Motorcyclin'
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@Victor-Meldrew said in Motorcyclin':
@MajorRage said in Motorcyclin':
Ok, I'm getting involved.
Got my CBT booked for next Monday (the way it works here in the UK is that you get moped license on our car license, but then need to do a CBT course to get up to 125cc). Quite looking forward to it, not been on a motorbike for years.
Wise approach.
When I got back on a bike 6 years ago I booked a few sessions with an advanced riding instructor rather than just hop back on a bike. Heard too many stories about silver bikers hopping on Harleys and wrapping themselves around lampposts. Invaluable.
My bro hasn't ridden since an accident in central London a couple of years ago. Woke up on the ground, to this day no recollection of what happened at all and no idea how he came off his bike, whether he was hit, etc.
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@Bones said in Motorcyclin':
My bro hasn't ridden since an accident in central London a couple of years ago. Woke up on the ground, to this day no recollection of what happened at all and no idea how he came off his bike, whether he was hit, etc.
Hope he's OK.
I can remember most of my accidents - particularly the embarrassing ones. The Bowen Street/Lambton Quay "I think I'll use my left knee as a 3rd wheel" spectacular still lingers after 4 decades....
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@Victor-Meldrew said in Motorcyclin':
Hope he's OK.
+1
The vast majority of the time I ride I have a gopro recording. I also have dash cam (front and rear cameras) on two bikes. But the best is a paranoia about cage drivers.
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@antipodean said in Motorcyclin':
@Victor-Meldrew said in Motorcyclin':
Hope he's OK.
+1
The vast majority of the time I ride I have a gopro recording. I also have dash cam (front and rear cameras) on two bikes. But the best is a paranoia about cage drivers.
The biggest change I noticed when getting back on a bike was the performance of cars. Whereas before you'd expect them to slow down on corners/slippery roads, they carry on as normal due to traction control/ ABS etc.
I think drivers have improved in their attitudes towards bikers and seem more considerate than in the past.
But you still get the loons who think their Ford Transit can out-accelerate an '88 GXS550. It may be old, but it's still bloody quick.
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@Victor-Meldrew yeah physically all good, had a sore back for a while but doesn't seem to still be suffering. I know he suffered pretty badly in relation to the memory loss, think he lost that whole day and maybe part of the next day - found it extremely frustrating.
Hah the only accident I've had I think I've mentioned before - wrote off the little FS50 in Queensgate car park when a lady decided to selfishly pull out in front of me while I was probably going too fast and also stuffing a magazine in the front basket.
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@antipodean the biggest hazard in London is the fucken twist and go riders. They'll pull in front of you on an angle at intersections, etc.
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@Bones said in Motorcyclin':
@Victor-Meldrew yeah physically all good, had a sore back for a while but doesn't seem to still be suffering. I know he suffered pretty badly in relation to the memory loss, think he lost that whole day and maybe part of the next day - found it extremely frustrating.
Glad to hear he's on the mend.
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@Bones said in Motorcyclin':
@MajorRage a good bike for blatting around on your CBT...
Is that only a 125cc?
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@MajorRage said in Motorcyclin':
I'll never be a sports rider, will certainly just be for cruising only. Hoping to build myself up to something like this ...
Great looking machine, and you will never have to tell the wife why she can't join you.
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@Victor-Meldrew said in Motorcyclin':
@Bones said in Motorcyclin':
My bro hasn't ridden since an accident in central London a couple of years ago. Woke up on the ground, to this day no recollection of what happened at all and no idea how he came off his bike, whether he was hit, etc.
Hope he's OK.
I can remember most of my accidents - particularly the embarrassing ones. The Bowen Street/Lambton Quay "I think I'll use my left knee as a 3rd wheel" spectacular still lingers after 4 decades....
My most embarrassing crash was in the mid 80s. I was racing some twins home from school, the Lizard Twins, real ugly fuckers. Anyway, I was winning when I came up to a roundabout. Being young and dumb I forgot it had been raining. I hit the front brakes hard at the last second and down I went. I was devastated and angry with myself. Forgetting the adrenaline pumping through my body, I picked my bike up with anger and over balanced causing the bike to fall on to it's other side. I lost my footing and ending up sitting on the exhaust pipe giving me an almighty burn on the arse.
And those ugly fucking twins rode off laughing.
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@MajorRage said in Motorcyclin':
Ok, I'm getting involved.
Got my CBT booked for next Monday (the way it works here in the UK is that you get moped license on our car license, but then need to do a CBT course to get up to 125cc). Quite looking forward to it, not been on a motorbike for years.
@raznomore - did you ever end up buying the Harley?
I'll never be a sports rider, will certainly just be for cruising only. Hoping to build myself up to something like this ...
I've had my eye on that Bobber ever since it came out... just couldn't find an excuse to buy one.
But - with all the problems I've had with my "NZ bike" recently, and looking like I might be stuck in NZ for a while... it's maybe time to start thinking about trading-in-and-up. -
I do love bobbers. I've been wanting to get an r9t and make it into a bobber.
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I do love bobbers. I've been wanting to get an r9t and make it into a bobber
I met up with a 70yr+ couple at the bikes shop last year. He rode a Harley and she had a Honda 500 Rebel. They both raved about the Rebel and how much fun it was. Got the impression he'd swap his Harley if Honda did a 750 or 1000cc version.
Not my style of bike. Thinking of trading in the Honda 250 Rally for something with a lower CoG and seat height. Poss the Honda 500 Adventure or Street model.
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Has any used a SatNav on a motorbike?
Thinking of getting one as I'm seriously geographically-challenged but wonder how effective they are in real life or if they are too distracting.
Any recommendations would be great.
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@Victor-Meldrew you could just spend 10 pounds on a strap which holds your phone to the bike and use the google maps on that?
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@MajorRage said in Motorcyclin':
@Victor-Meldrew you could just spend 10 pounds on a strap which holds your phone to the bike and use the google maps on that?
Yeah, I'm going to give that a go but have been told they can be pretty so-so. Tom Tom & Garmin do ones specifically designed for bikes which are way better supposedly.
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@Victor-Meldrew said in Motorcyclin':
@MajorRage said in Motorcyclin':
@Victor-Meldrew you could just spend 10 pounds on a strap which holds your phone to the bike and use the google maps on that?
Yeah, I'm going to give that a go but have been told they can be pretty so-so. Tom Tom & Garmin do ones specifically designed for bikes which are way better supposedly.
I got a Garmin for the London-Beijing ride last year. Super useful for that.
For riding around a country I know... I have never bothered... but I was the only person on that ride who had never used one before. In the UK, I'd always thought it might be useful, as I had no idea where I was going... but in NZ... zero point except in a city.
As to whether it's too distracting - it's like anything... just got to remind yourself to keep your eyes and mind on the road, and only ever look at the instruments when really necessary.