So, motorcyclists......talk to me...!

Discussion in 'Others' started by Spuffington, Mar 29, 2016.

  1. Spuffington
    Offline

    Spuffington Staff Member Admin Site Supporter

    Joined:
    Jul 31, 2015
    Messages:
    2,398
    Likes Received:
    1,477
    Location:
    Frankfurt am Main, Germany
    Ratings:
    +1,865 / 1 / -3
    So, I've had a "healthy" interest in motorbikes for as long as I can remember. My Dad had, I think, a CB250 when I was a youngster and used to commute from the Essex Suburbs into the City for many years until one too many spills had him quit and sell it. But there was nothing I used to enjoy more than sitting on his warm bike when he got back home (the smell of warm oil & petrol has never left me) and wearing his motorcycle helmet and high-vis shoulder & waist band even though it swamped me. :love:

    Between the ages of 10-15 I would ride my Cousin's Yamaha DT125 offroad up in Yorkshire, greenlaning and was desperate to embark on my CBT and motorcycle license when I was 16 but after one of my schoolmates died riding a Moped, my Mum put pay to that and ever since, every successive girlfriend has frowned on the idea. :( My wife was fine with it (she's an avid pillion passenger) but I never got around to it other than about 5months before my daughter was Born, when I "nearly" did my Direct Access with a good mate of mine, but got worried about killing myself before getting to know my daughter.

    Soo - fast forward to my Birthday last week and I mentioned to my wife about popping over to Camrider in Sawston, Cambs (just down the road from us). They run a 45mins "taster" session, which I thought might be nice to do for my Birthday. ;) Wife agreed (she's also aware of how many issues of "Ride" I've been reading recently) and when we got there, they said that they don't really run these sessions, but rather suggest people do the CBT instead as there's more time to get to know the bike and see if it's something for them rather than basing it on 45mins. Wife agreed this was fine and I'm going to book it in the next few weeks. I view this as a precursor to doing my Direct Access. (y)

    What's changed? Good question. Don't know whether it's the start of a mid-life crisis (3yrs from 40) and concerned about ticking things off a bucket list, a kind of "now or never" or whether it's part of an increased self-confidence where I think we should just do the things we want to do as life's too short. The big thing about biking is whether you artificially shorten your life expectancy by doing it though! :whistle:

    Anyway, in my head, my view is to at least do the CBT. If I enjoy it as much as I used to and I'm half competent at it, then I'll do my Direct Access. As to getting a bike? I kinda think it's the natural progression. Whilst Mrs G loves biking, there's no way the pair of us would go out on it together until our daughter is at least old enough to fend for herself (god forbid something were to happen to us), but hopefully it does prepare us for the future where we've always planned to tour Europe on a big touring bike during our retirement (or close to it). In my mind I have BMW F800GS as a first "big bike" and seems to be a popular choice.

    So, to the bikers on here - what were your reasons for doing it? Experiences made? Issues / accidents / regrets / plans? Tell all.....

    Also any advice for a novice (given my experience is 20yrs ago, I can hardly call myself anything other than a novice!)?
     
  2. Mieke
    Offline

    Mieke WARLORD Site Supporter

    Joined:
    Sep 8, 2015
    Messages:
    3,012
    Likes Received:
    1,106
    Location:
    Cheshire
    Ratings:
    +2,318 / 2 / -0
    I've been riding motorcycles since I was 16 and, like you, the inspiration was my Dad. Not that he ever encouraged me to start riding. Quite the opposite, he did in fact forbid me from buying one, which was another reason I went out and purchased a Triumph Tiger Cub. ;) It all started when I was around 12 years of age. My father had an Excelsior twin 250 cc two stroke and, when he was at work, myself and a couple of friends would quietly push it down the road to a country lane and used to take turns in zipping up and down. He initially couldn't understand why the fuel tank was leaking, but he eventually put two and two together and I was grounded.:oops:

    So over the past 5 decades I've owned a multitude of motorcycles, but for the last 20 years have all been BMW's. They've been great machines but I would say that the older the BMW models, the higher the quality of construction. Some of the latest models have been plagued with reliability issues. I would say that motorcycling has been a big part of my life and has given great enjoyment, exhilaration and camaraderie with like minded biker mates. (y) My brother got his license 10 years ago at the age of 50 by the direct access route and started with a 500 cc Kawasaki ER6. Followed a couple of years later by a Suzuki 650 cc V-Strom, but he's since dropped down in capacity to a Suzuki 250 cc twin used for commuting. He has never been that confident on two wheels, and when we've gone on ride outs, I've invariably had to pull over and wait for him. So being on a big bike isn't for everyone.

    As a first bike I would have recommended something of no more than 650 cc. A BMW F800GS is the maximum that I would consider for the first couple of years until you develop your riding skills. It's still a big heavy bike and will take some handling, especially at slower manoeuvring speeds. A GS is also quite a tall bike with a high seat. I'm not sure how tall you are, but check out how easy it is to put your feet on the ground. I've ridden GS's and personally don't like the bolt upright riding position. All the body weight is supported through the backside or feet, with very little on the arms. Coming from sports bikes originally, I've been used to leaning forward on a bike and taking some weight through the arms. The R850R roadster that I have at present, is slightly lean-forward which enables me to take some weight through the back of my thighs, which can help minimise fatigue during a day's riding. So I would suggest looking at a Roadster if the GS is too tall. Another similar adventure style bike is the Honda NC750X. I haven't ridden one, but the road testers really rate it as a mid range motorcycle. Very economical and comes with the option of a semi automatic DCT gearbox, which could be a real benefit as a new rider. Another bike which gets a good write-up is the Triumph Street Twin 900 cc with a fairly mildly tuned engine (54 Bhp) and is a retro roadster style that would be easy to handle. Plus new OTR price of only £7350. I would try to get a test ride on various types of motorcycle and see what feels right.

    The other thing that I would mention is safety. There are far more hazards on todays roads than when I started riding. We just used to look out for Volvo drivers, but nowadays every other commuter is busy scanning his social media sites rather than looking at the road ahead. So a motorcyclist (and cyclist) is far more vulnerable than the rest of the traffic. With that in mind, I would recommend taking an advanced course as soon as possible after passing your test. A CBT will only give you the basics, and the Direct Access system will teach you some skills,but mainly what you need to know to pass the test. Local police forces used to run a course called Bikesafe which is normally done by a team of police motorcyclists. It's only a short course of approx. 4 or 5 hours lectures, followed by a one to one rideout with a police rider for a couple of hours. I think I paid £35 for the course which includes a copy of the police riders manual 'Roadcraft'. They are the safest riders on the roads and will point out all of the main hazards to consider that will keep you in one piece. The IAM (Institute of Advanced Motorists) also have good courses for 2 and 4 wheels.

    Anyway Spuff, good luck with whatever you decide, and just remember to keep it 'shiny side up' (and 'rubber side down'). :D
     
    • Informative Informative x 1
  3. Spuffington
    Offline

    Spuffington Staff Member Admin Site Supporter

    Joined:
    Jul 31, 2015
    Messages:
    2,398
    Likes Received:
    1,477
    Location:
    Frankfurt am Main, Germany
    Ratings:
    +1,865 / 1 / -3
    That's brilliant stuff, thank you @Mieke - invaluable Information to get going with.

    Safety is my number 1 priority - obviously. But evenmoreso since with a 3yr old daughter, I sometimes feel I'm being somewhat irresponsible even considering it. But at the same time, I've still got my life to live and plenty of other people ride motorbikes whilst being parents, so it's not like I'm the first. But I've always taken road safety seriously and did my IAM certificate and got RoSPa Gold Award for car driving and I've been a regular commuter cycling 30miles each way into City of London and back, so I'm quite road savvy. However, the first thing I will do once I have my license is do as much advanced rider training as possible.

    Also really useful info on bikes too. RIDE magazine seem to advocate the BMW F800 as a first big bike, even if indirectly, plus the BMW Training Outfit over in Royston, Herts. But it's good to get first-hand advice on what other people ride or have ridden and the various pitfalls of particular models. I'd like something a little off-road biased, mainly because I live down quite a long farm track which isn't well surfaced but take the point the weight is not where you necessarily want it as a first-timer so will need to consider that. However, that's getting a little ahead of myself.

    I'm hopefully doing my CBT with a good mate of mine. For as long as I've known him, we've been talking about doing DA together and when he had a chance to do it during a period of redundancy in 2008, he failed his CBT through lack of clutch control. That really wrecked his self-confidence so we're both hoping that with some moral support and a supportive training environment, we can get him over the line. We're looking at using Camrider in Cambridge which appears to have a really good reputation and also relationship with the DSA, plus they have IAM Observers in their Instructor Staff. They were certainly friendly and helpful when I popped by last week. They also said they were quite flexible about training and during the CBT, the instructor would gauge how well you handle the bike so that they can then give guidance on the best choice for further training; i.e. whether to go straight onto one of their 600s rather than doing a further day on the 125 or whether they think you're capable enough of doing the DA in 4, 5 or 6 days of training.

    I'm hoping to book the CBT for mid-April. I'll either keep this tread updated or start another one with my Progress and also hope @The CO can add some pearls of wisdom too! ;)

    But thanks again @Mieke, really appreciated. :)
     
    • Like Like x 1
  4. The CO
    Offline

    The CO Staff Member Admin

    Joined:
    Jul 26, 2015
    Messages:
    1,621
    Likes Received:
    786
    Location:
    West Berkshire
    Ratings:
    +1,168 / 2 / -3
    Ah, bikes. Love or loathe them they do get under your skin! The ironic thing is that I'm thinking of selling my current bike and walking away from bikes for a while, more about that later!

    First up, I have no experience of the CBT or Direct Access route as I did my test with the Army on battered Harley Davidsons, probably not the best thing to do your lessons and test on what with being dark green and candles for a headlight. Still I passed (quite well apparently) so it's all good. I would say that as much riding experience as possible before your test will be invaluable but I think you know that anyway. Your mortality on a bike is something that can never be ignored and it always makes me chuckle when people say they won;t ride because they'll kill themselves which is complete cobblers unless you ride like Guy Martin everywhere of course. Truth is, you have such a heightened sense of self-preservation, self-awareness and anticipation that you mitigate that risk significantly but this has to be absolutely coupled with your own ability. Little point in exercising caution if you're going to smash around everywhere at 100mph. You can't mitigate against everything of course and chances are you'll have more near misses than you do in your car and of course you will always come off worse if you do have a bang.

    I'm quite a private person and I'm happy in my own company and I'm also quite happy to go on a ride out alone and just enjoy it for the pleasure of riding. However, last year I got really bored with going out on my own. Biking is quite a social thing and unfortunately all of my mates, bar one, are just not into bikes. The one chap, his wife won't have it (he has a three year old too) although she has said that she'll let him hire a bike for a holiday but that's it. Hardly spontaneous! Your big bonus is that you've got a mate to do it with which is just perfect, couldn't ask for more really and when you both pass it'll be huge fun for you both.

    Bike choice is hugely personal and it can be incredibly difficult finding the right one. I started off on a 600 but got fed up wringing the nuts off it to get anywhere, they can be quite tiring in some respects although the V-Storm is a good bet. It's not unlike cars, if you can't wait for the weather to get better so you can get out on it then you've probably found the right one, or at least one that is close to it. I've had Harleys, Suzukis, Yamahas and now a BMW boxer twin Sports Tourer. It's fine, there's nothing wrong with it and its low down torque makes for a swift if not fast ride but it doesn't fire my rockets emotionally so I'm going to sell it soon. Trouble is, I don't know what to replace it with or whether to replace it at all as I think I managed about 200 miles last year. Comes back to my point about biking being a social thing. I know I can ride to places where there other riders but it's not the same as riding out with a mate. The F800GS is indeed a tall bike although BMW do different seats to compensate but if you're a six footer you should be fine. That said, it's not really a bike you can pop to the shops on. You can of course, in the same way that I commuted to London on a Harley once (literally once, never again) but it becomes a little tiresome because they are not light bikes.

    Whatever you decide, I wish you well. If I still have a bike when you pass your test let me know and we can perhaps go on a ride out!
     
    • Informative Informative x 1
  5. Spuffington
    Offline

    Spuffington Staff Member Admin Site Supporter

    Joined:
    Jul 31, 2015
    Messages:
    2,398
    Likes Received:
    1,477
    Location:
    Frankfurt am Main, Germany
    Ratings:
    +1,865 / 1 / -3
    Thanks @The CO - that's great info and things to bear in mind, also.

    Sadly, however, contrary to my original idea, my mind has been changed.

    As I mentioned, I have spent 20yrs bouncing backwards and forwards with the idea of getting the DA done - each time, something or someone has put me off. Latterly it was my daughter being born and prior to that it was witnessing RTCs involving bikes. This time, I'll be honest that I had several dreams in the days after deciding to do this of me or me witnessing a motorcyclist lying injured taking their last breath. :sick: I pushed it out my head until I received a PM yesterday from a fellow Länder who imparted his take on it, gleaned from personal experience as a Traffic Cop attending bike-related RTCs. His Information was enough to make me take a good 24hrs out and properly think about what I was signing myself and my family up to. Such that I've made the decision now to kick the idea into touch.

    Better to have regrets about not doing it in the last seconds of a long life than to regret getting on the bike in the last seconds of a prematurely ended one.

    That said, I'm still forever going to be a frustrated biker at heart. But certainly for the moment, I owe it to my family to do my best to keep myself in one piece.

    Thanks to both of you for your Support though and, as imparted to me by @Mieke

    "Keep it shiny side up & rubber side down"

    Safe riding chaps! (y)
     
    • Like Like x 2
  6. Ninjagirl
    Offline

    Ninjagirl Moderator

    Joined:
    Jul 31, 2015
    Messages:
    257
    Likes Received:
    134
    Location:
    London, UK
    Ratings:
    +189 / 0 / -0
    It's all a question of how you ride really.

    I started riding at 26 as I got fed up of taking the tube to work. Oddly now that's reversed after many years of cold hands riding through winter and sports bikes not being that comfortable for commuting. Fun though!

    Everything on the road is out to kill you. Potholes, cyclists, car drivers (yes us) bus drivers, animals, zombies crossing the road without looking as they're on their phone, people crossing in front of buses without looking, cab drivers, and the random people that U-turn without any indication.

    If you can get on a bike and not feel the need to do 90mph everywhere you go, you'll be fine. If you get the red mist at every opportunity and ride like an idiot, you'll be a statistic. If it's an itch you need to scratch, scratch it. Just ride at your own pace, nobody else's, don't get goaded into doing anything silly, and enjoy the open road.

    Don't do what my chiropractor did, and buy a bike at 40 something, pick it up, forget he hadn't ridden for 20 years and crash it very badly on the A3 and need a year off work. Bad juju!
     
  7. Spuffington
    Offline

    Spuffington Staff Member Admin Site Supporter

    Joined:
    Jul 31, 2015
    Messages:
    2,398
    Likes Received:
    1,477
    Location:
    Frankfurt am Main, Germany
    Ratings:
    +1,865 / 1 / -3
    That was pretty much my plan, @Ninjagirl - I have ridden on road bikes (cycles) since I was 13 and have commuted an awful lot in London so I know how to ride defensively and tactically (I'm one of those cyclists you DON'T see going through red lights or up the inside of HGVs or sitting in blind spots) and have thankfully had relatively few accidents over the years. Of those that I have had, though, they haven't been my fault and would've been far worse if I had have been going any faster.

    That was kind of the point made by anonymous PMer - of the fatalities he's attended, the majority have not been the fault of the biker. But that's not much comfort when they're dead. I kinda what to avoid that situation.

    But I do take your point, riding sensibly is likely to avoid an awful lot of issues and equally we can be taken out in our car by other road users - always something bigger & heavier than you which can ruin your day.
     
  8. Ninjagirl
    Offline

    Ninjagirl Moderator

    Joined:
    Jul 31, 2015
    Messages:
    257
    Likes Received:
    134
    Location:
    London, UK
    Ratings:
    +189 / 0 / -0
    Why not look at offroad biking then? Go dirt tracking :)
     
  9. Mieke
    Offline

    Mieke WARLORD Site Supporter

    Joined:
    Sep 8, 2015
    Messages:
    3,012
    Likes Received:
    1,106
    Location:
    Cheshire
    Ratings:
    +2,318 / 2 / -0
    I was working on a project in Hammersmith, W. London about 20 years ago. A chap in the office called Peter decided that he was going to buy a motorcycle to commute to beat the rush hour traffic. He was around 50 years old and had a full bike license, but hadn't ridden since his teens. After a quick refresher course, he purchased a new Kawasaki 750 cc. He lasted one week before crashing and breaking his hip and shoulder. :eek:

    I've watched the antics of commuting motorcyclists (and cycle couriers) during rush hour, and I have to say that it's not something that I would ever consider doing on two wheels, even with 50 years experience. o_O
     
    Last edited: Apr 1, 2016
  10. The CO
    Offline

    The CO Staff Member Admin

    Joined:
    Jul 26, 2015
    Messages:
    1,621
    Likes Received:
    786
    Location:
    West Berkshire
    Ratings:
    +1,168 / 2 / -3
    Tell me about it. I was working in Whitehall whilst living in Shepperton a few years ago and started commuting on my bike into town, I didn't really need to as the mob gave me a season ticket but I fancied being in charge of when I got home rather than leaving it up to South West Trains. Anyhoo, the first week was frankly terrifying with random pedestrians, buses, sudden u-turns by taxis but by far the worst were the seasoned bike commuters and couriers. Those lunatics caused me more grief than anyone else, just reckless, unpredictable and downright dangerous. Couldn't believe my little eyeses and how I didn't see more spills I'll never know. I stopped doing it in the end after I nearly wiped out a pedestrian on a zebra crossing, both equally at fault.
     
    • Agree Agree x 2
  11. slim_boy_fat
    Offline

    slim_boy_fat WARLORD Site Supporter

    Joined:
    Jul 31, 2015
    Messages:
    4,522
    Likes Received:
    1,599
    Location:
    Scottish Highlands
    Ratings:
    +2,939 / 3 / -5
    And that doesn't hurt/cause injury if/when you fall off......? ;) :D
     
    • Like Like x 1
  12. Franziskaner
    Offline

    Franziskaner

    Joined:
    Jul 30, 2015
    Messages:
    96
    Likes Received:
    28
    Ratings:
    +59 / 0 / -0
    Off roading is great fun, yeah you might fall off now and then, but you lower the chances of a non attentive bus driver driving over you while you get up and not too many social media users driving behind ready to make a posting about 'how bad are those new screaming speed bumps? Just ran over one! LOL'
     
  13. Billbott
    Offline

    Billbott

    Joined:
    Apr 25, 2016
    Messages:
    8
    Likes Received:
    3
    Ratings:
    +3 / 0 / -0
    I too have been riding bikes since I was 16 (32 years ago) and have never been without one. I use them for commuting in and out of Trafford Park year round, as well as for pleasure. I go on a European jaunt every year on my ‘big’ bike and also go to the Isle of Man a couple of times a year. Generally go to the Classic TT on my older bike. I tend to change my ‘big’ bike every couple of years, currently I am running a BMW S1000R, after a succession of Yamaha R1’s and a Triumph Speed Triple. My commuter is a 1995 Suzuki DR350 and my ‘classic’ is a 1981 Yamaha RD350LC.

    The reason for changing the big bike so often is that I do around 10k miles per year on it, which, within the biking community seems to be frowned on. I struggled to get a trade in deal on my last R1 with 18k miles at under 2 years old…..

    It is quite a social thing but I often set out on my own for the day. No-one to keep up with or slow you down. Stop when I want etc…..

    We all know how dangerous they are, it goes without saying. I see reckless idiots on a daily basis, both on the commute and out and about. I wear a hi vis and white helmet and always ride with my lights on, far from fool proof but at least I stand a chance of being seen. All my bikes have aftermarket exhausts which help people hear you coming (they move out of the way of the big ‘un…..!)
     
    • Like Like x 1
  14. edthefed
    Offline

    edthefed

    Joined:
    Sep 19, 2015
    Messages:
    974
    Likes Received:
    376
    Ratings:
    +730 / 1 / -2
    I had never ridden a bike till i was 40, then bit the bullet and did a CBT and direct access course....which i passed with only one minor error on the sheet. As others have said it taught you to pass the test rather than teaching you how to ride a back.
    Unfortunately within a few days of passing my test a very good friend and his teenage daughter who was riding pillion were killed in a collision.That put me off and ive never ridden since the day i passed my test -14 years ago, but at least i scratched that particular itch and can state i have a bike licence !
    Of course women come into it, the only time my wife has ever said "please dont ever" is when i mentioned biking....pretty small price to pay in my opinion !
     
    • Like Like x 1
  15. Nath
    Offline

    Nath

    Joined:
    Oct 15, 2015
    Messages:
    19
    Likes Received:
    8
    Location:
    North Hants
    Ratings:
    +8 / 0 / -0
    Another bike nut here.

    I couldn't not have a bike in my garage. I'm out quite a lot and that includes rain, wind, night, day, etc, At first I done ride outs on my own then met a load of other bikers and usually do at least a couple of ride outs a week, if not more - working from home has it's perks.

    I use the bike more than my car.
     
  16. 280
    Offline

    280

    Joined:
    Sep 18, 2015
    Messages:
    47
    Likes Received:
    24
    Ratings:
    +26 / 0 / -0
    So how are you getting on with now - did you do the CBT, got a bike?

    I'm 40, ridden since 8, first own bike at 12, did some club racing in the early 00's and even managed a few trophies. As per lots of people who start to compete, road riding suddenly seemed slow but very dangerous and I quit it for 12 years and never thought I'd have another road bike. However, a 1 hour (13 mile) commute convinced me to buy another bike and having had the time to adjust away from racing I really enjoy it. That commute now takes 17 minutes and is pretty fun.

    In the past I've had quite a number of new sports bikes, the last road bike I had before quitting was a Aprilia RSV1000 that was super chipped. My re-introduction was a cheapy but brand new SV650'S and started modifying slowly even before riding it. I got a bit excited after ordering it and booked a couple of track days which I did while running it in...This year did another track day in May and due to red mist wiped the side off it, £1000 later it's all fixed. :confused:

    I also have a Triumph 955i (original shape, year 2000) in red with 4,800 miles from new that is pretty much perfect. I have a few other bike purchases planned as well. :rolleyes:

    The best advice I can give you is to ride on your own for as long as possible, groups can get competitive and riding beyond your limits with no experience to draw on is a mugs game. Secondly, confidence is king and buying really decent safety kit will help no end with this - don't buy cheap gloves. really, don't buy cheap anything if you can avoid it. If you buy a used bike pay particular attention to the tyres, old and or squared off will do nothing to inspire confidence, get 'em changed. Lastly, most police forces do rider improvement courses for little or no money and will teach you a system of riding that is based, in part, on the police response driving system. It does work and don't think they'll have you riding like a little old lady, they teach that there is a time and a place and you'll be surprised how much they push along in the right circumstances.

    Good luck, have fun and remember; shiny side up, sticky side down.;)
     
    • Like Like x 1
  17. AlwynMike
    Offline

    AlwynMike

    Joined:
    Jun 8, 2018
    Messages:
    13
    Likes Received:
    9
    Location:
    Shropshire
    Ratings:
    +11 / 0 / -0
    OK, so we'll have a bit of thread resurrection here...
    I took the decision not to road ride about 7 years ago. Previous to this I hadn't ridden a bike for over 20 years.

    Why the change?

    I went off roading in Spain with the guys from work. As I was a bit rusty bike-wise, I got permission from SWMBO to buy a practice bike prior to going.
    Bear in mind I have a 1978 Suzuki GS1000 in the garage (buried somewhere!)
    I bought a Honda CRF250, which in hindsight isn't the best returner bike as it won't move until it sees 5000revs. Power starts around 8000revs and it will, sing up to 13000 revs. This is a 4 stroke single. What a machine!
    Both wife and I thought that it would be a flash in the pan, mid life crisis thing that would be sold after the Spanish trip.

    No way. What fun. What a hoot. So enjoyable - even in the rain (in Spain. Not on the plain)

    So I came back and took up Green Laning. Road legal bikes on legal roads - but not much tarmac.
    Met lots of new friends and had some great times. No, I don't go fast. Yes, I fall off, but much more enjoyment than riding on the road.
    I was offered a lovely little 680 Triumph by a mate. Never seen rain, lots of bling, little miles . Cheap. I had to decline. I'm not as young as I used to be but I still have issues with the throttle - opening I can do, but closing it I have trouble. I could see myself getting killed or worse.

    So I'm still doing the muddy stuff. All year round. I can heartily recommend it. Worth doing your Direct Access? Yes. One of my riding buddies has done that - never had a road bike.

    For those with a licence, there are places certainly in the Peak District, Wales and here in Shropshire that will hire you a bike and take you on the lanes for a day for a not unreasonable amount. Great laughs if you bring a couple of mates. You won't look back.
     
  18. AlwynMike
    Offline

    AlwynMike

    Joined:
    Jun 8, 2018
    Messages:
    13
    Likes Received:
    9
    Location:
    Shropshire
    Ratings:
    +11 / 0 / -0
    Fat bloke and a bike
    20170224_112127.jpg
     
    • Like Like x 4
  19. Phil
    Offline

    Phil

    Joined:
    Aug 1, 2015
    Messages:
    180
    Likes Received:
    91
    Location:
    Manchester
    Ratings:
    +115 / 0 / -0
    I also gave up road bikes around the same time as you. Here was my final one, a Honda VFR 800 ..... I was very much a 'Sunday rider' and don't really miss it, however VFR's are fantastic touring bikes and it's the Euro jaunts which I used to do with a few mates that I miss most.

    IMG_0238.jpeg

    I agree off roading is fantastic, I don't have a bike at all now and haven't done any for a while but have been used these guys a few times;

    http://www.yamaha-offroad-experience.co.uk

    These are also good fun;

    http://www.e-scape.org.uk/home/

    The instant torque and 'on/off' throttle makes riding electric bikes a totally different experience and you have to modify your riding style quite significantly.
     
    • Like Like x 1
  20. AlwynMike
    Offline

    AlwynMike

    Joined:
    Jun 8, 2018
    Messages:
    13
    Likes Received:
    9
    Location:
    Shropshire
    Ratings:
    +11 / 0 / -0
    Electric would be great, but at the moment the range isn't enough for a full day. KTM spare batteries are (I'm told) around £2500 each, so that's not a viable option.
    There is another bike make that gets around 80 miles. Still not enough but I think they run out around £17000. Again, not a viable option.
     

Share This Page