meatloaf Posted March 5, 2015 Share Posted March 5, 2015 Unfortunately campa man I'm old enough to have been lucky enough to start riding 250cc at 16 before the law changed to 17 for 250cc and 16 for 50cc. Forgot to say did not need to wear helmets either. First time I rode my Honda CB72 250 was on my 16 birthday to work from one side of Nottingham to the other no lessons just a few hours on a field on a BSA Bantam.sthere are a few of us on here that started riding before 71 ,but unluckily I couldn't afford a 250 so had to make do with a 125 but looking back I think that was probably a good thing as I survived long enough to get a bit of road sense before I went for a bigger bike. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Variomatic Posted March 5, 2015 Author Share Posted March 5, 2015 As a CBT instructor its a proper nightmare with 50cc mopeds out on the road, always having to look at the student and at all the assholes who are trying to force their way past you or pulling out at the last minute and it is ll to do with that L plate. On Sunday one of my students stalled pulling away at the lights and we as instructors (at my school) always ride slightly to the left of the student behind them so that they can see out their mirrors and not just see a mirror full of intimidating instructor, now i had two students in front of me and a proper arrogant impatient female driver behind me, your never guess what she done.....yep you guessed it she forced her way past me (just missed my bars) then forced past the first student, now by this time the front student was just about to pull away which is when i told him to stop which thankfully he did and she just managed to get past him. She only then pulled over to the side of the road to let her mate out the car at their house!!! As said above you can only do your A1 test to remove them but then you need to pay for every other test in order to get the full A category, once you get the A1 use the time wisely to get very good road sense and learn how to spot these assholes in a good timely manner, keep looking up at the vanishing point to give you a reasonable length of time to spot anything that will make you slow down or move the bike left or right. I'm confused, I now have a load of people telling me it's dangerous for me to ride anything bigger than a 125, maybe 175 or 200, yet none of them seem to have taken into account what it's actually like to have to use one every day and the problems with it, but I do agree to some point, a 16 yer old idiot shouldn't be tursted with anything significant, but I do hole heartedly believe that the limits are too harsh. The govenment is trying to solve the problem is inexperianced riders by giving them smaller and smaller engines, when the real problem is they they are on the road with 2 hours of on road experiance and some idling round a car park. Honestly I disagree with the idea of being able to ride on L plates, but here I am doing it anyway because I'm stupid and a hypocrite. They are exactly the reason I've started using a helmet camera, I'm done with there shit to be honest, every time someone trys to endanger me I just email the footage directly to my local police station. I no longer have an patience for people who do crap like that. I mentioned that truck driver earlier, I was very close to becomming a mess on the road because of him, I'm already done with drivers after only 8 months. So now if they bite me, I let the police bite back for me. I highly encorage more riders to use helmet cameras, the investment is worth it, you get ten fold back from what you out in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator DirtyDT Posted March 5, 2015 Moderator Share Posted March 5, 2015 I'm confused, I now have a load of people telling me it's dangerous for me to ride anything bigger than a 125, maybe 175 or 200, yet none of them seem to have taken into account what it's actually like to have to use one every day and the problems with it.... Not strictly true fella! Today I rode my FZ8 to work but it could have been my classic 250 trials single with slightly more power than a modern 125. A lot of my commute is 50/60/70 roads with national speed limit country roads and a little fast duel carriageway. I just hold my road position on the 250, if they want to overtake they need to cross into the other lane, not squeeze past. I hold the same road position - right of the Middle of my lane - and it's down to them if they want to pass. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bippo Posted March 5, 2015 Share Posted March 5, 2015 Exactly as DDT says. Some bikes do have more visual presence than others, but as long as you own and assert your position on the road it shouldn't matter too much. People used to pass me on my YBR, and looking back, at times I did used to tuck up to the kerb as I felt bad holding people up, but you soon learn to just ignore those thoughts and press on with more assertiveness. Watching the latest video Capt put up - you see an example of this from his housemate at a roundabout. She is taking the first exit but is squashed up to the left of her lane whilst waiting to pull out. Luckily Capt was behind her in a better position - but situations like that just ask for some car drivers to bully you off the road. Finally - most of us have, or do currently use small CC bikes for regular commutes, so you aren't alone... Capt is a daily commuter into central Manchester in his YBR and I used to do a daily 80 mile cross-country jaunt on mine into central Leeds. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
captf Posted March 5, 2015 Share Posted March 5, 2015 I'm confused, I now have a load of people telling me it's dangerous for me to ride anything bigger than a 125, maybe 175 or 200, yet none of them seem to have taken into account what it's actually like to have to use one every day and the problems with it, It may not be dangerous for you, but for many late teens - hormones are still racing, and impulses are harder to control [it's not intended as a "pfft, youth!" comment, just a "way it is"] How many guys [it's mainly guys] around your age do you know of that passed their driving test, got a car, and crashed it because they were going too fast for their situation? Now imagine what would have happened if they had a bike that responds to a twitch of the wrist. I do definitely agree that 125cc is too small though, and doesn't show much insight into biking by those that implemented it. I refuse to go on a 70mph motorway on my 125 because I know it'd be foolish. I know it'd be foolish from almost 20 years of driving experience. I would have cars driving up my arse, or I'd be stuck going 56mph behind some lorry at an unsafe distance because I haven't got the torque to overtake safely. Bump that up to a 250cc, and 70 would be far more manageable, and there would still be a bit of give to get up to that speed when needed. But other than that, I do enjoy the 125 - they're light bikes, and very forgiving in handling. If I could afford 2 bikes, I'd keep it and get a bigger bike too. when the real problem is they they are on the road with 2 hours of on road experiance and some idling round a car park. Honestly I disagree with the idea of being able to ride on L plates, but here I am doing it anyway because I'm stupid and a hypocrite. I'd not say you're a hypocrite - you're speaking from experience. The Housemate would agree with you totally. She had no road experience, sat her CBT and was out on the road. This saw her smack into the back of her boyfriend's car within a week, because she didn't know how far back safe was - it wasn't properly covered in the CBT, so she was aping other road users. With the growing number of vehicles on the road, expecting brand new riders to be safe on the road after just 2 hours is lunacy. Sure, some people will just get it; others take a lot more. But how do you tackle it without it pushing costs too high, so that entry to biking becomes unaffordable for young Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matthew Duncan Posted March 5, 2015 Share Posted March 5, 2015 i was pissed when i did my test at 17 and was restricted to 33bhp for twa years, but i have to admit the new laws pretty much look like the goverment trying to stop as many people as possible, or stop them for as long as possible getting on bikes, along with squeezing every penny they can out of us, Next motorcyclists will be having to pay a fixed tax price, regardless if you have a 50cc scoot or a 1800cc monster, of £50000000 a month 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Noise Posted March 5, 2015 Share Posted March 5, 2015 when the real problem is they they are on the road with 2 hours of on road experiance and some idling round a car park. The idling around the car park is the build up to the road rode of the CBT and its a minimum of 2 hours out on the road for your CBT the other day we where out for 5 hours for one student, i do agree with you on some aspects but the CBT has reduced motorcycle deaths a fair bit since it was introduced in 1990. As Captf said you wouldn't want a hormonal 17 year old doing his CBT / test and jumping onto a over sized bike as they will just bin it and end up in a box as most people ride / drive with their egos and not their brains. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
captf Posted March 5, 2015 Share Posted March 5, 2015 The test laws are actually from the EU, rather than our government. And our government didn't even implement all of them. For instance, I believe there's an option of being able to mandate instructors can give you top up training on a new bike. Sure, many places will gladly do it, but this was to have it as part of law. [i can't remember specifics] However, before you go "And this is why we need out of Europe!" what it allows is for us to go on to the continent and ride motorbikes without needing to apply for an international licence, as our licence is the same. There is no doubt about what we can legally ride. Likewise for EU types coming across here. CBT has reduced motorcycle deaths a fair bit since it was introduced in 1990. http://www.begin-motorcycling.co.uk/facts.htm: In the three years before CBT was introduced, (1990), an average of 692 motorcyclists were killed every year. By 1992, when every rider with less than two years experience had taken CBT, the figure was less than 500. And between then and 1998, the average was 462. Prior to 1990, more than 40,000 riders were hurt on our roads every year. By the mid-90s that was down to 23,000. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ttaskmaster Posted March 5, 2015 Share Posted March 5, 2015 >I'm confused, I now have a load of people telling me it's dangerous for me to ride anything bigger than a 125, Given that you can hop on certain 125s and do over 100mph with only 2 hours road experience, which is what some new riders actually do, even that can be pretty dangerous.>yet none of them seem to have taken into account what it's actually like to have to use one every day and the problems with it, The only (real) problem I had with my 125 that getting a bigger bike has solved is my desire to ride faster. Everything else is still the same - I still rely on observation, forward planning and timing for my manoeuvres, I still keep to speed limits, I still get vision blocked by trucks ahead, I still get dickheads on the road...>I no longer have an patience for people who do crap like that. It does not get any easier, IMO. I get someone pulling out on me at least once a week, always at the same motorway junction and more frequently if I travel during rush hour. It's very rarely even an issue for me, let alone an actual problem, because of the lessons I learned and the experience I got from riding a 125. There's a lot of give & take to riding a bike effectively - You must be a leaf on the wind... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slice Posted March 5, 2015 Share Posted March 5, 2015 Thank you "GRASSHOPPER" 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcferreira100 Posted March 5, 2015 Share Posted March 5, 2015 Move to SA..at 18 you can drive anything u want. Damn scary thought, an 18yr old on the new 300hp Kawa H2. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Noise Posted March 5, 2015 Share Posted March 5, 2015 You must be a leaf on the wind... Man who run behind car gets exhausted but the man who run in front of car gets tired Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ttaskmaster Posted March 5, 2015 Share Posted March 5, 2015 Thank you "GRASSHOPPER" No-one else seen Firefly, then? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
captf Posted March 5, 2015 Share Posted March 5, 2015 No-one else seen Firefly, then? I have! I have! I have! And Serenity. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slice Posted March 5, 2015 Share Posted March 5, 2015 Yeah but he died !! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator drewpy Posted March 5, 2015 Moderator Share Posted March 5, 2015 No-one else seen Firefly, then? yep, and it never did anything for me. So I'm no browncoat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ttaskmaster Posted March 6, 2015 Share Posted March 6, 2015 Yeah but he died !! It wasn't bad piloting that killed him, though... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Variomatic Posted March 11, 2015 Author Share Posted March 11, 2015 >I'm confused, I now have a load of people telling me it's dangerous for me to ride anything bigger than a 125, Given that you can hop on certain 125s and do over 100mph with only 2 hours road experience, which is what some new riders actually do, even that can be pretty dangerous. Nooooooo, the leagl limit on a CBT is 14.6Hp at the rear wheel, granted bikes like a Honda NSR 125 and an Aprilia RS 125 (both 2 stokes) CAN do 110mph, that is only with the power limiter removed, you can buy a 110mph bike, but you'll have to limit it to 14.6 hp, and then you'd be lucky to hit 75 with a tail wind on a down hill slope on a long straight. Anyone with a 125 that can do 100mph is breaking the law. And the bilke would be crushed. Not to mention your skinny wheels, the way the bike weighs nothing and is blown across lanes by wind, and the general view people have of you. There are multiple down sides to a 125, thats why no one really wants to stay on them long, but as I have stated in my other threads, I disagree with the CBT anyway and think an actual test should be implimented, and a larger engine size allowed. Like I stated earlier, in my very illegal experiments with L plates, I found people do pull out on me a significantly lesser amount, as if they see the L plate and believe me to ride slowly, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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