LearnerLEGAL

Thought my bike was heavier than usual wheeling it out this morning, only to find a screw planted nicely through the centre of the tyre and it deflating.

Any advice on a good repair/plug call out service in S.London?

What slip-on exhausts would you recommend for a Yamaha XSR 700? I don't have the cash for a full exhaust system refit but really want to open up the stock grumble a little. Nothing obnoxious but at the moment, the only person who can hear anything is the rider sitting on top of the engine.

I shouldn't need an ECU flash with a slip-on, right or wrong?

EDIT: Just seen on another post that it's not possible to use a slip-on with the xsr700 that you have to use a full system. Anyone know if that's right?

EDIT EDIT: Ok, yep..have to replace the whole system.

So glad I went to see the bike. It had obviously been left out in weather, lots of corrosion, dry rusty chain and god knows what else I would have found when I got it home as it clearly hadn't had it's next clocked service. Ended up seeing a bike in Wolverhampton, took a spin over and fell in love. The guy selling it was a true gent and I had a good feeling about him right away so trusted everything he said and it turned into a very easy buy. Rode it back home on a 5 hour trip. What a way to break the bike in. All's well that ends well.

Thank you all for your advice and experience, as always much appreciative to the community.

I’ve only been in there once and the bikes were literally so close they were touching, I live about 15 minutes away and I pretty pass Macclesfield on every ride out into the Peak District so I can go and pretend to be interested and get some close up photos and give you my own opinion on it if you really wanted

That is very gracious of you, thank you so much. As it turns out I may be in Birmingham this weekend so would take a spin up to Macclesfield and check it out. But if not, I may very well take you up on your offer. Thank you so much once again.

I've been shopping for my first big bike and have seen a Yamaha XSR700 on Superbike Factory. Now they are based in Manchester and I am in London. I've already test ridden an XSR so know that I like it, Superbike Factory have sent me a detailed blemish report with images. Being from a reputable retailer, it comes with a warranty etc and because they made a mistake with me earlier causing some real time wasting, have offered free delivery.

I know in theory it's not wise to buy a bike you haven't seen..but...are there some scenarios where it can be ok? And is this one of those scenarios?

Do yous think doing a local school over one out of your neighbourhood is better for knowing the roads etc? Or should that not really impact?

I've done my CBT and theory, now on to my full training.

I've been commuting on my 125 2hours every day for 6 months and feeling very under powered now.

What sort of price should I expect to train up and do the test?

Have been quoted £849 for a 5 day course in Sutton.

Passed my theory this morning, damn that Hazard Perception has some truly arbitrary places it starts the score from though.

Now for my DAS Who's got some great recommendations for training schools near Bromley S.L. ?

Are they the one in Lillie Road, Fulham?

If so, they lost my service book (and I bought the bike new).

Took months of dicking around to get them to supply a replacement.

Yup, that's the one. Still trying to set up a time I can get the book restamped.

But yea I would love to see guys filtering in london going beep beep beep beep beep rev is wayless annoying, plus I cant deny the sound is just awesome not to mention if you beep they will consider it rude and cut you up but a rev is accepted

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gC_lgnqzUfg

I was talking with a friend about this and It's all personal preference but to me hearing bikes rev'in to filter or pulling up to lights and re'in like mad...all I think is..what a n*b. I love the sound of an beautifully chunned engine as much as the next guy..but when you're going about your life in a car or walking down the footpath..in an already noisey city, hearing guys razzzing down the street does my nut in.

Hi all,

Looking to get my Honda GLR 125 14'000 mile service. Any suggestions for somewhere reliable and recommended either in the Bromley (S.London) or Chiswick (W.London) area?

Thanks in advance.

Hi all,

Got this response from Honda

"Thank you for contacting Honda UK.

I would like to confirm that indeed this is the policy, as we are very strict in keeping our customers personal date.

The best thing I can suggest in this situation is, if you would like I can check if there are any service history records for your bike and to provide you with this information. I would need only the VIN and reg. number of the bike.

As for the service book, please be informed that you can obtain a brand new service book directly from Honda. For this we will need again the bike details and a scanned copy of your V5 document, as a prove of an ownership. Once we receive it it will be escalated to our Head Office for further assistance. After you receive your brand new service book you can fill all the services from now on. Also you can contact the previous servicing dealers in order for them to re-stamp your new service book.

Thank you for contacting Honda. If I can be of any further assistance, please do not hesitate to contact me back."

Thank you everyone for taking the time to read and reply and in some cases do some research on my behalf. It is hugely appreciated and once again has shown how friendly the bike community is that I've joined.

A few months ago I purchased my first motorcycle and have been buzzing around with my L plates with a giant grin on my face ever since.

However, when I purchased the bike from a Honda dealer, the salesman showed me the Log/maintenance book but said that he couldn't hand it over to me because of the GDPR and that it had past owners details in it. Naively, and as I'd never purchased a vehicle of any sort before, I just said 'OK' and off I went. The salesman said that when I go to sell the bike the prospective buyer can always come and see the log book to see the service history if needed.

It's only now thinking back on it and that it seems completely wrong. Who is going to want to visit a dealer to check the ervice history of a 2nd hand bike? Does this sound right to you? Should go back and get the log book from the dealer.

 

Sounds very wrong, unless some new law has come into effect. They sign it over to you so you can be the registered keeper, they or you should fill the details out for a new keeper and pop it in the post. Give them a call and speak to a manager or something, which Honda dealer was it?

It was Honda Chelsea ( I live nowhere near Chelsea FYI, it's just where I got the bike)

Service record or V5 ?

Surely the V5 has details of the previous owner ?

Aren't you entitled to see the service record before you buy ? Then, when you buy you get the User Manual, Service Record and V5. They belong to you, not the dealer.

I think I'd be talking to the shop manager, things don't sound right.

The Service history. He showed me a file/book full of service receipts etc. I've got the V5.

A few months ago I purchased my first motorcycle and have been buzzing around with my L plates with a giant grin on my face ever since.

However, when I purchased the bike from a Honda dealer, the salesman showed me the service history book but said that he couldn't hand it over to me because of the GDPR and that it had past owners details in it. Naively, and as I'd never purchased a vehicle of any sort before, I just said 'OK' and off I went. The salesman said that when I go to sell the bike the prospective buyer can always come and see the log book to see the service history if needed.

It's only now thinking back on it and that it seems completely wrong. Who is going to want to visit a dealer to check the ervice history of a 2nd hand bike? Does this sound right to you? Should go back and get the log book from the dealer.

Swap em over ... then see if your right boot that's now your left gets as wet as your left boot that's now your right

Haha..that not only sounds like a sure proof way to solve the mystery but also safe.

Soggy day riding to work today and noticed that my left boot gets wet through long before my right.

Is this because it's often hanging just below the bike to change gear?

I HAVE MY CBT

As of 2 hours ago I was handed my DL196 by the wonderful guys at Phoenix Motorcycle Training at Crystal Palace. Over the moon to now be able to get on the road and start biking.

First thing get a bike, as this will be my daily commuter I'm looking at the ever reliable Honda CBF.

But the MUTT, Herald, Hanway bikes and the rest of those retro style bikes are a bit of eye candy, but not sure if it's really the choice for a reliable commute.

Any words of wisdom from expert two-wheelers? I think I know the answer.

Thanks for all the advice and good will everyone. Looking forward to being a part of this supportive and knowledgeable community.

While I passed my CBT first time I personally think that those of you who don’t complete the first time will come away a more confident rider the 2nd, 3rd, 4th time. Whatever it takes! Not completing means more tuition, more experience, more supervision during your earliest riding and much more of a determination to be awesome!

I will relate this to my car test which I had to take 3 times. I did 5 days intensive training and then a test. I was still nervous as hell and I look back on that failure as being a real plus for me. Even though I was gutted at the time I was never ready.

I then got bought a cheap car by my grandad and every day my dad would sit with me while I drove back and forth work in rush hour. I was so nervous at work about having to drive home surrounded by angry impatient people, my stomach would literally churn.

But as the days passed it became easy and I built great confidence. 2nd test I drove absolutely perfectly and failed. Reason given was the examiner saw no demonstration of my observation. I was literally checking mirrors every 5 or 6 seconds but my eye movements didn’t get picked up so then I had to become a flaming actor! I was so mad that the 3rd time around I actually drove slightly worse (touched over 30mph a couple times and picked up a couple minors) but I was literally craning my neck everywhere like a mad man.

I passed.

The point I’m getting at is although the feeling of failure can make you feel quite negative and even not good enough at times, use it in a positive way. Go back and be awesome like you know you can be, however many times it takes. Determination is everything and early on at least you’ll be the better rider for it.

I on the other hand passed my CBT first time and am walking away feeling nervous as hell that I’m now on my own! Building my own confidence has to happen alone

Brilliant advice, especially as I didn't pass my cbt only a few days ago. This has given me food for thought.

I know you can't fail your CBT and that it's continuous assessment, however after reading so much about the CBT and talking to friends who had done it and got the cert from having never touched a bike before..I thought it was a slam dunk.

I also had never ridden a bike before, but had been a diligent student on the run up to the day. Learning about riding bikes, the controls and watching all kinds of videos. I got a little obsessed. The day went well, and my instructor was ex-police so was full of countless stories of horrific motorbike accidents he's attended due to people being silly on bikes.

I got to grips fairly well with the controls but, as I'd never done it before it did take quite a lot of concentration remembering the dance between the clutch, accelerator, gears and brakes. I could perform everything in the car park fairly competently - mirrors, indicate, lifesaver pull up to a left and right turning junction - the uturn, controlled slow movements, got to grips with going through the gears.

Then it was time to go out on the road. I was nervous but mostly excited. Being a pretty competent and safe motorist and cyclist I'm confident on the road and very aware of my surroundings. I naturally check my mirrors a lot and look around me and from being a cyclist know to hold my position in the road.

The trouble came when we stopped to do the u-turn on a quiet section of road. I don't know what happened but I just couldn't complete it without putting my foot down. In the car park it was no problem, perhaps it was the road camber or me looking down too much. The instructor told me that I had to be able to do it to move on and I think that just flustered me a little more and it just didn't happen. I also didn't cancel my indicators about half of the time while being out on the road.

And that's how I didn't get my cbt first time. It's disappointing because I'm eager to move forward and because of everything I heard about most people getting it first time. It's a faff to have to organise going back again for a day and going through it all again but I guess it's all in the name of being a safe biker on the road.