Rik398

thanks for the responces. Interesting stuff. im not planning on the car thing until im older anyway. cant afford a decent enough car on insurance to really justify it at the moment cheers

hey folks. firstly would like to say this is completley hypothetical. Im doing a law degree soon and am generally interested in laws and how they work etc. Basically couple of months and my restriction is up and i am allowerd 12 points on the old license. Which is generally a good thing becuase although i dont generally go like a bat out of hell everywhere it is at least nice to know that you dont get the feeling that you are being mis trusted and everything generally feels a bit more propper. However, as far as i understand it is the same for a car, you get 2 years of 'new driver' treatment and have your limit to 6 points. My question being a fairly complicated one but possibly easy answered. If have been riding a bike for 2 years, and am allowed my 12 points, if i then get a car license, is it still the case that i am restricted to 6 for my car? As far as i understood it the points go to your license, not your vehicle. For example if i got banned from driving a bike (not looking to, dont speed generally, this is just hypothetical) then it doesnt mean i can constinue driving a car, as it is a driving ban., rather than a specific vehicle ban. If i get a car, and am still restricted to 6 points, then surley it is unfair (again hypthetically, i just like looking at laws and stuff for amusment, i am that sad ) for me to be banned from driving my bike, as i am allowed 12 points for that. so how is it, i am allowed 12 points for one vehicle, and 6 for another, if points are license based rather than vehicle specific. cheers, probably not that interesting but just a thort that came to me.

cheers folks. well the comapny im gonna go with offer the first 6 lessons for 30 quid. so i reckon i shall do those, literally just focussing on getting to grips with the car, and then after that i will probably do a 10 hour intensive after for the manouvers. driven a dractor a few times with a trailer on the back reversing round a corner so that shouldnt be too tricky. emergancy stop in a car should be fairly simple. just the bay parking and 3 point turn then. so yeah i shall get on the phone and sorth the first 6 lessons woth then, unless i decide i hate driving a car lol, i will do the intensive after that. Main ideas for the intensive is its a little cheaper and your garenteed to get the same car that you were learning in for the test which seems a good diea. Does anyone know specific little things. for example, im used to looking behind me rather than trusting the mirrors, would this count as a fault in a car becuase that may be tricky to get out of my system. lol. spose i shall just have to wait and see. thanks

So, i get a week off work soon and was considering an intenisve driving course for a car. No real rush in actually getting a car just thort getting the license out the way before i waste the cash on something else would be a good idea. Problem is the courses come in different hours like 10 12 16 etc. On the websites its suggests how long you are likley to need based on terms such as 'Have you driven on a variety of different roads, had lessons recently and covered all the relevant manoeuvres?' and it would say something like... then you need to do the 12 hour course. problem is, the way i see it i have been on a bike for nearly 3 years now so obviously have a very decent understanding on the rules of the road etc, so what would people reccomend? any advice/ peoples experiances from doing bike then car course. More hours needed due to being to used to a bike or less becuase of road experiance? thanks

cheers for that yeah i can picture that now. makes sense really

sounds probably more complicated than it is but seems a good way to go. my bike is kind of intended to have the whole top box thing going on anyway and i can take it off when i don't need it so i'm not so worried. just need to get my stuff to Germany really i have quite a big electronic glove box thing when i don't use the box so thats ok but yeah post some pics would be interesting to see the only worry i have about a top box is how are you supposed to get your passenger on... lol.

hope its something really easy and cheap. but then i suppose theres the issue of kicking yourself that you didn't find it ....

Yeah the helmet cover warning triangle seems to be a plan. May not be up to regulations but as i understand it you don't need one on a bike but it will work well anyway and shows willing i suppose. one thing i have just realized is how are you supposed to get a passenger on with a top box on the back.... any technique out there?

oh and one more thing... is the e111 card still valid, or does it NEED to be updated to the European health card thing? and also with spare bulb kits, do they need to be a kit as such or can you just have all your spare bulbs in a case you made up or something? Because my bike has a strange headlamp bulb, not sure what it is i will check and post but its a h4 or h5 or something like that, which then means i cant get a spare bulb kit that suits my bike so i will need to buy bulbs separately and pack them myself... that would be ok with the rozzers over there? probably being a bit too anal about this but don't fancy any points as at 18 i only have 6 to play with and my insurance is quite high enough anyway cheers

Hey Folks. Cheers for all your replies. I have read that the warning triangle is not required for motorcycles, however, i feel i will take one anyway, after all it seems to be there for a reason. The same seems to be said about Hi Viz jackets with motorcycles, but again i will probably constantly wear one, or at least some reflective gear. I wouldn't normally wear one but want to be safe as possible when a long way from home on my bike. Good tip about the WD40 wouldn't have considered that and as for all the documents... looks like i need my MOT certificate re printed then lost that a while back. damn electronic databases, makes you feel like your allowed to loose anything and get away with it cheers folks.

hey folks. Just 2 quick questions really 1) in France as far as cars are concerned i know you need a warning triangle in the boot. Is this a requirement for bikes also? and i will be going through Germany as well so obviously if you need it in Germany then i will need to take it anyway 2) Is it a legal requirement for me to take my MOT certificate. Again if its needed in Germany i will need it in France anyway. cheers

and as for the mystery of what box fitted my plate it was the aprillia original one. which was cool until a 30 liter box cost me 60 quid. so i managed to get my universal 47 liter to fit which is excellent. cheers

just to say that i have managed to get my old 'universal' top box on. with a bit of improvisation involving drilling holes through the plate and using curtain hangers as larger washers. But its on fine and isnt going to budge an inch. Had a fairly heavy load in it and accelerated hard as possible in some stages and didnt budge so all is well. Thanks for all your help

cheers Dan. Yeah i very much doubt they will touch the actual exhaust so thats cool thanks

Basically i am going through Germany on the bike soon so need a set of panniers. This isn't a problem i can just buy some throw over textile ones (hard ones for my bike are massive money) but as you may be able to see from the picture is this a good idea bearing in mind the positioning of my exhausts? or will it be fine? I'm fairly sure that the bags wont actually be touching the exhaust once on due to the little bit of plastic but might close anyway. cheers

I am probably going to sound like the token idiot but the battery is fine? must be if it turns over. also the wires connected to spark plug aren't full of any condensation or anything weird like that? Also with my ped ages ago it made a sound like the ignition was working but it still turned out that it was a broken starter motor. Don't know if its the same with bigger bikes as (touch wood) haven't had to do any repairs yet. hope it helps. probably wont but i tried

sound site but they have all but the rsi i think a shop near me might have something. may look tommorow

yeah didnt think i should use it again. to the dump with no straps i think. I will have a look in GT mororcycles. just checking that site now...

Hey basically i had a shark rsi, my mate dropped it on the curb in a petrol station. some paint was missing so it might have been ok to use again but i thort play it safe and get another one. Played with the idea of the OSBE tornado.... looks kool.... but then its open face. ended up getting a new RSI Two questions A) is it ok to use the old one as a passanger helmet for short distances... or best to play it safe and not bother? and b) does anyone know anywhere i can get the sun visor attatchment and / or tinted visor (just light tint) for the 09 RSI? cheers

cheers. yeh cargo net seems a plan. can take other stuff aswell if needed when i dont have the helmet. i will check out PGH in the mornin

yeh the net sounds a good option to be honest. and i reckon i can get one at my local bike shop and there wont be any fitting issues unlike the panniers. a bit off subject but does anyone know what box goes with this plate??? 'universal' ones dont seem to fit the metal bit. cheers

Ok i have a pic now just so i can be sure. I was going to just get a top box but if i can get a box to fit what already fits on then thats better, mainly because i already have a box with a universal plate but the universal plate doesn't fit

i ave a picture... how do u put them on here??

looks a fairly cool option. and if i leave the visor down shouldn't be too much hassle if it rains. don't think soft case panniers would fit one in??

Hey Folks basically, i am struggling with lugging my spare helmet around. It was ok a while back because i wasn't giving people lifts very much because the weather was bad, but now, people seem to want lifts everywhere. which is fine, i am always taking passengers. I used to just clip my spare helmet to the strap of my backpack but then if you break hard enough i am sure the spare one will come forwards and hit the one your wearing. Basically, i need a way to transport a spare helmet and a bit of luggage (not round the world stuff but books and things). I was thinking top box, or maybe some throw over soft luggage panniers. Problem is i have double exhaust so i don't know if thats a good idea or not. thanks