SometimesSansEngine

It sounds like he is only taking the A1 licence. He would have been totally able to take the 'full' A licence - did he give a reason? Was it personal choice, a misunderstanding or a recommendation?

Some of these graphs are sobering viewing Young male riders make up 2% of the total distance travelled, but 16% of KSI stats, females similar numbers: Full document here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/447673/motorcyclist-casualties-2013-data.pdf

Just some data... "Road collision data produced by MAST shows that there were 7663 collisions recorded involving young people (aged 16-24) where the police attended in 2012. 4175 of these collisions involved 16-19 year olds showing that this group of teenagers is 50% more likely to have a collision than the 20-24 year olds.... 88% of collisions involved males.... While the incidence of road collisions by gender reflects the gender profile of all CBT learners, the MAST data reveals that when males have collisions, they are more likely to be severe, resulting in death or serious injury, than when females have collisions (24% compared to 13%)" "Learners and trainers disagree about learners’ level of understanding of riding mopeds and motorcycles before CBT, with over half of learners claiming they had a high or fair level of understanding but less than a quarter of trainers thinking their learners had this level of understanding. In the learners’ survey, 16-18 year olds claimed almost the same level of understanding as older learners. Women are less likely to claim they had a high level of understanding. 43% of learners had no riding experience before taking their most recent CBT. Over four in ten claimed to have read the Highway Code to prepare for CBT. Over four in ten talked to friends or relatives who had taken CBT. More 16-18 year olds took these two actions than learners in general." "15% are not receiving the legal minimum 2 hours on the road" I haven't read the whole thing but will when I get a chance. There is some info on what instructors would like to change, eg they're split on making an annual refresher mandatory but also feel it would be good to just take returners out on a road ride to check competence. https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/380799/cbt-learners-trainers-report.pdf

I'd like to see you need to do your theory test before doing your CBT. If you do your CBT on an automatic, you're only entitled to ride an automatic. Make the CBT at least two days so more road riding can be incorporated. Agree with the mod 1 style exercises, and as I think the mod 1 is too black and white as is (I'd allow people to have a second go at some of the exercises if their general performance is sound) agreed on the principle that it doesn't have to be perfect first time. Separately I'd want to give those who take their A1 licence more incentive to do so. At the moment if you're 17 and take your CBT, there is pretty much zero motivation to do your A1, which means you miss out on additional training at such a critical age. Why do it just so you can ride the same bike, when in two years if you want to ride a bigger bike you have to do it all again (CBT included anyway) at additional cost? I'd also be interested in a review amongst instructors to see if as an industry they feel the assessment of whether someone gets a certificate should be independent. I know plenty of them have some horror stories. I've said before that I think motorcycle licencing is a huge turn off for new riders (see here), it's so convoluted and confusing... but at CBT level I do wonder if there should be more oversight

I did my CBT in my 30s. It left me utterly petrified that that's all young kids who may have never really used the roads before get in terms of training. In fact, when my 16 year old niece expressed an interest in taking her CBT I got all protective and said if she did I'd want to go on a few rides with her first. She won't of course, deep down I know that, but I had to offer.

You'll still be learning in a few years. And that's ok.

This has just been published and two mins 46 secs in is a great demonstration! https://youtu.be/KZz-KdPm1uc

Was that to meet someone you'd never met in John o'Groats so they could borrow your bike in a car park for an hour?

I know Avon and Somerset have always insisted on a full licence. Which I've always thought as a shame/missed opportunity, as surely it's people who may have only done a CBT who would greatly benefit? If they were worried about the differences in acceleration between different types of bike they could offer l-plate only days

I also use Calimoto but only for routes I've planned and loaded onto it. Otherwise their algorithm works out some "interesting" routes. If I'm honest though, one of the best navigation solutions I used was written directions in a zip lock bag held on to the fuel tank with magnets!

No that's the latch to unlock. As Bender's Bennett's piece says, you then move your thumb to the visor itself (the dipped part of the visor there) to push it up. The unlocking is easy, convincing the visor to lift is the more skilled bit

The biggest issue is that the tab to lift the visor up (not to unlock it), especially when wearing winter gloves, is tinsy tiny. And cracking the visor open is most essential is in colder weather when you're wearing thicker gloves....

The Chaser X is a slightly different setup, will try and get a pic

I find with gloves on the second hand is useful for holding the chin bar down. But even if you do it one handed, it assumes you've but the bike in neutral before stopping as it's definitely designed for the left hand.

The l-plater who nearly reshaped the back of my bike for me because he hadn't realised traffic was slowing because of a car waiting to turn. Luckily as I'd been looking in my mirrors at them as I slowed I was able to dink to the left.....

Seems like you're just down the road from me @jayinatree, if not next door. Judging by what you say on your selling thread. Luckily the 125 that nearly went up my backside today wasn't a Honda so at least I know that wasn't you

I have the same helmet, love it as much as you seem to.... but also find a visor lock is probably more suited to a track day than everyday use. A two handed manoeuvre to open your visor is a right faff!

Ha, this is why we got the plastering done on ours a week before the wood burner went in. Otherwise it would have been torture

Worth remembering that people who are arses will likely be an arse whatever form of transport they're on at that moment in time... Four wheels, two wheels, engine, no engine.

As you probably know many taster sessions subtly cover "the attitude test". I know mine did. At the end the person who had gone out with me sat me down with a tea and asked what my motivations for doing an advanced course etc were. I had a work colleague walk up to me whilst I was doing my IAM and say "so what would an advanced course teach me that I don't already know" before listing off the things he was just fine with, in his opinion. I politely said it didn't sound like it was for him.

Depending on how long you've been off, my old boss had a long long layoff from riding, and even though he had ridden "bigger" bikes in his youth he said the "smaller" bike he returned to had a lot more performance and took a bit of getting used to. If you're returning I think a back to biking course would be a small investment in the grand scheme of things. Added bonus, you could use a school bike for that wobbly phase that you're getting back into it.

Great stuff. Try to treat your mod 2 like a normal ride with a human sat nav giving you directions... But any questions you forgot to ask your instructor ask here rather than sitting there worrying about them!

I was told long ago High mileage on most bikes (assuming its been looked after) is much less of a problem than cars. In fact I was told at the mileages you're quoting they're barely broken in. I was also told that regular riding (with regular maintenance) causing a higher mileage can be better than a low mileage bike that barely went anywhere for a few years and was laid up If you buy a Japanese 125 it should hold its value well I'm not mechanically minded nor experienced enough to vouch too much for (1), but (2) was true when both my wife and I bought and sold our 125s.

Posting this on the DuckDuckGo browser, have you tried that, out of interest? Only asking in case you have and what you found any differences were

As @fullscreenaging said, if unsure on a specific helmet look for the P/J on the inner label (J is open faced, P is closed face, having both means it's designed and tested for both uses)