My CBT/DAS Story

[synaptyx]

A wee story:
I'm kind of writing this just to relate my experiences of first steps in the world of two wheels. I hope it's not too boring.

Initially I wanted some cheap transport to get me to and from work mainly because I'm lazy, didn't want to walk and couldn't afford a second car (my wife uses the car for work), so I did my CBT on a scooter and bought a JogR 50cc which I had for about a year. It was unreliable as hell and caused a lot of swearing throughout the winter. I really got p'ed off and was late for work on numerous occasions when I could have just walked. I fell for the popular Italian Piaggio X9 125 Evolution - another scooter - not long after getting the JogR, but managed to hold off 'til December 2003 before buying one. Eventually I'd had enough and taded it in for the X9, which I rode on L-plates for a while, it was a bit more reliable in the cold, but not much so it was back at the dealers on and off and eventually had a carb re-build, which cured its problems. The only trouble with the scooters was that I kept seeing all these real bikes about town and started to feel the bug biting not long after I got the X9, much to the wifes annoyance.

I only got my leg over a geared bike when I did an extra days training on 125's before my DAS. They gave us something similar to this:
https://www.yokohama-city.com/mc/impre/fo_bike/kh125.jpg
At the training centre (ProScot - Kirkcaldy) we had use of a fairly large yard to get used to the bikes in. I could not, for the life of me get used to the gears on the 125 and once we'd completed the yard training we were all set to go out on the road. I can't tell you how scared sh*tless I was! We got out there and the instructor took us to the most horrible hills and bends he could find. All through this he maintained that we'd all be fine on the 500's. I didn't believe him for a second, the 125's were so difficult to ride and I had it stuck in my head that anything bigger and heavier was going to be worse. The 125's had horrible thin tyres and the handlebars felt like they were just about up at my nose, I couldn't keep the speed up going up hill despite my instructor shouting in my ear to get a move on. It was painful going over the smallest of bumps and when I went home that evening I was aching all over, my back was sore, my arms were sore and my arse didn't want to talk to me. I had another half day of 125's to go through before being unleashed on the 500, that morning was hell. It was chucking down rain, I was feeling miserable and still ached badly from the night before. I was utterly dejected and had considered telling my instructor I wanted to do the test on my X9 and just have an automatic licence, but didn't have the guts to piss him off . I persevered, however, and made it to lunch time. The instructor ushered our group outside and introduced us to the GS500E:
https://www.smart-solutions.co.il/Parpar/PubSite/Images/HotSales/gs500_blue_big.jpg
I was shit scared of the thing. The instructor showed us around the bike, pointing out all the controls, how to check the oil/lights/chain/suspension, etc. None of this was being taken in by me at all, I was still panicking about riding the thing. Finally, we were told to pick a machine and get it going. I go on the nearest bike and started it up. I'm thinking: what the hell am I doing here I can't ride this massive (lol) 500cc bike, help! The instructor’s voice broke my train of thought, off round the yard a bit to see how you feel. Numbly I clicked it into gear, did my shoulder check and pulled out from the side into the yard proper. It was... MAGIC! A total transformation, everything started slipping into place and I started to relax. Amazing! I really hadn't believed the instructor when he'd explained this the other day, but here I was, finally enjoying myself. I couldn't wait to get out on the road and take on all those obstacles that made riding the 125 such a horrible experience. My confidence grew and I knew then I was going to love geared bikes. The instructor directed me towards the dual-carriage way. Oh f*ck, I thought, then oh well, lets get on with it. 70mph on a naked bike felt a lot faster, but I'd done it and it felt great if slightly hairy.

A couple of days with the 500's and it was time to sit my test. The guy that was taking me out was the same guy that failed me twice on my car test 12 years previously - argh! I tried to put it out of my mind and when he said he'd be following in a car, I nearly jumped for joy. It was raining when we got outside, but the roads had quietened down a bit. Read the reg plate at a distance no probs then before I knew it we were off and into the test. He took me to some of the trickier junctions and corners in the town, but my instructor had thankfully covered all of these in the previous couple of days training. He took me up the dual-carriage way and again I was thankful to my instructor for covering that as well. We ended up in a local housing estate which is full of narrow roads and kids, easy does it. It was here he pulled me over and asked to see my U-turn and emergency stop. That done, we headed back to the test centre. All through this I was sure I'd failed, I remember dumping the clutch and almost stalling. I remember forgetting a shoulder check. Countless silly things were swirling through my head. Back inside, I was sitting waiting for the examiner to re-appear which seemed to take an age. He came through and told me I'd... PASSED! I almost hugged him... Almost!. He'd not spotted any of my mistakes and I passed with zero faults recorded! Even better! I think my instructor almost hugged me when he saw the test report.

People tell you to not fret and worry. You will. It's only natural. Just remember: in the end when you pass, and you will - even if it takes you a while, you can get that bike you've been dreaming about.

[wantser]

good to hear it all worked out in the end....gives me hope for when I come to do my test!
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An expert is a person who has made all the mistakes that can be made in a very narrow field

[stryker]

Excellent writeup, A+
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Now what?

[stryker]

[kasandrich]

I can relate to all of that, it could have been me telling the story

If 125's were the only bikes available or you had to ride a 125 for a year or two, I would buy the bike and wind the clock on, but not ride it, riding a 125 was the worst experience ever! a 500 is so much more stable, has so much more torque, etc.

Good write up and hopefully will make others doing a DAS fel better about their experience.
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Richard

CBR1000FM

[Fallen Angel]

Smart Arse!!!

Only joking - excellent post!!!
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I have an asshole tolerance level of -10
www.cliqueyclanmcc.co.uk
www.bebo.com/fallenangelfran

[dodsi]

I have failed my test twice now and am scared shitless about doing it again (18th of this month) or 6 days away

But that gives me a glimmer of hope

[Marc_Buck]

14 days left till i do my first attempt, i am scared sh1tless.
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94 fzr600r

[sychosis]

[tony532]

after riding an rs125 for nearly a year

i did some training on the gs500 in regards to taking my das

but found it the worst handling bike in the world almost like a car on two wheels

did my a2 test instead on the cg125 just so i could ride the gsxr400 restricted to 33 bhp

i will take my das test again in may but i will try and do it on a gpz500

[ZaphodBeeble]

Nice one synaptyx!

I did my CBT on a CG125, it was not fun. They only just have enough power to pull off on the slightest of hills and they are so small, the handlebars kept hitting my knees at slow speeds! 2 strokes all the way.
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Current bike: VTR1000F Firestorm. Previous: Firestorm (written off) - XJ600 Divvy - NSR125 - DT125 and a load of offroaders.

[Rollins]

I remember when I went out training on the legendary SR125 with anoher learner, we both agreed they were awful bikes to ride. However, this other guy was training for his DAS, and hence got to ride a CB500 in the afternoon. He said he enjoyed the experience so much more, it was like a breath of fresh air to be on a bike which CAN handle the pace of modern driving, unlike the little 125.

Good story synaptyx, it's good to know that you didn't stop biking barely before you had even started!
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"... I wouldn't mind doing 130 up to a T junction, but unfortunately my bike tops out at 120 which is gay..."
2005 CBR600RR

[Northernlass]

God I was so scared when I did my CBT never mind my training or test. This probably going to be abit long, sorry.

When I took my CBT it started of with the butterflys in the stomach it didn't get much better when the weather decided it was going to be funny and start spitting with rain and that I was still feeling a bit rough from a bout of Flu. The instructor was nice and he went through the normal talk, he then moved onto introducing us to the bikes.

I had a lovely old battered SR125, which I got on and eventually started riding but and here comes the painful bit, I couldn't get used to clutch control so I ended up getting myself all confused doing a sort of emergency stop and crash landed straight onto my knee, ouch!!! I ended up with a lovely lump on my knee the size of an egg, the instructor was like don't worry and started hitting the clutch lever with a hammer , any way managed to get sort of the hang of riding when we decided to stop for lunch, went to the local McDonalds where I found out *Men don't read any further if your squeamish, I'd started my period oh the joys of being a woman.

After lunch we decided to hit the roads. Went ok for a while then we came to a round about, I trained to pull away must have revved a little too hard and pulled a little wheelie, nearly pooped myself I can tell you, then next thing was the "U Turn" managed to chuck the bike in a hedge again, eventually I did it. It wasn't until a good while later did I learn the look where you want to go and the bike will follow trick. Anyway the instructor signed my CBT and sent me on my happy but battered way.

Then came the training, I was introduced to an instructor, based in the Kidlington area any body who has had him will know exactly who I mean, he went onto tell us how he used to be in the Army.

So we got on the road, not 2 seconds onto the road did he start bellowing in my ear piece this is a thirty zone you better make sure you get it up to that speed and keep it up there. He went on like this all through out the day bellowing constantly in our ears.
We eventually got to the test a couple of days later, where I'm ashamed to say failed. It took me two further attempts to pass. I'm not proud of how many times it took me to pass but I like to think I never give up on something I want that badly, and any way the instructor wasn't that bad once you got used to the shouting, he was very sympathetic when I failed, bless him.

So anybody taking thier CBT or test, keep your chin up and don't give up, oh and I find that the Kalms tablets work really well

[dodsi]

I will be found dead after taking an overdose of kalms tablets on thursday morning now

Thanks for the tip!

i have so far...

gone for 3 tests, failed 2 and had 1 cancelled

4th test

[sychosis]

I've been doing DAS lessons for the last two months and I found the CB500 to be better handling than the ER
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Bikes owned: Aprilia RS 125 GP1 2003 (Now sold), Suzuki GSX-r600 1997 (streetfightered), https://www.bikepics.com/members/sychosis/
psy?cho?sis (si-ko-sis),n. pl. psy?cho?ses (-sez) ,A severe mental disorder, with or without organic damage, characterized by derangement of personality and loss of contact with reality and causing deterioration of normal social functioning.

[Northernlass]

[synaptyx]

Thanks for the responses guys. It took me long enough to get round to writing that. Nice CBT tale Northernlass. Dodsi, easy on the Kalms mate.

[dodsi]

too late, been out and bought a crate of them....

steady as a rock so far...

[8316]

[dodsi]

My test is the same time as yours mate!

tomorrow morning at 8:40!

[synaptyx]

When do you expect to be back on the forums tomorrow!? I'll be keeping everything crossed for both of you. Good luck!

[8316]

by 10:30, hopefully.
10 hrs to go!
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Now own a Fireblade!! Speed Limits? Bah!

[Northernlass]

Good luck, and let us know how it goes.

[8316]

[dodsi]

yeah you too mate...

third time lucky?