Welcome, I have a 1200s DVT, that's quite a lump, if you get it wrong moving around it will catch you out, once on the road they are amazing. I had to lay mine down after losing my footing after slipping on some diesel, there is a point of no return. Riding with a pillion and full luggage is another level, especially at low speed. Your size and strength is important, long legs are handy, getting the screen right is also important. Choose wisely, I'm a big guy and have been riding for fifty years, it still caught me out.
+1 on getting insurance quotes for any bike you might fancy, cover may not be available at any price for some bikes, some may quote over the value of the machine. Where you live and previous experience both count as the primary risk factors.
Have you considered just going for a test ride? It will give you way more than just a forum will. I love my Rally Multi, not sure I would recommend to a beginner. I've been myself through 50ccm, 125ccm, 350ccm, 800ccm, 1150 twin, now V4 Multi. Looking back, got a lot of fond memories zooming on the small bikes.
Maybe heresy on this site but how about the BMW S1000 XR. You could probably get a good deal on a second hand one see how you get on. A four cylinder inline is easier to manage - if you keep the revs down. Give it revs instead of gears and it will go berserk
Awful bike for a "novice" I had one of the Gen2 XRs , it had an awful power delivery, flat as the fens upto 4K (and that is 2-stroke out of its powerband flat!) then took off like a scalded cat. Awful Engine vibes (more gearbox/clutch area) and shoddy plastics quality (very fisher price) , and the electronic suspension control (despite coming from the same oem as the V4S stuff) was like it only had 2 settings stiff or bouncy. Good idea badly implemented.
Yes, but how much of that was due to Euro emissions causing - and still causing - engines to go dead at certain revs only to wake up the other side - sometimes very dramatically. My Suzuki GSX-S1000 of circa 2017 would go completely to sleep at about 5000 revs and go berserk at about 6000 revs. Shocking fuelling on the thing, but that was then. Due to Euro 5 emissions my KTM 1290 fades a bit at circa 5000 revs and then wakes up again - no where near as bad as that Suzuki though. Agreed I have never owned an XR. I mentioned it because usually an inline 4 cylinder is easier to manage - keep the revs down and you will be fine.
These 160hp+ bikes for someone that's just off a 125 (with a couple of days training on a 75hp 650cc) are a death sentence
It was flatter than a squashed fly from idle to 4k , absolute mare in traffic as you had to slip the clutch to stop it bogging down making you the slowest at the traffic light GP (dangerously so) .
Sounds like you did not gel with the XR ! I still have a soft spot for that Suzuki in my bike affections
I still stick by what I said about keeping the revs down. I would add to keep the bike in a less sporty mode as well, but still I stick by the golden rule of keeping the revs down (mostly ). My experience these bikes go a little bit soft in the power delivery at about 5,000 revs due to Euro 5 emissions regulations (not ridden a V4 Multistrada), but other Euro 5 compliant bikes have this common feel at around those revs you can feel a change in the engine performance. So on acceleration you can feel a bit of a dead zone in the power delivery, and then you can decide to keep the the revs climbing - or change up a gear. If you hang on to the revs beyond this 5,000 rev zone the bike can come out the other side like a possessed demon. Revs start to climb parabolically - speed increases alarmingly - you might be bounced around in the seat - tacho flashing at you - by this time the bike has taken a life of its own and you are a passenger as the scenery passes in a blur - at this time give it another gear with a quickshifter and it is game over. As I said, to avoid this keep the revs down - and perhaps get an 800 before a V4 Multi
Well it's not only about the power, is it. Weight of the bike, strong brakes (maybe less of a factor these days with ABS), general handling and planing. Even silly things like always parking with the front of the bike uphill can catch a novice by a surprise, if they don't follow this.. They will realise once they start pushing the heavy bike backwards without engine assist. Not much of a problem on SV650 - that thing is a toy, really. The beauty of starting on small bikes is the forgiveness once (not if) a mistake is made. Building up a muscle memory for when emergency manuvers come about. Life is just easier on mid bikes. I totally get the desires to left the 125ccm bikes in the dust, as it's rather boring for anyone a bit older, and someone used to cars... Getting the handle for things for a year or two (milleage dependant) on mid bikes would be my recommendation.
Even after all these years I take it easy for a good 9 months to a year on any new bike. Just to really get used to new weight, handling and any foibles. If you do go for it, treat it with mega respect, even fear for a while.
