Anyone riding a motorbike??

No, not at all. Sounds like an excellent ride. All very good reasons to take a few hours off and blow out the cobwebs. Good times :sunny:

 

Gotcha. I'll convert that to km's and I should be good to go haha :2thumbsup:

Thats awesome. I'd like to go down route 66 one day and ride around in cali for a while.

 

Well if you do, be sure to hit us up out here Route 66 is mostly gone, replaced by interstate. There are some sections of the original still left, but mostly to follow route 66 from chicago to la, you take interstates with some side trips off the superslab.

 

Shame about the route - and I'll get in touch for sure, thanks man!

 

Grrrr! See?
There you go,talking of Route 66-which is famed over here as 'the' route to ride.
I know much of it's gone-but it's still Route 66...all WE can offer is the M25.
That's the London Orbital road,112 miles of utter mayhem.
[when the traffic's actually moving,that is]

I did go to watch the Isle of Man TT races last year-now THOSE boys have my deep respect.
I was on a Vmax and rode the course in 22 minutes [+ a few seconds]
The TT riders do that same course in around 6 minutes.

[Boy-I am SUCH a wimp.]

I actually had Kermit airborne twice-my undies have yet to recover!

 

At the risk of aggravating puggy's jealousy, I'm gonna go ahead and bump this for a 60 km ride in the valleys around where I live today with two friends who are like brothers

 

Shiv-I am SO GONNA HUNT YOU DOWN AND DUMP IN YOUR SHOES! :devil:

 

Well since youre planning to hunt me down and all, maybe we can go for a ride while youre here :sunny:

 

EXCELLENT idea!

I wouldn't be so crass as to dump in your bike boots old boy;that'd be terribly un-British.

So,seeing as your boots remain unsullied-lets use 'em! :2thumbsup:

 

hahaha
Let's do it!

 

Well see now? The grass is always greener... I would totally dig seeing the TT races. It's actually been a pipe-dream of mine for a few years now. It seems like it would be a huge undertaking to get out there and actually get a spot on the route to watch.
And you got the ride the course??? How awesome is that?

 

Umm-it's not as great a feat as you think,Voyage.

Prior to the races beginning anyone can ride the course and many do.
I'd like to pretend I was giving it the old 'Knee-down shuffle' on every bend and leading on the lap times....but I was VERY average.

I did get my knee down twice-but ONLY twice,in the whole course.
The two times I became airborne were both over bridges on straight sections and both times I was around 115mph-the fast boys were taking those jumps at 135+.

Mummy's Little Soldier knows when he's bettered,so I sat in the pub garden at Mary's Cottage and watched them screaming past making my times look like Granny Clampet on Mogadon.

My only defence is I was on Kermit,a Cali import Vmax shafty of 145 horses-some of those prepared bikes were making 205 horses!

But,yes,it's very 'more-ish'. I'm going again this year as I have a friend who's a marshal [course marshal,that is],and she gets allocated two free spaces on the ferry.

mmmm-'friends with benefits'.

Tally-Ho,chaps!

 

You sir, need to start appreciating what you have - this sound awesome to me =D
Cam in to work on my motorcycle this morning. I'm still on my learner's permit until july and I'm supposed to be accompanied but it's my b-day today so.... Good way to start the day!

 

Oh,don't take me wrong Shivaya-I was grinning like a chimp on acid all the way round!

But-to more mundane things-what do you mean by 'you have to be accompanied'?
Is this by a full licence pillion,or by another biker?
Here,once you've taken a CBT [compulsory basic training] course to prove you won't fall off when winding in-and-out of some road cones,off you go.
You'll be restricted to a 125cc bike-but some of those can easily play with 75mph.
Once through the CBT you have 2 years grace in which you can take the full test at any time,after which-the Woild is yer Oyster,kid!

 

Here, it's quite the ordeal!

First, you have a written exam, which gives your first licence, which entitles you to drive a motorcycle ONLY within a motorcycle course. After this, you must take a 22 hours long course, which is mostly on a closed circuit(cones/stopping/countersteering/emergency maneuvres... all that jazz) except for the last 4 hours, which is one the road.

Once you are finished with your course, you have a ''closed circuit exam'', which lasts about 10 minutes. You basically do all the maneuvers learned in the course. Emergency breaking, going in circles, yadi yada.

If you pass this exam, it gives you your second licence, which you have to have for a minimum of 11 months. During this time you are allowed to ride but only accompanied by someone who has had their licence for at least two years (they are on a different motorcycle, of course). You are not allowed to have any passengers, and you are not allowed to drink at all. (this is where I am at now, my exam is in july)

After the 11 months is up, you get to do your third and final exam, which is a road test, after which, you are finally qualified to drink, ride alone, and have passengers.

I guess the only up side is that you can ride any size bike you want (I have an 1100 right now)

 

Wow,Shiv-that's an epic journey on it's own mate!

I swear this is true,though you may well not believe it;

I turned up at the test centre on my trusty BSA 250,at the appointed time.
The examiner called my name,we walked to my bike,and he asked me to read a numberplate about 40mtrs away.
Then he said "Go up the road,take the 1st left,1st left again,and at the end of the road left again".
[in effect,ride around the block]
I set off,did as he asked and pulled up beside him less than 2 minutes later.
He looked up from some papers he was reading on a clipboard,surprised to see me back, and said
"Oh,good-you haven't fallen off,well done" and handed me a pass certificate.

That was it. That was my test.

 

lol!

I'm not sure if I'd prefer that - at least in my case I hate to learn how to drive proper! (not saying you don't drive proper, just saying someone who doesnt could still get their license)

 

Ah,things have changed now Shiv-that was 40 years ago,before red tape and petty beaurocracy had got a foothold.
I did my car test the same year and passed,despite getting out and punching a moron in the ear at a roundabout! The examiner laughed and said he'd've done the same thing!

 

Youre pullin' my leg!

 

No-on my oath,it's true.

Long story short,I was given BIG hassle by a carload of 'wellard's as I approached the donut,for a good 1/4 mile they were tailgating me,hooting,flashing their lights,etc.
When I got to it they were beside me making 'wanker' signs
As we both entered,they swerved toward me trying to make me crash.
As I exited the donut they were ahead,but the traffic was stationary.
I said "I won't be a moment" to the examiner,got out,walked up to the driver's window and put my fist through it,whacking him straight in the head.
I got back in,buckled up,looked at the examiner and said "I'll drive you back to the centre" because I presumed I'd just shot my test down in flames.
He said "No,carry on,complete the test".
So I did.
When we got back,he handed me my certificate and told me he'd have done the same thing-but he'd have opened the door first.

R.I.P Jack Thorne-the best driving examiner ever.