Stupid Newbie Questions

[kieren]

Hello All,

I have been driving a car for over 10 years now and think I'm responsible enough to finally get a bike. The main driving force behind this is having predictable journey times and parking.

Most people I have asked in regards to a first bike have all come up with either a bandit, fazer or SV - the SV looks to be the best so I found these forums a couple of weeks ago :)

I want a bike to replace the car and got my CBT last week, theory test passed - the aim was to do the DAS but I think my slow speed stuff and fluiditiy with controls need a bit more work so I'm going to hire a 125 for a week of practice.

I have a few daft questions I was hoping the forums collective wisdom could answer:

1. The lifestyle - How easy hard is having a bike and socialising? For example, say you want to meet friends at a restaurant, bar etc - do they let you in with helmet & gear? Let you store it in the cloakroom or behind the bar or do you have to chuck it in a corner or stay in it?

2. I aquaplaned for about 2 seconds on the M4 this week - pretty scary. with less tyre surface area can you aquaplane on a bike? At what sort of speeds? Will standing water throw me off?

3. I have a fixed gear bicycle which the chain got caught in the rear sprocket at 25MPH last year. This brought the back wheel up and threw me over the handlebars. Is a jumping / snapped chain death on a motorbike? Is it likely? Is it something you have time to react to and dip the clutch?

4. Hopefully the bike will be a car replacement, with winter in mind is fuel injection a much better option than a carb bike?

5. I commute 50 miles a day along the A4/M4 to work each day. I guess I'll need a faired bike, will motorway riding give me square wheels?

6. Any DAS tips? Links where I can find an outline of whats involved & assessed? My road craft is good, slow speed stuff needs work.

Thanks :)

[fastdruid]

1) Depends on kit, the vast majority of bikes have some means to attach a helmet to them which is ideal for a short while. You can get armoured jeans etc and then it's just a jacket to worry about.

2) Far less chance of aquaplaning due to the rounder profile, assuming decent tread anyway.

3) Depends, a properly maintained chain shouldn't snap and it's something that I wouldn't worry about, normally it would either fly out backwards or smash forwards, you might be unlucky but it would be that, very unlucky.

4) Yes.

5) Yes, especially in winter and as a new rider.

Druid

[Spiderman]

Firstly hello and welcome. Secondly all good questions you have there.

1. Most places you just keep it with you. Lids take up some space and jackets go over the back of your seat like any other jacket. I'd trust few places to look after my gear and not drop it or kick it by accident tbh. The closer it is to me, the more i can keep an eye on it.

2. You can but you dont wanna :shock: No stnding water will not throw you off but you'll also wanna ride slower and more cautiously over some of it depending on depth. Ive ridden my SV thru near rivers on occasion where the standing water had flooded a dual carriageway and was up past the top of my boots. Practice is everything with wet riding.

3.Not death but something you really wanna avoid. People have been hospitalised for serious leg injuries and equally people have manged to coast off the road with no issues. Your chain is a vital bit of kit and regular maintenance will mean it wont be doing any snappy type things.

4. I prefer my injected pointy over my old carbed curvey for the winter for sure. But its just a preference mainly.

5. All riding will eventually square your tyres, many types of tyres to suit your type of riding tho, so a touring tyre would suit motorway riding and last longer.

6. Only tip is go for it. Throw yourself into it and you'll be fine. Tell your instructors about the slow speed stuff and they will work with you on it.
Your DAS will get you a licence to ride. The learing starts there and for most bikers never ends. I've been ridiging 6yrs nearly now and i'm doing a bikesafe course next weekend, you can never have enough training imho.

Finally, get yourslef to one of our weekly Soho meets and see some bikes and chat to some of us for yourself. More info here http://forums.sv650.org/announcement.php?f=115&a=87

[MattCollins]

1. Dunno... don't have a social life. Seriously never had a problem. Depends on the type of gear that you choose. Racing leathers would be inconvenient. Some textiles are cut more like street clothes. Then there are textiles which are designed to go over your street clothes. I have never had any difficulty finding a place for my gear at bars and restaurants. Just ask.

2. Your observation skills are going to improve so you won't be barelling into water unless you are asleep. Aquaplaning on a bike is always fun, but it doesn't automatically mean a trip down the road on your butt.

3. A broken chain may jam the rear wheel. More entertainment. Look after the chain and it will never be an issue and if in doubt ask. Have a think about it and you'll realise that pulling the clutch will do zip if the rear is locked up except maybe stop the motor from stalling if you are real quick.

4. Six of one... I favour injection.

5. Square wheels? Are motorways that rough?! If that is all you do it will square the tyre profile and if it affects the handling of the bike you'll be up for replacements, but by that time the tyres are on their last legs anyway.

6. DAS? What's that?

Cheers :)

[kieren]

Hey thanks for taking the time to answer.

Looks like I'll have to be going for a pointy then with injection which will dent the wallet a bit more.

Thanks for the advice on the tyres. This is something I'll probably come back to when I actually own a bike - I imagine the topic is quite a can of worms and probably a lot on the boards already, so I can use the search :)

Spiderman, bike safe looks good. I went to a show a month ago with the girl in the flat downstairs and there was lots of reduced kit at the stalls. She has done bikesafe, and the advanced rider course, track days and loves it all. She's a bit of a petrol head & said she'd take me out when I have the 125 which is good I guess - it will be good to get some advice.

Soho meets look good, sadly I work late monday to friday so might struggle. Well up for things like the Ace cafe and bike meets. I went to Hendon Bike safe not long ago and everyone was really friendly - it's pretty cool to know that there is a community around my new chosen form of transport.

Mattco, the DAS stands for Direct Access - it's a fast track way for riders over a certain age to take a test and be able to ride any big bike, rather than being restricted for a year or so on a smaller bike.

As you are here, I'm guessing you are Australian? What are the restrictions like in Australia? I'm just curious as my girlfriend is Aussie and she told me they have to do 2 years on green L's, the n 2 years on red Ls before they get a full ar license - or something along those lines. Does it take ages to get a bike license there?

[fizzwheel]

Looks like I'll have to be going for a pointy then with injection which will dent the wallet a bit more.

Or get a curvey and run it on decent pump fuel such as Shell Optimax or use a fuel additive such as Silkolene Pro FST if you want to avoid carb icing in the winter...

I rode a curvey through 3 winters, I only had carb icing once.....

Dont limit yourself to pointies, by the best, well maintained bike you can find for your budget.

[Stu]

...
1) The lifestyle is hard, because it means you can never go back to driving a car and accept sitting in traffic again ;)
2) Bike tyres being narrower and more round in profile are much less likely to aquaplane and I never have experienced it (surprised that you have :smt102)
3) In all my time reading this forum I have heard a dozen or so chains snapping in use but never have they caused injury - that's just my 2nd hand experience, obviously a flailing heavy chain at high speed could be dangerous, just never heard of it happening.
4) yes
5) Only the rear tyre goes square. Motorbike tyres are more expensive and last shorter tan car tyres but you can save so much money in other areas by using a bike instead of a car.
6) Your instructor - Good Luck :D


Looks like I'll have to be going for a pointy then with injection which will dent the wallet a bit more.

Not necessarily http://forums.sv650.org/showthread.php?t=138835

[Alpinestarhero]

I've heard of some chains snapping, but only on here. Of the people I know more personally, no-one has ever suffered chain faliure. Its easily prevented by keeping the chain at correct tension (i.e. not over-tight), cleaned and lubricated. Because on motorcycles, all the mechanical parts are easily accesable, it is easy to perform frequent visual inspections and sort any small problems before they leave you stranded, or before they cause more damage (e.g. brake-pad wear...you can see the brake pads easily and can monitor brake pad wear). Motorcycles generally require more frequent oil changes than cars, but it is an easy job. Checking the oil level is also an easy thing to do, so its a slap on the wrist if you let it run low!

RE tyres: if you commute lots and your commute isnt 25 laps of brands htach, both tyres will loose their round profile. The rear looks more profound, but the front tyre will square off aswell. A sensible set of tyres should see you get over 8000 miles form the rear, and alot more from the front.

RE: curvies vs pointy (carbs vs injection): the FI makes winter starts less of a hassle, but with a tank full of shell V-power, or similar high-octane fuel, cold-starting a carb'd SV is no reall hassle. Full choke, thumb the starter, let the engine fire. Tweak the choke lever so the revs settle down to between 2000 and 2500 rpm while you put on your helmet and gloves, then gently turn the choke off. The engine will now run fine :king: I used to have lots of problems with carb icing using normal fuel during the winter, but using V-power gives me no problems.

And if your battery drains, you can easily bump start a curvy :cool:

Just a general thing about SV's; they are very good bikes. The suspension is budget, but it works, and the finish is not the worlds best, but reasonably regular washing and use of WD40 / ACF50 in the right places will keep corrosion at bay. The engines, providing you keep it regularly serviced (oil and oil filter changes every 4500 / 5000 miles, valve clearance checks every 15,000 miles, things like that), are very reliable, and have been known to rack up milages over 120,000 miles.

Matt

[thulfi]

Hi kieren and welcome to the forum.
Not gna bother answering ur first five questions cos i wont be able to do em justice plus theyve already bin answered well by the more knowledgable here.

I did however do my das in May, so thought i might give u sum tips that others mite think r obvious but arent really to us newbs.

1. The examiner will get u to pull up a few times then move out. If theres cars parked on the road ur pulling up into, make sure u leave gd distance between u and a parked car. I failed first time cos parked too close to a car. Made the pulling out much harder cos slow speed control and extra balance needed=shot out to the other side of the road hence the fail

2. When checking mirrors make it obvious (slight tilt of the head either way) so examiner knows ur doing it. And do it b4 u do anything and even wen just riding straight

3. Remember ur lifesavers (more for ur lifes sake than das tbh, lol)

4. After i passed my part 1 i thought my clutch control was in the bag. How naive i was. When on the road test there is absolutely no rush to let the clutch out. I rode like a tool to my retake part2. Examiner screwed at my clutch control and it worked cos i passed. Keep that clutch nice and controlled. U get that sorted and ur basically there.

Aaand if he tells u to go right and ur in the wrong lane, dont try and go right. Always b safe!

They all sound pretty obvious im sure. Gd luck with ur test...breathe loads and loads. Helps with the nerves (if u have them).

[MattCollins]

Mattco, the DAS stands for Direct Access - it's a fast track way for riders over a certain age to take a test and be able to ride any big bike, rather than being restricted for a year or so on a smaller bike.

As you are here, I'm guessing you are Australian? What are the restrictions like in Australia? I'm just curious as my girlfriend is Aussie and she told me they have to do 2 years on green L's, the n 2 years on red Ls before they get a full ar license - or something along those lines. Does it take ages to get a bike license there?

Thanks, I was being silly about DAS.

Yes, Australian in Australia. Spent a bit of time over there though...

When I did my licence it was the old scheme of a 3 month (renewable) Learners permit, no courses or training required, practical test, one year on a 250 (at the time the NT had a 550 restriction for a year, but I did mine in WA), then ride whatever I could afford to insure for at least third party property damage (btw compulsory TPI against injury is the majority of the registration fee so if it is registered it is insured) or whatever I could kill myself fastest on.
If I were to do it again, it'd be learners, riders courses, a year on LAMS restricted bike (approved factory restricted 650cc max 150kW/tonne max) on a provisional licence and an unforgiving 100kph limit regardless of higher posted limits (130kph in the NT), then whatever I like.
All states are different with varying restrictions on the youngsters. I have never laid eyes on green or red L's. I am guessing that your girl is from Vic or NSW (possibly QLD) which are at the forefront of beauracratic stupidity. Those of us living West of the Great Divide (its a mountain range as well :) ) tend to be a lot saner.
Locally I think that there is a minimum age for a full licence which can see some younger drivers on a provisional licence for two years.

BTW, when I did my licence it went something like this:
ME: <walks into the local (country) police station>
POLICEMAN: Can I help you sir?
ME: I would like to book a time for my motorcycle practical test.
POLICEMAN: Can you ride?
ME: Yes.
POLICEMAN: Good enough <reaches for a stack of papers to write up my licence on the spot>
ME: Thankyou very much... <thinking that cops are not so bad afterall>

More recently I got my Heavy Combination licence (that's 3 trailers or two trailers + a B-Double) without any testing, and the cop came to me!!!

Cheers

[fastdruid]

A point on curvies and carb icing, a UK spec 'curvy' is fitted with carb heaters that should prevent carb icing. There is a problem though in that the sensor quite typically ends up resting on the frame, in the slightly warmed air from the rad or just in a still air pocket that is slightly above ambiant. Just make sure the sensor is in the cold airflow and there should be no problem.

I had a few problems with carb icing, moved the sensor slightly and didn't suffer again.

The 'pointy' FI SV will be slightly better than the carbed 'curvy' in cold weather but I didn't have a problem using a curvy every day down to very fscking cold (-5 one day). Never failed to start. Grip OTOH is another matter. ;-)

I notice someone says the SV is easy to bump start, well it is but not if the road is icy!!

If you do plan on riding all year I *STRONGLY* advise to get heated clothing, best bike related purchase I made for all year round commuting, *especially* on relatively high speed A road/motorway commuting. Makes the difference between gradually loosing heat and actually being warm. I would also say go for the 'S', the fairing makes quite a difference at keeping some of the cold air away.

Druid

[Biker Biggles]

SV easy to bump start? I beg to differ.Unless you have a hefty helper to push,or a nice hill to roll down an SV is a helluva struggle to bump.

[Nelson]

For some info about the DAS, the module 1 test is on youtube for you to watch!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZwYsMajnlRY

I passed it not long ago without seeing it, and it wasn't bad at all. Your instructor should prepare you well for it.

[Stuuk1]

I passed my DAS is March. I did my CBT and DAS all within the same month and had never even sat on a bike before I did my CBT! The only advice I can give it to jump straight on that 500cc and get the test over and done with. I'd think that riding for a week or so out on your own will pick you up some bad habbits, I know I picked up some habbits very quickly after passing!

I ended up with 3 minors in the end, can only remember what one of those was about tho... And that was when I went straight over a roundabout, Obviously you dont signal at first but when you turn off, then you signal! I didnt do it, but its not serious.

Just pretend he isnt there and ride safe. Oh and do exactly what he says, that helps.