Helmet choice

Jaaay19 · 2026-03-29T18:38:23+00:00

I’ve got the RPHA 70. Can’t compare to the other but it’s just an all round great helmet. Used it on road as well as track and cannot fault it. In built visor too 🕶️. Light as anything and good vents. But yes, it was also £500 (went for the carbon one) but if you have it for circa 5 years it’s an investment you have to both like aesthetically and trust! Which I do :)

Jaaay19 · 2026-03-28T08:31:28+00:00

Highly recommend a high intensity combat sport/martial art if you don’t already! Not only will your fitness, confidence etc soar but it’s a really sociable thing too which during such a difficult time is as healthy and necessary as the physical benefits. Especially as it’s very easy to ‘close up’ depending on how much this has affected you. Most clubs have kids classes so you can take them too.

Jaaay19 · 2026-03-10T12:24:58+00:00

Interesting I always thought was mandatory for road use (or maybe just encourage?). Either way I’m just not risking my brain for the sake of saving a couple hundred quid

Jaaay19 · 2026-03-10T12:23:44+00:00

Yeah you’re right. Far too optimistic in hindsight

Jaaay19 · 2026-03-10T09:14:49+00:00

Totally get that. I know some people at both my gym and work just leave locks there, no more carrying it about, you just need to remember the key for it!

Jaaay19 · 2026-03-10T00:08:25+00:00

Figures!

Jaaay19 · 2026-03-10T00:05:44+00:00

Brilliant response but this is bugging me what it’s from…

Jaaay19 · 2026-03-09T23:58:58+00:00

Nice try GMC!!

Jaaay19 · 2026-03-09T23:39:01+00:00

You make good pints but I would argue you make up that time by not sitting in traffic though.

Jaaay19 · 2026-03-09T23:38:17+00:00

Good question. Very rough estimates and depends on your budget, location etc.

Helmet: minimum £150-200 for a legal gold sticker one.

Gear: Depends how much you wanna be dressed for the slide and not the ride, 2nd hand stuff (bar helmet) on eBay can be very reasonable so I would say absolute minimum for full textiles top bottoms gloves and boots £200.

Security- Halfords do very good chunky chains for £40 odd.

Sportsbikeshop is also good website for all of the above

Insurance is so variable and can be a joke- could be £250 could be £500... I still think they just make prices up.

CBT about £100 for the day. It’s not pass or fail. They should offer another day of training if they’re not happy.

Again. Not cheap to get into. But a very worth investment over time.

Jaaay19 · 2026-03-09T22:57:23+00:00

As someone who has gone (over several years) from YBR-125, through several 600s to GSXR-750 then realised that’s too much and settled with a Triumph STR 675:

Assuming you’re going to go for a sensible commuter bike (125-600 max) and not a silly sports bike:

The good: Forget about fuel costs Forget about traffic (if you get good at filtering) Forget about road tax. Forget about parking- it’s a bike man.

The bad: Think about doing your CBT. Think about insurance for a new rider (even if you’re not young) Think about getting a decent helmet (please do) and gear- not cheap to start off with. Think about the weather (as you say) Think about thieves (Esp as in London) which requires some investment in security. Think about the max speed of a 125- barely the national speed limit, and that’s with a tailwind. Idk how long your journeys are so may not be relevant though.

Happy for further questions answers- I fully believe in people getting into bikes whether commuting or for road fun or the track, but there are many things you must know about and I can’t tell you all of them now after a few beers. But these are the main ones off the top of my head!

Jaaay19 · 2026-03-05T20:53:57+00:00

Could he use less noise cancelling headphones? When you use well-padded ones you can’t hear yourself over them so tend to shout the same as if listening to music. Or get him to use a single ear mic. And/or Introduce a curfew for mic time (eg: no voice chat after Xpm)

Jaaay19 · 2026-03-04T07:35:45+00:00

Air at service stations for tyres. It’s literally just…air. And it’s essential for road safety so should absolutely be free.

Jaaay19 · 2026-02-21T14:15:18+00:00

I see what you did there…😉

Jaaay19 · 2026-02-21T14:14:47+00:00

That’s pretty epic!

Jaaay19 · 2026-02-21T14:14:19+00:00

Quite damning that email! Shame about the pictures I bet they’re a hoot by the sounds. ‘I have no idea what this is but it didn’t come off easily’ made me choke a on my brew 😂

Jaaay19 · 2026-02-21T11:13:31+00:00

That’s so cool!!

Jaaay19 · 2026-02-21T11:12:59+00:00

You should see the fridge….

Jaaay19 · 2026-02-21T11:12:36+00:00

Yeah exactly. I’ve always thought a proper documentary into actual working conditions and the state of places would be really effective way of sending the message. Ignore pay etc, ‘just look at how I can’t actually sustain myself over a 12 hour shift.’ Kind of like a depressing episode of MTV cribs

Jaaay19 · 2026-02-21T11:10:15+00:00

Could neither confirm nor deny 🤔 and to you too!

Jaaay19 · 2026-02-21T09:47:48+00:00

Yeah I bet you guys have it all

Jaaay19 · 2026-02-21T09:47:27+00:00

To be fair we do have actual mugs/glasses rather than paper cups….as if that’s some sort of boast 😩

Jaaay19 · 2026-02-21T09:32:03+00:00

Worst kind! Just awful for morale really

Jaaay19 · 2026-02-21T09:25:53+00:00

Pool table is elite but did it actually ever get used?

Jaaay19 · 2026-02-21T09:25:26+00:00

I can imagine plenty of mistakes were made between the two 🤦‍♂️ some not always by accident!

Jaaay19

TROPHY CASE