cyclingwilly

My apologies if my post has caused issues and created a situation where threats of physical violence have been mentioned and caused offence/bad feeling among the members. If the Mods prefer, please modify my post or delete it altogether. Thank you. Alan.

Roll back about 6 years ago when I was getting ready to make my first foray/return to two wheels, take lessons and the tests, I had a small win on the lottery, so being a sensible chap, I had a trip to a motorcycle clothing shop in Newcastle and got myself an MT helmet, Akito jacket, trousers and gloves, didn't cost a fortune, but it wiped out my winnings and a few quid more. No problem, I was set up and raring to go. Two days after my first lesson, I had a seizure, my driving license was automatically removed for 6 months, but because of the time it took to get doctors reports and further tests, it was almost a year, but when my license came back, it only showed the car category, I contacted DVLA and was told I'd have to wait 2 years from the episode because of the report from the neurologist, gutted wasn't the word. So I carefully packed away my clothing in a sealed box and placed it in the bedroom cupboard. In early 2017, my ex decided we should split up, so seeing this as an opportunity, I was gone in a flash and set up home in the bungalow I'm still in and very happy with it. Because of the expense of setting up home, it wasn't until earlier this year when I had the finances to start again. Of course, that viral thing was still happening, so doing the CBT and the theory and hazard perception test, this I manged to do in late summer. Because of my disability, I couldn't use the schools bike, so has to search around for a bike that would suit me or could be modified and this took quite a while. Meanwhile, I remembered I had some clothing and went to my old home, where my ex still lives (we get on OK, but I'll never go back to her), I asked her if my gear was still in the cupboard in the bedroom, she just shrugged her shoulders and told me she hadn't touched them. I went upstairs and looked in the cupboard, then looked in the attic and the cupboard under the stairs, nothing. I asked her if she'd moved them, but she denied it, I knew I hadn't touched them and became suspicious. I searched everywhere, but to no avail and had to go and get some new stuff. I now have another Akito jacket, trousers and gloves, plus an HJC C70 Troky from J&S Gateshead for a little over £300. On Friday, I went around to the garage behind the old house to fit a Booster Plug to my Vulcan 650S, I opened the garage door and could have cried, my ex had gone and thrown empty cardboard box after cardboard box into the garage and my bike was covered. Instead of going into the house and starting a raging row, I grabbed a Stanley knife and broke the boxes down to a flatpack state, then had a massive tidy up session. I wheeled the bike out, pulled an old and broken chest freezer out for the scrapman. Then I got started with the big tidy up, there was old furniture in there, it was put outside, the kids toys in carboard and plastic lidded storage boxes, they were all put just inside the door, aftger 3 hours I was making headway, I utilised the empty boxes I'd flatpacked to put boxed games in, kids clothes and general crap, this is all stuff she had promised to give to the local charity shop. I got to the second last box and upon opening it, my hackles rose and I could feel my blood starting to boil, here was the gear I bought 6 years ago. I dragged the box towards the doorway and opened it, every piece had been chewed by a rodent of some sort, jacket, trousers and gloves were ruined and the helmet was just a shell. I walked over to the house and asked her to follow me to the garage, she looked very sheepish and went pale, I pointed to the ruins of my motorcycle clothing and said, "you told me you hadn't seen it and only you have been putting stuff in the garage, so how do you explain this"? She shrugged her shoulders, said nothing, turned and went back in the house, it took every ounce of resolve to not follow her into the house and beat seven shades of shit out of her. In that instance, I decided I was never going to help her in any way every again, I'll also be changing my will tomorrow. This might seem a small event in life, but the fact she's denied all knowledge of where my gear was and it's cost me even more money to replace it, it's really got under my skin. The kids are over 18, the mortgage has been paid off for almost 10 years, I've been helping her out, even though she managed to clean out £32,000 of our (really mine) savings and I've decided she's not getting another penny off me. She's struggling financially, has gotten herself into credit card debt for the third time and has had to get a bank loan for £7,000 to try and pay it off. Sorry for the rant, but I'm really struggling to come to terms with this.

I remember Honda and Guzzi had a dual linked braking system many years ago. I was a member of NABD a few years ago, but they told me they couldn't help me with what I required, so I asked on Facecloth and a guy got in touch and made me a thumb brake to operate the rear brake. He's no longer on there and I cannot remember his name or contact details. I understand that it might not be possible to join brake pipes together as when either lever is used, it would push the fluid into the reservoir that doesn't have any pressure applied to it and it's not possible to fit a non return valve. I'll keep looking. Thank you. Alan.

Good afternoon all, I've done a few lessons on my bike, but with me being a right leg below knee amputee, I'm having problems operating the rear brake, I can use it with my prostheic, but keep forgetting to lift it off the pedal and thus the brake light will be on until I move my foot and because I'm not sure where my foot is positioned, I find myself looking down to my right side regularly to see where it is and this is frowned upon Several years ago I had a thumb brake made to go on my 600 Bandit and it worked perfectly, I also had the rear pedal assembly removed to stop me touching it acccidentaly. Because my mate is insured and uses my bike, I wonder if it's possible to have a system made were the thumb brake and rear brake can be in situ, but also operate independently, that way, I can use the thumb and my mate can use the brake pedal as normal? Does anyone already manufacture a linked unit or can anyone make one for me?

Found one. Thank you.

Thank you fastbob, but I should have said, "I'm looking for an original silver/chrome one", a friend bent the original and don't want to change both. Thank you. Alan.

As above or please pint me in the right direction to find one in the UK.

Where did you get yours from? Just bit the bullet and ordered a 9 from Go Pro, came with an extra battery.

So how does that make the dealers dishonest? Because both dealers told me that they had bikes coming in to stock and when they checked on the database, they would have seen that this was not the case as no bikes were listed, so they lied to me.

I'm not happy, several months ago I approached two dealers to enquire about buying a brand new Vulcan S, I was told that Kawasaki were bringing some into the country in April, April came and went, no bikes, May came and went, no bikes, June came and went, no bikes. So I made a call to both dealers again, reminding them that I was still 100% wanting one, I was promised a call when the bikes arrived. June came and went and still no call, so yesterday I mailed Kawasaki direct, this afternoon they replied, informing me that the next Vulcans to arrive would be the 2022 models and they should hit our shores in later September/early October. I am not happy at all, because of my disability, I need the bike to take my lessons and tests on, which are booked for August and September. I now have to try and search the country to find a decent used bike or cancel my lessons and tests.

Sorted.

As above, what have you?

Eventually got my wish and managed to sit on a Vulcan 650S, tried the Honda CMX500 first, but the foot pegs were too close and I couldn't get comfortable, then a Triumph Speedmaster, fantastic, but very heavy and my insurance wouldn't even consider me for the bike. But the little Kawasaki was perfect, tried the full Ergofit and found a suitable and comfortable seating/footrest position, so the bike is ordered and should be delivered by late July, I might just wait the extra month and have it registered as a 71 plate on September 1st. Happy days.

Good afternoon everyone, after some advice or help if possible, due to my disability (right leg below knee amputation and some surgery), I cannot bend my leg anywhere near 90 degrees, so keeping it on the footrest on a normal bike is a no no. I do have some feeling through the prosthetic and can operate the brake through the sensation I get in the residual limb, from this, the best option for me is a cruiser with forward controls. I wanted to sit on a Vulcan before the last lockdown, but didn't get much feedback from the salesman, nor would he entertain adjusting the Ergo fit system to try and find the best fit for me. He kept looking at his watch, so I got off the bike and left. As I'll be using the bike to take my tests on, is there anyone in County Durham/Tyne & Wear who has a Vulcan I can try or another cruiser like the Honda VT or other Japanese models, I could sit on and find a comfortable ride? I know the Vulcan can be made A2 compliant as it doesn't have the 67bhp minimum, so will be reduced to 47, this will mean after I pass my test, I'll be limited to bikes that have been or can be made A2 compliant, thus reducing my choices, but this doesn't bother me as I'll just be happy to get out and ride. Any help or assistance will be gratefully recieved. Thank you.

I've not had a contract phone for years, I just buy my own now, (nearly always Motorola, currently on a Moto G9 that cost £160) and pay BT £7 a month. So over 2 years it cost me £13.67 per month. No brainer.

Thanks, had a quick peek on Google earth and they look to be about half a mile apart, but I'll have a look next time I'm up there. Jan's Kitchen is a nice little place for a bite if you're passing.

Would that be Jan's coffee shop you're refering to Bender?

My wife asked me if I'd seen the dog's bowl. I said, "I didn't know it could play cricket"!

Left knee down on left hander corners and right knee down on right hand corners.

Thank you for the link Bender, at almost £6,700 +£148, what in do you think in reality should I look at paying or a price point I might be able to get a deal at?

Hi Stu, I've submitted a post regarding the bike that interests me and my choice of the Kawasaki Vulcan 650S might seem an odd option, but after reading my post, the mud might become clearer! Thank you.

Hi all, I'm Alan and new to the fold. I live in the north east, I've just entered my 7th decade and am in the financial situation to be able to get me a bike and enjoy the open road again. Now, I have an quandry, because I'm disabled, I cannot get comfortable or operate the rear brake on a normal road bike due to my leg issue and other disabilites, the main one being the lack of movement in my right leg, I cannot get it to bend anywhere near 90 degrees and therefore onto the footrest of a normal bike. Because of this, I am limited to the type of bike I can ride and operate correctly, I'm also weaker on my right side, so a low centre of gravity and nothing too heavy will have to be on my list of must haves. So I looked at cruisers and have sat on several, the Harleys are nice, but because of the positioning of the air filter on the right side, I cannot get and keep my foot on the right peg, so that rules them out, I have tried others and the only one a really feel comfortable on, is the Kawasaki Vulcan 650S. The question is, should I go for a brand fire new one with the warranty and can add my choice of extras or go for a used one with or without extras? I have noticed that the price of secondhand Vulcans are not much cheaper than new ones and some that are 5-6 years old are only £1,000 to £1,500 less than new. My question might sound stupid, but I really am in the dark and none of my friends are bikers, so I cannot really get a definitive answer or advice to my query. I hope my new learned friends can offer a little advice I can make use of and eventually a purchase. Thank you. Alan.

Thank you Admin, long time biker but also a long time off the road, but this year, that is going to change.