To All Melbourne Residents or Bikers...

[daamon]

Firstly, sorry mods if this is the wrong forum - it's just that the "Off Topic" forum's postings don't appear in the list on the home page. But, move it there if that's where it belongs...

I've recently moved to Melbourne from the UK and was forced to leave my beloved motorbike behind. My question:

Where in Melbourne are there any motorbike dealers? I've tried searching Google for Honda dealers (it's a Honda I want), I've tried searching the Ozzy Yellow Pages, but no luck.

Please - Can anyone help?

Ta...

[vitualis]

I find that the online yellow pages are useful...

http://www.yellowpages.com.au/search/performSearch.do?region=&businessType=motorcycle&...=true&x=22&y=7

Regards.

[tweedledee]

Go to the top of Elizabeth ST. near Victoria Market. There are a few there in that area.

[tweedledee]

Here are a couple to check out

[thayne]

Holy crap you guys get ripped off! A brand new honda rebel here is like $2500....

[tweedledee]

In Melbourne the car drivers are such crap that motor bike riders are classed as "temporary road users"
Don't forget that $2500 US is about $3500AUS ( which means it's still a lot more expensive over here.)

[guns1inger]

/open RANT

If motorcycle riders stayed in one lane, instead of insisting on sharing my lane with me, they'd last longer. Riders that obey the road rules and use common sense live longer.

/end RANT

Look for Peter Steven's Motorcycles in Elizabeth St Melbourne. Probably the biggest dealer around these parts.

[tweedledee]

By the way, now you are in OZ, it's POMMIE BASTARD. OK!!

[The village idiot]

/open RANT

If motorcycle riders stayed in one lane, instead of insisting on sharing my lane with me, they'd last longer. Riders that obey the road rules and use common sense live longer.

/end RANT

Yes I agree, but if the stupid auto drivers would keep their ******* eyes open, many more would last longer too. I'm constantly dodging some jerkoff that drives down the road with their ******* eyes closed to the rest of the world. And I do obey the rules.. I also do not ride in someone's blind spot as it is very dangerous. Still doesn't help. Most people that drive are just completely oblivious to the world around them. And the idiots that drive their bike 6 times faster than traffic is moving, weaving in and out of the slower traffic deserve to be damaged. Helps weed out the gene pool.

[Doramius]

some retards don't check their blind spots or mirrors until half way into the lanes. I found that out. I almost had a big accident when I visited AUS a while back. Of course there are idiot cyclists too. other countries And California is where I see cyclists using the line, separating the lanes, as an actual lane. I have a rig off to my right and I'm passing in the left lane. Mind you this is a 2 lane highway. A motorcycle comes ad passes us by driving in between. Had I seen him I would have told my wife to wing him with the door. i've done that in stopped or slow traffic. I see cycles using the white line to drive down and I'll open my door if I see them doing it.

[thayne]

some retards don't check their blind spots or mirrors until half way into the lanes. I found that out. I almost had a big accident when I visited AUS a while back. Of course there are idiot cyclists too. other countries And California is where I see cyclists using the line, separating the lanes, as an actual lane. I have a rig off to my right and I'm passing in the left lane. Mind you this is a 2 lane highway. A motorcycle comes ad passes us by driving in between. Had I seen him I would have told my wife to wing him with the door. i've done that in stopped or slow traffic. I see cycles using the white line to drive down and I'll open my door if I see them doing it.

Well, they call them "blind spots" for a reason! LOL

In California, it's legal for motorcycles to drive between lanes....

[Doramius]

some retards don't check their blind spots or mirrors until half way into the lanes. I found that out. I almost had a big accident when I visited AUS a while back. Of course there are idiot cyclists too. other countries And California is where I see cyclists using the line, separating the lanes, as an actual lane. I have a rig off to my right and I'm passing in the left lane. Mind you this is a 2 lane highway. A motorcycle comes ad passes us by driving in between. Had I seen him I would have told my wife to wing him with the door. i've done that in stopped or slow traffic. I see cycles using the white line to drive down and I'll open my door if I see them doing it.

Well, they call them "blind spots" for a reason! LOL

In California, it's legal for motorcycles to drive between lanes....

There's a federal ruling for safety on that, so It can't be legal in CA anymore if it ever was. It would be stupid to try. Also, when there's a truck to your right and it's only 2 lanes, a gust of wind can run the trailer almost into the other lane. I wouldn't want to be the cyclist in between.

[daamon]

All,

Thanks for the recommendations as well as the entertaining different views. Having been a motorist for 16 years, and a motorcyclist for 9 years, it does make interesting reading.

As for my opinion on the whole thing and various comments, I'd need a few beers inside me and a good rant to make me feel better at the end (as well as a lot of time and a willing audience!!!).

(New bbCode inspired by The village idiot)

[rant]In short:
1. Most motorists don't know what's beyond their bonnet until it's gone underneath the car. They also aren't aware that there are, in fact, other road users around them outside of their little metal boxes-on-wheels.

2. Too may motorcyclists think they're good or they're racers and so end up riding far too fast / close / dangerously and are only alive by luck. They also are then responsible for the sad statistics and bad reputations.

Why am I allowed to say this about both groups? Because I used to fit into both until I got older and wiser and feel justified in saying it. I unfortunately know people from both groups who are no longer with us due to their's and / or others lack of skills / observation or care.

Because of this, I enrolled for advanced rider training and I can honestly say that I'm a better, safer rider AND driver because of it. It doesn't mean that I'm now "a slow old man" (I'm 34) - on the contrary - I usually get from A to B quicker than boy racers on 2 wheels, and a whole lot safer. It's quite a satisfying feeling when you know what's around the next few corners, or where the road goes, well in advance rather than dealing with it as it appears.[/rant]

For those in the UK, from personal experience I'd recommend the following advanced riding courses:

1. The British Motorcyclists Federation (BMF).
2. Contacting your local police force for any "Better Riding" courses - I did mine with Sussex Police.
3. DEFINITELY The Institute of Advanced Motorists (IAM).

By the way, now you are in OZ, it's POMMIE BASTARD. OK!!

Cheers tweedledee - LOL...

[Grimey]

In California, it's legal for motorcycles to drive between lanes....

That is a pretty stupid thing to do.

[Doramius]

In California, it's legal for motorcycles to drive between lanes....

That is a pretty stupid thing to do.

It's not illegal to wing them either. If they are going to be unsafe, then I will give them all of the unsafe measures and scenario I can create for them. If they are courteous and are behind me waiting to pass, I take special care in making sure that nobody acts like a prick to them. I'll usually speed up a little to pass the car to my right, then pull into the right lane to allow space, and coast in the right lane for a bit to make space infront of me if the cyclist needs to merge right also because of some prick riding his wheel. I'll then move back into the left lane and allow him a space to move left and speed on ahead. THat's just courtesy. If you use common sense people can predict what you're going to do and prepare ahead of time. When you're a dick and become aggressive for no reason and risk yours and other people's lives without warrant, then you should get killed and removed from the population of better drivers. I've never had an accident where the police called it my fault. I've hit a deer (actually the report says the deer hit me). I was run off the road and sent into a broadside skid, during the winter, because someone was going to fast for road conditions and wasn't paying attention to were the road boundaries were. I had the road come out from under me due to a sink hole. I'll have to do a rant for these. Good stories.