Newbie scooter driver - tips please

Brallaqueen

My best advice? More tuition. Most places will do a day out in a small group (I got a one on one session due to bad winter weather) and the more experience you can get for winter riding, the better. I really found it invaluable getting hours worth of proper on road experience with an accredited instructor.

facade

1st tip: there is nothing on earth that is waterproof when riding a motorcycle/scooter. The old waxed cotton stuff was pretty good, modern textiles need to say gore-tex on them to even come close, and then the outer layers really soak up the water, then they drip on your hall carpet all night, and are freezing cold next morning. Do what fivetide suggests and get some XXXL oversuits that will go on top of your gear in proper rain.

2nd tip: if you buy nice gore-tex boots make sure you always keep your toenails well trimmed, long nails puncture the gore-tex sock and they leak like a sieve (guess how I know that)

3rd tip: never ever ever go out without gloves on. If it is hot, get a pair of thin perforated leather ones.

4th tip: get yourself a Buff (tm) a thin sock made of wicking fabric that goes over your neck and seals the helmet gap. keeps you warmer in winter, and cool in summer, and stops the insects hitting your bare skin at 50mph. Also doubles as sweat band, hat etc.

Take care to follow your training (get some more instruction if you can, in my day you did "Star-rider" bronze/silver/gold when you were on L-plates) and enjoy riding.

sharpy2010

joolsybools wrote: »

Does anyone have any tips on things to get?

A car.

Bikes are dangerous.

westwood68

For the middle of winter, there are the best and warmest gloves I have ever had:-

http://www.amazon.co.uk/GERMAN-ISSUE-GORETEX-LINED-MITTS/dp/B0041L4W8A

Waterproof even in a torrential downpour.

OddballJamie

sharpy2010 wrote: »

A car.

Bikes are dangerous.

So are cars in the wrong hands.

forgotmyname

Almost as dangerous as walking to the bus stop. I would recommend having some driving lessons in a car or some road experience 1st.

You know what to lookout for and more alert i think. I never had anything more than people changing lanes without looking properly.
But i was prepared for that.
Had to tap on a few windows though to alert them to my presence. Seemed to work better than sounding the little beep beep horn they seem to fit.

sharpy2010

OddballJamie wrote: »

So are cars in the wrong hands.

But for an entirely different reason.

david29dpo

Treat ALL car drivers as idiots

BlueC

joolsybools wrote: »

Does anyone have any tips on things to get/avoid?

Get a full face helmet, and a decent one at that. A half face might look cool but there is nothing cool about losing the bottom half of your head if you come off. Make sure it fits properly, don't buy it online unless you've tried it on and been fitted by someone who knows what they're doing.

Basically don't skimp on any of the safety kit. Good quality boots and jacket and trousers are worth the money.

zaax

Welcome to the brilliant world of biking, you will find that drivers are out to kill you and gravel rash hurts.

Buy a shoei Hemet and remember to do your life savers