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hume |
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hume Borekit Bruiser
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GSTEEL32 |
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GSTEEL32 Traffic Copper
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Easy-X |
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Easy-X Super Spammer
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Posted: 12:09 - 08 Sep 2019 Post subject: |
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GSTEEL32 wrote: | This is all relatively normal when you first start.
12hp 125cc's are rubbish. You'll be lucky to keep up with the seasons, let alone traffic.
You're probably running wide on corners. Experience will sort that out.
Your clutch sounds like it might not be fully engaging. If its brand new, take it back, as I'm not sure whether it's a hydraulic or cable jobby.
Get something more interesting than a Honda, it'll make you want to go out on it more often. |
Agreed. A 125 is a make-do or stepping-stone until you're allowed a proper bike. It seems odd but as you go up in engine size you generally have a more stable, accurate and easier to control bike... we could have a discussion about at what point a bike becomes so large it becomes unwieldy (e.g. touring bikes, cruisers.)
That being said you might want to practice turning and tight manoeuvres in an empty car park. You need to get your brain to realise that the bike can do amazing things and isn't going to fall over if it leans half a degree. Practice makes perfect
Keeping up with traffic? Unless you're going on a main road (60mph... but in reality more like 70) a 125 shouldn't be too big a problem. Okay so it'll take you a while to accelerate so you won't be cutting up ppl at traffic lights Are you saying the bike physically can't keep up or is it your state of mind?
Quick check on the neutral thing. Once the bike is warmed up (clutches behave differently with hot vs cold oil) get it in neutral on a flat surface. Pull the clutch in fully and get in first... give it a little revs. Do you feel the bike trying to move at all? Definitely needs adjustment if you do! If not, with a touch of revs, SLOWLY release the clutch. At what point do you find the biting point? If it's not roughly half way through the clutch travel the cable needs adjusting.
I have to admit I felt really kewl riding out on my faux-cruiser (hey, I was young, I knew no better ) but your Honda looks like a decent enough bike to be out and about on ____________________ Husqvarna Vitpilen 401, Yamaha XSR700, Honda Rebel, Yamaha DT175, Suzuki SV650 (loan) Fazer 600, Keeway Superlight 125, 50cc turd scooter |
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Howling Terror |
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Howling Terror Super Spammer
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dynax |
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dynax Trackday Trickster
Joined: 06 May 2019 Karma :
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Posted: 12:44 - 08 Sep 2019 Post subject: |
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I rode from Doncaster to Lincoln and back last Thursday, had no problem keeping up with traffic varying road conditions and speed limits, Xena is 12hp and heavy 172kg kerb weight, 125's are fun to ride, and going for another ride this afternoon somewhere, enjoy the freedom ____________________ Mike.
Bikes: Xena, Bridget,Florence
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmihUc0xXxYbR4_0l-F1FzA/videos?view_as=subscriber |
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linuxyeti |
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linuxyeti World Chat Champion
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Posted: 13:39 - 08 Sep 2019 Post subject: |
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Easy-X wrote: |
Agreed. A 125 is a make-do or stepping-stone until you're allowed a proper bike. It seems odd but as you go up in engine size you generally have a more stable, accurate and easier to control bike... we could have a discussion about at what point a bike becomes so large it becomes unwieldy (e.g. touring bikes, cruisers.)
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Not strictly true, I currently have a 700, 650 and a 125, the 125 is great around town, and, surprisingly good on a long run, Wolverhampton to Lincoln & back, and it will happily sit at 70, granted, it's also at the top end power wise for a 125, but i've had plenty of 125's, and, despite purging them from my garage, always seem to go back to having 1 in there ____________________ Beware what photos you upload, or link to on here, especially if you have family members on them
Last edited by linuxyeti on 13:46 - 08 Sep 2019; edited 1 time in total |
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Riejufixing |
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Riejufixing World Chat Champion
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McHattrick |
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McHattrick Nova Slayer
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Analogkid |
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Analogkid Scooby Slapper
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Posted: 21:58 - 08 Sep 2019 Post subject: |
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If you are accidentally putting the bike in neutral when at a junction, lights etc, if your clutch is still pulled in it often won’t engage gear, instead of rocking bike, let clutch out and pull it back again and it should find the gear.
Remember keep the revs up, the bike needs to be revved, you'll think it's gonna break, it isn’t, it's not a car, keep in a lower gear than you currently are and progress in speed and round the corners will be better. My daughter post CBT wasn’t using revs enough, so we went out with some Bluetooth communicators on, I asked what gear she was in, she was in 4th when 2nd would have been more appropriate, once she had mastered that and when to apply throttle and safer cornering lines she was much more competent, we did 170 miles over 5-6 hours and she improved dramatically, remember the CBT is only a 1st lesson, go back to the school and pay for more training or go out with more experienced riders, hell even you tube would help, but whatever you do keep at it. |
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kgm |
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kgm World Chat Champion
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hume |
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hume Borekit Bruiser
Joined: 07 Sep 2019 Karma :
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Posted: 04:04 - 09 Sep 2019 Post subject: |
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Quote: | Agreed. A 125 is a make-do or stepping-stone until you're allowed a proper bike. It seems odd but as you go up in engine size you generally have a more stable, accurate and easier to control bike... we could have a discussion about at what point a bike becomes so large it becomes unwieldy (e.g. touring bikes, cruisers.)
That being said you might want to practice turning and tight manoeuvres in an empty car park. You need to get your brain to realise that the bike can do amazing things and isn't going to fall over if it leans half a degree. Practice makes perfect
Keeping up with traffic? Unless you're going on a main road (60mph... but in reality more like 70) a 125 shouldn't be too big a problem. Okay so it'll take you a while to accelerate so you won't be cutting up ppl at traffic lights Are you saying the bike physically can't keep up or is it your state of mind?
Quick check on the neutral thing. Once the bike is warmed up (clutches behave differently with hot vs cold oil) get it in neutral on a flat surface. Pull the clutch in fully and get in first... give it a little revs. Do you feel the bike trying to move at all? Definitely needs adjustment if you do! If not, with a touch of revs, SLOWLY release the clutch. At what point do you find the biting point? If it's not roughly half way through the clutch travel the cable needs adjusting.
I have to admit I felt really kewl riding out on my faux-cruiser (hey, I was young, I knew no better ) but your Honda looks like a decent enough bike to be out and about on |
My CBT instructor agreed with you about bigger engined bikes. He said they're easier to control.
When putting the bike on a flat surface it does seem to allow me to select first gear.
Keeping up with traffic is down to my mental state. Poodling along is well within my comfort zone. It's only when I get sick of cars overtaking me do I get my act together.
The biting point is half way through releasing the clutch unless I'm having the neutral problem on an upward slope. |
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Easy-X |
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Easy-X Super Spammer
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Posted: 10:35 - 09 Sep 2019 Post subject: |
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hume wrote: | My CBT instructor agreed with you about bigger engined bikes. He said they're easier to control.
When putting the bike on a flat surface it does seem to allow me to select first gear.
Keeping up with traffic is down to my mental state. Poodling along is well within my comfort zone. It's only when I get sick of cars overtaking me do I get my act together.
The biting point is half way through releasing the clutch unless I'm having the neutral problem on an upward slope. |
I initially thought they just said that as a confidence booster But no, a 125 has an edge on agility but I prefer something bigger for stability.
With regards to traffic speed... oh dear! Some old scooter - that's something you'd just live with but a 125?!
The first time I rode a geared bike on the road was on my CBT. It was all going fine until I came to a hill and then it happened - I got "torque addiction"
There are so many wonderful things about a motorbike: some people like going as fast as possible, others it's taking a bend at the perfect speed... getting all your gear changes buttery smooth or maybe cutting up BMWs Personally I find it very satisfying powering up a moderate hill - somehow speeding back down the other side feels like cheating. There's no sense to it
If there's some aspect of biking you really enjoy, build from there. I would hope there is otherwise why bike?
Is its a brand new bike? It will "loosen up" a little as things wear in. Bear with it until you've had the first service then go out when it's quiet and give it some whellie! Some nice, straight roads to start with. I remember the first time I took my 125 down the A3: all but needed a change of underwear @ 55mph and carried on the rest of the way at 45 It took a fair while until I could quantify it: I just didn't have a great bike! But your Honda should be much better that what I inflicted upon myself
Just focus on progress: are you getting better, day by day, yes? Then don't sweat the pace of progress ____________________ Husqvarna Vitpilen 401, Yamaha XSR700, Honda Rebel, Yamaha DT175, Suzuki SV650 (loan) Fazer 600, Keeway Superlight 125, 50cc turd scooter |
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trevor saxe-coburg-gotha |
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trevor saxe-coburg-gotha World Chat Champion
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hume Borekit Bruiser
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dynax Trackday Trickster
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GSTEEL32 Traffic Copper
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Old Thread Alert!
The last post was made 4 years, 215 days ago. Instead of replying here, would creating a new thread be more useful? |
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