Newby to Kiwi Biker from France (marigami)

[george formby]

Kia Ora,
Check these petit honeys out from across the channel. http://www.mac-motorcycles.com/
I rode around France on my UK based TDM 850 a couple of years ago. Mulhouse (Alsace is gorgeous & so is Kronenburg), Saumur, Bayeux & a few places in between. A beautiful country & I have to admit when I tried to use my schoolboy french, friendly, helpful people. A similar laid back view to life as Kiwis too. The police WRX's on the motorway were an eye opener & the Peage's cost a fortune when the sat nav tells lies. I may be over this winter for another trip & to visit some more boulangere, nom nom nom. If you can ride in Paris you can ride anywhere!

[The Stranger:Me]

Thank you for your warm welcome.
And I feel terribly sorry for my mistakes as I reread my post, oops, I think my fingers got all mixed up and I typed too quickly !
And she-bikers, uhhh wasn't it the right word ?
I have the feeling that in the future I will keep on making a fool of myself with my odd words...

You may find this French-Kiwi translator helpful.

[CookMySock]

Ohh thank you very much for looking at Voxan, I though nobody would..

It's a very nice bike, and very stylish, like all things French.

(some other content moved to PM)

Steve

[pete376403]

But I already know wheather can be very cold, isnt it ?I saw there is a gathering (we call it in french une concentr, short way for concentration) very famous during cold weather.
Is that a bit like the famous The Elephants in Germany ? Never been there but wish I could.

The Brass Monkey Rally (Raid) www.brassmonkeyrally.org.nz is probably the biggest but there are others - cold kiwi for example.

Not very cold, not since global warming kicked off, anyway

[marigami]

Bonsoir Marigami et bienvenue sur KB. Tout le monde ici parle couramment français, seulement ils ne veulent pas le dire parce qu'ils s'amusent à se moquer de vos efforts en anglais...
Sinon, s'il y a des choses que vous ne comprenez pas, écrivez en français. Il y a au moins un de nous qui pourra vous répondre.

Merci beaucoup pour ce massage, j'espère que personne en tous les cas ne se moquera trop.... En tous les cas, si j'ai des soucis de traduction, je viendrais vers vous.
Merci encore.

[marigami]

You may find this French-Kiwi translator helpful.

Thank you very much this is very handy indeed....

[howdamnhard]

Welcome Marigami , don't worry about your English, it is better than my French. It's great listening to you and getting your perspective of biking in another country. Interesting about the avialability of various Cc ratings and types of bikes.
Just how short are you,surely there must be more bikes out there that you would fit ? It's good that you are hands on with looking after your bikes.
The car drivers are just as crazy over here and we have a wide variety of rodes just like France has.
Take care and stay in contact.

[marigami]

Welcome Marigami , don't worry about your English, it is better than my French. It's great listening to you and getting your perspective of biking in another country. Interesting about the avialability of various Cc ratings and types of bikes.
Just how short are you,surely there must be more bikes out there that you would fit ? It's good that you are hands on with looking after your bikes.
The car drivers are just as crazy over here and we have a wide variety of rodes just like France has.
Take care and stay in contact.

Hi thanks for your message and yes I stay in contact.
I am very petite (i don't like the word short) 4feet 11. So it was a big deal to find bikes not too heavy and low enought for me but I did find them!
An other challenge was my driving licence and the training for it: very very difficult to find a teacher willing to teach be (they did not trust my abilities,a woman so petite bla bla) so I had to fight and to really prove myself I was worth it.
Well I succeed but pff what a hard time.
How is the way you actually learn to ride here in NZ? Do you have dofferent types of driving licence for different types of bikes ?

[CookMySock]

How is the way you actually learn to ride here in NZ? Do you have dofferent types of driving licence for different types of bikes ?

To start with, everyone must past two simple tests. One test is about the road rules, and the other test is make sure we can use the brakes and not wobble and fall off in a puddle. It is very simple. After this, we must only ride bikes with a small engine (under 250cc) and we have to keep our speed low, which means we should not ride on the motorways. After 12-18 months we may apply for another test which tests to see if we are competent motorcyclist, then we may carry passengers and ride larger cc bikes. That is the simple description of it.

There is no training required, and we are not taught how to brake, steer, and swerve as they do in France. There are many bike crashes here in NZ because of this, and I think NZ should use the French training system.

Steve

[MyGSXF:Me]

Hi Marigami

Welcome to KB!!! awesome to have another chicky babe on board!!

I live in Nelson, in the top of the South Island, Tis known as being a slice of paradise here! Here's some pics of a ride over our famous Takaka Hill, to Golden Bay.. to show you what the area looks like

http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/sh...4&postcount=12

http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/sh...2&postcount=13

http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/sh...5&postcount=14

You'll have to save up & come over & check it out for yourself!!!

[marigami]

Hi Marigami

Welcome to KB!!! awesome to have another chicky babe on board!!

I live in Nelson, in the top of the South Island, Tis known as being a slice of paradise here! Here's some pics of a ride over our famous Takaka Hill, to Golden Bay.. to show you what the area looks like

http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/sh...4&postcount=12

http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/sh...2&postcount=13


http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/sh...5&postcount=14

You'll have to save up & come over & check it out for yourself!!!

Wouhh beautiful pictures, that look great lucky you.
So weel I'll have to find the few bad pictures I still have to show you some of my trip in France, particularly one in Auvergne (this is the centre of France, quite moutainous and nice old twist and turn road yummy).
And yes you're right I already started to save money to come over.. this very morning. I save by not buying my usual hot chocolate before going to the office, shame !!

[marigami]

To start with, everyone must past two simple tests. One test is about the road rules, and the other test is make sure we can use the brakes and not wobble and fall off in a puddle. It is very simple. After this, we must only ride bikes with a small engine (under 250cc) and we have to keep our speed low, which means we should not ride on the motorways. After 12-18 months we may apply for another test which tests to see if we are competent motorcyclist, then we may carry passengers and ride larger cc bikes. That is the simple description of it.

There is no training required, and we are not taught how to brake, steer, and swerve as they do in France. There are many bike crashes here in NZ because of this, and I think NZ should use the French training system.

Steve

France might not be the best training system (by the way they are trying to modify it and to make it even more difficult..in order to limit also the -too-high rate of young bikers accidents and injuries, good luck!) but it is not so bad.
So there are 2 different ways to get your biker driving licence.
One : you are a... car driver with your driving licence full and with all your points (yes there are 12 points on your driving licence and if you have accidents or fees, your points are deduced) and you are driving for more than 2 years...
So you can have a 125 cc without mandatory training session at all (but some more intelligent do have some lessons nevertheless....).
This is very stupid in my opinion and cause too many accidents because some people does not even know the bikes (or scooter by the way), does not know how to break or else.

Second : you want to drive a bike but are under 18, you can still have your bike driving licence but you MUST have a torough training session, first with code training and the test, then with lessons on how actually drive a bike. And then the exam itself with differents steps with A, B, C or D.

Those steps are : driving test within the limit of a special area with special "things" (sorry lack of vocabulary again)I mean special way of driving your bike : slowly, faster, breaking in a sudden, turn, move your bike with and without the engine on, lifting the bike from the ground, moving the bike ahead and in the reverse.
Then you have several questions on the mechanics and how to behave propoerly in several occasions.
And the last one is driving in urban area and in the country (when possible). All those steps with the inspector.
If You have one C on one of those 3 steps, you fall. So beware.
If you pass, you can drive a 125cc.

Third : you are over 18 years, either driving a 125 cc for some years, a car (herrk) or just starting.
You can then start the same path (I mean the code test if you eventually did not already have it) and the training lessons which are even tougher and more complete. I mean the whole process is even more complicated, as you are supposed to drive, when in possession of your bike driving lesson, a 5OO cc although your speed would be limited at 90 kmh and only 34 ch.
As you noticed in France, 250 and 400 are very rare. So you start directly with 500 cc.
after 6 months (I am not sure now, don't remember), you can change your bike for something more than 500.
That's why a lot of stupid head too young have too much accidents because after the 500 cc they choose something too powerful for them !
Sorry for this very loooooong post.

[CookMySock]

There is much much more training in the french system. I think it is far better than the NZ system.

Young boys are always going to have accidents on bikes. That is what boys are like. If they can't do it on bikes, they will do it some other way.

We go to the track to do racing, and then behave on the roads.

Steve

[howdamnhard]

Hi thanks for your message and yes I stay in contact.
I am very petite (i don't like the word short) 4feet 11. So it was a big deal to find bikes not too heavy and low enought for me but I did find them!
An other challenge was my driving licence and the training for it: very very difficult to find a teacher willing to teach be (they did not trust my abilities,a woman so petite bla bla) so I had to fight and to really prove myself I was worth it.
Well I succeed but pff what a hard time.
How is the way you actually learn to ride here in NZ? Do you have dofferent types of driving licence for different types of bikes ?

Well what you lack in size you make up for in determination,well done for sticking to your guns and getting your bike licence.
Petite is a good word ( only if you are not as wide as you are short)
Here in N.Z. you have to do a basic handling course then a theorectical learners test. Then your on your learners for 6 months(if your old like me , longer if your younger), then you do a practical test and get your restricted for another 6 months and finally a full licence after another practical.
Only one license for all bikes but can't ride anything bigger than 250cc until you get your full.

[bezajel]

Bienvenue Marigami, (et je m'excuse en avance aussi, parce que votre anglais est mille fois mieux que mon français, mais j'essaerai néanmoins ).

C'est toujours bon de voir de nouvelles 'biker chicks' ici (c quoi le mot pour 'she-biker' on français?). Je vois que vous avez déja trouvé le forum Biker Angels.

Si vous vous trouvera un jour en Nouvelle Zélande, (prés de Wellington) je serais heureuse de vous rencontrer, et.... .... show you around! (pardon, je ne sais pas traduire cela!).

à plus!!