Anyone taken to 2 wheels in their dotage?

[Jaws]

Not read all the thread so apologies if I am going over old ground...

My only thoughts are ..

Go for it.. As a life long biker I feel sad for all those who miss out on the experience

Once you have a licence do not be tempted to go for something powerful..
The biggest cause of accidents is folk getting a bike that is much quicker than anything they have ever driven or ridden

A modern 125 will be fine for journeys of up to 20 miles.. Much more than that and you will get bored and be uncomfortable

If you really want a bigger bike look at something along the lines of a 500cc something or other.. And if you can handle the weight look at what Royal Enfield have to offer.. The marque is often over looked but is an excellent choice for those new to biking

While the trike types are great ( and I was one of the ones lucky enough to try them before they became available in the shops ) they are heavy and not as easy to transport as a 'normal' bike

Once you have a licence avoid being talked in to doing an IAM 'course' .. The IAM regime is really excellent for experienced riders and does hone existing skills.. But without existing skills you can easily fall in to trouble .. not knowing when to use the suggested lines etc is actually worse than blindly following what is suggested

Check out what your local police offer ..
The ride outs they organise are fantastic.. You will learn very quickly what is safe and what is the best way to 'make progress'

Above all.. GO FOR IT !
The tests, although a reet pain in the bum, are not hard ( apart from, oddly, the hazard perception.. As an experienced driver you will almost certainly see more hazards than you are expected to and fail for being over cautious ! )

 

[Deleted member 29692]

CBT 1st Then the theory test ( much easier for older car drivers) then the practical.

2 separate practicals these days.

You take your CBT, then do the theory. The next step is the Module 1 practical which is not on the road. It takes place in a compound and covers clutch control and manoeuvring.

You can't even book your Module 2 (Road Ride) test until you've passed Module 1.

 

[Deleted member 29692]

And if you can handle the weight look at what Royal Enfield have to offer..The marque is often over looked but is an excellent choice for those new to biking

Some of their new ones look great

( apart from, oddly, the hazard perception.. As an experienced driver you will almost certainly see more hazards than you are expected to and fail for being over cautious ! )

The other thing to be careful of when you're an experienced driver is seeing the hazard and clicking too soon. You get no points for doing that.

 

[Jaws]

Maureen failed the first hazard perception for clicking too many times..

 

[Deleted member 29692]

Clicking in patterns will make you fail as well.

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[tonyidle]

Maureen failed the first hazard perception for clicking too many times..

In my experience every other vehicle or pedestrian is a hazard for a motorcyclist. They need more clicks .

 

[Tootles]

Get a bike! Stuff the traffic. Enjoy life, it's short enough without sitting in a car on a nice summers day!!

Mine.

 

[Jaws]

In my experience every other vehicle or pedestrian is a hazard for a motorcyclist. They need more clicks .

You are absolutely dead right Tony.. trouble is, the test is set by tin box pilots who have cannot begin to conceive the hazards a biker has to contend with !

 

[injebreck99]

Not read all the thread so apologies if I am going over old ground...

My only thoughts are ..

Go for it.. As a life long biker I feel sad for all those who miss out on the experience

Once you have a licence do not be tempted to go for something powerful..
The biggest cause of accidents is folk getting a bike that is much quicker than anything they have ever driven or ridden

A modern 125 will be fine for journeys of up to 20 miles.. Much more than that and you will get bored and be uncomfortable

If you really want a bigger bike look at something along the lines of a 500cc something or other.. And if you can handle the weight look at what Royal Enfield have to offer.. The marque is often over looked but is an excellent choice for those new to biking

While the trike types are great ( and I was one of the ones lucky enough to try them before they became available in the shops ) they are heavy and not as easy to transport as a 'normal' bike

Once you have a licence avoid being talked in to doing an IAM 'course' .. The IAM regime is really excellent for experienced riders and does hone existing skills.. But without existing skills you can easily fall in to trouble .. not knowing when to use the suggested lines etc is actually worse than blindly following what is suggested

Check out what your local police offer ..
The ride outs they organise are fantastic.. You will learn very quickly what is safe and what is the best way to 'make progress'

Above all.. GO FOR IT !
The tests, although a reet pain in the bum, are not hard ( apart from, oddly, the hazard perception.. As an experienced driver you will almost certainly see more hazards than you are expected to and fail for being over cautious ! )

Not read all the thread so apologies if I am going over old ground...

My only thoughts are ..

Go for it.. As a life long biker I feel sad for all those who miss out on the experience

Once you have a licence do not be tempted to go for something powerful..
The biggest cause of accidents is folk getting a bike that is much quicker than anything they have ever driven or ridden

A modern 125 will be fine for journeys of up to 20 miles.. Much more than that and you will get bored and be uncomfortable

If you really want a bigger bike look at something along the lines of a 500cc something or other.. And if you can handle the weight look at what Royal Enfield have to offer.. The marque is often over looked but is an excellent choice for those new to biking

While the trike types are great ( and I was one of the ones lucky enough to try them before they became available in the shops ) they are heavy and not as easy to transport as a 'normal' bike

Once you have a licence avoid being talked in to doing an IAM 'course' .. The IAM regime is really excellent for experienced riders and does hone existing skills.. But without existing skills you can easily fall in to trouble .. not knowing when to use the suggested lines etc is actually worse than blindly following what is suggested

Check out what your local police offer ..
The ride outs they organise are fantastic.. You will learn very quickly what is safe and what is the best way to 'make progress'

Above all.. GO FOR IT !
The tests, although a reet pain in the bum, are not hard ( apart from, oddly, the hazard perception.. As an experienced driver you will almost certainly see more hazards than you are expected to and fail for being over cautious ! )

 

[Yorick]

You are absolutely dead right Tony.. trouble is, the test is set by tin box pilots who have cannot begin to conceive the hazards a biker has to contend with !

If you stick it on the back wheel, every twat gets out of your way

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[sedge]

If there were any white vans on the roads the vid takes you along, I'd just keep my thumb permanently on the button ...........

(NB these vans are never signwritten, since you'd ring their employer up and tell them how crap and what a danger their driver is!)

 

[Chaumo]

Recently purchased a 2009 Honda 300sh with only 1300 miles so looks like new. Fantastic bike but I had not thought about pillion carrying. In my younger days i rode all sorts of bikes, but solo. Carrying Mrs Chaumo has brought a new dimension and the time gap between bikes has contributed to a loss of concidence. Still like the bike but seriously considering changing to an mp3 type. Thinking about selling

 

[Jaws]

Recently purchased a 2009 Honda 300sh with only 1300 miles so looks like new. Fantastic bike but I had not thought about pillion carrying. In my younger days i rode all sorts of bikes, but solo. Carrying Mrs Chaumo has brought a new dimension and the time gap between bikes has contributed to a loss of concidence. Still like the bike but seriously considering changing to an mp3 type. Thinking about selling

Best advice ( as far as I think any way ) is get some serious miles under the wheels on your own.
Use the bike as much as possible.. Go to the shops, to work, even if it is just to get the news paper every morning.
Make the effort and use it in all weather conditions.
Why ?
If you do not have confidence with a pillion then there is a chance you are not really as competent as you would like to think.
The same competence is required whether on two or three wheels.. The only difference being when you are stationary
The only worthwhile way of building up your ability is to get the road miles in..
By all means swap for a trike thing but STILL get the miles under the rubber.. Ability on a bike is directly linked to experience... a point often ignored by IAM types* but never by professional riders such as police motorcyclists

*
This is why I have never agreed with the IAM group. It seems they ( as in the observers ) believe road skill can be taught.. Yes it can, but only to a certain extent. Road skill can only be improved if you have the experience to know when and how to use certain things..

 

[TheDogMan]

Started with 110cc Honda Vision 4 years ago, swapped that in for a 125 Honda SH and this swopped that in for my last ever bike a Honda SH 300, I carry it in a single axle box trailer with a bike stand and tie downs in it which is easy to move when I park up

 

[injebreck99]

Best advice ( as far as I think any way ) is get some serious miles under the wheels on your own.
Use the bike as much as possible.. Go to the shops, to work, even if it is just to get the news paper every morning.
Make the effort and use it in all weather conditions.
Why ?
If you do not have confidence with a pillion then there is a chance you are not really as competent as you would like to think.
The same competence is required whether on two or three wheels.. The only difference being when you are stationary
The only worthwhile way of building up your ability is to get the road miles in..
By all means swap for a trike thing but STILL get the miles under the rubber.. Ability on a bike is directly linked to experience... a point often ignored by IAM types* but never by professional riders such as police motorcyclists

I passed my IAM test in 1985 after a loss of confidence as a result of being knocked off my brand new BMW R100RS by a doctor from our local hospital!!
I did get my confidence back, but my instructor was the Police officer who trained all the other police motorcyclists in Norfolk, he taught me things I would probably never have learned on my own, and I still try to stick to those principles to this day, (honest officer) !!
*
This is why I have never agreed with the IAM group. It seems they ( as in the observers ) believe road skill can be taught.. Yes it can, but only to a certain extent. Road skill can only be improved if you have the experience to know when and how to use certain things..

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[hilldweller]

Still like the bike but seriously considering changing to an mp3 type.

Big and heavy, might make matters worse.

I don't like 'er indoors on the back even though we've done all over Europe together. Nothing spoils the handling more than a pillion.

 

[Jaws]

Talking of big and heavy.. Took a deposit on the Wing tonight.. Full asking price too !

 

[PORKSTER]

Recently purchased a 2009 Honda 300sh with only 1300 miles so looks like new. Fantastic bike but I had not thought about pillion carrying. In my younger days i rode all sorts of bikes, but solo. Carrying Mrs Chaumo has brought a new dimension and the time gap between bikes has contributed to a loss of concidence. Still like the bike but seriously considering changing to an mp3 type. Thinking about selling

Could be interested in new year

 

[laird of Dunstan]

Honda valkyrie ,1600 cc of pure joy ,i dont like sports bikes as i find them to fast and too uncomfortable

 

[Deleted member 29692]

I don't like 'er indoors on the back even though we've done all over Europe together. Nothing spoils the handling more than a pillion.

I'm lucky. 'er indoors refuses to even discuss the idea of getting on the back with me

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[gus-lopez]

Funny how it is all supposed to be the same yet. up to 125cc here on a car licence................................................forever.