Excellent! Well done Matt.

 

Out of interest, what was the riding fault?

Sorry, still can't call them minors.

 

BTW, much better to give a clean sheet when it's deserved. Believe me, it didn't happen very often!

 

My own fault really, we were coming up to a set of double mini roundabouts, close together, I was going straight over both. As I went round the first, a kamakazi school run mum in her jeep come flying round the corner and over the mini roundabout almost wiping me out. Soon as I saw her I gunned it, got out her way but it flustered me for a second, as we exited the second roundabout I exited slightly right of my lane and a arctic was coming the other way almost on the centre line of the road. There was a strip of water to the left which the examiner thought I was avoiding but to be honest I dont remember that. He said if I'd been a couple of foot left I'd have been safer which is fair enough, any advice is well received. 

 

He praised me for getting out the way of the jeep sharpish and aside from that was impressed so cant complain. I'll admit I'm I tiny bit sad I missed the clean sheet, my brother (believe it or not for the guys who have read my rantings about him) got a minor on his mod 1 and a clean sheet on his mod 2 so I'd have liked bragging rights over him but still, I've passed which is all that matters. 

 

The ride back was bloody hard work, filtering means you basically need to have your eyes on storks! We filtered along for about 20 min but it felt like ages, and that was with me having a fairly easy time following my instructor with his huge boxes.  The concentration, looking at every car, where the driver is looking, where the wheels are pointing, all in a split second. 

 

I'm just waiting for the bike to come back from the garage, it was all going to plan then they tyres arrived late, thankfully the guy has gone in today to MOT it and fit them so hopefully this afternoon I'll be sorted. 

 

The bike is looking sweet Garry, amazing how much bigger/smaller it looks minus the boxes. I love how funky and modern your clocks are, mine look like a set of egg timers lol. I'll admit I've looked at other bikes already, think I'll wait until the end of the year though. I need to build up my kit and shift some weight now. Bike insurance was nice though, TPFT, no security, parked on driveway and cover for other bikes just over £200 Lovely job!  

I'm a member on bike chat  forums 

 

I've joined, they are pretty funny sometimes  

I've joined, they are pretty funny sometimes

I'll do that later too... 

Not in a bike forum as such although I did join Visordown. 

But mostly for the competitions, I've won a few smart bits and 

pieces over the years doing comps, best thing being an LG

Blueray player with a dozen films which I won from the free Metro newspaper

they give away at the stations a while back.  

My clocks light up blue (like a golf LOL) and it does a cool needle

sweep when you switch on which is quite smart. I'll see if I can upload a vid.

 

I think getting a bit of weight off will do you a lot of good Matt with regard

to the bike. Every kilo you lose will make the bike a tiny bit quicker

and handle better. And what an incentive too if there's a new bike waiting

at the end. Also there will be more 2nd hand kit available. I'm not a big or heavy 

bloke and yet the gear that comes up most often is very small in size, 28 and 30

waist (too small for me, I can just manage a 32) and 38 and 40 chest which also

wont go on me. I can squeeeeeeze into a 42 chest but only just.

 

Just bought some Dainese biking socks, I hate seams rubbing my toes so I spent

14 quid on these bad boys. I'll try them out tomorrow, I have high hopes and if they are

great then I'll buy a few pairs.

 

 

 

I also got some of that skintight underwear stuff to wear under

my leathers from sports direct. It's not the super technical under armour stuff but it's

stretchy, thin and skin tight and made by Lonsdale and at two for a tenner you can't go wrong.

Tried one out on my ride out with Jars last night and was comfortable cool and dry, certainly more

so than before wearing normal tee shirts under my leathers.    

 

And my rim tapes are here today as well so I'll be pin striping my wheels later.

Really looking forward to doing that, at the mo it's hard to see where wheel ends

and tyre begins and I think they will suit the bike.

Be a lot easier with paddock stands, I'll have to roll the bike forwards and backward

to do it but that's okay, I've used vinyls a lot of times, these should be fine.   

Just returned from a ride out with Jars from here on the back. 

Nice and steady on a lovely evening and a bit of pulled pork and salad

when we got back. You can't knock it.

Loved every minute of it Sooo tempted to cash some chips in and go for it.... Must resist for now :p

Oh and banging pulled pork too

Aldi do the motorbike socks too for £3 a pair and they are great.

be careful with fancy valve caps guys my ZZR had a broken rear valve stem from one of those dice ones when I bought it, I checked the pressure and the valve could let the pressure out if you bent it slightly.

Also base layers are king in this weather, even in 28.c temp thru france last week I was nice and cool and non sweaty, again from aldi 

Here you go Matt, here's the startup thingy on my bike. 

I've never put a video I've done on here so this may or may not work....?

 

<<<< Click me...

 

And some pics of the rim tape. 

 

Before...

 

And after...

 

 

 

In any case its not permanent and will add a little protection to the finish underneath. 

It will certainly be quicker taking it off than it was putting it on..

 

Oh and I did do the rear as well but just didn't take a pic of that. 

I quite like it mate

I was out in the shed until 01.30 piddling around with it. 

Made harder by the fact I have no paddock stands so had to roll the bike 

back and forth to get all of the wheel... LOL

Gave the chain a damn good lube up while I was at it.  

Nice, I like it too! Rim tape looks good on a bike. How much are paddock stands? Cant be mega money.....

Bout 40 quid will get you a set plus another 30 odd quid for bobbins.

 

Here's the one's I'll be ordering. Seem a fair price to me.

 

 http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/360483543673?_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

 

I have to get some for basic maintenance as my bike has no centre stand.

My only real gripe with it tbh.

Aldi had some for £30 a while back but a quick search on ebay should find some cheaper then that even, My ZZR has a center stand, very underrated bit of kit lol

I was out in the shed until 01.30 piddling around with it.

Made harder by the fact I have no paddock stands so had to roll the bike

back and forth to get all of the wheel... LOL

Gave the chain a damn good lube up while I was at it.

Looks good.

A tip for lubing the chain though.

Do it straight after riding it. As the chain is warm, the lube it gets sucked into the links better.

Doing it cold, the lube just sits on the outside and gets flung off all over your nice clean wheel and seat unit.

Bout 40 quid will get you a set plus another 30 odd quid for bobbins.

Here's the one's I'll be ordering. Seem a fair price to me.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/360483543673?_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

I have to get some for basic maintenance as my bike has no centre stand.

My only real gripe with it tbh.

Thats a cracking price for both stands.

You can get bobbins for a hell of a lot cheaper than 30 quid a set though, our shop has them at 10 quid and they do the job fine. What years your er6 and i'll check out part numbers tomorrow.

you wont regret getting an abba stand, i love mine

Apart from trying helmets on to get an idea for comfort, How did you decide on make/model? Are there any good safety rating sites to check? 

I'm hopefully looking to sit my CBT in July/August, once I've got some clothing/helmet, then its out to try out some 125's, as I'm mainly using it for commuting, I thought it best to start out with a little learner/commuter bike then look to move up next year once I've completed the final parts of my full license.

 

Apart from trying helmets on to get an idea for comfort, How did you decide on make/model? Are there any good safety rating sites to check? 
 

 

 

Have a read up here Matt. http://sharp.direct.gov.uk/

SHARP are an independent body who test decent crash helmets. 

If it has a sharp rating of 4 or above then it's a decent lid. 

Anything by Shark will fall into this category(4+ out of 5 stars) but for me the reason 

I bought a Shark lid was the optically perfect visor (Really thick visor too) 

 

In short, Fibreglass is generally better than polycarbonate. 

Carbon Fibre is the lightest but so will your wallet be after buying one. 

Go for double D fastening. Simple and not much to go wrong, avoid fussy ratchets

or seatbelt style buckles. 

A removable washable lining is a very good idea. 

Look for ACU gold sticker on the rear of the lid. this sticker means it's allowed

to be used on track so is a fair indicator of quality

Here you go Matt, here's the startup thingy on my bike. 

I've never put a video I've done on here so this may or may not work....?

 

<<<< Click me...

 

 

Just watched the video, that looks siiiiiiick! My brothers bike does the sweet but doesnt look half as cool as those, the blue backlight looks good. 

 

Apart from trying helmets on to get an idea for comfort, How did you decide on make/model? Are there any good safety rating sites to check? 

I'm hopefully looking to sit my CBT in July/August, once I've got some clothing/helmet, then its out to try out some 125's, as I'm mainly using it for commuting, I thought it best to start out with a little learner/commuter bike then look to move up next year once I've completed the final parts of my full license.

 

Good route to go down to try it first and see without spending a fortune. If you pick a decent bike you shouldnt loose much at all over a year, good 125's dont seem to depreciate! Whats your commute like? Get the CBT done with a decent school, my instructor was saying how he installs the basics in his CBT training so no only will the new riders be as safe as possible but if any want to go on to do their DAS then they will have be practicing the correct things from the start. Obviously there is a limit to what you can cram into one day AND all schools should be doing the best they can but he has had people turn up to a DAS after CBT'ing somewhere else and havent a clue! 

 

As for the lid advice, Garry has covered the main bits. I'll be honest, I just went to a big warehouse type bike shop with loads of lids on display up near Skegness. Basically discounted anything I haddnt heard of below £100. Tried them all on, decided which I preferred and went from there. My mate (a biker) made me put them on then held it while making me try and move my head side to side, up and down etc. I wanted the Guy Martin lid but I could quite manage the £999 price tag.

Thats a cracking price for both stands.

You can get bobbins for a hell of a lot cheaper than 30 quid a set though, our shop has them at 10 quid and they do the job fine. What years your er6 and i'll check out part numbers tomorrow.

2013, that's the problem. All the OEM gear is an arm and a leg and

for the most part that's all I can get hold of (when there's actual stock in the UK and not Holland. ),

and if I'm honest I prefer to keep things as OE as poss. Shame really as I wouldn't say no to a louder exhaust

but am worried that it will cause issues with fuelling which will need a power commander to correct. And for now

at least it will be main dealer maintained, I also plan to extend the warranty for a further two years

which should mean all going well I'll be selling it on with a good years warranty on it which should net me

back more or less what I paid for the bike.  But it also means I can't mod it beyond the cosmetic. 

 

They do take the mickey a bit, I won't go into the pantomime it was buying an 

official Kawaski outdoor bike cover for my bike from Kawasaki UK

Suffice to say when they do actually have some stock I have moaned sufficiently to

be getting mine for free, having also secured a full refund for it already and have

email proof of their offer .  It's hard work dealing with them but I am a bit of an OEM

freak, much the same as I am with cars. But the gear won't get any cheaper until after 

the next facelift of the bike.  Besides it still is under warranty so I won't be in a hurry to use 

anything on the bike which isn't official gear. 

They want 42 bloody quid for them and they are tiny fartarse little alloy things that you bolt

in place and add a whole inch to the length of the mirrors..

But it's like shooting fish in a barrel for them... Want your mirrors to work??? That's £42 please.

Want a tank pad that's translucent and fits your tank??? That's £23 please.  

 

Also there was a facelift in 2012 so there isn't so much pattern stuff available yet

on account of my bike being the current model. I can't find a seat cowl yet that

will do the job and look OEM and of course it will have to be the Candy Apple metallic

Green, not just regular Kwacka green.

 

I have bought a generic clear tank pad which will be here this week, My Mrs bought a

weird looking rubber scaly dragons tail looking thing but it delaminated itself from its

own adhesive pad and when I came back the next day after fitting the adhesive pad was  

stuck to the tank okay but the rubber pad had come away from the foam. In short El Crappo. 

Hopefully the clear one will be better, but I can't justify nearly 25 quid for one just because it

says ER6F on it. The generic one was a fiver on ebay. If it looks well I'll buy a couple more to 

do up the sides. The oem tank pad for the 2011 model is a 3 piece kit, for the 2012 its a 1

piece but same price and doesn't solve the sides of the tank getting damaged, But I might 

get some of that grippy black stuff. That looks like it may work. 

 

Me and the Mrs went out for a nice run tonight for a couple of hours in the countryside, 

stopped for a quick refresh at a nice pub and then a semi spirited whizz through the lanes

back home again. We got her her own armoured coat today. Up until now she's been wearing

my armoured leather jacket for pillion riding and I've been wearing my textile jacket. We are getting her 

some proper leather trousers next as well as a better lid and decent boots. Hopefully she'll be doing

her CBT before the month is out. That's my girl!! 

Apart from trying helmets on to get an idea for comfort, How did you decide on make/model? Are there any good safety rating sites to check? 

I'm hopefully looking to sit my CBT in July/August, once I've got some clothing/helmet, then its out to try out some 125's, as I'm mainly using it for commuting, I thought it best to start out with a little learner/commuter bike then look to move up next year once I've completed the final parts of my full license.

Trying them on is an absolute must but you do need to know what to look for.  

 

Safety is a great thing to consider as the helmet is the most important bit of kit (and the only one legally required).  However there are other things to ensure are right.

 

Short term comfort is easy to consider but helmets need time to settle (ie foam will slightly compress) so what feels okay in some areas (mainly forehead) for a short period may not diminish and actually build up over a longer time and become extremely irritating if not worse.

 

Fit - comfort aside make sure it fits properly where it should and will not come off when you try to pull it off when secured.  I always put the helmet on, sort the strap out then try and pull it off to make sure it doesn't!

 

Noise - not the easiest to check but really important.  I bought a flip front lid a few years back and it had good ratings on safety was very light but turned out to be very noisy, yes a normal issue with front flips but nothing indicated it on what I had seen through normal research, further digging after finding out did show up a noise issue from some.  It was a Caberg and in all but noise it was great.

 

 Clip mechanism - While Double D is a reliable standard I have had no issues with a seatbelt type lock on my Schuberth and really doubt that a helmet such as that will have quality issues on the clasp which others would not have previously highlighted or the company rectified.  

 

What you really want is a stockist who has a good selection and a sales team who will spend the time to get you the right lid rather than just boost their profit margin.

 

I would really consider a helmet which has a built in sun visor.  Illegally tinted (or non street legal) visors are available and I have used them rather than risking sunglasses inside my helmet (various horror stories about the consequences of this in crashes available on the web).  Tinted visors are good but they are something the police can pick you up on and I have seen numerous people get caught out after sunset with no alternative than to ride home with the visor up.  The drop down sunvisor is great, although in reality not as great as the full replacement visor but does combine effectiveness with functionally and legality.

 

I have never compromised on helmets as they are what I consider to be one of the main things protecting me from the outside world.  The only time I let my guard down was buying the caberg which while looking at the Sharp rating came out with 4 starts, the same as my newer lid, but was too noisy to use for protracted periods, even with ear plugs in.

 

Alas not an easy item to buy.

Yeah, oem price's do take the p**s a bit even though the majority of items are made in the same place as cheaper stuff with different branding.

Can i be cheeky and ask where your getting your kit from?

As previously mentioned, proper fitting is essential when it comes to helmets.

Have seen me spend a good 1.5 hours getting someone the correct fitting helmet. Patience is the key lol.

Yeah, oem price's do take the p**s a bit even though the majority of items are made in the same place as cheaper stuff with different branding.

Can i be cheeky and ask where your getting your kit from?

Through either the ebay outlet. (like getting blood from a stone) 

or via the dealer network. Bristol Kawasaki is allegedly the biggest 

main dealer in the UK I've read somewhere...

 

I would really consider a helmet which has a built in sun visor.  Illegally tinted (or non street legal) visors are available and I have used them rather than risking sunglasses inside my helmet (various horror stories about the consequences of this in crashes available on the web).  Tinted visors are good but they are something the police can pick you up on and I have seen numerous people get caught out after sunset with no alternative than to ride home with the visor up.  The drop down sunvisor is great, although in reality not as great as the full replacement visor but does combine effectiveness with functionally and legality.

 

^^^A great point and one which I forgot

It's so handy to have the internal sun visor. I only use it in extreme

glare, riding toward a late low sun for example but it's nice to know its there. 

Also I recommend the pinlock visor system. Fabulous invention.     

Mine hasn't fogged up ever at all not even a little bit. Brilliant!! 

 

EDIT

Here's a couple of new pics of the rim tape I fitted last night... 

The colour looks washed out in the pics (crap fone cam) but is good and green

in real life. For the £6 odd quid I paid for the rim tape I think it's made

a huge difference.

 

 

 

And the whole bike...

 

Note the di noc CF vinyl on the section directly above the rear shock which I did 

(both sides) to protect those high wear areas from damage. 

I have used them rather than risking sunglasses inside my helmet (various horror stories about the consequences of this in crashes available on the web)

What kinda horror stories?

Imagine pieces of plastic, glass or metal rattling about in a confined space where your eyes are.

Would never wear sunglasses in a helmet as have seen the damage that can happen i.e. blindness and severe puncture wounds of the eye....not nice at all.

Matt wears glasses to drive don't you mate?