2WheelSolo

Also bear in mind that although the gear may be Gore-Tex, if that is sitting under an exterior layer (such as Cordura on my Rukka gear) you will still need to apply water repellent to the exterior layer from time to time. Otherwise the outer starts to soak up the water (generally called "clogging"). The Gore-Tex layer continues to keep you dry but you end up with a jacket that weighs a ton, drips everywhere, and takes ages to dry. The new laminate Gore-Tex outers don't have this problem, but they are damned expensive.

I think it depends a lot on what you wear, both in the case of jacket and gloves. And to be honest it's the same discussion when it comes to boots - over or under. My understanding is that leathers are specifically designed to be worn inside/under gloves and boots whereas most textile jackets are designed to be worn outside/over gloves and boots. Of course there are also gloves and boots that are specifically designed either to be worn over or under. I have worn a Rukka textile two-piece for the past ten years and just recently I switched to a Klim Latitude two-piece. Both of those work much better with the gloves under, but as stated above I ride with elbows up as I have a touring bike so I'm sure that is a factor. But I have made sure to buy gloves and boots that are designed to fit inside/under, so no bulky armoured parts. My son, by comparison, bought a pair of gloves with bulky wrist protection which he is struggling to get under his textile jacket but which don't either accommodate the jacket under them too well. So worst of both worlds. Moral of the story is decide which way you plan to dress and select your gear appropriately.

I think in all honesty you can do a 30 mile commute on pretty much any bike. A small screen will make a real difference at motorway speeds but that's about all. So my suggestion would be to buy a bike you like - even if it doesn't come with a screen you can easily fit one. My first bike, used for a similar commute, was a Kawasaki ER-5. The more modern equivalent is the ER6n or, if you want something with a bit more wind protection, the Versys 650. The Versys also has the added advantage that while being a road-oriented bike it can handle a bit of rough track action should you want to go a bit further off the beaten track. Both bikes are perfectly comfortable filtering on the motorway and cruising up to (and over) 70 mph. Here's a couple of (not brilliant) pics of my 2009 Versys 650.

I can imagine that was pretty scary. The closest I have been was about 1/2 mile behind a truck when the trailer tyre blew. It threw a cloud of dust and debris across the other two lanes and I remember thinking that if I had been alongside I could easily have been hit by a chunk of tyre - I rode through the wreckage a few seconds later and it didn't look pretty. Regarding the comment above from Fozzie - I think that buying an Audi must have given you a sympathetic view of them . I still find that Audi drivers are the most consistent offenders when it comes to poor or aggressive driving.

There was an article in one of the local rags a few months back stating that our local council had not achieved the reductions in road accidents that they had predicted from the move to a blanket 20 mph for all residential roads. Apparently there was no appreciable decrease in accidents at all in the first two years. Money well spent then.

The same law does apply to everyone - the issue is enforcement. And it's the same old issue; resources. In the day of the beat bobby you wouldn't get away with riding your bike like a twat because he would pull you over for a quick chat - and most often he knew where you lived as well! These days the police have to focus on government mandated priorities and, occasionally, on real crimes. It doesn't leave much space for them to pursue 'minor' infringements. It's broadly similar to the moped crime crisis in London. Once people know the police are not going to bother to pursue / prosecute they lose all respect for the law. I watched one of these 'Police, Stop!' style programmes a while back where the cops did pull a guy for riding at night without lights on the pavement. He spent most of the time demanding to know why they were harassing him and not off dealing with 'real' crimes. No respect for the law or any semblance of taking responsibility for his actions.

First bike was a s/h Kawasaki ER-5. I did a direct access in 2004 and the ER-5 was the bike I did my training and test on, so I bought one as my first bike. Did 30k miles in two years, commuting all year round in all weathers. It only let me down once - corrosion on the negative battery terminal which I fixed on the spot.

I think we all end up with wierd issues in our head. The trick is to just go out and practice again and again until it becomes second nature. Angling the bike is a good suggesting. The other - which I use with my son who has exactly the same issue as you - is to turn the bars to the right before you start off. It will force you to lean the bike and make a tighter turn and you'll be so busy doing that you'll forget to worry about the ditch etc on the other side

You can either take out insurance to start at the relevant date/time or get everything set up in advance as a quotation and ring the insurance company once you have the bike. Regarding road tax, you can do that online so should be possible from your mobile phone? You just need the green part of the V5C. Some very simple tips for checking over the new bike. Brakes - check the condition of the discs and pads. If the discs are rusty or pitted it suggests the bike hasn't been ridden much lately. Check the front and rear brake fluid - it should be clear, if it's not then it needs changing and potentially the bike has not been properly serviced. Oil - check that it's at the right level and also the condition. Thick black stuff suggests no recent oil change - when does the owner say the last service was carried out? If they are saying a couple of thousand miles ago but the oil is black then something doesn't add up. Ideally the oil should be brown and drip easily. Lights & electrics - check every switch and bulb, don't assume that things will work. If the bike is fitted with an alarm make sure it goes off when it should. Tyres - check the tread depth but also fully rotate both tyres looking for cuts, cracks, or anything stuck in the tyre. Run your finger from side to side on the front tyre to feel for ridges - this is called 'squaring off' and means new tyres are needed, even if the tread looks okay. Check both wheels for any dents, cracks, or bubbling. Steering - make sure you can move the bars smoothly from side to side without any wierd noises or anything catching. Suspension - check the front forks for any signs of leaking oil. If either front or rear suspension is adjustable make sure the tool for adjusting the suspension is included and also check each adjuster is not seized (just remember to put the setting back after you have checked). Check the chain, it should be clean with a smooth coating of oil. Chain tension is also a good indication if maintenance has been kept up. Check the rear sprocket and make sure the teeth are nicely triangular and not worn. (Those of a certain age will remember this as the BOLTSS checklist.) Beyond that it's a general check over the bike. Is there any corrosion where you weren't expecting it? Any scuffs or scrapes that suggest the bike has been dropped or, worse, thrown down the road? If you are in any doubt be ready to walk away - all too often we turn up having already bought the bike in our heads and the checks are just a formality. Good luck!

Great ride today. Weather was not perfect, a bit dull and overcast, and the roads were a bit damp but it didn't rain and traffic wasn't too bad so can't ask for much more at this time of year. It turned out just to be two of us, myself and Pie Man (I guess we BMW riders are a bit more hardy than some other types) but it was a route Pie Man hadn't done before so that was good and we both enjoyed the ride. Here is the obligatory picture of our bikes at the Cat and Fiddle pub and below is a link to a video showing the section from Macclesfield to the pub.

Just checked the weather for tomorrow (Met Office App) and it looks mostly dry if cloudy in the morning, getting worse as we go through the day. But there are no guarantees either way. I'll be going for the ride whatever the weather but if any of you look out the window in the morning and don't like what you see I won't take it personally if you decide to give it a miss. Should be a good ride whatever happens and I look forward to welcoming anyone who does make it.

Hi folks, been away for a few days so apologies for the lateness of posting final details. So far the weather forecast is looking reasonable for Sunday morning so I think we are still on. I will be at Lymm services (J20, M6 / A50), most likely close to the MacDonalds, for the 10am departure. My bike is a white BMW R1200 RT so I shouldn't be too hard to spot. The second meeting point will be at the Tesco Superstore in Macclesfield - post code is SK10 2AB. We will leave from there at 11am to head over the Cat & Fiddle. I expect us to be back at Tesco in Macclesfield around 12pm and back to Lymm services by 1pm. The route is below (click to make it bigger) - feel free to print a copy out if you are coming along, just in case we get separated and you need to find us again! If anyone needs to get in touch with me to check anything then twitter is probably the best option - @2WheelSolo.

With only one poster airing a preference, and that for the morning, I'll go with the 10am start from Lymm Services (M6 J20). OP updated to reflect this.

Would love to; sounds like a great ride. Unfortunately it's a working day so much as I would prefer to be out with you I won't be able to make it.

I hope you have lots of fun in the caravan. This won't be the only ride I post up so hopefully you can make the next one.