Saxophones Carrying a tenor on a (motor)bike?

[Targa]

Must congratulate Jay on starting a thread that has this far not deviated -it's often interesting to read the last post in a thread and try to work out how the hell it started!

Why would anyone want to deviate from thinking about Jay wearing leathers astride a motorbike?

 

[trimmy]

Why would anyone want to deviate from thinking about Jay wearing leathers astride a motorbike?

Gizza lift Jay 😉

 

[Jay]

Hmmm - husband of a good friend, who is a biker, is talking me into doing a direct access intensive week, and getting my A2 licence at least.

And the bike I'm wanting seems to have got bigger too!

Kawasaki W800 (A2 legal)

 

[richardr]

Hmmm - husband of a good friend, who is a biker, is talking me into doing a direct access intensive week, and getting my A2 licence at least.

And the bike I'm wanting seems to have got bigger too!

Kawasaki W800 (A2 legal)

A modern bike that I like! Air-cooled, not too heavy...Thanks for showing this to me, Jay.

 

[Jay]

A modern bike that I like! Air-cooled, not too heavy...Thanks for showing this to me, Jay.

That's what I thought...... beautiful as an old bike, but with modern features, A2 legal, not too heavy - perfect!

(I recall trying to kickstart a boyfriend's Triumph Norton, so I am not sorry that it has an electric start, for example).

 

[trimmy]

Hmmm - husband of a good friend, who is a biker, is talking me into doing a direct access intensive week, and getting my A2 licence at least.

And the bike I'm wanting seems to have got bigger too!

Kawasaki W800 (A2 legal)

and it has the matching red 😉

 

[Jay]

and it has the matching red 😉

Essential 😛

 

[jonf]

Hmmm - husband of a good friend, who is a biker, is talking me into doing a direct access intensive week, and getting my A2 licence at least.

And the bike I'm wanting seems to have got bigger too!

Kawasaki W800 (A2 legal)

You know something, Jay, a bike like that is actually easier to ride than a 125. Smoother power, which means gear changes are less critical. Will not be as cheap to run, but will feel better on the road. Just make sure you don't let yourself get too much of an adrenalin rush - if the heart rate goes up too much it's time to slow down a bit. You don't need to worry about starting on an 800, either. It's an easy ride and you just use the power you need. If I were you I'd go the whole hog and get a full unrestricted licence.

Nice bike, and you'll get taught to a far higher standard on the Direct Access test than you get doing a car test.

 

[Jay]

You know something, Jay, a bike like that is actually easier to ride than a 125. Smoother power, which means gear changes are less critical. Will not be as cheap to run, but will feel better on the road. Just make sure you don't let yourself get too much of an adrenalin rush - if the heart rate goes up too much it's time to slow down a bit. You don't need to worry about starting on an 800, either. It's an easy ride and you just use the power you need. If I were you I'd go the whole hog and get a full unrestricted licence.

Nice bike, and you'll get taught to a far higher standard on the Direct Access test than you get doing a car test.

Thank you - that's what Rob is telling me too, so it's good to hear it confirmed.

I got some 'almost new' Hein Gericke armoured textiles on eBay, that arrived today and that fit, so that's one step in the right direction (haven't worked out how to zip them together yet ) I've booked onto my CBT and enquired about the week's Direct Access course, plus I've emailed about that bike (but no reply, will ring them tomorrow). Very exciting 😀

 

[jonf]

Good. Hein Gericke is good kit - the company was a pain in the arse to deal with, which is why it isn't trading in the UK any more - but their stuff is good. Don't forget to wear proper boots, not DMs or walking boots, and some decent gloves too. Helmet's are easy. Proper kite marked/CE/Snell marking, from a decent maker, and just get one that suits your head and you'll be fine.

 

[Targa]

Hmmm - husband of a good friend, who is a biker, is talking me into doing a direct access intensive week, and getting my A2 licence at least.

Having passed my bike test years ago I've had to look at what you mean by 'direct access', A2 licence etc, but unless I've read it wrongly do you have to have an A2 can't you go straight to A?

 

[Jay]

You can go straight to A. I was thinking probably I wasn't going to want an A bike. But the instructor who is taking the courses has said by email that the bike I'd train on will be the same and I might as well just go for an A licence.

 

[richardr]

We've 'ad a meeting of t'committee, ie Colin the Bear and me, and we're in agreement that starting on a big bike is a bad idea. By all means get a full license up front but start with a smaller bike that's easier to manhandle and doesn't accelerate like a rocket, ie one which is less likely to get you into trouble, until you've gained experience. Unless all your cars have been automatics you'll already know instinctively when to change gear. Unless you go for a race replica, modern 125s have a torque band broad enough to be forgiving of badly-timed gearchanges.
My first street-legal bike was a CG 125 which I rode for over a year and didn't feel the need for a bigger one until the Northern end of the M66 was opened at which point the Motorway became my daily commuting route. That proved a bit too much for my 125. At that point I traded the Honda for a 900cc BMW which was wonderful, but I also kept a variety of little bikes which gave me just as much fun.
Riding little bikes gave me pleasure that simply wasn't available on big ones. I can't easily define this. It's a combination of several things - the minimalist pleasure of travelling on very little, mechanical simplicity, not having to be worried about someone stealing the bike - theft used to be big problem - and the feeling of pottering along rather than the macho thrill of riding a big bike fast. I think it all added up to a feeling of freedom.

 

[Jay]

I'm certainly not after accelerating like a rocket (to start with 😉), seriously I'm more into enjoying the scenery than racing and anyway my journey to work has too many sheep and fell ponies wandering about to be going to fast.

Yes, I hear you about the weight and (wo)manhandling it. I should hopefully get an idea of weights and how that feels on my course. If I'm doing direct access A, then I'll be on a bigger bike, but no doubt the course will be full of 17 year olds on 125s, so I can compare.

And I do want something I can flatfoot, and I am only 5'6", albeit with longer legs than average for such a shorty, so that will be an issue on height of a bike at least.

 

[kevgermany]

The problem with bigger bikes is that you don't get the same sense of speed as you do revving the living daylights out of a small one. Bike's barely ticking over and you're doing 100+. Into a tight corner.

So you end up going too fast and getting into trouble easily.

The 800 you're suggesting is in a very low state of tune, barely has the power of a 500 from 20 years ago. So used sensibly it should be OK. Wasn't so long ago that in the US guys would start with big Harleys, maybe they still do.

But the problem sits on the bike, it's not the bike itself. Jay probably has the sense to be sensible. I think we're underestimating her. But it's a big learning curve - you can't teach experience.

 

[Colin the Bear]

The speed won't get you. I've rarely had a high speed accident.

The weight of the machine is relevant. You need something you can pick up because every body drops it.

Odds on, you will break a bone, 99% do.

There's a cloaking device under the saddle of every motorcycle that renders you and the bike invisible. It doesn't matter how much HiViz you wear or how many lights you turn on other road users can't see you.

You need to have your sixth sense turned up to maximum, be ultra alert and keep you wits about you when riding.

The wind noise at 50mph will make your ears ring with some helmets.

You will become an expert entomologist, gaining vast amounts of specimens. Lots of these specimens will spread their breakfast across your visor always on your eye line. A bumble bee at 60 hitting your visor is like being whacked with a baseball bat and a wasp in the helmet is a sight to behold.

Every farm gate seems to be lubricated with mud. Every bend has a pot hole right on your line. You'll notice on a bike that there's diesel at every filling station, bend , roundabout, junction....it's everywhere.

Bikes are for the young, quick healers and quick witted and good bouncers in my opinion.

I haven't been out on mine this year......yet.

One or two problems after 20 years of ownership.

I had this previously.



You'll get a better idea of things on a bike forum. These guys are very friendly
http://www.themotorbikeforum.co.uk/

 

[jonf]

Nope, disagree, a mid sized bike like a W800 isn't a rocket, it isn't too heavy to handle, it is more stable and smoother. Better brakes, better suspension, much better comfort and simply nicer to rise. Excellent fist time bike, and the sort of thing instructers and advanced riders often recommend. I've never got the idea of having to 'pay your dues' wheezing around on a little bike. I remember talking to an instructer shortly after Direct Access was introduced, and he was massively in favour of teaching riders on a full sized bike as the best form of instruction for future riding.

 

[Colin the Bear]

If I'd had to start out on a 125, I don't think I'd have bothered. I got a 175 trail bike as a loaner one time and the hills round here were a real struggle. I caught sight of myself in a shop window and I was sat on the pillion.

I've ridden bikes since I was old enough to hold a licence, but I'm beginning to weigh risks against pleasure and question if it's worth continuing at my time of life, 60. I certainly wouldn't be starting out. I dropped the bike the year before last on some mud at the lights. I was almost stationary but fell awkwardly. Not a mark on the bike and I rode home a little sore. It turned out I had a triple shatzker fracture, which laid me up for some time. To add insult to injury when I googled it, it was described as a twisting injury of the elderly. I took it as an omen.

 

[Targa]

I never dropped it, maybe I just didn't ride often enough.

 

[Jay]

Perhaps that's where I've got to, that if I don't do it soon, I won't ever do it, and I would be sad about that.

I have done many things in the 'wrong' order, and missed out some things that I really wanted to do, and then some are getting physically beyond me now (I shan't fence again at national level, ice climb at any sensible grade, or do multi-month tundra/wilderness trekking again I don't suppose). So what I can still do I am into getting on with and enjoying.

I would like to carry on doing that for a long time to come, but it needs to be enjoying life for a long time to come, not just remaining about for a long time. If the fun is short-lived, so be it - though I shall take what measures I can to extend it!

Eta: blimey, that was a bit philosophical 😛