Is 250cc the best size to learn on??

[eliot-ness]

I learned to ride on an RG150 and probably wouldn't recommend it for learners! It was great because I didn't get bored with it once I got my full licence, but it could be a bit of a handful for someone not used to riding. A kickstart is a pain when you stall it in the middle of an intersection in Wellington (funny how drivers see you then, and yell all kinds of interesting things at you!) and the gears weren't that good low down. The BMW I have, although it is a 650, is legal for learners in the UK and Australia, as would be the Goose, and both are better bets. The Goose would be perfect - smooth gearbox with well-spaced gears, and the height and weight wouldn't intimidate a learner.

They should have a restriction on cars though, stop these learners buying high powered vehicles and writing themselves off. Mind you, it would make it difficult for sonny Jim to start learning when all Dad has is a V8 Commodore!

Hi Beemer. My point exactly. My reason for posting the thread in the first place was that I've heard rumours that the guardians of safety are looking at a 150cc restriction. That would start another round of highly tuned, smaller bikes with an even less margin of safety. More accidents. More ammunition for the anti bike brigade. I'm not against young guys on fast sports bikes. Far from it. To me there's no better sight than a bike being ridden hard and fast through a series of bends. Nor do I object when they pass me as though I'm out on my tuned zimmer frame. The testosterone may have gone but the adrenilin still kicks in occasionally. I look at bikes long term. I may only have a few years riding left but I'd like to see motor cycling in a healthy state when I retire. Now for a comment that should bring a few cheers. Raise the licensing age for car drivers. 17yrs. minimum. Make a minimum of one year on a bike compulsory. (For those not handicapped) Provided both my kids with bikes at 15. The cars had to wait until they saved the cash. Ban driving of heavily modified cars until three years experience. Maybe a bit draconian but recent events have proved they are getting out of hand. Killing yourself is your own choice. The ones you take with you don't have that luxury. Right you young guys. let's hear a few ideas from you. It's your future were discussing.

[Wolf]

According to NZ Stats a little over 90% of households with teenage children have at least 2 cars. I don't think that argument holds much weight when you can buy a mid 90s saloon with 100,000km on the clock for about $4.5k-$6k. If it has been looked after it has 100,000km to go before you'll need major overhauls IF you look after it.

Which means kiddykins had better bloody look after it if he wants to continue learning to drive. Sounds fine to me.

Saw a dick walking round town with a "Drive it like you stole it" T-shirt and I wanted to smash his lights out. If that's his life-attitude and how he feels about treating vehicles on a road full of other people, I think killing him would be an overall improvement.

Drive(ride) it like you had to work your fucking arse off to pay for it.

Parents, take heed - make your kids buy their own vehicles and maintain them.

Mate of mine's son is having difficulty with learning how to ride his motorcycle - seems it needs work done on it to bring it up to standard and he hasn't got a holiday job so he's stuck taking the bus to school. One day he'll learn that it won't go without him earning money to fix it...

[Ixion]

..
Saw a dick walking round town with a "Drive it like you stole it" T-shirt and I wanted to smash his lights out. If that's his life-attitude and how he feels about treating vehicles on a road full of other people, I think killing him would be an overall improvement.
..

uh, if you stole would you not drive it very law abidingly and unobtrusively, so as to minimise the risk of drawing the attention of the law to yourself, and getting arrested before you are able to deliver the goodies to the fence ?

Know I would anyway.

[Wolf]

uh, if you stole would you not drive it very law abidingly and unobtrusively, so as to minimise the risk of drawing the attention of the law to yourself, and getting arrested before you are able to deliver the goodies to the fence ?

Know I would anyway.

You should be on the lecture circuit imparting that philosophy - most seem to be more interested in "joy-riding" than getting it to a chop-shop undetected (fewer pro thieves than "juvvies", I guess)

I guess you have a professional crim's mindset - you're not a politician perchance?

The bastidges that killed a former colleague's ma-in-law on the Horotiu bridge whilst attempting to outrun the Law in a hot car didn't seem to be interested in "unobtrusive"...