CBT passed- riding advice?

[CEDR]

Hi all,
Thanks to everyone's advice on buying a bike, settled for a lovely little Yamah SR125 (1998). Passed my CBT (hurrah) on Sunday, and despite the fact that some scrotes broke into the garage and tried to hotwire my bike, the nice man from the AA fixed it (Carol Nash insurance includes AA breakdown/european breakdown/homestart cover which unusually covers vandalism too).

Furthest ridden was to work this morning (15 miles in one go- bit of traffic, slightly damp), only ridden about 50 miles so far total.

Feeling ok on the bike- doesn't help that the headlamp bulb filament has blown (and the headlamp is all rusted up so we can't currently undo it to replace the bulb) so I'm working on sidelights and full beam. Also the dashboard light isn't working (so seeing your speedo at night is a challenge, though I'd like to hope I'm getting the "feel" of the bike a bit) and the neutral light on the dashboard isn't working either (cue embarrassing 1st ==> neutral gear changing at roundabouts when not concentrating hard enough on my left foot!).

I'm a cyclist and a driver too, and I have been getting a bit confused at where to look at junctions. My cycling/driving head is telling me to look in the usual places, but my CBT brain is going "LIFESAVERS". Sometimes I panic and look everywhere. Three times.

Right now I'm sitting at work watching the weather and it's WET WET WET out there- now my punchy little 12(ish) bhp 125cc isn't exactly going to be rushing home at any pace, but I'd be grateful of any advice for riding in the wet. It's so gloomy out there I'm worried that I won't be able to see very well/ other people won't see me and that it's going to be really greasy under the wheels...... :-S

https://a7.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc7/292642_10150755224120510_742780509_20534208_4394662_n.jpg
(wiring being fixed by the nie AA man on Monday!)

[Andy_Pagin]

In the wet avoid manhole covers and road markings, they're really slippery when wet.

Generally on most roads in anything less than torrential rain you'll see a 'dry line' running down the middle of the road, I guess this is the top of the camber or just where the tarmac has been pushed up over time, whatever, this is a good track to take assuming no other significant factors will effect your safety.

Apart from that just take it easier than you usually would, especially on bends, give yourself more than usual front-door space and avoid hard braking.

Never never under estimate the importance of lifesavers, better to do too many than not enough, If I didn't double-lifesaver at every junction on my commute there'd be a trail of splattered cyclists from Enfield to Tower Bridge every day.

At junctions you do need to be much more alert than on a bicycle/car, especially if you're at the front, even a 125 learner bike can accelerate from a standstill much faster than most cars, unfortunately most drivers don't realise this and it's all too easy to get clouted by some idiot trying to drive across you not realising how fast you can pull away.


As you've discovered a garage doesn't equal security, always chain the bike to something solid wherever you park it, you were lucky they didn't just wheel the bike away or lift it into the back of a van.
____________________
They're coming to take me away, ho-ho, hee-hee, ha-haaa, hey-hey,
the men in white coats are coming to take me away.
Yamaha Vity -> YBR125 -> FZS600 Fazer -> FZ1-S Fazer

[CEDR]

[Andy_Pagin]

[CEDR]

Good advice, thanks.

I've also managed to find this link:
https://www.urban75.net/forums/threads/riding-a-scooter-motorbike-in-the-rain-wet.222574/ which has some good (and less good!) riding-in-the-rain tips

[CEDR]

Also- don't think my visor de-mister will be much good where it is..... (at home)

[Rogerborg]

Ride with your visor cracked open. Make sure you clean it thoroughly before setting off, and see if you can blag some furniture polish from the cleaning wimmins - it'll help the water to bead and run off. Some folk swear by putting a smear of washing up liquid inside it. I don't do that - I've never found it to help with misting, and it's an abrasive.

Long term, try a "glove wiper", a little wiper blade that fits on your finger. Sounds daft, works great.

In the wet, use more rear brake. Try about 50/50, rather than the 75/25 (or 100/0) you'd use in the dry.

Oh, and I cannot over-emphasise the importance of leaving sufficient room to the vehicle in front, both so that you can stop safely, and so that you can see and be seen.
____________________
Biking is 1/20th as dangerous as horse riding.
GONE: HN125-8, LF-250B, GPz 305, GPZ 500S, Burgman 400 // RIDING: F650GS (800 twin), Royal Enfield Bullet Electra 500 AVL, Ninja 250R because racebike

[Germ]

Lights on in the rain? Even if it's day it can make you easier to spot in the overcast and rain.

You have a loo at work with those soap hand dispensers? Almost a nonexistent smear of that on the inside of the visor.