Arwen

So I thought I might make a topic on my quest to buy a bigger bike incase it is useful to anyone else looking at changing bikes. I'm in no rush to buy a bigger bike since passing my full A licence, so I am taking my time and trying as many as possible! Just for prosperity, my current bike is a honda MSX 125, which is slightly modified... (Akrapovic exhaust/header, Hel brake line, custom seat and a few other bits...) I've ridden this mostly commuting for the past 2 years, and I'm keeping it alongside any bigger bike I get. Bikes I used in training for my licence were a 2004 Suzuki SV 650N, which I hated the weight of. And an old Yamaha Diversion 600, which although I couldn't reach the side stand while on the bike, i actually really enjoyed. First test ride was this afternoon, on a brand new Honda CB500f in a lovely orange colour. It has 60miles on the clock so still breaking in. I had it out on the road for about 2hrs, doing a total of 55 miles. Around the city I did lots of start-stop traffic, some filtering and lots of slow moving traffic. The bikes handled very well turning ability seems very like the MSX. However the clutch too me a while to get used too. It seems rather heavy. Out on dual carriageway I was a bit giddy from the drastic change in acceleration compared to my little msx = much fun!! After I got this out my system I found it a bit too vibratey around the 50-60mph range when still in anything other than 6th gear. When in 6th however it was perfectly smooth, and still had enough pull for an overtake at 70mph. On the country roads I took it handled the awfulness of crumbling tarmac and moon like surface ok. I think the suspension on this one was set up too firm for me, but it is adjustable apparently. Overall i enjoyed my afternoon with it. Kinda wish it had a screen, but that could just be me. As i hate the feeling of wind pushing against me. The bike itself was well planted the whole time. I really like the shimmer effect of the orange paint job. Stock mirrors look bad, but work very well. The exhaust is not as giant as other new bikes exhausts, but it is very very quiet. It growls if you accelerate hard, but other than that it just rumbles away quietly. Mpg according to the dash was 68.5mpg. Next test ride will be in a few weeks time probably. I've been asked/told to take the new Honda Rebel 500 out for a day when it arrives. I'm also wanting to try the BMW G310r and GS when they come out at the end of this month too.

Congrats on the pass Stumrey! That is quiet an "adventure"! Sounds like you had a rather bizarre test, but a pass is a pass

It does annoy me that car drivers are being targeted by all the diesel hate, when trucks and buses and such are not. They are the heavy users of diesel, yet are not having to pay nearly as much as I think they should. Just walking around town, where cars are mostly banned due to bus only routes, you can feel the pollution in the air. Out of curiosity I checked autotrader for my car. I bought it around this time last year for £8k with 12k miles on it. These two are the cheapest I can find that have the closest mileage, with the same trim, engine and similar extras. One for £7.8k and one for £8k So yea, I think I picked well for a change! Over the year it's cost me £140 for tax and £90 for a new coil. It is a petrol however

Oo I really like that method Joe! Going to have to try that. I'm still trying to work out how much is enough, and what is too much. Seems I either put too little on, and in a few days the chain is dry. Or I put too much on and it ends up flung everywhere. Argh!!

There are many free ones online too. Same clips are used for both car and bike theory tests. https://www.driving-theory-test.com/hazard-perception https://www.theory-test-online.co.uk/free-hazard-perception-test-demo.htm

I have one like this one - http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/REAR-Paddock-Stand-Motorcycle-Bike-Motorbike-Track-Bobbins-Cups-Garage-Lift-/371897587996?hash=item5696d2d91c:g:mdQAAOxyiOxR3TMN Doesn't need bobbins, but does get slightly more in the way. Not used it with a big bike, but can't see why it wouldn't work.

I'm one of those people who has never had a nose bleed. However they absolutely freak me out, to the point of making me feel faint! I can handle seeing blood pouring out of my own (or other peoples) finger/arm/leg, but seeing blood coming from a nose just does something to me. I used to share an office with reception in a secondary school. When ever a kid came to reception looking for first aid due to a nose bleed I basically ran away! I'm not sure, but could they not reduce your dose of warfin to try and stop it happening as much?

I'm guessing it is this program - http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b065szcf ? Not sure if I have seen it before, but I'll possibly give it a watch over lunch time. As for them not using 99% of what was filmed, don't take it to heart TC. It's pretty standard when filming to film way more than required.

Good luck!

Well done on the pass!

Oh the difference between big bikes and little bikes! My sprocket nuts get torque'ed to 32nm! To answer the original question, if you have the instructions in front of you, and can follow them then it's easy. I done mine mostly on my own. It was one of the first tasks i did on my bike so i had little mechanic skills (not that i have vastly more now...) I found plus gas and chain cleaner to be useful to have on hand for tricky to loosen nuts and getting rid of general muck to see what you are doing.

I think it depends on how quickly you can learn good riding habits and pick up the skills needed. I rode around around on my 125cc for 2 years before completing DAS and passed with no problems. But that is pretty unusual as far as I can tell. Yet I know others who do cbt-full licences in 5 days. It's up your confidence, abilities and being able to cost it all up. If you are only going to keep a 125 for a few months, spend as little as possible on it and you can probably sell it for similar money when you have done your DAS.

Yea get it reported. You can tell the police you do not wish for them to disclose who called.

If they are blocking you in, refusing to move and "exposing themselves" to you then phone the police. I'm sure the police will find some more reasons to detain them...

Hmm... Yes i suppose.

ok, I'll admit I may be being thick here. But whats to stop the theives from unscrewing it from the ground?

I'd say do this If you can get out for at least a couple of hours a week then 6 months will probably be doable I reckon

What age are you? Depending on your age, depends on what may be "the best" route. It also depends on how comfortable you feel with the different aspects of riding. The more as ease you feel on the bike, the easier the tests will be. Practice slow control, smooth starts and stops, go to car parks and practice with cones (or the white lines) for the u turns and slalom. I play the "floor is lava" game quiet a bit when I'm out. Trying to go slow and not have to put my feet down for as long as possible. If you feel very comfortable with the bike, can get your head around the riding concepts quickly and don't suffer from test nerves, it doesn't take long at all to get through your tests. However, everyone is different. It takes as long as it takes, so no need to rush it. The A1/2 tests are the exact same as the full A licence. The only difference is the power of the bike. From my experience, If you can do the test on one bike, you can do the test on any bike you are comfortable on. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ I was 26 when I done my CBT and rode around on a 125cc for nearly 2 years before finally doing MOD 2 to complete the full A licence..There are loads of peoples experiences with the tests here on the forum - https://themotorbikeforum.co.uk/viewforum.php?f=47 My licence time line if you like was - March '15 - CBT June '15 - Theory Sept '15 - MOD 1 Feb '17 - MOD 2 Yes, big gap between the two practical tests, various reasons. None of them bike related MOD 1 I needed about 3hrs of training on the paddock before I was confident I could do the figure of 8 and U turn without thinking about them too much. However due to riding around on a 125cc for 2 years, my new instructor kindly told me after my test that I did not need any training for MOD 2. Which is why he was fine with me "tagging along" when ever he had another student in for a lesson! I ended up being out for about 10hrs with him and his students, however he only charged me for 2hrs plus the test He realised I only needed to get used to the bike for the test.

Well done! Now just keep repeating that. a little each day and you'll get rid of those nerves in no time

They possibly are, however stab vests don't give you 100% protection. They don't cover your head,neck,arms and arm pits for example.

OK, first off, well done for booking the CBT and trying again! My advice would be to use a school bike if possible. That way the instructor knows the bike and can advice you on it if you are struggling - most bikes have their own little quirks to get them into neutral and such. Hopefully this instructor is nice than your last ones (including you ex!). No teacher should be shouting and calling their student names in an effort to get them to learn faster. Everyone learns at different speeds. You are paying for a service, and so should be treated like a paying customer. Where abouts are you? Someone here may be able to suggest another training school, or come over and help you out. Can you get the bike to a quiet road? Or is the road you live on quiet? Try just going up and down a quiet stretch of road at different speeds, pull over and set of again over and over again so you can get used to the feel of the clutch. It sounds like you need to build up your confidence slowly, so don't try to do everything at once. Brake down the different steps and repeat them until you are comfortable with them. I spent a good while when I first got my bike just around around the cul-de-sac, just sitting on the bike, pulling away in first then stopping and repeating it again. The nerves will fade as you come more comfortable and at ease with the bike. Once you are comfortable with the bike, you can then start working on your confidence on busier roads.

Phone back tomorrow Beefy , mine arrived on saturday...

The Halvarssons/Jofama/Lindstrand range of kit is great for people of various sizes. A lot of there kit comes in multiple sizes, leg lengths, "stocky" and "slender" sizes. Altberg boots are ace, but expensive. They do however lasts ages. RST and Held are also good with sizes, and their mid range kit usually seems to have many adjustments. Reasonably prices too. Alternatively, look on ebay for the BMW Motorrad kit (and the various mispellings). It is stupidly expensive new, but seems to appear in all sorts of sizes on ebay regularly.

Sounds like a dodgy connection somewhere to me. Mine do it if they are not earthed correctly... I am now curious to see how the back of your bike looks!

Oo cheaper! Might get a set too...However it's the stubby one i really need. Can't fit a normal driver in the space between the headlight and airbox to get the box off!