Lucifah

The Mercedes SLK driver who thought it would be a good idea to floor it in the fast lane, while I was in the left lane (A12, Ilford, towards London). He was performing some weird guestures before accelerating. Whatever... If he has to prove something in his leased, hired or borrowed car (assumption, of course), that doesn't bother me. On top of that, the traffic lights, which we were approaching, had been green for a suspiciously long time, and indeed... He floored it, they went amber as he approached them, and a moment later he realises and thows the anchor. Like the amber light caught him totally off guard or something. Squeaking tyres. (Thought it had ABS, but maybe not active/working) He came to a halt way into the crossing, lights red as he skids over the solid line. What he didn't notice (his situational awareness has room for improvement for sure) was that a police rider wasn't that far behind us. He filtered through, pulled up next to the nob, and they had a "conversation". Don't know if he pulled him over. Hopefully. Lights went green just after the copper arrived, so I had to carry on with my journey. Driving faster does not always mean you arrive quicker That's one of the very few situations where you wish you looked like a teletubby (camera on your lid).

I thought ABC instantly, because they are driver's actions/errors, whereas DE are environmental conditions that don't usually come unexpectedly, hence you have to do ABC more carefully to make them a non-issue. With questions like that you always have to approach them like this: a) what is my input/responsibility b) what is beyond my control c) how can I change a) to iron out the problems in b) Admittedly, I haven't done theory over here (in Germany, long time ago, so take it with a grain of salt), but the thought process is always the same.

That dude isn't the brightest. Brave? He even uses his realname on Youtube. He provided all the evidence himself, and it doesn't make him look very good. Of course the morons always get away unharmed. His full youtube video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NYkuYg5qvPI Also "interesting" his GoPro test, which looks more like a speed test actually: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e6R5jZKGzx8 . Not sure how fast he actually was (bit blurry speedo), but up to 3/4 of the speedo's maximum on a ZX-6R has got to be a little faster than 70 mph. One more in the statistic of motorcycle accidents in corners caused by rider error, and all the other stats that give riders a bad reputation and higher insurance costs. Well done. I hope the BBC follows up on the police investigation. The outcome would be interesting.

Not necessarily. They've got incredibly cheap work force over there, which is why you find so many big brands producing stuff in China. On top of that companies aren't hassled so much by health&safety or environmental concerns. So, even with the same materials, pretty much anything made in China can be cheaper, if imported in big enough numbers.

Could I get 74 please? I'm not sure when to start yet as I strained my back when clearing out the garage for my new bike... But hopefully I can get [strikeout]going[/strikeout] riding in the next couple of days!

An instructor who loses it and shouts at their trainees repeatedly needs to find a different job as much as you need to find a different instructor! When you look for another one, tell them in advance (before committing/booking) that you have no experience with bikes at all and would appreciate a patient instructor who can deal with it.

I've got say that this is a really interesting thread. I will admit that I've got two left hands and close to zero know-how in comparison, which makes it all the more fascinating. So: big thumbs up for this awesome project and your attitude! Good luck!

Nice one! Your determination paid off! You managed to get around the corners. So it wasn't too fast (for the road/weather conditions at that time anyway) (Most people panic and go a straight line when that happens, which is usually worse! So you're one step ahead on that!)

Picked her up from the dealer today and took a photo before putting her into the garage:

Don't you need a lorry licence for those?

Sounds like a fair offer. I would take it. Seems like your bike was manufactured after a company-wide night out with lots of booze. So many issues in such a short time. What's next? I'd get it replaced altogether.

Didn't cause a single scratch. You just have to be careful when you put the tankbag down somehwere. Being magnetic, it can pick up metal pieces, nails etc. As for hunching down... Wasn't a problem on my Bandit back then. And it had the added benefit of having a transparent pocket on top, where you could slip in a map. There weren't smartphones or affordable (if any) GPS solutions that time, only actual maps

Personal opinion: Backpack and magentic tank bag (ideally expandable). That's what I used to have 15 years ago anyway. You don't need to worry about your stuff when leaving bike unattended (my tankbag had extra straps, so easy to carry along). And no ugly racks/mounts while riding without luggage. If even more space was needed, I used a net to tie down extra luggage on the passenger seat. (Not suitable when riding with passenger, granted) I absolutely hate top boxes. They may be practical, but they are also very ugly and make you look like you work for Domino's! I've never had any panniers, mainly because I never needed more luggage space back then.

Unless you spend more than 12 hours every day on your bike, you are far more likely to die as a pedestrian (i.e. on your feet).

So you ride your bike into the shop but take your boots off? Oh well, probably nobody would challenge you to do anything at that point. They'd be speechless!

Sounds like a really bad day Just remember two things next time, if you don't mind me saying this: a) Road biking is NEVER a competition, and you can't compare yourself with somebody who was born on two wheels. Plus, "yoofs" like to show off. Let them do whatever the hell they want to do. It's not your problem. Do everything at your own pace! b) Relax your right hand on both throttle and brake. Smooth movements. Get back on the bike quickly (which you will do) to erase those memories from your subconscious and do better! Fingers crossed for Thursday!

Awesome response!

That's great to know! It's within cruising distance from here. Will definitely check it out in due course Cheers!

Now THAT explains my experience with them, if car means it's got to have four wheels of any size.

£20 quid that it will turn up at its destination any time between now and in three weeks. Hermes are the most useless bunch ever. Have had my share with them, and if I told you more about it, you wouldn't possibly believe it. My guess is that one of their driver has it and will eventually deliver, but can't be bothered until more people in the same street can be served in one go. Their service/quality is unreal.

Last car I owned was a BMW 525 tds (E30), 13 years old when I bought it for 3,000 Euros with just under 200,000 miles on the clock and fresh MOT-equivalent (TUEV in Germany). Was in really nice condition and a bargain for that price, because those big BMW diesel engines are indestructable. Consequently, I drove another 100,000 miles within a few years, and apart from minor repairs (wear & tear mostly), never had any issues with it. Didn't lose any oil either, which is remarkable considering the age and mileage. Only sold it 6 years ago before moving to the UK; otherwise I'd still have it, I suppose. But there was no point of bringing it to London. Sold it for 500 EUR more than I had bought it for, by the way. I've always had a thing for rolling living rooms (aka big, comfy, reliable cars).

Over 15 years, until yesterday. Sold it that time for various reasons, regretted it since then on every single sunny day and most other days too. But... going to fix that now! Arranging some test rides and then I'll buy one