I want to get a bike license

[Hachi Roku]

Random question but what can you get away with when filtering on A roads? I normally go straight to the front of any queues im in but the other day there was a bike cop and i bottled it and stayed a few cars back . Also whats the deal with overtaking with on coming traffic? Is it legal if its safe and nobody has to swerve to avoid you?

[clai cerrig]

How many miles per day are you thinking ?

sent from t'internet

JW day 1 is normally a blast from NWales to get Le Shuttle then its about a 50Km to the Bunk house where we base ourselves for 3 nights ( Looking at a ride to Brugge 1 day ) Round the battle fields etc Then down the coast towards Normandy 3 nights do pegasus bridge Bauex for the tapestry St Michels on the Mount then back up to the bunkhouse ready for the last night then home .

We dont do mega miles or speeds just look for nice biking roads that link us up with the target destination

[voodoo_melon]

Random question but what can you get away with when filtering on A roads? I normally go straight to the front of any queues im in but the other day there was a bike cop and i bottled it and stayed a few cars back . Also whats the deal with overtaking with on coming traffic? Is it legal if its safe and nobody has to swerve to avoid you?

I go straight to the front unless my route there is blocked. The only time you should be careful if there's police around is if it's a pedestrian crossing with the zig-zag lines as you're not supposed to overtake on them so you could be ticketed for it. Chances are you won't, but depends on if you want to risk it.

You can overtake against oncoming traffic but I tend to be far more cautious as you can't back out so easily if the situation changes.

[Jonny Wilkinson]

Random question but what can you get away with when filtering on A roads? I normally go straight to the front of any queues im in but the other day there was a bike cop and i bottled it and stayed a few cars back . Also whats the deal with overtaking with on coming traffic? Is it legal if its safe and nobody has to swerve to avoid you?

Making an extra lane for yourself can be seen as reckless driving. You still need to apply the rules about crossing solid white lines and if you cross into the oncoming lane, you need to be back well before the oncoming traffic.

Also, remember that long dashed lines mean hazard ahead so you might need to explain to the nice man why you were overtaking on the approach to a hazard.

https://www.gov.uk/general-rules-all...oad-127-to-132

If the traffic is stationary in your lane you can filter but I would do so slowly and only go to the front if I could get at least part of the bike ahead of the lead car.

Unless I was in London, if there were only 3-4 cars, I'd wait my turn as its very little gain for the risk of p!ssing others off.

Special rules apply to London riding as you have to ride like a courier to avoid getting mown down by a real one.

[Jonny Wilkinson]

JW day 1 is normally a blast from NWales to get Le Shuttle then its about a 50Km to the Bunk house where we base ourselves for 3 nights ( Looking at a ride to Brugge 1 day ) Round the battle fields etc Then down the coast towards Normandy 3 nights do pegasus bridge Bauex for the tapestry St Michels on the Mount then back up to the bunkhouse ready for the last night then home .

We dont do mega miles or speeds just look for nice biking roads that link us up with the target destination

Hmm. I don't think my bike would be the right thing to try that on. Maybe I could hire something a bit more "sensible". I'll have a sniff round and see what I can find out.

Dates are fixed at 1st to 8th July, yes ?

[arry]

if it's a pedestrian crossing with the zig-zag lines as you're not supposed to overtake on them so you could be ticketed for it.

Only if you overtake the lead vehicle - you can overtake any others so long as you do not pass the one nearest the crossing.
https://www.gov.uk/using-the-road-15...ngs-191-to-199

[arry]

Hello fellow Bike enthusiasts i am currently planning a weeks trip round Northern France Tue 1st to Tue 8th July doing the Somme - Normandy battle fields etc

So far its me my bro and Mike going with the Chunnel and booking B&B and bunkhouses as accommodation so if anyone fancy joining us drop me a PM with contact details and i`ll get back to you as i can

Quick costings are Chunnel £70 return and Bunkhouse E17 /Night including Brekkie

Clai

When would you need confirmation Dave?

[Jonny Wilkinson]

When would you need confirmation Dave?

That's scuppered any plans I had to borrow your bike then

[arry]

Haha

I doubt you'd want to go on my ratty old trumpet mate

[Jonny Wilkinson]

Haha

I doubt you'd want to go on my ratty old trumpet mate

My word. You have fallen out of love with it ! It'd be more reliable and 1 gazillion times more comfy than my bike.

I think I might just buy another bike to do the trip on. Something a bit more tourerrrrerery. Maybe a VFR800 or a Chunderace or flying teapot or something.

[arry]

It needs a service mate; well actually it needs more than a service it needs a bloody good tidy up. And because I've not been using it much it's just not on my radar to sort.

You can borrow wifey's YBR if you want

[clai cerrig]

When would you need confirmation Dave?

Totally up to you arry we have done it last min before and it still pans out ok

I`m phoning the bunkhouse tomorrow to see about availability etc Le Shuttle is an easy booking

http://www.lesballastieres.com/index.html

JW the dates are pretty much fixed as that`s when the we can all make it given other family commitments Tues 1st -Tues 8th July

[Maddog1982]

Being as this threads turned into a pretty much ask all advice thread, has any one got any opinions on aftermarket levers? I have adjust my clutch lever but Im still not happy with it, I love the look of the ASV C5s and seem to offer the most adjustment but pricey at £80 a lever. Anyone fitted ASVs on here?

[Jonny Wilkinson]

I taxed my bike the day before yesterday so I've been whizzing around for the last couple of days with a stupid grin on my face

Apart from a couple of moments where I've had rear traction issues due to cold tyres and a poor memory regards winter riding , its been all good.

She sailed through an MOT and got the latest map from Aprilia which quietens the top end at tickover and reduces snatching at below 4k rpm so its a bit more rideable round town.

I got to go for a proper blast afterwards down the A12 then some B-roads so I've been rediscovering what 100-and-stupid bhp is like. I'd almost forgotten how entertaining it is

re: ASV levers - I was looking at them for my race bike but never got around to fitting them.

I've used Pazzo levers before and they are really good and I've used other products from CRG (engine cases) and they are nice kit.

I guess it comes down to your wallet really. ASVs are dearer than Pazzo but more adjustable.

One word of warning - if you get flip-ups, think carefully before you do if you plan on doing winter riding. When you've got big thick gloves on, its possible to fold them out of the way when you are trying to get your hand from round the grip to over the lever. Not what you want in an emergency. If its a track bike though, its useful as the levers often don't break, they just fold out of the way. For a road bike, its just pose value as levers will be the least of your worries if the bike goes down.

[Maddog1982]

I taxed my bike the day before yesterday so I've been whizzing around for the last couple of days with a stupid grin on my face

Apart from a couple of moments where I've had rear traction issues due to cold tyres and a poor memory regards winter riding , its been all good.

She sailed through an MOT and got the latest map from Aprilia which quietens the top end at tickover and reduces snatching at below 4k rpm so its a bit more rideable round town.

I got to go for a proper blast afterwards down the A12 then some B-roads so I've been rediscovering what 100-and-stupid bhp is like. I'd almost forgotten how entertaining it is

re: ASV levers - I was looking at them for my race bike but never got around to fitting them.

I've used Pazzo levers before and they are really good and I've used other products from CRG (engine cases) and they are nice kit.

I guess it comes down to your wallet really. ASVs are dearer than Pazzo but more adjustable.

One word of warning - if you get flip-ups, think carefully before you do if you plan on doing winter riding. When you've got big thick gloves on, its possible to fold them out of the way when you are trying to get your hand from round the grip to over the lever. Not what you want in an emergency. If its a track bike though, its useful as the levers often don't break, they just fold out of the way. For a road bike, its just pose value as levers will be the least of your worries if the bike goes down.

I thought the exact same thing as I hadn't been on a bike for a good 2 years! Huge grin factor, wont be long before its warm and the tyres are good and sticky. With regards to gloves, I only ever wear summer gloves. Oxford heated grips ensure my hands are warm! I really like the look of the ASV's saw them at the bike show a few years back and they have always stuck with me how well they were made. I just want more adjustment in the clutch. Looked at pazzos there not far off the price of ASV's also looked at titax to but none have impressed me as much as the ASV's

[Jonny Wilkinson]

TBH, titax always look a bit tacky to me. Something about the anodising that doesn't look like it would last somehow.

Are you planning on getting shorties ? Some people complain of aching if their clutch is at all heavy as you have to two-finger-pull them. Also, you need brakes that can be pulled full, full on with just two fingers or shorties are going to impair your braking ability.

For a road bike, I think the full-size Pazzos are probably better as they don't flip up and they are 6-way adjustable so still have a good range of span. £150 from Jesters for your bike if you pick gold levers and black adjusters How much are the ASVs ?

[arry]

The pazzo copies are good - and much cheaper

[clai cerrig]

ASV shorties on both my Triumph and Ducati highly recommended by me

[Maddog1982]

TBH, titax always look a bit tacky to me. Something about the anodising that doesn't look like it would last somehow.

Are you planning on getting shorties ? Some people complain of aching if their clutch is at all heavy as you have to two-finger-pull them. Also, you need brakes that can be pulled full, full on with just two fingers or shorties are going to impair your braking ability.

For a road bike, I think the full-size Pazzos are probably better as they don't flip up and they are 6-way adjustable so still have a good range of span. £150 from Jesters for your bike if you pick gold levers and black adjusters How much are the ASVs ?

I want the full length ones, not keen on using two fingers to brake at all. There £80 each from calsport so not a lot in it.

[arry]

Just get the cheaper CNC copies - I bought a set for the CBR and was surprised how well made they are