ZS:X Motorbikers!

[Svothe]

I'm supposed to be picking up my first bike in the next few weeks (little 125) and wondered if there were many other motorcyclists in ZS:X and if a rideout some time may be possible?

Thanks,
H

[Svothe]

Got that bike I was talking about

[absw]

I'm not really a fan of motorbikes (I'd rather not be the crumple zone!), but it looks good.

[Svothe]

Haha thanks and yeah there is the obvious safety concern but hey, can't live my whole life in fear so thought whatever I'll do it

[wee drop o' bush]

Haha thanks and yeah there is the obvious safety concern but hey, can't live my whole life in fear so thought whatever I'll do it

Cool
I don't have a bike myself but live only a few miles away from the NorthWest200 race circuit (road races like the IoM TT). The races were last Saturday & there are still a lot of awesome bikes around. There will be until the TT

[deMaccusweil]

Has absw left Zombie Squad :/
Tried sending him a message and got told the user does not exist. (?)

[Svothe]

TODAY. I fell off. It was during training and in a car park.
I dumped the clutch with a lot of revs and wheelied the bike (Accidentally) when rushing a coned out road junction and landed with the bike on it side me underneath. The bikes got a few scratches but just on the plastic panels and I'm fine. Leathers are all intact and I must say the protective gear is fantastic didn't feel a thing!

Thanks,
H

[absw]

Has absw left Zombie Squad :/
Tried sending him a message and got told the user does not exist. (?)

I am very much here.

[fourpaws]

Hey Svothe.. dont worry about falling off bro... I did it on a 500 Honda as I was doing my DAS course... at a junction... with a truck coming towards me... on a wet road... with a bit too much right hand and a lot of nervousness !! LUCKILY I only broke the front brake lever.. which the instructor easily repaired as he had 2 or 3 stored in his bag for just such occasions... but welcome to the 2 wheeled fraternity.. you will NEVER beat the feeling of filtering through a traffic jam with a smug look on your face knowing that you will be getting to your destination a LOT quicker than those in thier tin cans.. dont get me wrong, I do like my cars.. but bikes are FTW !!!

But back OT... heres my lot that Ive had over the past few years...Starting with the old fave, a Kawasaki ZX6R J2...



Followed by the GSXR600 K5... awesome in yellow and black.. I truly loved this bike....



Then onto the GSX650F.. another good touring bike..



Divorce followed so the hooligan element / "lets live dangerously" side of me came out with this beauty... GSXR600 K9



Followed lastly but certainly not leastly by tempering my recklessness with allowing the new Long Haired General on the back... Not my actual bike but I havent got any pics of her here with me... a Honda NC700X.. rides like a dream...



Svothe.. you will buy another bike.. and another after that... its like an addiction ! haha... keep it safe and rubber side down...

'Paws..

[Svothe]

Nice bike(s), been riding mine out and about in the good weather we've had today although the rest of the week and last week where shocking for me. Just rain rain and more rain so not much biking fun :'( I'm already in love with it though, just waiting to do my big-boy test then hopefully up to a 600

[sheddi]

Many moons ago a much younger Sheddi used to run around the local farmland on his Dad's Suzuki TS185.

I still get the occasional longing for a small trailie but for the moment it;s not made it far enough up the "to do" list

[Witch Doctor]

It's not what you ride, it's how you ride it
I've got a 50cc hair dryer that I scoot around on, the fuel consumption is awsome, perfect for the paw.

[Svothe]

Got two hours of bike lessons this week then hopefully on to my test soon Then up to a Kawasaki GPZ500!

[sheddi]

What's involved in getting a bike licence these days, anyway? (I know I could Google it but I'd rather hear how it works in practice!)

If it's any help (and it probably isn't) I've had a car licence (including moped entitlement) since 1980-something so at the very least I know what the signs mean and most of The Highway Code as it applies to motorists

[Svothe]

The normal way to get a Licence:
Do a CBT or Compulsory Basic Training which qualifies you on anything upto a 125cc machine. (Scooter or bike, automatic or manual trans)
The CBT will cover the basic road safety elements, steering the bike, controlling the bike slowly and quickly, safe road riding, highway code, slow manoeuvres etc.. It takes a day and is typically an 'attendance course' as long as you attend and meet the different areas without being dangerous you'll achieve a pass. If you don't pass first time most biking schools offer another days tuition free.

After CBT if your over 21 you can go on to DAS or the Direct Access Scheme, this isn't the way I'm going as I'm only a young'en but this essentially entitles you to ride any size (cc) machine after passing the two part test. To do DAS you will firstly have to pass your Motorcycle Theory test. It's very similar to the car theory test but of course with a greater focus on motorbikes rather than car specific questions. With the theory passed you can move onto your Module 1 which is the off-road skills and manoeuvres part of the test. It takes around 25 minutes and your expected to perform an emergency stop, U-turn, move round a bend slowly, move round a bend quickly, park in a set area, wheel the bike around, perform a cone slalom, two figure of eights and the swerve test. The idea is that your demonstrating the ability to ride the bike at different speeds safely and perform the different movements when you have too. (U-Turns, emergency stops etc..) There is a video on youtube of everything you have to do for the MOD 1. If you pay attention at CBT it really isn't much of a step up.

After your MOD 1 you are then able to go on to the second module of the bike test. The MOD 2. Module 2 is road riding skills and is essentially like the practical driving part of your car test. Your let lose on the roads (with a microphone connecting you to the instructor) and expected to follow a set route and ride around safely. Again this normally lasts between 25-35 minutes (I believe) and is graded with Minors and Majors the same as your car test. Any Majors result in a fail. 5 Minors turn into a major.

I've just had my bike training yesterday and been told to go straight for MOD 1 and MOD 2 and been offered a part ex on my bike for a gorgeous SV650 so hoping to have my Theory done on sept 11 then MOD 1 and MOD 2 finished up that month then on to my big sexy bike

[Svothe]

Got a new bike
Kawasaki GPZ500S - Its restricted to 33bhp but still had it up to 115mph (Not on her majesty's highways of course!) and loving it so far. Getting used less and less now winters kicking in though!

[wee drop o' bush]

Got a new bike
Kawasaki GPZ500S - Its restricted to 33bhp but still had it up to 115mph (Not on her majesty's highways of course!) and loving it so far. Getting used less and less now winters kicking in though!

Cool

[Svothe]

Now saving up to grab myself a Harley Davidson MT350E to use as my off/road survival bike.
http://eshop.lmslichfieldltd.com/epages ... s/LmsL0002
£2000 Army surplus bike. Doesn't sound too bad! The things are virtually indestructible, come with panniers and a gun case and means I can motorcycle all year round. Sounds good to me!

[wee drop o' bush]

You're going to need a bigger garage
Good bikes though

[Svothe]

Wish I had a garage! There all stored in the garden on a newly paved area with covers on haha

[Svothe]

Still Riding! - Just getting ready for summer now

[fourpaws]

Oh were SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO going to see you coming in those leathers ! hahahaha... Hell.. a GPZ500... what Reg is that one then ? Looks in great shape .. Missing my bike now.. did you get that HD off roader ? I looked at one a year or so ago but Im still toying with the idea of a good off road / on road quad for the really bad weather..

[Svothe]

Mines a P-Reg, 1997. 16 years old! Only 12k on the clock though so it hasn't faired badly really and no never got the HD having to pour a tonne of money at the moment into paying bills and debt sadly. Will hopefully start saving once I've got this beastie all prepped and tuned for summer. Not sure whether to go HD or get a proper off-roader. I heard quads are more of a pain to insure for road use? Better it snowy/Icy conditions I would suppose but thats not for that long a part of the year really, and a decent off-road bike can still be used off road in the snow I'd just stay off the tarmac thats all.