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[Noxious89123]

So yeah, one of the reasons i got my little CBR125R is so that i can go see my girlfriend in Swindon at the weekends. (I live in Leicester).

Last time i went down there my parents took me in the car (And then went into Bath for the day). Went via A + B roads all the way, no motorways at all. my god the roads are twisty, and with a 60mph speed limit And theres ALOT of roundabouts inside Swindon. I don't think they know what "junction" or "traffic lights" means.

What would be the best way to make sure i don't get lost? Tank bag + map? Any good techniques for map reading whilst riding??

Or should i just say fook it and buy a sat nav?

[krebsy]

Plan your route, write it in marker pen onto a single side of A4 (in big letters) using as few words as possible, stick it into the map pocket and off you go.

Sat-nav's a lazy approach to Navigation.. . do it the old fashioned way. Half the fun of the trip is getting lost.. .

K.
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[Georgio]

If you go to the AA website they do a free route planner that you can print - may be worth a try.

Say hello to Swindon for me and watch out for the legendary "magic roundabout". I went over it on my driving test many years ago. Google it if you havn't already experienced it.

Have fun on your cbr.

[Noxious89123]

[Dazbo666]

I still use a map and a tank bag. I use a Tuff Map just in case of any unexpected downpours...
but if I was to be honest, if I was travelling longer distances and/or could justify the cost, I'd get satnav

EDIT : There's a "Magic Roundabout" in Cardiff too, but for very different reasons... thankfully
https://news.bbc.co.uk/media/images/40282000/jpg/_40282623_roundabout.jpg
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1st bike (Sept'06 - May'10) : 1991 GPZ500S / Current bike (since Nov 2009) : 2003 Suzuki Bandit 600N
Word of the day : DILLIGAF

[DaveW]

That is fookin ridiculas!! They council must have been on LSD!! I can't see why just one normal big round-a-bout wouldn't do there

I'd just route plan it and revise it so you can have an idea of which way to go. Sat navs are good but notorious for either going the long way round or the wrong way.

When I go for rides I just head in the right direction and use the sign posts, so long as you know where the towns are in relation you can't get lost, plus you'll be supprised at how you will recognise some parts from going in the car last time.
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Yamaha R6 '05 model, upside down forks, radial brakes, Blue flame can, dubble bubble and clear turn signals - as they say in America

[Georgio]

yep, five mini roundabouts around a central roundabout that goes the opposite direction.

Nice

It actually works very well at moving traffic but most folk say "What the F$$k!!" when they first see it.

[fazza59]

Mate of mine bought himself a bike sat nav, total waste of space, reason why.

Cant see it in the sunshine. last ridout we went on he left it at home and we used the best type of navigation, a map.

Also, he broke down a few weeks ago and as he was in an out of town retail park the piece of crap didnt even know where he was.
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Current - Yamaha R1 - Yamaha XJ600N - Kawasaki GPZ 500S (project? Maybe )
Pics of my bikes

[LeeWat]

That is one hell of a roundabout, sort of makes sense after you've thought about it for a few hours

Sat navs are only any good if you go trail riding in my opinion, its very easy to miss the trail your looking for if you only use an OS map. But even then the best ones for that are the old Magellan ones as the new fangled ones dont know where you are if your not on a proper tarmac road.
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Simson S51 Enduro, Kawasaki AR80, Yamaha RD125LC, Yamaha XV535, Yamaha XJ600N, Suzuki GS1100G, Kawasaki KLR250, Yamaha BT1100 Bulldog (4/4/08 Deceased). Suzuki XF650 Breakwind.

[Noxious89123]

Too broke to get a SatNav atm anyways

Leicester -> Swindon is likely to be the only long distance riding i do, so i'm sure after doing the trip on my own for the first few time's i'll remember where to go

Just curious though....

How well do you think the bike would stand up to doing Leicester -> Antwerp? (Belgium)

[Finglonga]

Map/A4 piece of paper on tank if its a one off trip, if you plan to go touring then you can't beat a sat nav. You can also load the speed scamera database on them. Wouldn't be without mine now, also use it in the car.
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Andy Sez....
F.Y.Y.F.F.

[NSR Mick]

In the car Sat Nav, on the bike wing it.
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If you dont like the way that I ride.......Stop trying to keep up!!!

[SonicTheHedge...]

I cheat and have both when I can.

Get a rough idea of geography with the map, and use the satnav for the detail and traffic cameras. You don't need something you can see (a liability IMHO), but something that'll talk to you properly - my satnav goes in one pocket, GPS receiver in the other, and they talk bluetooth to my headset.
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Previous: '00 G2 Bandit 600 Naked. Now: '08 BMW GS Adventure.

[meh i dunno]

Just want to add about the roundabout....it looks bad like that, you should see it at rush hour!! One word.....manic!!

But I have learnt a technique....just go for it!

[Noxious89123]

So, which is better?

#1
https://img504.imageshack.us/img504/7073/safestjv1.jpg

#2
https://img504.imageshack.us/img504/3442/fastestrf6.jpg

[krebsy]

#1.

#2. will have you smashing head on into oncoming traffic...

K>
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What's my New Year's resolution?

1280 x 1024.

[ncrn]

I don't get why people say the magic roundabout is so hard, I was on it yesterday, got across easily, just made sure I gave to the right every time and no one was gonna run me down from the left.

But yeh Swindon is just a maze of roundabouts and dual carriageways.

As for directions, I'd use a map if I needed it, normally I just get a general idea of the route from google maps and see how it works out .
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[Noxious89123]