Phil1

If there's about doubt, just walk away. While any issues would probably get sorted under warranty, you've still got the hassle of having to organise the work etc.

Coincidentally, my MOT ran out last Friday so I wasn't able to use it over the weekend, the soonest I could get it in was Tuesday this week. The previous couple of years before the last MOT it was sorn as I just didn't have time with family commitments etc. The local place I do the test I usually get involved with doing the lights/brakes etc. He asked how many miles it had on, jokingly saying "let me guess has it done 200 miles since last year?". Turns out he does about 40 bikes a month and his average over the past couple of years has been 114 miles between MOTs over about 1000 bikes. He said he regularly gets "bikers" coming in every year with 2-3 miles since the last MOT, obviously only ever taking them out just for the MOT. I only had about 1500 miles on mine but it took his average up a fair bit .

You'd make a rubbish safe cracker

I wonder if it can be used against you in criminal proceedings if you were to leave an ear print at a crime scene

Another question for my own knowledge.... Presumably you could still use earplugs with these units successfully? They should block out a lot of the wind noise without affecting being able to hear the speakers I'm guessing.

I was looking at these too, I'm not bothered or would actually use the intercom function, it would be more for music/sat nav/calls (possibly). They do models with radio built in which I kind of thought well what's the point of that. Then it kind of twigged it's actually a good idea as a lot of my riding does involve being in the middle of nowhere with patchy/non existent phone signal. Another thing to think about if you potentially want to listen to music.

Any more info about it, in terms of times/sessions etc? The website looks like it's been made in about 1998.

Has anyone had any issues with boot insoles coming out/moving free of the bottom? Had these boots probably only just over 12 months and the insoles have already unbonded from the base and moving around when I'm putting on/taking off. I appreciate that RST aren't renowned for their amazing quality but I've kind of always had the impression they're fairly cheap and cheerful. I'm wondering if I should dig out the receipt and take them back (hoping for some goodwill gesture given they're out of the 12 months?), but I'm open to suggestions if anyone's had any luck with aftermarket foot/boot insoles at all?

Maybe the street or the adventure could be more appropriate. The wild looks quite rugged for mostly road use and I dare say is noisier.

They're a pain. Facelifted XFs have a couple of small issues, one being they often throw a wobbler if you disconnect the battery and then the keys stop working afterwards. The other issue that is common is the washer bottle pushes the washer liquid up the cores of the cable and all the way into the bcm which then blows up . The mod is just to cut the cable and put a joint in to stop it wicking up through.

Cheers, I don't mind getting involved. I'm used to some basic diagnostics on most cars, and more in depth stuff too on some cars, including the dreaded JLRs SDD and pathfinder, which both have the ability to essentially "brick" a car if you're not careful!

It's all good input. One thing I do note with the BMW (particularly the GS) is that they've been the best selling bike by a long shot, for quite a few years now. I kind of figure that you're more likely to get the exact bike you want (spec), and there's probably lots of spares/mods for them too.

Just to revisit this, and still working towards a new bike To be fair, It's all about budget really. I'd have a new bike tomorrow if I could, but I've still got a loan on the car, and a holiday to save up for this year. On the topic of travelling further a field though, progress has been made. I've kind of set myself up for a new bike next year at some point with a view to take a week out and do the NC500 (or some variant of). Missus isn't thrilled but not said I can't (not that it would make much difference).

Edit : teach me to read properly.... It says "Pass 2 part test", not "pass part 2 of the test" as I read it They've worded it differently to every other section. My mistake.

Long term lurker, and long(ISH) term full A holder here... I passed my test round about the time the requirement changed from 500cc to minimum 600cc for doing your direct access. I got asked the question by a colleague who wanted to know the route into biking so I explained the basics. As he's already got a licence that he's had for a long time, he can ride a 50cc without L plates or having to do a CBT, but anything larger he'd need to first do his CBT. The question.... I was looking at the flow chart on the DVLA website for taking your test and believe there's a mistake, unless something's changed? The bottom box here doesn't say anything about having to sit module 2 within 6 months of passing module 1. Has module 1 been dropped for older riders (24+), or should it still state about doing mod 1? Every other age group on the document, and route shows you've got to do mod 1, other than this particular one. Bit confused.

I would potentially be looking at having another lesson with your local bike school and explain the issues, it won't be mega bucks and will massively improve things for you over just taking advice on a forum, particularly in the long term. It's never going to be great when your top speed is 55, but it shouldn't ever feel dangerous and as has been said those types of roads are still open to tractors and other slower moving traffic etc. Ride defensively like you own the lane/road and don't be moving across into the verges to let people past, that's down to them to decide as and when its safe for them to pass you or change lanes.

Yeah I know the other routes quite well around there and been on the 65 hundreds of times, and also the other way up towards the top roundabout where the grassington turn off is. I've got a few regular routes I do around the dales etc. I think the only time I've ever been over on the A59 is when I had a ride out with my late grandfather but we cut across into the trough of bowland, but never been that far over into Lancashire however. I'll be honest I wasn't that enamoured with the road itself in general and once you get past across the M6 it gets boring around town in Preston etc.

That'd be on the wrong side of Skipton though, I came from the A629 and turned left at the little chef roundabout. It could well have been a specific/one off meet for a group rather than a regular.

I had a ride out the other day (Sunday) to meet my partner and kids in Lytham/St Annes. I'm from Leeds area and decided I didn't really want to do the journey on the motorway so I opted to go towards Skipton and then cut across towards Lancashire from there on the A59. I noticed a gathering over that way with lots of bikes on the right hand side, think it was a cafe but wasn't bothered for stopping at that point. Anyone any idea where it could have been as I've scoured Google maps, Google and the the forum map and can't really find anything that stands out. I think it could have been round the Gisburn area but it could have been anywhere between Skipton and Preston in all honesty as there's not that many focal points on that way.

A little bit of sick just came up.

The problem for me is that I suspect if anyone from the joe public had reported this/these issues then it probably wouldn't have received the attention that it did when the councillor looked into it. Obviously if someone had come off, and the councillor had mentioned it, there would be uproar. If it had been reported by the public, it would get brushed under the carpet.

Ah yes, praise for the council for doing a job they're supposed to be doing anyway

Cheers

I did say "Usually". Not always. I am of course eager to learn so could you quote which bikes have the chain set/tensioned on the centre stand with the wheel up?

Chain tension is usually done with at least the weight of the bike on the back wheel, some with rider on too which makes it virtually impossible to check tension without a second pair of hands. Once you lift the back wheel of the deck, the chain tension will be totally out of spec. If you tension it to spec with the back wheel off the floor then you risk overtightening it massively. As always rtfm.