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SometimesSansEngine

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Posts posted by SometimesSansEngine

  1. Got this email from Wemoto. Relevant if you've ever used them, luckily for me I use a custom email address for every company I deal with so they can have it. Not sure if they used java which is why they were vulnerable.

     

     

    -

     

    Dear Customer,

    At Worlds End Motorcycles Ltd, we respect the privacy of your personal data, which is why we are writing to let you know about a data security incident that potentially involves some of your personal data. This does not include any card or payment information as we never store these details.

    On Dec 10th, 2021, we were made aware of a potential breach of the data that we hold with our service provider. The data accessed may have included the following types of personal information:

    - Email address, first and last name

    We deeply regret that this incident occurred. We are fully investigating the issue with our Service Provider to ensure that no such breach can occur in the future.

    We have implemented additional security measures designed to prevent future attacks and to protect your personal information and the privacy of our customers. You do not need to take any action following this email.

    Sincerely
    The Worlds End Group

    Wemoto and WMD-Online are trading names of the Worlds End Group
     

  2. I had my car insurance renewal through from quotemehappy.com last month and it was already exactly the same as a new customer quote. Dead easy to decline the renewal offer too, go online, click a button, done. None of the usual "are you sure? Are you really sure? Are you super sure?" shenanigans you get on the phone.

     

    Would have happily stayed with them but I got insurance for £130 elsewhere for my old car, their quote was £190.

     

    Generally speaking I think prices will go up a little though, as ever the people that are diligent and switch end up having to bear a bit of the cost of those that don't.

     

    ==

     

    First whinge:

     

    I never understood the gender thing, personally. Insurance premiums are based on risk and how much the underwriter fancies having you on board. If women happen to be less likely to wrap themselves around a tree so get cheaper premiums, I can't see how that's any different to getting a different price because of your age, where you live, being a home owner, parking it on a private drive versus the main road etc etc.

     

    ==

     

    Second whinge:

     

    Worst experience I had was dog insurance earlier this year. Renewal came through, it was more than as a new customer. More than the previous year but the lad is getting older, despite no claims and no pre-existing conditions.

     

    Did the usual ringing up, come on let's not play this dance, just give me that price. I have this company over here a couple pound a month cheaper but save me the aggro of switching.

     

    "We can't match prices found online" came the reply.

     

    ".....right, but it's your price. On your website"

     

    "I know, but our policy is we don't match any prices you find online, even our own advertised prices. But if that's the price that you want to pay we can look at our other cover levels to see if we can match it that way" (note he's on a top tier lifetime cover, so the only way is downwards)

     

    I pointed out not just the ridiculousness of the policy, but that I could also take out insurance as a new customer with them two weeks early (to get around the 'no claims in the first 14 days' clause) and still be quids in.

     

    A further communique from head office confirmed that the staff member I spoke to wasn't confused by the policy, it was their policy. They don't match their own prices.

     

    Animal Friends, in case you ever get stuck with them.

  3. 22 minutes ago, daveinlim said:

    Check your tyres are properly inflated. Even a couple of psi will make a difference. 

     

    This is very true - when I had a 125 I was riding home not long after getting it, went over the crest of a hill and oh my god the bike felt terrible. I knew something wasn't right but didn't know what. Got home and realised I'd lost some pressure from the rear. 

     

    I was always adding air a couple times a week but didn't know if that was just motorbike tyres, this had lost a fair bit though. I got it checked at my local place to be told the valve was leaking. The tyre had been put on brand new by the (well known) seller/dealer.

     

    I know my big bike is more tolerant of a few PSI difference here and there but those narrower tyres definitely weren't. You may want to start with what the manual advises and play around up and down from there. It may not be the magic bullet (as it sounds like there's some worries in your mind, which as many of us said is normal at the outside so don't think you're the only one) but may help a bit

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  4. Definitely build up to it, try to grip the tank with the knees and keep your arms loose (can you do the chicken dance? If not you're too tense) and if you can't get by this blocker then pay a trainer to go back out with you - it'll be money well spent.

     

    We'll all have been there, to varying degrees.

     

    Modern bikes are very straight line stable (ever seen a bike in MotoGP carry on quite happily without a rider?) and even if the bike was to hit something it'll soon regain its balance... but if you're tense you'll be fighting the bike's willingness to settle itself :-)

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  5. When I was narrowing down bikes last time round it was between the Z1000SX and F800GT. I wanted both with full OEM luggage. 

     

    I knew the Z1000SX would be less 'bland', but in the end decided it was too much right now. If I was planning some tours it would have been right up there. But for now I could get what I needed with much better fuel economy on the BMW and not spend as much money on buying it. 

     

    Maybe I'm too logical, but hey I took it around a track and still had a great load of fun. I know other bikes would get my heart racing more but I only have so much space to store them so need one that ticks a range of boxes.

     

    And even though I've owned it for a year now, I genuinely still occasionally think "I haven't cleaned the chain in ages", then remember... I don't have one

    241322180_10165541160065371_1342626748199456201_n.jpg

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  6. 3 hours ago, PaulCa said:

     

    I believe you start paying interest on the balance from that point on  + the late payment fees of course.

     

    I will manage the payments carefully.  DD for the minimum from a specific account topped up from my current account.  So I even have a reserve of payments.  I also have the reluctant position of settling up cash.  I just don't want to buy the bike cash outright as it lessens my ISA saving reserves more than I would like.  If I loose my job for some reason and end up permenantly unemployed I have a plan for reducing my monthly outlay over 6 months, which would involve selling the bike and the car, but I need the cash reserves to buy time for that.

     

    Maybe worded poorly by me (so sorry if you are getting this point), but I meant you will pay interest on the FULL amount you originally borrowed from that point. Not on what is left at that point. Interest is always calculated on the original rate borrowed until fully paid off.

  7. 2 hours ago, Liveware Problem said:

    I wanted to do this with a scooter I bought a few years ago, however I noticed a clause that would mean I would have pay a percentage fee of the final value if I were to purchase with a credit card, which made it not worthwhile.

     

    Worth checking, if you haven't already that is.

     

    The rules do have get outs, but since 2018 you can't charge 'more' to pay by card - not sure if that would prevent this nowadays. Simplistically speaking, any fee to pay should apply to other forms of payment too

     

    1 hour ago, PaulCa said:

    Just called the credit card folks and confirmed my use case is compatible and it is 0% for 2years.  If I am late on payments, that ends that month and interest at 20%APR starts to get added.  No back dating and if I immediately settle the balance at that point there would be no charges.

     

     

     

    Just to clarify - they meant they don't backdate the 20% interest not added in other months, BUT you do pay 20% interest on the original transaction value? (which needless to say, would be a lot in this case)

  8. 1 hour ago, techniques said:

    Well, that's why self-service tills are there. For the lighter, nippier shopper with a basket. In-n-out. Much faster than a trolley and the normal checkout.

     

    For your analogy to work, forecourts would need to have dedicated fuel pumps just for bikes, which isn't actually a terrible idea as we need a lot less space to get the job done, and we wouldn't have to hold any cars/vans up. A couple of dedicated fuel pumps for bikes in a corner somewhere, inaccessible to cars. I'm salivating.

     

    My analogy does work, as most supermarkets I go to aren't basket only for the self checkouts

     

    As for the forecourts, as most of the time the pumps aren't fully utilised it would, commercially speaking, be a terrible idea

  9. At self checkouts in the supermarket, you wouldn't 'filter to the front' if everyone else had trolleys but you had a basket, whilst attempting to claim you'd be in and out quicker than them and you can fit you and your basket down the side of the queue to the front.

     

    Yes to going to a pump no-one else is using.

  10. Pretty much any protest by definition has to inconvenience someone. But this is up there with when a local Extinction Rebellion group decided that jumping on top of tube trains at rush hour was a great idea. At the very least inconvenience  the people you're protesting at.

     

    Anyway, other footage is now circulating of motorists indeed taking matters into their own hands 

     

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  11. I agree with others. For every good story you hear about a particular insurer someone else will want to pipe up and tell you their horror story. I've had someone in the industry tell me you get what you pay for (specifically when trying to tell me why Cornmarket's insurance pushed by the IAM to members was still great value despite being double - at the preferential member rate - what I was being quoted elsewhere), but another say he's worked for a few companies and no matter what you pay they're the same. Me, I can appreciate some will be generally worse to work with than others but at the end of the day they have a job to protect their profits.

     

    Never had issues with Hastings or Bennetts but never had to claim from either.

     

    44Teeth are sponsored by Bemoto so of course are always raving about them, the whole "ran by bikers" spiel, they're on my list to get a quote from next time I need one but maybe they'll help you out. Not a recommendation, just another to put in there! They do do laid up insurance which might help you out https://www.bemoto.uk/sorn-and-laid-up-bike-insurance

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  12. Worthwhile adding without an agreement in place that whilst I think it's vaguely possible they could attempt to reclaim costs via a moneyclaim (think small claims court) I'm not sure how a court would view them attempting to claim your negligence or reckless actions led to the damage when you were under their tuition. Just a gut feel that they'd deduct a fair amount from any judgement with that in mind. Admittedly I don't talk from legal training here, but just a hunch from previous dealings with how judges think in the small claims court (they have a fair amount of leeway in their judgements)

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  13. The company I used didn't and when some damage occurred to one of their bikes (not by me, honest!) one of the owners said to me "it's a cost of doing business", and they either spannered their own bikes as much as possible or knew people who gave them good rates for more complex stuff. And also why many bike schools use bikes for which spares and repairs are plentiful I guess.

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  14. 5 hours ago, onesea said:

     

    Not certain what is worse imagined shortage, or the complainers complaining I need my fuel I am more important than you!

     

     

    It's the early days of the pandemic "but I'm a key worker too" back again. So far on Facebook I've seen 

     

    - it needs to be NHS only 

    - but I'm a carer in a people's home 

    - I do home visits

    - I'm a bus driver and need to get to work to drive other key workers tomorrow 

     

    ... And before you knew it it was... 

     

    - I'm meant to be delivering takeaways this weekend and if I'm not classed as a key worker then people will have to drive to the takeaway and use more (?) fuel 

    - I'm a mobile hairdresser (my favourite so far) 

  15. On 19/09/2021 at 11:10, geofferz said:

    Yeah but only legit companies are allowed to collect direct debits. My old company traded for 15 years, 3m turnover, had to jump through loads of hoops. And the money is always recoverable. 

     

    I'd say it's pretty easy now, having gone through the process to set up a voluntary organisation to use GoCardless. As they effectively become the intermediary you don't need a Service User Number from your bank, and you can sign up as an individual. Prove you own the bank account you're sending funds to and et voila. 

     

    In this case, the hoops you mentioned have already been jumped through by GoCardless.

  16. On 16/09/2021 at 09:35, geofferz said:

    I've never understood why (even legit) people are shady about bank details.  Having a sort code and account number doesn't give you access to anyone's bank, loads of customer services reps at your utility companies have your details anyway.

    I can easily set up a direct debit on your account using those details, and many people are amazingly lax at checking what comes out of their bank account each month.

     

    It wouldn't stop me giving them out, as I'm like a hawk when it comes to my account. But Jeremy Clarkson found this out the hard way when he posted his bank details in his newspaper column claiming no one could use them maliciously 🤣

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  17. Welcome @Fullers1845. I was probably not a dissimilar age to you when I got going a few years back so can confirm that once you stick a helmet on age doesn't matter and some drivers will assume you're there to be overtaken/tailgated/not stuck behind as you'll probably be slow (doesn't matter that on a 125 you can do most legal speeds). 

     

    You definitely have more road presence on a bigger bike and without l plates but enjoy your small bike whilst you have it! If I had space I'd keep one for small errands.

  18. 1 hour ago, Mississippi Bullfrog said:

    Well spotted. 

     

    And said far more succintly than this guy!

     

     

    Greg (Motojitsu) does some very good content and I also watched his video, I think you can tell that was a bit of an off the cuff response video. Plus maybe he has to post so many minutes for ad revenue 😂

  19. What will got lost by a lot of people (because he only briefly mentions it) is that for urban riding he's spot on. He doesn't say don't lean more than the bike ever, just generally speaking you only need that on the track/at higher speed/just for fun.

     

    Obviously in Canada/America most turns in town are 90 degree turns, here we have roundabouts but it's a similar thing you you see someone trying to get a knee down on a small roundabout.....

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