Suzuki V-Strom (VStrom) Owners Club DL250, DL650, DL1000 & DL1050
Introduce yourself => Introductions => Topic started by: Frenchie on June 03, 2012, 17:52:29
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Thought I'd post and say hello as I'm new to this site and indeed biking.
I have been convinced by a friend to go on a motorbike tour of the UK even though I have never ridden before, not even a scooter. I have a moutain bike and have had a go on the dodgems at the fair, that's the closest I've ever been to a riding a motorbike before (I have a lot to learn I know).
Following a loads of research and reading I have now bought a bike, a helmet and a jacket. Still got a few bits to get as well as a licence. It's bit of a odd ways of doing things I know but the bike took my fancy. I am currently trawling through various posts on here picking up tips and ideas from you all.
I look forward to joining the 'community' , learning from you all and hopefully a great biking holiday.
Mark.
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Hi & :welcome2:
There's nothing like jumping in at the deep end!
But you've picked the right bike to do it on.... :thumb:
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Ptarmigan has made the understatement of the year there!!
Hello and :welcome: , enjoy that bike and good luck with your test.
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hi and :welcome2: what a way to start your biking career good luck with your test :thumb:
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Thanks
I am trying to post a picture or two of my bike but for some reason it's not playing ball. I've tried resizing one for my avatar as well but it's not liking it. I'll keep at it.
As for the test, I have my theory in a week or so then I can do my CBT and direct access. Some 6 weeks after that we're off. The 'deep end' doesn't quite feel strong enough lol but my mate says I'll be fine. I've been a car driver for many years and am a cautious very observant driver, something I will be doing even more so on the bike believe me.
I'll make sure I take lots of pics of the road trip.
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:welcome:
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Hi there and :welcome:
Good luck with your training and test taking. You live in a good county for motorcycling, which part of the county are you in ?
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Hi Chris
I'm right in the middle, in Lincoon itself. As soon as I pass I'll be exploring some of the nice roads over the wolds and up to the coast in preparation and experience for my trip in August.
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welcome aboard and good luck with it all
J
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:welcome: and good on Your, jumping in like that!
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:welcome:
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Hi & :welcome:
You'll be surprised how much of a better car driver you become once you ride a motorcycle even if you are a safe driver at present. I also had the bike before I had the licence for it and it's very tempting to buy a lot of nice bits before you've ever ridden it. I'd recommend riding it for a while before you decide what you want to modify. Something you might notice to start with is that your shoulders ache a lot after a short ride, this is quite common for new riders. The solution is to concentrate on relaxing your shoulders and arms and not to hold on to the bars so tightly. In fact, holding on the tightly is something that will upset the natural balance and steering of the bike. There are some parallels to be drawn to your mountain bike in that regard. Put in as many miles as you can before you leave on your trip, but do them at a relaxing pace on some country roads you know. This will help you to get used to riding a motorcycle, develop your balance (much different than on a mountain bike, I have one too), help you judge corner entry speed and braking distances and will make your riding more of a reflex than having to think about it. Always remember "slow in, fast out" and you'll be safe on roads where you don't know the corners well. Once you get to that 'comfortable' stage you can pay much more attention to the possible dangers coming your way.
Anyway, I'll stop waffling now :)
If you like you can get yourself added to the members map, see my signature for the link :thumb:
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Juvecu
Waffle very welcome thank you. The only mods I'm doing is to add a 12v socket and a mount for my phone /Sat Nav so I know where I'm going. Thankfully the bike has everything else already hence the reason for buying it so quickly, it was just what I was after.
The tips are appreciated, I will be riding as much as I can to get used to it before the big trip comes.
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:welcome: and good on you for doing it !! I'm 18 and started riding at 5 and racing at 6 but always progressed never just jumped on something like a big bike .. apart from riding an rs125 at 9 hahaha
Look forward to seeing your pics from the trip!!!
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hello :grin:
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UPDATE: Clothing bought, theory test passed today, CBT booked for the 3rd July. I'm a few steps closer :lala:
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congrats on passing your theory test
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Blimey, What a cool entry into biking........
You have already demonstrated you know how to play it safe so good on you, I think you have picked the perfect bike for your introduction. I jumped on one yesterday for the first time and bought it there and then after a 20 minute test ride. The riding position is nice and high and you are visible to others as well, also very easy to hustle along and change direction quickly with a good dose of power to assist where needed.
I find the bike is a great deal of fun, and only wish I had bought it a month ago before my trip to Belgium,Luxembourg and Germany which I did on my more powerful but much duller touring bike.
Ride safe
Al.
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:welcome:
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Another Update:
CBT passed last week on a geared 125cc Yamaha (horrible thing that it was). I was then moved up to a 650cc Galdius and wow what a difference. Once I had adjusted to the extra weight I found it so much smoother with more progressive acceleration and throttle. Nicely weighted in the corners and far more relaxing to ride.
I am training all weekend ready for my module 1 test on Mon then training again Wed and Thurs redy for my Module 2 test on Fri.
I'm nearly there (big smiles)
:lala:
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good luck :thumb:
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Congrats on the CBT & good luck with the other, did you wear your pink ladies jacket ?
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Pink ladies jacket ? (I'm confused....)
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Some people think that the Gladius is a bit of a girlie bike. Maybe that is what the lady is alluding to.
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Pink ladies jacket ? (I'm confused....)
Frenchie, a character in Grease (http://www.debbieschlussel.com/archives/frenchy.jpg)
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Ah, just got it. There's a character in the film Greese called Frenchie who was in the pink ladies gang. I got there eventually (it's been a long day).
Gladius = Ladies bike. I don't know about that one but I don't doubt for a minute there are many ladies who could rude it better than me.
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:clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap:
Not a ladies bike at all, my son likes it and he's not a girl at all
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Whoops, that should say ride one not rude one....
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Final update everyone.
Theory test done, CBT done, Module 1 done and Module 2 done today. Guess what I'm doing this weekend :lala:
(http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7249/7563574672_eea60c8f92.jpg)
(http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7109/7563574516_7087b2cb9e.jpg)
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Congratulations Mark! That's a great result - and all done in such a short space of time too - your dedication is impressive.
The whole test business is so much more complicated now than it was when I took mine back in the early 80's - probably a good thing if it gives new riders a better grounding in the basics.
They'd just introduced the two part test when I took mine (off road manoeuvring part round those incredibly unstable cones - Part A, then the on-road going round the block part with the examiner on the street corner watching you go past - Part B) . If I'd done it a couple of months earlier I could have avoided the utter humiliation I suffered in my first Part A off road test when I knocked down the majority of the cones. My own fault - how hard can it be to go around some cones, I thought - actually quite hard if you’ve never done it before - and even harder if you tried it on one of these:
(https://dl.dropbox.com/u/68610751/V-Strom/MZ%20TS125.jpeg)
...which doesn’t have enough lock on the steering to get around the corners - as I found out when I realised I’d need to take some training if I was ever going to pass.
You live and learn.
Anyway - well done you!
You might need your waterproofs in Lincolnshire this weekend if you believe the Met Office forecast.
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Congratulations!!! :) .
Also .. what lights are those on the top of the crashbars?? really like the look of those :)
cheers
Josh
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Hi Josh
They are Givi S310 Trekker lights, they were fitted to the bike when I bought it. I think they look the dogs and make the bike stand out more at night ( always a good thing )
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Hi Josh
They are Givi S310 Trekker lights, they were fitted to the bike when I bought it. I think they look the dogs and make the bike stand out more at night ( always a good thing )
Thanks for that mate :) ... are they legal to run all the time (like running/aux) lights??
Cheers
Josh
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To be honest Josh, I don't know. They were on the bike when I bought it, are independently switched (not activated by the main beam switch) and are marketed by Givi as additional halogen spots lights.
My intention is to use always have them on at night so I am more visible. If people flash me to tell me they are being dazzled I'll angle them down a little more.
Mark.
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Nice one cheers mark ... might have a go with them :)