New Rider Lacking Confidence On My YBR125

[New_Rider]

Hello everyone just signed up to this forum spotted a thread about the YBR and looked like some good advice was being given out so thought I'd give it a shot.

I bought my YBR just over 8 weeks ago brand new as I started a job a bit out in the sticks. Its my only mode of transport and so I ride in all conditions (not faced winter yet but won't be riding in snow/ice!). I like the bike and I bought it as it was recommended as a great commuter and beginner bike. I've totted up about 1400 miles on it already.

However recently I've really been lacking confidence in any damp conditions and even in the dry sometimes as I have felt the tyres slip beneath me more times than I can remember now! The roads to and from my work are country roads mostly national speed limit and are quite worn admittedly. I slow right down for any slight corners and just pray I don't slip lately and its really stressing me out! Also, even any slight cracks in the road it seems to just follow them and can be quite dangerous trying to maneuver out of them.

I've considered selling it and going for a slightly quicker 125 with fatter tyres but I don't really know if they are any better. I've also thought about going for a better set of thin tyres to stick on my ybr but the guy in my local shop said the stock ybr tyres aren['t that bad.

Anyone experienced this with the ybr? Anyone got any advice for me?

Thanks in advance!

[gaffa]

What riding experience do you have?

Have you had any lessons or just done your CBT and are out on your own?
____________________
MOD 1 passed 30/07/12, MOD 2 passed 13/08/12. Current bike: 2008 Kawasaki ER6f

[pinkyfloyd]

The thing with confidence is it takes time to build it up. Your new to riding, give it time and it will all come together.
____________________
illuminateTHEmind wrote: I am just more evolved than most of you guys... this allows me to pick of things quickly which would have normally taken the common man years to master
Hockeystorm65:.well there are childish arguments...there are very childish arguments.....there are really stupid childish arguments and now there are......Pinkfloyd arguments!
Teflon-Mike:I think I agree with just about all Pinky has said.

[New_Rider]

I've come straight from CBT and started riding. I've been riding over 2 months and clocked up over 1300 miles. I did come off about 4 weeks ago on a roundabout in the wet (was only doing about 15mph). It probably is a confidence thing partly but I'm not the type of person to ride corners quickly or anything like that even if I was confident I just want to ride to work for the next year or two, hopefully without coming off/crashing!

I took it in for first service couple weeks back and the handle bars are slightly bent from where I came off so I should get those changed I know. I asked him to loosen steering tightness because it felt like I was following every crack in the road and he did that for me but it still feels very tight.

Someone else I know said he got a set of michelin tyres for his and loosened the steering tightness and it felt like a new bike so I am debating a new set of tyres. I just want to feel safer on it really...

[sidewinder]

As pinky has said the more you ride your confidence will get a lot better.Take your time in the damp if you want there's no rush to get any where
____________________
"Nitrous is like a cheap hooker, you want to hit it but are scared of the consequences

[pinkyfloyd]

Thing with biking is everyone falls off. Its just a matter of when and what you do about it.

You came off at a low speed. Hooray, you got up and got back on the bike. If your bars are bent get them sorted out as it wont do your confidence any favours. But brush the off under the carpet and get on with things.

Your using the bike for work transport, therefore you will be using the same roads on a daily basis. Personally I cant thing of anything better to get your confidence up. You'll soon learn the roads you are using and knowing your braking distances, cornering speed etc is a great builder of confidence.

Where abouts are you based? If you are local to me I'd happily head out for a ride and see if I can help any way. I'm way down in Portsmouth.
____________________
illuminateTHEmind wrote: I am just more evolved than most of you guys... this allows me to pick of things quickly which would have normally taken the common man years to master
Hockeystorm65:.well there are childish arguments...there are very childish arguments.....there are really stupid childish arguments and now there are......Pinkfloyd arguments!
Teflon-Mike:I think I agree with just about all Pinky has said.

[gaffa]

Just to echo what the other posters have said,

Confidence will build as you ride.
Are any of your mates bikers that you could go out with as a group?

There are some good video's on youtube about cornering,

The main thing when cornering is to set up your speed, gear, and corner position before you actually get to the corner and to keep the power constant while going round the corner. This will keep the bike stable whilst going round the corners and also with the power on will help the rear wheel to grip into the road.
____________________
MOD 1 passed 30/07/12, MOD 2 passed 13/08/12. Current bike: 2008 Kawasaki ER6f

[New_Rider]

Thanks guys. Pinky I'm from Aldershot not sure how I'd get down to Pompy with L plates an all but really appreciate the offer of kindness.

With regards to cornering I feel like I know how to corner, like you say, setting up the line before and keeping revs constant and this is what I try to do. I think it is probably the roads I travel on to/from work that make it worse (around Elstead in Surrey if anyone knows them) as the middle of each lane is worn and bobbly and a lot of motorcyclists have died on the roads.

I know everyone says that you are bound to come off but I'd like to do everything I can to avoid this obviously lol!

Does anyone think a new set of better tyres might help? Has anyone ridden the ybr125? The tyres are thinner than any other bike I've seen I know that much.

[TomGT]

[matto]

just a minor point but:

P = F/A

Where P is pressure, F is force and A is area.

Which means that generally thinner tyres are better in the wet.

[Teflon-Mike]

[Ribenapigeon]

I must be lucky, good or my bike is exceptionally good in the wet as the only slip I have had in 5 months on my WR125X is when I went over a manhole cover in the wet while turning. I now avoid wet metelwork in the road like the plague and avoid them in the dry. It does have about the higgets fattest tires on any 125 on the market at the moment i think.

[Alpha-9]

I don't think stock YBR tyres are good at all from what i've heard

Get yourself some michelin pilot sportys
They are better tyres, and if nothing else it's a placebo for more confidence, although I may have just ruined it
____________________
Fzr-600 1999

[la_lucha]

[Ribenapigeon]

I have Pirelli Sport Demon on my bike i dont know if they make them in a size suitable for the OPs bike.

[Alpha-9]

[tom_m]

hi, i bought a new ybr around 5 months ago, it is my only mode of transport and i have racked up near 5,000 miles on it already. the only word to describe the standard tyres on the ybr is 'shit'. i didnt trust them at all in the damp or wet conditions, i had the rear one changed for a michelin pilot sporty costing £60 fitted and the handling is so much better, never had it slide on me in 5,000 miles of riding in all conditions, going to get the front one done soon.

get some michelins fitted and you will see the difference and you will become alot more confident
____________________
Current: 2005 Kawasaki Er-5 C5P
Past: 2012 Yamaha Ybr 125, 2004 Yamaha Neos 50, 1994 Suzuki Gn 125, 2005 Aprilia Sportcity 125, 1988 Yamaha Tzr 125
Theory: Passed... Mod 1: Passed 22/08/12 Mod 2: Passed 22/10/12

[Teflon-Mike]

[tom_m]

[Alpha-9]

[tom_m]

[Rogerborg]

Slippy tyres therefore change bike?

Dunno what's on the YBR as stock. They get slated, but they'll change it to whatever's cheapest that day. I'd read dire warnings about the Kenda tyres fitted to the HN125, but mine came with Manlungs that were hard but worked OK <ObMod2InABlizzard>.

Since it's your only contact with the road, you may want to bite the bullet and put some quality rubber on the YBR. Although the money would really be better invested in your tests. 1400 is enough miles that you're more than ready to pass them: do iiiiit.
____________________
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

[tom_m]

[Alpha-9]

[shereen]

Check tread.

Check pressures.

Check to make sure tyres havn't squared off.

If the above fails MTFU, get out and ride some more, then some more until you MTFU.