170 replies to this topic

[skip665]

Yeah, not going to go for a "sports can" or whatever, most bikes are loud enough as it is, and what's the point in drawing attention to yourself?

Its a criminal offense not to on an SV as you have to hear that V-twin rumble!

I waited a year before I fitted one to mine and wished I had done it sooner!

Got a Remus Powercone on the Zed - it has a removable baffle but I have never touched it as its plenty loud enough anyway...

Remember - loud pipes save lives!

[dready]

Just to upset the applecart.

A 4 cylindar Revs and sounds alot nicer than a Twin :-)

[dready]

Yeah, I had heard about the changes happening to it, but not really got any details. Just thought I'd do it this Summer and get it out of the way - there's a school about 2 mins walk from where I work!

There making it alot harder see this extract nicked off the dsa website.
So get your skates on cos after 29th September it will cost you alot more and take more time.



Countdown to the new motorcycle test

The new practical motorcycle test is being introduced from 29 September 2008 to comply with European legislation, which aims to improve the standard of road safety for motorcycle and moped riders. This user group has been identified as having a high risk of injury or death; this is particularly the case for young and inexperienced riders.



Project Background

In October 2000, the European Commission brought in new standards for theoretical and practical driving tests conducted within the European Union (EU). This new legislation adds to this and is intended to ensure that motorcycle test candidates demonstrate that they are competent in the control of their machines at a more demanding level than is currently the case.

The new test event will contain two elements. The higher speed exercises and other exercises will be tested on safe off-road sites and take about 10 minutes to complete. The accompanied on road element of the test will follow, consisting of a road ride covering a variety of road and traffic conditions and will also include normal stops, hill and angle starts. Candidates who have demonstrated riding skills of a dangerously incompetent level during the off-road part of the test will not be permitted to proceed to the on-road element.


Delivery of the new test

The new test will be delivered from a network of sites provided either directly by DSA or via private developers. Many of the centres will be Multi-purpose Test Centres (MPTCs) providing both motorcycle and car testing facilities. Some will provide Large Goods Vehicle (LGV) and Passenger Carrying Vehicle (PCV) testing facilities, whilst some sites will provide motorcycle testing only.


What is different about the new motorcycle test?

The new EU standards set extra and more demanding special exercises that must be included in every practical motorcycling test from the date of implementation. These new standards include:

at least two exercises carried out at slow speed, including a slalom
at least two exercises carried out at higher speed, of which one exercise should be in second or third gear, at a speed of at least 30 kph (approx. 19 mph) and one exercise avoiding an obstacle at a minimum speed of 50 kph (approx. 32 mph)
at least two braking exercises, including an emergency brake at a minimum speed of 50 kph (approx. 32 mph)
Link to manoeuvre diagram with measurements

The diagrams show the proposed layout of the manoeuvring area. On the day of the test, candidates will be asked by the examiner to demonstrate their riding ability on either the left-hand or right-hand circuit.

The practical moped riding test

The practical moped riding test (which does not include the high-speed requirements) will also be carried out from the new test centres, where both the obstacle avoidance and emergency braking exercises will be carried out at 30 kph (approx. 19 mph). A test for the drivers of motorcycle and side car combination is also under development.

For further details about the new motorcycle test, click here to view the 2008 Information Pack.


Why are special "off road" facilities required?

It was considered that it would not be safe to conduct the new higher speed and braking exercises on public roads, which in very built up and busy test areas, would not be safe for the rider, other road users and the general public.

Undertaking a fair and consistent assessment for all candidates across Great Britain would be best achieved by using a pre-determined layout using ground markings and cones. It would be impractical and unsafe to do that on a public road as to comply with the speed requirement examiners would have to use roads with a speed limit of 40 mph.

Due to the minimum speeds required and different handling and power characteristics of different machines, DSA has developed a minimum test area in which it will be safe to conduct the off road element of the new test.

What will the new Multi-Purpose Test Centres provide?

comfortable waiting room with toilet facilities
easy access and toilet facilities for disabled candidates
good off road parking facilities for motorcycles and cars
separate "radio kit up" room for motorcycle candidates
an off road motorcycle manoeuvring area for the new test, finished with a high specification surface providing good grip in wet and dry weather and designed to be without hazards such as drainage gullies

[dready]

And this is also worth a read.

Good old blighty only has four test centres ready!

http://www.motorcycl.../ltopic111.html

[HereBeMonsters]

Cheers guys, you've inspired me to get off my ******* and get down to the training centre. Just booked a CBT for 23rd May.

[Blacque Jacque]

Ooh I must've missed this thread completely.

I got a couple of stinkwheels, don't get time to ride much these days though. I have to drop my daughter off at nursery every day & it's just not worth it to go home again, park the car, get all the leathers on & get the bike out to save 37p in fuel .

One of these for a commuter:

GPZ 500s

And this was my first after passing my test:

GSX750SE Katana

[dready]

Cheers guys, you've inspired me to get off my ******* and get down to the training centre. Just booked a CBT for 23rd May.

And when you have your cbt you can Moonlight For Pizza Hut to fund the New Bike :-)

[Blacque Jacque]

And when you have your cbt you can Moonlight For Pizza Hut to fund the New Bike :-)

LMAO

[skip665]

Cheers guys, you've inspired me to get off my ******* and get down to the training centre. Just booked a CBT for 23rd May.

Good stuff - thats what I did - just book it and get on with it!

[mrfreezeuk]

nice bikes you lot. i did my direct access about 5-6 years ago and had a suzuki bandit 600 as a first bike, goes well looks good and was cheap to run. since then i got my self a new (6 months old now) Yamaha XT660X .having more fun on this one than the last one. i went down to Hastings on the bank holiday monday on it and had a good day out (about 100 miles each way for me)
did any one else go ?

[dready]

nice bikes you lot. i did my direct access about 5-6 years ago and had a suzuki bandit 600 as a first bike, goes well looks good and was cheap to run. since then i got my self a new (6 months old now) Yamaha XT660X .having more fun on this one than the last one. i went down to Hastings on the bank holiday monday on it and had a good day out (about 100 miles each way for me)
did any one else go ?

Good lad another Biker :-)

Didn't make hastings only just fixed my brakes, stops now which is always handy when hurtling round the capital!

we'll we've well and truly taken over this thread with bike related Topics.

Anyone else?

[blakeatron]

The cossie was an Escort Cosworth with Harvey Gibbs blueprinted engine running about 400bhp at the wheels... imperial blue, leather interior, Morette quad lamps, 20" azev and huge rockford fosgate stereo with 3 screens - proper CHAV man i loved that car!



Back to bikes, my instructor told me to get my theory passed first then he will do me a combined cbt - direct access - so got my theory test on Tuesday. Hopefully with Neils help i get it passed first time!

This is the bike I have looked at getting suzuki gsx600r (This isn't the bike but its exactly the same a sthis - pic borrowed from ebay!)



But am worried about replacing expensive plastic, so also considering the open frame style like neils

[dready]

This is the bike I have looked at getting suzuki gsx600r (This isn't the bike but its exactly the same a sthis - pic borrowed from ebay!)



But am worried about replacing expensive plastic, so also considering the open frame style like neils
[/quote]


That's very Nice, i'd have it for the price you said.

Just be carefull, if you can afford it go for it. Just dont throw it done the road.
get some crash bobbins fitted straight away

for the sake of 50/60 quid they are life savers for engine cases if you do come unstuck.

i have dropped mine twice once to avoid a bus and another just lost my footing when getting it out.
the bobbins saved me a fortune in the bus one.


Good Luck fella, i feel a tamiyaclub rideout coming on!

all meet at the gp in donnington later in the year and get stupid drunk!

[blakeatron]

Crash bobbins, was thinking of just wrapping it in bubble wrap!

[dready]

Crash bobbins, was thinking of just wrapping it in bubble wrap!

look a bit 'Brian May' all bubble wrapped up :-)

[blakeatron]

look a bit 'Brian May' all bubble wrapped up :-)

But you wouldn't see my hair

[skip665]

Just a bit of good news for all wannabe biker types...

http://nds.coi.gov.u...mp;NewsAreaID=2

[dready]

Just a bit of good news for all wannabe biker types...

http://nds.coi.gov.u...mp;NewsAreaID=2

You know why dont you?

there not ready with the extra test centres!

how they expect to be ready for the olympics in four years is beyond me :-)

[skip665]

You know why dont you?

there not ready with the extra test centres!

how they expect to be ready for the olympics in four years is beyond me :-)

I know! A guy here is going through his DAS at the moment and was told because of some EU ruling the speed they need to do the brake and swerve manouver is 50kph which is 32mph so they have to conduct them in 40mph speed limits which is too dangerous!

Still good news for all those people rushing to get bikes

[blakeatron]

And they have just put back the new test date for 6 months as there are not enough test centres open.

And it is 1,7 mph over 30 mph - so they are teaching us to break the speed limit on our test??

[dready]

And they have just put back the new test date for 6 months as there are not enough test centres open.

And it is 1,7 mph over 30 mph - so they are teaching us to break the speed limit on our test??

We dont need teaching to brake the speed limit!

And i'm not telling you how fast i've done in a 30 cos its not big and it's not clever.

Fun though

[dazaa]

HUH you people with your "modern" bikes thinking your all that , Well i am only 13 but my dad has a lovely kawasaki z900(very early frame no 207th one made) with some really rare period "hop up parts" currently the bikes in bits being restored but soon it will take on any modern bike with its lovely polished alloy and chrome and 700 paint work, none of that plastic fairing rubbish ehe. He also has a kawasaki z1000a1 he restored afew years back and a totaly wreck of a z1000 a2(if you can think you can stand to see such a wreck of a zed(only zed owners will understand:) ) i will post some picures. Aswell as them he also has a 1982 honda cb900 with less than 10k on the clock in the freddie spencer replica coloures, honda cb750 f2 and a kawasaki 750ltd all us imports needing loads of work. Oh and i have,(yes me im not old enough to ride these on the road yet but i can polish em) 2000reg aprillia sr125 not even been run in yet about 300 miles on the clock, this was the last one from my dad aprillia franchise and apart from the front brakes seized and afew scratches it is absolutly mint with toolkit and manual, i also have a 1973 garelli katia 50cc moped, i bought it on ebay 4 years ago as a non runner, afew months ago after not touching it for over 3 years i stripped and clean the carb, cleaned the tank out,sripped and greased the front and rear wheel hubs and changed all the brake cables, for anyone who is wondering yes i did all the work myself and also if you dont know what it is look for garelli katia on google, there really nice little things and im currently building a stockpile of spares, mine still isnt running as i cannot get a spark, and i suspect the coil is at fault as the condenser looks fine as do the points, luky the honda c90 coils an exact fit so i just need one of them and it should be running.


Sorry for totally finishing the hacking of this thread.

dazaa

[blakeatron]

Fair point, but our 'modern' bikes can reach silly speeds quickly and also stop quickly, handle better and start with every press of the button - all while returning a decentish mpg

Saying that i would love an oldie of some sort! And good on you for getting in there and getting dirty, personally i would just pay someone to do it

[dazaa]

Fair point, but our 'modern' bikes can reach silly speeds quickly and also stop quickly, handle better and start with every press of the button - all while returning a decentish mpg

Saying that i would love an oldie of some sort! And good on you for getting in there and getting dirty, personally i would just pay someone to do it

Ok the part about the silly speeds is true and about stopping however a well set up z1/z900/z1000 (twin disks on the front,electronic ignition, k&ns, 4into1 pipe ect ect) would probably keep up with a modern bike, infact when the z1 was first released, kawasaki raced a totally standard one straight from the crate and it broke every record going at the time, not sure which race it was but its on google somwere. And standard the top speed was 138mph, so on my dads one he has removed lots of the heavy standard parts like the exhaust(although they didnt come with the bike when he got it, how he got it is a whole story on its own ill tell it one day)and headlamp brackets and replaced with a kerker k series(extremely rare) and genuine tommasselli(spelling?) headlamp brakets and remove the airbox and putting k&ns on will also increase the performance so when its done i bet it will top 145mph. As for getting somone else to do it well IF YOU CANT FIX EM DONT RIDE EM!

Regards
dazaa

[blakeatron]

I didn't say I couldn't do the mechanical stuff (done my fair share of it in the past) but Im just too lazy to do it now!

Its not about speed, my bike will do over 150 but when will i ever use it?

Personally I prefer 'sensibly riding' around the backroads - and a newer modern bike with modern suspension, brakes, tyres etc etc will always outdo a older bike.

It is the rider that makes a difference




Anyway back to topic - I have just started to do a lot of baking - yes baking! Started with a bet from the wife that i couldn't, and now i quite enjoy it.