AdeyT

A few more bottles and you could finish the rest of the bike

Thanks for that, Already got the parts on order to sort out the generator case and I would prefer to get the fairing repaired/resprayed professionally, found a few places that repair/paint fairing but would appreciate it if someone could recommend somewhere.

Crashed my bike yesterday. Cracked the generator case and made a right mess of the left hand fairing, not cracked but badly scuffed and scraped. Appreciate it if someone could recommend me somewhere to get my fairing repaired/repainted, preferably in the Bradford/West yorkshire area. What kind of money would I be looking at? The bike is a 2001 zr600. Many thanks in advance. Go rest my poorly body now

It's so good I look forward to going to work and am getting up earlier than I should in anticipation of the 10 minute ride to work lol. Far easier to ride than I imagined, I'd say easier and a lot better than the ER-5's I trained on to say it's much bigger, heavier and twice as many horses.

Thank you, roll on Saturday! If you see a guy on a silver/black zzr600 driving up the M1 Saturday morning with a big stupid grin all across his face, you'll know that's me.

Thanks

Firstly I'd like to thank all of you that gave me advice. Just over 10 days since I failed the first attempt on 2 serious faults, leaving right indicator on while exiting a roundabout and doing 30 mph on a 60 mph country lane, and one minor fault for hesitation. Had a couple of hours training just before the test and it was a good job that I did as the first half hour of my training I was riding the bike like I had never been on one before. Soon calmed down though and arrived at the test centre with minutes to spare, my instructor said to just go in and he would sort the bike out so it was facing outwards. I had a different examiner than last time, turned out the first one was filling in for this guys holiday. Did all the documentation etc and was asked the show me/tell questions, pillion and chain. Got fitted with the radio and could hardly hear the examiner, the earpiece had come of my ear while putting the helmet on, then I had to go and get the key of my instructor d’oh nice start so far. The first 20 minutes went passed quickly and surprisingly very smoothly, doing ok so far and I felt quite relaxed. The examiner had me turning into a housing estate and after a few turns I found myself coming to the end of a road and he hadn't give me any directions, it was like an unmarked crossroad but with markings at the end of my road and on the road directly opposite if you know what I mean. Anyway I stopped at the markings, did the observations and went straightforward to the road on the opposite side, this happened a couple of times and I thought, am I doing the right thing here. Turning right on a roundabout I made a point of making sure I switched the indicator from right to left just before exiting the roundabout, I was in the right hand lane of the dual carriageway when coming of the roundabout so did a lifesaver, indicated and switched to the left lane, 100 yards on a learner in a Micra decided to pull out right in front of me, I had to slow down quite fast. Then the learner in the Micra decided to stop altogether. I got a bit flustered but did a lifesaver, indicator and switched to the right lane, thinking I hope I did everything right back there. Rest of the ride was pretty good, but I wasn’t sure if it was good enough. The examiner didn’t say anything except mentioning he had to take a minute to fill out some paperwork. Thought to myself definitely failed, then the examiner very calmly said you’ve passed. Never felt so relieved and so, so happy. Turned out I got six minors, again for hesitation, steering and one for observation timing, my instructor said that’s not bad as that particular examiner does like to rack up the minors. Went and put a large deposit on a ZZR600 the very same day, pick the bike up this coming Saturday! The bike is 85 miles away so a bit anxious but also looking forward to riding it back home.

Judging by the description of yourself , then a trip to Hein Gericke (as suggested) is a good idea. The fit of the HG stuff is quite wide across the shoulders. Hopefully they will fit everywhere else too!! Thanks, going to have a trip there this weekend.

Thanks for the offer but it's not my height that's a problem, I am rather stocky, used to do too much weight training and now I have put on a few pounds so finding comfortable clothing of any kind is a task. I'm from Bradford and it's just too much of a trip to try the jacket on but thanks again anyhow.

Thanks for that, I'll take a look.

Going to buy my first jacket and have my eye on a Weise air spin jacket, but it's a summer jacket and winter's just round the corner so I'm thinking not a good idea. The problem is I have tried on lots of jackets and being short and stocky the jackets I've liked and tried on are either uncomfortable or make me look like something from Judge dredd. I really like the look of the Weise jacket, it's very comfortable and does have a waterproof liner, I will mainly be using the bike for commuting the three miles to work and back but have the option of a car if the weather's really bad. Not knowing much about motorbike clothing I would really appreciate any advice. Thanks

Might be a bit of confusion here, my fault. I know it's quite common for learners to forget to cancel indicators, especially if they're car drivers but let me explain. I was asked by the examiner to go right on a roundabout so I had my right indicator on while going round the roundabout, the mistake I made was leaving it on and not swittching to the left indicator just before I exited the roundabout. What is worrying me is that I never ever had a problem with indicators at all, wether it being choosing the correct one at the correct time or remembering to cancel (I have slight OCD anyway and cancel them every couple of minutes anyhow, not joking). Just hoping I don't do it again, or something similar on my re-test.

Thanks for that

Got my mod 2 retest this week and feeling more nervous than first time around. Failed my 1st attempt by doing 30 in a 60 speed zone and leaving my right indicator on while exiting a roundabout, other than that quite a good ride with just one minor for hesitation. The speed fault was a tricky one, it was a winding country lane approx 1/4 mile long, there were no signs apart from two at the last 100 yards. The examiner did say it's a national speed limit at the start of the road which threw me, I wondered why he had said that and I started looking for the non existent signs. Wouldn't mind but I use that particular road quite often and was sure it was 60, just got flustered, anyway stupid mistake that can easily be fixed, I'm more worried about the indicator fault. I have never ever had any problems with indicators and was surprised when the examiner told me, I didn't even realise unil he said, making me think how easily it is to fail.

First attempt I failed on the swerve by being 2kph too slow D'oh, everything else was spot on. More nervous this time round but kept my head and got it bagged, everything spot on. Mod 2 already booked 25th August. My instructors have mentioned that they think the mod 2 is easier to pass than the mod 1, find out soon.

Great news, my instructor has fitted me back in this coming Friday, just hoping I don't go over the top with the speed on the swerve and mess it up. Got to pass this time.

47 kph on first attempt on swerve and 48 kph on second attempt, everything else was perfect. Now have to wait two weeks to try again. So near, should have taken the first attempt as a warning to go faster second time around but I knew everything else was fine and seeing a another guy knock the cone for six and nearly come off the bike I was just thinking don't mess up and this is in the bag. Failed by 2 kph lol. One good thing is the time spent on the bike training prior to the test and also the ride back afterwards has given me lots more confidence on a big bike, feel a lot more comfortable now and has sorted a few little niggling problems out that I had.

I did question this with my instructor and he said it's just like setting off from the side off the road and you only need to check right. Not sure if my instructor will be watching my test, don't want him thinking I have no faith in his word by checking over each shoulder. The instructor must of given the same advice to lots of students that have passed the mod 1, he does work for a highly recommended school.

Got my mod 1 tomorrow, my question is that my instuctor said that I only need to check over my right shoulder when moving/turning but all the youtube videos I've seen shows the rider checking both shoulders. I have complete faith in my instructor but just getting a little nervous I guess and thought I would question this.

Makes me feel a lot better knowing I'm not the only one lol, I have a nasty habit of using the front brake at low speeds and also being too heavy handed with the front brake making me unbalanced a bit. I think my main problem is nerves and my head working overtime especially aproaching a junction, all the observation, signal, manoeuver, position, lifesaver on top of braking and selecting the right gear, at the moment it's not natural and I'm having to go over it all in my head when aproaching a junction, seems a lot to think about and do in such a short time and with the nerves on top. I'm sure it will all come in time. Roll on next Friday, a bit more training and then the mod 1 test.

Firt time on the 500cc and first training session for my mod 1, rode from the school to the training area ok-ish, did all the slow riding really well to say I thought I would have a problem balancing, then on the way back, just about to turn right at a junction the bike stalled as I set off, I was looking left and the bike leaned over to the right and dropped. I was pretty much at a standstill when the bike went over, it was so heavy all I could do was take some of the weight. It was the schools bike and had the protective bars on and as I had some of the weight as it went over, there was no damage, the instructor was ok with it and said it was nothing but I felt a complete idiot. I know that the problem was not looking in the direction that I was turning. Got another training session and then the mod 1 test this coming Friday, have to rememder to look where I'm going.

Thanks for all the replies, I start my training on Sat and probably/hopefully find it easier than what I imagine.

Hi all, Got the CBT and theory in the bag and mod1 booked for next week, start training on an ER5 this weekend. I have limited previous experience on bikes, mainly off-road and only upto 250cc and this was 20 years ago in my teens. I have been told bigger bikes are easier to ride, I did ok on the 125cc but looking at video clips of the mod 1 test I think keeping balance on the slalom, figure eight and u-turn is going to be my biggest challenge. Any tips will be greatly appreciated.