New Readers

I am getting lots of new readers to my blog now, especially from google searches and directories such as condron.us , blogger home, amongst others.. Welcome to you all 🙂

I hope you will pop back more often as I make daily entries about all things motorcycling.

Wicked Gift Ideas – Mugs

While wandering through Amazon the other day I came across these mugs and absolutely loved them..

Here are just a few, but if you click on the images they will take you to a store where you can find loads more..

Or if you follow this link it will take you to the store where they are all listed

Up to 75% off at cyclegear.com!!

See all the motorcycle items on sale at www.cyclegear.com – up to 75% off!

How to Improve Your Riding Skills

It is so much better to know exactly what you should be doing instead of just hoping you are doing it right. So I have decided to ;ist a fe books which will help you become a better and safer rider. The first one is:

The Motorcycle Foundation’s Guide to Motorcycling Excellence: Skills, Knowledge and Strategies for Riding Right

This is the most authoritative book ever published on safe riding techniques for current and future motorcyclists. Founded in 1973, the Motorcycle Safety Foundation (MSF) is recognised internationally for its rider-training program, which has been applied world-wide by thousands of trainers in instructing more than three million motorcyclists the skills necessary to remain safe and have fun on the road.

This book is the core of what the MSF has learned about teaching students of all ages and experience levels and is a brilliant refresher for anyone who has ever taken an MSF course, and an eye-opener for those who haven’t. In an open, engaging style with detailed diagrams and comprehensive full-colour pictures and illustrations, the book encompasses rider mental attitude, protective riding gear, pre-ride inspection, maintenance, and troubleshooting, as well as basic and advanced street skills.

This new edition of “Motorcycling Excellence” provides the opportunity for every motorcyclist, to identify for him or herself the kicks and delights of “riding right” by getting the best from self and machine.

Products To Help You Get Through Your Motorbike Test

As it wasn’t that long ago that I learned to ride I thought it may be an idea to include a section for those learning to ride in the UK which gives you an opportunity to get hold of those all important books and DVD’s which will help you along your way.

So rather than you having to traipse all around the shops trying to find the book you want I will list them in here.  Click on either the links or the photos for more information.

My first offering is the Official DSA Theory Test Guide which will help you prepare and pass your theory test first time round. This Number 1 best selling guide, revamped for the 2008-2009 test, is written by those who set the test and is chock full of hints and tips to help you along the way.

The bank of questions for the test was changed in September 2008 but not all of them were changed. So if you are studying for your test after that date it might be worthwhile getting the new disc, so you are practising the up-to-date questions.

Theory Test Guide 2008/2009 Edition

Secondly is the Official DSA Guide to Hazard Perception.. Now I got in a right tizzy over doing the hazard perception part of the test and I can honestly say that this totally prepared me for something I was sure I was going to fail. I would definately recommend it if you are looking at taking your bike test.

Hazard Perception DVD

Motorbikes Girls CAN Ride

Now I know this entry is in twice but this one is off the old blogger blog and I didnt want to lose the comments on it, so please excuse the duplication of the entry..

One of the common questions asked by girls who are new to motorcycling is “What bikes can I ride?”

As we girls are generally smaller than guys, finding a bike we can physically fit on can be difficult at times and some girls believe they will be limited in their choice if they are of small stature.

In a bid to try and answer this question I have posted the question on a few female motorcycle forums and compiled a list of motorbikes that girls are riding now. As you can see from my list, some of the girls have kindly supplied information about how the bike was adjusted, eg lowered, suspension adjusted, seats carved out, etc, to make it a bit smaller for them so they could ride it.

You may want to check out these posts in which I am listing the different models of motorcycles you can buy Hyperpro Ride Height Adjustment Kits for. 

Honda

Kawasaki

Suzuki

Yamaha

Please note the list is NOT recommendations on which bike you should buy, its a list showing the different bikes the girls who responded to my question are riding.

For the most part female bikers arn’t bothered if they can’t get both feet flat on the floor, as long as they can ride the motorbike of their choice. I know there are other considerations such as inside leg measurement, weight of bike, etc., to be taken into account when choosing a motorbike and I will cover those in other posts to the blog.

As and when I get any further information I will add it to the entry so that it is kept up to date. If you are a female rider and you are riding a bike which isn’t shown in the list, please feel free to add a comment telling me and I will quite happily add it to the list. 

Also take a look at these posts which contain more information about how you can ride the bike you really want 🙂

Choosing Your First ‘Big’ Bike

Daytona Ladystar (M-Star) Boots – Help For The Vertically Challenged Motorcyclist

Girls and Modern Sports Bikes

If you are new to riding take a look at these products which will help you pass your theory, hazard perception tests and motorcycle tests.

For those who have already passed it here are a few recommendations to help you improve your riding.

Under 5’ Tall
Suzuki GSF400 Bandit –
Honda CBR400RR –
Yamaha R6 2004 –
Honda CB400T –

5’ Tall
Yamaha R6 (2002) – No adjustment but couldn’t flat foot
Suzuki GSX 600F – No adjustment but couldn’t flat foot
Kawasaki GPZ500 –
Suzuki GSXR1000 K6 – Suspension lowered, forks dropped slightly
Ducati Hypermotard – Suspension lowered, ride height adjuster on lowest setting
Honda CBR600RR –
Suzuki GSX-R600 K8 – lowered
Suzuki GSX-R600 K6 – – no adjusment but on balls of feet/tiptoes
Honda CBR600F –
Suzuki SV650S –

5’1” Tall
Kawasaki Ninja – Suspension lowered and on tip toes

5’2 Tall
Honda CBR 600 F – Hyperpro lowering kit, front forks dropped.
Honda CBR400RRN – No adjustment
Kawasaki ZZR600
Honda Shadow 750
Suzuki GSX-R600 K6
Honda CBR600F
Suzuki SV650S
Suzuki 400 Bandit
Kawasaki 750 Zephyr
Suzuki SV650 – Lowered but feet still not flat on the floor
Kawasaki ZXR400 – No adjustment
Yamaha Virago 535 – No adjustment and both feet flat on floor
BMW F650GS – No adjustment but on balls of the feet

5’3” Tall
Honda CBR 929 RRY Fireblade – No adjustment, but only one flat foot
Honda CBR400RR – No adjustment
Honda CBR400 – No adjustment
Suzuki GS500F
Yamaha YZF600R Thundercat – lowered
Yamaha R6 – Lowered
Suzuki SV650S – Suspension and forks lowered, but still on balls of feet
Ducati Monster 695 – No adjustment and on balls of feet
Kawasaki ER5 – Lowered suspension, carved out seat
Ducati 749s – No adjustment
Yamaha FZS600
Suzuki SV650 – No adjustment but on balls of feet
BMW R1200 ST

5’4” Tall
Honda CBR600fx – Bike lowered, can almost flat foot.
Suzuki GSR600 – No adjustment but on tip toes
Suzuki Bandit – No adjustment
Kawasaki ER6f – No adjustment, almost flat foot
Honda RVF 400 – No adjustment
Yamaha Diversion 600
BMW F650GS
Honda Transalp – Seat lowered
Suzuki VZ800 Marauder – No adjustment
Honda CBR600fx – No adjustment but on balls of feet
Suzuki GSR600 – No Adjustment
Suzuki Bandit 400 – No adjustment
Kawasaki ER6f – No adjustment
Honda CBR 600 – No adjustment
Suzuki XF650 Freewind – Bike lowered
Suzuki Bandit 600 – Suspension lowered
Triumph Street Triple – No adjustment but on balls of the feet

5’5” Tall
Suzuki GS500 – No adjustment
Yamaha Fazer 600 – No Adjustment
Honda VFR400 NC30 – No adjustment
Triumph Street Triple
Cagiva 1000
Suzuki SV650 – No adjustment
Kawasaki Z1000 – No adjustment, but on balls of both feet
Kawasaki GPZ500s – No adjustment and feet flat on floor
Ducati Monster 620sie – No adjustment and both feet flat on floor
Suzuki Bandit 400V – No adjustment
Honda VFR400 – No adjustment
Kawasaki ZX6R (G1) – Seat lowered
Moto Guzzi Breva 750
Honda CBR1000 (2008) – no adjustment, one flat foot or both toes on floor

5’6” Tall
Honda VFR700, 07
Honda CB600F Hornet
Honda CB1000R – No adjustment
Yamaha Fazer 600 – No adjustment but cant flat foot
Suzuki SV650 – No adjustment and both feet flat on floor
Kawasaki ER6 – No adjustment
Kawasaki ZX6R – No adjustment and both feet flat on floor
Suzuki GS500F – No adjustment and feet flat on floor
Honda Hornet 900 – No adjustment and both feet flat on floor

5’7″ Tall
Honda VFR400 – had space between self and bike!
Honda VFR800 – balls of both feet, or one foot flat the other ‘balancing’
CCMR30 – bought already lowered, same as VFR400
Honda Hornet 900 – balls of both feet, or one foot flat the other ‘balancing’
Yamaha FZ1 – one foot flat, the other almost flat
KTM Duke – balls of both feet, or one foot flat the other ‘balancing’
Triumph Sprint ST – balls of both feet, or one foot flat the other ‘balancing’
Triumph Tiger – tip toes or one foot flat the other flailing!
Suzuki Bandit 1250GT – one foot flat, the other almost flat

5’8 and over
Triumph Street Triple
Honda CBR 600F
Ducati 916 Monster
GSXR750 Special
Honda CBR954 Streetfighter
Ducati Monster 620
Honda XRV750 Africa Twin
Ducati Monster 620
Kawasaki Z500
Suzuki SV650
Kawasaki GPZ 500s – No adjustment

Mornings…

Why is it some mornings you wake up a fresh as a daisy and others, like today for me, you wake up feeling completely shattered and as if you haven’t had a wink of sleep all night? I cant remember having any dreams which disturbed my sleep, I didn’t wake up in the night like I sometimes do nor do I recall anything else which may explain my tiredness. So what on earth happened last night?

I went to bed as usual last night, and fell asleep after a while and that was it until this morning when the alarm clock rudely disturbed the peace! I did ignore it I must admit and didn’t crawl out of bed until I absolutely had to. I’m now sitting at my computer wishing I could go back to bed for an hour or two but that would only have 2 outcomes.

1. I would probably feel worse as a nap might not be enough to make me feel any better
2. It would make it more difficult for me to get to sleep tonight

So I’m going to have to struggle through the day, yawning my head off like I am now and just collapse when I get in from work later.

I want to go to back to bed and get some more sleep.. But I cant!

A Good And A Bad Day

The bad part of the day was waking up with a horrific headache which soon turned into a migraine. I’ve spent most of the day battling with painkillers trying to get it sorted out and mercifully it looks like it isn’t going to be a long migraine this time, which I very glad about.

The good part of the day was as follows.

Late this afternoon I went out to buy a few bits at one of the shops in town and came away with a little bit more than I was expecting.. A JOB!!!

I’ve never had that before, I have gone out to buy food and come home with 2 Guinea Pigs!! They were cute and I love Guinea Pigs so bought them on the spot.. But I have ever gone shopping and ended up with a job.

It’s good timing too, what with Christmas coming up and me starting to panic a little after losing my job 6 weeks ago.

It looks like Christmas may be back on in our house now.. woohoo!!

And Now For Something Completely Silly..

Ok, so I’m in a daft mood today, it must be something to do with waiting up for Sideshow Bob to come home at 2am and only having four and a half hours sleep..

I came across this Silly Name Generator and decided it had to go on my blog today (child that I am!!!)

My new name generated as Buttercup Bananasniffer

How about the rest of you?

Happy Birthday Sideshow Bob

HAPPY BIRTHDAY HUNNI

40 YEARS YOUNG TODAY

If you want to know what Sideshow Bob had to say on the subject click here