Biased family members

[ital916]

What did you find out information man?

I can tell you that their scooters are crazy, you could wheelie them everywhere! and by wheelie I mean....WHEEEEEELIE!

[ital916]

I've actually considered that...with a pink helmet. I've seen a very nice one relatively recently, but didn't look long enough to see what make/model.

Well if you ever need a hand with gear or just someone to bore you for hours showing you whats available and giving you the talk through everything haha then come see me at motomail. We have pink helmets and pink jackets.

[vifferman]

Wow. I just discovered Peugeot made/makes motorbikes....off to google to find out more.

Well... they're more scroters than bikes, but a couple of them are tasty. The smaller ones are made in China or somewhere.

[CookMySock]

I could start a thread asking advice of which bike would be best to get, but I'm afraid I would get hundreds of opinions and get too confused.[...] Don't know how realistic at this point, but a girl can dream, can't she?

Well, heres the thing. Where do you want to be in five years? Do you want to be a tourer, sport bike rider, commuter, adventure rider or what?

For sport bike riders, there are riders who steer with their arse, and their are riders who steer with the bars. Riders who were brought into riding initially steering with the BARS become ambidextrous and can steer with either their arse or the bars. Riders who were brought into riding steering with their arse can indeed learn to push on the bars here and there, but never really develop their skills past a certain point, and when push comes to shove they can steer with the bars if they have to. When faced with their imminent death, it is unlikely they will steer with bars, and now they face death by the hand of their own arse.

Others will paint a picture for you about the other riding disciplines, but for sport riding I think you see the moral of the story. Absolute newbies should never steer with their arse until such time they are 100% at home on the bars.

edit: If I could have my way, I'd put a brace on newbies so they couldn't steer with their arse.

Steve

[Markw336]

i had this problem to start with my mum is an ambulance officer so she scrapes bikers off the road and she wasn't very happy with the thought that i was going to get my bike license but...

i eventually convinced her and she then now she says that she will not let her career stop me from having fun and doing what i want to do

same story with my car license she wouldn't let me drive her but i proved i was good and now shes happy lol

[Grubber]

My Dad told me i would have to move out if i brought a motorbike due to how it would upset my Mum.
My Mum was the first to ride pillion with me and my Dad fixed my race bike.
They get over it eventually.

[90s]

You just have to respect their opinions as they yours.

I thought carefully 6 months ago when I was placed on anti-coagulant drugs. It has really upped the risk - but then I do other "risky" acitvities such as road and mountain biking, garden mowing and chain-sawing and splitting logs with an axe.

I had to go through the stuff I went through 20 years ago when my family accepted I wanted to ride a motorbike, and pretty much the same as then realised I would need to be careful, but I would live my life.

I reviewed my armour, have been ATGATT for a long time etc anyway. But whereas the previous post said people get over it, I think many people get used to it but are never happy with it. They all hoped I'd stop riding now, but accepted I would carry on.

[paddy]

Get out - do a BHS. It only takes a couple of hours out of your day (and maybe a drive depending on how close you are to the central city). They have them in the weekends and during the week. Let us know how you find it. I'm sure it will be fun...

[Rosie]

Good questions. I've read that they are rated highly for new riders. A little high off the ground, but once it gets going, a great ride. It's been quoted that they are brilliant value for the money, appear very reliable and economical to run. Plus I like the way it looks. I could start a thread asking advice of which bike would be best to get, but I'm afraid I would get hundreds of opinions and get too confused.

As far as riding, as a young teenager I rode on the back of a bike once and LOVED the sensation of the speed in open spaces, not confined in a car. And then I met a most wonderful person that gave me a few rides and since then, fell in love with riding. Don't know how realistic at this point, but a girl can dream, can't she?

If you like the idea of the KLE, you might like to look at some of the smaller dual purpose 250's - an XT250, or Super Sherpa 250 would make excellent learner bikes. And would set you in good stead for something gravel capable like the KLE.

[paddy]

If you like the idea of the KLE, you might like to look at some of the smaller dual purpose 250's - an XT250, or Super Sherpa 250 would make excellent learner bikes. And would set you in good stead for something gravel capable like the KLE.

You have a good point in terms of off-road/adventure learning (regardless as to whether the law changes or not) - LIGHTER IS BETTER. My DR250 weighs in at around 125 KG and sometimes it feels like a tonne.

Can I recommend some light reading while you are waiting (if you are interested in adventure riding). These were written by Jo and Gareth Morgan (the parents of Sam Morgan who founded TradeMe). I'm pretty sure Gareth was fairly well off to start with though - I seem to recall him giving away his share of the TradeMe windfall? Anyway, they should be available through your local library:

Silk Riders
Backblocks America
Under African Skies

Also, it's worth watching Long Way Round, Race to Dakar, and Long Way Down (yes I know there is mixed opinion about whether Ewan and Charlie are "true" adventure riders but to be honest - I'm not going to look down my nose at them).

P.

[Sheba]

Get out - do a BHS. It only takes a couple of hours out of your day (and maybe a drive depending on how close you are to the central city). They have them in the weekends and during the week. Let us know how you find it. I'm sure it will be fun...

Forgive my ignorance on the subject, but do you need your own bike for this?

[paddy]

Forgive my ignorance on the subject, but do you need your own bike for this?

Without seeming terribly rude (no really) can I point you at my earlier post in this thread:

Sheba,

You are just at the very beginning. Now I don't know what you "risk profile" is and I don't know what you motivation is. But he's what I would do:

Go to http://www.riderskills.co.nz/ and book yourself into a Basic Handling Skills course. It's $150 and if you want to carry on and get your learners you will need a BHS Certificate anyway.

You can book on-line. You just turn up with you. They will provide you with gloves (I didn't bother), helmet (I definitely bothered), and a suitable motorcycle (I found that bit essential). You get a couple of hours of instruction and practice and then the BHS test at the end. Presuming you pass the test that will give you the certificate you need to get your learners. You can then do the learners' Scratch & Win. The time period that you are required to stay on your learners will then be ticking away even if you are not riding and never do anything else with it.

(The only real difference between a learners and a restricted is that you can ditch the L plate which most folk will tell you is a good thing and you can ride up to the 100 km/h speed limit which ALL folk will tell you is a good thing. From what I remember there may also be alcohol differences but my personal opinion would be just don't.)

It sounds like it would be a good first step for you. Because you get some good support from the instructor to get started. You will get to figure out if it's "you" or not while riding someone else's bike that it's okay to drop. If you decide that it is you then you have your BHS Cert. that you need to carry on.

(Riderskills was just where I did mine because when I looked around he had the best price - there are other providers but I have no frame of reference to compare them.)

Good luck!

P.

[Sheba]

Without seeming terribly rude (no really) can I point you at my earlier post in this thread:

Life is too short and many more things bigger than this to be offended. However, there has been a much bigger response than I anticipated to my original question that I quickly forget what I've read. And you tend to include lots of info, albeit helpful, that I probably glossed over that point. Thanks though for redirecting me to your earlier post.

[paddy]

And you tend to include lots of info, albeit helpful, that I probably glossed over that point.

I do have the problem. Or so my boss tells me. :-)

[Sheba]

If you like the idea of the KLE, you might like to look at some of the smaller dual purpose 250's - an XT250, or Super Sherpa 250 would make excellent learner bikes. And would set you in good stead for something gravel capable like the KLE.

Cool, thanks for the suggestion. I am interested in something dual purpose where I can get off paved roads on occasion, so that's very helpful.