Katie1

This is probably a sad thing to say but I quite liked that

To be fair, after working in hospitals for a couple of years, a large number of nursing staff seem to have problems with 3 and 4 Doctors only seem to struggle with point(!) 2...

Welcome to the forum! As above, check tyre pressures and chain tension regularly and don't forget the petrol (you may laugh but it happens!) Oh, and enjoy it!

Ow! If you've got any handy, Witch Hazel gel is brilliant http://www.boots.com/en/Boots-Witch-Hazel-Gel-%2835ml%29_1132109/?cm_mmc=pla-_-google-_-PLAs-_-PLAs+-+All+Products

Bad dose of the DTs? Er, with apologies to DT!

President Foamy? Liking the sound of that!

ZZR600 - Most uncomfortable bike I've ever ridden. Thought it was great on local runs then did my first longish trip on it (140 miles) and I was in bits by the time we got home! Knees, back, wrist and even my elbows hurt! Not to mention the fact the 5th gear was missing... That one really didn't last very long

Hi Rokkchic, welcome from the South!

Screwdriver? I always thought a hammer was the right tool for the job

Unlike all the blokes who've done such a good job... Admittedly she managed to screw things up quite impressively but buggering up the country is not gender-specific

She may have a political motivation (no idea who she is, only found this video when searching for a song on youtube!) but her statement was based on historical precedents rather than ideology. I normally steer clear of political statements online as the agenda is often hidden but in this case I thought she made a clear case for using the lessons of the past to protect the future.

Not normally the sort of thing I'd post but impressed by this powerful (non-political), well-crafted statement http://youtu.be/Ry3NzkAOo3s

Looks like me on one of those cold days when the draught gets right under your visor. You try really hard not to lick your lips but...

https://i.chzbgr.com/maxW500/8240564736/h3AC25F82/

Damn, I hate writing lists! So, in order of hazy memory Honda SS50 (learnt to ride on this. On reflection, taking some kind of instruction before going up the road might have been wiser) Puch M50 (paid £8 for it out of someone's garden. Didn't really work properly so used it in a field, painted it black and gold and sold it!) Honda C90 x 3 (different times, various states of repair, all ran, one with missing screen, brake, MOT, tax...) Honda 50 (clockwork, only worked on the straights or downhill) Honda CG125 (fab bike. 50 mile round trip commute every day. Only time it failed was when some git nicked my HT lead. Spent 45 minutes trying to start it before I realised!) Suzuki TS125 (Egyptian export model. Worked brilliantly, even after being straightened out with a hammer following an over-enthusiastic approach to a sharp bend) SV650 (my first big bike. Naked model, went on a European touring holiday two weeks after passing test. Spent 10 days developing huge neck muscles trying to keep up with all the faired bikes. My first experience of how to lose money when selling a bike) Honda VFR750 (painted RVF colours. Comfortable, smooth, fast. Found out it was a Category C write off when tried to trade it in! Second experience of losing money when selling a bike) Kawasaki ZZR600 (Hated it, most uncomfortable bike ever owned. Failed to notice there was no 5th gear when test riding. See above re: losing money) Honda Firestorm (Fast and fun. Rubbish brakes and worse fuel economy than a 747. See above re: losing money) Aprilia Falco (Superb bike. Fast, fun, fab brakes, comfortable for long distances. Lost some of the shiny bits following an incident with wet cobbles and sunken tramlines in Germany. See above re: losing money) Aprilia Falco (As above, kept the shiny bits intact but strangely, never quite as good as the first one. See above re: losing money) Yamaha TRX850 (bought as hack bike. Hated it, gave to my partner who loved it until it died a natural death) Forgot this one! Yamaha FZR400 (Only bike I've ever really tried to highside. Partner refused to take it as the clutch was so stiff. Also have it on good authority that it was so small, it looked like it was going to disappear up my flute! Can't remember now but probably lost money when sold) Suzuki GSXR750 SRAD (always wanted one so bought as next hack bike. Stupidly fast, dodgy electrics. Fixed all the probems and then sold it! See above re: losing money) Kawasaki ZX6R (hack bike. Was fun for a little while but got bored as kept running in to it's handling limits. See above re: losing money) Aprilia RSV1000 (Yay! Came with all the tweaks I'd beeing trying to get in to the Falco. Eventually got fed up with having to concentrate on staying on all the time! See above re: losing money) Yamaha XJ6S (this is where the YOC came in Eventually lost interest but my partner has it now and she loves it. No money lost!) Benelli TreK 899 (present bike. I am in love ) Got a feeling I might have missed a couple but I seem to be missing large chunks of teenage memory for some reason...

Woohooo! :hyper: :hyper:

http://youtu.be/vznGIS45Ch8

Oh my god, that's Barry from Bushey!

Hi Vanessa and welcome to the forum! As everyone says, just ride as if everyone else is stupid/psychotic and you'll be fine. You're in a good place for learning to ride (I used to live in SE London) as you'll learn a lot survival habits very quickly! Enjoy it all, don't get put off when something goes wrong and we look forward to hearing your exploits

There's a man you wouldn't want to get stuck in a lift with...

Okay, we need this now! Just imagine, no more icy roads, ever

I'm perfect so I've never done that Or replaced a'knackered' starter solenoid before realising that I'd just run out of petrol...

Ahhh, my day is now complete Welcome Swift!