Ttaskmaster

Come to Reading. *I'll* get your nipple out for you!

LEARN from this and you'll do well.

I was running Avon Venoms on my 650 Dragstar. Your bike needs the Avon Cobras: http://www.avon-tyres.co.uk/motorbike/xvs-v-star-950-midnight-star-tourer

FJ1200 is one hell of an awesome bike... but possibly a touch heavy for the slow-speed stuff, if I'm honest. I've been to three good instructors at various times for various things (including an ex-Police trainer) and all favoured the 900 Diversion.

No Suzukis either? I'm not surprised by BMW topping the charts. I've been helping out with a GS650 and it is fucked beyond belief... All these great, innovative things BMW have put on it not only are prone to dying, but fixing getting them is a right bitch... Swingarm pivots regularly seize, requiring a LOT of 16lb sledgehammering or an industrial press (which I assume every dealer has out the back). Even the passing switch cannot be replaced without removing the entire control cluster and left side grip, which is a hot-grip wired down the inside of the bars!!!

So Avon cruiser tyres... You say they aren't that great for hooning around a racetrack at the absolute limit? Guess why - They're road tyres, designed for road use, on a Cruiser doing pretty Cruisey things (ie below 90mph most of the time). My last set of Avons lasted me 19,000 miles before the bike itself karked it and they were still good enough to pass on to someone else thereafter. I'd say 24k out of a set is considered a paltry value, even if you are a loony on your Cruiser. These things are meant to last and maintain good grip in all weathers on all roads, but are definitely not racing tyres!!

I just sit on it, tilt it back onto the rear wheel and then launch myself forward. Takes a couple of goes, but you'll get there!! Also means the bike is pretty stable under.... certain conditions..... heh heh heh!!!

That's on a GOOD day!!! Once you have to cross the IDR, you're then at the mercy of whether cars drive in straight lines or staggered.

Must have been riding through Reading town centre..

Age and gender make no difference here. Only time it matters is when doing your licence and insurance. Welcome to the forum and ride safe!!

It's a cheap bike, yes, but lives up to its reputation as a very solid and reliable machine. That will see you through many an adventure!!

*smug grin*

No no, I have a number of scientific/engineering convertor/calculator apps here at work and that's what they all said it was. If you reckon it's wrong, don't blame me - Blame science... especially if there are any Americans involves, as they tend to have 3 levels of magnitude out on everything involving 'billions' and above.

74mph with good throttle and gear management, on an open A-road without commuting traffic.

I think it looks fucking horrible, broken and quite possibly a little dangerous/awkward to ride. Seriously, it looks like the bike has a flat tyre or busted monoshock. I put a Hagon in my Drag which actually *raised* the suspension, shortened the wheelbase a touch and lessened the rake a bit, which suddenly made the bike even better to handle!! Unless you are REALLY short, I cannot see the point of lowering a Cruiser.

You're seriously asking *ME* this question??!! Okay - 0.000126263 fur, 254000000 Å.... aaaaaaand about 0.0000000847252801803306 Light Seconds.

The backrest should have come with longer bolts included already...

No, they're 25.4mm... Unless you're me and somehow get a Drag with 22m bars!!

Ah, OK, fair enough... You can tell I'm not big on the electrical side of things, eh!!

"Top speed: Enough"... So it only goes as fast as my Dragstar did, then?

2015? Oh my gods, you have a TIME MACHINE????!!!!! Welcome to the forum!! Rather a nice bike, by the way and a very good Intro. Look forward to hearing more!!

Any particular reason? Most cage-to-bike jump-starts I've seen required the cage engine to be running...

Much wittering about how owners are far more knowledgable about their vehicle than the MOT tester, how owners have meticulous attention to detail and do pre-ride checks with the pedanticism of a pre-flight checklist, how the old vehicle is proven more mechanically sound, etc etc... Humans are fallible. People miss things. Fact. The MOT is your second pair of eyes and if you're taking it to someone that doesn't know enough about your bike to test it, you're doing something wrong!!

Welcome bru!! Do you Saffies ride anything other than DTs? Seems to the the only one that ever gets ridden out there... Saffie friend of mine has been on a DT400 since back in the 80s!!

Many car parks use the more modern spiral ramps to go up and down, as they save on ground area. These typically have loonies racing round them and they generally won't see a bike round the bend until it is too late. Something to bear in mind...