Katie1

I vaguely remember being 19. Pretty sure I rode like a loony...

Had a bee fly straight into my lid once and it sat right next to my eye. Emergency parked ( ) my super bike (Honda SS50) up a grass bank, ripped my lid off and watched it fly happily away. Have made a point of riding with the visor down ever since...

Hi Willis. In case no-one knows here, you could also try on http://www.400greybike.com . I used to have an FZR400 and they were really helpful at pinpointing the right model (seem to remember it wasn't an easy task!) so I could replace the shock

Apart from fewer miles and am now a fair weather biker. Quite keen on the metallic blue/dust look...

Handy to know. Although it's not compulsory to carry a warning triangle and hi-vis, you still have to have them if you break down on the motorway! I keep one of these under the saddle when in France: http://www.getgeared.co.uk/Motorcycle_Helmet_Bag_Break-down_Triangle

Worse things have made their way in than those...

Keep it going Mallory! I was six when my cousin took my for a spin around the back alleys of Barking. No gear, no lid (but have a sneaky suspicion we were probably going very slowly) and sure my feet didn't hit the pegs! Whatever, from that point on I could hardly wait until I was old enough to get my first bike

Another option if you're not sure how you'll get on with earplugs http://www.amazon.co.uk/Moldex-6400-Earplugs-Rockets-Plugs/dp/B002ZMVSB6/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1374670820&sr=8-1&keywords=moldex+rockets Have been using these for a while now as got fed up with the traditional ones falling out (although the Oxford ones were not bad). Took a couple of goes to get used to but really like them now. Even better, they're cleanable after you've dropped them in gravel again!

Thanks for that. The garage in question was based in Welling and I'm well away from there now. Have found a decent (small) garage locally now. Anyway, I love my XJ6 but being too loud is definitely not an issue!

Always worth a go. Signed and pinned to Linkedin page

Don't forget noise levels! My Falco failed at one garage because the tester thought the exhausts were too loud (they were road legal, with baffles in place). Apparently (I double-checked this too), his subjective assessment was all that was required to fail it. I was strangely unsympathetic to the explanation but had to take the bike elsewhere to get it through (passed with flying colours) rather than put the stock exhausts back on.

S'true that! Welcome!