First time venturing out on my own since CBT...

[Firkit]

Hi all,

I finally got all my kit sorted yesterday so thought it must be time to venture out onto the road with my shiny new L plates and shiny(ish) old bike for the first time. Didn't initially go entirely as planned.

Bought the bike last weekend, it was delivered to me as it wasn't taxed. I was told there was "a good half a gallon" in the tank, so a couple of litres, plenty to get to the petrol station I thought... Wrong! Ran lovely on the side stand but when upright, not so much. Turning right killed it completely. Figure there's maybe 200ml sloshing about in the bottom there somewhere (and yes, I had remembered to switch to reserve ), with a bit of strategic leaning I should make it to the petrol station, mostly downhill anyway and no more right turns between there and where I was now sat. Made it to one street away from the petrol station before it gave up completely, so at least now I didn't have so far to push it

Push bike to petrol station, hoping it will be deserted. It isn't, first people I see are two 16 year old 'ped riders. I expected howls of derisive laughter, but they seemed quite sympathetic which was nice. Now at this point remember that my entire riding history consists of CBT plus about two-thirds of a mile of running out of petrol, so this is my first two-wheeled visit to a petrol station, and I haven't actually ridden the thing in anything above 2nd gear yet.

I'm sure there is a place that one is supposed to put ones helmet whilst filling up, but I haven't worked out where that is yet. Balanced on the bike seemed a recipe for disaster, on the floor seemed like I'd end up with a rather smelly helmet (phnarr!), so arm through the chin strap is where it ended up. What do those of you more practiced in forecourt protocol do with yours?

Filling up was remarkably uneventful, and the amount that went in certainly reinforced the feeling that there was not much above vapour in there beforehand. Paid, kitted up, back on bike at last, started up fine. Finally, I get to actually ride it some 40 minutes after leaving the house and now rapidly approaching darkness.

Wobbled out of the petrol station much to the amusement of a passing pedestrian, I figure we all have to start somewhere, laugh all you like. Nice stretch of wide straight road, finally got above 2nd gear and up to 30mph and suddenly the world feels like a better place, round the block a couple of times to practice turning and remembering to cancel indicators (long time car driver, that's going to take some getting used to!), making sure I'm doing all the things I learnt from CBT then figure I'd better head home before it gets any darker, don't want to get too ambitious on my first run out. Up through the town, first set of traffic lights encountered, and then up the hill and back home much to the relief of my wife who by now is thinking I'm in a ditch somewhere. All in all, happy with that as a first run, even if I did only clock up an handful of miles and at least 0.3 of one of them was pushing the bike.

See if I can get into double figures on the miles on Saturday...
____________________
Previous bikes: Dreadful Chinese "Suzuki" 125, '91 Kawasaki KH125, '83 Suzuki GSX550
Current bike: '97 Yamaha Thundercat

[Shinigami]

turn ye handlesbars to the left, hook helmet over right handlebar.
____________________
Current: Honda City Fly CLR125 2003 Honda CB600F Hornet 2008 Yamaha FZ6 S2 + 1991 Kawasaki GPZ500
"Once you realize what a joke everything is, being the Comedian is the only thing that makes sense.

[Billo63]

1st step always full of trepidation, you've done that now & will feel bloody good for doing it too!

Try to vary ride times to include peak/off peak traffic, think of it all as practise , relax those hands - death grip is called death grip for a very good reason

The more you ride, the more comfortable you will become & the more natural things feel as it all starts to come together

Re; helmet, leave on whilst filling up - especially if you have a flip front then shouldn't be any issue with Johnny Jobsworth attendant/cashier. If need to remove then as above post is ideal.

Good luck with everything, ride safe & above all.........ENJOY
____________________
I might not be a gynecologist, but I know a cunt when I see one

[Firkit]

Yeah, was very conscious of the death grip, came away from CBT feeling like I'd arm-wrestled a bear, though I think mainly from the slow speed stuff in the morning wasn't so bad once out on the road and getting into the swing of it.

20 years since learning to drive I think I've blanked out what a learning curve it was, bit like being back to square one this, but at least I've got those 20 years of experience on the road. Kinda wish I'd done my bike test back when I was a fearless teenager.

It is a flip-front helmet, not sure why I took it off in the first place
____________________
Previous bikes: Dreadful Chinese "Suzuki" 125, '91 Kawasaki KH125, '83 Suzuki GSX550
Current bike: '97 Yamaha Thundercat

[dungbug]

The first solo ride is always a bit nervous (I found that anyway), keep doing short rides and build up gradually. It'll all be second nature in no time, ride safe.
____________________
CBT: Pass 25/06/2011 Theory Test: Pass12/06/2012 Mod 1: Fail 08/07/2012
Mod 1 Retest: Pass 15/0702012 Mod 2: Pass 03/08/2012
Suzuki GN125 (Sold) ~ Current bike: Yamaha YZF 600R Thundercat

[MeatHelmet]

I love reading stories like this. It's the simple things that I will no doubt fall foul of! (Yet to even sit on a bike!)

Very envious

[Clanger]

If you look through the search topic button, you will find that most of us loathe to take off our lids at petrol stations, so most of the responses you will get regarding this are 'on my head'.

Other than that, I will often use my right hand mirror as the place to prop the helmet, that's certainly my chosen place when getting ready to get on my bike after getting it out of the garage at home.

Anyway, welcome to the world of bikes. And when you've managed to ride the 100 odd miles on your £12 full tank of petrol, you will realise why soooo many of us love our bikes.
____________________
Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter, and those who matter won't mind - Dr. Seuss

[Firkit]

[Rogerborg]

Did you remember to flip the fuel tap back to main?
____________________
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

[Ollossm]

When filling up helmet tends to stay on my head.

Local garage has got used to me. Initially they used to ask me to remove it and I always used to reply do you want me to pay for the petrol or not...now I just get withering looks

A lot of garages are making it easier now though...pay at the pump

Don't forget to come back from reserve to main though
____________________
_______________________________________________________________
current bike: 2012 Honda CBF 125
past bikes: 2004 Suzuki VanVan 125 - 1988 MZ/Simson 50cc

[Firkit]

[Andy_Pagin]

I just fill up at home from jerry cans. Can't be bothered with the hassle of filling stations, especially in winter when I have to peel my way through several layers of gear to get at my wallet, and loose a ton of body heat in the process.
____________________
They're coming to take me away, ho-ho, hee-hee, ha-haaa, hey-hey,
the men in white coats are coming to take me away.
Yamaha Vity -> YBR125 -> FZS600 Fazer -> FZ1-S Fazer

[SamWise72]

My first solo ride was home from the dealers. Second was from Southampton to Cambridge. I like the deep end.....

[Mark 37]

Sounds like a nice experience for a first ride other than the petrol issues. Certainly a lot better than mine. On my first 17 (yes 17) rides some idiots tried there best to either kill me or at the very least put me in for a long time hospital stay. On one occasion whilst I was on a roundabout I was able to lip read a women aproaching from the left on seeing me on the roundabout saying "oh, fuck it" as she decided to just pull out In front of me, just because she wanted to be 5 yards further along the road.

Regards,

Mark
____________________
No matter how fast light travels, darkness was always their first.

[Firkit]

[MCW]

Sounds like you've done brilliantly! On my first solo ride I dropped the bike and got so worked up that I very nearly just left it there and headed for the nearest gin & tonic! I have had an ongoing battle with my head, which appears to be a complete coward, and have nearly over-thought myself into the loony-bin. I refuse to give up though, and it is getting easier.

As for petrol stations. I fill it up at home from a can.

Yours inadequately...

MCW x

[Firkit]

[thepuma]

Your first ride is always a worrying one. Mine was when I went to pick my bike up, I'd only ever been on a bike on my CBT and this bike was 35 miles away.

I got there, paid for it, then literally the minute I got on it to come back, the heavens opened and it pissed it down monsoon style for almost ALL of the trip back, through country lanes,towns,villages etc etc that I'd never been through before.....I was sh@tting myself to be honest...some huge multilane islands that I was negotiating almost blind cos my visor was wet and fogged up. I didn't have waterproof boots or trousers too, so I was totally soaked through.

It was hell to be honest, but I made it back in one piece and you know what, I learnt a heck of a lot in that 50 minute trip.....and it taught me that you should never abandon doing something that scares you, hit it head on and you'll learn from it.

My first trip to the ptrol station was farcical too, I just couldn't get the petrol to go in....it just kept clicking and clicking and took me about 10 minutes just to get £8. Of fuel in!!...and then the faff of taking your helmet off, gloves off (so you can get your wallet out), i was pretty flustered by the time I got back on the bike. But, its all a learning curve....t.
____________________
YBR125 (SOLD) - CBR250R(SOLD) - CBR650F(SOLD) Current - Street Triple
765 RS

[MCW]

[Firkit]

[Teflon-Mike]

[Zombeh]

[Alex_B]

Yea, cool story Bro

Takes me back to my first ride and stuff after CBT. Through London, Blackwall Tunnel and so on. Great days.

It only ever feels like that again when you buy a new bike

Enjoy these times and remember them. Think how careful you were trying to be and be that guy in a year or two. It will keep you safe.

I enjoyed reading your lil escapade, fun times yea
____________________
My Lane Position is always AWESOME!!

[ScaredyCat]

[Derivative]

I was taught during my CBT to rest my gloves on the floor, palms facing up, and rest the helmet on said gloves.

That way, the back of your gloves may get dirty, but the palms and helmet are fine.

90% of petrol stations have a clean-ish counter you can use for this. Otherwise you can usually find a clean section of floor.

The back of my gloves still look fine. They do have plasticky 'carbon fibre' knuckles though, so this helps.