Items i can find on Amazon?

[McfcChris94]

Iv got a £10 voucher i know il only spend on shit,

so is there any bike books/things you guys can suggest to help me learn something to keep me safe

[Dracon]

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Motorcycle-Roadcraft-Police-Handbook-Motorcycling/dp/011341143X

[Dracon]

And for a couple of quid extra, you can get the Highway Code too!

[_Iain_]

Keep you safe?

Reccomend the purchase of a first aid kit &/or a high-vis.

Definately the high vis though - having been a courier driver it does make bikers a LOT easier to spot out of van mirrors.
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Please be aware that the above post may be full of complete nonsense.
Riding: '07 KTM Duke II, Baotian BT49QT-20 Driving: '88 Volvo 340

[Cheerfulgrin]

I agree with the HiViz comment, definately worth it if you havent already got one. essential at night!

i have just ordered https://www.amazon.co.uk/Official-DSA-Guide-Riding-Essential/dp/0115526447/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1329173476&sr=8-4

i'll probably get the roadcraft one (recommended above) as well at some point in the future.
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--Current Bike: '98 Hornet CB600F
--Previous Bikes 2012 Hyo GT250R - 2010 YBR125 - Back in '91:Suzuki 50cc moped & Honda CB125T Superdream
--CBT -Feb '11, Theory -Nov '11, Mod 1 -Jan '12, Mod 2 Feb '12

[McfcChris94]

[Teflon-Mike]

Buy Road-Craft, just don't read it until you have passed your test!
Its a very good 'source', but its also very much 'proceduralised' and 'prescriptive'; and 'seems' to try and break down all riding to a set of comuter program sub-routines, that with a few input questions can cope with anything and anything riding can chuck at you..... trouble is there is preface actually warns that there are NO prescriptions for riding a motorbike, and explains that the sub routines 'suggested' are only 'tools' and its up to you to work out where and when they best may work.... it CONTAINS an awful lot of very good 'stuff' and the tools it provides can be very very useful, but far too many people DO think that it is a computer program and that JUST doing what the book says is the be all and end all, and don't understand the 'intent' behind it.

tools are good; but for a newbie, who doesn't necessarily know how to use them properly, can do more harm than good.

Easy analogy; as a practiced mechanic I have some very nice screw-drivers, and a raft of small pry-bars and drifts, and 'things', and I know where and when to use them.

If I am undoing a casing screw on the magneto cover of my DR, I use the screw-driver, and I pick the one with teh Japanese Standard head form, NOT the US Phillips, or Possidrive, becouse they are likely to round out the head.

If I want to take the swing arm spindle out, I will pick up a 'drift'. It is a metal rod, with a taper on one end, a bit like a chissel but without a flat head, or a punch without a point... and its perfect for poking into the swing arm pivot tube to knock through the spindle...

Snowie; my beloved partner in grime, has only recently started spannering, and up until a very short time ago, had no idea what a 'drift' even was... so when SHE wanted to knock the swing arm spoindle out of her Super-Dream..... she grabbed 'something' long and thin and a bit 'pointy' she could hammer down the hole.....

My fucking SCREW_DRIVER..... wonderfully WRECKING the head, so that NEXT time I want to undo stubborn Japanese standard cross head screws.... it will nicely chew them up!

All well and good being given the 'tools', a different thing entirely knowing where and when to use them to best effect!

For an absolute beginner, a lot of what is in 'road-craft', is like the 'drifts' in my tool-box, you probably wouldn't know what to do with them, and danger is you could get in a lot of trouble using them WRONG.

And Road-Craft, DOES tell you to do things that ARE at least 'questionable' if not outright 'no-no's for the regular bike test.

HI-Viz?

Buy a Bright-Belt; harness or my preference, the 'Sam Brown Belt'

NOT the best illustrative pics, BUt you get the idea.

https://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w269/teflons-torque/Little%20Dreams/Last%20Ride/000_0049.jpg

This is actually 'The Smiler'; capably modelling a Flourescent Hi-Vis 'Bib' in yellow with broad white Scotchlite stripes.

It reflects a HUGE amount of light, and it GLARES straight back at the source. See the 'halo' around him?

This can, be 'too much' of a good thing. The white indistinct reflection, drawing attension to the 'shape' but NOT actually giving much 'clue' as to what it is..... so a driver seing the reflection from this bib coming towards them, is dazzled by it, but they cant easily discern if its a headlamp of another vehicle, or a road works sign discarded in a hedge; a security lanterns, its JUST a bright light, and they CANT tell what it is OR that it is actually moving all THAT easily.....

https://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w269/teflons-torque/Little%20Dreams/Last%20Ride/000_0056.jpg

Smiler & Snowie, snowie wearing a more distinct 'yellow' Sam-Brown belt. Its a waste strap with diagonal shoulder strap.

Its not so clear in this pic, but the LESSER reflected light, provides less 'dazzle' , the less common colour, makes it easier to see that its definitely a 'warning' strip, AND the belt and diagonal much more succinctoly make an association with the 'bright shape' being a 'BIKER', and make it easier to discern movement AND speed.

IF you are going to buy some Hi-Vis, I reccomend the Traditional Sam-Brown like this:

https://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41w24MN2lFL._SL500_AA300_.jpg

Or the 'harness' that has twin shoulder straps.

EVERY-ONE is wearing Hi-Vis vests these days, from Truck Drivers to Tea-Ladies, and as said, the reflected profile IS quite indistinct...

Sam-Straps, are more distinct and still associated with 'Bikers', and it can set us apart from the myriad of 'shiney things' all competing for a driver's attension, IF you are going to wear any 'auxilliary' Hi-Vis.... many over-suits have Hi-Vis stiping built in, and that does much the same job.

Very useful 'accessory' if it's a freebie, you dont HAVE to do something 'sensible' with it...

https://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/31u9FRS%2BkML._SL500_AA300_.jpg

Cargo net! Brilliant little thing, you use it to strap 'stuff' to your bike! Wraps up goes in your pocket, or you can stow it in the took compartment... you'll never know you need one, until you do, and THEN you'll wish you had it! Probably the first time you pop to the shops and buy something you didn't plan to get, and wonder after HOW the heck you are going to get it home!

Tyre Pressure Guage, is a good thing to have handy; you cant rely on petrol station forecourt guages, and using different guages, you get different readings depending how accurate they are; having a small one you can carry with you; means you always use teh same guage.

Basic tools; plug spanner? Always handy; especially if you dont get took kit with the bike. Few small 'bike' took packs that have basic emergencty tools in them; lets you tension teh chain maybe clean the carb, do a basic service, for around a tenner.

TORCH. When you have a problem; garantee its ruddy dark!

Do Amazon do L-Plates?

Spare ones of them are REALLY useful! Its a two point offence and they like nabbing L-Platers for not displaying 'approved' L's... and they tend to get snapped off in car-parks or moving the bike around! Having spares CAN save you points, AND the bike being 'siezed' for riding other than in accordance!

Flexible stick on ones you can roll up and stuff under the seat, 'just in case' CAN get you home and avoid a tug, until you pass tests.

LOCKS! You can NEVER have enough security on a lightweight motorcycle! What they got by way of disc-locks chains or cable locks on there? Even a cheap cable you can use to strap the bike to some bit of street furniture, EVEN if its not that wonderfully resistant to cutters and stuff.... tells the opportunists to bugger off, and will slow down some-one more deturmined; worth carrying and using.

Just a few other random suggestions, for you!
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My Webby'Tef's-tQ, loads of stuff about my bikes, my Land-Rovers, and the stuff I do with them!
Current Bikes:'Honda VF1000F' ;'CB750F2N' ;'CB125TD ( 6 3 of em!)'; 'Montesa Cota 248'. Learner FAQ's:= 'U want to Ride a Motorbike! Where Do U start?'

[TheSmiler]

Mike It would also be good to show the one you took from a car drivers perspective that would be extremely informative for any new rider.
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CB125>CG125>GN125>ER5>K100RS>R1100RS>K100RS
A2 completed 23/07/15 Ready for the Golden Crisp Packet

[Teflon-Mike]

[McfcChris94]

How about this idea @Mike

Getting a Hi-Vis Vest for daytime

The belt for night-time?

Cant be too careful

[Alpha-9]

I wear a backpack but not a knapsack thing, I wear both straps and they're pretty comfortable, and it doesnt really catch the wind as its pretty big... But i'd rather not wear it, but id even less wanna strap it to the bike, just another pain in the ass when parking up or going out in the mornings,

Already have to get kitted up, unlock the chain, put chain in backpack, get helmet on, roll bike out of back garden

doesnt sound like much but it slows me down when going to work, especially if you mess the order up and put your glove son first to not be able to get my keys out my pocket D:

I've tied a hivis around a strap on my backpack though, as Im wearing mostly black
Better than nothing heh

Might get some reflective tape and put stripes on my bike or something for the shits

Any xp with this or pictures?
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Fzr-600 1999