Mold

I've never seen any cameras facing forward, where is it?

Does anyone know how the 'side of the road' police speed tracking vans work? I do know they can detect vehicles with a number plate on the back and the front, they detect speeding from both sides of the road, but what about motorcycles, they only have a plate at the back and if you are speeding toward them, how do they get a picture of your plate? I'm pretty sure the camera is facing out from the back and they have no forward looking camera.

Welcome to the forum. There are plenty of retro style headlights for around £40 on ebay and it should be easy to restore them if needed, the wiring should be straight forward. I would think the hardest part you'll have is fitting it. You'll have to check the size and make your own mind up. I see your point though, a retro light would look much better.

Hello, I was wondering if anyone had any experience using drive belts? I have a Kawasaki J300 and it's the first time I've owned this type of bike. A Kawasaki drive belt is more than twice the cost of an unbranded one. Is the extra money worth it or will a generic belt be just as good or almost as good? Thanks

It's members only, and I'd chop my 'member' off before I signed up to Facebook.

I can't say much that hasn't been said, but practice and consistency are your best mates, one day you'll have forgotten all about this and you'll be getting on your bike like you get in your car - without giving it a second thought. You should check your tyre pressure regularly though, even after new tyres because the dealer will just inflate them and I've never had a correct pressure from them yet.

I'd at least attempt to take the old bolts off, if you can get it loose but it's stiff, use WD40 around the threads then screw it back in, keep doing that until it's out. Use your common sense and if you believe you might snap it, let the garage sort it out. I've removed bolts that were fused with rust to the surface but the bolt itself was clean as a whistle and could nearly pass as new. There's also very cheap tools that will remove a snapped bolt, I have a couple of sets, hopefully I'll never have to use them. If your downpipe is still in good condition, you might be able to just buy the silencer and you wouldn't have to change the downpipe. At a last resort, the garage will have more experience but there's no guarantee they're not going to snap it, you might as well give it a go, you'll never get any experience if you're handing it over to a garage every time it needs something done.

I think the size is 7/8 and there's a lot of choice if you're not bothered about them being specifically for your bike model, which could be a good thing as you'll have a lot more to choose from. Try browsing ebay or Amazon. I've never used bar end mirrors but I've changed a lot of grips and I've fitted a bar end steering lock to my present bike. I imagine your bar end will just be one Allen Key as standard and will be straight forward to fit new mirrors.

Why would you care what people wear while riding!? I've been undertaken by cyclists while I'm doing the legal 30mph and they're wearing skin tight shorts and vest, why is it only motorcyclists that get abuse for wearing 'normal' clothes'? We all know the advantage of Kevlar and leather but most of my journeys are between 1 to 2 miles, I haven't got time to keep changing clothes and yes, I've had road rash and broken bones when I WAS wearing protective gear. I'd never go to a track in what I wear when riding from A to B but I don't ride the streets like I'm on a track. I've been riding 35 years and it's one of the few things I look forward to, the only reason I'd even consider giving up is when some pencil pusher makes it law to wear full protective gear. My body, my choice I know the risks and if you don't like it - tough. It's my business and not yours and if you don't like my opinion, you shouldn't have asked the question on a public forum.

It's not your ego, it's age and wisdom. I rode from age 18, had a long break because of other commitments and started riding again about 10 years ago, by then I was in my mid 40's. My last two bikes were a Honda CB900 and a Yamaha XT 600Z, both of which I thrashed. When I started riding again, I bought a Yamaha YZF600 and I was pretty shocked at the speed and the (heavy) weight, which I never gave a second thought to when I was young. I'm assuming you thought you would just jump on and it would be like 'the good old times' (like I did). If there's an open space like a big empty carpark near where you live, go practice on there for a couple of hours as it's probably just your nerves until you get used to riding again. If you really feel you need training, go for that as it's better to be safe than sorry. I took the easy way out and sold the YZF and bought a Kawasaki J300, it's the most comfortable bike I've ever owned and it's more than fast enough for the roads, so if the worst comes to the worst and you still don't feel comfortable, trade it in for a smaller lighter bike. No matter what you ride, you need to look forward to getting on your bike and not fearing it.

You don't need boots to ride your bike, trainers are fine, plenty of people wear trainers, especially commuters and casual riders. I wouldn't wear any footwear that's making you uncomfortable, it's not good for your health and it might take your concentration off the road. I'm not saying safety gear isn't important - it absolutely is, but you're not going to be riding much faster than a pedal bike and look at what they wear! Your most important items should be helmet, jacket and gloves. If you still can't reach the floor with both feet on your Vespa, see if you can get someone to cut an inch or so of foam from the underside of the seat, if they do it properly, it shouldn't show and shouldn't be uncomfortable. BTW, I'm 5'9" and I had to get a lowering kit for my last bike as I too didn't like leaning the bike at a stop.

I only recently found out that new cars don't have a spare wheel! The 'people' who made that decision are the type of people who phone AA to replace the wheel and would have difficulty identifying a spanner, unless they looked in the mirror.

Welcome, that's a nice bike and it looks very comfortable.

That doesn't look good or safe, I could have stitched that better after a few beers! Personally I'd send it back, if you don't, it will be in your head every time you wear it.

Personally I think you shouldn't take any notice of what other people think, although we both know why they're thinking that. This is a massive time in your kids life and he'll enjoy your rides as much if not more than you, it's one of those core memories that he'll never forget. I'd much rather take my kid on the back than give them a bike of their own, at least until they're a minimum of 14yo and wearing full gear for off road riding.