manxie49

Good luck with finding one that is totally waterproof. I ride year round, and have used Kriega, which are pretty good, as others have said. I currently use one designed for walkers, made by Jack Wolfskin. It has a rechargeable battery that lights a strip around the back of the ruck sack up red, gives greater visibility at night. Even with the waterproof cover over the ruck sack the red light can still be seen. I can't remember how much I paid for it but it would definitely be within you budget.

Let's face it they don't want us using bikes or cars. This is their stupid agenda for forcing people to accept the fact that we have to walk or cycle! I notice that numerous areas now, including here, have something called "project zero" .... It aims at reducing road traffic collisions to zero by 2040! LMFAO! How on hells creation do they really think this is ever going to happen, and who, if anyone, will be held accountable for all the money wasted on this ridiculous project when it ultimately fails .... Is it really any wonder that this country is becoming a global joke .... Personally, I'm considering becoming entrepreneurial and marketing the suits below, to sell to our waste of space, risk averse, councils, who seem to have arrived here from another planet!

Have a good holiday .... Croatia is a cracking place

Have a good one

Didn't think it would be long before that happened

Had a biggish one here yesterday, down at Groudle, started by a disposable BBQ apparently .... Those will be the next thing to get banned!

I don't know if anyone else here has a tracker fitted to their bike? However, I know I'm a critical t--t, "so my wife says anyway", but credit where it's due. The unit developed a fault and the service I received from Datatool couldn't have been better. Brilliant customer care, new tracker sent out free of charge, fitting arranged and all done under their own warranty. Even follow up contact to make sure I was happy! 1st rate service, I hope I never need to use them or the device in anger, but it gives me reassurance seeing how on the ball they are when a fault develops. I only changed to Datatool earlier this year, I used to use Monimoto, which is also a good option, thus far though, I'm happy with the service.

It doesn't really matter whether anyone else likes the bike or not, the important thing is you do .... As for bike gear, pretty subjective question. Personally if I was new to motorcycling I'd probably go into a local shop, discuss my needs with them, try the gear on, and get their advice. A lot of it will come down to budget and also whether or not you intend to ride all year round.

Have a good time

I agree with what's been said about KTM, I owned one briefly, a bit like a high maintenance woman, mine needed lots of care, attention and money spending on it, other than that, it was a nice bike. I own a Yam and have never had any problems with it, in fact I've owned a few Yamahas and never had any issues with any of them. Kawasaki I can't really comment on, the last Kawasaki I owned was a good few years ago, Z1100 A3, It gave me nothing but problems, mainly electrical.

I did a ride down to Leicester on the S1000RR, my back was in bits afterwards, "probably an age thing", with me anyway, plus years of abuse as far as my back goes, with work. I went to a physio who gave me some core stability exercises, they worked a treat. You can find them on you tube. Give it a go, can't hurt......But as others have said, it could be anything, or a culmination of several things. Trial and error and consider some professional advice if it continues

Yes, that's the cafe, great little venue. One of my mates pointed out that the local council officials are all greenies and it apparently won't sit right with them this cafe being so popular with motorcyclists! They're an absolute disgrace, this place has so much support, but like all councils, they're ignoring what the people who elected them into power want, and continue to chase their own vanity projects.

Well isn't this just about right, just what I've come to expect from power hungry local councils ..... One week this cafe is winning awards, a thriving business, very popular and doing extremely well. The next, the council pulls the rug from under them! Really rips my knitting this sort of S--t!

Happy Birthday, have a great day

I can understand how you're feeling ..... I've felt like that. For me though it's down to two reasons, firstly I live on a rock and there's only so many places to go, that's why I live for getting away, exploring and touring. Secondly I also commute on the bike, it gets used for everything year round, so yes, there are days when I think to myself I can't be bothered. That said, I love motorcycling, always have and always will, even being knocked off has never changed my strange, obsessional desire to continue to throw money at bikes

Personally not a fan of loud exhausts, IMHO it just gives the anti motor vehicle brigade more to whine about, and lets not forget the power hungry local councils, who view motorists as nothing more than a cash cow, now seemingly going down the road of noise cameras. I do have an after market exhaust on my bike, but it's road legal, and hasn't made the bike obnoxiously loud, just gives it a nicer engine note. I do like to hear the loud exhaust notes on both the classic and modern race bikes though, although there's a place and a time "on the track". Each to their own though, I never see a biker with a loud exhaust and think "nob", it's just not for me.

If was a faff, but we did manage to pair it with my mates Cardo when we went up to Scotland. I know what you mean about having to shell out on another unit for the missus, cost quickly starts to rack up ....

I've ridden bikes in some pretty hot climates where this sort of temperature is considered normal, can't say I've ever had any problems. Comfort is usually the biggest issue.

I quite like the Sena, I know it pairs OK with cardo, and supposedly pairs ok with other makes? My only dislike with the Sena is that it can't be removed from the helmet for charging, just a minor niggle though .... Good luck with it

Sorry can't help with directions, I've only ever gone M74 onto M8, and yes it is boring .... Damn good helmet and intercom though, that's what I use now, can't fault it, one of the few helmets I've owned that I never get a headache with .... unless my wife is on intercom VOX on a long journey that is