Done fisrst day of DAS

[stryker]

Well its been an eventful day

Been spending the time today going through just about every bend and island in Wolverhampton. Instructor wanted to ensure I'd got the observations right etc. The instructor was very happy with me given it was the first day. Got to admit riding my trike for 18 months has got me pretty well prepared for observations and generally used to riding with the knife in my back as opposed to in my hand

My wrists and arms are killing me! mostly owing to my kungfoo death grip I've had on the bike's handle bars all day

I've had a few embarrassing moments though, well more than a few. No matter how much I concentrate I often end up at a junction, say in 3rd gear..... Then I press down for first and end up trying to pull away in 2nd.... on occasions its been 3rd, hence the stalls. I figure I've got to drill into my head that I've got to A) Work through the gears on approach and B) To press down to go down a gear, then remember to lift my foot totally off the gear pedal then press down again to go down another gear.... my problem was I was trying to travel through multiple gears with on press, the instructor said that wont work.

Ho, hum, all in all it was real fun.... apart from one time when I got what I can only explain as "riders block", I was approaching a right bend at around 40mph and for a split second totally forgot how to corner, I swear to God I really did.... I started drifting over the road about to meet a hedge when suddenly it came back to me and I banked over and pulled through..... damn that was scary.

[Doobrey]

Stryker,

Man - that sounds great and funny, especially with the riders block!

EEK.

I have passed the CBT and Theory, and am really jealous of you, as I won't be doing my practical DAS until early next year. I guess my missus is right and sensible in that she made us get a little 125cc Yamaha to practice on. Mind you, we are practising the life saver checks and rear observation loads to get it right. It's also been really useful for controlling the bike in low gears.

Let us know how you get on with the 500cc's...

MR JEALOUS

[Mister James]

I'll admit to being pretty interested in hearing more as your DAS goes on, mine starts on Friday!
While like you, I should have something of a headstart on the roadsense front due to commuting on a scooter, I'm pretty worried about the whole gear things, the two days I've actually spent riding a geared bike I've done exactly the same things as you recount there! To make matters worse, at one point, I couldnt get the bugger into first at all, it seemed to be jammed!

Keep the stories from each day coming, and if I pick up enough tips to pass my own DAS, I'll buy you a drink!

[stryker]

One thing I didn't mention with it being my first day an all..... 30 mins into our first ride out I felt terrible! very painful arms and hands from my tense death grip, and felt like a vein was going to pop. I ended up pulling over where safe and explained to the instructor (while feeling a total twat). He said "Yeah it cant be great riding with someone scrutinizing your every move, but you've been doing so well". After a ciggy he had me follow him for half an hour. Man did that make a BIG difference! watching him I found confirmation that everything I was doing was right, I then felt much much better the rest of the day.

Yeah, the riders block was a bummer, I could of easily panicked. Twice I kinda tried to steer into the bend but banked the wrong way.... then somehow it came back to me and I banked/steered round ok. I'd not like to think what would of happened if I'd panicked..... pretty damn funny looking back now tho

Yeah, sitting on the bike on the car park I could easily see how each gear change had to be a distinct depression and release of the gear pedal, problem is you try remembering that while approaching an awkward junction when your feet seem to take up tap dancing all on their own.... I think more miles under my belt will get me out of that impasse though.

I hope my ramblings help

[stryker]

Doobrey, I think your time on the 125 will be very very well spent. At least you wont be fighting the simple wonder that be pedal gears when trying to concentrate on your riding. Just be really anal as any bad habits you pick up will be near impossible to drop over a 3 day DAS course.

Tell you the truth I'd of rather done things like that, but I just could not commit my money to a bike that I'd only have for the short term, plus I'd be in the situation of that money being tied in a form of transport that would be mostly useless to me because I do a lot of motorway travel.

I have my trike for joy rides

[Villers]

Doing the DAS was actually fun for me too. Only did it last month, I learned on an RS125 so when i got onto what seemed to be to be an 'easy rider' suzuki gs500 I kept steering it well rapid. Probably because of the pathetic lock on the little aprilia. On the first day I went through all the stupid mistakes, and wobbled through my 'turn in the road' manouvre. Test was easy tho, the guy doing the instruction had been so strict that the instructor (quite a notorious one) seemed easy and only gave me one minor. I came round the final junction and had to swerve round broken glass on the road. He thought I was avoiding pedestrians but when i told him that he said 'whats the point son you passed'!!