Basic Questions

Morning all

I passed my test only recently and am picking up my new (old) bike either today or tomorrow, its having a couple of bits done to it. Its a faired 99 curvy in blue. I have a few questions that I'm sure I'll work out with time but some advice would be good please! I did try a search and nothing came up, just loads of threads with the search words in.

1) What do you do with your helmet when you're off the bike? Say you're out and you want to stop for some food, or to pop into a shop or a supermarket etc. Do you take it in with you? Do you leave it with your bike? PS I haven't got a box and don't really want one. I've just bought a helmet bag but its hassle having to walk around with it so I'm wondering what everyone else does.

2) What do you do with your work stuff on the bike and your bike stuff off the bike for things like meetings etc? For example I've got to ride to a client meeting from North London to Slough. I don't know how I'd take my suit and shoes, I imagine fold them up and stick them in my tailpack, problem is they'd get really squashed. Maybe I have to combine it with a tankbag? The big problem is lets say I get to the meeting early so I can get changed there, where do you put your bike kit? It takes up loads of room! Lid, jacket, trousers, boots, gloves etc. I'm thinking that I'll have to take a holdall with me and try and lob all my stuff in it, the kit takes up so much room! I'll have the helmet bag with me, plus I'll have all the stuff for my meeting like laptop, notes, files etc.

I've also got two SV related questions!

a) Whats the difference between a half faired and fully faired sv? I've got a 'faired' SV but I don't know if its half or full as I don't know the difference, its the same as the one I've seen in most curvy pics

b) What category/class is the SV in and how would you describe it? i.e. supersports, middleweight, tourer, naked... I want to describe it to people that don't know a lot about bikes.

Thanks!

Originally Posted by benp1

Morning all

I passed my test only recently and am picking up my new (old) bike either today or tomorrow, its having a couple of bits done to it. Its a faired 99 curvy in blue. I have a few questions that I'm sure I'll work out with time but some advice would be good please! I did try a search and nothing came up, just loads of threads with the search words in.

1) What do you do with your helmet when you're off the bike? Say you're out and you want to stop for some food, or to pop into a shop or a supermarket etc. Do you take it in with you? Do you leave it with your bike? PS I haven't got a box and don't really want one. I've just bought a helmet bag but its hassle having to walk around with it so I'm wondering what everyone else does.

either take it with you. or there should be a loop under the pilloin seat you can fix it to

2) What do you do with your work stuff on the bike and your bike stuff off the bike for things like meetings etc? For example I've got to ride to a client meeting from North London to Slough. I don't know how I'd take my suit and shoes, I imagine fold them up and stick them in my tailpack, problem is they'd get really squashed. Maybe I have to combine it with a tankbag? The big problem is lets say I get to the meeting early so I can get changed there, where do you put your bike kit? It takes up loads of room! Lid, jacket, trousers, boots, gloves etc. I'm thinking that I'll have to take a holdall with me and try and lob all my stuff in it, the kit takes up so much room! I'll have the helmet bag with me, plus I'll have all the stuff for my meeting like laptop, notes, files etc. dunno? i take the car
I've also got two SV related questions!

a) Whats the difference between a half faired and fully faired sv? I've got a 'faired' SV but I don't know if its half or full as I don't know the difference, its the same as the one I've seen in most curvy pics nothing, apart from the lower fairing

b) What category/class is the SV in and how would you describe it? i.e. supersports, middleweight, tourer, naked... I want to describe it to people that don't know a lot about bikes.
fun?.......... sport tourer?
Thanks!

[pmapp]

It does sound like you could do with some lockable luggage. Take a look at the Givi hardware.

[Stu]

1. As hovis said, under the pillion seat there should be a hook that you can put your helmet D buckle in & secure the pillion seat/cowl back on. Just close the visor to keep the rain out.
2. You say you don't want a box, but it sounds like the best solution. A bike is fine for commuting to one place of work when you can store your work clothes in a locker but going to different places is harder. Ask Bluepete about securing a box to the pillion seat if you'd prefer that?
Could also consider a bike cover, just leave all your bike gear on the bike & put a bike cover over the lot?
a) Sounds like you've got a half. Surprised Hovis didn't jump at the chance of pic whoring his old fully faired
b) yup it's a Girls bike















I mean Sports Tourer

carry your helmet with you or strap to the bike.....as said....

personally I occasionally do client visits and for this ill have my suit on....and a textile jacket with ce armour over the top....so no protection on legs or feet/ankles...

however this probably isnt recommended but it does solve the problem, any client u visit is going to have a place you can put ur bike jacket and helmet (gloves inside the helmet) and hey presto away you go....

would probably say sports tourer....beginners bike.....but its so much more.....god knows...its fun!!!!

just enjoy it!

Originally Posted by Stu

a) Sounds like you've got a half. Surprised Hovis didn't jump at the chance of pic whoring his old fully faired

good idea (and its been a while, so here you are)

fully faired

1/ I take my helmet with me and put it on the nearest table I find wherever I go. It's a Rossi replica so people enjoy looking at it.
2/ Going to a meeting dressed up for it is near to impossible on a bike. Safety first whilst biking so it's a problem to take a suit with you in anything without it looking like a rag when you put it on. My solution is to leave cloths, shoes at work that I can change into. So once in a while I'd have to take the car to take the stuff. If your only mode of transport is your bike than again it's difficult. I don't know what kind of work you do but there are some decent looking jeans available which don't look too much out there as a casual option.

I take my helmet with me, its a lot safer than leaving it behind in some places. I tend to carry stuff with me in either a back pack or a tank bag, what can stay at work stays in a barrack locker.


Half fairing is quite simple really, the fairing includes the headlight and extends down less than a third of the bike (depending on the year). A full fairing bike has fairing panles which go all the way doen to the bottom of the bike.

Half


Full


Naked



Oh.. and the SV650 is a Sports Tourer.

thank you for all the help so far! Looks like I definitely have a half faired bike then! the bottom fairing looks really good

I don't like the idea of leaving my helmet on my bike too much, don't want it to get nicked! Just wanted to see what others do, I reckon I'll be carrying it everywhere I go for the next short while till i get flippant about it

My thoughts about taking my suit etc was to get a renntec sports rack (how difficult are they to fit?) and then a rack pack of sorts (like the ortlieb one), which i can then chuck my stuff into. I'm just not sure of the actual logistics of attaching it to the bike and how stable they will be. incidentally does anyone have any pics of what the curvy SV looks like with a sports rack fitted? Definitely have to wear a suit for meetings...

My wife has the car so I don't get to take it on weekdays. Usually I take the train but the more I take it the more I dislike it

[Stu]

Originally Posted by benp1

incidentally does anyone have any pics of what the curvy SV looks like with a sports rack fitted?

Not mine, stolen photo