HGV warning

[Dead Eye]

I can't see how blanket increase the speed for all trucks would help with that... they will also just crawl past each other as per usual but at a jointly faster pace :P

sinto is also right as realistically a lot of people exceed the speed limits. Realistically I still think its a good idea and there have been some good studies showing how increasing the speed limits on certain roads has reduced accidents. The biggest factor I do still think is the disparity between vehicle speeds. By reducing that, traffic can slow more evenly and it's easier to merge in to lanes for overtaking etc.

It drives me absolutely insane when muppets try to join a motorway at 30mph because they are scared and think that going slower is safer. NO. Just no. Floor it up the slip road to a good 60-70 so that you can merge with ease. Worst case scenario, the majority of us can stop much quicker than we can accelerate plus there is a hard shoulder...

[fazersharp]

It drives me absolutely insane when muppets try to join a motorway at 30mph because they are scared and think that going slower is safer. NO. Just no. Floor it up the slip road to a good 60-70 so that you can merge with ease. Worst case scenario, the majority of us can stop much quicker than we can accelerate plus there is a hard shoulder...

Agreed - thats the only time in my cage that I might display any road rage, when I am behind some one doing that because they are also putting me in danger because thanks to them I am now also trying to join 70mph traffic at 30 mph.

[Robbie8666]

It drives me absolutely insane when muppets try to join a motorway at 30mph because they are scared and think that going slower is safer. NO. Just no. Floor it up the slip road to a good 60-70 so that you can merge with ease. Worst case scenario, the majority of us can stop much quicker than we can accelerate plus there is a hard shoulder...

most drivers forget the proper term for "slip roads" is actually Acceleration Lanes & De-acceleration lanes!! or it was when i last read a highway code!
 

[ChristoT]

It drives me absolutely insane when muppets try to join a motorway at 30mph because they are scared and think that going slower is safer. NO. Just no. Floor it up the slip road to a good 60-70 so that you can merge with ease. Worst case scenario, the majority of us can stop much quicker than we can accelerate plus there is a hard shoulder...

most drivers forget the proper term for "slip roads" is actually Acceleration Lanes & De-acceleration lanes!! or it was when i last read a highway code!

One of the nastiest slip roads I ever had to use was on the A14, the shortcut (from Cambridge) to get to work, just before Fenstanton. A 90 degree left off the carriageway with 30m (if that) of slip road. On, and no hard shoulder! Basically, you needed to get past the lorries, then find the biggest gap you could, to slow and GTFO of the oncoming lorries' way.


The only time joining when joining a motorway at 30mph is safe is when the traffic is doing 30 mph (a depressingly regular occurrence on the M25). You're matching traffic speed. I aim for 60 odd, to match lorry traffic speed if I need to slot in behind one. If all clear, I'm probably at cruise speed before even leaving the slip!

[Dead Eye]

There are always exceptions to the rule and I know of a few slip roads that are pretty nasty, but if anything that should just highlight how important it is to make sure you match the speed of the traffic you are joining

It drives me absolutely insane when muppets try to join a motorway at 30mph because they are scared and think that going slower is safer. NO. Just no. Floor it up the slip road to a good 60-70 so that you can merge with ease. Worst case scenario, the majority of us can stop much quicker than we can accelerate plus there is a hard shoulder...

Agreed - thats the only time in my cage that I might display any road rage, when I am behind some one doing that because they are also putting me in danger because thanks to them I am now also trying to join 70mph traffic at 30 mph.

Precisely the same reasoning for me. I try my best to hang back and build up a gap so that I can try and join at a more favourable speed - exception to this is when I have traffic behind me also. For the most part I rarely find this an issue when I'm on the bike, it's mostly when I'm in the car as the bike has far superior acceleration (as we all know)

[sinto]

Amazing how we all need to be considerate to other road users!
Mind you, is that not what it says in the highway code? lol

[limax2]

Limax, I presume you drive a truck from your statements,  from what I gathered from asking some police friends, yes, someone has them;-) anyway....they say, "if you are going faster than the speed limiter you are actually freewheeling and therefor not in control of the vehicle and could be charged with such if you are involved in an incident and deemed to have caused it by not being in control of your vehicle"

My days of driving trucks are long gone, now enjoying the freedom of retirement  . I have for short spells driven trucks for a living but in the eighties i was heavily involved on the design and subsequent testing of speed limiters on HGV's. You are right to say it was an "EU directive" rather than a "Ruling", but from what I remember if we didn't have them fitted by a certain date we wouldn't be able to sell any more vehicles over 7.5 tonnes in the UK and possibly the rest of the EU. (Probably a few exceptions like fire trucks). The speed limiter only cut the engine power at the set speed, so on a down hill you could exceed the speed limit on the over-run as opposed to freewheeling. i.e. still in gear and in control but exceeding the speed limit. Of course you still had a foot brake or exhaust brake etc. to stay within the legal limit. I do miss the view you get from a truck and it still annoys me when I hear people moan about all the HGV's on the road, but don't stop to think how the super markets etc. get supplied.
Much nicer on an unrestricted motorbike of course, but not much use for shifting many tons of cargo  .

[sinto]

I'm not to sure on your not loading a motorbike so much.....lol

[ChristoT]

Pah! Amateurs! 

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[sinto]

Pah! Amateurs! 

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Quite like that trailer idea Christo, is it for sale?  I could get a lot of easter eggs in that for Yorkhill Childrens Charity

[ChristoT]

The trailer isn't, the towbar is! 

Custom made! 1 careful owner! Etc etc! £250, and it's yours.

You can tow any small car trailer behind it without modification. Max you can carry with a Fazer is 150kg (including the trailer), max permissible length from the rear axle is 2.5m. No width restrictions I could find.

https://www.gov.uk/towing-with-motorcycle

[sinto]

The trailer isn't, the towbar is! 

Custom made! 1 careful owner! Etc etc! £250, and it's yours.

Ha ha And you use the word 'careful'?
Curious how it's connected though.

I'm looking for a trailer to put the bike on for when I work away, means I can take the bike and go runs at night when I'm in different places

[ChristoT]

The trailer isn't, the towbar is! 

Custom made! 1 careful owner! Etc etc! £250, and it's yours.

Looking for a trailer to put the bike on for when I work away, means I can take the bike and go runs at night when I'm in different places

Ebay, my friend. 

[sinto]

Yes, I've got my eye on some, trouble is most are too far away and not available when I'm away or I could pick them up, but sure when the time is right I'll get one

[limax2]

I'm not to sure on your not loading a motorbike so much.....lol

Ha ha, those pictures make my own efforts at loading look puny  .

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[sinto]

Yeah you've not tried too much have you?
I'm sure you could start a new thread of "how much can you get on your fazer?"
Btw, nice clean bike
Can you tell me about your indicators please?
Cheers

[limax2]

The indicators are just flush fitting type with clear lens and yellow ordinary filament bulbs. About 9cm long so they cover the indicator hole in the fairing. I think they were meant to stick on but for extra security I fitted a small metal plate on the inside of the fairing and used longer bolts through the lens to hold them in place. Been on for over ten years so I'm not sure where i got them, possibly M&P or local bike shop. They are less prone then the standard ones to getting knocked.
P.S. Bike is clean because I was just setting off, not so clean when I got back. [size=78%] [/size]

[sinto]

That's exactly the type I'm looking for :-)
I'll need to track that sort down, have only seen small led type and they're too wee for the hole and you need resistors for them, too much hassle but I would do the same as you and secure them properly :-) did you do the same on the back?

[ChristoT]

That's exactly the type I'm looking for :-)
I'll need to track that sort down, have only seen small led type and they're too wee for the hole and you need resistors for them, too much hassle but I would do the same as you and secure them properly :-) did you do the same on the back?

Damn, I'm good. 
http://www.mandp.co.uk/productinfo/562040/Bodywork/Indicators/Bike-It

[limax2]

Well done christoT, they look like the ones. Although it doesn't say how big they are and you can't tell from the picture, they could be smaller ones.
I had a feeling you would pop-up once load carrying was mentioned  .

That's exactly the type I'm looking for :-)
I'll need to track that sort down, have only seen small led type and they're too wee for the hole and you need resistors for them, too much hassle but I would do the same as you and secure them properly :-) did you do the same on the back?

I've not done the same on the back. Because of my panniers and home made mounting frame I relocated the winkers further back in some home made plates attached to the rack support. Also used the standard front winkers at the back, or it might have been just the shorter spacers I fitted. Shown in these photo's.

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[ChristoT]

Had the same with the towbar. With the towbar fitted, I needed to use a tail tidy to get the indicators back and out to clear the framework

[unfazed]

What do you lot be taking with you? 
This is exactly what my bike looked before I unloaded when I arrived home after spending 2 weeks in Southern France with my wife as pillion. The top box had rain gear, wine and pressies for the family. Camera was in the tank bag with toiletries and other bits required in a hurry, all the rest was in the panniers.

Mine usual packing is 4 pairs of socks 4 pairs of jocks and 3 of everything else I require (except the wife). Moto is travel light and wash one wear the other and one spare
This is from years of mountaineering and having to carry stuff on you back. The only extra I have ever strapped to the bike is a tent.

Once rode a friends FJR1300 with my wife pillion back from Malaga, with no top box and no panniers. We flew down from Cork with all our gear and just 2 extendable tank bags and took a week to return to Roscoff

[sinto]

Think I'll start a new thread, as we've hijacked this one, to see how people load their bikes? What do you think?

[sinto]

Damn, I'm good. 
http://www.mandp.co.uk/productinfo/562040/Bodywork/Indicators/Bike-It

Yes as always Christo, 
think I'll look for standard bulbs but in the same design, maybe slightly smaller ones for the rear, I can't be doing all the resistance stuff for them lol
Got an Oxford catalogue today, they don't even do flush mounted indicators at all!

[limax2]

Ye, go for it. (the new thread). Could be interesting and with some good ideas to copy.