Michel's Motors

[Hell Razor5543]

How about a pearlescent scheme (like that used on CGAT CX!)?

[CitroJim]

I'd go for bright orange - like a Ford Focus ST

[Michel]

Damn. I've seen the bike in the flesh, it's a lot better than it looks in the pics I saw. It's black and silver , and original. I'd not want to wrap it as it's a classic Foxeye Fireblade.

[bobins]

Has you driving license just been put on the endangered species list ?

[Michel]

Has you driving license just been put on the endangered species list ?

It only goes as fast as you twist the throttle...

[bobins]

That's neither a confirmation nor denial

[Michel]

That's neither a confirmation nor denial

My little Suzuki will allegedly do an indicated 140. I believe that would allegedly be about a real 128 given the usual innacuracies of older Japanese bike speedos.

[bobins]

I was always under the impression that speeding only becomes an offence if you get caught

[CitroJim]

I was always under the impression that speeding only becomes an offence if you get caught

Love it!

[Gibbo2286]

All the above comments apply equally to pedestrians, if car drivers are obliged to wear seat belts, cyclists and motor bikers crash helmets why the hell aren't pedestrians obliged to wear some high viz clothing after dark?

[Hell Razor5543]

I have noticed (or rather, almost failed to notice) the number of cyclists out after dark without any lights or hi vis gear.

My Mum used to live in Germany. Around 30 years ago it was illegal to have cycle lights that were battery operated. This meant that the only lights you could fit to a bicycle were those powered by a dynamo. That made things interesting at junctions after dark.

[Michel]

All the above comments apply equally to pedestrians, if car drivers are obliged to wear seat belts, cyclists and motor bikers crash helmets ..

I agree with you Gibbo, however there is, thankfully, no legislation about wearing a cycle helmet. I completely agree with this article..

https://www.cyclinguk.org/campaigning/v ... le-helmets

I don't like the damn things at all. They take away the "freedom" of being on a bicycle for me. I occasionally wear one. If legislation is brought in for them, then I also want to see legislation brought in for ALL cyclists, whether motor or not, to wear full protective gear, with CE armour, and textile or leather outers.

If I fall off my bike wearing leathers and the CE approved armour, and my helmet at 35mph, without hitting anything before I come to a stop, and Jim falls off his bicycle at 35mph on a downhill run, wearing a cycling helmet and lycra shorts and top... who do you think is going to come off worse, with awful gravel rash and skin injuries? It's unlikely to be me, that's for sure. The only part of a cyclist protected is their head, which to me, is totally pointless if the rest isn't.

[Gibbo2286]

A cycle helmet might have saved me some grief when I was sixteen, hit a dog in the dark (so the witness said) ended up with a fractured skull and three months off work.
Helmets weren't even thought of then I think, I continued as before biking to work through the city traffic until I was twenty four and bought my first car.

[CitroJim]

Helmets, DRLs and, now the dirty weather is approaching, mudguards are compulsory wear for our organised club bike rides...

Sportives too insist on helmets - 'No helmet, no ride...'

Both, are insurance requirements I believe...

Helmets are a moot point and I'm not entering the debate except to say that yes Mike, If I drop my bike at 35mph coming downhill then I'll indeed get a bit of gravel rash, likely break my clavicle and maybe other skeletal injuries... They will - by and large - recover... If I bash my head during said accident with no lid then I risk brain injury and likely of the nature I'll not recover from fully. If I'm wearing a lid then there is a good chance those injuries may not be so severe and recovery will be possible.

I wear a lid always and now if I go out without I immediately know... It's become like wearing a seatbelt. A habit...

But, having said all of that I too agree with the UK Cycling standpoint that it should be an individual choice and the benefits of cycling far and away outweigh the risks of serious injury a helmet may mitigate. UKC's viewpoint is that cycling must remain fully accessible to all and helmet legislation may well restrict that... Fair enough...

Helmets in cycle racing have been compulsory for years... Witness the many and frequent horrible spills in the pro peloton - very few result in serous head injuries... Many broken bones, spectacular gravel rash but the skull remains intact...

Hi-visibility is a must, as is good cycle lighting... I have been a victim several times, whilst running, of cyclists wearing dark clothing on a dark bike in the dark with no lights... They're lethal... I light myself up with a head torch when running and wear bright clothing...

I once had a black cycling rain jacket... The most stupid colour you could imagine! I now have a bright white one and a fluorescent yellow one...

Modern bike lights are very effective and have long battery lives so there is no excuse at all... My lights in DRL mode will burn for over 8 hours and that covers all but the very longest rides...

[Hell Razor5543]

One thing that really bugs me is when cyclists have very bright lights flashing at the oncoming vehicles, distracting the drivers. Many decades ago, when I passed the CPT we were taught that the primary use of the front cycle light is to illuminate the road in front, so that you can see where you are going (but a secondary effect was to make yourself visible to other road users). The beam was pointing about 10 - 20 feet ahead at the ground, so you could see pot holes, drain covers, and so on. Now the lights seem to be set to dazzle oncoming road users, and do little to show the road ahead. The beam is not pointing at the ground, but parallel to the ground. If my vehicles (personal or company) did this I would get pulled, and have to get the lights corrected.