Quote:

I'm a classic example. I passed my test in 1980, rode bikes until 1983, and then didn't ride one again until 2004. When I started looking at bikes in 2004 I was surprised to find out that I could buy any bike (a 180mph GSXR 1000 for instance) and ride it away from the shop with absolutely no refresher training.




I am not in the ageing biker range (I'm hoping far from it) but I wanted to raise apoint over the quote of Simon's.

I picked up my BA on the day I passed my test. I spent the first 2 weeks being so scared of droping her or anything else happening, but having the biggest grin when I got off, turned round and had a look at her.

However the man in the dealership took no look at my licence, test cert or anything. In theory, I could have bought a Rocket III with no bike licence and ridden it away...

I have questioned them but as I'm over the age of 25 they assume I'm responsible for my own actions... including knowing it's against the law to ride without a licence.

However I have a colleague at work that rides a Jap bike with far too much plastic at far too great a speed, and I know he has no licence or assume no insurance (and if he has it would be invalid).... and some how he's never been stopped and not fallen off - yet. He hasn't ridden it for a while and I think he bought it to impress a woman (just not his wife.. ) and now it's too cold...for him anyway. But he knows. He's 40 something and should know better. I occasionally have a little dig about him passing his test, but he seems to have no intention of doing the access course (it's that big...) Short of shopping him to the police, or finding where he lives and putting a padlock on his chain till he passes his test, there's nothing I can do. I don't want to shop him as I have to work with him...and it can cause too much hassle.

The point I'm making is if the dealers did simple checks (like have you got a bike licence, if so when did you last ride, have you considered a refresher, etc) my colleague would not have been able to get his bike (death sentence with the way he rides it...) That way all the sensible BAB's would have the thought of a refresher planted in their brain and might even act on it.
Just may have been they would have suggested something smaller for me as someone who'd just passed...

Gina

Gina 03 America - Pretty stock - except the TBS wheel... 06 America - missing, presumed in bits. With it's TBS wheel... 09 America - It's very blue....