Lowyat.NET: Latest topics by cattledecap

Need Heavy Bike - the heavier the better

cattledecap — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 20:14:45 +0800

ok biker bros and sistas,
i need a heavy bike.
reason: i need to start riding big bikes to practice for full B license, however the riding school guys insist i take only B2.
i talked to another riding instructor and he thinks they are worried i might drop the bike.
so he suggested i ride a heavy friends bike a bit to get used to big bikes first...doesn't have to be new bike - just to get used to the bulk...my current friends now have only cars/kapchais...
danke.
now i ride a kawasaki ninja 150rr...its story is below.
http://forum.lowyat.net/index.php?showtopi...=gurus+1st+bike

MAXIS bill RM 600-->400--> 300 ?

cattledecap — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 01:04:20 +0800

Ok, i know companies are always looking to make profits...
i know companies always make you sign agreements with many small letters that no one reads to make sure they 'own' you.
Companies also market in a misleading way, confusing consumers (eg for TV HD ready, full HD 1080i/1080p etc)
Which is why consumers need protection from NGO/Govt etc.
Before i go to Maxis/consumer association/tribunal - i want all ur thoughts
my question:
some time back my third brother bought smart phone - 1st month bill he mentioned whoping rm 600!!!- only later they tell him if he does not take their 'internet data' package he will be charged like that! - Obviously if that info was given upfront he would not touch internet without their 'packages'...
My phone line is under my 2nd brother. Today he told me last month my bill rm 300, this month rm 400!!
I thought perhaps because i sent a few (< 10 sms) to foreign country...but rm 300-400?? no under data charges with no breakdown on from which activity/website this charge come from??
When i got a smartphone last month it came with many so called 'widgets'. I'm not very IT savvy - so i clicked on the android marketplace widget - saw some game listed but did not view the games. Then another day another auto question from my phone OS - do i want to know weather in KL - and the widget would access internet certain intervals. I clicked yes - but i am shocked at the amount they charge...
It feels like some telecom companies are trying to trap unwary consumers into paying big one time bills - but i hope they realize there will be downsides to this. Now i don't want to go anywhere near mobile internet - i believe it is a time waster mostly.
I made effort to scroll into the phones settings - deleted data roaming and data access via mobile network, then i went into another menu for apps and saw stuff like 'mcaffee security' crash monitor', 'update center', 'digital clock' 'facebook' - i never use facebook thru the mobile phone! etc etc all running. the problem is i don't know which is essential for phone functioing and which is just adding to my bills - all my overtime money for this stupid rm 400 bill. I'm gonna buy the old brickphone with minimal functions so that these hardware, software, and telecoms fellas don't get together and use consumers who are not tech savvy to increase their profits - then like angels they'll put up pictures of their CSR on their annual reports - sickening.

In summary:
1.are phone companies giving clear warning to consumers and their subline users regarding the massive charges if they don't sign up for data packages?
2. If a consumer gets a big bill and makes a complaint is he/she entitled for a refund since the consumer was not made aware of charges?
3. is it not true that the modern phone is designed for people to just touch all these widgets which rack up bills-is it not important that each widget makes an announcement ' starting this app will incur internet charges' so that consumer knows that digital clock, weather, even GPS are not free!-not every smartphone user is a tech professional!

CBU SuperBike with Cheap Parts & Good Resale Value

cattledecap — Sat, 10 Dec 2011 00:01:11 +0800

As the title says...
i was talking to my bike shop owner today...
i took my krr 150 to get burnt sparkplug fixed...
i mentioned my admiration of the gixxer 600-750.
He said 'take the Yamaha XJR bro, the spare part and resale value of gixxer is badddd......'
So, may i ask the experts, which CBU (this excludes some kawasakis and yamaha xjr 600...) superbikes (more than 500cc) have the (i)best resale value, with (ii)widespread cheap parts availability in malaysia?
thanks for your input...
(ps - by CBU i want to mean from japan/italy/usa) - thailand only builds below 500cc bikes....rite?)

What Makes A Great Guitarist

cattledecap — Sat, 26 Nov 2011 07:53:56 +0800

A)hi, new to guitar here...
i have been curious, what goes into the making of a great guitarist?
1. lots of practice (the right way, not simply copying youtube's mistakes..)
2. good teacher (not only because he play famous band, but coz he has good teaching skills & patience)
3. inborn talent
4. people you jam/hangout with (disciplined rockers who love music)
5. learning other musical instruments as well...(crossover skills)
6. social skills, stage presence, ability to woo crowd

anything i left out? which would be the main element?
Hendrix is supposed to be the 'greatest' but he was self thaught oonly right?

B) why many with excellent guitar skills, having studied in Berklee etc never became great (famous) guitarist - like slash, frusciante - did they have proper training or self thaught only. I find it weird that many guitarist academically study guitar at advanced level but cannot produce any popular album/play popular band?
thx for all ur thoughts.

Need Advice from Bike Gurus: my 1st Bike

cattledecap — Wed, 19 Oct 2011 15:59:55 +0800

Dear Motorbike Sifus,
I have been driving car to work so far...
almost never rode bike before....
want to start biking, keen to eventually ride bigger (SBK) bikes...
So, i paid for B full license and told the L class i want B full but never rode bike before - the whole class had a good laugh.
I went to the circuit. The teacher asked me to do '8' - i was able to get on the kapchai and do the '8' first try , but i could not master the 'titi'.
In this situation the teacher advice me to get a bike since now i have L, and practise more outside.
My Question is:
Since i want to eventually trade up to owning SBK, what would be a good starter bike to train:
+some fren said get simple non clutch and get balance right for titi etc
+some fren said get clutched cheap 2nd hand kapchai within rm 1 k, master it then trade in in 1 month
+some fren said just get ninja 150rr, then go straight to ninja 250 --> 500cc and beyond
So - (a) new or 2nd hand (b) kapchai or ninja 150 © if kapchai - which one is best? - i assume one with proper clutch etc...
TQ!