Aaron

Wotcha.

My manual says i should have 25 - 35 mm. Does this mean sloppy slack, or total? what I mean is that if i push the chain up with my finger it moves about 30mm. But if I push a little harder i can move it further (about another 10mm), but the further movement is not entirely 'sloppy', if you catch my drift? It requires a little more force (still just using a finger though).

Ta.

Turning: mirror -> signal -> blind spot(shoulder) check -> move to that side of the road (if it's wide enough for you + cars to continue past) -> 2 seconds before the turn do a lifesaver (a big look) -> make the turn -> cancel your signal -> accelerate up to speed out of the danger zone -> check your mirrors.

At roundabouts: turning left or right - as above. Another look before you exit for a right hander.

Going straight over, do a lifesaver to whichever side the other lane is (usually to the right unless the left lane is left turn only) when entering and before leaving (to make sure noone is cutting straight over the roundabout instead of going around it and will cut you up).

I typically checked both sides, but id rather get a minor for too much than a fail for missing more than 3 required ones.

Mirrors fairly regularly in general. Move your head, not just your eyes, so he can see it. Check them very regularly on the dual carriageway as cars will be doing 100mph at times.

Check your mirrors when approaching something that could cause you to slow or stop, like traffic, or a pedestrian crossing, etc. The idea being if you see a huge truck with it's tyres smoking, screaming up behind you, you might decide to ditch your ride, or mount the pavement, or something

The thing is it's just that people aren't exposed to bikes very often, and have no idea what it's all about. You see so few of them you don't think, and you're exposed to your parents, when you're young, calling them "bloody bikers" etc, so you naturally assume that they're just reckless.

Because it's an alien concept it takes a while to convince people that it's perfectly sensible and decent to let a bike squeeze through and get to the front. Once you explain that they cause less congestion, more environmentally friendly, and can make progress faster, and that if you let them pass they'll soon be long gone and won't cause you any delay, then they slowly start to realise that it makes no sense to block someone from passing, just because you're stuck. It takes them a while to understand that they get that privelage by trading away a nice warm/waterproof cabin. And it takes them a while to realise that the reason they have to queue in traffic is because they've made the choice to drive 4 empty seats around with them.

The problem we face is that unless a car driver has someone to explain this to them, most will always experience anger at bikers "jumping" the queue, and squeezing though traffic.

I think that because the typical driver sees riding as being very dangerous, they then naturally think that the rider is a lunatic, and therefore is more than likely doing something stupid.

Hmm... Long rant.

She enjoys that. Gotta think of something else

DAS will include CBT if you don't already have one. As far as I remember I didn't NEED a theory certificate until mod1, although i already had it.

Forgot to mention... you'll need to do the theory test, some training as necessary for the 2 practical tests, and the tests themselves. Module1 is off road around cones and stuff. Module2 is on the road.

Module 1 costs about £15 and module 2 costs about £75.

Training costs will vary depending on whether you need to borrow a bike, etc, and how much training you need.

To go above the 125 you need to get a full licence. If you're 21 or over you can do it on a bike over a certain power (normally a 500cc) and then when you pass you can ride anything you like (Direct Access Scheme). Alternatively, if you're younger or dont want to do the DAS, you can do your test on your 125 and then you can go up to something like 33 horsepower (restricted). After 2 years you are then unrestricted and can again ride anything you like.

Anyone please correct me if i'm wrong.

Here's a little bit of inside info for any young riders (as in age - only been riding a few weeks myself) who might not have already realised how the typical car driver views bikers:

I was talking to my girlfriend the other day, who obviously knows I ride a bike, and she was telling me how she gets so angry when bikes filter because "they're cheating" o.O and "why should I have to check for bikes in my mirrors? If they want to cheat then it's bad luck if they crash".

BE VERY AFRAID!

If he's ex police instructor then maybe that'll explain it. They're all into appearance as well as actual riding. They don't like the public to hear clonky gear changes and racing engines etc. So maybe he likes third because it wont sound like you're gunning it. Because you're not : )

Was it this thursday (today)? How did it go?

Hey. I started my DAS course having never sat on a motorbike before. HAd i thought about it and researched all the info earlier i'd probably have done a cbt and ridden a 125 for a while first, but by the time i decided to try out this biking shizzle it was getting cold and I wanted to get qualified quickly so that i could make the most of the good weather when it arrived.

I booked a 6 session course. CBT, 125, 500, 500, mod1, mod2.

I ended up doing CBT, 125, 125/500, 500, 500, mod1, mod1, mod2, mod2. I would, however, say that the timescale of 6 sessions is still not at all unrealistic, for the following reasons:

Extra 125/500 session:

The extra 125/500 session was because the instructor who took me for my first 125 session (who was standing in for the regular guy) said i needed another session to work on my clutch control. It sounded odd to me at the time, but whatever. In reality i think i was jus a bit nervous because the CBT was so rainy that i only really spent about an hour on a bike. Then, for that first 125 session, we started late because the other learner was hiding in his car from the rain Fanny. So I had less time with bum on seat than i should have. When i did the next session with the regular guy he said, after an hour, "Your clutch control looks fine to me *shrug*. Lets get the 500 out!"

Extra Mod1:

I was REALLY nervous and put a foot down on the slalom because i went way too slow. All of mod 1 is so easy normally, when noone is watching. So if you're not the nervous type (mostly nervous because i'm spending money on bike lessons that the other half would like to spend on holidays ) then that was an extra session that wasn't really necessary.

Extra Mod2:

My riding was fine. I just made a poor judgement, making a car slow down, which would also have caused me to fail a car test, which i've been driving for 12 years. It's one of those stupid mistakes which isn't really reflective of how many lessons you've had.

So, IF you disregard silly nerves and silly mistakes, the 6 session course probably IS feasible. Ofcourse that just means you have a licence. Not that you are actually any good at riding

This still all took me over 2 months though because of the damned snow & ice :s

Good effort.

Good luck!

Sounds odd to me. I did it on a Kawasaki er-5. Used second gear. Considering you may (or may not) be very new to riding, there isn't really that much time once you come out of the bend to stick it in third, AND concentrate on hitting the right speed. Second will do it easily. Infact, i remember my instructor saying i could go well past 60 (mph) in second. Not that I would do though.

Further to that, with reduced engine braking (in third instead of second) you'll need to use the brakes more and concentrate on not locking anything up. And then, if you forget to take it back down to first afterwards it'll pose more of a problem for you when you try to pull away. If you do it all in second, and forget to come down to first, then you'll still be able to pull away easily in second.

I suppose, just like anything else, just because someone is experienced and and expert doesn't mean they can't have the odd funny idea here and there

I was looking at the Ninja250 too. Then after a couple of sessions on the 500cc for the DAS, i realised that it's really nothing to worry about. As long as you got control of that clutch you'll be fine. Bigger, heaver bike was WAY easier to ride than the 125. Then i also noticed that the insurance for the er6 (650cc) was actually the same, or cheaper, than the 250 (for me at least), so i bought an er6f. Just rode it home (at 55mph all the way :s Damned running in....) about 2 hours ago. Definately more powerful than the 500cc, but still nothing to worry about having spent some time on the 500.

If you're worried about the power, being new, then maybe do the DAS and you might be surprised by the confidence you'll gain. If it comes down to cost then that might be different. But I don't think the price difference between the 250 and er6 is enormous.

Was your 'off' at the practise center due to poor choice/use of brake?

Just asking because it makes me nervous when i read stories of people falling off

You have to do the DAS tests on the larger bike. Typically a 500cc. You're not allowed to ride that many HP on your own, so you then have to pay for an instructor to accompany you. If you live half an hour from the mod1 test center then thats an hours worth in travel. plus 20 minutes of test/paperwork, plus the 20 minutes at least of spare time (getting there early so you dont miss it and waste all that money). Add on a few minutes either end where you actually turn up, say hi, warm up the bike, get your gear on and set off. That's 2 hours worth of 'tuition'. In reality my travel time was nearer 40 minutes each way. I had to book a whole 4 hour session (that's the only way they came) but that meant i had enough time for about an hour of practise first.

Module 2 is getting on for an hour of test time, for which you still have to pay for bike hire, accompanyment, etc. Plus the time you take to poodle over there, etc (Module 2 i could do in my home town). That's more of a rip off because you're unlikely to actually spend 4 hours on a bike, but i kinda understand it because you're still stopping someone else from booking a whole morning/afternoon session. I think it would be nice though, if after the test, you could use up the remaining time practising overtaking tractors or something you've not done much of so far.

Anyhow, it's essentially the fact that you can't ride that size of bike on your own that makes it expensive.

I just passed DAS on Friday. I'd never even sat on a motorbike before, so i did a 6 session course like this:

1 - CBT

2 - 125cc

3 - 500cc

4 - 500cc

5 - Module 1

6 - Module 2

Cost was £750 (4 hour sessions, bike, damage waiver, gear, test fees)

I failed Mod1 first time (£150 to try again)

I failed Mod2 first time (£204 to try again)

So in total i guess I spent about £1100 learning.

Just spent £250 on a helmet + £170 on textile jacket/trousers. £80 on gloves. Yet to buy 'proper' boots.

£411 on comprehensive insurance from Caroll Nash (I'm 29 and passed test few days ago ).

So, you should be able to save some cash, having ridden before, but beware how much it *could* cost if you have to retry any tests. Being a DAS course you can't just rock up on your own bike and pay 15 quid for a quick module1 retest. I also think £204 for mod2 retest is a bit of a rip considering that, depending the time of the test, you could only be on a bike for less than 2 hours.

I managed to get some overtime so i'm not sad anymore about the extra cost : ) I'll be doing the overtime with a smile, looking forward to getting out on another ride.

Failed Mod2 Examiner said it was a good run, apart from the failure:

Approaching one of those traffic calming things that block off your half of the road so you have to give way. Didn't see oncoming car because of cars parked behind the sticky-out bit. As I moved into the center of the road, where i'd have just started be be able to see the oncoming car, another car started reversing off a driveway which took my attention. By the time I then noticed the oncoming car I made the decision that I was already committed and went ahead. The oncoming car, which I think was going faster than i'd estimated, had to slow down and I failed

Positive side is that i'd have failed that in a car also, so there's no problem with my riding, as such. Negative side is £204

Next time i'll be extra careful when my view is restricted. Better to get a minor fault for hesitation than a serious fault for being too hasty.

Hi. Just passed Mod1 , eventually, after being postponed a few times due to the snow. I won't post the whole experience as it's much the same as everyone elses, but I thought i'd mention a couple of things:

1) 'Swerve test' - It's easy peasy and totally not dangerous at all. The amount you have to swerve is tiny and tbh, someone who can't achieve it shouldn't be thinking about riding on the road just yet anyway. I'm talking here about the general principal of the swerve. If you hit a cone or miss the speed, something it's not a big deal. Better luck next time. It seems to me that everyone who's hurt themselves has either locked the back wheel or grabbed a handful of front, mid-swerve. You get quite a long space to stop in anyway, and today a guy before me only got a minor for not stopping in the box completely (i got a minor for locking the back wheel briefly while trying to stop in the box). So chillax, stay away from the brakes during the swerve, and it'll be a breeze

2) Take your time. I failed my first Mod1 beginning of December because I rushed myself and got all nervous and flustered at being examined (it's a big deal to fail when a retest will cost £150 if you have to travel and aren't doing it on a 125). I put a foot down (quite heavily) on the slalom. My solution this time, knowing how easy the test is after already seeing it the first time, was to gently talk to myself before each maneuvre "ok, relax. Nice and casual....". It slowed me down and gave me time to think and not get flustered. The examiner isn't going to rush you. You can afford a few deep breaths before each maneuvre.

Anyhow, thought to reiterate what others have said before might help someone who's a bit nervous in general, and about the dreaded 'SWERVE TEST' !!! in particular.

Mod2 on Friday!

Thanks for the input : ) Now i just need to actually get a test date that doesn't get cancelled. There was me thinking that learning in winter would be quicker as everyone wants to stay in the warm :s

Ta.

Thanks guys. I changed my mind about waiting, and have managed to get hold of a bike (sign papers this weekend) and saved some cash. They'll hold onto it for me 'till i pass my test.

I've got, maybe, a dumb question so I thought the newbie section is a good place to go ahead and ask

I've been reading about breaking/running in a new engine. Sounds like the user manuals tend to just say stay below so many revs for so long, but lots of people are saying to put some strain on the engine. I'm guessing that means that really one should cycle between alot of throttle and closing the throttle, while still staying below the suggested rev limits?

Further to that, all the articles say to use non-synthetic oil during the break-in period. Is it typical for new bikes to contain mineral based oil to start with? or should i change it to be sure?

Figured i'd ask the dumb questions here rather that at the dealership in order to minimise my vulnerability to being ripped off as much as possible : )

Cheers.