Any plumbers/tradesmes !

**Sutage** · 7th April 2005, 23:55

Hi all

Thinking of buying a motorbike soon (see the welcome thread).

Im thinking of starting a plumbing apprentice in July, is a bike suitable with one of those carry things? You "have" to have a car to start the apprentice but i figure if i can ride a bike and its ok with the employer it shouldnt be a problem. Any advice is appreciated thanks!

-Richard

**sAsLEX** · 8th April 2005, 00:05

Originally Posted by Sutage

Im thinking of starting a plumbing apprentice in July, is a bike suitable with one of those carry things?

-Richard

what do you mean by carry things??

you can always carry quite a bit more than expectd on a bike

**inlinefour** · 8th April 2005, 00:15

...that there are only two things you need to know to be a plumber. 1. Pay days are on Thursday, and 2. Sit don't run uphill (PT).

**Posh Tourer :P** · 8th April 2005, 00:37

Top box is fine, just if you put lots of heavy stuff in it, it can make the front end light......

**Gremlin** · 8th April 2005, 01:31

No experience with apprenticeships, but I work as a labourer in residential housing, and there is a lot of gear. I don't know if all plumbers work the same, but I think you have to carry stuff like a normal toolbelt plus tools but pipes etc would be carried on the main vehicle.

Dunno about commercial. Ask the boss exactly what you have to carry, and tell him your situation and point of view...

**6Chris6** · 8th April 2005, 06:09

Tradesman myself and unfortunately commuting on the bike for me is out of the question as I need far too much gear.
But if you're going for an apprenticeship you will probably be in a company van with a tradesman, so should be able to leave any gear in the van.
If not, who cares, commuting is the worst part of bike riding anyway and a waste of good rubber etc.
Chris

NC · 8th April 2005, 06:25

Apprentice joiner here...
All my tools mostly stay in one place, and when we have to install the job we just finished making, we have a work van and truck. so I can get away with it.

I suggest you get a secondary car or van, unless you get supplied with one from your new job. Those plumbers have wads-o-tools. and butt cracks

**Wolf** · 8th April 2005, 09:51

I've carried quite a bit on the bike - including a largish plastic soft-drink "keg" sitting on the tank between my arms - but a plumber carries lots more than that - one I saw was complaining his ute wasn't big enough for everything. When I suggested he get a van he said "Fuck off, only Christians and Dutchies drive those." (I laughed because of the large number of vans I'd seen with either a "NL" sticker or a stylised fish stuck to the back, in one case: both)

Most plumbers I've seen use vans (could be Christian or Dutch but more likely because of the large amount of tools, piping, etc they have to carry.)

**ManDownUnder** · 8th April 2005, 10:23

Ex apprentice fitter here...

Don't underestimate the weight of the tools. Metl tools (needed in plumbing) add up REAL quick

Also, if you don't have all your tools with you (i.e. you're forced to pick and choose which ones to take for space/weight reasons) you're skuppered as soon as anything unexpected comes up. There's a reason tradesfolks drive vans rather than cars... I think this may be it.

I'd be worried about taking a bike with all that weight on it everywhere too. You won't stop in a harry and if the worst happens you have a load of sharp heavy stuff wanting to kill you.

Installing toilets/sinks showers etc... how would you transport them?

All up I'd say the bike is not ideal for plumbing except light work...

MDU

**jrandom** · 8th April 2005, 10:31

Originally Posted by 6Chris6

who cares, commuting is the worst part of bike riding anyway and a waste of good rubber etc.

Beg to differ. Well, commuting isn't *fun*, per se, but I save myself hours of time on the road every week by doing it on the bike. And I feel a lot better when I get into work and when I arrive back home.

Regular commuting certainly does influence one's choice of motorcycle, though, and I guess if you were dead keen on having a HyperMegaSportsMobile with expensive soft tyres it'd kind of blow to have to consider the necessity of 60km a day through motorway traffic when you made your bike purchasing decision.

**flyin** · 8th April 2005, 10:53

ride to where the work van is parked! if you can leave it at work, great!! riding to and from work helps me wake up in the morning and unwind on my way home, take the long way home and it's not even like a commute

**Wolf** · 8th April 2005, 12:48

Originally Posted by flyin

ride to where the work van is parked! if you can leave it at work, great!! riding to and from work helps me wake up in the morning and unwind on my way home, take the long way home and it's not even like a commute

I'm with flyin and jrandom - commuting on a bike is not "commuting" - I used to arrive at work really relaxed and with it - despite not being a morning person - and arrive home relaxed despite a shit of a day at work.

Sucks to be a cager trapped in a coffin-on-wheels in a stagnant "graveyard" of similar coffins...

Ride to where the work van is if you can safely park up the bike during the day (sucks to come back to find it trashed) and it's practical (like if you don't live next door to work) but I'd forget any ideas of lugging your tools/supplies about on the bike. Not even a sidecar would give you enough storage room.

**Dodgyiti** · 8th April 2005, 17:51

You should be working under a qualifyed tradsman to start with, and he/she should have a van at least, a light truck if you do a lot of drainage work.
So bike may be OK if you can get them to carry your personal tools, and perhaps share the insurance so they are covered in the truck, you would be highly suprised at the amount of tools nicked out of vans on the job site. Its chronic.
And for plumbing you cant wear 1 piece leathers, low top pants and jacket only, so as to support your chosen profession with a decent amount of crack.

**Sutage** · 8th April 2005, 21:01

hahahah

love the advice and the cheap shots

Yeah i think when im actually a plumber a van will have to be in the cards but can maybe get away with first year apprentice as i hear they get the shit jobs like unblocking toilets :/

But yeah ill have to get a van and a bike.. hmm

Thank you for all your help !

**Gremlin** · 8th April 2005, 23:33

Originally Posted by Dodgyiti

you would be highly suprised at the amount of tools nicked out of vans on the job site. Its chronic.

Don't take this comment lightly. Leave tools for 1 minute and they grow legs. I know several chipys that have been working in the middle of a framed house and minutes later the tools disappear.

The worst part is that nobody ever seems to see it. But I'd love to see what happens when one of them get caught.

I've heard some interesting ideas and tools cost shitloads as well.