Going For Motorbike Licence Soon And About To Make Step From 125cc To 500. Any Tips To Make Transition Easy?
February 7th, 2010 | 
Author: When you take your licence, do the longest course you can afford prior to taking your test to give you maximum experience on the bigger bikes.
My local test centre uses cbf500s which are pretty heavy and you need to be pretty competent on a 125 before they will let you use the 500s. Most of the bike school machines are tourers and do not have the same grunt as a sportsbike, so bear that in mind after passing your test as its one thing to ride a cbf500, and another to have a go on something like a cbr600, r6 etc.
As long as you can ride the larger bike safely and have good control when riding at slow speed, you should be fine.
The bike test is going to change in March and become a lot harder and more expensive, so try to book yourself in as soon as you can.
Kit yourself out with the best helmet and protective gear you can, you cant put a price on your life!
Before buying a new bike, make sure you can fit comfortably on it with your feet able to touch the ground, because most new riders will take a spill at some point and youll need to be able to either stabilize the bike or at worse, be strong enough to pick it up from the floor!
Good luck, be confident and listen to your instructor and youll be fine!
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I dont know what 125 you have, but you cant go too wrong with a Suzuki GS500, My local training school uses them. Sure they do feel heavier( 500cc) when you first get on them, but once pottering about under instruction youll get it. Most people who get on 500’s find them more stable and as easy to handle as a 125.
Im a fan of Kawasaki ( own a GT550g7) but i dont like the ER500 that much, it has the plugs in a awkward place, the radiator cap too and my mate had a new one which the back end colapsed aft 50thou.
Cb500’s i think were used by some couriers, so they might be worth a look at too.
I dont know any 500cc bike in the Yamaha range.
As for the touching the front brake in a corner comment. When arriving to the bend you should already be in theright gear and going at the right speed to be able to simply ease off if needed. It is possible to use the front brake on a bend, but you just never grab it, most riders will use rear brake to correct the bikes position or throttle control.
Don’t worry. The transition will be easy. The thing that will surprise you most is how much harder a 500 accelerates than a 125, but you will quickly and painlessly adapt to this.
EDIT-
I have to agree with Dan W; Lord_Darkclaw gave you some very incompetent advice.
EDIT2-
Sorry Lord_Darkclaw, I stand by my statement. If you can’t use the front brake in a turn, you are indeed incompentent. As a matter of fact, to pass your motorcycle test where I live you have to, amongst other things, demonstrate your ability to do just that.
The weight and power are the biggest things to adapt to but both have advantages more weight more stability,more power less work and revs for a given speed.One or two lessons on a 500 and you will wonder why you asked this question.The step up from a 500 to 600 or larger is another thing again if you go for a sports bike post test,these are the real thing and need to be respected and given time to learn new skills to master ..good luck with the test.
Nope, not really. If you can ride a 125 properly the only thing you have to worry about with a 500cc bike is that it’s a lot heavier so you can’t afford to make a mistake and drop it! With 125’s you can grab the bike and hold it if you screw up half way through a turn-in-the-road (never ever touch the front brake) but a 500 will be too heavy to stop.
edit*
Aviator, Dani and Dan, you should know better if you are experienced riders.
I mean you should never touch the front brake while halfway through a turn-in-the-road because you will lock-up the wheels and the bike will topple over; a turn-in-the-road is done only using the rear brake until you have come out of the lean and the bike is in the fully upright position.
Source: seen it happen three times – funny but expensive.
edit again*
For Americans, a “turn-in-the-road” is a U-turn, but it is called a turn-in-the-road on bike tests (same for car tests).
125 to 500 is a big change but most riders do it. ive rode every thing from 90cc up to Kawasaki 1100s real monsters and not the same ride. i owned a katana once that’s like strapping a rocket to your ***. that guy who said you can manhandle any bike is WRONG you cant unless its a Schwinn hes sorely mistaken. take time to adapt to the change it could save on the paint skin or possibly funeral costs. good luck.
Lor_day is why u shouldn’t ask questions here.
Never touch front brake? What a crock! If front brakes were dangerous they wouldn’t be there.
The bigger the bike the heavier is generally true, but u get used to it. sit on a bike and make sure u can put ur foot down flat, bikes get heavy while on tip toes.
They’re faster but have an adjustable throttle.
Be careful.
no big difference…I went from a 250 to a 1200
do not pay any attention to lord darklaw…he obviously does not know how to ride…i do recommend a rider training course for anyone who is not comfortable with the use of the brakes
The main thing to make sure of is that you fit the bike properly. Just take your time to get used to the extra power that you will have and then enjoy yourself.
Ride safe.
uk,licence law changes next year…get it passed asap…and simply exspect the unexspected,,,and youll be ok.
Make sure you’re comfy on the 125, first. I bought my girlfriend a 700 and she was CERTAINLY not ready for that one.
same thing just bigger kind of like a vw bug and a mustang wil drive the same just faster
go for it dude