oldgreg01

When you say Oxford do you mean the footy ground car park like you said on another forum? If so then that was not the mod 1. They were either practising or it was a CBT. The mod 1 has to be carried out at an official purpose built test centre.

All the test centres have both layouts don't they? The blackburn one does.

Cool. I agree. Leon will do good things on that bike as it is. Plus BMW are one of the few manufacturers that have plenty of cash to splash to develop the bike, so it's a good team to be in.

Don't read if you haven't seen the race yet.

Is that official? Last I read Suzuki still hadn't confirmed if they were going to give factory support to the WSB squad and without it they wouldn't be competitive. Leon couldn't wait round while all the other rides got taken up so had to make a decision. BMW are making good progress and it seems they're determined to get the bike up the front so it is/will be a great move for him. They might not be there next season but certainly 2012.

You have to pass mod 1 before 2 mate

CBT and 125 is the cheapest option as you still have to do the CBT for your full license. And a 125 will be cheaper than a 250 in general. The cheapest way to a full license is to do the CBT and get a 125. Then read up on the tests and train yourself. There's a few guys on here who have done that lately. Loads of info online about the tests and some good youtube vids of the mod 1. You can also have lessons weekly, monthly, whatever to spread the cost, and practise on your own in-between. Remember the 500 odd quid for a weeks course is only if you pass both tests first time. If you fail either then you have to pay for each retest. Seen as your unsure I would suggest the CBT and 125 route first. Spend the least amount of money up front and see how you get on. Once your sure biking is for you and you have a read up a bit more on your options then you can take it from there.

The 250 ninja is a good bike from what I've read. It will be a lot lighter than a restricted 600 so will be faster. You will get a newer one than a 600 for the same money. Insurance may be cheaper, though not sure TBH. Tax will be cheaper but it's only a few quid anyways. Tyres will be cheaper.

Nice one

Spot on fella.

Someone will correct me if I'm wrong, but you don't need a conditioner attached 24/7. So you could just use an extension lead to charge it say, once a week for x hours. Alternatively, disconnect the battery and take it into the house to charge.

You will get a minor or worse if you try to downshift. Just concentrate on stopping without locking up the wheels. Remember you just have to stop safely in a reasonable distance, don't try and set a new record. Best thing you can do if you have your own bike is get out there and practise.

Stick some tape on your nipples. Should be able to touch 160 easy.

As already said you need to do the theory before Mod 1 and 2. In Barrow the test centre is on duke street near the roundabout. PM 2fast, he has a great DVD with all the questions and hazard avoidance videos on. I'm sure he will lend it if he still has it. Best to book the test now for in a few weeks to focus the mind. Got to get the learning in then. The nearest mod 1 centre is in blackburn. http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=darwen+blackburn&sll=53.800651,-4.064941&sspn=14.275465,36.782227&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Blackburn,+Blackburn+with+Darwen,+United+Kingdom&ll=53.712941,-2.474684&spn=0.000871,0.002245&t=h&z=19 You can see the u turn lines and just and so make out the cones. West pennine training school in Blackburn are pretty good. Top Gear school of motoring in Barrow do Bike training now too. Not sure if you can do mod 2 test in Barrow but I'm sure they will know. Youtube is great for video's of mod 1. There's even one where the guy had a helmet cam on so you can hear what the examiner is saying. If you can get hold of some cones there is a diagram of the mod 1 circuit layout, including measurements.

ha ha. Nice one. I do the sidestand in gear thing all the time. Fantastic day, cheers frankie. I can't believe I've lived round here 32 years and I haven't been down some of them roads, not even in the car.

Check out the V2 sponges for cleaning your visor while out and about. They come in a sealable plastic bag so they stay wet for weeks. Stick one in your jacket pocket and forget about it until it's needed.

A crushed coke can on the back wheel will make the ybr sound way better Get someone to give you a hand and lift the wheels off the ground one at a time and give them a spin. I would guess it's the chain slackening up as it gets stretched. May need adjusting but nothing to worry about. But don't take my word for it, someone more knowledgeable will be along in a min.

Unlucky mate. If you have your own bike just get out there and practise. Do the manoeuvres over and over until you can get it right every time. The best way to get over test nerves is to be thoroughly prepared and be confident that you can do it, and then you have nothing to fear.

lol. Shoei XR100 Camino lid Sidi vertigo boots Alpine stars GPX gloves Halo Oracle 2 piece suit or RST ventilator II textiles

Both good for me.

Count me in. I won't be out the night before so might actually turn up this time

That's good to hear.

It was in MCN last week so will prob be on their website. I'm too lazy to look sorry . When posting these stories they should also post up how much training the rider had previous to the accident. They won't though, it wouldn't fit into their agenda.

TBF that's why he's doing a consultation. His job is to manage the review and take on board as much expert opinion as he can get before making a informed judgement. I don't think any MP has any qualifications for the job there doing, look at how they get moved around between departments. Although Vince Cable the business secretary is an economist. Any how, here's my message. Leave the test as it is, there's nothing wrong with it. If someone can't pass that then they are not fit for the road, and it would be irresponsible to give them a licence. Separating the swerve and stop exercise is pointless. You can roll of the throttle, do the swerve and come to a stop without barely touching the brake. The problem is people trying to skimp on the training to save money, attempting the test when they just aren't good enough. How about a review into these get you test in x days courses. There needs to be a bit of responsibility on the part of the training centres to tell someone they need extra training, and refuse to let them attempt the test if they're not ready. And something needs to be done about the lack of test centres. I had to travel 2 hours for mine which is just ridiculous. Fortunately I drive so it wasn't much of an issue, but it is a big problem for some people.

He cocked up on that last corner though. Amateur haha yeh ok, you could have done so much better he didnt cock up he rode with self preservation in mind. if not injured there would have been paint swapping going on. i am not a huge rossi fan, yes he is one of the best riders, yes he does win races but i just cant get behind him like others do. but hats off to him this weekend, he has gone up in my estimation now just so glad i swapped depuniet out of my fantasy team on wednesday lmao lol, of course I couldn't, but that doesn't mean I can't criticise. Just adding a bit of balance to the worshipping. You might be right about the self preservation, but I bet going into that last lap he would of been desperate for the podium.