Keep thinbking about getting another bike

[Axe]

Oh dear

 

Don't try this Old rooster! ! ! But then i think you've matured enough to know that augusta's don't go well on there side

 

Here

 

 

"AGH!!! LEFT LEG!!!! AGH!!!!!!"

I bet he doesnt feel like a big boy now!!

 

What d'ya need buddy, its coming?

 

Idea: A new brain!!!!

[rb5037]

Right, i made my mind up and got a GSXR 750 so here's the picture.

 

Needed to spice it up a bit so i got Fisherman Mikes other half to do a bit of modeling for me :lol: :lol:

 

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.Oh, look round and make she your wifes not looking :wacko:

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Thanks Mike for the loan, can i keep her for a few more weeks

She's great at keeping the house clean

[Pike]

There will be a bunch of us going down to Hastings on Monday for the big bank holiday get together if anyone fancies it. Meet us at 10 at the Thurrock services Esso or see you there

 

Pike

[old rooster]

Bunch of us Dook riders going to Cadwell Sunday to watch the first round of the DSC Desmo Due championships if any of you are going send me a pm and we can meet for a chat.

[rb5037]

Don't be going too FAST on the way down.

[old rooster]

Had a wonderful day out, quickish ride there with a bunch of other Dook riders from the club, great day of racing with no serious injuries resulting, fun ride home and didn't get rained on all day.

 

Apologies if any of you were out driving on Sunday in the area and got overtaken by a dozen thundering Ducatis. Must be quite unnerving if you are out for a Sunday bimble with great aunt Ermintrude in the back !!

[Pike]

Hastings was very, very busy and as per usual the traffic jams started around 12 miles out of town (no I'm not kidding). As we passed Lamberhurst I found myself filtering through bikes that were filtering through traffic!

 

Had a nightmare getting a spot to put the bike and couldn't get a cup of tea for love nor money.

 

So - went to Rye and had a fantastic time sitting on the grass, listening to a live band and eating chips. Moral of this story - go straight to Rye.

 

Pike

[The_Craws]

I'm going through the whole bike test rigmarole just now.

 

It seems to me that the government think biking is too dangerous and want to stamp it out so they make the test procedure so complicated that it puts a lot of people off and those, like me, that are going through it are made sure that they are seriously out of pocket by the time they get it over and done with.

 

I must have spent £350 just to do the CBT, theory and have 13 lessons with the test.

 

I realise that biking is insanely dangerous and that is reflected in the test () but it really is getting beyond a joke. Anyone that has went through the current procedure will know what I'm talking about; Just about any mistake is a failure in a motorbike test.

 

There is so much of a difference between the car test and the motorbike test its unreal. The car test is so easy compared with it, they don't teach you how to look out for motorbikes or check blind spots and I think this has to be a contributing factor in the number of motorbike deaths. So what does the government do, they make the motorbike test harder instead of making car drivers aware of hazards.

 

I've got my test this Friday and after all that I can only ride a 125 cc or something restricted to 33 bhp which some might say is still too powerful: well tell me this, why when I pass my car test can I go and drive a Ferrari without experience and without being aware of hazards?

 

The bike test is a bureaucratic nonsense.

[old rooster]

Steady old chap, some may take you as inferring that the government with all its "expert" advisers has f*cked up yet another aspect of like in the UK.

 

Riding motorcycles on the road is very dangerous. It's indisputable fact. What you won't be told is how much more dangerous it is to ride a poxy little underpowered moped or scooter that has no chance of keeping up with the traffic flow.

 

You are right in saying that car instruction makes no reference to observation of motorcyclists, it is something that we try to make people aware of in this area (I am a member of the local, police run, motorcycle casualty reduction forum).

 

Having said that I must admit (as a long time motorcyclist of some 34 years) that I've noticed that many car drivers seem more aware of motorcyclists recently. Not sure if this is due to the fact that I run big bore exhaust systems on my Ducatis, the ST2 that I use for 2 up riding has been likened to a Lancaster bomber by one of my mates in the Ducati Sporting Club, I think it is a real benefit in alerting other road users to the bikes presence.

 

In reality you are at your most vulnerable when starting out, you'll need to get used to different controls than you're used to in the car, develop your peripheral vision skills and also get used to thinking for the other road users you'll come across in your travels. It's great fun and it's not the speed that kills you (it's the abrupt stop that immediately follows it in some cases).

 

We will all benefit from tightening of the laws on mobile phone use, I really do hope they start to enforce it once it's an endorseable offence, only trouble is it will mean plod has to get out there and do some leg work instead of hanging around nicking people for speeding, which has proven to be singularly inneffective in reducing KSI's.

 

Have fun out there, it's still not illegal. If you get a bigger bike and start to do a bit of hooning my one bit of advice would be to accept that if you are breaking the speed limit it's not the fault of the person that pulls out in front of you, you need to be very watchful of what is going on around you and react in nanoseconds.

 

How many of you guys who do a bit of hooning come back and fall asleep on the sofa as soon as you get in ?. I'm not talking doing 20 miles down the local motorway but a couple of hundred miles cross country making "serious progress"

[The_Craws]

They should try pouring money from the speed cameras into clearing spilled diesel, oil and gravel from our beat up, pot hole ridden road network. Whats with the record amounts of paint going down on the roads as well, as if there wasnt enough.

[old rooster]

They should try pouring money from the speed cameras into clearing spilled diesel, oil and gravel from our beat up, pot hole ridden road network. Whats with the record amounts of paint going down on the roads as well, as if there wasnt enough.

Had a couple of interesting "moments" on Sunday when riding across overbanding in damp conditions, not allowed to use overbanding when patching up our crappy roads now but it still goes on. Front end dives away momentarily followed very quickly by a viscious punch in the ribs from 'er up behind, most of it feels far worse than it really is. Watch out for wet manhole covers and road markings which can be very dodgy !!.

 

Talk about "slicker than deer guts on a door **** " !!!

 

Why do the ***** who put up the rumble strips in braking areas not leave a gap in the middle for bikes to use ?, why do they put the "slow down you are approaching a 30 limit" type rumble strips on both sides of the road ?. Surely when you are going out of the limit you don't need them ??

 

Another pearl for you: if you get into a bend faster than anticipated NEVER get on the front brake. It will ALWAYS stand the bike up and either send you straight through the hedge/armco/brickwall or catapult you over the top of the bike in what we call a Highside. Countersteer the bike hard and just accept that underpants aren't expensive, you'll be amazed at what you can get away with and you'll come out the other side with that wonderful taste of adrenalin If you still drop it you will be experiencing a Lowside but at least you'll have done all you can to get out of jail free. I've tried both along with a high speed head on with a van and would suggest that of them all the lowside is less likely to cause damage to your body.

[Pike]

RB - where did you get that pic of the GSXR? It is presently whizzing its way round the civil service computer system at a neck braking rate of knots - I went up to town hall yesterday and saw it as 'desktops' on p.c's in two completely unrelated offices. I never knew Suzuki's were so popular!

 

Old Rooster,

I am riding a 600 Hornet at the moment and have a nightmare cornering. I just cannot seem to keep with the group into bends and had a very underpant testing moment at the weekend. My main problem seems to be running wide on sharp turns (ending up on the wrong side of the road is not a nice feeling). As I am only small (10st 'ish) could it be that my weight is not pushing the bike over hard enough when I lean? Any help very gratefully received

 

Pike

[old rooster]

My main problem seems to be running wide on sharp turns (ending up on the wrong side of the road is not a nice feeling). As I am only small (10st 'ish) could it be that my weight is not pushing the bike over hard enough when I lean? Any help very gratefully received

 

Pike

Countersteer Pike old bean, you'll be amazed at the effect it has. also don't look at the road in front of your tyre, look for your apex point then your exit point.

 

Watch some bike racing on the telly, notice that guy twisting his neck to look for his exit point, bike goes where you are looking basically.

 

Great buy is a book called "Twist of the Wrist" by Keith Code, guru behind CSS. Tells you all about cornering, general bike riding tips for better riding.

 

You also want to be on a positive throttle as you enter the corner, correct front/rear weight distribution is all important, the back tyre does all the steering.

 

Forget trailing the brakes as you have the thing on it's side, that's for later when you start doing a few track days

[Jonnyni]

(ending up on the wrong side of the road is not a nice feeling). As I am only small (10st 'ish) could it be that my weight.

For god sake DO NOT try to keep up with anyone if you end up on the wrong side of the road going round a corner. You will only get away with that once or twice if you are lucky PLEASE ride within your own means.

 

I have a bike CBR600 Sport so im not a pigeon shooter trying to tell you what to do.

 

If you have problems cornering on a bike it has very little to do with your weight.

 

I would advise you to have a track day (bl00dy great fun to). No one could explain where you are going wrong over the internet without observing you ride, it could be any number of things.

 

The worst thing to do is panic.

[Axe]

As Old Rooster has said Pike, opposite lock is a great way of getting the bike down into a bend.

 

But for sure, if you start trying to keep up with superior riders, its all gonna end in tears.

 

The only sure way of becoming that quick is to unscrew the top half of your cranium and carefully remove your brain!

 

Know your limits and stick within them!

 

Regards,

 

Axe.

Edited May 4, 2005 by Axe

[old rooster]

Im not a pigeon shooter trying to tell you what to do.

Neither am I Jonnyni, I've got bikes as well and have been riding for quite a while now.

 

Just logged back in to add exactly what you've just said regarding trying to keep up with a group, I've seen that end in tears only too often.

 

Was only offering a few words of advice, don't panic is essential, relaxing on the bike is too.

 

Pike: Don't grip the bars tightly, slump slightly forward so that your forearms are about parrallel with the top of the tank and your elbows loose. Move about on the bike a bit, you don't have to hang off like a monkey with your knee dragging the ground but even slight body position changes will help. It all works mate, not rocket science but the first time you get it all right and roll smoothly round that bend gradually accelerating all the way you'll have a grin from ear to ear. The Code ethos is based on racing and steering for the throttle (getting the turning done as quickly as possible so you can give it volume again) a lot of it is still relevant to road riding

 

The other thing you'll see a lot of is guys on blerdy gurt bikes howling past you down the straight bits and wearing out a set of pads as they come to the next corner. Just love riding round the outside of them at the next bend, 2 up on the old sports tourer with the luggage on . One of the guys in our group used to be quite a handy racer and as he does it he can take one hand off the bars and look back over his shoulder.

 

Think about your lines, position yourself in the road so you can see well ahead, read the vanishing points, look for things like telegraph poles ahead to see where the road is likely to go.

[Jonnyni]

Just to add a bit to the opposite lock/countersteering bit that might confuse some folks and was hard for me to understand when I was first told althought I was doing it without even knowing.

 

After about 30Mph a motorcycle''s steering works the opposite way to what you might think.

 

Under 30Mph to turn a corner (say a left hand corner for this instance) you would push with your right hand, thus turning the bike to the left. Onceyou go over 30Mph (approx) the opposite happens. Yes that right to turn a corner at, lets say 60Mph, you would push with the left hand to go round a left hand turn.

 

Try it going down a straight at 30Mph++++ and GENTLY push with your left hand, GENTLY I SAID, the bike just wants to fall to the left.

 

Its not so much countersteer or opposite lock its natural physics of a two wheeled machine.

 

To be honest it all comes naturally as you get experience.

 

Above all be safe.

[old rooster]

Its not so much countersteer or opposite lock its natural physics of a two wheeled machine.

 

To be honest it all comes naturally as you get experience.

 

Above all be safe.

Yup that's true but boy can you lay that mutha over on it's side with a bit of hard countersteering !!!. One of the top yank GP riders used to bar it in so hard he actually bent the handlebars on his bike !!.

[Jonnyni]

I wouldn't know as I never ride my 600 Sport over the speed limit :o :o

 

Aye right

 

Just getting the girl serviced for the so called summer, got a new chain and cut one too many links off it so back to the bike shop with me tail between my legs :*) .

 

Might get out for a run this weekend

[Pike]

Many thanks for all your help folks - I shall be out at the weekend giving it a go.

 

I am finding things a bit tricky now I want to push my riding on a bit. I took a direct access course last year, and even though I say it myself, five days is just not long enough to get to know the handling of a big bike.

 

As such I tend to follow one of the more experienced riders in our group and follow his lines into the bends - but rest assured I shall certainly not be chaing after him!

 

Many thanks again

 

Pike

[The_Craws]

Yes! I passed my Cat. A2 motorcycle practical! Only got to wait two years then I can drive whatever the hell I want! Woo hoo!

[The_Craws]

I am considering having a Suzuki Bandit 600 restricted to the legal limit of 33bhp instead of having a 125cc run around that Ill get fed up with. This way I can have a big bike and when the two years is over I can take the restriction off and Ill have 2 years no claims bonus.

 

I was wondering if anyone has any comments toward the Bandit. I have heard that they are a very decent bike for the money (around £4000 on the road, new) with build quality being good, reliability and comfort very good and generally an all round decent bike. The older ones, late 90s are supposed to have better handling than the newer ones, any weight to that statement because you can pick up a 98 model with under 10,000 miles on the clock for about £1,400.

 

Anyone have a bandit, or ridden one?

[old rooster]

I am considering having a Suzuki Bandit 600 restricted to the legal limit of 33bhp instead of having a 125cc run around that Ill get fed up with. This way I can have a big bike and when the two years is over I can take the restriction off and Ill have 2 years no claims bonus.

 

I was wondering if anyone has any comments toward the Bandit. I have heard that they are a very decent bike for the money (around £4000 on the road, new) with build quality being good, reliability and comfort very good and generally an all round decent bike. The older ones, late 90s are supposed to have better handling than the newer ones, any weight to that statement because you can pick up a 98 model with under 10,000 miles on the clock for about £1,400.

 

Anyone have a bandit, or ridden one?

My GF has a 600 bandit which is pile of ****. The oil coolers crack where the pipes mount to it (I now offer a repair service for this), the exhaust front pipe rotted away and the replacement was going to cost a fortune so I turned up a new fitting and welded that on. The gears jam up and gear selection after a reasonably long ride is all but impossible. Maybe it's a bad un but try finding a good second hand oil cooler or exhaust ;-))).

 

In fairness if you go for a fairly old secondhand Jap bike you are going to have problems of one sort or another, they ain't as bullet proof as they'd have you believe !!!.

 

Tin hat on, running for cover.

[The_Craws]

What would you recommend?

[old rooster]

What would you recommend?

If you decide to buy one take someone who knows a bit about bikes with you to go over it pretty thoroughly. I've noted a few points to check, I guess it's like anything else you buy secondhand there will always be a bit of a gamble.