FAO: Motorbike People

[Ricey]

Right I am looking to take my full test and get a bike after lots of concideration and thinking. Now I am 21 the price is better and I can ride a bike unrestricted. I did my CBT when I was 16 and I know it only last for 3 years. Do I need to do my CBT again and what do I need to take etc.

Any places around Southend/Chelmsford you could recommend to take my test(s)?

 

[grayhound]

Im in the same situation, i believe the CBT is invalid now and you have to take it again before you can do your test.

My mates done his full test and he said you have to sit a theory test for it as well. I think theres a place in Southend somewhere. I done my CBT at the back of southend police station i think they do the full test there as well.

Hope this helps

PS Get yourself a scooter

 

[South Bank Hank]

PS Get yourself a scooter

Yeeeehaaa!

 

[Firestorm]

CBT only lasts for 2 years, if you haven't passed a test by then you have to retake the CBT.

Options available, Take a CBT , ride around on a 125 for a bit, take a test and be limited to 33 bhp for two years and step onto any bike you like.
pro's, you get to see if biking is your thing without laying out too much, you learn to ride bikes properly knowing the limits of both rider and machine without finding out at silly speeds.
Cons
Sexy bikes are out of range. If you do decide to go all the way, you could well end up buying three bikes in 3 years !

Direct access; 1 intense course , 5 days (I think) from CBT to full Unrestricted licence. You take a test on a 500 and you pass with an unconditional licence.
Pro's No need to buy "interemediate" bike
Cons. Cost I think a DA course is around 700 quid.
You will learn how to pass the test but not how to ride a bike, the knowledge about manhole covers , extra caution on bends and roundabouts near petrol stations etc comes from experience, that so of learning curve can be fatal on a 120bhp + sports bike
Insurance: I would dread to think how much it would cost for 21 years old, no riding experience and a DA pass on an R6 or R1 Thousands I would imagine.

Personally I would go the 1st route, You can pick up a 125 for a grand or so and as long as you don't bin it the deperciation will not be much (as long as you stick with a Honda or suzuki, the chinese / korean bikes are dirt cheap but have bugger all resale). You can take your test at anytime as soon as you feel confident and if you don't like biking (it takes a ceratin sort of person to be out in the p***ing rain on a bike) you haven't lost a great deal

There is a training school at cuckoo Corner just a few shops up from Bike world

And finall, Get Decent Kit !!
I read once that 5 pound hats are for 5 pound heads !
Decent jacket and trousers with armour , leather if possible and a decent pair of gloves.

 

[Ricey]

What my plan is as I have ridden bikes before and am quite expierenced on bikes, on and off road. I am going to take my CBT do my test and get a ZXR 400 a nice smaller engined bike to start off on. I will be doing little mileage as I won't ride it in bad weather.

I will be purchasing in the top gear, good lid and full leathers etc etc. I used to have the **** taken out of me for wearing full kit on a moped but I know the dangers and its better to be safe than sorry. For every second you skid on tarmac you lose a layer of skin if your not wearing the right equipment.

 

[davewebbsbrain]

All you need to be able to do to ride a motorbike is swerve in and out of traffic at dangerous speeds, cut if front of cars tightly, causing the driver to brake sharply, and to drive slowly in the fast lane for a laugh, knowing tha if the driver tries to overtake, you will flip the throttle and speed up enough just to stop the driver overtaking.... Job done.

 

[Phippsy]

What my plan is as I have ridden bikes before and am quite expierenced on bikes, on and off road. I am going to take my CBT do my test and get a ZXR 400 a nice smaller engined bike to start off on. I will be doing little mileage as I won't ride it in bad weather.

I will be purchasing in the top gear, good lid and full leathers etc etc. I used to have the **** taken out of me for wearing full kit on a moped but I know the dangers and its better to be safe than sorry. For every second you skid on tarmac you lose a layer of skin if your not wearing the right equipment.

Good choice of bike ricey, owned a zxr750 couple years ago, bullet proof engines in Kwakas cant go wrong, i would personally go for a direct access if you can afford it like firestorm said i think mine cost about 600 quid and i took it with a guy in chelmsford.

 

[Ricey]

Good choice of bike ricey, owned a zxr750 couple years ago, bullet proof engines in Kwakas cant go wrong, i would personally go for a direct access if you can afford it like firestorm said i think mine cost about 600 quid and i took it with a guy in chelmsford.

Was looking at the Link's website and they had about that Direct Access think I might go for it, also want to do my HGV for work and just incase I lose my job (touch wood that won't happen). I have something to fall back on then.

 

[Firestorm]

You would still have to restrict the ZXR 400 down to 33 bhp if you go the standard test route.
As you have bike experience and are not intending go mental and get straight on a blade the DA route does look the best bet.
ZXR's (and all of the Ninja's ) tend to hold their price, All of the "sports" 400's tend to be imports as well so often their history is cloudy and spares are a little difficult to track down, there are some very good deals to be had on the slightly less fashionable bikes. the GSXF 600 Suzuki is between the Bandit and the Gixxer and is a great bike and can be had quite cheap. .

As I said, in your case DA seems ideal, its the "mid life crisis" merchants with money who are doing the DA a disservice, not ridden for 20 odd years (or maybe never, flush with cash so they do the Direct access get straight on a Blade or an R1 and can't handle it.

 

[Firestorm]

All you need to be able to do to ride a motorbike is swerve in and out of traffic at dangerous speeds, cut if front of cars tightly, causing the driver to brake sharply, and to drive slowly in the fast lane for a laugh, knowing tha if the driver tries to overtake, you will flip the throttle and speed up enough just to stop the driver overtaking.... Job done.

Whilst keeping both eyes open for myopic morons who can't see anything smaller than a transit and don't signal or use their mirrors when manoevering.

Seriously though a number of bikers do filter at higher speeds than is safe, but if the bike is going faster than the car when it "cuts in front tightly" the car driver will not need to brake sharply unless he has accelerated excessively to try and shut the gap as the bike will be moving faster.....

a tip I was taught at an early stage which I have found very usefull is , when following a car, don't position yourself in the middle of the car at the rear. go one side or the other and look into the wing mirror of the car and make sure you can see the drivers face, you will be able to make sure he has seen you. If, for any reason, the car brakes sharply you can always take evasive action up either side. if the traffic slows down sufficiently you can always slip past without weaving as well.

The only time it gets a bit nasty is when the twunt then lobs a fag out of the window on your side......

 

[Desert Shrimper]

As I said, in your case DA seems ideal, its the "mid life crisis" merchants with money who are doing the DA a disservice, not ridden for 20 odd years (or maybe never, flush with cash so they do the Direct access get straight on a Blade or an R1 and can't handle it.

Very true. I was part of a motorbike mailing list for a while, where basically middle aged dudes discussed their horrific crash stories, where they had metal plates in their arms etc etc. The top end of that particular market is really not to be messed around with if you don't know what you're doing.

 

[davewebbsbrain]

Seriously though a number of bikers do filter at higher speeds than is safe, but if the bike is going faster than the car when it "cuts in front tightly" the car driver will not need to brake sharply unless he has accelerated excessively to try and shut the gap as the bike will be moving faster.....

......

Agreed, but unfortunately, in traffic, for instance on single lane roads such as Rayleigh road, motorcyclists overtake one car or as many as they can at a time when the other side of the road has a gap, they then swerve in tightly to avoid getting hit my a car coming in the opposite direction and there is hardly a gap between cars, this then causes the car driver to brake sharply..

Admittedly, its not all bikers, far from it, but those idiots are the ones who give the good drivers a bad name...

 

[Mr. Benedict]

Agreed, but unfortunately, in traffic, for instance on single lane roads such as Rayleigh road, motorcyclists overtake one car or as many as they can at a time when the other side of the road has a gap, they then swerve in tightly to avoid getting hit my a car coming in the opposite direction and there is hardly a gap between cars, this then causes the car driver to brake sharply..

Admittedly, its not all bikers, far from it, but those idiots are the ones who give the good drivers a bad name...

This is really annoying, I agree. As someone who does a lot of yearly mileage, I do see a lot of bikes riding like tw@ts but that's the problem - we don't notice the well-behaved ones, only the idiots.
I know (and have known) many bikers and I can only think of two who ride like morons - and one of those paid for his recklessness with his life.

 

[Firestorm]

Agreed, but unfortunately, in traffic, for instance on single lane roads such as Rayleigh road, motorcyclists overtake one car or as many as they can at a time when the other side of the road has a gap, they then swerve in tightly to avoid getting hit my a car coming in the opposite direction and there is hardly a gap between cars, this then causes the car driver to brake sharply..

Admittedly, its not all bikers, far from it, but those idiots are the ones who give the good drivers a bad name...

I know what you mean, Why on earth they don't look far enough ahead and pull in alongside the car who is not hugging the centre of the road is beyond me.

I admit in situations like you describe, Sutton Road Roundabout to Cuckoo Corner is a prime example, I go up the outside when its free but I always pick my pulling in point based on the cars position on the road. A properly positioned car on a "normal" road leaves plenty of room for a bike to fit alongside and not cross over the white line.

Benedict was right about only spotting the idiots though, at the end of a journey I don't remember all of the cars who are correctly positioned on the road , or who have seen me and stayed at the junction, only those who have deliberately pulled to one side or the other to block my filtering or haven't seen me and pulled out of a junction....

 

[SARF]

Always have your head lights on.. Always check and check again you have cancelled your indicators.. Always check over your left shoulder before you turn left. Always stay in the middle of the road with plenty of room to stop.. If your looking to overtake adopt the Drivers side mirror position but watch for cars coming inside you.. If your learning pretend you have your dear old Mum as pillion.. Look where you want to go , not at what you dont want to hit.. Practice riding slowly in a Car Park some where until you can bang out U turns easily.. assume no one can see you on the raod.. Accept the fact that you will dick around at times and if you do, any misfortune is entirely your own fault..

 

[SARF]

Oh yeah .. Dont nod to blokes on Hogs dressed as storm troopers, or people on proper bikes if your on some 50 cc scooter.. there is a special 'nod' code..

 

[Ricey]

I remember when people used to 'nod' at me when I was on my 50cc scooter. I felt so cool lol.

Just been speaking to the lads at work and one if getting a ZX-7R and we were saying that its doesn't matter how great a rider you are its the arsehole who doesn't indicate in the BMW and doesn't see you.

 

[davewebbsbrain]

I remember when people used to 'nod' at me when I was on my 50cc scooter. I felt so cool lol.

Just been speaking to the lads at work and one if getting a ZX-7R and we were saying that its doesn't matter how great a rider you are its the arsehole who doesn't indicate in the BMW and doesn't see you.

Bit harsh on BMW drivers....I am one, and always indicate, let people out of junctions, turnings etc...Surprisingly, i get none of this courtesy back!!!

 

[Ricey]

Bit harsh on BMW drivers....I am one, and always indicate, let people out of junctions, turnings etc...Surprisingly, i get none of this courtesy back!!!

Sorry just stereotyping. Don't take offence to that comment.

 

[Phippsy]

I remember when people used to 'nod' at me when I was on my 50cc scooter. I felt so cool lol.

Just been speaking to the lads at work and one if getting a ZX-7R and we were saying that its doesn't matter how great a rider you are its the arsehole who doesn't indicate in the BMW and doesn't see you.

"How very dare you, young Ricey" like i said in an earlier post, i had a zxr 750 last year and i also had a bmw until i became mondeo man this year, i was that sad i used to do life savers in my car without realizing lol:guns: