BikerMooFromMars

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"> two more videos I just watched. From what I see from the 1st video above is you don't use countersteering for the whole turn? you use it to just get into the turn? all very confusing. I find it difficult to comprehend the bike will turn a different way to the way the front tier is pointing. Just a quick post, I've not watched your vids yet. Basically I learnt from this vid and a few others: Just practice it on your own, on a quiet road. Go to turn right and push the left bar gently and vice versa. You won't understand til you do it yourself. It helped me to learn and understand how to do it. Hopefully this thread won't go too nuts too quickly! Enjoy!

Welcome to the dark side! It's dry and warm but not as much fun!

I fail at detecting sarcasm online!

This is my dad. He's 55. He hasn't grown up one bit, in fact he has got even more childish as he's got over, except for his occasional anit-socialness watching football!... http://i766.photobucket.com/albums/xx302/BikerMooFromMars/11836887_1605719829696204_2917226170286352201_n_zpsuui2fywm.jpg Being a silly sod - 'corn-ear!' http://i766.photobucket.com/albums/xx302/BikerMooFromMars/11866248_1605376449730542_2943155170867556096_n_zpsazqazsle.jpg This is apparently a 'P' for me Passing my test?! He still makes everyone in the room laugh, playfights me and everyone else, his laugh is infectious. He still attempts all the silly shit people usually stop doing when they're kids. He's been through a lot, but it never shows. And his knees are knackered, he is 'flat footed' and still gets phantom pains in his arm. But doesn't let it bother him too much. The only signs of aging are obviously on the outside - the drinking and smoking doesn't help! He had an allotment he loved and obsesses over his garden, but it's nice, gives him something else to focus on other than his work that would otherwise consume his life too much. I think he's awesome ! You're only 42! You don't have to always be randy to feel young! Maybe that time for planting those strawberries was what you both really needed and wanted right then - chill time without the kids...who cares anyway as long as you're happy and doing stuff you enjoy. I'm gonna try to take more after him, my stepmum, nan and great aunt Eileen as I grow up - they're all nutters! My mum is unfortunately the complete opposite - almost 60 and all she does is complain about *everything*. I love her to bits but she drives me crazy!

Was given another CBT cert in March last yr by Euro Rider, so it'll last a while yet. Thanks lovely , always grateful for all the help you gave moo with the Kymco, and all your 'mazni stories

Oh come on, it's WAY easier like that

Aww bless ya! I hated turning 30 in April haha! Please tell me you just learn to deal with it and get over it as you get older?! I can't imagine I'll ever feel older tbh, I bet you don't - bikers are always more fun ! I feel more grown up now I can drive - but mainly cos all my friends did it years ago, and I'm more independent now, so it feels amazing .

Thanks! I celebrated with my dad and stepmum last night with an exciting cup of tea- Cheers !! http://i766.photobucket.com/albums/xx302/BikerMooFromMars/11857709_1605696606365193_978227170_n_zpsuvrqu1vy.jpg

Not really, never had that problem myself because of the bike helmet! Do you dye or bleach your hair? When my hair is all dry and frizzy from bleaching and dyeing it, I use this http://www.boots.com/en/Lee-Stafford-Fr ... l_1417450/ . I can't recommend Lee Stafford products enough if you don't mind paying a bit more - they almost always have offers in Boots too though so they aren't too expensive. I spray it into my hands and spread it through towel-dried hair. There is a Frizz Off shampoo and conditioner too, might be worth a try.

Thankyou OMG I was, I had to take a layer off in my test when we pulled over, my back and legs were covered in sweat, and I'd also had v little sleep before the it all!!!! I fumbled for ages with my sweaty shaking fingers trying to open one of the sweet packets in the car after the questions, just before starting to drive - the instructor looked at me like I was nuts!!! Hahahaha!

ONLY *NINE* HOURS?!?! You sir, are a freaking legend!!!!!!! Seriously, I am well impressed! I know I would've got away with having a lot fewer lessons if I could've driven someone else's manual car inbetween, but Chris has free insurance on his car for a year which doesn't allow learners to drive it. But I'm now insured on his car 3rd party, mine is fully comp. Dear lord I didn't expect the insurance to shoot up, esp not to double!!! REALLY wish I'd have insured Chris as the 1st driver and me as 2nd as we found out it would have cost £500 for the entire year...this is costing me £950 for the year. Have you got a car? Hope your insurance isn't too hefty. Shame you have to wait for the bike test, but will be worth it - we may end up doing the test at a similar time ! My birthday is in April too ! It's great to have the option of the bike or car. Esp the night I passed - we needed food and was chucking it down outside, and Chris wanted to go to the gym. Being in a nice, dry car was the best - and being able to give *him* a lift was so nice too . I also won't miss my journies into town to buy food, go to shops, go to the doctors etc in ATGATT sweating and sometimes just giving up and going home. Worst one was buying paints and primer etc for my dad in B&Q recently - sent upstairs and downstairs 3 times, escalator not working, sweating like crazy, rucksack painfully heavy then out to the bike in the pissing rain. And physio appointments at hospital are a pain in the arse, long walks in my gear, then taking it off, then putting it all back on ! But nothing beats the grins I do on my bike or the back of Chris'. I do desperately want a proper bike - I'm hoping I will sort it out for next summer. I really think having a more powerful bike will help with the nerves I sometimes get too. And I look forward to being that person riding a big bike who gives all the L platers nods and makes their day ! Cos they still make mine .

I know I'd want a hug if my bike just got wrecked I think I'd want therapy if that was my Monster!!!

You're going Kwakkers - you need to update your bike in your TMBF profile! I know I would if I had a sporty Kawasaki...

Thanks! I've got my Think Bike sticker in the rear window ! Still have to stop myself nodding bikers in the car! OOH - when I got out the car after being told I'd passed I jumped around with my certificate, and a motorbike instructor rode past with 3 learners behind him, looked at me and nodded and I gave him a big thumbs-up! Was *so* awesome!

First time! Still cannot BELIEVE it! Took it yesterday, I got 9 minors and most were down to being a bit jerky and harsh with the brakes when I started (briefly nervous!). I made the examiner laugh lots, I babbled like an idiot, made him a bit angry because I didn't pull over where he wanted me to and asked him if he was going to show me a diagram for the independent driving ! But it was all good. I even did the most f*cking BEAUTIFUL 3 point turn I have ever done!!! Although he did say at the end when he said my road sense was good and I told him I'd been a biker for the past 3 and a half years that it showed and I need to slow down! I got a minor for speed once, I think I was going down a hill in a 30 zone and just crept above 30mph on the speedo and I braked a little and dropped a gear. Not sure why he said that otherwise - except I can be a bit nippy pullling out of side roads etc....but always checking when safe to do so etc. And maybe didn't so graciously go over some of those square speed bumps ! Drove Fozzie to the gym & then back home last night - grinning like a crazy biatch! Drove all round Sutton, Cheam and then to my dad's in Bromley today (45mins by car, 30 by bike !) to take him out for a pint, had a meal, then home - was fine. I loved it, and loved blasting some heavy metal as loud as I wanted . The Old Man did ask me when I would be selling the bike (long story) - I reminded him how useful it is for work etc. He wants me wrapped in cotton wool after my off. He won't want to know Fozzie & I's possible plans riding to Spain with his 'rents next year... ! I really can't believe how much harder I found a manual car than the bike though! Did anyone else ride a motorbike then drive a manual car and find it difficult? It took about an hour til I felt I got the hang of the gears etc on the bike, but took a good few lessons in the car, then I had crap days with it, then good ones. Had about 19 hours of lessons in the end, it was the first and only ever manual car I've driven (Ford Fiesta). I had the most god awful mock test a few weeks ago which ended in tears for the first time and I felt like throwing the towel in, but Fozzie convinced me to carry on and I was totally fine after that...I think it got rid of my tension over it all and I stopped putting so much pressure on myself, stopped thinking so hard, also stopped driving my semi-automatic clutchless smart car (thanks to EAB Steve and my lovely co-worker dentist for that golden nugget of advice!)...worked a treat! My advice for anyone learning to drive - chill out, don't over-think it, don't drive an automatic car inbetween, get a good recommendation for a driving instructor, and watch videos by World Driving! I told my instructor where everything was under his bonnet (it's a Ford Fiesta in the YouTube vids!) & all the correct answers to the Qs just from watching this over and over and repeating the answers https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=obBL7_q ... m&index=14 . There are also full length mock tests showing you what a driving test would be like and where the drivers got major and minor faults. The manoeuvre vids etc are also v helpful. I also recommend writing a thankyou card to the instructor before your test. I think the moment I did that I decided I was going to be ok. This isn't it for Ermintrude though, but I am mainly only using her to commute (not a bad thing, I still find it immensely fun!) as she doesn't sound so healthy anymore and I so badly want a bigger bike! But my car insurance just went up double , holiday coming up and Fozzie and I have bagged ourselves a house Oop North so the Big Bike Test won't be happening any time soon unfortunately....theory test certificate runs out in October. Watch this space! Anyhoo, here is my pass photo with Mike Lally, the loveliest instructor in the world , and my beautiful Ice Shine Spcial Edition hilariously awesome Smart Car that I am now driving in the dodgy manual mode using the paddles - I will be driving Chris' car sometimes so I keep up the manual driving...and I really need to get those L plate marks off & clean the alloys! http://i766.photobucket.com/albums/xx302/BikerMooFromMars/11855528_1604916513109869_2010614922_n_zpsnlmu1mme.jpg http://i766.photobucket.com/albums/xx302/BikerMooFromMars/11846520_1605474746387379_8318592039276604128_n_zps0s0aabtc.jpg

Coming up for 2 years old now I think, my Richa Drift boots are in good nick, getting a little scruffy but not too bad. I'm a bit obsessive about trying to keep the white white and I give 'em a good clean once every 1-2 months and use leather conditioner and black and white cheap shoe polish stuff I got from Morrison's, works pretty well! http://i766.photobucket.com/albums/xx302/BikerMooFromMars/11874153_1605261573075363_455679752_n_zps7x19t2z2.jpg http://i766.photobucket.com/albums/xx302/BikerMooFromMars/11909768_1605261563075364_1294846185_n_zpsgmnlglda.jpg Not waterproof but will survive maybe 45mins in a v heavy shower til your toes start getting moist ! Otherwise they last ok in 'pussy sprinkle' (in-joke for 'not heavy rain'! ). I wear them at least 4 days a week, used to be much more and used to walk in them loads too but not so much these past 9 months. I don't use them for cleaning the bike etc so they don't get scruffy, I wear old trainers as I realised I was starting to scuff up the toe-area a bit. Not bad seeing as they only set me back about £80 at NEC and look much nicer than most cheap boots IMO . When they've finally had their day, I will likely buy the same ones as Fozzie as his cost not much more and are fully waterproof and you can get them in white too (if I can still be arsed with cleaning white boots then!! ) - I think they are TCX Sportour and around £100-ish; http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/TCX-S-Sportou ... 2349731342 . I don't think you have to pay over the odds to get decent boots, though it's taken 3 cheaper pairs prior to these to find myself a decent cheap pair that do actually last!

Have a great day Bob, have a Tango on me! http://i766.photobucket.com/albums/xx302/BikerMooFromMars/Happy%20Bday%20Tango%20Drinking%20Tango_zps4edznmet.jpg

I have just replied to the PM - have been a bit slack with TMBF lately! I've offered after my driving test on the 14th or Sat 15th morning to early afternoon. Anyone else is free to join unless Ira you prefer just us 2 to go and are available? I'm not doing anything Sat morn-early afternoon and would love to go for a bimble with a newbie - Fozzie is around Fri afternoon too and may be up for joining. Pretty much only been riding just my work route for some time now, miss fun runs. And I am the cornering QUEEN! I scraped my peg once, you know hahaha! Don't take advice from Rantmachine on buying bikes though !

How long have you had it? I'd give it at least a year or so before putting it up as a recommended bike, the amount of Made Of Cheese bikes that are bargains and seem good to start with, but then rapidly go downhill... . Unless lots of trusted bike magazine/website reviews and others that say the same. ...it may be amazing, but give it the test of time first, just in case!

Also, congratmoolations!!!

If you guys can let me know how much your lessons etc are please I'd be very interested. Just looking for somewhere reasonably priced with nice instructors. My theory certificate runs out in October (failed Mod 1 early last yr) and I'd like to do Mod 1 & 2 before it expires, but ideally need a lesson or 2 and to use a 600cc bike for the test. Sutton Motorcycle Training wanted £140 for a 1hour lesson before Mod 1 and to use their bike for the 10min test (the same cost me £40 in Cambridge!)! My lovely car driving instructor wants £60 for a 1 hour lesson before and to use his car for the 45min test !! God knows why 1 hour training + Mod 1 is that expensive... And when I asked SMT about a couple of lessons just to get used to the bike I'd be doing the test on etc (I've been riding over 3 years and had about 5 lessons, don't need much training) they came up with some £500 training programme . Not really bothered looking into it since. I go to Metropolis every now and again, got bike MOT'd there last year...I don't mind traveling for the right place...I would guess they would be costly though.

What book? Where? I"m intrigued! Are they both called Vicki? Fnar fnar fnar!

Moron. What about this too? http://www.littlehamptongazette.co.uk/news/local/breaking-news-dawn-devine-found-guilty-of-causing-bognor-biker-robert-giacopazzi-s-death-by-careless-driving-1-6763526 "Devine, 55, of Wish Field Drive, Felpham, was handed a 12-month community order and disqualified from driving for 12 months." What. The. Actual. F**k. Doesn't really explain the situation. But SERIOUSLY, you can kill someone and just walk away with just that? Suppose it's difficult to judge properly as this doesn't really explain the circumstances. Very shocked though as sounds as though she was at fault and loses her license for 12 months only?!

Bought these bad boys earlier: http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00ANNVA6W?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=od_aui_detailpages00 See how they go. Cheap I know...but they could be great! The fun coloured ones didn't have as good reviews sadly! I don't think I'll bother with new earphones til my current ones are on their way out, but those look great most likely better than mine that make my ears ache after about an hour or so!