Pete

I've just happened across an article which quite clevely mentions carrying some sort of ID to let the emergency services know who I am, who to call and what drugs I'm allergic to (none actually, but that's just as important) in case I'm out cold after a collision. I found this website http://www.roadid.com and it looks like a really good idea. Does anyone know where I can get hold of one of these or similar in the UK?

I still accidentally knock mine into neutral every now and again. Usually with a pillion on the back....much to their amusement. SNAP! Me too! 1st to 2nd on my GSX600F isn't as smooth as the other gears. I wouldn't say clunky but it's definately not the same. Don't worry about it unless bits start flying off (even then just leave it unless the bits flying off are actually hitting people...and even then if no serious injurys take place.....you get the idea).

Looks OK to me mate, and at level 2 you can't go wrong. I haven't tried this one but from looking at the images the first things I've noticed are that it seems to go quite high up the back so might rub on your neck, also the straps look pretty tight under the arms so could rub/cut off blood a bit. I've got a Knox Contour, and although you say you'd like to save the money I'm glad I went for the Knox. It's got good upper back protection without rubbing on my neck, and the straps fasten without going under my arms so it feels really comfy. There are two types as well, one for upright riding and one that goes slightly further down the back to cover the tail bone for crouch position race riding. However like I said before the one you've suggested is level 2 and pretty much any back protector is going to be better than the rubbish foam padding in most jackets.

I've not used the elbow and knee strap ons (oo-er!) but I do have a Knox Contour back protector which I can very highly recommend.

Is it intermittent or does it happen after every single time you've been for a ride? If so how long a ride, or will it happen after running the bike for 10 seconds? Are there any noises when you try and turn it over? I.e. a drilling/fast clicking noise coming from inside the fairing somewhere. If so then it could be that the terminals on the starter relay need a good scrub up. Also check all the connections in the ignition loop, that being both battery terminals (positive is for ignition loop but might as well do both), connections on starter relay and final connection to the starter motor itself. If there are no noises and it just will not start full stop still check all the terminals mentioned above and report back!

£1,000, Jesus Christ! Here's a list of the stuff I've got (cheap but does the job well, has armour and is waterproof - yes I've tested it many a time!!): Helmet - White Caberg Justissimo (£130 new) Jacket - AOne or something generic, £55 instead of £110 from Premier Leathers Trousers - Don't know who made them! £50 instead of £100 from Premier Leathers Boots - Nitro made them, don't know the style. £50 instead of £80 from some place in Lincoln...last pair of size 12! Gloves - £5 off the nice man I bought the bike off...but I have a second pair for winter that were £30 Back protector - Knox Contour, £60 off ebay TOTAL: £350 I also have a load of spare gear that I let pillions use or for long journeys/winter riding. I think your money would be better spent on getting descent all weather gear (like mine, nice and cheap but will keep you warm and dry and "safe" in an accident so what more could you want? Oh and you don't look like a nob either!), and saving a bit for the other little things that you'll undoubtedly want/need. For example, I've also bought some panniers, a tank bag, heated grips, louder horn, and the pillion gear. None of which I considered before getting the bike and I'm glad I had the money left over to get it all! I agree with what Korben has said with the order of priority. Get a descent helmet, spend as much as you can reasonably afford on one and keep it safe (whenever I put my helmet down I think "this is my head, look after it and put it somewhere safe that it can't roll off or soak any crap into - i.e. petrol"!!). Some people would say that anything other than a helmet isn't compulsary and technically you legally don't need anything else. But do consider a back protector because the ones fitted in jackets are near useless against things like lamposts! Gem's just started buying her first set of gear and is starting with biking like yourself. Maybe see what she's found so far in her search for clothing, she'd be more up to scratch on starting from...er, scratch than the rest of us I'd imagine?

Hoe onbeleefd, DutchMick!

Colin, what a gem of a site! Cheers

wise words tbh i feel most bikes should be restircted for 5 years regardless so you understand how to control a bike same as a car driver should be restricted to 1.4L @ no more than 100bhp for the same amount of time. Northern Ireland restrict you on a bike for two years regardless of what test you take!

What kind of restrictions? Would I be able to jump on my restricted SV and go hoonin' round the roads of NI on my UK A2 license? No it's more strict there than it is here! http://www.dvlni.gov.uk/drivers/ride_motorcycle.htm Looks like the catergory A in NI is just like the A2 licence in the rest of the UK (someone correct me if I'm wrong...).

I spose if you don't plan to wait two years then you've got no choice but to do it do it do it! But like slug's saying if you've payed for the restriction you might as well use it so it's not mahunny down the drain.

Haha, tell them where to go!!! Hahahaaa - "OK, if you'd just like to rip the throttle open and career straight at the ominous looking brick wall there and then swerve to narrowly miss it...." I was speaking to a mate from Belfast who passed his test around the same time that I did and I was surprised to hear about all the restrictions in NI compared to here in England, there're looooads even on the full licence!!

Just noticed this thread, thought I'd add my name to it! I'm in Redditch, Worcestershire and would be happy to meet people for rideouts. Frogs, snails, lizards, I don't mind

Here's an answer from someone on Yahoo!: http://uk.answers.yahoo.com/question/in ... 334AAzfeq2 And you might find a bit more on it here: http://www.r6.com

There we go, I've learned something new thanks guys! After acquiring my new found wisdom then I think it'd be a good idea to go for the A2 like people have said. And I'd quite gladly sit atop anyone's bike for the first time as a pillion...those who're daring enough to take a 6'4" 16 stone guy anyway

Got to agree with you on the tests for scoots, Chris. There are a few scoot riders that seem to use it as a means of getting from A to B, and do it without any fuss. But what really gets me (and I'm sure many other people) are the young lads (usually lads...haven't seen girls doing it. And I say young, I'm only 24!) that ride 3 or 4 abreast without a clue with their helmets balanced on their head, chatting away, etc etc. It can only be a good thing to educate them a bit more (a fair bit more!).

There're plenty of cheap decent 125s out there Correct me if I'm wrong but I don't think you can carry pillion passengers unless you have a full catergory A licence. You can only go on motorways with an A licence as well. That said if you can find a car park you can strap him to the back and razz around dragging your knee and allsorts!

Sorry to say but after reading it I'm one of the very few people (I expect) that's all in favour of it! For ages I've been wishing someone would come along and make it compulsary to retest car drivers regularly, there're just far too many bad habits that people get into that need ironing out. On the downside, if this thing goes through (which apparently it already has) it'll mean many many people failing their retests, thus not being able to get to work, thus quite bad for the economy....probably.

Sounds like a plan!

Yeah As long as you've held the licence for 2 years you can progress onto a "big bike", you don't have to have actually been riding a 33bhp or under for 2 years. Do you mean the Standard A2 licence by the way? The accelerated access is for people who have the A2 licence but reach 21 years old before the 2 years are up and fancy upgrading to a full catergory A licence. Just a thought - if you know you're definately not going to ride for two years why not wait until you can take the direct access course? Then when you get your first bike you won't have forgotten everything you were taught.

Nice one mate! The best problems are the ones you can fix for free!

Looks like there's no difference to me. The bit that says "under the same practice conditions" would suggest it's under fairly startlingly similar practice conditions... It's no big deal though mate, just go to an instructor and use their unrestricted bike for a day, do the test on their bike (as yours is restricted...and if you derestrict it for the test and fail then you can't ride anywhere!) and then when you pass derestrict yours and away you go!

Could well be! Have a check of the chain and then report back to HQ (here...). Just in case you don't know how to check and adjust the chain you push the chain up with your finger in the centre. Rotate the back wheel and check it in different places until you find the tightest spot. There should be about 30mm freeplay in it (a chain that's a little bit loose is better than a chain that's too tight. If it's too tight it'll quickly wear the sprockets). Tighten it by loosening the rear wheel bolts (no need to take them off, just loosen them), if you have a rear brake bar loosen that too. Now just adjust the...er...adjuster nuts on either side of the swingarm until the chain is at the right tightness. Retighten your rear wheel nuts to the right torque setting using a torque wrench (yes you should use one!). Then go and try it out. By the way I don't know the exact setup on an R6 (I have a Suzuki GSX600F) so yours might be a bit different to mine but the general idea is the same.

How is it when the bike's idling? Sounds like a fueling problem to me. What bike is it? If it's carbed then you might benefit from a good carb clean or chucking a bottle of Redex through it to loosen it up a bit. Did it happen all of a sudden or over a period of time?

I thought as much about stripping the motor ! Oh well it's all experience, and at least this time I'm dragging my feet on it because I know what's involved rather than worrying about breaking something! I've had a look at the starter relay and it looks OK but I've not taken the connectors off. Been a bit of a busy day today so haven't had chance but it's on the list for tomorrow. I think I'm going to undo any wires I can get at and give them a good clean and see if that affects starting. If it seems the same I'll probably bite the bullet like you say and have a peak inside the motor...I'll probably do that anyway knowing me - once I get the fairings off (that all important first step into commiting one's self to a job!) I tend to just carry on dismantling stuff at leisure! Thanks for the ideas guys, I'll let you know how it pans out tomorrow.