Hello from Salisbury!

Hello guys and gals, thank you for allowing me to join Wiltshire Bikers!

I am 28 years old and I have been wanting to ride a motorcycle for ages.. Last month I went and took my CBT on a whim, and a few weeks later I purchased my first motorcycle! I am very new to riding, so have very much jumped into the deep end. Still making plenty of minor mistakes, although clocking up around 400 miles so far, I am yet to do anything dangerous - which is the way I want it to stay!. I've been driving cars for about 10 years and my gosh I feel new to the roads again!

So anyways, being on a motorcycle is just utterly awesome! (As I am sure you will all agree) I have been off exploring to no where in particular and I pretty much stop riding when I feel tired, hands go numb or my bum hurts - that's pretty much a good 6 hours and I'm just hungry for more!

Anyway, you are probably more interested in my bike... I heard 3 bits of advice from most people I know 1. Don't ride 2. Don't buy new 3. Don't buy Chinese made..

Yeah I went and stuck it to the man - I bought a brand new 'Mash Black 7' 125cc. My god it's awesome. I love the retro look, it feels great and I have had zero problems with it. Single Cylinder, Air cooled awesomeness.. she purrs wonderfully and growls when the throttle is opened up.. (Yeah I know it's only a 125cc, but holy hell 50mph feels fast on it). Would love to come to some meetings and hopefully go on a few rides (that don't involve motorways) with anyone willing. Looking to get better, more confident and stay safe - making friends a long the way - oh and having a look at the bikes you guys and gals ride will be a massive plus. Picture of the bike attached for those that want to see it..

http://i1046.photobucket.com/albums/...0Black%207.jpg

Hope the link works, not very good with this

Thanks for reading!
Prime

Hi Prime and welcome WB. Glad you are enjoying your riding, and hope to catch up on a ride out soon :)

Evenin Prime :)

Last Train and Wes, thank you and good evening! Wanted to go out on the bike so badly today, but chores always seem to fall on nice sunny days, never rainy days :rolleyes:

Hi Prim.

Hi Prime and welcome to WB , like the bike , she's a beaut !:cool:

Hi and welcome, keep it sunny side up and enjoy the new bike

Welcome :) nice looking bike!

Thanks everyone :D. Yeah I have to admit I am terrified of dropping it.. It probably will happen, well it almost did. I stopped in a layby to allow an ambulance through and as I stopped my left boot skidded on some gravel (like what the hell and where does all this stuff come from, laybys, roundabouts everywhere)! well I somehow amost fell off the left side whilst almost simultaneously falling under it. well I caught it anyway, but I S**T the bed! All good, sunny side up for sure!

Hi, Bike looks really good. I had a couple of Chinese bikes, if you threadlock everything and liberally apply ACF50 they manage fine.

Is it Euro 4? I don't see any sign of ABS, so combined brakes?

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Originally Posted by WR6133

Hi, Bike looks really good. I had a couple of Chinese bikes, if you threadlock everything and liberally apply ACF50 they manage fine.

Is it Euro 4? I don't see any sign of ABS, so combined brakes?

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I'm not really sure what this is (sorry have only been biking for 3 weeks) I have a can of Muck Off and chain lube to keep that nice and tidy, I dont have a garage so I have it chained up on my drive under a bike cover when not in use - I keep it as clean as I can and use polish and chrome polish for the metal. Other than that, I'm not really sure how to keep it well looked after, so any advice, pointers or practical sessions would be greatly appreciated!

I don't know what you mean by Euro 4, I know the bikes are either French owned and built in China, or they are Chinese owned and built in France, I can't really find a huge amount out about the company..

It's doesn't have ABS, but is disks front and back. Speedo is in KPH which is mildly annoying because it's hard to see the MPH numbers or do the math when I need to be concentrating ahead and around me.. But I have no cticisms of the bike really, but then I have never owned any other bikes, or really tested anything else to know if what I have is 'good'.

Although I try to avoid the cliche, it does exactly what it says on the tin and I love it!

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Originally Posted by Primeval

I'm not really sure what this is (sorry have only been biking for 3 weeks) I have a can of Muck Off and chain lube to keep that nice and tidy, I dont have a garage so I have it chained up on my drive under a bike cover when not in use - I keep it as clean as I can and use polish and chrome polish for the metal. Other than that, I'm not really sure how to keep it well looked after, so any advice, pointers or practical sessions would be greatly appreciated!

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http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/ACF-50-Mot...wAAOSwdGFYrS07

A liberal coating of the above on metal (not the disks) leaves a layer that staves off corrosion. It's well worth the cost and a massive bottle like the one I linked lasts a very long time.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Primeval

I don't know what you mean by Euro 4

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It's the latest emissions/safety rules from Brussels. Bikes that size require combined brakes or ABS. Lot's of Chinese bikes are still Euro 3 and being sold under a rule that allows a certain % of older Euro 3 bikes to be sold. I've googled it it is Euro 4 with combined brakes.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Primeval

Speedo is in KPH which is mildly annoying because it's hard to see the MPH numbers or do the math when I need to be concentrating ahead and around me.

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If the speedo is cable driven you could probably make the KPH in to MPH with an old adaptor (http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Motorcycle...8AAOSwYIxX9L1W).

Or just do it the ghetto way and put easy to see stickers on the clock face at 30/40/60/70

Hi Prime, welcome to Wiltshire Bikers!
That Mash looks like a mini version of the old Honda CB500T.

Hi and welcome to WB :cool:

Black and gold - an excellent colour!

Wow man, thanks for the advice! I'm aware that the bike is likely made to a lesser quality than compared to the Jap rivals, so the ACF-50 is going on order as soon as I get paid! I might venture over to Tidworth tomorrow evening for a bit of a play, so if you see a rider in black and grey with L Plates giving you a hugely enthusiastic nod in order to get recognition, it's probably me! :D

Hi nice looking bike. Iv had a couple of Chinese owned bikes/bikes built in China for other makers and apart from bolts coming loose I didn't have a single problem with them.
To be honest most people on here have owned or do own a bike made in China and don't even realise it as so many are made out there nowadays.