A picture a day... biker banter (Vol 6)

[zzrman]

Picking this up tomorrow.

[A500leroy]

zzrman said:

Picking this up tomorrow.

Remember the write up when you get home .

[A500leroy]

Untitled by Rick Phillips, on Flickr

[/quote]

This is very likely the bike thats gonna bring me out of riding retirement. hope its as good as it looks.

[Herr Schnell]

Usually the last thing I'd want in the mirrors but seeing as yesterday was bikesafe day it was fine.

Wasn't sure what to expect from the day but found it really useful and fun too. Pleased to come away with an assessment of fine overall with some elements being pretty good. Going to look at further training as it was nowhere near the cardigan clad pedantry and snobbery that I found with car advanced training groups.

[Rick448]

A500leroy said:

Untitled by Rick Phillips, on Flickr

This is very likely the bike thats gonna bring me out of riding retirement. hope its as good as it looks.

It’s a great little bike to go with the ZZR1400.

[Rick448]

Herr Schnell said:

Usually the last thing I'd want in the mirrors but seeing as yesterday was bikesafe day it was fine.

Wasn't sure what to expect from the day but found it really useful and fun too. Pleased to come away with an assessment of fine overall with some elements being pretty good. Going to look at further training as it was nowhere near the cardigan clad pedantry and snobbery that I found with car advanced training groups.

Maybe give Rapid Training a go. I’ve just done a course with them, it was brilliant.

[PT1984]

Herr Schnell said:

Usually the last thing I'd want in the mirrors but seeing as yesterday was bikesafe day it was fine.

Wasn't sure what to expect from the day but found it really useful and fun too. Pleased to come away with an assessment of fine overall with some elements being pretty good. Going to look at further training as it was nowhere near the cardigan clad pedantry and snobbery that I found with car advanced training groups.

Can I ask how you find the 650r? With the IL4 would you say it feels special enough to be a weekend ride out bike? They look great value compared to a 890 Duke. The other option is the Trident 660, or MT9, but it’s an ugly bugger.

I think I’m looking for something with a brilliant engine, as the daily is a V40 D4 diesel! I like an engine to rev out with power at the top, but don’t really want to sacrifice torque. I believe the Yamaha CP3 also gives us this.

Edited by PT1984 on Sunday 29th May 13:19

[hiccy18]

Herr Schnell said:

*snip* Going to look at further training as it was nowhere near the cardigan clad pedantry and snobbery that I found with car advanced training groups.

I know it'll vary from group to group, but I'm really enjoying IAM at the moment, great bunch of guys and the feedback makes sense and delivers benefits when applied. Yes the "sticking to speed limits" thing is a chore in NSL, but I'm viewing it as rebuilding a solid base to come back better than ever.

Looking beyond, the courses ran by i2i and Rapid both look to deliver useful content at sensible prices and are well reviewed, but there's also IAM Master which sounds interesting.

[epom]

Got out on this for a few hours yesterday. A massive change from what I’m used to. Felt very very weird for the first 10 mins. Have to say once I settled with it it was very enjoyable on a few back roads closer to home.
Heavy though, getting going or stopped was an effort everytime.

[bogie]

Cooler than expected, but a lovely ride out around Lincs this morning on the MV, very little traffic about early on

[Rick448]

bogie said:

Cooler than expected, but a lovely ride out around Lincs this morning on the MV, very little traffic about early on

Nice, I had a quick ride around Lincs yesterday.

Lincs circuit. by Rick Phillips, on Flickr

[KTMsm]

hiccy18 said:

Herr Schnell said:

*snip* Going to look at further training as it was nowhere near the cardigan clad pedantry and snobbery that I found with car advanced training groups.

I know it'll vary from group to group, but I'm really enjoying IAM at the moment, great bunch of guys and the feedback makes sense and delivers benefits when applied. Yes the "sticking to speed limits" thing is a chore in NSL, but I'm viewing it as rebuilding a solid base to come back better than ever.

Looking beyond, the courses ran by i2i and Rapid both look to deliver useful content at sensible prices and are well reviewed, but there's also IAM Master which sounds interesting.

I'm not sure that "enjoying" is the word for the training but I like that there is such a wide mix of guys at my local IAM - I was out today with a retired CPS barrister and a Surgeon

If you get it on an offer (I think I paid £85) the IAM course really is a bargain and my local club is pretty active but admittedly most are older guys

[bogie]

I often ride those roads Rick and have seen your ZZR parked up at the woods, I must say hello next time. Im from Louth originally, but been in Notts since 2008. Seems like Notts has a near blanket coverage of avg speed controlled 50mph limits these days so I tend to head east into Lincs or NE into Yorks. On an early Sunday morning ride out I can often get 100 miles in and around Lincs before I see some other traffic

[Birky_41]

Probably one of my best Sunday morning road rides this year despite a cycling event in Essex (we avoided every closed road) and some spitting showers

[Herr Schnell]

hiccy18 said:

Herr Schnell said:

*snip* Going to look at further training as it was nowhere near the cardigan clad pedantry and snobbery that I found with car advanced training groups.

I know it'll vary from group to group, but I'm really enjoying IAM at the moment, great bunch of guys and the feedback makes sense and delivers benefits when applied. Yes the "sticking to speed limits" thing is a chore in NSL, but I'm viewing it as rebuilding a solid base to come back better than ever.

Looking beyond, the courses ran by i2i and Rapid both look to deliver useful content at sensible prices and are well reviewed, but there's also IAM Master which sounds interesting.

That's good to hear. Birmingham Advanced Motorcyclists is the closest group to me and from what I can see they might suit me so am going to arrange a trial with an observer and take it from there.

Have looked at Rapid in the past but not sure it''d work for me as I absorb information slowly so any kind of intensive course isn't the best. With IAM spacing it out and allowing different pacing I think that suits me better. Cost also comes into it. Maybe move on to Rapid or similar after IAM.

[bolidemichael]

Herr Schnell said:

hiccy18 said:

Herr Schnell said:

*snip* Going to look at further training as it was nowhere near the cardigan clad pedantry and snobbery that I found with car advanced training groups.

I know it'll vary from group to group, but I'm really enjoying IAM at the moment, great bunch of guys and the feedback makes sense and delivers benefits when applied. Yes the "sticking to speed limits" thing is a chore in NSL, but I'm viewing it as rebuilding a solid base to come back better than ever.

Looking beyond, the courses ran by i2i and Rapid both look to deliver useful content at sensible prices and are well reviewed, but there's also IAM Master which sounds interesting.

That's good to hear. Birmingham Advanced Motorcyclists is the closest group to me and from what I can see they might suit me so am going to arrange a trial with an observer and take it from there.

Have looked at Rapid in the past but not sure it''d work for me as I absorb information slowly so any kind of intensive course isn't the best. With IAM spacing it out and allowing different pacing I think that suits me better. Cost also comes into it. Maybe move on to Rapid or similar after IAM.

To build on what you've already learned sounds very prudent, considering your self-awareness. You may even want to get a heads up on the IAM by sourcing yourself a copy of Roadcraft.

[Herr Schnell]

PT1984 said:

Can I ask how you find the 650r? With the IL4 would you say it feels special enough to be a weekend ride out bike? They look great value compared to a 890 Duke. The other option is the Trident 660, or MT9, but it’s an ugly bugger.

I think I’m looking for something with a brilliant engine, as the daily is a V40 D4 diesel! I like an engine to rev out with power at the top, but don’t really want to sacrifice torque. I believe the Yamaha CP3 also gives us this.

Edited by PT1984 on Sunday 29th May 13:19

I might not be the best person to ask as I've only owned a 500 before this so don't have a wide range of experience at all.

That said my thoughts are that it's a decent bike but not sure I'd recommend it as something to use at weekends for fun only. In fact after just under a year I'm thinking about moving on to a Tracer 9. Partly because I fancy a screen and slightly more upright position but mainly because I want something with more punch from wherever I am in the rev range. The 650r engine is smooth and tractable but it does need revs to come alive, at least 7000 of them really. It can be a bit snatchy at the early stages of throttle at lower speeds too. More torque is what I'm after but there is a lot to be said for wringing it out and hearing it yowl.

Build quality on it seems good. A few fasteners have surface corrosion but nothing else and it feels solidly put together. Handles fine and feels lighter than it actually is. Subjective I know but I think it looks great too.

[Herr Schnell]

bolidemichael said:

To build on what you've already learned sounds very prudent, considering your self-awareness. You may even want to get a heads up on the IAM by sourcing yourself a copy of Roadcraft.

Thanks, I bought Roadcraft prior to the bikesafe day and spent some time reading through. Seemed to help as the whole IPSGA thing was a common theme yesterday.

[PT1984]

Herr Schnell said:

I might not be the best person to ask as I've only owned a 500 before this so don't have a wide range of experience at all.

That said my thoughts are that it's a decent bike but not sure I'd recommend it as something to use at weekends for fun only. In fact after just under a year I'm thinking about moving on to a Tracer 9. Partly because I fancy a screen and slightly more upright position but mainly because I want something with more punch from wherever I am in the rev range. The 650r engine is smooth and tractable but it does need revs to come alive, at least 7000 of them really. It can be a bit snatchy at the early stages of throttle at lower speeds too. More torque is what I'm after but there is a lot to be said for wringing it out and hearing it yowl.

Build quality on it seems good. A few fasteners have surface corrosion but nothing else and it feels solidly put together. Handles fine and feels lighter than it actually is. Subjective I know but I think it looks great too.

Thanks for that. Very helpful.

[bolidemichael]

Herr Schnell said:

bolidemichael said:

To build on what you've already learned sounds very prudent, considering your self-awareness. You may even want to get a heads up on the IAM by sourcing yourself a copy of Roadcraft.

Thanks, I bought Roadcraft prior to the bikesafe day and spent some time reading through. Seemed to help as the whole IPSGA thing was a common theme yesterday.

IPSGA is the basis and really, the most common feedback for all untrained riders is in relation to raising one's sightline and anticipating what is ahead.