125cc on a motorway!? [Archive] - SV650.org

Tomtoms

13-01-09, 12:02 PM

Viney

13-01-09, 12:04 PM

Its leagal to ride a bike over 50cc on a motorway without L plates. I wouldnt want to do it though.

SoulKiss

13-01-09, 12:05 PM

My girlfriend is doing her restricted bike test in a few months but wants to get a bike (YBR125) for a few months to get used to biking and being on the road.

the only thing is the bikes we find arnt close to us! and it may be a case of me (with a full bike license) riding back down the motorway to save the time of taking a non-motorway detour.

Has anyone done this before? and it is actually legal to ride a 125cc on the motorway (it wont have L plates on) ?

Cheers in advance for any advice!

Tom

Legal, but not really adviseable - you will be passed by Eddie Stobart lorries.......

Best to plan a non-Mway route I would guess.

But it IS do able

Tho with the weight (or lack thereof) of a 125, a small van would do.

Paul the 6th

13-01-09, 12:32 PM

could be a fun day out doing a-roads all the way back :) rediscover your youth and appreciate the finer points of bigger bikes when you get back

Grinch

13-01-09, 12:42 PM

I manage a year of riding a 125 on a motorway and busy dual carriage ways (four lanes in some places), it was a 1976 CG125. Did a max speed of 65ish mph. The best thing to do is make sure you own the lane. Stick to the middle, none of this ride along the white line rubbish as that how you get knocked off. If they need to get past they need to do a proper manoeuvre not just force you out of the way.
Depends on the bike though, Jax's Planet 125 easy did 90 mph...

Mogs

13-01-09, 12:51 PM

I've done it, Cardiff-Birmingham many years ago, perfectly possible, but not much fun.

yorkie_chris

13-01-09, 12:59 PM

Jax's Planet 125 easy did 90 mph...

Yah but they're a performance stroker, same sort of grunt as the TZR's etc.

The latest 4 stroke 125's are absolutely f#cking glacial... dunno how they expect anyone to learn to ride properly on a CBR125 with all the grunt of a spas chariot!

Tomtoms

13-01-09, 01:12 PM

cheers guys.

Well at least i know its an option, but i will sort out a route avoiding motorways.

Still not sure if my girlfriend will ride it back following me on my bike, or i will ride it

If i do, does anyone know the cheapest and easiest way to get insurance for one day?

Do i just phone up my insurance company and ask? or will it mess with my premium etc...

Cheers

yorkie_chris

13-01-09, 01:15 PM

Have you got 3rd party other bike cover?

lily

13-01-09, 01:17 PM

Check your insurance!

As i know both mine and drew's cover us riding other bikes TP. As long as that bike is insured by somebody else, and with the owners permission

Tomtoms

13-01-09, 01:17 PM

do you know i think might i have. im fully comp. on my insurance....

Will have to check as i didnt think id be riding another bike at all when i got insurence sorted.

Cheers

yorkie_chris

13-01-09, 01:19 PM

Bike usually has to be insured by someone else and registered to someone else.

Tomtoms

13-01-09, 01:21 PM

Bike usually has to be insured by someone else and registered to someone else.

Ill bear that in mind and we can get it sorted.

Thanks!

ogden

13-01-09, 01:22 PM

I used to ride a TZR on the motorway before I derestricted it.

I recall one occasion where two of us were trundling along the M25, flat out at about 70mph, laying on the tank, feet on the pillion pegs. We were overtaken by a plod car full of rozzers laughing their merry arses off.

Tomtoms

13-01-09, 01:24 PM

haha! sounds like fun!

ogden

13-01-09, 01:24 PM

does anyone know the cheapest and easiest way to get insurance for one day?

https://www.dayinsure.com/flexirider/

Tomtoms

13-01-09, 01:32 PM

https://www.dayinsure.com/flexirider/

hmmmm, it says you need to have held a full bike license for at least 5 years....i havnt!

thanks though

rictus01

13-01-09, 01:32 PM

done it about 15 years ago went up by train to Sheffield, and the guy selling the bike picked me up and ran me to his house in Thercroft (or something like that, little place about 5 miles away), then I rode the bike all the way back to Tandridge in Surrey (just over 200 miles), and all that for a TS100....

Cheers Mark.

Warthog

13-01-09, 01:33 PM

Just to make you aware, I am insured through Carole Nash and therefore I get free third party cover on other bikes BUT they have to be OVER 350cc?!?! No idea why, but that's what it says.

Tomtoms

13-01-09, 01:36 PM

Just to make you aware, I am insured through Carole Nash and therefore I get free third party cover on other bikes BUT they have to be OVER 350cc?!?! No idea why, but that's what it says.

how strange!

i will call my insurance company tonight (im with H & R if anyone already knows how they work?)

i was going to call them anyway to see if i got a discount in any way if i insure my car with them too....

Baph

13-01-09, 01:47 PM

the only thing is the bikes we find arnt close to us! and it may be a case of me (with a full bike license) riding back down the motorway to save the time of taking a non-motorway detour.

Has anyone done this before? and it is actually legal to ride a 125cc on the motorway (it wont have L plates on) ?

A colleague of mine recently passed his CBT & bought a CBR125. He was looking at getting hold of a van to transport it back, to the tune of £150.

I told him to pay me a few beer tokens & I'd take the train to the bike & ride the bike back. So he paid me £100 (and covered the cost of the train), saved himself some money & I picked up on a few minor faults on the journey, sorting them before he even finished work.

Down a steep hill on an A road (designated as motorway for the purposes of speed limit), with the wind behind me, I struggled to make the thing get to 75mph!

Overtaking was possible, but needed planning approx 3 days in advance. Keep an eye out for cars coming up behind you, and don't be afraid to tailgate if you need to in order to overtake properly.

Check your mirrors more than you do on a bigger bike, as it's a lot easier for traffic to catch up with you!

thor

13-01-09, 01:57 PM

It's fine. I've done it on a scooter and I was overtaking the lorries on the uphills. It's boring but you can watch the scenery go by.

zunkus

13-01-09, 02:11 PM

Traffic here (Malta) usually averages 50mph so 125's make great sense as they reach traffic speed pretty quick, much quicker than cars in fact and are great fun in such an environment. There's great satisfaction to be had in keeping the bike in song and planning turns and overtakes so as not to loose speed.So if you ride in 'A' roads which are somewhat similar to our roads here you'll love the experience. I do.

ogden

13-01-09, 02:29 PM

how strange!

i will call my insurance company tonight (im with H & R if anyone already knows how they work?)

I have two policies with H&R, but with different insurers. It depends entirely on the policy.

Often the ability to ride other bikes TPO depends on the capacity of your own bike - under a NIG policy I used to have, if I was insuring a bike > 400cc I could ride any other bike TPO, whereas if I was insuring something smaller I couldn't. The capacity of the other bike was irrelevant.

My current policy for the GSXR (RSA) covers me for any other bike TPO whereas the one for the RGV (Chaucer) doesn't. So check your policy documents carefully. Or ask H&R, they're usually very helpful.

Alpinestarhero

13-01-09, 02:32 PM

Tomtoms

13-01-09, 02:32 PM

cheers for that! yeah i will ask them tonight when i give them a call.

hopefully i can get some fairly cheap car insurance with them too!

Tomtoms

13-01-09, 02:33 PM

I took my scooter (100cc speedfight) on the A27 dual carrigeway a few summers back. That was a 70 mph road, and sat at 60 mph I was quite alright really. Mind you, I wasn't on the road for too long (7 miles or so?). How long would you be on the motorway?

its a section of the A1 and A1(M). it merges between motorway and A roads a bit.

so wouldnt be that many miles i guess.

Alpinestarhero

13-01-09, 02:47 PM

I think you would be ok. Just see how you feel from one junction to the next - if its no good for you, then pull off and continue on the smaller roads.

Tomtoms

13-01-09, 02:48 PM

I think you would be ok. Just see how you feel from one junction to the next - if its no good for you, then pull off and continue on the smaller roads.

True, i think as soon as im home ill have to jump straight on my SV and take her for a spin! haha

ogden

13-01-09, 02:51 PM

True, i think as soon as im home ill have to jump straight on my SV and take her for a spin! haha

Prepare to be disappointed.

The SV will feel like a moped after something like a YBR125.

Alpinestarhero

13-01-09, 02:52 PM

Wear a hi-vis vest just to be safe, and give yourself that "lost CBT student" look :lol:

Tomtoms

13-01-09, 02:55 PM

Wear a hi-vis vest just to be safe, and give yourself that "lost CBT student" look :lol:

haha! that would be brilliant!!

i could wear my radio headset so i have a wire coming out of my helmet just to add to the look, and ill keep looking round all confused!

Might make it fun!

yorkie_chris

13-01-09, 03:01 PM

http://jeremytanner.com/images/wolf.jpg

It's... your future ... I see .. a traffic car, a quick chat on the hard shoulder...

thor

13-01-09, 03:03 PM

Just don't use L-Plates!

NickWilde123

13-01-09, 03:48 PM

iv ridden my YBR 125 down the motorway with l plates, no problems just keep out of the way of trucks, they blow you around real bad

Mogs

13-01-09, 03:57 PM

Don't be afraid to tailgate if you need to in order to overtake properly.

Please don't tailgate, there never is a need to, except perhaps suicide.

Baph

13-01-09, 04:03 PM

Please don't tailgate, there never is a need to, except perhaps suicide.

I found a couple of cars on the M56 doing 40-50 mph in the left, and cars in the middle were approx 80-90mph. I was on a CBR125 at the time, and so had a realistic max speed of about 65mph in a straight line.

I spent a good 10miles waiting for a gap in the middle lane so I could pull out. I then worked out that if I hung back a couple of hundred feet, I could then time the acceleration OK so that I could tailgate for a short while then pull out to the middle lane, pass, and tuck back in.

It worked for me, and didn't kill me. Yes, you could argue that I didn't need to overtake, but meh, horses for courses.

punyXpress

13-01-09, 04:42 PM

cheers guys.

Well at least i know its an option, but i will sort out a route avoiding motorways.

Still not sure if my girlfriend will ride it back following me on my bike, or i will ride it

Cheers

Think a relatively new rider would find a small bike on Mway or dual carriageway a terrifying experience!
It's OK for those with a few miles under their backsides, but don't do that to her.

jimmy__riddle

13-01-09, 04:55 PM

Please don't tailgate, there never is a need to, except perhaps suicide.

+1

nothing worse than people tailgating on the motorway

ogden

13-01-09, 04:58 PM

+1

nothing worse than people tailgating on the motorway

'cept maybe genocide.

And paper cuts.

Not necessarily in that order.

gettin2dizzy

13-01-09, 05:06 PM

Used to drive Manchester Newcastle on a 125 the whole time. Even did London to Newcastle on it.

Not a problem at all.

ophic

13-01-09, 05:12 PM

speed (or lack thereof) isn't the only problem. 125s tend to be light and get blown around a lot from fast passing lorries, crosswinds, etc. I'd avoid it at all costs. There's usually A roads that you can take instead, altho some dual carriageways are even worse than motorways cos they don't have proper sliproads.

When my gf got her bike I had to ride it up from Birmingham to Accrington, avoiding motorways. Its top speed was 55mph, its was December, dark, freezing, raining, and I only had leathers. The worst bit was looking in my mirrors to see her and her son, all toasty and warm and dry in MY CAR :mad:

gettin2dizzy

13-01-09, 05:37 PM

-Ralph-

13-01-09, 10:21 PM

I recall one occasion where two of us were trundling along the M25, flat out at about 70mph, laying on the tank, feet on the pillion pegs. We were overtaken by a plod car full of rozzers laughing their merry arses off.

:winner: :smt046

xXBADGERXx

13-01-09, 10:40 PM

I had a few stints hooning up and down the Motorways of this country on a TZR125 with a YPVS fitted and was quite happy , on one of the Modern 125`s I wouldn`t be quite so happy . My last 125 was a V-Twin Honda Varadero and I couldn`t overtake a P reg Rover pulling a Caravan along the A55 , I almost got off the bike and set fire to it I was so ashamed .
<----------- looked like this

RayRay

13-01-09, 11:08 PM

if she does end up riding it back, can't you ride back when the motorway isn't busy. i ride my 125 on the M1. its just frustrating coz i feel like the engine will blow up. whoever said that the new 125s have no power is right... i took my test on a new YBR and oh my.. hillstart was almost impossible. saying that my friends honda varadero (sp) 125 was pretty good. still nothing on a 2 stroke tho

xXBADGERXx

13-01-09, 11:13 PM

Standard Varadero struggles to do 76 on a good day , hated the damn thing .

RayRay

13-01-09, 11:14 PM

but u can cruise at 65ish though.. my DT has peaky power so it just dies after a while. i just want to get a bigger bike. and a car.

xXBADGERXx

13-01-09, 11:16 PM

Yeah true , DT has you cogging up and down all the time depending on wind and inlines in the Motorway . I had a TZR125 (same engine as the DT) and that had a YPVS system fitted , so could do just over a ton (about 105 indicated) so was ok in top gear to scuttle along at 70 with room for a bit of overtaking with a cog down . Then again my Cagiva Mito was a great machine , God I miss my 2 stroke days :D

RayRay

13-01-09, 11:17 PM

got it in one. varadero had a comfortable pillion seat. i would recommend one over the micro 125s like the YBRs.. and i hate the brakes on those things as well.

northwind

13-01-09, 11:19 PM

I used to use my Virago 125 on the motorway, M8 to glasgow and back, it didn't like it much (flat out for an hour) but the lack of pace never stopped me, never would. Yes I got overtaken by everything (I think just once I may have got it to 75 indicated, down a big hill) but it really doesn't matter. You do need to command your lane though, and be prepared to back off to make spaces.

-Ralph-

13-01-09, 11:24 PM

I may have got it to 75 indicated, down a big hill

I'm guessing that I'm quite familiar with this hill....?

Bet it was f***ing raining!!! :(

Lozzo

13-01-09, 11:33 PM

Do it - ride as slow or as fast as you like, wiggle across your lane if the fancy takes you and generally don't take crap from anyone. Wear all black clothing, wear a dark visor and ignore the safety nazis - above all, do your own thing. Ignore all the "Don't do it, you'll die under the wheels of an artic" and "wear fluoro jackets and have a million driving lamps on" crowds. For christ's sake, it's riding a bike on the road the same as any other road.

If riding on a motorway scares them that much then maybe motorcycling really isn't the most suitable pastime for them.

Your 125 is legal on a motorway, a motorway is no more dangerous than any other piece of road so why worry. You have to remember that the vast majority of road users are as afraid of scratching their vehicle as you are of falling off, so keep your wits about you and be prepared to get bored really quickly.

northwind

13-01-09, 11:56 PM

I'm guessing that I'm quite familiar with this hill....?

Bet it was f***ing raining!!! :(

You know, sometimes when it's raining everywhere else in scotland, the polarity reverses and the sun comes out :mrgreen:

-Ralph-

14-01-09, 12:05 AM

You know, sometimes when it's raining everywhere else in scotland, the polarity reverses and the sun comes out :mrgreen:

That's actually true, the low cloud goes round the hill, Airdire is raining, Bathgate is raining, and we have blue sky, but I think thats happened twice in the five years I've been here.

-Ralph-

14-01-09, 12:32 AM

Suppose since I'm just laughing at jokes and derailling, I should say something constructive....

If you can't get over 56 mph for some reason (headwind, hills, etc) it can get pretty scary for a newbie rider being passed by artic's on a 125.

Even an experienced rider needs to keep his eyes peeled and predict the trajectory of the traffic around you and adjust your own speed/position to compensate for any idiots. Having said that don't be bullied!

Just keep your eyes open for anyone moving back into your lane from the right either too early or because they didn't see you at all. Be prepared to change lane (onto the hard shoulder if in lane 1) to get out of the way if you have to. For some reason dozy drivers can completely miss something that they weren't really expecting to see in the first place.

Remember trucks looking at you in the left hand mirror may struggle to see when they are past you, and a wee single headlight is not a great point of reference for judging distance.

If you're passing trucks it may take you longer than usual to get past, keep an eye on the right hand mirror and make sure the driver has seen you. If your near the front of the trailor, or alongside the tractor cab you may be below the field of vision in his mirrors, if you can't see his eyes your in a blind spot, don't stay there!

missyburd

14-01-09, 01:47 AM

Think a relatively new rider would find a small bike on Mway or dual carriageway a terrifying experience!

I couldn't agree more. I dislike motorways whether passenger in a car or pillion. I have no problem with the speed we go tis just the simple fact there are many idiots out there and many big lorries, just worries me. I concentrate so hard when on the back, probably notice more things than YC does just because I look at EVERYTHING and often get little sick feelings every time someone indicates to switch lanes in fornt, just in case they haven't seen us.

I don't think it helps that my mum is a slow driver on motorways so obviously everything else seems to be going past at silly speeds when actually they're quite normal! :rolleyes:

Hopefully I will lose this small fear when I eventually ride my own bike, either that or just take the A roads everywhere hehe.

For christ's sake, it's riding a bike on the road the same as any other road.

If riding on a motorway scares them that much then maybe motorcycling really isn't the most suitable pastime for them.

Hmmm I'm not inclined to agree. Three interchangeable lanes of traffic travelling parallel at highish speeds, not exactly the same as a quiet country lane at 50mph (extreme comparisons obviously :p)

I don't think you can say motorcycling isn't the most suitable pastime for people scared by motorways, I think there are probably lots of people who avoid travelling on them at all costs, I don't blame them.

yorkie_chris

14-01-09, 01:58 AM

Hmmm ... Motorway with your mothers driving, the difference in speed is usually about 30mph ... artic lorry overtaking you 30mph faster is still less scary than the thought of hitting oncoming on a B road at closing speed of 120+mph.

The little sick feeling is normal survival reflex... after a while dies down to just noticing and spotting the escape routes.

ophic

14-01-09, 10:47 AM

Lets have a fair comparison tho - accident on B road, smack into car at high closing speed, you're wearing proper gear to reduce the impact and there's at least a vague chance of being flung into a nice soft hedge to await the arrival of the ambulance.

Motorway accident - pretty much whatever caused it, you end up lying in the road whilst traffic is still moving at 70+ mph. No-one bothers with the ambulance cos they can't find enough of you. Which is just as well cos the queues caused by your accident also caused a number of shunts further back and the ambulance can't get through the 20 mile tailback anyway. And then I'd be late for work :smt019

Accidents are always nasty, but yes, busy motorways scare me. And rightly so, I do 110 miles every day on them.

Lozzo

14-01-09, 10:58 AM

As I live in Her Majesty's Glorious South I have no fear of motorways. Every time I ride on one all the other traffic is at a standstill so it's filter in lane 2 1/2 for as long as I care to.

ogden

14-01-09, 11:00 AM

missyburd

14-01-09, 11:11 AM

I don't get this talk of motorways being scary. They're a doddle. Are those with the fear also afraid of such dangerous activities as getting out of bed or inhaling and exhaling without spontaneously combusting?

Lol, yes but some people have had a sight more experience on motorways which obviously builds their confidence up and clearly means you can mock others who are of a different opinion.

ophic

14-01-09, 11:14 AM

Getting out of bed definitely scares me. I lay awake all night dreading the moment :(

missyburd

14-01-09, 11:17 AM

Getting out of bed definitely scares me. I lay awake all night dreading the moment :(
It's that bed, tis so high off the ground, I just know one of these days my ankle will crumple beneath me on contact with the floor. And just getting out from under the covers, I might catch hyperthermia, it just doesn't bear thinking about!

ophic

14-01-09, 11:20 AM

It's that bed, tis so high off the ground, I just know one of these days my ankle will crumple beneath me on contact with the floor. And just getting out from under the covers, I might catch hyperthermia, it just doesn't bear thinking about!
you know my bed well :p
i'm somewhat worried about that too

Lozzo

14-01-09, 11:26 AM

you know my bed well :p
i'm somewhat worried about that too

I was thinking the exact same thing, the duuuurty hussy.

missyburd

14-01-09, 11:34 AM

I was thinking the exact same thing, the duuuurty hussy.
lmao. Clearly we just have the same type of bed :rolleyes: :p

Lozzo

14-01-09, 12:07 PM

lmao. Clearly we just have the same type of filthy mind :rolleyes: :p

Indeed ;)

yorkie_chris

14-01-09, 12:26 PM

I don't get this talk of motorways being scary. They're a doddle. Are those with the fear also afraid of such dangerous activities as getting out of bed or inhaling and exhaling without spontaneously combusting?

Lol. Go for a drive with MYC's mother. You will be f##kin terrified of motorways from that moment on.

Daimo

14-01-09, 03:03 PM

Pffff

Used to slipstream coaches at 65mph up to 70mph on my old 125cc on the motorways :P

RayRay

14-01-09, 05:09 PM

actually its true that motorways are the safest type of road and the country roads are the worst.. so maybe going back roads would be most risky option?

jamesterror

14-01-09, 05:11 PM

I'm learning on a 125, and my instructor likes to take me on faster roads (as I'm young and love it he thinks, and hes right) but most I've done is a dual carriage way and I felt a bit pushed for that as when you get to 65 and have no throttle, if you need to accelerate for danger is there no chance.

I'd look for a slightly bigger bike for motorway commuting as at least you will have the extra power there.

RayRay

14-01-09, 05:15 PM

yeah but he's just talking about getting the bike back home as a one off isn't he? i am probably completely wrong as usual.

fizzwheel

14-01-09, 05:20 PM

Everything has risk associated with it, if the motorway is busy you normally dont get anywhere 70mph anyway on the M5 or M27 which are the ones I use frequently.

If its capable of keeping up with the flow of traffic, I'd just get on with it...

Sosha

14-01-09, 05:51 PM

I keep reading this as 125 (mph) on the motorway for some reason(?)

Lozzo

14-01-09, 06:31 PM

I keep reading this as 125 (mph) on the motorway for some reason(?)

Normal brain out cruising speed innit?

xXBADGERXx

14-01-09, 06:38 PM

Dunno can`t remember , Brain .... not ...... in .

Sally

14-01-09, 06:46 PM

You'll be fine...
Did 40 miles, 30 of that on a dualer on my RS50.
Its fine, just prepare to have the **** taken out of you by chavs in their novo's haha

YBR, did my bike training for my test on that, not bad bike, very thin, very thin tyres, top speed 65mph, brakes are reasonable..

You'll be fine, no difference to going on the road with you're SV, just look quite funny/be going slower/have more time to think about things.

No problem mate ;)

arenalife

14-01-09, 06:57 PM

RayRay

14-01-09, 07:21 PM

wrap up warm

Lozzo

14-01-09, 07:32 PM

I've done across the country on a YBR125 on Motorway, made my butt sore but was ok. On a motorway I would find a well driven lorry and tuck in behind, no wind and loads of slipstream, could maintain 60mph with the throttle almost rolled off, must have been getting 300mpg! Be ready for brake lights though :)

When I was 16 I used to do Reading to Bedford, then Bedford to Leicester on a Friday nght, and then back to Reading via Bedford on Sunday evening, every other weekend when I was an apprentice in REME (the things a teenager will suffer for a regular leg-over ;)). This may not sound that impressive, but I was on a 50cc Yamaha FS1E that topped out at 40mph when loaded with kit and the washing I'd leave with my sister or mum in Bedford. Alot of that was on dual-carriageways with me riding for the best part of it flat-out while being passed by everything on the road.

Later on me and my cousin went down to Torquay for the weekend on 100cc Kawasakis, as he hadn't passed his test that was all done on A roads and some dual carriageways

I didn't die so it must have been perfectly safe.

northwind

14-01-09, 08:05 PM

-Ralph-

14-01-09, 08:20 PM

I can't find the numbers, but bike fatalities per mile on motorways are about 1/10th as much as they are on B roads. obviously a statistic based on guessing how many miles bikes travel on each sort of road, of course, but they're still very safe for us. Not so much opportunity to fly out the side of a corner for no good reason.

Yes, the motorway is much safer and I'd rather come off on a motorway than an A or B road. I always say so long as you have the right gear on, coming off a bike isn't as dangerous as everybody thinks it is, it's what bit of road furniture you hit, or the oncoming traffic, after you come off that gets you.

Unfortunately for the newbie, fear is not rational.

Lozzo

14-01-09, 09:03 PM

Yes, the motorway is much safer and I'd rather come off on a motorway than an A or B road. I always say so long as you have the right gear on, coming off a bike isn't as dangerous as everybody thinks it is, it's what bit of road furniture you hit, or the oncoming traffic, after you come off that gets you.

I was once deliberately knocked off my Bandit 600 whilst filtering up the inside of a dark coloured Jeep Cherokee in lane 2 1/2 of the M25 and rolled under the fuel tank of an artic in the inside lane. I had that happen about 3 years ago. Luckily the artic was travelling very slowly and the driver saw where I was headed and anchored up. My head was a foot from his rear tyre when he dragged me out.

Again, I lived so it must have been perfectly safe.

daved407

14-01-09, 09:28 PM

I used to put my 125 on the train from Reading to Manchester. A ticket each but with a discount card it wasnt dear. Once I passed my test I rode a few times up and down on the motorway and A34. I could do 78Mph if I had a good run up and with my head down. Then I got a 550 which I rode thru the winters up and down. Some Fridays I was a gibbering wreck by the time I got home.

I would also say try it, if insurance allows. Its an experience and lets you appreciate what your partner will be going through when you go out on rides together. If you got the money get a van for the day. Or call a favour in from a mate with a van. It may even fit in an escort van. A RGV 250 with front fairing off fits!

missyburd

14-01-09, 09:33 PM

I used to put my 125 on the train from Reading to Manchester.

:shock: You can put a 125 on a train? Really? I have been on many trains and never seen that before lol. Suppose it's almost like taking a big dog on one or a bicycle?

daved407

14-01-09, 09:39 PM

It used to go in the guards van, change at Brum, get off, hunt for a ramp. Off the train, ride down platform along connecting passage, up next platform find ramp and load it. Up to Manchester then same getting off there. It may be different now but I did it every term and half term from college to home. With discount card it was 7 quid. Fuel for the trip was not much less. It was in the 80s.

missyburd

14-01-09, 10:16 PM

It was in the 80s.

Ah that will be why then :lol:

daved407

14-01-09, 10:18 PM

I thought service was meant to improve over time not get worse?

xXBADGERXx

15-01-09, 01:37 AM

It was in the 80s.

Probably not allowed now seeing as there are hardly any Guard Vans and they treat Tanks of Fuel like they treat Hand Grenades on public transport nowadays .

hob

15-01-09, 02:49 AM

Probably not allowed now seeing as there are hardly any Guard Vans and they treat Tanks of Fuel like they treat Hand Grenades on public transport nowadays .

tbh I really wouldn't want a group of social retards with scooters on public transport, tis bad enough they are on the road.

Unfortunately it rules out honest people too, but can you imagine them on a train lol.