Motorbike and scooter owners.

[Deleted member 26715]

A Suzuki Airfix

 

[a.twiddler]

Another on the bucket list has been ticked. Collected this today, needs a few things but essentially (it seems) a bloody nice bike.

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Aah! The (allegedly) 100mph 250. What I do remember is that every local X7 owner had to prove it by passing every other biker as they all had something to prove. How it was to be 17 in 1978, compared with learner restrictions today.

 

[MarkF]

Aah! The (allegedly) 100mph 250. What I do remember is that every local X7 owner had to prove it by passing every other biker as they all had something to prove. How it was to be 17 in 1978, compared with learner restrictions today.

Society keeps as kids as kids for far too long nowadays, at 16 I was mobile and could do 45mph, at 17 I rode my 250 to the south of France, camping all the way, with my pals. It seemed simple at the time but a similar adventure will remain a dream for kids today.

 

[Smokin Joe]

Society keeps as kids as kids for far too long nowadays, at 16 I was mobile and could do 45mph, at 17 I rode my 250 to the south of France, camping all the way, with my pals. It seemed simple at the time but a similar adventure will remain a dream for kids today.

And to be honest, I wonder how much good all this training and testing has really done to reduce motorcycle accident rates? I'd love to see pre "Multi driving test" figures and compare them to single test figures, and I strongly suspect the number of accidents are linked to the number of bikes on the road rather than how well trained the riders have been.

In two decades as an ADI I saw the car test increased in difficulty by a considerable margin, yet the same type of people were having the same type of accidents at the end of that as at the beginning. And you could tell who they were going to be while they were learning. Safety is about attitude much more than anything else, and some people will always have way too much confidence in the ability they just don't have.

 

[Deleted member 26715]

some people will always have way too much confidence in the ability they just don't have.

Along with those who just don't get the responsibility of driving a car down the road, they believe it's their right not an earned priviledge.

 

[Wookee]

Part of my job is to respond to fatal collisions in London and look at roads to see if the layout contributed to the collision. Far too many of them these days involve motorcyclists, and we had another one last night. I think the tests were changed partly to try and discourage people from taking up biking. Serious collisions involving motorcyclists are very disproportionate to their total mileage. I think there may be more restrictions on the horizon.

 

[Deleted member 26715]

Which is ridiculous unless the accidents are being caused by the motorcyclists, make the car test & fines far higher

 

[Drago]

Indeed. The TRRL, as they were then, concludes that there is no link between motorcycle performance and accident statistics. The same year the government respond by reducing learners to 125's and getting them to mix it up with traffic on low powered, poor handling machinery.

 

[Smudge]

Seen a couple of RE Interceptor 650's parked up on my rideout today, one with the black & red tank and one with a plain silver tank. The latter was a better colour imo, it really added to the classy retro look. Had a good look around them and i must say i was very impressed with the finish on them. The p twin engine really does look stunning with a proper classic look to it.
If i were in the market for this style of bike i would be very tempted by it.

 

[Wookee]

Which is ridiculous unless the accidents are being caused by the motorcyclists, make the car test & fines far higher

Unfortunately, far too often all or part of the blame does lie with the motorcyclist. Either way, too many are dying and something needs to be done.

 

[MarkF]

Indeed. The TRRL, as they were then, concludes that there is no link between motorcycle performance and accident statistics. The same year the government respond by reducing learners to 125's and getting them to mix it up with traffic on low powered, poor handling machinery.

My youngest has zero 2 wheel interest but wanted a 50cc scooter to get around, I gave him our old Suzuki Swift instead. 45/50mph is viable motorised transportation, behind forced into the gutter at sub 30mph is not.

 

[T.M.H.N.E.T]

Very nearly had an R1 through the car window today, totally blind overtake

Rider is lucky I'm switched on

 

[StuAff]

Which is ridiculous unless the accidents are being caused by the motorcyclists, make the car test & fines far higher

Unfortunately, far too often all or part of the blame does lie with the motorcyclist. Either way, too many are dying and something needs to be done.

Both too true, sadly. The standards of four-wheel driving in this country are appalling. Not a single commute, and most cycling, goes by without me seeing something that would fail a driving test, more usually multiple times. But, equally, too many bikers are idiots. Not all the offenders are yoof with L-plates by any means.

 

[Gunk]

Seen a couple of RE Interceptor 650's parked up on my rideout today, one with the black & red tank and one with a plain silver tank. The latter was a better colour imo, it really added to the classy retro look. Had a good look around them and i must say i was very impressed with the finish on them. The p twin engine really does look stunning with a proper classic look to it.
If i were in the market for this style of bike i would be very tempted by it.

Me too, not usually my thing, but a very pretty bike.

 

[raleighnut]

Indeed. The TRRL, as they were then, concludes that there is no link between motorcycle performance and accident statistics. The same year the government respond by reducing learners to 125's and getting them to mix it up with traffic on low powered, poor handling machinery.

I dunno my Honda CB125S was one of my favourite bikes, nimble and quite a torquey little motor, it helped that I'd fitted a 1 tooth bigger gearbox sprocket though as it used to over rev in top before.