Top result, well done. Gloves will only go so far on cold days, heated grips are the best option IMO.

These are what I had on last 2 bikes and have another set on order at moment (but sport not original grips) price is very good at moment here http://2wheeljunkie..../prod_8364.html

They have a great intro deal on an Oxford aquatex cover branded for them, cheap as chips! I use cover in garage as it seems to get dusty in there. http://2wheeljunkie....prod_47837.html

HTR Martyn

Found my wrists hurt but expected this

Looks like you've found a very, very good example there. Great 1st bike choice!

Personally, I'd have recommended a non-S model as a first bike but I can easily understand that you probably fell in love with the looks.

Wrist pain is not inevitable, despite what any bugger tells you though. You can't avoid it around town where you have to transmit weight through the bars but, next time you're on the open road, try to:

• Concentrate on balancing over the footpegs like a jockey,
  
• Keep elbows down low,
  
• Grip the tank with your knees & relax upper body - you should be able to hover your hands next to bars & play Beethoven's 5th if the mood strikes you.
  
• Keep forearms parallel to the road,
  
• Feel like you can flip from peg to peg with just a single finger push on the bars,
  
• Feel like you're able to do the birdy dance at will (don't do it it front of your mates though :think: )
  

If you're doing it right, your legs will ache like buggery until you're used to it, but wrists should not be a problem unless in stop/start traffic. If you've got a centre stand, a certain amount of the above can be practised at standstill.

Sorry if it sounds like I'm preaching - I'm not a fan of internet riding tuition/preaching generally, but I can't resist a comment re wrist pain - I hope you don't hold it against me.

Wrist pain generally means you're pushing weight down through the bars/suspension, upsetting the bike, & losing loads of steering control (especially poignant if you freeze up through fear if you think you've over-cooked a corner - STAY LOW, STAY LOOSE).

Ride safe & have loadsa fun :thumbup:

Edited 3 April, 201313 yr by Skoda Al Coda

Looks like you've found a very, very good example there. Great 1st bike choice!

Personally, I'd have recommended a non-S model as a first bike but I can easily understand that you probably fell in love with the looks.

Wrist pain is not inevitable, despite what any bugger tells you though. You can't avoid it around town where you have to transmit weight through the bars but, next time you're on the open road, try to:

• Concentrate on balancing over the footpegs like a jockey,
  
• Keep elbows down low,
  
• Grip the tank with your knees & relax upper body
  
• Keep forearms parallel to the road,
  
• Feel like you can flip from peg to peg with just a single finger push on the bars,
  
• Feel like you're able to do the birdy dance at will (don't do it it front of your mates though :think: )
  

If you're doing it right, your legs will ache like buggery until you're used to it, but wrists should not be a problem unless in stop/start traffic. If you've got a centre stand, a certain amount of the above can be practised at standstill.

Sorry if it sounds like I'm preaching - I'm not a fan of internet riding tuition/preaching generally, but I can't resist a comment re wrist pain - I hope you don't hold it against me.

Wrist pain generally means you're pushing weight down through the bars, upsetting the bike, & losing loads of steering control (especially poignant if you freeze up through fear if you think you've over-cooked a corner - STAY LOW, STAY LOOSE).

Ride safe & have loadsa fun :thumbup:

Preach all you want. I'll consider any advice relating to bike since I'm the noob and you lot have more experience. Gripping the tank I did try a few times and once I'd got used to where the pegs were it was good. I got off when I got home a little stiff but about the same when I'm on the road bike meaning the geometry is a pretty good fit for me. I got the fully faired one for two reasons. One it was better in the wind and it was it's just today was exceptionally windy. Seemed whatever bend I was riding round it was blowing right at me. I won't be doing much riding on motorways so I should miss most of this. Any tips for riding in the wind I'll take. Second reason was the price and the bikes condition. It really is immaculate with only very small marks here and there if I'm being picky. Between MOT's it was only doing about 1000 miles between them. Passed MOT yesterday with no advisories and has been serviced. Feels a lot tighter than the school bikes I was on but they get battered everyday so it's not surprising.

With the gloves it's mainly because they aren't motorbike gloves. They were the thickest I could get for my road bike at the time and were fine when learning and do have protection but something a bit meatier and a bit more protection I'm looking for. Hopefully it should be getting warmer soon and if 4 degrees was OK I should be fine.

Oh and insurance companies are bell ends. Got a quote online ready with order number thinking all I had to do was phone once I'd got the bike, pay for it, tax and go home. But no. Spent almost an hour going through all my details again only for them to tell me it happened to be £20 more. Then they tried to argue that I wasn't licensed to ride the bike. Once I'd convinced hem I was I still have to photocopy and send off my licence to prove it.

"Any tips for riding in the wind I'll take"

I'm loathe to keep offering tips. First because I'm nothing special myself, and secondly because it's not good to over-analyse in the early days. I'll say no more than the wind is hitting you as much as it's hitting the bike - try not to tense up & transfer the buffeting to the bike, let the bike do it's own thing (ever watched a good moto-crosser let the bike move beneath him/her?).

Stay relaxed & loose. Keep looking where you want to go. Position for the best view ahead & give yourself time & space (every RTC is a result of running out of space, whatever you may read on forums).

Finally, don't be hard on yourself - even the most experienced riders tense up on every new bike they ride (especially if they've paid for it!) - some riding gods take <100 miles to relax, I need 3-4k miles on a new bike before I feel at one with it!

Edited 3 April, 201313 yr by Skoda Al Coda

This is what I was thinking. Got loads of time and a whole Summer to get used to it. This is the exciting bit

When it comes to detailing a bike I presume it's no different from a car only a lot easier because there less of it? I can still polish and seal plastics and the tank the same as a car? Going to Autosol the exhaust when I get one just to get it looking good again. At some point I may replace the whole system but not until next year.

When it comes to detailing a bike I presume it's no different from a car only a lot easier because there less of it? I can still polish and seal plastics and the tank the same as a car? Going to Autosol the exhaust when I get one just to get it looking good again. At some point I may replace the whole system but not until next year.

Bar cleaning the rims, my new bike is yet to be washed officially . It was polished etc new and only done 1000 miles but still not a spec on it have venture shield type protection on lots of it as option when new and files just wipe off it dead handy lol.

Does anyone into car or bike detailing know if you give a surface a good polish then apply something like venture shield, does that then essentially trap the shine as it was polished underneath? I have thought about it before and full detail on car spend £600-700 covering the entire thing and just hose it down for rest of it's days But I am sure it sounds too easy to be true :(

A UK online radio station called 'Biker FM' http://www.bikerfm.co.uk/

Never heard of it before, just tried it on mobile had a few good tunes on.

Yup, good station.

Are you also aware of this magazine? http://www.theridersdigest.co.uk/

One of my faves, but that could be because 1. It's free, & 2. I'm an old phart

Yup, good station.

Are you also aware of this magazine? http://www.theridersdigest.co.uk/

One of my faves, but that could be because 1. It's free, & 2. I'm an old phart

Not heard of that one! My Bike mag subscription for 13 issues for £12 is over now and its €9.95 here to get each months edition in English so shaft that! This looks like a winner can use it on my phone and tablet too ! Cheers.

It's a good mag but I often used to have a problem with the PDF hanging if I opened direct from website. I always right-click & save target now.

Check out my leg, I am goig to do a timeline of it's progress as I am bored to death.

Pre op

Post Op 1

Post Op 2

Post Op 3

And all for nothing :(

Today my leg looked a little different

Post op 4

Post op 5

And some snaps

Saw this and though of R1DAVIE

Click to enlarge (note double wave woohoo)

Bit of reflectionage

Was an awesome day for a ride, had all my layers on and was no cold one bit despite the 2Deg C. What's more these bad boys were bearly turning so little wind!

And after I got back I inspected the damage on my 7/8 month old yet to be washed Z1000SX. It freaks me out how clean it still is!

Took my husaberg fs570 out for its first spin/wheelie of the season yesterday, I knew there was a reason why I keep it..... After a long list of performance bikes...

Went out for a few miles today even though it's still windy and still cold but with rain due next week it may be my only chance. Still got lots to learn

Lovely ride out Saturday.

Bit of wind, lots of sun.+10

Rode to Bude Cornwall and back.

Good to be out again.

Took my husaberg fs570 out for its first spin/wheelie of the season yesterday, I knew there was a reason why I keep it..... After a long list of performance bikes...

Lovely Berg you have there, always had a fancy for one or a sorted husky 510rr.

Hartside pass was awesome today!

Sent from my Galaxy S3 using Tapatalk 2

The Dutch crack me up at times, always something new on this road!

A novel way of using full sized bails of hay

Took Gladys for a spin through countryside yesterday - only did about 30 miles and was frozen when I got back

Nothing like a Humpback bridge to put a smile on your face though ;0)

Took Gladys for a spin through countryside yesterday - only did about 30 miles and was frozen when I got back

Nothing like a Humpback bridge to put a smile on your face though ;0)

There is a wee humpback bridge, well more of a humpback irrigation ditch thing near here I always think I am going to get air on but no matter what speed it's too sensibly made by my German neighbours to work!

There is a wee humpback bridge, well more of a humpback irrigation ditch thing near here I always think I am going to get air on but no matter what speed it's too sensibly made by my German neighbours to work!

The one here is pretty good to be fair, but not far short of a T-junction so can't take it too wildly - not that I would dream of doing so of course ;0)

The one here is pretty good to be fair, but not far short of a T-junction so can't take it too wildly - not that I would dream of doing so of course ;0)

Oh but of course not my dear!

This time next year....... :sun:

Not only have we seen hundreds of cool pics (and listened to FUBAR waffle a bit) but we have assisted some cagers to transform into Briski Bikers

is this where we chant the mantra " two wheels better than four " ;0) then run and hide !!!!!