xMachina

My 2006 Bandit 1200

Video games don't count.

Anyone getting in the sea in Britain at this time of year needs something testing, and I don't think its the water temp!

You must have blinked.

and then before you know it... IT'S CHRISTMAS!

Congrats! When I passed I wanted to update my insurance and change the WR125X to my Bandit. They wanted £32 to change plus £500 policy increase on top of the £143 I had already paid. As the policy was third party only and had only run 3 months I told them to stick it, They refunded me £50 (after deducting another fee of course) and I went elsewhere to insure the bandit - and paid £350 fully comp!

I don't recall saying I was an expert at anything bike related. In fact I distinctly remember saying I was a novice. Definitely not aimed at you mate, rather newbiker90. I should have quoted but the amount of nested quotes was getting silly and I was being too lazy to edit them.

I wouldn’t bother. No licence, no experience, and no idea - yet an expert in all things bike.

What? Did I watch the same wideo? He took no evasive (I'm not even sure he braked) and smashed straight into it! Maybe if he'd have been awake he might not have hit it.

It’s pretty academic anyway, you aren’t going to get much more than 15hp out of a 4 stroke 125 before it starts to eat itself.

Not 100% correct, on CBT you are still limited on power to 15hp.

When I was still on CBT and a 125 I twice did the 40 mile trip from my home in Beds to my work in Cheshunt and while I wouldn't say it was stupid it certainly was miserable. Coming down the A10 I just got stuck behind lorries that I didn't have the power to overtake as I was already pinned, not sure I'd want to do that on the daily thats for sure and this was in summer when it was nice and warm!

I did my DAS recently and what I was taught was: Turning: When turning left = Left lifesaver When turning left = Right lifesaver Traffic lights: Going ahead = both IF stopped for a 'significant' amount of time (use your judgement, treat as moving off from parked). If roll through or stop for a few seconds then mirrors only. Exiting roundabouts: Single lane = left lifesaver Dual lane = right lifesaver Changing lanes = appropriate shoulder Moving out around obstacles: right out - left in The rest of the time its just mirror obs making sure you actually turn your head so the examiner knows you are doing it, you don't need to be looking over your shoulder constantly as 90% of danger will come from in front of you.

I'm confused - you gave someone advice on one thread but then have asked a near identical question?

Thanks [mention]goat[/mention], I picked up a set of these and with the break in the weather I got to try them out today. Very impressed with them, really comfortable and block out just the right amount of noise.

Shame they can't just throw him in the back of a waggon and take him back to the station for some 'attitude realignment'.

Damn, wish that had happened with me, I had to change the gearing on my 125 because I'm such a lardass.

I personally have no problem with it at all. There is little turds who rip up and down the road outside where I work in the middle of the day on crossers, no helmets on, just a balaclava to cover their face. Its a wonder no one has been injured on the crossing as they don't slow down at all, just swerve round people. There was also a young lad on an R6 with no plate riding down the pavement at a fair lick recently. I can't say Id be upset to see them flying over the bonnet of a police car.

Congrats mate, thats the hard bit done!

If you have already been riding on the road then 80% of the battle is already won. The size and weight is like anything, once you are used to it you won't really notice it and in some cases it will actually make things easier, not harder. Personally I found the slalom and figure of 8 much easier on a bigger bike as they tend to be more stable. Your biggest enemy for mod 1 is yourself, the manoeuvres themselves are as easy or hard as you make them, I made them hard work and still passed so don't panic. Overall it's a pretty simple skills test and there is nothing there designed to catch you out. Just make sure you do your checks before you do anything. With mod 2 don't treat it as a test, treat it as a ride with someone and you will be fine. Again, there is nothing there to catch you out.