1 week riding - thoughts

DonkeyRhubarb

1. I love morning traffic.:D It doesnt really matter how congested or non-moving the traffic is. I just zip on through;)

2. Im saving a fortune on petrol by leaving my car at home going into work.

3. Ive recently been able to apply for a job that requires that you have your own transport to get there as there is no public transport nearby. Would take about 90 mins in a car, ~30 on the bike.

4. Some drivers are absolute sh1t heads to bikes, nuff said.

5. It's not nearly as cold as I thought it would be.

6. FREE PARKING

7. FREE EAST LINK TOLL

8.Im never off my bike, it's just plain fun!

9. Life of my car is prolonged due to much reduced use.

10. I don't know why more people don't use bikes!


For the record, I just got an 07 Yahama YBR 125, love it to bits!

Run_to_da_hills

DonkeyRhubarb wrote: »

1. I love morning traffic.:D It doesnt really matter how congested or non-moving the traffic is. I just zip on through;)

2. Im saving a fortune on petrol by leaving my car at home going into work.

3. Ive recently been able to apply for a job that requires that you have your own transport to get there as there is no public transport nearby. Would take about 90 mins in a car, ~30 on the bike.

4. Some drivers are absolute sh1t heads to bikes, nuff said.

5. It's not nearly as cold as I thought it would be.

6. FREE PARKING

7. FREE EAST LINK TOLL

8.Im never off my bike, it's just plain fun!

9. Life of my car is prolonged due to much reduced use.

10. I don't know why more people don't use bikes!


For the record, I just got an 07 Yahama YBR 125, love it to bits!

Enjoy the new bike, best policy for riding a bike is assume everyone on the road is an idiot and ride defensively. Assume the worst senarios as you overtake, approach junctions, traffic lights etc. My worst two spills were within my first 6 months on a bike in 1981, TPAF (cars pulling out), If they happened now I could have easily avoided them. (Triumph Tiger Cubs had no brakes!)

Hotblack Desiato

Glad you're enjoying the biking experience
Hope you have good gear and wear it always.
Too many riders think protection only matters from the waist up. Good lid, good jacket, office shoes and slacks, WTF??? Knees and ankles are vulnerable to permanent, disabling injuries even off a bike (e.g. playing sport) so having the s**t whacked out of them in a crash isn't a good idea.
Gloves - if you've ever slid your hand along tarmac at 50km/h you certainly won't want to do that again...
Keep looking and learning all the time, even after years of commuting there will always be some eejit who comes up with a new way of f**king up...
Try to learn from near misses and frights, think about what you could have done different. Right of way on a bike means nothing in practice...
If in doubt, slow down. Experience will let you spot dangerous situations before they happen.

Tree

and never forget vaseline for the lips so they dont get too chapped in winters

Dorsanty

Yep caution is the way to go.

A few days ago it was myself and another rider at the head of the lights on the quays heading towards Hueston station. Lights go green, both myself and the other biker start to move off. Then zooooom a car from the bridge on the right comes flying through the junction.

If either myself or the other guy did a fast start from the lights, we'd be in the local hospital now.

So watch out for those blind junctions. I pretty much do a rolling start at most all of them. It gives the guys who put the foot to the floor on an amber light a chance to finish breaking the law. Reckon it's a better long term then enjoying fast getaways from lights. Unless of course you can see the oncoming traffic stopping, then you can do what you like (See if you can get the guy on the busa to show off, etc).

DonkeyRhubarb

Been riding 2 weeks now and Ive had my first near accident. I was coming up behind a line of traffic at the docklands and none of the cars were moving due to congestion. I decided to mosy on up the outside at about 10 - 15 kph.

This guy in a car decided that he wanted to turn right without looking in his mirrors or indicating! Sent me onto the footpath. THEN he noticed me. Looked at me as if to say 'oops'.

C**T!

Pigeon Reaper

You'll develop a sixth sense for these things soon. Just keep the speed low and be very careful near junctions. If a car is slightly out of line with the other cars it normally means they're thinking about turning.

Hotblack Desiato

Watch carefully for front wheels starting to turn.
Also, never be afraid to sound the horn if there's any chance you haven't been seen, it's what it's for (NOT giving out as many seem to think.)

mox54

Good advice, always make noise around cars, let them know you're there and don't be shy, it's you're neck on the line and always wear good boots and gloves with everything else!!!, it's brilliant crack passing them out and the freedom is the best, even in the wet!!, just be very vigilant and cautious and enjoy!!!;)

dogpile

mox54 wrote: »

Good advice, always make noise around cars, let them know you're there

Chop yer exhaust in half, should do the trick :eek:

gsxr1

Glad you are enjoying it.

If you think its good now, just wait till the beter weather comes around again.

You will find yourself in a new social circle now(if you want)

Rally's, ride outs and road racing events. Make sure you get to the Isle of man with your bike.

Traffic makes you smile now instead of the nightmare or caging it to work.

modern gear, as you have found out works really well at keeping you warm.

Go buy yourself coldkiller thermals(or Pennys cheap stuff) and a balaclava for more comfortable winter riding.

Be sensible and safe. Dont take to many chances and remember you will crack open like and egg if you fall. This fear of falling has kept me upright for 15 years now.

Goto(if I may suggest) Irishbikeforum or biker.ie for Sunday get together and ride outs. I have made many a friend on both sites.


In no time you will be looking to upgrade.

have fun mate. welcome to the club

DonkeyRhubarb

This post has nearly become my riding blog, lol.

Nearly 3 weeks now and I have a real feel for the bike. Like with my car, it's starting to feel like an extension of me. I know exactly how far I can push it and how far it can go.

Traffic must be cursing me in the morning when I squeeze through to the front of the que:D

Ill be sure to post again when I come to another event in my biking experiences:)

L-M

Biking is great, but it's not practical... Weather etc... That's why i'm selling mine for a car, will be sad to see it go...:(

DonkeyRhubarb

Or....... Limerick Man, you could do what I have done...


HAVE BOTH.

And Im only a college student, so it's obviously possible!:p

L-M

With the lack of potential customers i'll probably have no choice:p

Pigeon Reaper

Limerick-man wrote: »

With the lack of potential customers i'll probably have no choice:p

Is that really so bad?

I have both but only used the car twice last year for going to work.

Hotblack Desiato

Limerick-man wrote: »

Biking is great, but it's not practical... Weather etc...

Rubbish!
There is no such thing as bad weather, only bad gear.
Now if our roads were covered with ice for weeks at a time you'd have a point. It's only a bit of rain, my jacket may get wet but I never do. It's pathetic how soft we have become as a nation when people won't walk, cycle or motorcycle because they might get a wee bit wet :rolleyes: so instead sit in their bloody cages for hours pumping out fumes and becoming strangers to their kids... gah.

L-M

ninja900 wrote: »

Rubbish!
There is no such thing as bad weather, only bad gear.
Now if our roads were covered with ice for weeks at a time you'd have a point. It's only a bit of rain, my jacket may get wet but I never do. It's pathetic how soft we have become as a nation when people won't walk, cycle or motorcycle because they might get a wee bit wet :rolleyes: so instead sit in their bloody cages for hours pumping out fumes and becoming strangers to their kids... gah.

It's not that, it's just the bike is letal in bad weather, or should i say was... Sold it today:mad:, bought a car yesterday... I miss it already

Idleater

Limerick-man wrote: »

Sold it today:mad:, bought a car yesterday... I miss it already

Boo! Hiss!

you'll be back...

Hotblack Desiato

Limerick-man wrote: »

It's not that, it's just the bike is letal in bad weather

Poor tyres, poor maintenance, or poor technique tbh. There is plenty of grip available in any (non-icy) weather to be able to ride at sane speeds.

L-M

Tyre's are new. And i look after that bike like a child, everything is checked at least twice a week... Should all be past tense now... Sold it yesterday, gone today. I saw the fella i sold it to (a previous scooter driver) going around 30 mins after i sold it with a friend on the back... Dangerous stuff if u ask me... Sad to see it go, i had to bring it to his house for him, enjoyed my last drive of it...