klingelton

I got the RST waterproof touring boots and they were BLOODY SHITE! the sole is made out of a soft rubber compound and with shifting down gear, I'd worn a hole in it in less than a month. 6 months gave breed to a much larger hole and 8 months rendered them unusable. pointless. I'm on a set of alpinestars now - much more money, but much better quality.

Unlucky. The examiner on my mod 1 warned me that he had a bad back, so didn't want to be bending down to pick up cones! I didn't disappoint him! Better luck next time.

for the £100 you pay someone else, you can buy the tools to do it yourself. Teach a man to fish...

take a look at wemoto.com - they usually have a couple of different priced/quality chains to chose from and are reasonably priced. (I should work for those guys!)

Personally I see very little wrong with this. His feet touch the pegs and he's mad keen on bikes, let his dad assess the risk and take him out for a little spin. Thing is, we're all quick to point out others foibles when it comes to parenting, however I dare-say that others judge us all the time. the only 1 time I've felt the need to intervene was when a 5 year old was steering a BMW convertible while sat unsecured on his dad's lap. The little lad waved at me after I'd given his dad a little grilling as well - which demanded a wave back!

I like to check my mirrors fairly regularly so i know what/who is coming up behind me. I don't like to be startled by some yob in a pimped out vauxhall nova as he overtakes me at 3 times the speed of sound. As per life savers. changing lanes? life saver. setting off? life saver. at traffic lights? life savers. any situation where someone or something might sneak into that area where you're putting yourself - check that area. also, life saver before leaving roundabouts (over left shoulder) and moving out for parked cars. when changing speeds (slowing down), use your mirrors to check it's safe to do so. Always be mindful of what's behind you. for mod1, treat the park as you would a road (the examiner will probably remind you to do this). That means life savers over BOTH shoulders. Good luck and have fun learning to ride!

not like it's a million quid to replace both. Personally, I wouldn't mix

get that 125 and practice your u-turns and fig-8s for your mod 1. you will be taking it soon, i can guarantee that! Well done that man.

+1 to you! love that you're thinking clearly about this and not with your pocket. I love that you're willing to take as much instruction as you feel you need in order to be safe. Remember though that the bulk of your learning comes from getting out there and doing. you'll learn more in 2 hours on your own than any instructor will teach you.

depends also how the bike was sold to you. If the dealer said "this bike is a fixer, there are a list of problems as long as my arm" you should have no comeback. If it was Mike Brewer selling a duffer as new, you have a strong case. take it back!

it'll click and you'll be fine. Don't rush -we all started somewhere (I was terrible on my CBT day as well!)

Agreed. Unless you feel you need the experience, skip out the 125 step. Just see how you go when you go for CBT...

Or strip and clean carbs. Might be a job now for next month if you're brassic

I use the WD40 chain care products. I find them to be a little cheaper than the muc off/castrol stuff, but every bit as good. I got a big bottle of cleaner stuff a little while ago (not the muc off stuff, but a similar premise) and it was great for a quick clean of the bike. being a daily rider, it picks up a lot of crud quickly and a quick clean is essential. What it doesn't do is keep the bike clean like some other products. it seems to attract dirt!

List! (or the problems don't exist!)

Good luck buddy, not that you need it

I'd have been tempted to pull over and let her pass...

doesn't pain to check chain tension once a week when you're lubing everything. If you're an all year rider, you should be giving everything a once over once a week anyway. have your gear changes been snatchy and loud this last week or so?

the twat who moved left off a 2 lane exit roundabout into my lane, nearly on top of me, then brake tested me because i used my horn to alert him of my presence. You are a twunt.

I know the same bloke down the pub that claims never to use his rear brake. Never seen him on his bike though. The guy with the 200mph CB500? That's his son. His dad has the r1 as is quicker than guy Martin around the tt.

I heard a bloke down the pub say you should always ise 70:30... I know the same bloke down the pub that claims never to use his rear brake. Never seen him on his bike though.

effectively the compression on the front brake into the tarmac is what facilitates your braking. and true, discs on the front are far more effective than if you're unfortunate enough to have drums on the rear. that said. i have discs on the back and they do very little!

My boss has those boots. they look the dogs wassits.

There's hardly any stopping power on the rear, this is especially true on larger machines. I've heard the rear brake called a "control brake" in the past. That's not a bad description. Point is, you should be getting used to applying different levels of bias to your different anchors for different conditions and speeds and course changes. Example: you should do all your braking coming into a corner. however if you've over cooked it, you can apply a little rear to slow the bike. Don't expect things to be drastic, but it could be the difference between seeing the other side of a hedge and not. alternatively, you do it wrong - over cook it - lock up your rear and your back end washes out. anyway - get into the habit of doing your braking before the turn. In normal conditions, your bias should be around 80% front, 20% rear. As been spoken about anything below walking pace should be done nearly entirely on the rear. you can tickle the front if you need to (i.e. it's not exclusively), however a motorcycle articulates at the front, you've seen a lorry jack knife, a bike will do the same! I've seen learners using their front brakes in traffic situations, and it looks snatchy and not smooth. It's quite refreshing not to have a counter steering or nodding thread!