes in the market which could lead to a drop in sale prices in the months and years ahead.
Red Herrings to watch out for
Bigger bikes are more powerful than smaller bikes
Remember that the LAMS approved bikes are in line with a power-to-weight ratio that some 250cc bikes exceeded. The power to weight ratio is restricted to 150kw per tonne regardless of engine size. While bikes with bigger engines are typically more powerful than bikes with smaller engines they are often also heavier. Heavier bikes are harder to get moving. While bigger engined bikes may have a higher top speed you are unlikely to notice differences in acceleration between bikes where the only difference is the power to weight ratio.
Avoiding the small bike stigma
Odds are this stigma will shift from a small bike stigma to a learner bike stigma. In fact the current small bike stigma really is learner bike stigma by another name.
An important consideration for those over 25
Along with the change in permissable bikes October 1st will bring a change to the licencing system. While those over 25 were required to spend less time on their restricted than younger riders before October 1st 2012 this distinction will disappear on the 1st of October 2012. This means you will be spending longer on your learner bike.
Learner motorcyclists often tend toward Suzuki's GN250 as a starter bike however if you would prefer something that looks more like a cruiser than a commuter the GZ250 may come to your attention.
While the GN250 has 2 gauges (a speedometer and a tachometer) and a gear indicator the GZ250 keeps things simple by providing a speedometer centred between the handlebars.
While the GN250 and GZ250 share the same heart the official power output of the GZ250 is lower than that of the GN250 - coming in at 20.2hp comapred to 22hp. Additionally the GZ250 carries an additional 8kg on its body coming in at 137kg compared to 129kg.
If you're looking for a learner motorcycle odds are you will end up considering a Suzuki GN125 or GN250 at some point. These bikes have been a common recommendation over the years due to their linear power delivery and learner friendly gear display. They have also gained a bad reputation among some members of the bike community as "Go Nowheres" due to the fact that they are not performance or sports bikes. This brings us to the first decision you have to make about what kind of rider you want to be. If you want to use your bike for reliable and cheap transport then a GN is a good choice. If you want to treat your bike as a toy and the road as a race track then either GN will leave you wanting (you may also like to consider treating the road as the road and the race track as the race track). GNs are commuter/learner bikes, not sports bikes.
While both GNs are great learner/commuter motorcycles their physical similarity begs one obvious question:
What's the difference?
While the obvious answer is 125ccs that's not a helpful answer. The difference is best considered by breaking it down into power, price, resale value, and fuel economy.
Power
Horse power wise, on paper at least, the GN250 is twice as powerful as the GN125 with 22hp for the 250 compared to 11hp for the 125. There is a trade-off with weight though. The GN250 weighs an extra 22kg coming in at 129kg compared to the 125s 107kg. Again, on paper at least, that translates to a more favourable power to weight ratio for the 250 (127kw/tonne ignoring the rider) compared to the 125 (~ 77kw/tonne ignoring the rider) although it won't actually double the power to weight ratio of the 125. In fact the GN250 is actually about 1.66 times as powerful as the GN125. In fact the difference isn't particularly obvious in most situations and neither bike is particularly quick. While they'll beat your standard economy car off the mark quicker drivers in bigger cars can still leave you for dead. The key difference between them becomes apparent when you travel up a steep hill at 100km/h. The 250 will keep pulling while the 125 is likely to struggle. Similarly if you're ever planning on carrying a pillion passenger grab the 250. Realistically though you should upgrade before carrying a passenger anywhere other than around town. (Horsepower and weights obtained from http://www.suzukicycles.org)
Motorway Speed Capability
Originally if you wanted to hit the motorway safely(ish) the GN250 was your only option here. With an on-paper top speed of 115km/h compared to the GN125's on-paper top speed of 90km/h the choice was a no brainer. However lately some dealers have allegedly been selling GN125s with a larger front sprocket. This leads to a change in gearing that allows the bike to travel at motorway speeds at the cost of some low range pulling power. While this does mean that both bikes can travel at motorway speeds, and neither should be exlcuded on this basis, it does not change the fact that the GN250 is the more powerful bike. In fact similar adjustments can be made to the 250 if you want to gear it more towards motorway riding.
Price
In terms of purchase price generally speaking they're fairly similar. The key difference is that (at the time of writing) you can still buy 125s new from Suzuki dealers while GN250s have now been superceeded by the GZ250 (a nice bike with a speedo but no tachometer) which is itself a rare sight on a showroom floor. At the time of writing this 125s are available new from dealers for around $2000 while 250s can be picked up from TradeMe from $900+ (currently the asking price for a late model GN250 with a bit of learner damage (drops from stationary rather than drops at speed) seems to be sitting between $1700-$1900). While a second hand 250 will have more kilometres on the clock than a new 125 GN250s (and 125s) are notoriously reliable and, owing to their ubiquitousness, relatively cheap to repair and maintain.
Resale Value
Resale value is also worth keeping in mind. For 2 key reasons the 250 wins here hands down. First off for many people the 125 is a harder sell than the 250 because they look identical. This implies that the 125 is relatively underpowered. While this isn't exactly true, when it comes time to sell your bike perception, rather than reality, is what matters. Second if you buy a 125 odds are you will be buying it new. If you buy a 250 you will probably buy it second hand. When it comes time to sell the 250 has already dropped the showroom floor premium whereas the 125's price still has a way to fall. Odds are you will lose less on a 250 than a 125.
There is an additional point to consider with resale value though. The GN250 used to represent the upper limit of allowable engine size in a learner/restricted bike. This may have caused them to hold some extra value as they may have been perceived as a powerful learner bike. While this was never factually correct this is where the difference between perception and reality in the market becomes important again. With the incoming changes on the 1st of October 2012 this may no longer be the case and, in the years ahead the value of a GN250, and other 250cc bikes, may drop more steeply than in the past.
Fuel Efficiency
However the point where these and other small engine bikes shine, and will continue to have in their favour after October 1st 2012, is fuel economy. This is also the point where people may favour the 125 over the 250 if buying on gut instinct. However the difference in fuel economy isn't overly pronounced or even particularly convincing. In fact according to registerd users of fuelly.com the difference ranges from ~10% to 0 difference with the sole GN125 rider clocking in at 71 miles per gallon (31 km per litre) with the GN250 riders coming in between 73 and 66 miles per gallon (31 or 28 km per litre). As a comparison other popular 250cc learners, the Honda CBR250 and the Yamaha Scorpio, seem to fall in about the same range while a LAMS aproved Yamaha XT660 660cc bike seems to hover around 20km/L.
Conclusion
Taking all of this into account I would generally advise most people to buy the GN250 rather than the GN125. The only reasons to favour the GN125 over the GN250 are potential savings on fuel and the ability to buy a GN125 new. As we have seen the fuel savings are negligible and, odds are, if you're buying a learner bike you're going to damage your bike. If you're going to damage your bike it's better to add minor damage to a used bike that may be a little rough on the outside than a shiny new one with no prior damage.
The exception to the above recommendations are cases where you will need to pay considerably more for a used GN250 than a new GN125. Currently it is not uncommon to see GN250s being listed on trademe for $2200 or more. Often these listings are for bikes with little or no WOF or Rego and plenty of Ks on the clock. Bikes like these aren't worth that sort of money unless they are in immaculate condition and/or thoroughly and convincingly customised. Realisitically a GN250 with little or no WOF/Rego time remaining can currently be obtained for around $1500 with a bit of patience.
If you move beyond the 125 vs 250 comparison many in the biker community will encourage you to avoid either GN (they are both often referred to as 'Go Nowhere's) or refer to them as good learner bikes. Essentially they are the equivalent of a mid 90s Toyota Corrolla; reliable, economical, and unexciting. If you're looking for a run about the 125 and 250 are ideal candidates. If you're looking for something that will blow your socks off then you are best to look elsewhere.
Bonus - The GN400
While the GN125 and GN250 are a common site on the roads there used to be a third bike in the GN line-up: the GN400. The GN400 was produced for 4 years and had a 400c engine producing 27hp. The bike weighed 140kg. This made it more powerful than the GN250... but not by much. The 150cc increase only yielded an extra 5hp. When this is standardised with weight The GN400 is 1.13 times as powerful as the 250 and 1.88 times as poweful as the 125. While the GN400 is regarded as a good bike given the choice between the 125, 250, and 400 I would choose the 250 as the power difference is minimal and parts for the 400 would be harder to come by.
Bonus - The LAMS power to weight ratio
While the GN250 and GN125 have been popular learner bikes the new LAMS regulations will mean that their relatively low power to weight ratio will become more pronounced. Under the new legislation a bike with a power to weight ratio of 150kw/tonne is permissible. Importantly the weight part of the power to weight ratio also allows for a rider of 90kg. This additional weight means that the LAMS power to weight ratio for these bikes are 42kw/tonne for the 125 and 75kw/tonne for the 250. To put it another way you could get a bike with over 3x the power to weight ratio of the 125 or 2x the power to weight ratio of the 250 while on your learners or restricted in New Zealand.
If you're looking to learn to ride a motorbike you will probably also be looking to buy a motorcycle. If you're just beginning to learn this means that it will probably also be your first time buying a bike and all the options can be a bit overwhelming. Unless you have a knowledgeable friend or a trustworthy motorcycle dealer you may be feeling a little lost. If so here are 5 tips to help you buy your first motorbike
1) Know your legal limits
Before worrying about whether you're physically able to ride your motorbike it's important to check if you're legally able to ride your motorbike. Until October 1st 2012 NZ riders have been able to ride any motorcycle with an engine size of 250cc or less. This limit on engine size rather than engine power to bike weight ratio lead to some bizarre distortions in the market. There were 250cc bikes deemed too powerful for learners with bigger engined bikes deemed to be within the control of most learners. After October 1st 2012 the legal restrictions will change. Restrictions will now focus on the power to weight ratio rather than the engine size. While most bikes of 250cc or less are still able to be ridden on a learner's licence the bikes below cannot:
There are 2 main reasons for this. The first is that most people will move onto a larger bike when they get their full. The second is that you are probably quite likely to drop or damage your first bike while you figure out what you are doing. Often you can save a substantial amount of money by buying a bike second hand. Even minor scratches or damage can shave a fair amount of the potential purchase price. Take note of this when you are buying. If you buy a pristine learner bike it's resale value will plummet if you drop or damage it.
While it may be tempting to assume that this rule no longer applies - as learners can now purchase some bikes with engines larger than 250cc - keep in mind that people tend to upgrade for 2 reasons. While the first is to escape the 250cc learner/restricted stigma that they feel is imposed on them the second, more valid reason, is to gain more power. The bikes that are learner friendly and over 250cc are deemed learner friendly because they are relatively low power bikes. The bigger number will not stop those who want a more powerful bike from wanting a more powerful bike.
3) Invest in gear
As I've already said when you're learning you're reasonably likely to come off your bike. While this could be a simple drop from a misbalanced stop it could also be a slide from something going wrong while the bike is moving. While the first case will damage the bike more than you a slide can put some serious hurt on unprotected skin.
The minimum legal requirement is an approved helmet. While full face coverage is not required it is advisable as it will provide more protection if you come off your bike and/or crash. DO NOT BUY A SECOND HAND HELMET as you have no guarantee that the helmet has not been dropped or in an accident. Importantly the exterior condition of the helmet gives no indication of whether the interior of the helmet (the part that actually protects your head) is in good condition. While a second hand helmet may save you some money it could cost you your life. Furthermore it's probably false economy as a new standard helmet can typically be bought for $100, sometimes less.
The minimum advisable safety gear is a closed faced safety standard approved helmet and a good pair of gloves. This will protect your face and hands from gravel rash if you come off and go for a slide. If your hands are protected you will still be able to hold and manipulate things (such as knives, forks, and toilet paper -- think about that for a second).
Ideally you should go for a full set of protective clothing - Helmet, Gloves, Jacket, Pants, and Boots. When you put all of this together you should be well protected from gravel rash and the boots should help protect your ankles in the event of a crash. If possible try to get a pair of pants that will connect to your jacket by a zipper or similar. This will prevent the two pieces of clothing from coming apart during a slide and help you avoid gravel rash
4) Decide the type of bike you want to buy/Decide what type of rider you want to be
Cruiser, Sports, Dual-Purpose, Commuter, Tourer, a Scooter, or something else altogether? These bikes are designed to suit different riding styles and, as such, suit different riders. As a general rule commuters are designed to be cheap on gas, reliable, and easy but unexciting to ride. Sports bikes provide a more exciting riding experience at the cost of relative ease and economy. the other sub-types all come with their own unique trade offs as well. Figure out why you want to own a bike and buy the kind of bike that suits you. Similarly when reading reviews of the bikes you are interested try to identify whether the author's riding style suits yours. If your riding styles match up your taste in bikes will match up to. If they don't match up you may find that you love the bikes they hate and hate the bikes they love.
5) Get the bike Checked
If you're buying a bike second hand this is a very important step, particularly if you have never bought a bike before. Ideally you should get it checked by a bike mechanic whose opinion you trust. Alternatively a friend who knows about bikes can be a good option. If you're mechanically minded or would rather check it yourself here's a starter guide to buying a second hand motorbike.
Critically, DO NOT CONFUSE A WOF TEST WITH A PRE-PURCHASE INSPECTION. A WOF check is done to ensure that a bike meets the minimum standards to be roadworthy. While this does involve checking for things like structural rust that presents an immediate problem it does not involve checking for things that could lead to a problem down the line nor does it involve checking for mechanical 'gripes' (things that you will probably want to get repaired but don't actually need to be repaired to pass a WOF). A pre-purchase inspection should be more thorough (provided your mechanic is holding up their end of the bargain) and will involve checking things that aren't considered in a standard WOF check.
The Suzuki GN250 is designed to idle between 1200 and 1300rpm once it has warmed up. If your motorcyle is idling higher or lower than this you can adjust the idle speed by turning the throttle stop screw. You should do this when the engine has warmed up. Warm up typically takes 10 minutes in summer months and 20 minutes in winter months.
The screw can be found near the choke. It points downward and has a spring wrapped around it. Turning the screw clockwise will increase the idle speed. Turning it counter-clockwise will decrease the idle speed.
