Starting to get warmer... any other motorcyclists gearing up on here?

[SteveG]

I just watched that video. What's with all the mirrors? And none of the trackdays I've been on in recent years allowed helmet mounted cameras.

It's not a trackday - it was a Bikesafe event (basically riding arpound a track while police riders assess your skills etc.). I suspect the cops will be asking most of the riders two key things:
1) Do you know where the throttle is on your bike?
2) Have you ever been round a corner before?

I suspect the folks on it aren't really the sort of folks that'd do trackdays, hence the road style riding on the vid.

 

[awkwardbydesign]

Ah, that explains it. Still surprised at the helmet cam.

 

[snowflake]

I went on a bike safe type thing a few years back, on the Blackbird oddly enough, basically this was Cleveland Police thing and they stuck an earpiece in your helmet and followed you round and proffered advice. Pleased to say the copper thought I did OK, which was nice. The fantastic thing was I was routinely into three figures (just) and the escort did not comment or bat an eye lid, so it was fabulous hooning about with a get out of jail free card behind you.

His only comment was to accelerate after the GLF signs, not before

S

 

[SteveG]

Ah, that explains it. Still surprised at the helmet cam.

Hope he doesn't use it on the road. Having a camera that shows your speedo isn't a good idea - I think there was a rider in Wales got jailed after the police stopped him and viewed what he'd recorded on his video camera.

 

[wow&flutter]

I’ve never used a camera but I know someone who had it mounted on the front of the fairing so the speedo wasn’t visible.I guess the police found still estimate your speed if they measured some fixed points on your your route!

Not sure what you mean about all the mirrors?

 

[h.g.]

Doing one trackday at the old Anglesey, the classic racers joined in, as a practice session for the next day's races.

Classic racers? Strange but it never struck me that I lusted after something that might be viewed by others as a classic bike. I have never had an interest in classic bikes. I am lusting after what I thought was the highest performance 125 to hustle round a track. The later GP bikes were singles and perhaps the performance eventually caught up? Anyway the singles sound wrong (so perhaps it isn't all performance!). A bit of fun with one of the last 125 GP singles shown here (is that really road legal?) looks little different to my old TZ. Whereas this sounds more like it even if the rider is pottering round.

 

[awkwardbydesign]

I’ve never used a camera but I know someone who had it mounted on the front of the fairing so the speedo wasn’t visible.I guess the police found still estimate your speed if they measured some fixed points on your your route!

Not sure what you mean about all the mirrors?

On usual trackdays it is advised to remove or turn in your mirrors. At speed, on a track, checking what is behind you is dangerous. Unlike on the road, where it is dangerous to NOT check behind. On track it is (or should be!) the responsibility of the following rider to avoid you. If you start looking behind you can't concentrate on the track. I take mine off. I also remove the stop light bulb so following riders can't see when I brake. The say you shouldn't be racing, but we are only human.
Also a camera on your helmet, or even on the tank, is very dangerous. Imagine that getting embedded in your eye or your bsoft little body!
I never wear a rucksack on the road, and specially not a bike chain. There have been horror stories of arms being ripped off in a crash.

 

[stevec67]

I am lusting after what I thought was the highest performance 125 to hustle round a track. The later GP bikes were singles and perhaps the performance eventually caught up? Anyway the singles sound wrong (so perhaps it isn't all performance!). A bit of fun with one of the last 125 GP singles shown here (is that really road legal?)

Of course it's not, they have stuck trade plates on it so they are insured via the dealer, and in case of trouble with the Plod they have it booked in for an MoT, officer, taking it there now. Yes, no lights, it's a daylight MoT, no obviously I won't be using it after dark. On my way? Yes, I'll do that.

Whereas this sounds more like it even if the rider is pottering round.

That does sound the part. I love the fact that the rev counter only STARTS at 8k rpm.

 

[wow&flutter]

On usual trackdays it is advised to remove or turn in your mirrors. At speed, on a track, checking what is behind you is dangerous. Unlike on the road, where it is dangerous to NOT check behind. On track it is (or should be!) the responsibility of the following rider to avoid you. If you start looking behind you can't concentrate on the track. I take mine off. I also remove the stop light bulb so following riders can't see when I brake. The say you shouldn't be racing, but we are only human.
Also a camera on your helmet, or even on the tank, is very dangerous. Imagine that getting embedded in your eye or your bsoft little body!
I never wear a rucksack on the road, and specially not a bike chain. There have been horror stories of arms being ripped off in a crash.

Thanks for that, all perfectly valid points. As I’ve never been on a track I’ve never thought about these issues!

 

[SteveG]

Thanks for that, all perfectly valid points. As I’ve never been on a track I’ve never thought about these issues!

It might also vary from circuit to circuit as I don't recall being asked to either remove or fold in my mirrors. I'm pretty sure I've been asked to but some tape on them though (to lower the risk of getting broken glass on the circuit if/when I crash).

 

[juz400]

Looking to get mobile again after long break, hope to look at a bike tomorrow morning and maybe que up the bank in the afternoon.
In the time that I have been off the road, the 3 or 4 bike dealers that were localish to me have all gone, they had all been there many years.

Gear is going to be fun trying to get hold of, how do you go about a Lid and Jacket these days? I still have gloves and boots

 

[awkwardbydesign]

Gear is going to be fun trying to get hold of, how do you go about a Lid and Jacket these days? I still have gloves and boots

I bought one of these. It was a bit too big, so I bought another and returned the first one. If I had swapped it, they wanted me to pay for return postage, so I did it the other way. It was actually for driving and general wear, but it's fine on the bike, and the lining comes out. Add better armour if you wish.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Leather-...d=link&campid=5338728743&toolid=20001&mkevt=1
And if you have had a lid you liked and it fitted, buy another. When I wrecked mine at Brands, I simply replaced like with like. Nolans fit my head as it happens, so I stick with them.

 

[awkwardbydesign]

It might also vary from circuit to circuit as I don't recall being asked to either remove or fold in my mirrors. I'm pretty sure I've been asked to but some tape on them though (to lower the risk of getting broken glass on the circuit if/when I crash).

No Limits; https://www.nolimitstrackdays.com/clothing-and-bike-prep.html
Some tracks have required a full licence, some not, but the mirror and camera thing has always been the trackday company, in my experience. And pretty much all of them.

 

[herb]

I never wear a rucksack on the road, and specially not a bike chain. There have been horror stories of arms being ripped off in a crash.

On the other hand when a young lady T-boned me in her Celica one day, I was thankful for my rucksack which acted as a sort of airbag on the Celica's low bonnet and stopped me breaking my back. I was very lucky, though I take your point that in other circumstances they can be dangerous.

 

[Rockmeister]

Gearing up? Wish I was. It was sunny today ond on a narrow country lane I had to move into a field gate to let a bike come past...some happy smiling old git on a new, black and red Enfield Interceptor. Cheery wave, the burble of some clearly not quite legal pipes and he was away, goggles gleaming in the sunset.

Bastard.

 

[Pete MB&D]

Gearing up? Wish I was. It was sunny today ond on a narrow country lane I had to move into a field gate to let a bike come past...some happy smiling old git on a new, black and red Enfield Interceptor. Cheery wave, the burble of some clearly not quite legal pipes and he was away, goggles gleaming in the sunset.

Bastard.

Yep stuck in a car while they whizz past you isn’t nice, which I only lasted 6 months without a bike.

Pete

 

[Enfield boy]

Gearing up? Wish I was. It was sunny today ond on a narrow country lane I had to move into a field gate to let a bike come past...some happy smiling old git on a new, black and red Enfield Interceptor. Cheery wave, the burble of some clearly not quite legal pipes and he was away, goggles gleaming in the sunset.

Bastard.

They're rather nice aren't they? Only managed 20mls so far this year on my chrome one (genuine shopping trip to try out the new panniers).

 

[Rockmeister]

Made worse by there being an Enfield dealer about 2 miles away

 

[stevec67]

On the other hand when a young lady T-boned me in her Celica one day, I was thankful for my rucksack which acted as a sort of airbag on the Celica's low bonnet and stopped me breaking my back. I was very lucky, though I take your point that in other circumstances they can be dangerous.

It goes to show that in a crash you are just rolling the dice. What is more or less likely to happen doesn't really matter if you happen that one time to roll a double six. It wasn't likely, but if you rolled it you rolled it and that's you, for good or ill. This is why we all know one story about someone who wasn't wearing a seatbelt and actually did get thrown clear of a car.

 

[cj66]

... on a new, black and red Enfield Interceptor. Cheery wave, the burble of some clearly not quite legal pipes and he was away, goggles gleaming in the sunset.

Bastard.

Quite a few of those here as well, good looking bike. Waiting for a bit more choice in the lower cc market ( 300/350 ), apparently end of this year or early next. When the roads get busy again here the big bikes become less fun.