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mustang121
L Plate Warrior



Joined: 05 Jun 2012
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PostPosted: 14:23 - 05 Jun 2012    Post subject: New quarter aged rider - how did you learn to ride? - Reply with quote

Hi,
I have been bitten by the biker bug and yesterday I somehow managed to pass my CBT, which leaves me to the conclusion that it really is impossible to ‘fail’.

Regardless of passing I still do not feel comfortable riding on a 125cc on the road.

Has anyone here learned to ride by themselves by riding around a deserted carpark?

I am tempted to purchase a Honda CBF 125cc and have my biker father to take us both to an abandoned empty car park when I can practise, start / stop, gears, figure o’ 8 by myself for 4-5 fours instead of paying an instructor £60 only for two hours. Until I feel confident and competent enough to ride on the road without stalling, wobbling and generally killing myself.
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hedgehugger
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PostPosted: 14:32 - 05 Jun 2012    Post subject: Reply with quote

Sounds like a plan.
When I first started riding a bike after CBT. I felt brave going up the road and back. Then I made it out to the roundabout a mile down the road and back again. Once confident I wasn't going to kill myself I made it to the next town and back again (see a pattern there? Smile )
Take it at your own pace.

I had my own 125 and didn't take any lessons before passing test.


BTW, please explain quarter age rider? under 25?
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TFG600
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PostPosted: 14:45 - 05 Jun 2012    Post subject: Reply with quote

I was exactly the same, Living out in the sticks I had the advantage of hundreds of miles worth of deserted country lanes to play around on. Take it at you own pace and ride within your ability to keep yourself out of trouble Thumbs Up
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Jynister
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PostPosted: 15:16 - 05 Jun 2012    Post subject: Reply with quote

I was a little nervous on the roads at first as there was a bit of a gap between me passing my CBT and getting the bike. All I did was head out really early in the morning until I was comfortable on it, then I worked on getting comfortable in traffic.

I did what hedgehugger did, pick a place to ride to and go back, next time go a little further.
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J.M.
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PostPosted: 15:18 - 05 Jun 2012    Post subject: Reply with quote

Neither did I to be honest.

I just threw myself in at the deep-end though, out on to the open roads. It was very weird not having an instructor in my ear; I felt alone and it was kind of scary in that respect. Not prepared at all.

I quickly picked it up though and you will too.

Just a note though, when you're out on the road, don't change gear at 3-4k RPM like you could in a car. Not if you want any half decent acceleration. Took me ages to figure out why I couldn't get past 40 Doh!
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bikertomm
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PostPosted: 15:19 - 05 Jun 2012    Post subject: Reply with quote

Bite the bullet and go for it Very Happy

I made up a track in my head of quiet country lanes, about 6 miles round I think. On my first day I did over 150 miles..

Laughing

If you don't have to think where you are going you can concentrate on learning, gears, clutch control ect. I loved it.

Thumbs Up
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snikks
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PostPosted: 17:12 - 05 Jun 2012    Post subject: Reply with quote

Passed the CBT, with no prior road experience bar driving lessons. Memorised the route to and from work (including what lane to be in at roundabouts etc) then started riding that.

At first if it was windy or rainy I'd leave the bike behind and take the bus, but as time went on and I gained a bit of confidence I stopped letting it bother me.

I think the real "tipping" point in confidence was after the first long-run I did on the bike, up to my family holiday in the peak district, rode my little 125 Varadero all the way up there from Oxford, on A-roads. Did a few other longer trips after that, including a trip down to Exeter for a course I was doing, before upgrading to the Fazer after I passed my A2 test.
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- 2007 Honda XL125V Varadero (Sold), 1999 Yamaha FZS600 Fazer (Sold), 2001 CBR600F
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Hetzer
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PostPosted: 17:19 - 05 Jun 2012    Post subject: Reply with quote

Back in the day it was legal to buy a 125, stick an L-plate on it and take it straight out onto the road. I think it was legal to do that on a 250 too but I could afford only the 2nd-hand 125. I stalled at every light for the first couple of miles. Laughing
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P.
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PostPosted: 18:06 - 05 Jun 2012    Post subject: Reply with quote

I did my CBT and that day jumped onto my 125 and went for an hour long ride with my brother to get used to it.

Rode to work the next day, then to the other halfs after work.

Did that for a week and it all became quite simple after Thumbs Up
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angryjonny
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PostPosted: 19:50 - 05 Jun 2012    Post subject: Re: New quarter aged rider - how did you learn to ride? - Reply with quote

mustang121 wrote:
Regardless of passing I still do not feel comfortable riding on a 125cc on the road.

I never felt comfortable riding a 125 on the road. It was much better once we got onto the big bikes. Seriously... 125s are puny and feel like toys compared to any other bike. Get on a big one as soon as you can.

Incidentally, after I did my CBT I rented an XR125 for a week. It highlighted to me how rubbish my CBT was (my "2 hour" road ride wasn't even 45 minutes) but after a few hours on that I was much happer, and after a few evenings out on it I wasn't just doing U-turns but doing circles in the street.
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Rogerborg
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PostPosted: 20:00 - 05 Jun 2012    Post subject: Reply with quote

CBT is training, not a test. If you weren't actually trained, then you got mugged off.

But yes, it's really not that hard to learn to ride a bike, and some of us find it a lot easier to do it ourselves than with some failed examiner or traffic slaphead yelling at us.
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cromwell
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PostPosted: 20:38 - 05 Jun 2012    Post subject: Reply with quote

I always felt a lot more vulnerable on a 125 than I do now, I thought it was the cagers aiming at me and ignoring me because the L plates meant I didn't matter.
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Teflon-Mike
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PostPosted: 21:58 - 05 Jun 2012    Post subject: Re: New quarter aged rider - how did you learn to ride? - Reply with quote

mustang121 wrote:
New quarter aged rider - how did you learn to ride?


Lots and Lots and LOTS of expensive lessons with the School of Hard-Knocks....

Mr Pain was a wonderful Teacher....

Never showed me what to do or how to do it, just let me get on and figure it out for myself, and HURT ME when I got it wrong!

Soon learned what didn't work.... still working on what does...... only these days tend to get it right more often than I get it wrong!

In these 'soft' times though; teach others how to do it, so they can learn from my mistakes without them-selves having to experience the excruciating pain of my own lessons.... just the torture of thier purse strings.... though for some reason they seem to think that this is some-how 'worse' than bending bikes & gravel rash Shocked

If you think you 'passed' CBT you didn't learn anything; it ENT a test, and its not supposed to make you an expert in a day. It was ONLY your first frigging lesson!

Now your choice; either go back and get some more 'expensive' lessons to help you progress, or grab a bike and go start denting stuff..... I know which is easier and cheaper, but end of the day its your money & your skin!
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Nell
Derestricted Danger



Joined: 01 May 2012
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PostPosted: 00:10 - 06 Jun 2012    Post subject: Reply with quote

There's so much you can learn about defensive riding on a course. I still remember loads of it and despite the fact that I was a completely reckless 17 year old back in the day I think it probably saved my life several times.
Why not visit one of the training centres (or several of them) and ask them why doing their course is a good idea?
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mustang121
L Plate Warrior



Joined: 05 Jun 2012
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PostPosted: 07:20 - 06 Jun 2012    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks every one. I might have a couple more lessons and see how I feel.

At the moment all I want to do is ride around a carpark to get a feel for it.
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Dazbo666
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PostPosted: 07:55 - 06 Jun 2012    Post subject: Reply with quote

15+ years of driving experience
CBT
2x lessons on a 125
Hired a CG125 for a few days
2x DAS lessons on a GS500
and passed test first time Thumbs Up Wink
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Rogerborg
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PostPosted: 11:05 - 06 Jun 2012    Post subject: Reply with quote

mustang121 wrote:
At the moment all I want to do is ride around a carpark to get a feel for it.

Then do it, you're perfectly entitled to.
____________________
Biking is 1/20th as dangerous as horse riding.
GONE: HN125-8, LF-250B, GPz 305, GPZ 500S, Burgman 400 // RIDING: F650GS (800 twin), Royal Enfield Bullet Electra 500 AVL, Ninja 250R because racebike
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Richtea
Trackday Trickster



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PostPosted: 12:00 - 06 Jun 2012    Post subject: Reply with quote

Rogerborg wrote:
mustang121 wrote:
At the moment all I want to do is ride around a carpark to get a feel for it.

Then do it, you're perfectly entitled to.


Totally agree, if you want to do that its fine. I have never had any lessons on a geared bike. Did my CBT on a scooter, but then wanted to try a geared bike. Bought one, self taught and passed mod1 and 2 first time. And a few on here have done the same.

Half of passing is having good road sense, which if you've been driving for a while you should already have. Everyone has different opinions on whether you have to get lessons or not, personaly I only think that they are necessary if you want to do DAS, as going with a school is the only practical way to get on a big bike on L plates.

Obviously if you were a 16 year old, who had never been on the road, I would definately recommend lessons.
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kernow24
Crazy Courier



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PostPosted: 12:01 - 06 Jun 2012    Post subject: Reply with quote

mustang121 wrote:
Thanks every one. I might have a couple more lessons and see how I feel.

At the moment all I want to do is ride around a carpark to get a feel for it.


Dont send too much time pootling around in a carpark.
Yes its a good way to get a feel for the bike, but it seems you lack
confidence with being on the roads, and the best way to combat that
fear is to get out there on the roads.

In a carpark you will be in your comfort zone, you will be enclosed, no
fast moving traffic, few people around, you will feel 'safe'

There's a whole world of difference between feeling confident in a carpark
and feeling confident on the road, and the only way to start to feel confident
on the road is to get out there and get some miles in.

Go out and find some quiet roads to ride aroun on, you WILL feel much
better for doing it.

I wasn't confident at all after my cbt, picked up a bike from 60 odd miles away
a week later and was nervous as hell, thinking of all the what ifs, but after half
an hour riding back 'solo' I felt much better, think I ended up doing close to 200
miles on that ride back, and I didn't die...

Get out there and 'do it' it'll all come to you, it will build your confidence by being
out on the open road alone.
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panrider_uk
World Chat Champion



Joined: 23 Sep 2007
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PostPosted: 12:12 - 06 Jun 2012    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hetzer wrote:
Back in the day it was legal to buy a 125, stick an L-plate on it and take it straight out onto the road. I think it was legal to do that on a 250 too but I could afford only the 2nd-hand 125. I stalled at every light for the first couple of miles. Laughing


It was.

I bought a brand new CD185 and wobbled it all the way home from the dealers Smile

Mark
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angryjonny
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PostPosted: 12:42 - 06 Jun 2012    Post subject: Reply with quote

kernow24 wrote:
Dont send too much time pootling around in a carpark.

There's more merit in it than you might think. Like driving, there are two aspects to riding: (1) road sense, and (2) physically operating the machine. Until you can do (2) as if it were second-nature you have no mental capacity left for (1).

Pootling round a car park allows you to get comfortable with the machine and its controls so that when you're out on the road you can devote your attention to what's going on around you. I remember (after over a decade of driving) when I was learning to ride how bad my road sense got - I found it very frustrating because it was easy in the car. The reason was that I was thinking about operating the machine, not riding. A day or two pootling round a car park will help build the muscle-memory you need for a lifetime of riding.
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Teflon-Mike
tl;dr



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PostPosted: 15:39 - 06 Jun 2012    Post subject: Reply with quote

kernow24 wrote:
Get out there and 'do it' it'll all come to you


+1 to most of Kernosw comment, really.

Yes, get a bike, you ent going anywhere without one.

Yes, go play in a parking lot - get a feel for it...

but you'll have exhausted everything you were tought during CBT withing maybe three four hours... pottentially dizzy focusing close and riding round in small circles, and potentialy in danger of getting a Section 59 Antisocial Use of Motorvehicle 'warning' if any-one moans!

Yes, get some lessons booked; learn to do some 'stuff' right, right at the start; give yourself something to practice.

Steel your self; brave some quiete roads... trundle over to your lesson.

Come home.... practice what you learn.

Repeat until you are grumbling you want a bigger bike!

It will come... in stages.

You wont build confidence, without stretching yourself, nor by chucking yourself in the deepend & hurting yourself.

YOU are the RIDER..... you choose when and where you ride; you choose how fast you go, what direction, whether you stop or go.

Look where you want to be.... thats where the bike goes..... focus on the floor in front or besides you THAT is where you will fall.

Same goes in the bigger picture.... learning to ride is a journey; one of discovery.

Focus on the floor around you, you wont go no-where. You will fall down and frustrate yourself.

Look up the road, to where you want to be, and you WILL get there.....

Trick is not to let the enormity of the journey daunt you, nor fixate too much on the here and now.

Be AWARE of where you are, NOW where you want to go; keep your head up, your feet neat, STOP THINKING - START RIDING, and ENJOY the Journey.
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Current Bikes:'Honda VF1000F' ;'CB750F2N' ;'CB125TD ( 6 3 of em!)'; 'Montesa Cota 248'. Learner FAQ's:= 'U want to Ride a Motorbike! Where Do U start?'
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