JChappers

I believe that she was. I was so lucky to find this bike. its been so well looked after by its 2 previous owners. The service history along had ever single MOT and the service book was full and up to date, plus all the receipts for the very few things that it did have replaced (battery, oil filter, blah blah) were in the manual too! Not bad for a 2006 bike that has done 17000 miles! I LOVE HER! Kind regards Chappers

Hello Si, Read your post and felt I could at least give some advice to you. Firstly your YBR is a good choice (in my opinion) to start learning on, and good to hear that your thinking of protecting yourself properly. Right as for your riding skills. I've been riding for about 4 years now. I started on a scooter and it did about 50mph and i had that for about 2 years. then took my CBT on a geared bike and then brought myself a YZF-R125. Totally awesome bike. Only did 70mph but got there pretty quickly. I rode this bike in pretty much every weather condition that was doable to ride in. I rode it for another 2 years, past my full licence and now ride a 600. The point i'm trying to make is that it for me was all about getting out there and riding my bike as long as I could everywhere I could, because then I grew in confidence with cornering, braking, uphill starting, downhill braking and cornering. You name it, I did it and just from riding about learnt more by doing that then any instructor could, that and its cheaper! So get out there Si and just take your time with it. Go round the bloke again and again untill you know it like the back of your hand, then go further, and further. I can do something like 300 miles in a day (with breaks of course) and feel that I've still leanrt something from it. Going slowly round corners till you have got your confidence about cornering is a good mind set to have. As you get more confident you go round the corners quicker. I will take the opputunity to say that it is very important that you 'Claim the road' like your friend says. Keeping yourself in the middle of the road and giving yourself enough time to pass parked traffic and staying out there near the line is all good riding. DON'T let the car drivers boss you about. You have as much right to be there in the road as they do. SO 'CLAIM THE ROAD!' I hope this all helps, and bottomline, Good Luck. Kind regards Chappers

Yep, totally agree with Mike and Oldgit's posting here, The haynes manuals are very good and if like me your a complete novice to maintaining a bike, the Haynes has been no end but invaluable in helping me understand my motorbike. Hope this helps. Yours Kindly Chappers

Hello Toutsuite. She's a 2006 model.

I shit you not mate, been made aware only to well about salt and water. So i'm well prepared and on the defence already having given the beauty a good wash, polished the paintwork, and as of tomorrow doing the chrome. Further to that some ACR 50 has been flashed around for good measure Yeah salt!..... fock off! Yours kindly Chappers.

I've put these on my intro page but thought it to add them here too. So here goes, by beloved Dragstar. Now saving for the mods I want to do to it. But they will have to wait for a while. Besides I'm still enjoying what I do have

Yes mate, I wore them when I was out there this afternoon polishing it. But if I was totally honest with ya, it is bloody cold here on the east coast. However I feel the cold at the best of time. Yes i'm admitting i'm a wuss with the cold! Yeah wanted to show a picture of what looney I was munis the lid, though I could do with a hair cut!...... oh and a face transplant lol! kind regards Chappers

Hi all again, Finally been able to get out in some fresh fine weather and give the bike a througher clean and polish. I have to say, I so totally proud to own such a wonderful machine. Your Sincerely Chappers

Thank you guys for the input, 4 years worth of experience in all conditions is nothing really, I have had my odd little fright, of front wheels going from under me and just grabbing back, but this new bike is something else. I'm very careful, and more than anything because I'm totally in love with my dragstar already, I wouldn't want to damage her in anyway. So i'm very VERY careful when I'm riding. On a lighter note, took my first victim on the back today, it went very well and my mate really enjoyed it. I'm still getting over the fact that I passed my test, let along been able to purchase this amazing bike. I have serious plans for her. My pockets will have to be a little deep, but I have time to save whilst I'm still on the restriction. Your Sincerely Chappers.

Hi all, would just like to say thank you for the warm welcome to the site. I've been on here everyday since joining and keep my ear to the ground on anything to do with XVS's so I can gain more and more experience learning how to love my bike, look after it and when the time comes, mod it how I want. Cheers all

Hello Noise, Loving what you done to your XVS, don't quiet know what a bobber is yet, but i'm sure i'll learn soon enough. I might have to pull ya ear in time to come for a few bits of advice for when I want to change a few things. Stuff like pipes and where best to purchase, plus where to start to learn how my bike works without actually pulling it apart and then not knowing how to put it back together LOL. Look forward to speaking to ya again. Chappers.

Hello there. My nickname is Chappers. I'm 35, 6ft 2" married and I have been riding now for about 4 years. Started off on a Speedflight then took my geared CBT. After passing I traded in to get my first proper bike. A brand spanking new Yamaha YZF-125R in midnight black. *sigh* I loved this bike looked like a stealth fighter! I rode it for 2 years and what a joy it was to ride. Then 3 months ago I got bad news from the doc. I've got sciatica anyway and he went on to explain that the riding position was adding to my pain and problems. Mornfully I explained this to my wife, so we started looking for a replacement that had a better posture for me to ride on. Thanks to a financial change in fortune I was able to buy a new Honda XL125 Varadero. I'll say it now, other than the fact its very comfortable I HATE IT! Unbeknown to us at the time we actually ended up with money left over so my wife suggested I take my car and bike licence. Great idea, expecting this to take some time and requiring multiple lessons I started to practise. Well I pleased to announce that I passed not only both my theories for the car and bike (one day after the other) but also my mod 1 and 2 in the space of 2 weeks! (Its here I'll explain that I took the Catagory A2 test on the Varadero which means I can ride any machine I buy as long as its restricted to 33BHP for the next 2 years.) Trust me, it still not sunk in that I passed only yesterday (22nd Nov 2011) but because of this happening I have traded the vulger Varadero in and gone big! Yamaha XVS 650A Dragstar Classic big! Hopefully looking to collect it either Friday or Saturday if its ready. Pictures to follow once its in my posession. Well that about explains who I am and a bit about me and what I have ridden and what I will be. Kind Regards Chappers

Without trying to sound like a total idiot here, you did check the engine kill switch is off, just incase you have caught it without knowing? Sometimes its the most simplest things that we miss that saves alot of money, and embarassment.