What did you do to your bike today?

I guess an instructor wouldn't be able to follow me anyway as they have those massive bulky/chunky bikes. I have a problem with speeding though, I always ride along with the traffic or a bit quicker. I remember when I exited a roundabout and there was a guy in front who was probably going around 80mph and I hit 70 mph in a 50mph area following him. My instructor wasn't happy...but thanks to him I passed it 1st time :)

TallPaul_S said:
Yeah don't filter, if you get caught in traffic it's just less time for the examiner to find any faults. Win win!

TBH with my bike it does get a clean every so often, but the engine paint is flaking off in places, the lower fork legs are pitted and weathered, the rear shocks are a little crusty, and the swingarm is dirtier than a 10 quid lady of the night :D But... it does the job of getting me to work in all weathers, being thrown down the road a couple of times, all while never missing a beat.

I will get a second bike that I can polish and keep so clean you could eat off it sometime though.
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IMO that's what a commuter bike should be though, that's why since I don't have any other transport neither do I have a garage. I'll just get a reliable Jap bike which will be used in all weather, I'm being a bit too harsh with my KTM. :p

London is probably the best place to learn how to filter, couple days of riding gave me some good experience. Although people in London are more use to bikers filtering, unlike the area's I ride in...
 
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Ahh yeah you''ll get people tailgating you when you're doing the speed limit all the time, even on a big bike. the other day, riding in a 40 limit going into a 30 limit, 100 yards into the 30 limit, some ***** in a 4x4/chelsea tractor overtakes me while I'm doing 31/32mph. Not 25 yards down the road he's stuck at the back of a queue and I pass him, giving a shake of the head as I go. I mean what's the point!? :confused:

But I DO stick to 30 and 40 limits religiously, and get other cars close behind me. Of course come a NSL road or the next 50 limit I open it up and they're rapidly become smaller in my mirrors. Until the next 30 limit where I've slowed down to the limit and they're behind me again doing 40 in a 30. :rolleyes:

The good thing about being on your test/with your instructor, he's normally behind you so can act as a buffer. Do the speed limit, and get up to the speed limit briskly.
 
IC3 said:
Cleaning, jeeez... I need a commuter bike, that'll get some ACF50 and will never be clean. :D

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I hope I pass my A2 license, do you filter on your exam or should I avoid doing so? I'd imagine its harder than my car exam was, that was ez.
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I did filter on my test, but because my instructor told me: if you are stuck on traffic and the examiner tells you the same instruction twice he is expecting you to filter.

There was a long queue, around 25 cars and I was waiting behind them, the examiner said: on the traffic light turn right... 10s later we still didn't move and he said again: on the traffic light turn right, than I moved to the incoming traffic lane (no cars incoming) and stopped behind the car closest to the traffic light.

The good thing about bike test, is that it is harder for the examiner to see small mistakes since he is behind you and not on the same vehicle.
 
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Some tests the instructor will follow you in a car as well, if that happens then he'll see very little of your riding.
Although if you make the same mistake as me on my first one they will still spot when you pull out into a lane far too quickly and cause the car behind to drop anchor as I found out :o

IIRC you'll never fail for not filtering but they can abandon the test if you get stuck in a massive queue of traffic and they're running out of time to see you actually ride, so while not a fail it does mean you have to do it all again.
 
IC3 said:
The thing is I don't have an external source of water, I have one of those mitts. They're so much better than a sponge. For drying I have a massive microfibre which is enough to dry the whole bike.

But that's effort tho, I would bring my products along with me to that car wash and just use the jetwasher to rinse it off and make her wet.
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Just use a waterless wash instead, that's what I do and I have got a jet wash.
 
anyone got any experience with a bmw 1300ks?

insurance claim is looking to drag on for a while and my lift share to work is pretty good so i mgiht just save and wait til lspring.

bmw pricer but more toys than a blackbird...
 
wazza300 said:
I thought you said it might be camchain or clutch basket?
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Garage had a look at it and ruled out cam chain, clutch basket and valves. They said 95% sure is a crank issue

Plus it started when it was very low on oil. Engine will be here in next few days. Ive bought so iridium sparks and some feeler gauges. Just get more oil and another filter and coolant now.
 
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Tefal said:
anyone got any experience with a bmw 1300ks?

insurance claim is looking to drag on for a while and my lift share to work is pretty good so i mgiht just save and wait til lspring.

bmw pricer but more toys than a blackbird...
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They're awesome, a lot nicer than the blackbirds but then the price reflects that.

I'm currently weighing one up against a zzr for a touring bike.
 
They are awesome bikes, the k1200s is similar, but the QS on the 1300 is awesome, I remember following one with an akra can and he short shifted through gears with a awesome pop on each shift. Sounded great for an IL4.
 
Kreeeee said:
They're awesome, a lot nicer than the blackbirds but then the price reflects that.

I'm currently weighing one up against a zzr for a touring bike.
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yeah only thing is reviews say they can have a bit of vibration, while the blackbirds are meant to be smooth as silk.

vfr gave me completely numb hands at long motorway speeds.


on a positive note had a letter from the solicitors (only handling personal injury) saying that they have a indipendant witnes statement in my favour so even though the other party are denying liability they will go to county court to get the money form them.

so hopefuly that bodes well with the witness backing me up for the insurnace claim.

medical is november 23rd though : so its not gonna be sorted til lnext year
 
TallPaul_S said:
They are awesome bikes, the k1200s is similar, but the QS on the 1300 is awesome, I remember following one with an akra can and he short shifted through gears with a awesome pop on each shift. Sounded great for an IL4.
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yeah its the electronic suspensiona djustment, traction control and shaft drive thatare selling me on it atm.

guessing servicing costs are insane?
 
TallPaul_S said:
They are awesome bikes, the k1200s is similar, but the QS on the 1300 is awesome, I remember following one with an akra can and he short shifted through gears with a awesome pop on each shift. Sounded great for an IL4.
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Short shifting shouldn't pop as you are moving up gears before the revs get high.
 
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