Not ridden for 13 years, anything new I need to know?

[retrofly]

Hi
Got my first bike again after a 13 year absence, and advances in technology I should know about? For example we didn't use phones for GPS/navigation when i last rode, basically how do I get down with the kids?

Thanks
____________________
"The food was not undelicious"
-Homer Simpson (Exceptional beast : Underachiving Human)
www.geocities.com/retrofly

[Fat Angry Scotsman]

[retrofly]

Someone mentioned that bluetooth headsets actually work now, do people get helmets with speakers built in or just use something in-ear?

I did have an intercom setup for my pillion, but that was a wired connection with the speaker jammed in the side of the helmet which hurt like heck after a while riding.
____________________
"The food was not undelicious"
-Homer Simpson (Exceptional beast : Underachiving Human)
www.geocities.com/retrofly

[A100man]

[Ayrton]

[t121anf]

Be vigilant.

I'd say the quality of driving as whole has decreased significantly in the last 5 years, we are one of the more vulnerable road users.

[retrofly]

[Fullers1845]

[Nute]

I use the motorways most days. The ability of people to move out of the left hand lane as soon as they join the motorway, and then just sit there completely oblivious to what is behind them is astounding.

I have seen “ keep left unless overtaking” on the gantry signs a few times recently, although no one appears to take any notice, or perhaps they just couldn’t give a shit.

[MarJay]

Lots of modern bikes have traction control, Anti wheelie etc. All bikes since 2017 have ABS (except some smaller bikes like 125 and smaller).

Parallel twins now seem to be of the fashion and not for boring commuter bikes. I still am wary of them.

Trackdays are now a bit too serious, and it seems the majority of the fast group have BMW S1000RRs with carbon fibre fairings.

Sportsbikes went out of fashion and now the most well heeled people at the bike meets ride £25000 off roaders that are almost entirely unsuited for going off road.

600s died and were resurrected, a bit. Sort of.

A2 license holders are being offered sportsbikes again, which means the modern crop of sporty middleweights all make 94bhp or less.

Arai and Shoei helmets are now ludicrously expensive. HJC provide a good balance between quality and value.

Royal Enfield sell a lot of bikes.

Triumphs are made in Thailand but are known for making some of the best built bikes around.

The fastest Ducatis are now 4 cylinder bikes.
____________________
British beauty: Triumph Street Triple R; Loony stroker: KR1S; Track fun: GSXR750 L1; Commuter Missile: GSX-S1000F
Remember kids, bikes aren't like lego. You can't easily take a part from one bike and then fit it to another.

[stinkwheel]

The "new" versions of bike models you lusted after 13 years ago are almost universally worse in every measurable metric.

The plus side of this is you can now get the bike you wanted back then, do all the things you would have wanted to do to it (suspension and brake upgrades, fancy pipe etc.) and will have both a better bike and more money in your pocket.

Tyres have come on a long way in 13 years. It's hard to get a truly bad tyre and the good ones are almost unbelievably good.
____________________
“Rule one: Always stick around for one more drink. That's when things happen. That's when you find out everything you want to know.”
I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles.

[Pete.]

We ride on the right nowadays
____________________
a.k.a 'Geri'

132.9mph off and walked away. Gear is good, gear is good, gear is very very good

[MarJay]

Kawasaki have just released a 76bhp ZX-4R which weighs exactly the same as the original ZXR despite having ABS and all manner of electronics.
____________________
British beauty: Triumph Street Triple R; Loony stroker: KR1S; Track fun: GSXR750 L1; Commuter Missile: GSX-S1000F
Remember kids, bikes aren't like lego. You can't easily take a part from one bike and then fit it to another.

[Polarbear]

Watch out for potholes, they are breeding at a humongous rate. Must be something to do with global warming and Greta.
____________________
Triumph Trophy Launch Edition

[Kawasaki Jimbo]

[Robby]

Bikers are the same bunch of cunts, but 13 years older.

You can now get pretty good suspension upgrades for older bikes, fork cartridge emulators are great.

Electric bikes exist now. They aren't popular, but some of them are moving into the territory of being a good second hand deal.

I don't recommend looking in the politics and current affairs forum.

Cheap old bikes are no longer cheap, but 2-3 year old bikes are pretty good value.

[Polarbear]

[Robby]

[Polarbear]

[virus]

Cheap horsepower is now more readily available.

Roads you can really use that horsepower on are not thanks to increasing number of potholes and speed cameras.

Car drivers are still just as oblivious to 2 wheeled road users as ever.
____________________
own: 81 xs1100g...
owned: 85 rat CG (sold), 91 GS500e (stolen), 84 gsx400f (scrapped), 81 z250 (siezed, siezed, scrapped), 83 cb250rs (sold), 84 gpz750r ratfighter (killed) 84gpz400 (sold), '80 cb650 ratfighter (wrote off) 95gsx6/12f ratfighter (killed) 91 xj900 (sold)
stinkwheel Well I just had my hands up a pigs fanny. Which makes your concerns pale into insignificance.

[MarJay]

[Fat Angry Scotsman]

[A100man]

[Polarbear]

[WD Forte]