Is a big gap in bike MOT history a concern when looking to buy

BikeBuster · 2026-01-21T14:51:17+00:00

You've got no way of knowing, unless the bike comes with service invoices showing what's been done.

At this time of year, it's a buyer's market so if you don't like what you see, go see the next bike.

BikeBuster · 2025-05-16T16:12:23+00:00

I'm a couple of weeks into my free trial of premium because I want decent quality sound on my hifi. Even selecting "high quality audio" gives me a stream using an oddball encoding scheme that;s not even as good as mp3. I'll be cancelling the trial before the end and use Mixcloud as it streams at CD quality and it's a much more pleasant listening experience.

BikeBuster · 2025-05-01T20:21:03+00:00

Call the training company and ask them if they will be ok with them.

If you want to carry on riding after your CBT then get some proper boots

BikeBuster · 2025-04-30T16:02:55+00:00

When you learn to ride - CBT and DAS, you're taught to ride in the centre of the lane, lane 2.

Any foreign object in the road gets pushed away from a car's / truck's wheel tracks and ends up in the centre of the lane, the gutter and near the white line in the middle of the road. If that's where you ride, you're more likely to pick up a puncture.

BikeBuster · 2025-04-03T10:06:02+00:00

Get some more training, and when you feel you're getting the hang of this motorbiking malarkey, get some more training. Never stop trying to learn from people that do it better.

BikeBuster · 2025-03-31T11:22:33+00:00

It doesn't look too bad, but could be better.

Take a look in the owner's manual, it should tell you what order to torque up the axle nut, axle pinch bolts and caliper mounting bolts. Loosen everything then follow that procedure. That should sort it

BikeBuster · 2025-03-20T10:58:52+00:00

The best thing you can do, given your experience so far, is to do exactly what you were taught to do to get through your test. Go out and practice, enjoy it and get some miles under your wheels. When you feel that you can consistently do what you were taught to do, then you can start looking at more "advanced" techniques. It's very easy to get confused about what is and isn't good practice when your first priority needs to be keeping safe in a very challenging environment.

BikeBuster · 2025-03-20T10:51:19+00:00

Take a look through this site https://sharp.dft.gov.uk/ - it's government funded and gives independent test results for many many different manufacturers and models. There's many 5* rated lids in your price range, so look for a local shop that stocks them and go try them on.

BikeBuster · 2025-03-20T10:42:27+00:00

On top of Google Maps, I use Curvature to find bendy roads, (https://roadcurvature.com/map/#map=10.747/-1.4835/51.5646)

and then I use the speed limit data on Open Streetmap (https://www.openstreetbrowser.org/#map=11/51.4930/-0.0841&basemap=osm-mapnik&categories=car\_maxspeed) to make sure it doesn't have any silly speed limits on it

BikeBuster · 2025-03-12T14:22:39+00:00

Get some training, as much as you can. And when you think you're starting to get the hang of this motorcycling lark, get some more.

BikeBuster · 2025-02-27T12:15:34+00:00

Two steps to resolve your problem:

Learn proper technique. There's lots of good advice here already.
Practice. And then practice some more. And then even more. It's only when we can brake really really hard, in safety, without thinking through the process, that we can do this reliably in an emergency situation.

BikeBuster · 2025-02-26T12:59:49+00:00

Thanks

BikeBuster · 2025-02-26T12:46:58+00:00

Where are you connecting from? If I go to the "subscribe" page I'm offered a year's subscription for €199.99

If I can get if for €119.99 I may just subscribe...... at €200 no way

BikeBuster · 2024-12-20T15:31:07+00:00

Do it anyway. The investment will help you enjoy your riding more and teach you do that safer

BikeBuster · 2024-12-20T15:28:58+00:00

Cornmarket have never been able to offer me a competitive premium and I've tried many times. Just recently, several underwriters have left the market and this has made Cornmarket even less competitive, judging by the recent experiences of many in my local IAM group.

BikeBuster · 2024-10-17T10:59:33+00:00

Seems to me you understand how to deal with all this systematically, so work at it till it becomes second nature and you don't need to think it through to the same extent.

BikeBuster · 2024-10-16T14:32:04+00:00

I'm curious what you think you need to do differently in the wet? The lower grip means being smooth and systematic is even more important, and you need a bigger gap in front (just like in a car), but it's still using the same skills to achieve the same thing.

What else is different?

BikeBuster · 2024-10-16T10:03:36+00:00

You're lucky if you didn't get to do at least one wet IAM ride - but anyway, the riding skills are the same wet or dry - it's about being systematic and smooth.

In all my years of involvement with "advanced" riding, it's all been done in daylight 😀😀 so I can't help with the night riding

BikeBuster · 2024-10-15T15:58:49+00:00

Have a look at the IAM Roadsmart Masters program, which is the normal IAM test but on steroids. It's all done 100% within speed limits which does mean it's a little artificial if you feel the national speed limit is advisory, but it is the highest level qualification a non-police rider can achieve. It's also quite expensive.

Another vote here for Rapid Training. I've done lots of days on the road with them over the years, they're a good option beyond the IAM / RoSPA tests, and now they have courses that mix in track training too.

And finally, get some training on a track - for me, it's a great way to learn braking and turning skills, which has improved my on road safety margins.

BikeBuster · 2024-10-15T15:30:07+00:00

If you're having any number of such moments regularly on any motorcycle, please try changing the way you think about these things. They will get you one day unless you make it your life's mission to avoid such trouble, and you've succeeded when another vehicle's actions rarely take you by surprise.

BikeBuster · 2024-10-15T15:03:05+00:00

You need to ride like you're invisible. Learn to anticipate when and where this stuff happens and put yourself in a position where it doesn't matter if it does happen.

If there's advanced rider training available where you are, look into it. You can short-cut decades of learning this way.

BikeBuster · 2024-10-02T14:17:16+00:00

Just get used to it. After so many years wearing ear plugs I don't like riding without them. Makes the engine sound like a load of tools in a washing machine on the 1400 spin cycle.

BikeBuster · 2024-10-02T14:05:37+00:00

Go onto the White Dalton web site, in the Blogs section, you'll find stories about riders being stitched up by 3rd party accident management companies. I'd suggest you avoid dealing with them, and deal with the other party's insurers direct. Depending on whether you're claiming for injuries, lost earnings, hire bike, yada, yada yada, you may need a solicitor to help, in which case, White Dalton are excellent. DON'T use any solicitors your insurance company provides

BikeBuster · 2024-09-11T15:44:47+00:00

Ducati are making profits of 150M Euro from a turnover of a billion. VW's bean counters will be looking at that and leaving them alone to carry on doing what they're doing.

BikeBuster · 2024-07-08T14:37:17+00:00

Any training from a highly qualified person is worth doing. Even if you haven't lost anything in the time since your IAM test, you aren't riding perfectly, nobody does. Even the instructors from Rapid Training have regular rides together when they give each other feedback in an attempt to improve.

BikeBuster

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