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| K9F Member Since: 12 Nov 2009 Location: Bournemouth Posts: 9610   
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^^Great ethos......
As stated LtM you go for it and good luck on your exciting quest! There will always be those with nasty experiences in all walks of life and well-rounded reasoning for avoidance. Mine with regards to two wheels have been those with the fondest of memories and with the greatest excitement and adventure.   If you go through life with your head in the sand....all people will see is an ar5e!!
Treat every day as if it is your last....one day you will be right!! |
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16th Sep 2016 2:47pm |
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| K9F Member Since: 12 Nov 2009 Location: Bournemouth Posts: 9610
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Whatever you ride, unlike the chap on the video.......Risk is mitigated by heightened awareness of ones surroundings and by riding slower and more carefully as a result?
That is one of the contributing factors of buying the motorcycle I did, when I did. As you get older reactions slow down and risk can be mitigated by buying a lesser capable more relaxed machine rather than a rocket that can be extremely fast and uncomfortable. If you go through life with your head in the sand....all people will see is an ar5e!! Treat every day as if it is your last....one day you will be right!! |
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16th Sep 2016 3:05pm |
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| AJC Member Since: 30 Nov 2015 Location: Lancashire Posts: 1364
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This was me on mine |
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16th Sep 2016 3:23pm |
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| Swac3 Member Since: 21 Feb 2015 Location: Aberdeen Posts: 363 |
Blimey AJC how tall are you? Is that a mini moto ? 3 Landrovers
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16th Sep 2016 4:14pm |
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| CarMan Member Since: 29 Nov 2010 Location: Cotswolds Posts: 1862
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Passed my Advanced test last year after riding bikes for 40 years albeit with a 25 lay-off
 and I would thoroughly recommend it Rob
1993 200tdi 90 hard-top 1998 300tdi 90 soft-top 2016 2.2 XS 90 hard-top (sold) |
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16th Sep 2016 4:36pm |
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| David T Member Since: 01 Sep 2016 Location: North Yorkshire Posts: 190 
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I'd say the best way to pass these days would be a block booking, 2 or 3 day course. Best sorted with a local school but BMW, Harley and no doubt several other makers have their own schemes. I've been at it since 14yrs old and I'm 60 now. Fallen off a few times but nothing drastic. Defensive riding techniques are taught by most good instructors and as long as you assume everyone on the road is "fur lined" you won't go far wrong. Do it, you'll love it.
I've had all sorts of stuff. Many Japs, Harleys, BMW's and a Ducati and, IMO, a BMW GS1200 is about one of the best. I did big mileage on the two I had. Harleys too are great bikes, I had a Sporty, a LowRider, a Springer, a SuperGlide and a lovely black ElectraGlide on which more big mileage was covered. Advancd courses are good and well worth doing, especially the Riders Edge Harley one, based at Builith Wells. Chasing ex-cop riders around the valleys was challenging, as were walking pace figure 8's on a full-dress Glide. What I learnt on those courses has saved my life. Sold the last big bike (Ducati Monster 1100evo) last year but still have these two tiddlers in the garage, a '62 Lambretta and a '70 Suzuki trail bike.
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16th Sep 2016 4:39pm |
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| AJC Member Since: 30 Nov 2015 Location: Lancashire Posts: 1364
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Haha. Yeah that's one reason why it kind of sold too. I'm 6ft2 |
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16th Sep 2016 4:55pm |
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| Zagato Site Supporter Member Since: 08 Jan 2011 Location: Billingshurst West Sussex Posts: 5013
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Are they Sportsters Mal? |
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16th Sep 2016 7:45pm |
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| Ponclair Member Since: 12 Dec 2015 Location: Surrey Posts: 22 
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Both my boys passed their bike tests using this company http://aceridertraining.co.uk
They are near Tolworth and both lads passed first time and are much more confident riders than me. We have a couple of Honda CRF250's that we use to fall off in the Surrey hills and a Scorpa 250 trials bike for practicing balancing skills in the back garden. |
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16th Sep 2016 8:01pm |
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| K9F Member Since: 12 Nov 2009 Location: Bournemouth Posts: 9610
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They are indeed MY16 Forty Eights, both fitted with Vance and Hines short shot exhausts, and heavy breathers (the furthest is mine with a Screaming Eagle Heavy Breather and rear pillion pegs) both have Screaming Eagle Protune Stage 1 remaps. Harley Davidsons are set very lean to meet emissions, you can fit after market exhausts or a heavy breather. If you fit both you need to remap or you run the risk of melting the rear piston. If you go through life with your head in the sand....all people will see is an ar5e!! Treat every day as if it is your last....one day you will be right!! |
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16th Sep 2016 9:37pm |
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| Thor Member Since: 17 Dec 2011 Location: Didcot Posts: 446 
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Getting a bike is a life changing experience. I've been riding 15 years or so now and still love it! I cover around 60-70k a year on two wheels and just can't get enough of it.
I've ridden all sorts from street bikes, to trails bikes, sports bikes, tourers and 'hyperbikes'. Currently on a 65 plate ZZR1400 with 23k on it already. I also use a FJR and a BMW S1000XR. The GS is a nice big bike that will tick a lot of boxes!! As people have mentioned, it can be dangerous but you can do things to lower the risk to yourself. Decent training, decent bike and decent kit. All of which, unfortunately costs!! Almost any training you do will teach you how to pass the test, not necessarily be a good rider. As previously mentioned, look into becoming an advanced rider. It's not just for old men (as I used to think), if you nail the road craft you'll be safely nipping around at a decent pace in no time! Kit - Don't buy cheap! I've recently got a Dainese airbag jacket (the D-Air waist coat you wear under your bike jacket) after a friend had one and used it. Awesome bit of kit!!! Year round kit BMW, RUKKA, Halvarsons, Daytona and Dianesse are all decent brands that will last. Also, heated jackets are a game changer for winter riding!!! I could chat all day on bikes and anything related to them. Good luck with your training and test!! Stay safe and keep it rubber side down! Strong people are harder to kill and generally more useful! |
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17th Sep 2016 6:20am |
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| LR90XS2011 Member Since: 05 Apr 2011 Location: bickenhill Posts: 3645 
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go for it nothing comes close to the feeling I have had my licence for 28yrs not done massive mileages but did commute for over 10yrs with no near misses or accidents, I just assume everyone else is an idiot and ride accordingly. I had a 125 trail bike to learn on and use as a 6 mile through town commuter it was perfect for that purpose, and great fun off road at the weekends, biggest bike I had was a VS700 which was lovely as well. my favourite was a Kawasaki KLX 300 but that was much happier flat out off road than on the road as it was hard to drive with the traffic. I would love a Harley and will be getting one if I can ever afford to I would like an 883 with a 1200 conversion. There are lots of nice high mileage BMWs for good money on ebay which would make good first bikes on a budget and some even have ABS DEFENDER 90 TDCI XS,
I hope everyone is well and your land rovers make you happy |
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17th Sep 2016 6:38am |
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| Zagato Site Supporter Member Since: 08 Jan 2011 Location: Billingshurst West Sussex Posts: 5013
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Took a new Softail Slim out a couple of years ago, lurvely  it had a switch near the throttle that opened and shut a valve/baffle of something to change it from stage 1 to quieter to get it through MOT,s  This is a standard fitment, good idea.
If anyone wants a bargain low mileage Road King look here, if only I had the funds  and could justify that much on a bike or car for that matter! This really is a bargain though, I want, I want 
http://www.jordanbikes.com/pages/used/used...9zvVRikqrU |
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17th Sep 2016 7:18am |
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| K9F Member Since: 12 Nov 2009 Location: Bournemouth Posts: 9610
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Zag,
Ask yourself this..........
How much do you REALLY, REALLY want it as I can do better with regards to affordability, same bike, older model, much cheaper???........ If you want more of a bargain a mate of mine may be selling his Road King.....1998 with only 10k miles on the clock. Bargain for someone at about £5.5k. He may be selling it to finance a new kitchen of all things? Drop me a pm if you're really keen.
 If you go through life with your head in the sand....all people will see is an ar5e!!
Treat every day as if it is your last....one day you will be right!! |
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17th Sep 2016 8:22am |
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