Motorcycle and Scooter appreciation

Don't worry about what 125 you get too much, unless you'll be stuck on it for a while. I had a Honda CBF 125 briefly while I completed DAS to move my NZ license over. It was fine for around town stuff, but couldn't cruise at much over 55mph. Dead easy to ride though.

I tried a YBR125 as well. At 6'2" it was way too small for me. I could barely fit my foot between the peg and the gear lever.

If you do plan on keeping a 125 for a while - the KTM Duke 125 does it for me. High quality components on a small bike.

.............

Any recommendations for a noob?

A (H) silk scarf will keep the wind at bay :-)

good luck

(dont worry - bear in mind that its basic training and hard to fail)

Just waiting for confirmation but should be starting my DAS course on the weekend after next...

Just bought bought this little number:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/ends33ac0sua8vs/Photo%207-22-14%2C%2015%2046%2044.jpg

https://www.dropbox.com/s/zl0j3ni7e4pyoze/Photo%207-22-14%2C%2015%2047%2057.jpg

Really happy with it - rode it back from Kent this afternoon and once it was warmed up it didn't miss a beat. Wasn't sure how to work the choke so it kept flooding... Oop! Also it wouldn't start unless it was in neutral - which was a bit odd (in my limited experience - I'm guessing that's normal?)

Wasn't till I got it home that I got that "oh my god I've just bought something expensive so is better go through with it" guilty feeling.

Got it up to about 55 on the A2. Could probably hit 60ish -perhaps a bit more...

Only complaint so far - the horn is fucking rubbish.

well done on getting back safely.

the starting in neutral is pretty much standard, some even have a double safety in that you have to engage the clutch.

you should be able to just slowly ease the choke back to the off position a little bit at a time as you go along. thats what i do but there is probably a correct way.

let the engine warm up a bit before setting off. others say it'll warm up as you ride along but i notice a little difference when i do it the other way.
cant remember where i heard this but somebody said that what they did was start the motorcycle and the warming up time was the time it took them to put their gloves and helmet on and do a little walk around the bike. hope that helps

It's generally bad practice to ride with the choke on. When the mixture is much richer a lot more unburnt petrol gets past the piston rings and into the oil which causes a bit more wear. The other issue is poor running and stuttering which can cause a problem on the first turn of the morning i.e. bike dies a little while cornering and you grab a handful to stand it up only for it to spring to life and give you much more than you wanted.

Having said that when you know the bike you get used to the warm up times/behaviour. If you find yourself wondering why the throttle response is lagging and it idles badly you've probably left the choke on.

cheers, i will change my ways.

I second that. Thanks chaps!

The Triumph needs the choke to be closed gradually, but the Vespa is "choke out, Kickstart, rev it a couple of times, choke in, you're good to go."

Took the beast out to Essex to thrash round some lanes! Was awesome apart from mozzies getting stuck in my helmet and the crap headlight... My it's pony. Is it easy enough to swap the bulb out for a LED one? Must research!

Mod 1 passed this morning. No drama. One more lesson on Monday before mod 2 on Tuesday.

Neutral + clutch in always when starting. You'll find a lot of bikes won't start unless the clutch is in too. Clutch is the more important of the two, always the possibility of finding a false neutral.

go rusty, go rusty!

Good job rusty - that was quick! Best of luck for Mod 2. I'm gonna get on it and book my DAS soon.

i didnt think a false neutral would register as neutral with the starter so it wouldnt engage. am i wrong?

Not starting with the clutch is more common than not starting in neutral from the ones I've ridden. Starting in neutral would be a real faff if you have stalled it in traffic :) If I ever do it is simpler to bang it all the way down into first, clutch in, start it, go

That's what kept happening. Engine was cold and conked out - the thing wouldn't start unless I found neutral again. I also found that sometimes it doesn't engage neutral easily until it's warmed up!

Try releasing the clutch and rocking forward or back a little, then try and find neutral again

'KinELL!

http://youtu.be/uHidS8AjMS0?t=24s

I'm got the day off tomorrow so need to go out and buy a couple of bits for the bike, cover, topbox and some more gloves. Can anyone recommend anywhere in town for such items?

the bay, let your fingers do the walking.

Ah - it was more an excuse to get out and ride the thing

hahaha, makes sense.

it's warm outside but dont forget 'all the gear, all the time'

I got an Alpinestars Verona Air jacket after literally (metaphorically) boiling in my gore-tex jacket in June. It's a great jacket. Made of really tough mesh and has all the protection. Wear just a T-shirt underneath and you get full breeze.

^ where from? Can't seem to find them anywhere in the UK...