WOHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO finally got to get out on the bike today - major thanks to Herne & Karey Herne had to take it up onto the road for me though as I was sh***ing meself!!! Bike then decided that she liked the throttle being on so much,she didn't want to clam down!! Herne had to convince her that this wasn't such a good idea & took a spanner to her - not sure if it's a trapped throttle cable or not - whenever her bars were turned left , the throttle took off with a life of it's own!!! however,threatening her with Herne & a spanner seemed to do the trick -will need to get it looked at though! Soooooo, then on the road,pointing up a steep hill,waiting for all the cars to go past.............. Then Karey's bike wouldn't start!!! Think Kareys bike was sulkin cos mine had been getting all the attention!! Got Karey's Bike started & off she went up the road. My turn next........ Set off -bit of awobbly start, however not too  bad (ish!!) to hear Herne behind me honking the horn like mad,so pulled in......... side stand was still down!!!!.DOH!!!!! OK, attempt 2!!! Sets off again, (Side stand UP!!) wobbling up the hill, but gets me balance eventually.Changes gear (must remember to throttle off a bit when changing gear!!!) Karey had pulled in to wait for us, so goes past Karey & on up the road...takes a right turn towards the moors....pulls in to wait for Herne & Karey. Both arrive OK, my tickover needs some tweaking as she wont idle withough cutting out, so Herne does some tweaking & we're ready to go again. Sets of -bit of a wobble, but soon calm down.......wohoooooooo this is fun!!!! Off over the moors, then Herne comes up honking his horn like mad.......I'm sure I've put me side stand up this time!!!!! So over I pull -yep side stand up!!! Herne then informs me that Karey has run out of petrol & he's on fumes!! ....doh!!! Soo, decision made that Karey will wait with her bike & me & Herne would go back to mine -I'll pick up the gerry can & go down to the petrol station (in the car) with Herne following . Soooo sets off...........Herne honking his horn behind me!!!!!!!! yep -Side stand down again!!! I was sure I'd checked this time though!!!! Gets berated by Herne & we set off again. WOHOOOOO this is brilliant!!! Gets home & manages to get bike on drive without going into the bushes! Sets off again in car to get petrol & retrieve Karey Soooooo at least I can say that I've now managed to get out on me bike.....still think she needs a bike whisperer though!!                                                                                                                                                                               

Well done you two!!! Brilliant news                                                                                                                                                                              

Sounds like everyone's getting some good experience there, well done y'all                                                                                                                                                                                

Congrats HG, Now you have managed your first trip out it gets easier from now on. Please please get the throttle cable routing sorted though, it can be scary enough for an experienced rider and we don't want to be hearing bad news.    Did you get to Big D's btw?                                                                                                                                                                             

well done Kaz n Stella...not the first person ive known today run out of petrol though LOL..   good luck to u both ride safe girls..   nice one herne for helpin out the girlies..gold star for you my boy:)                                                                                                                                                                             

so funny readin wot u wrote hfg, well dun 2 u both........and b4 meza spills the beans............. 'not the first person ive known today run out of petrol though LOL'.. I will tell u.......me finks, nice day, so lets take me new virago out, gets all me wind stopper gear on, covers off bike, checks tank 4 fuel, yep needs fuel (no petrol guage on virago)manouveres bike out of small gate way, heads 2wards garage, gets 2 round about....chug chug, splutter splutter, oh heck, which way do the reserve switch av 2 go...tries both ways....spluter splutter.....losin power....oh s***.....make it round the round about.....oh heck lights on red....splutter sum more.....over lights......bike dying rapidly....then nothin....oh poo!! Oh s*** ive run out of fuel......now wot....garage a mile away, up a hill, cant leave bike, its stopped on a red route, Whips fone outa me pocket, fones daughter, who just happens 2 be off work......yay, daughter 2 the rescue. So drob now needs 2 find out which way the reserve is on bike n make sure I go 2 nearest garage next time i decide 2 go out!! Fab ride out on new bike though. hehe                                                                                                                                                                             

hehehe..nice one trace:)..glad u enjoyed the new bike though hun                                                                                                                                                                             

Geoff when Kaz arrived at mine this morning she was positive she wouldn't be able to go on main roads with the bike ..she was crapping herself...I was very patient with her and told her within five mins she would be ready..and she was..I was so proud of her it to0ok me back to the 80s when I was an instructor...also you too Stella you're a star girl. may you both ride many more miles together                                                                                                                                                                              

oops it wasn't geoff sorry meza it was just I saw the green bike and thought it was geoff lol                                                                                                                                                                              

Drobess - fuel switch to the right is normal - ON                               to the left is reserve - RES   Fill tank fully, and re-set tripometer to zero. When you have to go to reserve - check how many miles you have done. And every time you re-fill (fully) re-set tripometer back to zero. Now you know how many miles to go before you run out.   Reserve should be good for 20+ miles.                                                                                                                                                                             

Herne - I seem to recall u calling Kaz a few names recently, inc "wannabe".   Well....?                                                                                                                                                                             

XK fanx 4 that but my reserve is on the handlebars n is an up n down switch on it, n the writin is faded on it so not sure which way is which, also i always run my 250 usin the trip switch , so used 2 keepin an eye on the mileage, wiv fuel in it, it went like a dream

Hey XK I only call em to their face mate and am sure Kaz will tell you she was just making excuses to avoid the issue of getting on that bike but hey she amazed me cos after five mins she was doing U turns no prob at all,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,So XK you can say what you want mate cos ya can't wind me up but I admire ya for trying                                                                                                                                                                              

Thought I'd give it a go, but u know me too well mate!       and mucho respecto - kaz & hfg         Dro - looks like trial & error, then                                                                                                                                                                             

Wow ... what a day !!!!     I haven't stopped grinning yet!!   Well today I had intended to go to Big D's and my dear friend Herne (Allen) had very kindly offered to pillion me, looks so much better turning up on a bike..not a car !  lol But... I got a pm from HFG (Stella) asking if I had been on my bike yet, etc...after a few conversations.. Allen managed to persuade ( my arms still sore for being twisted up my back!) me to have a run out on my bike and very kindly offered to call over to Stellas so she could come out too! ...So I'm afraid Big D's was cancelled.  Anyway i drove over to Allen's.. where he is very kindly storing my bike for me .. and I had a few runs up and down the car park..even got it up to 3rd gear !! wooo hooo... U-turns ..and back up..and i havta say..even I was pretty impressed wiv my U-turns...no foot down.. slow control..think Allen was surprised   So then its out on the 'real roads' down to the Ind Est....  I was a bit 'worried' but needn't have been.. Allen was right there behind me or just in front of me, constantly checkin over his shoulder to make sure i was ok.   Gets there..and he has a cig break and tells me to just ride up n down..and get used to it.  Theres an instructor there wiv her pupils and she tells Allen that I'm covering my clutch..  ok.. 'must remember to keep fingers off clutch whilst pootling'!! lol   Reet.. he says.. we'll go over to Stella's  ... Arrrrghhh ... 13miles approx..and Allen says we'll be about an hour!!   Startin to get a bit apprehensive agen...but Allen says.. you can do this.. I wouldn't let you do it if i dint think you could.!   Well a long story short, we get there... in about an hour.... was great..a few minor hiccups.... stalled a cupple of times.. wrong gear.. road positing..sumtimes not quite right... but all minor things, and Allen did say later on that he was really impressed wiv my line and cornering, expecting me to slow right down, and crawl round...but no .. i took the bends and corners very well.   Sooooo then we arrrive at Stellas.. first thing.. a much appreciated brew ( Thank you !)  and a good old natter...then we get Stella's bike up the drive...and  the rest is all covered in Stella's post !   Except the bit where i hadta ride back to Allens from Stella's in the dark.... agen... a few little hiccups...but nowt to worry about...and another very welcome brew when we got back.   Sooooooooooo THANK YOU SOOOO MUCH ALLEN !!   you are an absolute star, patient and considerate.. even tho you teld me afterward that you had yr visor up shouting KAZ CHANGE GEAR!!!!!     Never heard u mate !    All that bullying paid off in the end... I absolutely loved it !    So that was my first day out on my bike...since my CBT at the beginning of October..and I cant wait to get out agen!!   Stella you're a star too...many thanks for the petrol run!!  I still owe u for that...havent forgot... and sorry that u dint get as much time on yr bike as we  had hoped..but this is the first of many trips out... providing we can persuade Allen to come wiv us..or indeed any other BM'ers wanting to help out these newbies!! heheh   Thanks to everyone for your lovely kind comments too...this truly is the 'Friendly Bikers' site.. love u lot to bits!!!!!   *ooh can u tell im still giddy!! lol *   PS..Trace.. im glad im not the only one ..ahem..lol   and well done you  for gettin out on yr new bike too !! brilliant !!                                                                                                                                                                                   

will let u off this time herne...just cos ya such a top bloke for helpin the lasses out today                                                                                                                                                                             

Jeeez my arms and legs are aching today...methinks I might have been gripping on a bit tight  lol   Still grinning tho !                                                                                                                                                                              

Hey! I must've missed this news! Congrats on yer bike Kaz! :o)   Let alone congrats on getting out on it!   I am of course, insanely jealous, but also dead proud of you both FFS ;o)   If I can afford to buy electric next month I'll be chuffed. The bike will have to wait a while!                                                                                                                                                                              

Missed all this news too Kaz....def didn't know you finally got yer lil' bike sorted...nice one.....what did you get etc?!:o).....   Nice one for being able to get off the drive too HG!:o)............   Your turn WILL come WB:o).........                                                                                                                                                                             

Well done girls and herne its so nice for the girls to have someone like you to support and guide them both, I had a good friend that did that for me and it really does help.   Drob just been out to look at bluebell and the fuel is on is up and down is reserve, I tend to run to about 90 - 95 miles then fill up, as the reserve on the 535 is known to be sticky and can't be relied on. If yours is different to mine I am sure you will get the info if you go onto the dephi forum link I sent you.