Is biking dead/dying in this country?

Predator_

I never see many bikers around anymore. Dont think ive even seen a biker wearing the yellow learners vest. With all the new hoops young lads will have to jump through to get on a proper desirable bike - r6's gixxers etc - 16 hours of lessons, paying some robbing bastard 300 euro to restrict a cbr250 to 33bhp, yellow learners vests, driving slow bikes for years.... etc
I would love to get a bike but its just too much hassle and money in this country.

FGR

Personally I think it's great that the IBT is there. There were too many clueless people jumping onto motorbikes prior to this course coming in. I agree that the cost of insuring and restricting bikes and long periods in those restrictions being an absolute joke though.

I'll be taking the IBT shortly but it's worth it as I know I'm a complete novice.

If people enjoy biking they'll take it up. There's always been that element and always will be. Besides..won't it be nice to be in an exclusive club?

Predator_

16 hours is madness, when I got my first bike years ago my friend told me the basics and I was sorted, picked up the rest as I went along. Having to spend 400+ on lessons is fine for adults but for young bikers who want something to buzz around for the summer its just a joke

sleepysniper

Predator_ wrote: »

Dont think ive even seen a biker wearing the yellow learners vest.

I presume you mean you havent seen any learners about on bikes? I can assure you that you have, but its just a case of "Oops I forgot to put my L-Vest on"!:D;)

Predator_

sleepysniper wrote: »

I presume you mean you havent seen any learners about on bikes? I can assure you that you have, but its just a case of "Oops I forgot to put my L-Vest on"!:D;)

1000 euro fine if your caught tho, this country is a joke

Mandzhalas

its decision time:will i pay 1000euro fine or let my friends/neighbours/strangers point fingers at me and laugh.never seen biker with west on myself?

Wonda-Boy

Predator_ wrote: »

16 hours is madness, when I got my first bike years ago my friend told me the basics and I was sorted, picked up the rest as I went along. Having to spend 400+ on lessons is fine for adults but for young bikers who want something to buzz around for the summer its just a joke

Thats the problem, all the little "FAST AND FURIOUS" wanna be's HAMMERING around just for the 3 summer months wrecking the place. No wonder BIKERS are getting a bad name.

unclebill98

I agree with the training. Very little to no room for making an error on a bike. I firmly believe I would not have crashed years ago if i was made to do it.

I got lessons when I moved onto bigger bikes, a real eye opening for me. I had my bro show me the ropes years ago but in all honesty these guys know who to teach, well they should know!

They also get thought about more than just driving the bike and tbh if your not interested then your better of getting a car.

mikemac

I did 12 hours of training starting off.
Got the licence on the school bike and then went to buy my own

Instructor said quite a few pass the test and then get the bike
Start off without bad habits anyway

I like the IBT as I more or less did it even though it didn't exist at the time.

Merch

I had the licence before it became a requirement to do the IBT, I've already done a few lessons, think around 10hrs, I dont have a bike yet so its good to be able to get out and practice. I may use to commute but also just to go out for a ride when I get a bike, but I think its worth it for my own safety to do the training also, having said that im glad I can just hop on an instructers bike and do actual practice rather than have to do a load of paper modules, although it may be made easier and (despite biking being different) I think it has still been an advantage to have been on the road in various forms for years already.

gardoyle27

I let my previous licence laps and wanted to get a bike, I had to do the ibt and can honestly say it is well worth doing, I wouldn't have had a couple of crashes years ago if it had of been about back then, I know it looks expensive but put a price on your life and if 300-400 sounds expensive then you must not think highly of yourself

Merch

gardoyle27 wrote: »

I let my previous licence laps and wanted to get a bike, I had to do the ibt and can honestly say it is well worth doing, I wouldn't have had a couple of crashes years ago if it had of been about back then, I know it looks expensive but put a price on your life and if 300-400 sounds expensive then you must not think highly of yourself

Are you sure if your licence lapsed that you actually would have to do the IBT?? I though it was only for licences that were not issued before the 8th December 2010.

I wouldnt be 100% on bike licences but if I didnt renew my car licence for up to ten years I could still get it reissued without having to redo the test, was it more than 10?
Still no harm to the lessons after that length I imagine, just wondering if the IBT as being new is a good substitute for a good instuctor, still its better to have some system in place than having people being able to just head off and do their own thing.

Wonda-Boy

Its very good that its not done like a car test with the pressurre of an exam at the end of it...but they should have it that its 2 days on the road and left the paper questions to the theory test.

Alkers

Don't think biking is dying off really at all. Don't see many learner vests around but sure how many of us wore them! Agree with the ibt being a good idea but don't like the 6 month wait from then till when you can do the full test, what is the logic behind that? I do notice a serious decline of young lads on scooters though, when I was that age there seemed to be loads around.

unclebill98

I would say the death of the scooter isndue to cheaper car insurance.

goodlad

I dont wear my L vest, its nothing to do with mates laughing or any **** like that.

I dont wear it because stupid drivers in this country.
I drive at 120kph with no L vest, cars behind me keep a good distance.

I drive 120kph with the L vest on and they drive up the arse of the bike because 120kph all of a sudden isnt fast enough for them because they see a Learner in front of them

I actually feel safer driving my bike with no L vest on.

Im not the only one who thinks this way.
There are a lot more learners out there than you think.

Roadskill

goodlad wrote: »

I dont wear my L vest, its nothing to do with mates laughing or any **** like that.

I dont wear it because stupid drivers in this country.
I drive at 120kph with no L vest, cars behind me keep a good distance.

I drive 120kph with the L vest on and they drive up the arse of the bike because 120kph all of a sudden isnt fast enough for them because they see a Learner in front of them

I actually feel safer driving my bike with no L vest on.

Im not the only one who thinks this way.
There are a lot more learners out there than you think.

If your driving at 120 kph then surely your on a motorway. No L vest and on the motorway as a learner :eek: Don't get caught or you may end up wishing you had obeyed the law.
At the end of the day it's a personal choice but don't complain if you end up paying for it.

goodlad

Roadskill wrote: »

If your driving at 120 kph then surely your on a motorway. No L vest and on the motorway as a learner :eek: Don't get caught or you may end up wishing you had obeyed the law.
At the end of the day it's a personal choice but don't complain if you end up paying for it.

You cant seriously be shocked that a learner would be on a motorway?
Forget the 120kmh example, its the same on all roads.

Ive been doing 60kmh and had people dangerously close to me, so i pulled in and let them pass me. Same road, different day, same car behind me but ive no L vest on. I do 60kmp and the dude seems fine with 60kmh this time?

Its purely because people see a L vest and something in their stupid brain clicks and they cant stand the thought of a learner being in front of them.

gardoyle27

Merch wrote: »

Are you sure if your licence lapsed that you actually would have to do the IBT?? I though it was only for licences that were not issued before the 8th December 2010.

I wouldnt be 100% on bike licences but if I didnt renew my car licence for up to ten years I could still get it reissued without having to redo the test, was it more than 10?
Still no harm to the lessons after that length I imagine, just wondering if the IBT as being new is a good substitute for a good instuctor, still its better to have some system in place than having people being able to just head off and do their own thing.

Yeah I had a provisional license, let it lapse for 5 years so as far as it goes I had to redo a theory test and because it was feb I had to do the ibt I was pissed off that I had to do it but i learned a few bits that nobody ever told me because I just jumped on a bike and went on my previous licenses,

Roadskill

goodlad wrote: »

You cant seriously be shocked that a learner would be on a motorway?
Forget the 120kmh example, its the same on all roads.

Ive been doing 60kmh and had people dangerously close to me, so i pulled in and let them pass me. Same road, different day, same car behind me but ive no L vest on. I do 60kmp and the dude seems fine with 60kmh this time?

Its purely because people see a L vest and something in their stupid brain clicks and they cant stand the thought of a learner being in front of them.

No of course I'm not shocked at all. As we all know in this country the law means we can do as we please anyway. I would have preferred the L plate fixed to the bike as the UK but I understand the point that some use the L plate as a target and don't respect your space as I see it every day. The only problem is I have to deal with it and protect my trainees as it's the law and I could be at fault if they weren't wearing them. As for the IBT I have had many through the system now and can honestly say that I have had no negative feedback as yet. Now that has shocked me

210

I think the cost for insurance is the big reason for a drop off in the number of bikers. The cost is prohibiting new bikers coming in which will be what kills Irish biking off in the end. Just to show the difference I got 2 online quotes today for a nice sensible honda cb 250.

The Cost for 28 year old to insure cb 250 in northern ireland with zero no claims bonus is 220 sterling ( 250 euro)

The Cost for a 28 year old to insure a cb 250 in republic of ireland with zero no claims is 1000 euro.

Alkers

210 wrote: »

I think the cost for insurance is the big reason for a drop off in the number of bikers. The cost is prohibiting new bikers coming in which will be what kills Irish biking off in the end. Just to show the difference I got 2 online quotes today for a nice sensible honda cb 250.

The Cost for 28 year old to insure cb 250 in northern ireland with zero no claims bonus is 220 sterling ( 250 euro)

The Cost for a 28 year old to insure a cb 250 in republic of ireland with zero no claims is 1000 euro.

Did you try the four companies? You'll get a much better quote than that with Quinn!

Del2005

Predator_ wrote: »

I never see many bikers around anymore. Dont think ive even seen a biker wearing the yellow learners vest. With all the new hoops young lads will have to jump through to get on a proper desirable bike - r6's gixxers etc - 16 hours of lessons, paying some robbing bastard 300 euro to restrict a cbr250 to 33bhp, yellow learners vests, driving slow bikes for years.... etc
I would love to get a bike but its just too much hassle and money in this country.

The restrictions cost the same in the UK, it's FI International that charge so much not the garage.

Lessons are a good thing and should reduce the cost of insurance. It's almost the same as for cars so we aren't being picked on.

The tabard is a joke, but L plates are as bad. Irish drivers don't respect learners, which is shocking cause we all where at some stage.
It's not just Ireland that's loosing bikers, cheaper cars and insurance is killing biking here and in the UK. Modern cars are capable of 50+mpg. Even in the UK young people struggle to insure sports bikes, like they can't get insurance on WRX or Evo's which is what an R6 is compatible with.