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Great to get a sense of your enthusiasm, I have had many winter rides in the past and it's so much better in the summer. You will feel champion in spring while the rest of the biker community starts dusting off the creaking bits.
I wouldn't take roundabouts too quickly this time of year either, only takes a patch of diesel mixed into the cold damp and there's little to no saving it. Look out for places like Wandsworth roundabout where the busses fuel up in the depot and then spill a little diesel from the full tanks as they go round the roundabout.
Airhead-
For sure! The bike running a Cheng Shin/Sava tyre combo lowers my confidence after years of riding fancier brands on road bikes, but then on the bmx Cheng Shin’s take some doing to lose traction. Taking no chances regardless, but certainly even more cautious than if I had some fancier winter-proof options. Tyre upgrade may come once I decide how long I keep the bike for*.
I doubt I’ll be hitting London til springtime, but for sure it’s an issue here in Wiltshire as well. I noticed thanks to the overnight rain and slow-to-evaporate damp roads lots of diesel patches. That wiggle outside the Shell garage was more than enough for a warning.
*Really stuck whether I can even afford to upgrade by the time I get the full unrestricted license. Probably I lose a little money on the resale, but gotta decide what’s best overall. Really do fancy a 125cc tour of Europe, but worried it might get frustrating after a taste of bigger bikes. MOT in March - not sure I want to invest too much more until I know if it will pass. 12month MOT is a lot more saleable than 1 month or fail, regardless of tyre choice. 12 month MOT and fancy tyres will be necessary before a tour of any kind.
...I’d love to have the money to keep this as well as have a ‘proper’ bike for serious riding. Would gladly strip it back to make a little cafe racer.
pdlouche
That LC looks mad!
Tl:dr update.
My GN125 has been getting some miles. Weather hasn’t been ideal for long days out, so only short trips to gain confidence and experience.
Since the carb/etc clean the bike has been getting better and better. I’ve been plying it full of Redex and 99 Octane Shell V-Power. Minimal extra cost for the 10L tank and all the detergents to try clean out old shit in the engine. After a new battery the bike starts and runs better, and it’s also got new Oxford indicators front and rear and new Oxford LED tail light. The tail light looks a bit naff til I get a new plate holder, but better than the shitty old non-oem lights.
With a bit of bending I got some metal-reinforced dirtbike hand guards to fit, so coupled with the Puig mini windshield/screen I am enjoying much-reduced wind pressure on my chest and minimal chill on my hands. The guards made a significant difference, though probably not as much as muffs would. I can feel buffeting on my helmet and increased noise at one tucked position at ‘speed’, but it’s not awful. Of course, speed on this little thing is like 50mph. It touched 60mph today...twice!
Covered just shy of 370 miles in the last month, mostly 30-50 mile trips to nearby villages and along narrow country lanes keeping off the fast roads. Lots of urban crawl/slow speed/junction practice too.
Slowly getting better with rev matching and smooth engine braking, and trying to leave shifting up a gear til later - before I’d shift quite early maybe 8k, I was barely ever touching 9k rpm, let alone the red line between 10 and 12. Generally I’m keeping it cruising at 6k, which sounds much healthier than ragging it like a kid on a dirt bike.
Had a fair share of idiots not giving way, or even looking, as well as a ped staring me right in the eyes as he walked directly at my front wheel to brake-check me. There was a little bit of a rear skid, but not as bad as the short squirrel-y skid on wet downhill toward a roundabout outside a petrol station. Live and learn, anticipate, don’t assume, cover front brake, etc.
Still going quite slow around roundabouts and some corners, and on unfamiliar roads I’m well below speed limit. Feels awkward doing 40 in a 50, but when strong winds are slamming me from the side, I don’t want to take risks. People can pass me if they want. Whenever I can get it over 50 I am, but there are so few stretches with clean and well-maintained road that I’m quite conscious of the shitty broken road on every turn.
Also grabbed some Richa gloves at crazy low cost from Mega Motorcycle. Got some amazing armoured ‘Evolution’ summer dirt bike gloves that have been comfortable on the bmx, and today the weather was so mild that the mid-season ‘Duke’ gloves were just warm enough on the motorbike.
Tl:dr? I’m enjoying a 125 motorbike.