The friendly "dumb" bike questions thread
Discussion
Rutter said:
Cbull said:
Silly question incoming. On the MOD 2 test, is it OK to filter or should you treat the traffic like you're in a car?
When i did mine (outside of london) I wasn't marked down for not filtering, although there was little opportunity to.Biker 1 said:
Dakkon said:
LCD visor is the best of both worlds 
Link please!!http://www.thevisorshop.com/en/gb/AGV-LCD-Visor-Fi...
I ride East in the morning and West on my way home, so I am always commuting into the sun, I charge it once a week, it is not the darkest tint when switched on, but certainly enough that I don't need sunglasses and its fully waterproof, I have been seriously rained on a few times and still works fine.
Great thread, thanks for starting it. I have my CBT and DAS booked for July and I'm full of stupid questions already....
- I love the look of the naked bikes, current shortlist for first bike is either a Monster 821 Dark or a Triumph Street Triple R. Is this a stupid idea for a first bike? I don't want a s
t first bike, because I'll hate it. I want something that I lust.
I got a nice sensible Honda a few years ago. Now I have a 38 year old Bonneville, a 48 year old BSA 250 and I'm looking at buying a cheap Ducati as a "reliable and modern" bike. So the buy with the head thing didn't work too well for me!
- With a textile jacket (high collar) and helmet, is my neck going to get cold? What do people use if it's bit fresh out? Neck sleeve? Balaclava?
I wear a neck sleeve. Buff do a good one, especially the fluffy one.
- I cycle a lot, and the brakes on my road bike are st. I am often worried that I won't be able to stop in time. What is heavy braking on a motorbike like? Is it easy to lock the front/back wheel and/or both?
You'll clang your knackers on the tank. Don't worry about brakes. Learning to brake properly (i.e. putting on more than you think the bike will take) in a straight line on an empty road can be beneficial. Mostly you brake on the front wheel. Back is mainly for control.
- I have a strange paranoia about dropping the front end on diesel or a wet road, probably stemming from doing it whilst cycling. Put my mind at rest please!
Diesel: be careful. Wet: don't cane it about like you might in the dry, but there's no need to ride all uptight and nervous in the wet. Just be smooth on the power.
- Should I get a jacket with a back protector in it? What about elbow protectors?
Personal preference. I generally have light elbow armour, no back protector. other people won't even stand in the same room as a bike without a back protector. Both of us are right.
- I have two young kids, am I being selfish for wanting a bike license? Does it make me an irresponsible parent putting myself in danger?
Not really.
- I don't want to wear full leather and have to completely change into normal clothes at the office. Are there protective jeans that you can wear all day with a t-shirt? Same goes for boots. I am lucky that I'm the boss so can wear whatever I want (within reason).
I have a pair of British-made Hood jeans that are brilliant. £150, made to measure, fully kevlar lined, Fancy D3O armour in the hips and knees.
- Rucksack or decent messenger bag? By decent messenger bag I mean something like a Chrome Industries NYC style bike messenger back with a twin strap setup.
I'm a rucksack man.
- Sunglasses or tinted visor? Are mirrored visors silly?
My helmet has a flip-down internal sun visor. It's ace. I'm basically a 25bhp fighter pilot.
- Bluetooth headphones inside helmet, yes or no?
I don't like music when I ride, just me and my thoughts. Only way I can get a decent conversation! I'd advise earplugs, whatever you do. you can get them with bluetooth in as well.
Thanks in advance!
- I love the look of the naked bikes, current shortlist for first bike is either a Monster 821 Dark or a Triumph Street Triple R. Is this a stupid idea for a first bike? I don't want a s
t first bike, because I'll hate it. I want something that I lust. I got a nice sensible Honda a few years ago. Now I have a 38 year old Bonneville, a 48 year old BSA 250 and I'm looking at buying a cheap Ducati as a "reliable and modern" bike. So the buy with the head thing didn't work too well for me!
- With a textile jacket (high collar) and helmet, is my neck going to get cold? What do people use if it's bit fresh out? Neck sleeve? Balaclava?
I wear a neck sleeve. Buff do a good one, especially the fluffy one.
- I cycle a lot, and the brakes on my road bike are s
t. I am often worried that I won't be able to stop in time. What is heavy braking on a motorbike like? Is it easy to lock the front/back wheel and/or both? You'll clang your knackers on the tank. Don't worry about brakes. Learning to brake properly (i.e. putting on more than you think the bike will take) in a straight line on an empty road can be beneficial. Mostly you brake on the front wheel. Back is mainly for control.
- I have a strange paranoia about dropping the front end on diesel or a wet road, probably stemming from doing it whilst cycling. Put my mind at rest please!
Diesel: be careful. Wet: don't cane it about like you might in the dry, but there's no need to ride all uptight and nervous in the wet. Just be smooth on the power.
- Should I get a jacket with a back protector in it? What about elbow protectors?
Personal preference. I generally have light elbow armour, no back protector. other people won't even stand in the same room as a bike without a back protector. Both of us are right.
- I have two young kids, am I being selfish for wanting a bike license? Does it make me an irresponsible parent putting myself in danger?
Not really.
- I don't want to wear full leather and have to completely change into normal clothes at the office. Are there protective jeans that you can wear all day with a t-shirt? Same goes for boots. I am lucky that I'm the boss so can wear whatever I want (within reason).
I have a pair of British-made Hood jeans that are brilliant. £150, made to measure, fully kevlar lined, Fancy D3O armour in the hips and knees.
- Rucksack or decent messenger bag? By decent messenger bag I mean something like a Chrome Industries NYC style bike messenger back with a twin strap setup.
I'm a rucksack man.
- Sunglasses or tinted visor? Are mirrored visors silly?
My helmet has a flip-down internal sun visor. It's ace. I'm basically a 25bhp fighter pilot.
- Bluetooth headphones inside helmet, yes or no?
I don't like music when I ride, just me and my thoughts. Only way I can get a decent conversation! I'd advise earplugs, whatever you do. you can get them with bluetooth in as well.
Thanks in advance!
Forget rucksacks/bags, I find they get heavier by the mile! Get a tail tidy that easily straps/unstraps from bike: Oxford, Wolfman etc...
Whatever you do, TOTALLY IGNORE those that have been banned from biking from their other halves!!
What would you rather: an adrenaline fuelled hobby, that isn't really that expensive, with heightened risks (dependant on demographic, age etc), or sitting around getting old & thinking of what might have been. My missus finds bikes pointless & uncomfortable, so I tend to go for a ride on a Sunday when she's doing other stuff. Just don't let bikes become too obsessive.
Whatever you do, TOTALLY IGNORE those that have been banned from biking from their other halves!!
What would you rather: an adrenaline fuelled hobby, that isn't really that expensive, with heightened risks (dependant on demographic, age etc), or sitting around getting old & thinking of what might have been. My missus finds bikes pointless & uncomfortable, so I tend to go for a ride on a Sunday when she's doing other stuff. Just don't let bikes become too obsessive.
Rutter said:
Cbull said:
Silly question incoming. On the MOD 2 test, is it OK to filter or should you treat the traffic like you're in a car?
When i did mine (outside of london) I wasn't marked down for not filtering, although there was little opportunity to.But then I'm not in London.
I done my test in London, spent a good chunk of it sat in traffic ticking the time away, got back to a near clean sheet (one unrelated minor). Seems crazy to filter and risk an incident than to just chill in traffic. I did get thrown in the deep end on the ride home though, M25 on a friday rush hour lol
Wish mine was that easy CM (Failed, retest at the end of the month 
)
Another stupid one. Going to be buying a ZX6R. What is that bar that goes over and across the front cluster? It doesn't seem to do anything.
See pic #5 http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2017...
(Failed, retest at the end of the month )Another stupid one. Going to be buying a ZX6R. What is that bar that goes over and across the front cluster? It doesn't seem to do anything.
See pic #5 http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2017...
Cbull said:
Wish mine was that easy CM (Failed, retest at the end of the month )
Another stupid one. Going to be buying a ZX6R. What is that bar that goes over and across the front cluster? It doesn't seem to do anything.
See pic #5 http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2017...
Its just part of the fairing support brace, handy for securing a sat nav to it. (Failed, retest at the end of the month )Another stupid one. Going to be buying a ZX6R. What is that bar that goes over and across the front cluster? It doesn't seem to do anything.
See pic #5 http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2017...
Jazoli said:
Cbull said:
Wish mine was that easy CM (Failed, retest at the end of the month )
Another stupid one. Going to be buying a ZX6R. What is that bar that goes over and across the front cluster? It doesn't seem to do anything.
See pic #5 http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2017...
Its just part of the fairing support brace, handy for securing a sat nav to it. (Failed, retest at the end of the month )Another stupid one. Going to be buying a ZX6R. What is that bar that goes over and across the front cluster? It doesn't seem to do anything.
See pic #5 http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2017...
Don't filter in a test.
You can't be failed for being not filtering, but you will possibly be failed for filtering.
Not worth it.
Plus you won't really have the skills needed to filter yet. It takes a lot of practice to be able to be completely aware of everything going on around you, while also riding the bike.
That said, the chap taking my exam told me that if when we exited the centre there was lots of traffic (due to road works), he would pull in front of me and I should follow him, he would then tell me when to move back in front (and the test would start).
Examiners are just humans, and often they're bikers, just have a word with them before and tell them you don't want to filter.
You can't be failed for being not filtering, but you will possibly be failed for filtering.
Not worth it.
Plus you won't really have the skills needed to filter yet. It takes a lot of practice to be able to be completely aware of everything going on around you, while also riding the bike.
That said, the chap taking my exam told me that if when we exited the centre there was lots of traffic (due to road works), he would pull in front of me and I should follow him, he would then tell me when to move back in front (and the test would start).
Examiners are just humans, and often they're bikers, just have a word with them before and tell them you don't want to filter.
RizzoTheRat said:
Rather than wear thick heavy armored jeans all day at work, I prefer to wear armored textiles over my work clothes when commuting.
Snap, have done the same since I started commuting to work by bike 17 years ago here in London. I just buy 1 or 2 sizes bigger to allow me to wear normal clothes underneath. Most of the year you're never too warm, for those odd days maybe weeks I have summer riding kit (aka spare stuff) that doesn't need to be either wind or waterproof.Krikkit said:
Bringing this one back from the dead...
What advantages does changing a rearset bring? I see them quite a bit, but don't really follow as they look exactly the same. I've also seen some adjustable ones.
If you're a racer or trackday rider, increased ground clearance.What advantages does changing a rearset bring? I see them quite a bit, but don't really follow as they look exactly the same. I've also seen some adjustable ones.
If you're an ordinary road rider, increased bling
Both are entirely legitimate reasons for upgrading bike parts
Rawwr said:
- The best neckwarmer ever: https://store.hughesstorehouse.co.uk/Item_i780028
Waterproof, windproof, not too thick. Perfect.
Biker 1 said:
Forget rucksacks/bags, I find they get heavier by the mile! Get a tail tidy that easily straps/unstraps from bike: Oxford, Wolfman etc...
Yes and no.If you're carrying a laptop I find that having it in a rucksack is one of the only ways of ensuring that it stays healthy! The battering that it can take from the suspension otherwise is too much - or at least it has been for the hard discs of a couple of work laptops.
If it's not anything breakable/electronic then I completely agree, tailpack or topbox, though the decent rucksacks do make a difference. I use Kriega or Osprey.
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