Motors Motorcycle Mayhem

Should be easy enough. Wiring is the only annoying bit but you are on a technology forum so I expect you have skillz in this area. I'll give you a hand if you get stuck dude.

I think mine are Oxford, not sure what model. They are OK but not mind blowing. To be fair, when it gets REALLY cold, they don't make that much difference. Especially if your hands are cold to start with when you get on the bike.

Not sure if the kits come with the right gear to do this, but I know mine don't turn on when the engine is just idling as they would flatten the battery, the only seem to work when the bike is doing something. My CBR however, they would work irrelevant of what you are doing, engine off or on....had a few flat batteries because of that one....!!!

 

You should be able to find a switched feed rather than a permanent one, surely? I suppose if you've got a bike where there is an option of heated grips it could be as easy as plug-and-play into the loom somewhere.

With one where it's not an option worst case you'd have to chop and splice it in.

 

Rather than heated grips I'd recommend heated gloves, they heat the backs of your hands and fingers (the parts exposed to the wind) rather than your palms. I've got a pair of Gerbing something or others and they're brilliant. Obviously, they're good for not so cold weather too, just don't plug them in.

 

Anyone have any strong feelings about 125cc bikes? I was thinking about doing my CBT but don't want to shell out a fortune on a nice shiny bike if I'm only going to ride short distances, rather occasionally, and possibly only keep it for a couple of years. Is there a good place to buy bangers?

 

Good way to get experience but they are what they are: you'll want more power pretty quickly.

If you are of age to do DAS, then do it now.

 

I could do... I've had my car license since '05. Do you have experience with the DAS? The place I'm looking at charges £600 for the DAS. Which I guess isn't too bad considering the CBT alone is £120. I'm just worried about it being a big waste of money if I find out I'm terrible at riding!

 

If you've had a car licence since '05 that means you'll be at least 24 when the new regs come in. If I'm reading julian's site correctly that means you'd be able to take a DAS-equivalent (whatever they might be called) for >24 y/o's and ride any bike immediately afterwards, no?

 

Yeah, if you're 24 already then it doesn't really affect you. Are they just changing the test rules or are the actual tests changing too?

 

Haha, sounds pretty confusing. Yeah I'm 24, so, you guys think I should wait until this new test format is rolled out?

 

I personally wouldn't as I think it's best to have an instructor that has a bit of experience with the test in the current form. Unless you wait a year after the new regs come in - I'd do it now.

Many people seem to be afraid of DAS but I can't work out why - you have to do your CBT as part of it, you'll quickly find out if you suck at riding and you can bail out then before you pay silly money. £600 is about right for DAS, I think I was £750 all in with test fees and CBT etc etc.

EvilMerc: DVLA are notorious for changing things up, and at the minute the Mod 1 has had a lot of bad rap. When I had my test in June all the examiners were talking about how even they had no idea what was going on and there were certainly going to be some changes to Mod 1 at the minimum (which I think there have been by now?) - this was mostly because a lot of riders were failing to do the obstacle avoidance manoeuvres at 30mph (which is ridiculous, if a rider can't do that, they shouldn't be on the road IMO). But who knows. I'll try and read in to it if I get some time.

 

Hmm. Now I'm not so sure what to get, as my brother suggested the gloves may be a better option, though he doesn't ride. If I went with the gloves, are there grips that work in combination with them, or will the grips end up being an entirely separate system? I can't see grips by Gerbing so I'm guessing it'll be separate.

Decisions, decisions, decisions...

 

They'd be separate systems AFAIK, once they're both wired in it'd only be a matter of flicking two switches though.

In related news, the fuse blew in my gloves and I didn't have any spares on me.

And in slightly more unrelated news, I rode to the Peak District with about 12 other motovloggers yesterday and it was freaking awesome.

 

Incompletely unrelated news I'm selling the Triumph and giving up motorcycles for the foreseeable future. To dangerous for my liking and far to much theft where I live.

 

Sad to hear that Aradeth! Hopefully one day you might get back on the bike!

I've ordered my grips and am expecting them today or tomorrow. Hoping to get them on again before my marathon trip back down to Chichester on Saturday. Desperately hoping it wont rain the whole day. That would seriously suck... I'm also hoping I manage to get them on properly! There seem to be quite a few guides so hopefully I'll be OK.

 

The one thing i will say that makes a world of difference with 125 bikes. Get a 2 stroke! Honestly a 125 4 stroke makes me angry. The early examples from a few years back were completely gutless. They may be better now no doubt but small engine sizes are ideal for the 2 stroke format.

If you de-restrict them and put an after market end can on them they sound great too. Well it's an aquired taste but I love the sound 2 strokes make when in the power band.

You hear horror stories about 2 smokers but I firmly believe if you can get an example that has been looked after, allowed to run slightly on the rich side and has been run on good quality oil they can be every bit as reliable. Mine has never missed a beat and has never failed to start.

I have a 2007 Yamaha DT125R for the record. As far as I'm aware 2007 was the final year it was made as a 2 stroke. It was all 4 strokes after that.

 

Some of the more modern 125 4 strokes aren't half bad. The new 125 KTM Duke is pretty rapid considering its capacity, and the I've heard the YZF-R125 can crack 85mph.

That said, any 125 bike is a giggle regardless of power output. Their sheer chuckability just makes them hilarious to ride. Long distance riding is a bit of a chore though...

 

2 stroke 125 TZR rider reporting it.

Although my 2 stroke has had problems but that because its 22 years old. Also it was bought of ebay for £300. After £600 worth of repairs 2 new tyres, new engine block ( I broke down during the fast lane and closed the A3 for 5 minutes ) allthough I can hit 90 mph. new chain and spokes.

Also loving the after market end can.


I finally completed my test it took me a while I did
the whole 4 day Direct Access Course in November which was cool, All though I had
been Driving for a year. A bigger bike is more powerfull but also its getting out
of the bad habits.

Then at the end of the week I had the MOD ( like the first part of the CBT but
more advanced ) and the nerves got to me and during cones test before the figour
of eight I put my foot down .

December hit and the A3 incident happened.

End of January I re did my Mod 1 did it YAY Also did the speed test at 50mph I didnt look down and slowed down in the corner

I did the mod 2 three times

First one was at a roundabout and though the guy was turning right, so I went out next thing I knew he was right behind me and I pull out in front of car I knew I failed still carried one
2 minors

The next one I came of a 60 road, was following a car driver. Down to 40 and next thing i knew I went over a roundabout "its called around-about not a over-about" the text examiner said.

Also this is a weird one, One carvan driver coming towards me two parked cars either side of each other, we both can space to pull in but he had a lot of traffic behind him I though i had the right of way I am a biker and I was told that while training.

so we both went though this gap and he had to break and that a fail.

I just passed on Friday with 3 minors using a Honda CBR 500

Looking at Yamaha R6's at the £2200 mark. Its also going to cost me £1000 to insure that even with one years no calms bonus. (parking on the street ) Also going to buy an alarm.

 

Is that fully comp insurance out of interest?

Serious machine for a first big bike....

(not that I can say much actually!)

 

That looks awesome, thanks for the info mate. Any idea how much a bike like that / similar might go for? Should probably wait until after doing the test to ask these questions but I get excited sometimes...

 

Well, I like my 2007 Honda CG 125 4-stroke, and I've been on it for 4 1/2 years. But that's just me - maybe I'm not cool, or something.

So far as I can gather, 2-stroke smaller-engine bikes (like 125s and 250s) have worse fuel economy than either 4-strokes of the same size or 4-strokes of twice the size, i.e. regular modern bikes. So for people who live in the real world and pay bills and stuff, a 2-stroke ex-track bike, that gets 5 miles to the gallon and sounds like an explosion in a bee factory, might not be that ideal.