Goodbye Loser

[McJim]

I do have a question though - given I am well over 25, and the opportunity will exist to reduce the time required to go from 6R to Full Class 6 status... These "LTSA Approved" courses that will help me achieve that - what exactly are they?

Apparently they are a modernisation of the old 'Defensive Driving Courses' but where the previous one was class room based I think the new ones have a practical element too.

I'd like to know full details too

[race me!!!!]

good on 4 losing the big L! i dont ride with an L because i know traffic will treat me differently if i do!!! i no i do when i see one ironic lol anyway good on you!!!

[Hawkeye]

Apparently they are a modernisation of the old 'Defensive Driving Courses' but where the previous one was class room based I think the new ones have a practical element too.

I'd like to know full details too

So would I. The word on the street is that these courses are geared up for cage drivers not bikes. 33 years of cage driving has seen me in good stead.
I'm not saying I could not learn something (we all can) but I would prefer it to be based on the bike not the cage.

[Hawkeye]

Haven't been bullied yet;

I put mine on as properly and conspicuously as I could No problems for me.

Same for me. I have never had any problems caused because of the 'L' plate.
Probably due to how narrow the bike looks from behind. It makes my ample frame look huge in comparison. (you know that windcreens add at least 10 pounds to you ).

[McJim]

Hawkeye, rwh - I accept that you haven't been bullied because of your L plate and I've discovered the reason - you guys are riding in Wellington - I'm riding in Auckland.

Doesn't make me any better than you - I'm not getting on my high horse or anything like that I just think it may just explain how threatened I feel on my commute.

[skidMark]

Since I Am A Man Of Infinate Wisdom And Greatness


ALL I HAVE TO SAY IS ...


2000th Post!!!

[pritch]

ALL I HAVE TO SAY IS ...

2000th Post!!!

Ummm is it possible you need to get out more? :-)

[skidMark]

Yes But Auckland Weather Is Shit....and Hey This Took Me Over A Year

[Dave C]

if my bike got a wof very recently but since then the tread has got a tad low if it wasn't to a wof amount of tread will they fail my retricted or doesn't that matter because it has a current wof?

The rule is the bike has to be 'in warrantable condition' never mind what the sticker says. What's probably more important is that it is seldom a good idea to try and get that last couple of k's out of a tyre. The black round things are horribly expensive (says he still feeling the pain of forking out $350 for a Pirelli rear a week ago, and that was with a small discount!) BUT sliding down the road on yer arse because a past-its-use-by-date tyre let go is not going to be cheap either! Buy the best tyres suited to your bike and your riding style that you can afford - it can save a lot of repairs to metal, plastic and skin in the long run.

Good luck with the step up to the full licence - back in the olden days when I got my bike licence it involved doing a written test, answering a few questions, and (in my case) riding to the end of a short street and doing a feet-up u-turn, then riding back to the cop who stood on the footpath and watched. He then went inside and wrote out my 'full' licence, which entitled me to go out and ride anything I liked with no restriction at all about bike size / speeds / times / places, even though I had never had proper rider training. Those were the days! Mind you it did mean a few guys got a licence one day, bought something like a Kawasaki triple screamer the next, and very quickly found themselve making high speed contact with walls / trees / posts / cars, with occasionally fatal results. So while the new system is no doubt a pain and probably needs some tweaking (e.g thinking about horsepower limits rather than 'cc'; considering previous driving experience, training , etc...), it ain't all bad!

[skidMark]

only getting my restricted sigh....long way to go until full

[Blairos]

So would I. The word on the street is that these courses are geared up for cage drivers not bikes. 33 years of cage driving has seen me in good stead.
I'm not saying I could not learn something (we all can) but I would prefer it to be based on the bike not the cage.

I might just send a message to the LTSA and see what infinite words of wisdom they come spouting forth with - yeah right

[Blairos]

Right-o...

I ended up phoning the LTSA Driver Licensing call centre - what a bloody waste of time that was - the girl was obviously reading off the website (which has sweet F A info on it about what course applies to Motorcycles)
She said she couldnt tell me anything other than it is a Course... never mind...

So, I thought, hang on, lets ring the guy who issued my Basic Handling Certificate!
So I rang John Wright... His impression was that it was a Defensive Driving course, when I asked him if it was any different for Motorcycles, he told me that it was primarily classroom-based, and yes, it was geared more towards the Cage species... One thing he recommended, was to ask the testing officer at the time of my 6R test, and that he/she should be able to point me in the absolute right direction. This was good advice, and more helpful than the LTSA (surprise, surprise)

one little gem I got from the LTSA was when you dial their Driver Licensing Call Centre, you can press 2 to find out how many demerit points you have - 0800-822-422 (this didnt really affect me, I dont have any )

[skidMark]

one little gem I got from the LTSA was when you dial their Driver Licensing Call Centre, you can press 2 to find out how many demerit points you have - 0800-822-422 (this didnt really affect me, I dont have any )

i wish i was you

[hXc]

I know how you feel mate. I got mine today and I'm very happy without the L plate in tow. I'm sure the bike is happier too. Lost a bit of weight

[gijoe1313]

So how have people being attaching their L-plates? The last one I had on was whipped off sometime during my 1st day of riding! I came back home and thought "bugger" time to print off another one!

Any advice greatfully recieved!

And congrats to all those who got their R! I'll be counting down the days till I can sit mine!