Oh fuck, not again....

[RobG UK]

Why change the rear instead of the tyre?
 
You might get more choice but if you mess a corner the result will always be the same.  Training on how to ride a bike to the limiys of yourself and the road conditions is the only answer.  Either that or a sit down in a dark room a have an honesty session with yourself.
Btw.  If you need a lot more lean angle than you get from a Fazer 600 then something is wrong.  How many times have peeps been on a ride and watched the knee/peg/exhaust scrapers and then thought 'hang on, I'm going the same speed why aren't my pegs ripping up the road'.  Lean angle is for the track, peg etc scraping is for the piss take.
 

[fireblake]

Christo's new bike. Pre wrecked


Mickey the p!ss taking Bastid

[Grahamm]

I did an IAM course a few years ago and it helped a lot. I've become a far better rider since. I ride 2up regularly and I do so in complete confidence in my abilities and the pillion's safety. The advanced course/rides will help in themselves but they also let you learn and improve after you've finished them.

I think it's £60 odd for membership and then factor in another £60 or so for the rides/course before taking the test.

Just a small correction: Skill for Life is now £139 however this includes your IAM Membership, your Test Fee and you get a year's worth of RAC cover thrown in for free too.

You'll generally pay £10 or £15 for each Observed Ride to cover the Observer's petrol cost (they're volunteers, so don't get paid) and you'll need to join the local Group as well, but once you pass you'll be able to get a discount on your insurance.

You also get to go on Group Rides, attend Club Nights and similar events, depending on what your local Group Does.

You can find your nearest Group here.

Most of the observers/instructors I met fit the pipe and slippers stereotype but lots of them rode professionally and will be very good riders. When I first started, I was shocked by how fast they all were too.

When the Advanced Technique starts to click, you find that riding becomes a lot easier because you're looking further ahead, positioning better and have more control eg I've seen an Observer on a Pan keeping up with an Associate on a Blade through the twisties and making it look easy!

[Edited to add in the link that I missed out above!]

[Fuzzy]

Ah right, thanks for the correction, your description is much clearer.

My old group also offered a £60 course instead of paying for each ride but whether they do such courses will depend on the group.

Some of the events are very good, slow speed riding events, trackday events etc

[Exupnut]

I'll chuck in a fiver. £2.50 per "FOCCIN!!!" contact lens ( unless of course there's a piece of shit on't road ..or gravel (hehe) ..or a merc.... Or a roundabout....Or a krrrrrrazy  kristo swervin away frightening the shit out of fellow riders(read Foccers)..or god forbid ...an accident with another Foccer.... (I only say that coz he will probably kill himself or at least impair .... If that's possible..,himself...... Ahem...) then I'll want a refund. IN FULL.

RIP MATE

but please listen to ALL of the previous posts.
Especially the one above.  Its gettin a bit of a habit.

Ya frog

[fireblake]

Haha, I forgot about that. A bloody frog, no wonder he can't ride. They're all frickin' mad.


Mickey

[midden]

I cant believe people on here are offering to pay for him courses and tyres, thread has gone from a facebook wall to a foccin charity do 

Again take this as 'like' button pressed 


Personally I'm starting to think this is a Jeremy Kyle audition.


If my mum continues to force me to fund my own safety it will come out of her housekeeping which I don't pay

[Dead Eye]

Pahahaha

*Like*

[His Dudeness]

There's been a lot of slagging in this thread (most of it deserved ) but I'm sure that plenty of ye handing out the slaggings only roll your bikes out of the shed a few times a year in perfect conditions and from his posts it seems like he's doing quite a lot of miles in all conditions so I think ye should remember that before sticking the boot in

[unfazed]

Christo,
Whereas I also agree with the comment from His Dudenesses,
The general consensus among all these posts if that for you own safety you need to get some rider instruction or advice from really good safe riders. Remember anyone can ride fast but the really good riders stop fast and to become a really good rider, first you need to be still alive.
Whereas you appear to be able to ride you do not appear to be able to read the road.
Sometimes accident shit happens, (my own a few months ago) but in your case a little to often which appears to point to rider inexperience.
I was hospitalised by motorcycle/car accidents twice in my first 3 years of riding over 40 years ago and even though they were not my fault a more experienced rider could possibly have avoided them. Why? simply because they would not have the trust I had in drivers and expected them to obey the rules of the road.

 

[Frosties]

There's been a lot of slagging in this thread (most of it deserved ) but I'm sure that plenty of ye handing out the slaggings only roll your bikes out of the shed a few times a year in perfect conditions and from his posts it seems like he's doing quite a lot of miles in all conditions so I think ye should remember that before sticking the boot in

I ride about 22,000 miles a year in all conditions, have been riding for over 20yrs and my last off was some 15yrs ago.


Maybe I've been lucky orrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr I learnt a lot from other riders advice and my own experiences which I then sought to apply to my riding style.


I haven't commented on this previously because essentially all the slagging has been deserved in my opinion.......even down to the low speed off Christo had at a roundabout - EXPECT THE UNEXPECTED ALL THE TIME.


Just for the records - I don't hang about, nor ride the easiest of roads......but ride within my limits/road conditions/bikes ability and read the road at all times. Christo needs to learn this fast before he becomes a number.


Having said that, top marks to Christo for acknowledging some of his errors and looking to take part in the riding experience day mentioned earlier. He knows he needs to improve so that's the first battle won.

[Kosmic Kartman]

There's been a lot of slagging in this thread (most of it deserved ) but I'm sure that plenty of ye handing out the slaggings only roll your bikes out of the shed a few times a year in perfect conditions and from his posts it seems like he's doing quite a lot of miles in all conditions so I think ye should remember that before sticking the boot in

I've been riding nearly every day in all kinds of weather for over 35 years. I have smashed up a few bikes in my time in my earlier years, probably for the same reasons as Christo, but then I went on to get training and later become a motorcycle instructor. Having done a few miles with Christo and seen his riding I do feel qualified to offer advice. As does Exupnut, Punkstig and a lot of others that have posted.

I am extremely concerned as he my take the tittle from my friend Dave as one of the UK's most prolific crashers (Ride Magazine).

[fireblake]

Like Mr Kartman says, I've ridden with Calamity Christo a few times and have enjoyed every mile, his exuberance for all things biking always put a smile on my face. I take the piss  all the time he crashes and is ok enough to take it on the chin. I think the internet lets everyone know of his misfortunes easier than word of mouth would of done 20 years ago. All i can say is keep smiling young Chris and keep riding, just get those flipping tyres changed, anything new will do and seriously take on board any training you get this coming year


Mickey

[Kosmic Kartman]

Like Mr Kartman says, I've ridden with Calamity Christo a few times and have enjoyed every mile, his exuberance for all things biking always put a smile on my face. I take the piss  all the time he crashes and is ok enough to take it on the chin. I think the internet lets everyone know of his misfortunes easier than word of mouth would of done 20 years ago. All i can say is keep smiling young Chris and keep riding, just get those flipping tyres changed, anything new will do and seriously take on board any training you get this coming year


Mickey

LIKE 

[fazersharp]

My comment about he should get a car was out of real concern for him, and a gut reaction of what I would be saying if he were my lad.
Everyone should lay- off a little with being too harsh, after all he didn't have to come on here to share his misfortune and may think twice about it the next time and so would miss out on the posts on here that will of been good advice.

[Dead Eye]

I understand and agree with the comment about a car. I learnt to drive first and had 3 years driving experience on the roads (with only one minor car park scrape) before I even got on a motorcycle. It definitely helps and it gives you a completely different perspective. If I ever have kids (pahahahaha) they will be on 4 motorised wheels before 2

As for thinking twice about posting his misfortunes up - I extremely doubt it. This is the 4th crash this year that he has posted and all the previous threads had the same piss taking involved. The majority of it comes from those of us who know him and have ridden with him so there hasn't been any cases of "keyboard warriors" being abusive

For the most part, he would probably be startled if a select few of us didn't take the piss... *ahem* Exup *ahem* :P

[midden]

One things for sure Christo may have invented a new newyear catchphrase.......
I'll now be entering the new year with 'oh fuck not again' imprinted on my brain 

[fazersharp]

The majority of it comes from those of us who know him and have ridden with him so there hasn't been any cases of "keyboard warriors" being abusive

I see   

[His Dudeness]

Like I said a few pages back he needs to change his attitude towards riding on the road and get some training. And like I said most of the slagging is deserved because it'll help him see where he's going wrong. All I was saying in the last post was that there's a difference between constructive criticism from experienced riders and from people who barely use their bike up on their high horse having a pop at him for the sake of it. This isn't a soap opera there is a lad that all this is being directed at. Maybe some should remember that before putting their witty little remarks up

[midden]

Last night I was standing outside the train station, on the public footpath waiting for a rail replacement bus to arrive.  Waiting also was a female, another fella and the rail assistant.
The Fella having found out from the assistant that his bus was not due for another 5 minutes said out loud "great so I've time for a ciggie then,  time for another cancer stick"
At this point I turned and said in a authoritative but jovial tone "no smoking on the platform"


He didn't get the humorous side either

[Dead Eye]

people who barely use their bike up on their high horse having a pop at him for the sake of it.

Has anyone done that? (Honest question)

I don't recall anything being like that and I'm too lazy to go back and read all the posts.

I agree in principle though

[richfzs]

I don't think they have, nope. It's all been based around "for focs sake, don't kill yourself, here's how I think you can take steps to avoid doing that".

There are people on here with lots of riding experience, combined, there's hundreds of years of experience, and they're all saying the same thing.

If just being right, is viewed as getting on a high horse, then I would question the sanity of the observer... People might say things in different manners, which might be to everyone's taste, but that doesn't make them wrong.

[Lawrence]

If I can get the fairing fixed up decently, and good rubber on my wheels, I'm going to do a track day in July. When the restrictor's out, and the weather's better! 

Nowt on their site, and a fair hike for me too. As I now HAVE to get new tyres (order of Mum, the parents have finally twigged a bike needs decent tyres. Still have to pay myself though...  ), I'm losing over £200 before I start as I'm getting Pilot Roads again. And them fuckers ain't cheap.

You're not losing £200, you're spending it on tyres which aren't complete shit. They're consumables at the end of the day.

[Exupnut]

I don't think they have, nope. It's all been based around "for focs sake, don't kill yourself, here's how I think you can take steps to avoid doing that".

There are people on here with lots of riding experience, combined, there's hundreds of years of experience, and they're all saying the same thing.

If just being right, is viewed as getting on a high horse, then I would question the sanity of the observer... People might say things in different manners, which might be to everyone's taste, but that doesn't make them wrong.

I agree.

firstly...I been ridin bikes 23 years 10 hours a day despatchin and I also know Christo very well. so I feel qualified. secondly... I will say he has a brilliant sense of humour and has the MOST enthusiasm for bikes out of anyone I have ever met. If u knew him like the lofo's do then u would all be happy to post some advice/piss taking because things like that don't upset him. we all take the piss and try to wind eachother up a bit on here and that's what makes this site so special because we do endeavour to meet up and talk about bikes/posts and av a laff about it afterwards. thirdly.....happy new year foccers 

[ChristoT]

I don't think they have, nope. It's all been based around "for focs sake, don't kill yourself, here's how I think you can take steps to avoid doing that".

There are people on here with lots of riding experience, combined, there's hundreds of years of experience, and they're all saying the same thing.

If just being right, is viewed as getting on a high horse, then I would question the sanity of the observer... People might say things in different manners, which might be to everyone's taste, but that doesn't make them wrong.

I agree.

firstly...I been ridin bikes 23 years 10 hours a day despatchin and I also know Christo very well. so I feel qualified. secondly... I will say he has a brilliant sense of humour and has the MOST enthusiasm for bikes out of anyone I have ever met. If u knew him like the lofo's do then u would all be happy to post some advice/piss taking because things like that don't upset him. we all take the piss and try to wind eachother up a bit on here and that's what makes this site so special because we do endeavour to meet up and talk about bikes/posts and av a laff about it afterwards. thirdly.....happy new year foccers 

Love you too, you grumpy Foccer. 

Points taken on board. Next rideout, you can follow me though!