alan29

The problem isn't that people don't see bikers, its that they don't look. If they aren't looking in your direction when they pull out then it doesn't matter what you are wearing.

I've got Draggin Jeans. easy to turn up, and they come in proper mans sizes too.

Layers. I wear a thermal vest, thick shirt, fleece jumper, hikers fleece and lined jacket; long johns; 2 pairs of socks (normal+thermal); cotton inner gloves. I look like a toddler in a snow suit, but it keeps me comfy. Only the top layer is biker gear - thermals are Tesco ..... and very good too. Inner gloves from an outdoor shop - £5.00.

Cheers - thats just what I wanted to hear.

Washing up liquid thinly smeared. Works ever time for me - haven't tried it on the specs, though.

Can you use one of those cheap £10 earpieces to listen to Satnav instructions, or do they only work with phones. Trying to avoid paying +£100 for an intercom which I will never use.

I am clue less, though. I have looked around for local courses - there are none. I've got the Haynes manual - might as well be in Urdu.

Its getting picked up tomorrow. I expect it will cost another x hundreds of pounds to fix it. I am sorely tempted to p/x it for something Japanese and more reliable. But I think that might cause a divorce after all this money!

Update ........... New battery not reaching full charge and unable to start the bike after charging. It turns the starter about twice and then clicks. I wondered if it was the old charger, so I bought a new one which shows volts and amps. Now according to this one the battery reaches 12.5 volts and 0.0 amps the charger goes into maintenance mode. When I try to start the bike and check the read-out again, it is still 12+ volts, but the amps are up. And the charging starts. Anyway, it is booked into another garage on Wednesday. My neighbour( a lifelong biker) recommended them to me. More pounds, no doubt, but I don't want them to just whack in the 3rd battery in 12 months without going through everything with a fine tooth-comb. this thing is draining my pension faster than it is draining the frigging batteries!

If its cheap ....... This http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stor ... yId_165685 Fixed to bike with this http://www.maplin.co.uk/base-mounting-s ... ars-219054 and this http://www.maplin.co.uk/universal-gps-a ... pad-218543 Works for me.

Thanks for the replies. Have spent the day in North Wales on the bike, so feeling happier. But it does seem that my years as a motorist have led me to set my sights too high when it comes to bike servicing.

In for the MOT and service on the 1st. That took almost 2 weeks, and cost £200. On the way home, I stopped to pop into a shop. Back to bike after 15 mins - battery flat as a pancake. Got another shop to pick it up. Alternator and battery gone - another £200. A week or more later it is ready and I get it back. Now then, On the original service I told the bloke that I am a mechanical dunce and its my first bike. He was to thoroughly check, adjust etc for me. As he handed it back he said "The battery goes a bit flat, doesn't it. Bloody alarms - sheesh!" Should he have done something about it during the week or more that he had it? I reckon so. Second, so bike shops aren't like car dealers then, when work is generally done that same day, or after a couple of days at the most. Do you normally have to be without your bike for a week or more? Its a 2005 Bonneville, 11000 miles - dead alternator ..... acceptable? Feeling done over by the industry.

since I passed my Mod 2. It took 3 attempts. Totally worth it. 7000 miles around North Wales since then. And a constant grin on the face. Stick at it.

I've got a Heine Gericke one. It was £15 and does the job. The beauty of velcro is that if you leave the bike it is quick and easy to remove and stash in your pocket.

I use tesco long johns and long-sleeved t-shirts. They do the job, but I wouldn't want the ambulancemen to see them.

Get a laptop rucksack and a couple of waterproof stuff bags - they come in all sizes for a couple of quid and do the job.

I hate to say it, but are you sure? I wear altbergs for work ( I'm military ) and they are by far the most comfortable, longest lasting and all round best boots I've ever worn, including ones I've spent my own cash on. Altberg boots are up with the very best in military boots, I genuinely think you can buy different, but not better. I've just got a pair of clubman bike boots and I think they're pretty great. I've been wearing them at work to break them in and they're really very impressive. They take a bit of breaking in ( as you'd expect of a boot that's going to keep your feet in one piece in an off ) but they will last you a lifetime, both on and off the boots. Add up the cost of a decent pair of waterproof bike boots, plus walking boots and the altbergs suddenly become a bargain. Bit, if you can't, or won't, spend the money on the altbergs, then I'd suggest wearing your current walking boots on the bike to go to and from. They won't provide much, or any, protection if you fall off ( depending on what boots they are) it it means spending no money and having boots you already like for walking in. Generally a lot of military boots are pretty poor for hill walking, you'd need to buy new to get them to break in and for right (and to make sure they weren't knackered ) and the soles on most military boots are too hard for wet rocks etc ( issued military boots tend to be made so the sole lasts well with lots of use on tarmac and concrete ) they also tend not to have good sole or heel cushioning, so if you get military boots you'd do well to get sorbothane insolent. If you definitely decide to get military boots for it, I'd try the uk pro boots ( goretex lined ) but be aware of the limitation of the soles, and that there is little or no impact protection for your ankles, rarely any crush protection, and to be wary of loose laces round gear levers, brake pedals or anywhere near chains. Cheers for taking so much trouble. But ........ dammit!!!

if your up in the Lakes, give us a shout, might be able to meet up and say hello... Cheers

Good idea - I'll go and have a look.

I see what you mean, but all that leather going up the shin might be uncomfortable walking.

We like to walk in the Lakes/Dales etc. And we like to bike there and then walk. But biking boots have quite smooth soles - dangerous for walking over wet rocks etc. Don't want to carry a change of boots for us both, and don't want to spend Alt-berg money. What do people suggest? I am tempted to wear walking boots on the bike.

Walking socks. I generally avoid bike specific stuff - except for safety gear of course. It is for the benefit of the ambulance man (as my old Mum used to say.)

Here's a thing ....... get a Binatone from Tesco - £35 (It has a headphone socket, too.) Hunt around the net and put all the Tomtom maps etc you could want for nothing. Rig up a mounting - mine cost £15 using a satnav case and velcro straps. £50 all sorted.

Thanks. The bike is kept outside. I don't think I can get the lead to stretch, and wet weather.

I need to recharge the battery. My bike has a datatool alarm. Do I have to do anything to the alarm either when disconnection or re-fitting the battery? Is the alarm likely to go off at any stage?