Well done mate, shame it's not exactly the right time of year to fully exploit it.
On the advanced learning aspect. After about 6 months with a full license I joined IAM and started doing observed ride outs with members there. The chap was surprised that I wanted to do it straight away but I figured that it was best to learn good habits first rather than trying to unlearn bad habits after years of riding.
I really really really can highly recommend having a look at this. It is a completely different approach to riding than they teach you to pass your test. 100% worthwhile. Also good chance to meet some local bikers and go for a ride out when the weathers nice.
Well, I've got my first 25 miles on the clock, although I'll go out again later as long as it doesn't rain. What an amazing ride... so smooth, and I know now with absolute certainty that i bought the right bike.
Anyway, these really are very Q&D and from my phone, but I had to, obviously...
Looks great Tony ... I know the list will never end .. but I'd consider a slightly smaller plate and lose the orange reflectors as a couple of easy changes.
Bet you're glad to have the heated grips!
I'd get rid of that rack on the rear too, great pictures (as expected)
Bike looks great, love the black classic look.
Sent from my SM-N950F using Tapatalk
Looks awsome
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Looks great!
I’d definitely lose the reflectors on the forks and get a slightly smaller plate.
Enjoy!
Excellent choice Tony.... I tried to persuade my mate onto one of those, but my recommendation fell on deaf ears, he insisted on the Thruxton R (I still think it’ll be to much for him as a first bike) but he’s old enough and ugly enough to buy what he likes....
As for me, this turned up today...looking forward to getting out on it, but a few parts are missing for the forward control kit so I’ll have to wait.... probably a good thing with the weather up here at the moment..
What does it weigh, were twin front discs an option?
Thanks guys. To answer a couple of points raised, it weighs 198kg dry, so definitely not a lightweight. Dual discs are not an option on the ST, unfortunately.
I just measured the plate and it’s the smallest street legal size 9”x7”). Do you lot get smaller than that, and is it something I’d be likely to get stopped for?
I went 8x6 on mine. Got the 9x7 put aside for the MOT.
Nice machine Tony. Hope you have great fun and are safe.
If you’re ever up in gods country gives a shout. Kettles always on for warm cuppa and a blether
Keep it upright between the hedges!
Jim
Tony lovely bike, Apologies if you know already but brand new tyres need scrubbing down before you start leaning far over in the wet. The release material from the mold stays on the surface.
When i have new tyres i get a sheet of wet and dry and just dress the rubber both front and rear. Takes two mins and wont even remove the bobbles but will remove any silicone.
Love the black look by the way, and defo keep the rack its so usefull for strapping a spare jkt/waterproof pants/ or a tasty Kriga waterproof small bag for just about anything.
Steve
The MT-07 is a fantastic bike for real world speeds on real world roads, and for all riders.
I've had all sorts through the years and it does genuinely feel like a modern day LC. It's a fun bike.
It just hasn't got much of the "look back" factor when parking it up (compared to the more bling stuff.........)
This thread has been great, happy and safe riding... there’s nothing quite like it.
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
Thanks once again for all the kind words and encouragement!
Thanks mate, I’ll remember that
Thanks for the heads up, Steve. I did have a chat about that with the dealer, and I’m being particularly careful until I’ve got a hundred or so miles under my belt. I need to run it in for about three hundred miles anyway, though.
Haha... I reckon I might have done
Glad you enjoyed it (I certainly did)!
I like the cut of your jib!
Bring it over to next years TT Tony - you’d love it!
It's just a matter of time...
Funnily enough, after about a week of riding Suzuki 650s and now a day on my bike, I know that I could have quite easily handled the Street Triple that I went to see (and declined after a short test ride). It's lucky that it wasn't really the stye of bike - or riding - that I was after as otherwise I'd be dwelling on it now !
Seriously, though, I don't want a sports bike.
Here's the thing, though... my car has just been deemed a total loss by insurers after a relatively small shunt. I was chatting to Bea about it last night, and given that she doesn't use her car all that much I sowed a tiny seed relating to us becoming a one car/two bike family.
She laughed nervously and her eyes took on a slightly glazed look.
That's great.
That's how women agree to stuff.
Like lizards. Or cats. Or psychopaths.
As I've probably mentioned before I softened the impact of an n+1 bike purchase by stopping off the jewellers and picking up a necklace that Mrs Gyp had been admiring for a while and hanging it from the handlebar of the bike when I parked up out the front.
"OK, what the hell is another motorb.. ooh shiny, nice, cup of tea, dear?"
Nice bike Tony, it's amazing how useful you'll find that rack! Show us a picture of your chicken strips (or lack of) after a thousand miles or so
Judging by the amount of bikers on here we could do with a TZ-UK bikers trip organising for the spring
Well done, and I am sure you will thoroughly enjoy all aspects of biking. I have been riding since 66 and still get the same buzz
Sent from my iPhone using TZ-UK mobile app
Dont forget The Bike Show at the NEC (17th-25th Nov)
https://www.motorcyclelive.co.uk/
Not what it used to be, but I went last year for the first time - and enjoyed it.
If you need an overnight - I really rate Haig’s Hotel, a few miles away:
http://www.haigshotel.co.uk/
I'll definitely think about that, thanks!
Changing tack a bit, I bought some ACF-50 and then watched/read a whole load of reviews and tutorials; it seems like it can be a nightmare if you're not careful, and I was also worried about getting spillage/residue on the patio and then dropping the bike or something.
Anyway, I decided to err on the side of caution for the first application and am going to let a guy from AYB do it for me next Thursday (a nice little ride out to Chesham, too). Anyone else used them for this?
I use FS365 after every wash Tony, ACF-50 is great long term but I found it an absolute pig to clean off come the spring.
With regards your car being a total loss, do you mean the boxster? If so what happened?
Not a fan of ACF in general use - as it is designed for bare alloy - of which there is relatively little on modern bikes.
I prefer to use Tectyl506 - a hard translucent cavity wax. I’ve used it on painted frames and coated alloy on bikes, and sure - it gets to look a bit ‘grubby’ - but when you remove it (using a WD50-type product) - your bike is like new!
Yeah, the Boxster, sadly - I had a minor collision (front wing to front wing) with another car as we both changed lanes simultaneously, and it seems that with a £7.5k insurance valuation the costs just inched past the 84% threshold.
I had a major service very recently (bummer!), and Jaz Porsche gave me a list of £4k's-worth of work that they recommended I get done. I know the car was about that age, too, so maybe I should regard this as a fortunate event.
That's a shame, you also had the roof done too? At least you hadn't spent the £4k on the recommended work!
Like you say count it as a blessing and start looking for a 911 :)
if you have bought the aerosol version of ACF50 the best way to use it is to spray it directly into a jar then paint it where you want it with a small artists brush - the aerosol version is otherwise unusuable as it comes out like thick snot.
personally i put it in an airbrush and spray it on that way - which gives a nice thin even coat.
I rarely ride a sports bike these days, even when I’m in the mood for a fast ish ride. Most bikers that come to the TT these days aren’t on the latest sports bikes either. The Triumph would be more than capable. I still smile thinking about Josh Brookes riding on open roads on a borrowed naked bike leaving everyone behind over the mountain :)
It has to be on the list for a biking break, just for the atmosphere even if you aren’t that into the racing. There are some beautiful rides out of the more popular roads that would make for a few great days of riding too.
It's just a matter of time...