dimmers

i would only put your left foot down and keep your right on the back brake. one other thing i heard is that its best to put the bike in neutral as well when the examiner is talking to you in between sections of the course. shoulder checks are one of the biggest things to remember, everytime you pull away, and don't forget to do a lifesaver just before you start to turn on the u-turn. best of luck

congratulations!

i bought a pair second hand off ebay, very good boot, and waterproof. they are quite a narrow boot though in the foot, and because of that i made sure i went for a half size bigger than my normal shoe size (normally a 9, so went for a 9.5). Other people i know have also commented on the Sidi boots being quite a narrow fit, so keep this in mind. and yes, room for large calf muscles

doesn't say how thick the leather is. You would want it to be at least 1.1 mm - 1.4 mm thick. i'd always be careful with buying stuff off ebay, especially non branded gear. Yeah, they may be a good price, but they might be worse off at protecting you than your current RST textiles. also with leathers, it is important (so i've been told) to make sure you go and try the stuff on before you buy as the sizes really vary from brand to brand.

Not sure if anyone else does this, but when i was learning i'd always think 'NOS' when i'd finished a lesson and was about to get off the bike, or before getting on the bike. Neutral, (engine)Off, Stand can use it for starting off in the morning as well.... neutral, on, stand. thought it might be of use to someone. Anybody else do this while learning?

i have some sartso kevlar jeans, great bit of kit to have. at minimum, helmet, jacket, back protector, gloves, boots and kevlar jeans. (so pretty much everything) only thing missing is knee protection from the kevlar jeans. i can see your problem though, as if you don't have the option to wear something else and you've only got your leathers, then i'd say wear the leathers everytime you're on your bike until you can get around to buying some kevlar jeans or textiles.

congratulations! well done

did you pass?

very true, concentrate all the way up until you've turned off the engine and have got off the bike. heard of one person who failed their test right at the end, as they didn't put the stand down correctly and dropped the bike in the test center car park!

just come across this via a link in another thread, thanks very much!!

try a different school mate, they should book it for you and sort it all out (well at least thats what mine did)

there's a place near to Winchester that has bike meets every Wednesday night... http://www.loomies.co.uk/meets.htm probably get some useful info if you turn up one Weds.

took me about a month, but that's only because i failed my mod 2 first time round, so there's no reason why you can't get it done in about 2 weeks if everything goes well, or even quicker than that like someone has already said. but again, like other people have said, it all depends how you get on and how well your take to riding. best of luck

i've heard Sidi boots tend to be quite narrow compared to some other brands of boots.

sorry to hear that! mod 1 is so hit and miss. you'll pass next time for sure as you know what to expect. my instructor gave me a useful tip, and it went along the lines of trying to imagine something resting underneath the rear break lever, that would break easy with too much pressure (the exact image he gave me only applies to blokes though, i'm sure you can work it out... ouch! but worked for me)

you're right, i'm probably breathing the wrong way. Dam, i thought i had that whole breathing thing sussed out after being alive for 30 years!

Hope it goes well..... You'll probably love it Went really well - I was worried about a 500 until I'd been on it for 20 mins!! i'm really impressed you were riding round on the 500 so quickly! first i've ever heard of someone doing that nice one!

if he's anything like me, even riding with the visor open a notch doesn't work. Has to be open at least a few inches to stop the fogging, and then you get blurry eyes from the cold wind. i don't go anywhere without my catcrap now

Catcrap no seriously, i got some last week, works great, you just have to apply it quite frequently and make sure once you've rubbed it on your visor to buff it off properly with a dry cloth. i can ride all the way to work with the visor down, even when i'm sitting in traffic http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/CatCrap-antifog-motorbike-helmet-visor-goggles-dotw-/250713706471?pt=UK_Motorcycle_Helmets&hash=item3a5fb38fe7 edit - a good review: http://www.webbikeworld.com/r2/motorcycle-helmet-visor-anti-fog/

slight thread hijack... but i've heard good things about these boots, do you recommend them then? Ride gave them a great review i think.

is that guy giving the thumbs up???

get some boots off ebay! i managed to get some Sidi evo boots (retail £150) for £35, and they were in good condition and will do me for a few years at least. i did find (after some research) that it's best to buy Sidi boots a half size bigger than your current shoe size. I'm normally a size 9, and the 9.5 i bought fits me great. some bargains to be had... http://shop.ebay.co.uk/i.html?rt=nc&LH_Auction=1&_nkw=sidi+boots&_dmpt=UK_Motorcycle_Boots&_trksid=p3286.c0.m301 edit: if you don't mind second hand that is.

i'm really happy with my RST textile gear, but can't really comment on their leathers. Although they did get a good write up in an edition of Ride a few months back (the 2 piece leathers), so good value for money, they even beat quite a few better known (and more expensive) brands.

i wonder what kind of bike the person who buys this helmet would ride??

just came across this... http://www.sportsbikeshop.co.uk/motorcycle_parts/content_prod/63110 surely no one would buy this???