Don't be shy, minxy. Won't do you any good, just limits your possibilities!!
Harry the Hamster won't bite.... he just nibbles!!

Just think, the more friends you make the bigger gang you have for rolling on some little gixxer punks!

Sounds like you all have some pretty good places to ride to and have fun. I've been stuck riding with the Harley Crew. My one bud has a toasted clutch (stupid drag strip), so he's out till he gets that fixed.
I need to look around for more meets in the area. I like seeing different bikes and making more friends to ride with (apparently I need some... to get away from these slow-assed HD clowns...)

 

your damn right it does limit you a lot i guess if i get better maybe i will have big enough ***** to turn up it would be great theres some cool people in my area and some great roads to go on but i usually go alone hehe but chat if i meet anyone on the way

come move to england hehehe join the crew here

 

Minxy I was in a similar situation 'cos I passed my test and then didn't ride at all for months , had no bike and was saving up. Bought a bike and then had to ride it about 200 miles home Once I got back on the bike , I would go out at night , no traffic , no distractions , even used car parks to practice the old 'U' turns 'n' stuff. Not a great deal of fun but I needed the practice and it gave me a bit of extra confidence

I'm still no Valentino Rossi but at least I got the confidence to ride anywhere now .

As far as having ball's is concerned , you got the ball's to ride a sports bike , let the buggers swing

 

Yep, we've all been there. Hell, I still practice u-turns in parking lots sometimes! Only way to get better is to practice, and with this huge beast (1000F) the more practice the better.
I can do u-turns all day long on this thing...it's just trying to do them in as small a space as possible that's the trick.
When I first started riding with groups, I didn't push it like many of the others, and I was always a good bit behind. I didn't give a shlt, though, I just liked to ride. There was another guy (the guy with the bad clutch now) that would stay behind with me, and we'd ride together. He's a good guy, and he didn't care one way or the other.
Now when we ride, I can keep up, no problem (for the most part...some of these little guys on light bikes are quick!).
It just takes some time. It's like anything in life....you have to learn somehow. Too many idiots ride past their abilities because they're trying to be cool, and that's the biggest mistake you can make. Take it easy and enjoy it! That's the point. It takes time.

As far as approaching other riders...look at it like this:
Most people are pretty much the same. Nobody is looking around for noobs with the intention of making fun of them or trying to be better than them. Nobody here is, I can tell you that. I know you aren't, minxy. And even if somebody is, **** them. The real riders (the majority) couldn't care less, and will actually look down on the a-holes who think they are better than everybody else. It's a fact. Nobody likes the jackass know-it-all.
I've seen a hell of a lot of clowns, who think they are great riders, get smoked by the quiet guy on a Goldwing.

I'd join your group if I could, and I'm sure I would enjoy Harry's ride to the London meet, but I'd imagine that getting my bike across the ocean could be a bit of a challenge.

 

omg you lot are cool as i have thought about going out at night as there is nothing on the roads but then my dad will say erm what you doing its dark no one will see you but i think it will be the best way now

i feel so much better now after joining here and finding out that actually yeh there is d**ks out there but there are more good guys i feel a lot better about going out now (still shy on meeting tho as there proper bikers ) i will get there eventually it will just take time as you say

just need to get myself a battery and i will go for a ride new day new outlook it will be brill im sure

oh and rain to stop tut you could have all made me feel better when the sun was still out hahahahahahahahahaha

 

You are also fairly close to the South Lancs Advanced Motorcyclists group (SLAM). They meet first thursday in every month at 7pm in the Hartwood Hall in Chorley.

Best thing I did was to take the advanced course and pass my advanced test on a bike.

They take you on some real nice roads during the course and they organise lots of weekend rideouts.

 

In many ways I think it's safer Minxy , drivers can see your lights better , so they notice you by night , when they might not during the day

 

yep also, anything you need to see SHOULD be lit up it will deffenatly be better on m60 at night as it is empty the times i get on it

well im out buying parts for car tomorrow so i will get bike bits aswell then i will see if she starts ok

 

Only problem with night riding is the ability to see beyond your lights. (curves, animals, etc)
Just have to move a little bit slower.
Other drivers can see you better, but it's about the stuff that the rider can't see. No big deal, just gotta be "heads up" about it.

Good luck getting all the parts or "bits" you need.

 

Convert your headlights to HID and see how much difference it makes - Best mod I ever did was to install a 6000K HID system in the headlight.