roobarb

When I have the 'need for speed' I just have a go on the back of my other halfs motorbike!!

Our tv is 3D. whilst we don't use the 3D very often, when we do it's amazing. You even forget that you're wearing the glasses!! And if it's something worthwhile we use blu ray. Tho it must be said that most of the films that aren't blu ray are sbs files. Sbs are at most 750p but they are still really good quality. Avatar was stunning!

We've got a 50in samsung too and got sky hd today!! Obviously the way to go :biggrin:

I went somewhere in Stoke

Aah!! But that's when we can go into 'girlie' mode. It's switchable between giggly/silly or scared/pathetic or really stoopid. Works every time. Until the fateful day I meet a policewoman I suppose :scared:

Drove from Manchester to Crewe today. Went through hailstones, heavy rain , high winds to beautiful sunshine! Freaky. Got winter tyres on my ford fester so I'm all set!!

Erm- this is getting a bit grouchy!! Anyway, back to the girlie stuff. I've got my zed and a fiesta zetec s and I definitely find more people try to give me grief in the zed. Especially audis for some reason. Have to assume they have something to prove. On the motorway, on the rare occasions I'm not in the mood to toy with them I will look for a gap in the traffic big enough for me but not them and pull in there. If they're not directly in front or behind they can't bother you. But normally I will just put my foot down and bimble off into the distance :biggrin: you can always pull over to the inside lane later so they can pass you and 'win'

Yeah. You have to look out for yourself and all the idiots out there

Yes. 21 years old (even if it's 21 and one day) pass test on a direct access capable bike and ride what you want after you pass your test. There are far too many issues involved with doing it on your own bike, insurance issues are complicated as you have no test yet, so expensive. Plus even with insurance there is the fact you have to actually get the bike to the test centre which you cannot do without an instructor as your insurance needs to be validated by their prescence. Potential nightmare. If I were you, I would stick with using a training school bike for your test with their instructor. Plus, u turns and the like on a ninja aren't as easy as with the average school choice. Not saying difficult, but under test conditions, nerves play their part.

Yes

Should add my biker bf wrote that. His mate owns a own a bike training school. You may find his website useful http://www.moto-technique.co.uk/directaccess-flowchart.html

The actual test at the test centre is no different for small capacity bikes like a 125 or large capacity 45bhp and above. The reasons for the different rulings obviously being that age can limit options for which bikes can be ridden along with the restrictions placed on those who pass on a 125. Ignoring the age thing for a second and basing the next statement as for those over 21 years of age (which you will be when you do your test). If you pass your test on a sub 33 bhp bike (normally a 125 for most training bodies) then you are limited to sub 33bhp for two years. After which you can ride anything you want. Kits are available to restrict large capacity bikes down to 33 bhp for those who want a big bike but are still under the 2 year limitation. If you took your test on a 125 while aged 20, the fact you then turned 21 within that 2 year period would have no bearing on being able to ride a bigger bike. You can't do that. The 2 years is a mandatory period and your turning 21 has no relevance. Again, for 21 and over. If you pass your test on a larger bike (which I think is currently dictated as either 45 or 55 bhp or thereabouts) then you can ride anything you want as soon as you pass with no restrictions. Those under 21 are limited to what options are available which you are obviously already aware of. So for all above 21 It is the bike you actually take your test on that dictates what you can do. You can learn on a 125 all the way and then turn up on the day on a (insured/taxed/mot'd) large capacity bike and ride anything you want after passing. Getting insured to actually do that might be difficult though. The insurance cost and price of larger bikes is why training bodies charge so much more for the big bike lessons over the smaller 125 class. For anyone else thinking of doing their test, be aware that January 2013 is when the second directive comes into force and all of this changes. From that date, the 2 year ride a small bike then ride what you want afterwards will no longer apply. You would have to take another test if you wanted to ride a larger bike. The 33 bhp rule is moving slightly in power as well, I seem to remember it now becomes 34 bhp, but I am sure there are going to be arguments from training bodies about that and also the change in bhp required to qualify for the larger bikes for test. There will be a lot of training bodies selling 500 cc bikes this year as they will no longer be used for the big bike tests as they fall short of the minimum for the second directive. There are other changes as well, but put simply, if you ever wanted to ride a bike, 2012 is the time to get it done, 2013 will be more expensive and more difficult to achieve a full bike licence.

Ta! And nope, he will definitely stay as is. Stressful enough getting the side repeaters fitted!!

Thanks everyone for a great day! :biggrin:

Well I've been away all week and while I've been gone, a plague of locusts has appeared to have stripped the contents of the kitchen! So it's off to dominos pizza for us :yes:

Well if I can get my lazy ass out of bed we will be there about 11.30. But if my other half isn't coming I will be there a bit earlier :laugh::laugh:

Happy birthday!!

Dont have kids myself. It's hard enough naming the pets. Quick hello to jonesie the horseshoe crab who joined the family today! But can I suggest you don't go for anything too trendy. What's cute on a baby might not work so well when they're 40!!

Mines zebedee!

:biggrin::biggrin:If you didn't come home with grazed knees and bruised hips you hadn't done it properly

Last time I went to Alton towers, the corkscrew was new!! And like has been said, the original wild mouse at Blackpool was the best. Especially when you were on 2 wheels on the top layer. They took the top bit off after 1 actually fell off. Wimps!!

Aw that's bad news! Better to be written off then get it back in bits though

Congratulations!!:biggrin:

Well it was nice to be able to give somebody some useful advice for once!!

I thought this was quite funny http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=220768216260#ht_11042wt_1025 The updates are a giggle too!