GirlieRider

Hey Yoda, 'fess up with the info!!! What 250 bikes can we get new or second hand that you/everyone else out there recommend for newbies moving up to their 2nd bike in the UK? Come on, spill the beans Amanda

How do! Ooh a guide round your area, now there's an offer. Know anyone on Tazzi? My elderly and and uncle live there (ex-poms too) but my cuzs live out your way I think, one of them is CEO of Birds Australia based at their Head Office in Carlton. Bin saying for too long now we outta get ourselves out there for a visit. Cheers. Amanda

CONGRATULATIONS!! 125 riders rule Amanda

Not that it directly affects anything but just 'cos I'm nosy - what ya riding?

Yippee, we win Let us know how you get on/what you choose. Big cheesy grin comes free of charge with a bike you can handle without wiping yourself out the first time you venture out onto them there dodgy streets Be safe, and ENJOY! Amanda

Me too, me too, I want!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hurrah for atlantasmittie84, bloomin good explanation of the more complex insurance setup over the pond To introduce a bit of mischief if you lot hadn't started suing the socks off each other your insurance might not now be quite so complicated and expensive The joys we may have to come, well we Brits generally end up following you one way or another I know, the door's that way, I'm going

Hi fifer! I echo Brian's sentiments. Really like the work ride tho Amanda

Wotcha from Sunny Suffolk! Amanda

here, here, well said singy21!!

Sorry to hijack the thread (for the last time) but TALL GUY hello, girlierider!!!!!!!!! Doh Pnoidrummer: Good luck with the finances and insurances, bit of a 'mare in the US I know. I can seriously sympathise on the credit thing, hubby had to own the family car for the very first time when we lived in LA (usually I own the cars and he owns the bikes except now I've got a bike too, YIPPEE) 'cos at first I didn't even qualify for a social security number. Ouch, talk about feeling left out of society I really hope you do get out on 2 wheels 'cos the very fact that you've taken the trouble to ask all these very sensible questions leads me to think your head's on the right way and you could become a very good rider and have a heap of fun along the way Best regards. Amanda

Anyone going? Essex Air Ambulance Bike Run Our first time but sounds like fun. Hubby's just gotta decide which beemer he's going to use and I'll be pillion on, greedy thing picked up a 2001 R1150RT on Thursday Amanda

See my reply to your other post. I'm a 43 year old (almost) 19 years married lady DON'T be put off 'cos it's sooooo much fun, even here in the UK with the unpredictable weather (yikes I wish I still lived in LA now that I'm getting back into riding) just make sure you do your best to be as trained/prepared as poss. Keep us all updated Good luck! Amanda

Hey Tall Guy stop dissing my lovely 250 Ninja ya big bully Mine wuz girlie yellow with a purple belly pan (colour scheme only seems available in Oz now but I figured there was more chance of the cages seeing me comin, that and my big ol split my face in half GRIN) and for a learner it wuz more than enuf fun ta very much. Pnoidrummer: I take it you've done a Motorcycle Safety Foundation Basic Rider Course as a minimum?! I can recommend two books "How to ride a Motorcycle" by Pat Hahn and "Proficient Motorcycling" by David L Hough, your local Borders store should have 'em and or Amazon and at least you won't have to transpose the corner lines over to the "correct" side of the road Plus challenge yourself to try this little lot in a quiet parking lot UK 2008 Motorcyle test manouvres as this is wot UK learners will have to do from next October. Then breath a sigh of relief and count yourself lucky that you're not this side of the pond Sorry 'bout the dodgy spelling. If I wuz still in LA I'd also be planning on doing an ERC course with MSF but Yoda can testify to the fact that I'm a bit of a training/practicing freak Doesn't mean we shouldn't ALL be doing more training. In the UK find the Bike Safe course with your local police force and anyone who can use their brakes as little as a Class 1 Motorcycle Police Rider earns serious respect in our neck of the woods. Be safe and ENJOY! Amanda

Crikey I'm still blushing but I've also got a stitch from larfing too Amanda

I had one of these when I started learning to ride in LA 5 years ago, put a big ol' grin on my face, even hubby liked riding it. Ninja 250R No that expensive either Amanda

Crikey no offence I know a lot of us complain about the nanny state in the UK but it scares me silly to see wot is permitted for inexperienced riders in the US. I did an MSF BRC in LA in October 2002 before moving home to the UK and some of the machines that the newbies with me (male and female) were planning to ride the day after walking off the high school parking lot gave me a bigger fright than watching a Steven King movie. PLEASE don't end up a statistic See the difference in compulsory training changes planned for 2008 here. UK Bike Test 2008 Amanda

Ha, ha did you spot my grammar error?! "an class" oops, sorry bad editing

Yippee, I'd better look into adding a Greek keyboard layout to my Windows XP computer We've got an class with a brand new Greek tutor on 1st October but the college told me that the rest of the people signed up for "intermediate" standard classes - help, where's the door?! Watch this space. Thanks! Amanda

Learner 125 riders rule! So I'm biased, go figure!

Here, here or at least have some specific training/test element in the car driving test regarding observation/how to react/act with regards bikers! Ditto re the foreign drivers thing, we had to pass California state driving & riding tests in LA even though we had the relevant UK licences.

Hopefully this will satisfy the curiosity. 2008 Motorcycle Test Changes Get everyone you know who's even thinking about it to crack on NOW! Amanda

Tee Hee we lived in Los Angeles for 19 months and used to have a rule that everywhere beyond our front door we spoke American English eg "elevator" instead of "lift" but once inside our own home we went back to "proper" English I had hoped to start learning Greek this September at my local college but the course may not be running due to lack of interest, I'm waiting to hear more I wanted to get beyond being able to say "hello", "please", "thank you", "how are you", "I'm fine" and pointing lots If I/we teach you English can you help me out with my Greek? Amanda

Hiya Phew Chania was hot this June, we were on Crete from 19th June to 3rd July in a villa off the new National Highway up behind Vrisses at the foot of the White Mountains. We've booked to go back next year to a villa further west. How do you cope riding in the heat?! Amanda

Cheers Kev, sorry bin away for a coupla days hence the delay replying. You're an ol' hand experienced rider now then huh? Long may the half way decent weather continue to let us newbies build up the miles/hours!! Amanda