Evening all, a little update.

Hi everyone,

I just thought I'd let you all know that I picked up Snowcat's old bike last tuesday and I am really chuffed with it. I went over to Leeds to pick her up and ended up buying some leathers and boots, and manage to save a healthy £120 too. I also managed to pick up a nice Haga replica Arai chaser for half price from a local dealer

My boss came over with me to pick the cat up and rode her back to Teesside. Then as it was such a nice day and he enjoyed riding the cat back that much, he went home and got his gixer 1000 out of the garage, for the first time in six weeks, for a blowout, and then he dropped it new tank,screen and various small scratches!! Oh, and apparently it was my fault, as the cat had wetted his appetite for a ride out.

As you may or may not know I hadn't started any of my training when I bought the cat. Well, that was rectified this week with a rather eventful introduction to my CBT. I was taken out on the road, in the p*$sing down rain with 40mph winds, on a CG 125, accompanied by a 16 year old lad on a scooter. Trouble was though, this 16 year old had never even seen a highway code, never mind read one!

Cue me nearly rear ending him, when he stopped to give way to an imaginary vehicle at a traffic calmed area of road, where the oncoming imaginary traffic had right of way. So, emergency stop done, on a white line, losing the front wheel, but managing to stay upright. If I could have got hold of him I'd have slapped him silly

Anyway, onwards and upwards. Theory next Wednesday, then first big bike lesson on a CB 500 soon after. I can't wait to get finished now and get out on the cat

johnelcoat wrote: . . . . , accompanied by a 16 year old lad on a scooter. Trouble was though, this 16 year old had never even seen a highway code, never mind read one!

Ah , the art of being a 16 year old and the mysterious ways of the highway code
Back in 1876 (it sometimes feels that way ), I remember throwing my leg over a fizzy, no cbt, no highyway code, no clue . . . just me, a still ink damp provisional licence, a set of "L" plates and the (in those heady days), open road . . . . . .
How the heck did I and those like me survive

Great to hear of your continuing journey into the biking fraternity. Keep us posted on your progress

Interesting story about the boss, (it's not your fault btw ), but perhaps a backdoor lesson in so far as not to be tempted to go out on your new Cat (no matter how inviting it may seem), before your legal. Shows just how easy and quickly it can all go horribly Pete Tong.

Good to hear your snaffeling some bargains out there kit wise too

Cheers
Tel

Great news on getting your bike home, even more incentive now to brave the elements and get the tests done

0ldcat wrote:
How the heck did I and those like me survive

I sometimes look back and wonder about my survival too.

Glad you got her home okay and she's safe John. I bought her before I'd passed my theory and tests and just used her as an incentive to get through my tests that much quicker, once you start on the big bike the temptation of "just round the block" is ever present, fight the feeling because its just not worth the risk, anyone can have an off, eapecially in these conditions.

I too remember my fizzy 50 days all too well, like you say prov licence ink barely dry and only previous experience was ragging a KX80 across the fields, (I'm a pro I thought). Suddenly you're doing 30 surrounded by cars and clueless!! Scary times but I still regret giving it up all those years ago to get a car. Just glad I came back to it and am now making up for lost time.

Incidentally John have you posted that paperwork for me to sort out??

I know what you mean about riding on a provisional at 16 with no cbt or anything, but it seemed a little dim to not look at the highway code,
especially in the ever present signs for signs sake (see below) of today's rat race.

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Having said that, even when I was 16, a mere 19 years ago, there seemed to be half as much traffic as today?

When I was in the Navy I drove most weekends from Somerset to Teesside no probs. Then last year we went to Devon on holiday and I remember thinking that there is no way I could do it now, and it's only 10 years ago, how people drive for a living is beyond me?

Hopefully I won't have to worry about that much longer though

Steve, john at Jordan's said it was o.k to send off the paperwork once the V5 was in my name, as they go straight through the DVLA to ensure that the new registration was for the new owner, so I was just going to send it off. However, I got the V5 today and I think I need to send you that too, as I think the former keeper and new keeper need to sign section 8 before it can be sent away?

No mate I've just been through the same, I just signed it as the new keeper and sent it, my new V5 came today so it shouldn't be an issue, if you want to though I'll be happy to sign it off for you no worries pal.

No, thats fine mate. I'm just not that up to speed with these things only owned 3 cars in 17 years

I'll send it tomorrow.