[Other Sport] Motorbikes

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ozzygull

Well-known member
Oct 6, 2003
4,167
Reading
I have a bike license, but have not ridden for a while. My favourite bike was Kawasaki ZXR400, loved it. Stop riding it when I found out I was pregnant with my daughter, then could not go back to it, as before I had her I didn’t care if something happened to me, so I could ride without fear. When I rode it after she was born the thought of not being able to be there for her meant I could not ride with the same level of confidence, so I sold it.

View attachment 107571

I have just bought my first bike after 18 years of not riding. My daughter has now left for universty, so I though I'd give it a another go.

My husband who is now not driving around the country taking my daughter to cycling races decidied to get a bike and try off roading with one of the other dads who also is now not driving around the country for the same reson.

So I bought a Honda cb125F. I am only 5ft 3 and weigh less then 8 stone so I able to get a steady 65MPH when I want to. That has been fast enough as to say I am rusty after all this time would be a massive understatment. I just want a gentle rides out with my husband who bought a CRF250 Rally. I have done about 100 miles since I bought it two weeks ago and loving it.

bikes.JPG
 






zefarelly

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Jul 7, 2003
22,789
Sussex, by the sea
Been riding 33 years almost to the day, My first scooter was a vespa PK50, bought in bits and repainted/rebuilt by me over the summer holiday after my O levels, It failed its MOT the day before the hurrucaine ( blessing in disguise) I collected it with MOT and new tyre the Saturday morning after . . . lasted 6 weeks and got a 100 sport . . . then a PX125, swiftly followed by a LAmbretta, asides briefly having a Vespa T5 in 1990 for the HAstings/Brighton commute I've had Lambrettas ever since. Current fleet includes a Worthing registered Li125 from 1962 ( owned 25 years) a 1960 TV175 and a GP200 . . . and a few others :rolleyes:

Ridden a fair few bikes over the years but never found them as comfortable for touring, and nowhere near as good for town/city commuting. 80mph is fast enough for me.

My first roadgoing Lambretta, from Gerry Ingrams, 1981 GP 150, registered as a 125, ( Weren't they all!) KNJ189W would like it back, with the Fresco exhaust! ( photo from a mate who owned it just before I did, I never had a rear rest on it. GP150-KNJ189W.jpg
 




D

Deleted member 2719

Guest
I have just bought my first bike after 18 years of not riding. My daughter has now left for universty, so I though I'd give it a another go.

My husband who is now not driving around the country taking my daughter to cycling races decidied to get a bike and try off roading with one of the other dads who also is now not driving around the country for the same reson.

So I bought a Honda cb125F. I am only 5ft 3 and weigh less then 8 stone so I able to get a steady 65MPH when I want to. That has been fast enough as to say I am rusty after all this time would be a massive understatment. I just want a gentle rides out with my husband who bought a CRF250 Rally. I have done about 100 miles since I bought it two weeks ago and loving it.

View attachment 129397

Congratulations on your new baby!

I had a spell of 15 years off my bike, due to building a business and having a young family.
The sacrifices we make!

The biggest difference I noticed was deeper potholes, more traffic and the Verstappen late braking driver.
I have drum brakes so I did allow for this. In my opinion, riding a motorbike is an essential part of life, which I am sure you will agree.:rock:

Enjoy your bike and treat all car driver as idiots and you will soon be on it again.:)
 


D

Deleted member 2719

Guest
Been riding 33 years almost to the day, My first scooter was a vespa PK50, bought in bits and repainted/rebuilt by me over the summer holiday after my O levels, It failed its MOT the day before the hurrucaine ( blessing in disguise) I collected it with MOT and new tyre the Saturday morning after . . . lasted 6 weeks and got a 100 sport . . . then a PX125, swiftly followed by a LAmbretta, asides briefly having a Vespa T5 in 1990 for the HAstings/Brighton commute I've had Lambrettas ever since. Current fleet includes a Worthing registered Li125 from 1962 ( owned 25 years) a 1960 TV175 and a GP200 . . . and a few others :rolleyes:

Ridden a fair few bikes over the years but never found them as comfortable for touring, and nowhere near as good for town/city commuting. 80mph is fast enough for me.

My first roadgoing Lambretta, from Gerry Ingrams, 1981 GP 150, registered as a 125, ( Weren't they all!) KNJ189W would like it back, with the Fresco exhaust! ( photo from a mate who owned it just before I did, I never had a rear rest on it. View attachment 129400

I am a bit of a cross breed, as I love the mods, but prefer motorbikes,scooters don't excite me. I do love all the Castrol R, unless I am directly behind them!
A question I have to ask is how do those small wheels behave on the uk roads???
 


zefarelly

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Jul 7, 2003
22,789
Sussex, by the sea
I am a bit of a cross breed, as I love the mods, but prefer motorbikes,scooters don't excite me. I do love all the Castrol R, unless I am directly behind them!
A question I have to ask is how do those small wheels behave on the uk roads???

Having recently bought a new sets of tyres, German made, rated at `100mph, much stronger side walls, along with good quality dampers ( German again ) the answer is very well . . . . same as bikes though, you look like your pissed weaving down the road missing the craters.

Tyres are so good I replaced the MIchelins on another bike with the same . . . the Michelins weren't even round!
 




franks brother

Well-known member
have a Suzuki v strom 1000 at the moment, before that a GSR 750, have now ridden Bikes 2 and 4 stroke and many sizes for over 40 year, My first job after leaving school was a telegram boy in ship street, will carry on as long as i can
 


Live by the sea

Well-known member
Oct 21, 2016
4,718
Personally I find motor bikes to both look and seem dangerous. I have no proof but to me it’s a lot safer having a crash at 30 miles a hour in a car at least you have a chance as opposed to be thrown off a bike at 30 miles an hour . I also find motor bike riders aggressive when they weave and roar past you on roads .

Motor bikes also seem to attract the long haired, big bearded, heavily tattooed bikers which lets face it with all due respect was never a good look .
 


zefarelly

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Jul 7, 2003
22,789
Sussex, by the sea
Personally I find motor bikes to both look and seem dangerous. I have no proof but to me it’s a lot safer having a crash at 30 miles a hour in a car at least you have a chance as opposed to be thrown off a bike at 30 miles an hour . I also find motor bike riders aggressive when they weave and roar past you on roads .

Motor bikes also seem to attract the long haired, big bearded, heavily tattooed bikers which lets face it with all due respect was never a good look .

Whilst I agree about aesthetic of a certain fraternity within the biking community, they're by and large good folk, quite a lot of 80's scooterboys went to ward bikes, as opposed to jumping on the britpop/mod wave of dirge. Most scooterists I know just like scooters, most of them Lambrettas. They tend to have a slightly more stylish outlook though!

The biggest danger to any 2 wheeled user is cars. We don't generally fall off of our own accord.

Althohugh I know a few who used to :lolol:
 




Live by the sea

Well-known member
Oct 21, 2016
4,718
True . I wasn’t trying to sound mean , I guess many things attract a small hardcore element it you are right , just because they might look like hard right gun carrying Trump supporters doesn’t necessarily mean they are .. ..
 


D

Deleted member 2719

Guest
Having recently bought a new sets of tyres, German made, rated at `100mph, much stronger side walls, along with good quality dampers ( German again ) the answer is very well . . . . same as bikes though, you look like your pissed weaving down the road missing the craters.

Tyres are so good I replaced the MIchelins on another bike with the same . . . the Michelins weren't even round!

Makes sense.

The tyre quality has gone up a long way over the years.

When they come up with a softer compound run flat, that could be handy, but I am not sure those tyre boys will see the market as bigger enough.
 






zefarelly

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Jul 7, 2003
22,789
Sussex, by the sea
True . I wasn’t trying to sound mean , I guess many things attract a small hardcore element it you are right , just because they might look like hard right gun carrying Trump supporters doesn’t necessarily mean they are .. ..

That may be the case in the US, but most 'bikers' I've met are quite the opposite.
 


zefarelly

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Jul 7, 2003
22,789
Sussex, by the sea
Makes sense.

The tyre quality has gone up a long way over the years.

When they come up with a softer compound run flat, that could be handy, but I am not sure those tyre boys will see the market as bigger enough.

I think one big step forward in recent years has been tubeless one piece rims . . . . troublke is getting old tyres off them!

all the modern 'performance' scooters seem to run 12" wheels . . . . interestingly something Lambretta prototyped in 1969.
 


D

Deleted member 2719

Guest
Personally I find motor bikes to both look and seem dangerous. I have no proof but to me it’s a lot safer having a crash at 30 miles a hour in a car at least you have a chance as opposed to be thrown off a bike at 30 miles an hour . I also find motor bike riders aggressive when they weave and roar past you on roads .

Motor bikes also seem to attract the long haired, big bearded, heavily tattooed bikers which lets face it with all due respect was never a good look .

I have to say the W***er biker does exist, generally you can spot them a mile of they usually weave at speed and not at a sensible pace through traffic, and they also where one of these and a pair of speedos and flipflops.

Helmet cover.png

The fun and freedom are off the scale though.:cool:
 






D

Deleted member 2719

Guest
I think one big step forward in recent years has been tubeless one piece rims . . . . troublke is getting old tyres off them!

all the modern 'performance' scooters seem to run 12" wheels . . . . interestingly something Lambretta prototyped in 1969.

I suppose that's what they call reinventing the wheel.

:lol:
 


zefarelly

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Jul 7, 2003
22,789
Sussex, by the sea
kids wearing no gloves does my head in.

I've had a Frank Thomas leather jacket for 25 years, its only been used in anger twice, both at relatively low speed. I rarely ride anywhere without it, and often a Belstaff on top!
 


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