Good effort!

I never really did more than 100 miles a day on my CG.

Seemed like enough at the time, at 50mph. Looking back though, can now do that before breakfast.

I didnt get bored too badly on the 125 but i didnt know any better, if you know what i mean? Id be bored ****less now, but back then it was fine.

Depends also on the car you drive too i guess. Anything more than a 1.0 litre is going to cruise faster, accelerate faster and overtake better. Getting on a 11bhp bike with nothin else going on (no comfy seats or decent stereo) might make you crave more to keep entertained.

It all comes in time though and its purpose is to get you through the test, so itd be fineeee.

All about fun though isn't it, years ago I did a charity thing from lands end to John o Groats on a Honda express Look back now on days when I used to take my then winter hack TS125 for runs out to Barmouth as I'd worked to hard to pay for my RD250DX so wasn't getting that dirty

Lads I hang around with are off to Vietnam again this year and do 150 - 200 miles days on Chinese clone CG 125's

One of the crew brought his ER6 on a euro trip a few years ago just for giggles and left his Fazer 1000 at home, and while a more substantial bike than a CG, it never shamed itself with the litre sports bikes on that trip.

It's all about the fun factor and small bikes ROCK [emoji3][emoji106]

All about fun though isn't it, years ago I did a charity thing from lands end to John o Groats on a Honda express Look back now on days when I used to take my then winter hack TS125 for runs out to Barmouth as I'd worked to hard to pay for my RD250DX so wasn't getting that dirty

Lads I hang around with are off to Vietnam again this year and do 150 - 200 miles days on Chinese clone CG 125's

One of the crew brought his ER6 on a euro trip a few years ago just for giggles and left his Fazer 1000 at home, and while a more substantial bike than a CG, it never shamed itself with the litre sports bikes on that trip.

It's all about the fun factor and small bikes ROCK [emoji3][emoji106]

It is what you make it isnt it (:

I guess different people love biking for different reasons, which is good (:

Appreciate all the the input and advice folks, definitely made me think about what I want to be getting from doing this. To me, it's not necessarily about going fast, it's about enjoying the ride and challenging myself. For that reason, I am going to do DAS, probably later in the year, but in the meantime I'm going to get a 125 and enjoy riding that and working to get to a point where I'm happy with the way I'm riding in the meantime. 

 

I'll go for a perv around a couple of bike shops in the week, and see what I like the look of. If anyones's got any particular recommendations of bikes that are worth a look, please feel free to chip in.

 

Stuff I've ridden on road, enough to form an opinion so far:

 

My old bike: Superdream 250N. Loved the low down torque, the bigger size. Shape of things totally felt right. Didn't always like the weight, but it was managable.

 

First CBT bike a few years CG125: Very easy bike to ride, controls felt like they were in the right places, button to reset the indicators. Can do the gears in my steelies right, first time, every time. Didn't like the fact I had to rev the balls off it to do anything.

 

Recent CBT bike: Zonte? Like the way it looked, but hated riding it. Gears were too close to the left peg. Handlebars were the wrong shape, I felt hunched up all the time. Speedo had KPH on the outside and MPH printed small, neutral was a pig to hit.  

Theory passed 

 

And **** me - Hazard perception's weird. It's like walking down the middle of the road stoned.

Theory passed 

 

And **** me - Hazard perception's weird. It's like walking down the middle of the road stoned.

Wooo Well Done!! 

 

 

Not that you'd know what thats like . Not sure how you did your practice then  

Edited 19 January, 201610 yr by fabiamk2SE

 Not sure how you did your practice then

 

3 years at uni!

Well done Steve.  Hazard perception I had to do for my PCV test.  I found it quite difficult because as a Policec Advanced Driver I could see them all but many I never considered to be a hazard because they were recognised and dealt with in my mind in a split second so not really considered to beca hazard.  Then I realised that I still had to show I had recognised them.  Weird really.

Well done Steve.  Hazard perception I had to do for my PCV test.  I found it quite difficult because as a Policec Advanced Driver I could see them all but many I never considered to be a hazard because they were recognised and dealt with in my mind in a split second so not really considered to beca hazard.  Then I realised that I still had to show I had recognised them.  Weird really.

 

but if you recognise them too much and press too much..you fail  

Well done Steve.  Hazard perception I had to do for my PCV test.  I found it quite difficult because as a Policec Advanced Driver I could see them all but many I never considered to be a hazard because they were recognised and dealt with in my mind in a split second so not really considered to beca hazard.  Then I realised that I still had to show I had recognised them.  Weird really.

 

It's such a big bag of crap, I remember when it was introduced.... DSA were unofficially condemning it too. I did hazard perception for car licence, lorry licence, minibus licence, coach licence (shouldn't have had to but was booked on the course somehow....) and then for bike licence. Each time I got 100% in questions, but that crap I have no idea how I passed them tbh. 

but if you recognise them too much and press too much..you fail

Exactly because it looks like you are just pressing at random.  Things like pedestrians walking straight along the footpath.  They are a potential hazard because of course they could just dart across the road in front of you but that is OK on a video when there are two people walking about but what would you do in a town centre where there are dozens of lemmings?

 

That is why the Police and others who are switched on with training use commentary driving because you are explaining to the instructor/examiner what you are seeing at that time.  I actually still do it myself from time to time to sharpen up a bit.

That commentry thing would be far more useful i reckon. Id be up for trying that myself.

Thing with hazard perception is, everythings a hazard if you're a learner driver imo. Its only later on that you get abit cleverer as to where to look, what to look for and acting upon it in other ways than slamming on the brakes.

If you look on Youtube you can find a lot of examples including this one.  It isn't easy to do and you have to be confident speaking which of course for a gobby git like me was never a problem!

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bVtQ4NN5_-Q

Exactly because it looks like you are just pressing at random.  Things like pedestrians walking straight along the footpath.  They are a potential hazard because of course they could just dart across the road in front of you but that is OK on a video when there are two people walking about but what would you do in a town centre where there are dozens of lemmings?

 

That is why the Police and others who are switched on with training use commentary driving because you are explaining to the instructor/examiner what you are seeing at that time.  I actually still do it myself from time to time to sharpen up a bit.

 

Plus one on the commentary I used to have to do it and I found it to be an excellent teaching aid when training or assessing drivers. No better way to shut an overconfident moron up than to give a 2 minute example and ask them to have a go. What it shows from a drivers perception is eye opening and the honest open to learn ones tended to be blown away at how they basically didn't pay attention or read the road a fraction of what they knew they really should. Likewise I do a commentary regularly to keep it in my mind. I do it on the bike quite a bit too I find it a good way to adjust overall pace when I am faced with enough that I am struggling to cover it all, it's time to wind it back a bit etc.

 

 

If you look on Youtube you can find a lot of examples including this one.  It isn't easy to do and you have to be confident speaking which of course for a gobby git like me was never a problem!

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bVtQ4NN5_-Q

I like I am sure many was given an example and thought it didn't seem that hard...... I remember the first time trying to give one HAHAHA My current job has a driver assessment program and the firm they have awarded the contract too are shockingly crap! They had required viewing which included 2 videos they have hosted on youtube (that's how crap they are). There is a commentary one from their senior driving examiner I will try hard to find it but you'd be appalled at it. I wrote an in depth feedback form when asked to do one and said exactly what I thought of it and shared a similar video to the above with them. 

 

I will try hard to find it but you'd be appalled at it.

Looking forward to that.  Cringe inly embarrassing can be funny.

If you look on Youtube you can find a lot of examples including this one.  It isn't easy to do and you have to be confident speaking which of course for a gobby git like me was never a problem!

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bVtQ4NN5_-Q

interesting stuff. Getting quite into watching these actually. 

 

Its good because i would be doing quite alot of what he's doing in those various scenarios. Which is quite reassuring haha. 

 

Especially this one.. 

 

then you slowly find yourself watching stuff like this.. 

 

 

and thinking what a useless argumentative rider. If he put half as much effort into his riding as he does looking sideways at other drivers and being in completely the wrong place on the road.. he probably wouldnt find himself with so many problems. Uselessness  

It is good practice from time to time on the bike because it makes you look at stuff and register it where usually it would be seen by you but not seem important when it could be.  It is tiring when done properly and we never did it when we were told to 'make progress' as then you heed to concentrate fully on what you are doing.

 

It has also reminded me that I have not done it myself forcsome time.  I will address that tomorrow.

It is good practice from time to time on the bike because it makes you look at stuff and register it where usually it would be seen by you but not seem important when it could be.  It is tiring when done properly and we never did it when we were told to 'make progress' as then you heed to concentrate fully on what you are doing.

 

It has also reminded me that I have not done it myself forcsome time.  I will address that tomorrow.

I'm not sure i could do it when making progress too much. Although i know whats going on, im more alert than ever and im spotting things and acting upon then, i think speaking might be one more thing that i could do without  

 

I will try it though  

 

Yeah. see how it does  

Poor judgement, poor planning, and too much focus on others transgressions rather than his own.

 

Muppet.

 

RBW.

Some weekend farkling [emoji3]

That looks brilliant!

How does it sound?

It is good practice from time to time on the bike because it makes you look at stuff and register it where usually it would be seen by you but not seem important when it could be.  It is tiring when done properly and we never did it when we were told to 'make progress' as then you heed to concentrate fully on what you are doing.

 

It has also reminded me that I have not done it myself forcsome time.  I will address that tomorrow.

I do it quite regularly in the car and find it helps me improve my observation and subsequent processing of the information as well as reinforcing the system, but as you  say not the best idea if you're getting a move on as it diverts some of the brains processing power to do it

That looks brilliant!

How does it sound?

Rather fruity [emoji3] But not harsh or offensive. Hand made to order by Un1t Garage in Italy, but less than half the price of an Akrapovic dealing direct because of the recent dip in the euro.

Had a run out on the bike today as expected.  New tyres seem very good although obviously I have not given them anything serious to do as yet.  The bike seems to turn and drop into corners so much easier and doesn't have to have a big push on the bars to make it go where I want it to.  Roundabouts seem to be so much better as the bike would run wide before unless you gave a lot of input that usually meant you had to raise the sped as well.

 

Didn't have cake at the first stop!  OK OK I know you are all shocked BUT the Bakewell  Tart had just come out of the oven so I had that with custard!  My wife had soup because she was cold.  I think I have said before in here that she suffers with the cold on the bike especially her hands.  She has all the gear but still feels cold.  It was between 7 - 9c today so not that bad really but once again the wind was a pain when you were stood out in it making it feel much colder than it was.

 

We moved on from the tea stop with one of the other guys who had joined us too late to partake in refreshments and rode on to RAF Conningsby where we were going to look at the Typhoons taking off and landing then go for a brew.  As luck would have it nothing was moving and a brew was called for.  Our friend who joined us late set off to the cafe before us as he didn't want to turn his (well his girlfriends that he had borrowed) bike off as it had a flat battery.  He had to start it with the aide of a cocktail stick!    Don't ask.

 

We turned up in the car park a few minutes after him and parked next to his bike as he had already gone in.  We then saw an indicator and brake lever sat on the seat of his bike. Closer inspection showed they were indeed from his 'girlfriend's' bike and there were marks in the mud at the side of the car park to show where he had slipped off.

 

So we joined him inside to find him on the phone to his girlfriend with a daft sheepish grin on his face as he obviously knew we had seen the damage.  We didn't take the p1ss.......much!  To be fair it could have happened to any of us and it was just one of those lapses of concentration that we are all guilty of at times.  I did feel for him and think he was lucky we didn't all travel there together as we would have been witnesses to the unfortunate incident.

 

Anyway a brew (with cake) and a good bit of banter later we headed off home.  Good day with some good mates and met a new RAT on his cruiser joined us.  It really lifts the spirits to be out on the bike again.  Happy days.

 

Edited 28 January, 201610 yr by Chriswright03

oh no :( what a nightmare. I bet he was in for a big *******ing when he got in today. Poor bike!