[Smile] What's something small that really makes you smile?

Forums › Off topic › [Smile] What's something small that really makes you smile?

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#3424846 14-Oct-2025 12:15

After having a truly awful experience signing up with the green-coloured carrier, I decided to move over to the purple one yet this was not without its own issues either.

I reported the issues to them as I saw it, they came back to me within about an hour, looked into the issue over the weekend then acknowledged that they got it wrong, apologised and let me know that they would update their website. They even provided a months service credit, which I was not expecting!

It's not hard to make a mistake, but it also shouldn't be hard to own up when you make one either.

There is something to be said for being real, and being honest.

Geektastic

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#3424947 15-Oct-2025 00:28

Taking up motorcycling at 57.

It was challenging - more than I expected it to be. I rode a bit when I was in my late 20’s but never quite got round to the test. Then didn’t have the money, time etc etc. you know how it goes.

So I didn’t expect it to be that hard to do what seems like something relatively simple and which I’ve successfully done before. Got that wrong!

The issues arise from the fact that, in the UK (at least when I was doing it) a Learner could not ride anything bigger than a 125. The typical Suzuki 125 isn’t tall, isn’t wide and isn’t heavy. Therefore some of the challenges don’t arise.

Here, I have a Triumph Tiger Sport 660. It’s a LAMS bike but that only affects its power. The physical bike is identical to the non-LAMS bike.

It’s not a massive bike by any means but it is a lot taller and heavier than a 125. It has brakes that are orders of magnitude better than the 125 as well.

The first few times I rode it I felt like a foal born about an hour ago! Everything was tricky. I even landed flat on my rear a couple of times doing nothing more challenging than stopping - gently - at white lines etc. No damage to me although on one of them the momentum caused my head to hit the tarmac. I was of course wearing a helmet and it was nowhere near hard enough to damage anything other than me having a headache!

Now, I’ve got 1700kms in the saddle and when I went out on Sunday it was the first time that everything really began to coalesce into a smooth and flowing experience, with neat single foot stops at junctions, smooth starts away from the line (I can’t believe almost all bikes are still manual - it’s almost impossible to buy manual cars now) and so on

To be fair, I have had a fair bit of one on one professional instruction on the road - 90 minutes every 4 weeks or so. I can’t understate how useful that is. It’s an inherently more dangerous activity when compared to car driving. Learning the proper way of doing it from someone calm, experienced and helpful really does set you up to be a good, sensible rider who protects himself through being constantly active in observation, threat identification, road positioning to maximise visibility and minimise risk and so on.

It’s tremendous fun too, which helps. I think the licensing here in NZ is quite sensible. The only thing that is a bit odd is the difference between Learner status and Restricted status. The only difference is that on a Restricted licence, you do not need L plates. That’s it. Same bikes, same curfew, same prohibition on taking pillion passengers. Almost hardly seems worth all the systems needed to issue the licenses really.

So if you want something to make you smile, give it a go.

Handsomedan

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#3424993 15-Oct-2025 09:41

Geektastic:

Taking up motorcycling at 57.

Funnily enough, I am more or less the same age as you and have also ridden motorcycles back when I was in my 20's but not recently.

I've toyed with getting my bike licence, but just never got around to it.

It's interesting to read your challenges, because I have always thougt it would be just like riding a bike. You get on and it all just falls into place, but as you say - LAMS approved bikes can be and often are bigger than the 125/250 learner bikes from back in the day.

I think I might have to start thinking about this again...

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gzt

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#3425058 15-Oct-2025 11:17

, I have a Triumph Tiger Sport 660. It’s a LAMS bike but that only affects its power. The physical bike is identical to the non-LAMS bike.

Good lord that's 200kg! I do not like the idea of learners on something that heavy. I'm glad you had some professional lessons. I'm sure picking the thing up when it falls over was the very first lesson ; ).

netspanner

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#3425111 15-Oct-2025 12:17

, I have a Triumph Tiger Sport 660. It’s a LAMS bike but that only affects its power. The physical bike is identical to the non-LAMS bike.

Try a road bicycle with cleats. The first time I stopped I forgot to put my foot down and toppled over in front of all the traffic at the lights. Learned my lesson with a bruised ego.

tdgeek

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#3425117 15-Oct-2025 13:08

gzt:
, I have a Triumph Tiger Sport 660. It’s a LAMS bike but that only affects its power. The physical bike is identical to the non-LAMS bike.

Good lord that's 200kg! I do not like the idea of learners on something that heavy. I'm glad you had some professional lessons. I'm sure picking the thing up when it falls over was the very first lesson ; ).

My 650 is 219kg wet. Its only heavy when backing out of my garage and turning it towards the street. Once its mobile, even slow, you cant feel the weight, but it does feel more stable than a small bike

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Tinkerisk

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#3425185 15-Oct-2025 17:23

I like the idea behind the motorbike licence test in Japan, where you have to be able to lift the engine capacity class you want to ride. 😁😉

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#3425186 15-Oct-2025 17:46

tdgeek: My 650 is 219kg wet. Its only heavy when backing out of my garage and turning it towards the street. Once its mobile, even slow, you cant feel the weight, but it does feel more stable than a small bike

My 650 was 250kg wet. The weight distribution was not the best either. Nearly every single person I lent it too dropped it at low speed or while standing still.

Handsomedan

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#3425286 16-Oct-2025 09:25

New Apple Watch Ultra 3 is arriving tomorrow.
Apple site states 2-3 weeks for delivery.
This will have taken 2 days.
Tracking shows it's coming from Singapore, which is unusual.

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#3425615 17-Oct-2025 04:23

Friday is the last day of my renovation. The guys have done a good job but I'll be glad to see the back of them after a month.

Handsomedan

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#3425699 17-Oct-2025 11:11

The ease with which I was able to both set up my new Apple Watch and also to add One Number to it for cellular service.

One NZ have really changed things over the last couple of years! A couple of clicks and I was away!

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#3425703 17-Oct-2025 11:46

@Geektastic A few years back I came very close to purchasing a Can-Am Spyder. For me it would have given the best of both worlds. Sadly it was not be as my medical condition interceded and I was forced to file that dream in the bottom drawer.

Here is a crazy notion, lets give peace a chance.

eracode

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#3425841 17-Oct-2025 22:06

We are in Fukuoka, Japan, for few days. Went to a 7-Eleven store to buy a few necessities like beer etc. Spoke to the lovely young girl on the checkout and established that they do accept credit cards (not so ubiquitous in Japan).

Selected my items and went back to her. I was doing my best, cycling through my vocab of about four conversational Japanese words. She pointed to something on a sign that had several pictograms on it. I was puzzled and then she said, in good English, “plastic bag?”

I cracked up and so did she. Special little moment.

Sometimes I just sit and think. Other times I just sit.

JillF

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#3426542 19-Oct-2025 23:56

my airpod pro 3's, nice alternative to listening to my kids getting the dogs so excited they bark for an hour 😀

k1w1k1d

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#3426621 20-Oct-2025 10:30

Enjoying retirement, just been for our morning walk and now sitting here watching green finches eating the seeds on our rosemary and wax-eyes and sparrows squabbling over the energy log in the bird feeder.

The starlings are a bit annoyed as they are too big to get through the mesh to get at the food.

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