Motorbikes are brilliant

[Munzie]

And I would recommend not doing a track day but undertaking training and a test with the Advanced Riders

We'll agree to disagree on this one. I did an advanced riders course with Northamptonshire police which involved road riding and a couple of hours at Silverstone. Other than teaching me how to manouvre around cones at less than walking pace, I got nothing from the day. Merely a reminder of what I went through during my test.

Someone like the California Superbike School (I think they operate from Rockingham) or the Ron Haslam School at Donnington is much more beneficial. The speeds are kept in check and the whole day controlled from start to finish. The reason I favour these is because of the techniques used to help a rider understand cornering, steering using the throttle, braking and safe overtaking.

Let's face it, whoever jumps on a bike (regardless of size or power) will want to open it up at some early stage. There is no better place to do it than the confines of a safe race track.

Once mastered, an open track day is just short of amateur racing. Not for the faint hearted!

[Alexikokopops]

CBT and lessons...explain

I made a few posts about it earlier on when I was thinking about it. You have to do a CBT which means you can ride scooters, then another one so you can ride pussy bikes and then the big mother. To do a week long course where you get them all costs about £800. Something along those lines anyway.

[potter3]

21?

I want a proper bike not a crosser! Something that can do some serious ****ing speed !!

But how do you learn/get a license etc?

I think he means you have to be 21 to get a full bike licence?

It's something like that anyway I think

Edited 15 October 2008 by potter3

[Daggers]

We'll agree to disagree on this one. I did an advanced riders course with Northamptonshire police which involved road riding and a couple of hours at Silverstone. Other than teaching me how to manouvre around cones at less than walking pace, I got nothing from the day. Merely a reminder of what I went through during my test.

I'm talking about training leading to passing the IAM test rather than a one-dayer

[act smiley]

CBT and lessons...explain

Compulsory Basic Training - gives you two years of L plates on a 125 with no passengers.

Then, (or earlier) you have to do a full test, which will allow you to ride anything, but with a 33bhp restriction (either by design or a restrictor-kit for a bigger bike) for the first two years.

Direct-Access involves basically doing all the tests and lessons in one big clump and will allow you to ride anything without a restrictor if you're 21.

[Floating Fox]

I made a few posts about it earlier on when I was thinking about it. You have to do a CBT which means you can ride scooters, then another one so you can ride pussy bikes and then the big mother. To do a week long course where you get them all costs about £800. Something along those lines anyway.

Fookin expensive!! <_<

Compulsory Basic Training - gives you two years of L plates on a 125 with no passengers.

Then, (or earlier) you have to do a full test, which will allow you to ride anything, but with a 33bhp restriction (either by design or a restrictor-kit for a bigger bike) for the first two years.

Direct-Access involves basically doing all the tests and lessons in one big clump and will allow you to ride anything without a restrictor if you're 21.

Ahh right so theres no point looking into it yet. I will remember this for when I am 21 though. I'd deffo have to do a full test straight away too, couldn't be seen on a crappy scooter thing. Hate 'em.

[Daggers]

Ahh right so theres no point looking into it yet. I will remember this for when I am 21 though. I'd deffo have to do a full test straight away too, couldn't be seen on a crappy scooter thing. Hate 'em.

There's fun on any bike - I loved my CG125 and rode it into the ground even though I had other bikes to blat about on. If I had a garage here I'd have another...stupidly cheap to run, better acceleration than most cars off the lights and too boring to steal. Love 'em.

[lavrentis]

This made me laugh.

Edited 24 October 2008 by lavrentis

[Daggers]

This had me in stitches

Good.

[lavrentis]

Yeah sorry that was a little bit random. I happened to have just seen that then looked at this thread

[Daggers]

A little over 24 hours now.

I could crush a grape of excitement.

[Munzie]

A little over 24 hours now.

I could crush a grape of excitement.

Fingers crossed it's dry when you pick it up

That said, it really doesn't matter as you'll ride it anyway! Probably won't feel the cold for the first half an hour. Then you'll get back home and notice you've lost the majority of your toes through frostbite! It won't matter though as you'll be the proud owner of a new motorbike!

Good luck!

[Daggers]

Bugger me, I don't remember the old EV being such a heavy bastard - but this one is. True to form, two things have fallen off already - I love Guzzi!

What a cracking ride back from Yorkshire

[Munzie]

Bugger me, I don't remember the old EV being such a heavy bastard - but this one is. True to form, two things have fallen off already - I love Guzzi!

What a cracking ride back from Yorkshire

Looks fantastic! Is it now tucked up for the night? How many times have you checked up on it to make sure it's still there?

Christmas has come early!

[Bert]

Motorbikes are shit, loud and annoying.

[Daggers]

Looks fantastic! Is it now tucked up for the night? How many times have you checked up on it to make sure it's still there?

Christmas has come early!

It's not moving, wedged between three cars and the lounge - buried under a mountain of Abus and Oxford with a toasty warm Hein Gericke blanket over it.

Motorbikes are shit, loud and annoying.

Your face.

Ha! Cop that!

[AoWW]

It's not moving, wedged between three cars and the lounge - buried under a mountain of Abus and Oxford with a toasty warm Hein Gericke blanket over it.

I would giggle if the handbrake hadn't been put on properly in the kiddy-carrier-mobile. Oops, squashed new toy.

[Daggers]

I would giggle if the handbrake hadn't been put on properly in the kiddy-carrier-mobile. Oops, squashed new toy.

Some people can be ridiculously evil.

You are all just jealous because I have become more cool by 27%. I reckon I am now the coolest fat man on a motorbike in Birmingham.

[AoWW]

Some people can be ridiculously evil.

You are all just jealous because I have become more cool by 27%. I reckon I am now the coolest fat man on a motorbike in Birmingham.

Bet you've been out to check the handbrakes though....!!

[Daggers]

Bet you've been out to check the handbrakes though....!!

Nope - it's cold out there.

Poor bike. I wonder if Mrs.D would let me bring it inside.

She never really liked it when I built a bike in the spare bedroom of our first floor flat though. It took four of us holding it to get it down the stairs.

[AoWW]

Nope - it's cold out there.

Poor bike. I wonder if Mrs.D would let me bring it inside.

She never really liked it when I built a bike in the spare bedroom of our first floor flat though. It took four of us holding it to get it down the stairs.

I'm sure if you asked her nicely Mrs D would offer to swap places with the bike for the night.

[Munzie]

Nope - it's cold out there.

Poor bike. I wonder if Mrs.D would let me bring it inside.

She never really liked it when I built a bike in the spare bedroom of our first floor flat though. It took four of us holding it to get it down the stairs.

I know the feeling!

I feel sorry for you that we are about to enter a temporary ice-age according to the weatherman.

[hebangsthedrums]

I'm sure if you asked her nicely Mrs D would offer to swap places with the bike for the night.

If you do please post photos of the bruises, would keep me amused.

Congrats though, looks pretty cool to me retro is better. Had a go on the back of a Goldwing today. A bit homoerotic, but fun nevertheless. Can't believe the cost of them though.

[Munzie]

If you do please post photos of the bruises, would keep me amused.

I too would love to see photographic evidence of you persuading Mrs D to swap places for the night.

A picture of Daggers spooning with his new toy under the duvet would be one thing, but the look on Mrs Dagger's face when she's wedged between three cars, with an Abus lock keeping her in place, would be something else!

At least she'd be grateful that he spent some money on a top of the range bike cover to keep the chill out!

[act smiley]

Some people can be ridiculously evil.

You are all just jealous because I have become more cool by 27%. I reckon I am now the coolest fat man on a motorbike in Birmingham.

Its not a red Le Mans, so I'm not sure.