First time - nervous

[marsden1967]

My bike is coming on Saturday and I am a wee bit nervous about going out on my own for the first time, typical newbie nerves I suppose. I had intended to go out in the wee hours when the roads are quiet. Unfortunately I am working the whole weekend and the BH so that plan is scuppered. I suppose I could go out later in the evening after work but would prefer early morning. Anyone any tips they could give me to calm those nerves and make my first outing a good 'un?
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Ooooh Matron!
current bike(s) YBR 125, ER6 N

[AaronCooper]

Glad you made this thread, I collect mine on Saturday. It's only 8 miles away and I'm more nervous than I was for my CBT. Quite odd really.
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Honda CG 125 04' Blue

[Bendy]

Your original plan was sound - go out when the roads are a bit quieter. Is there an empty carpark or somewhere you could go and give yourself half an hour getting used to the new bike?

In the end you do just have to 'man up' and dive in though.


Nervous?
Yes.
First time?
No, I've been nervous lots of times.

</airplane>

[marsden1967]

Funny thing was that when doing the CBT I wasn't at all nervous and got the certificate on the same day so I must be reasonably safe/competent. I 'm probably nervous because I won't have the instuctor's voice in my lughole
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Ooooh Matron!
current bike(s) YBR 125, ER6 N

[Copycat73]

head west or you`ll end up in the sea.
middleton in Teasdale is nice & quiet ,
go to the toilet b4 u go but
take a spare pair incase you have a scare..
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Whatever I post I have no citation and no intention of providing one..
caveat emptor

[Ollie1995]

Try and go somewhere with little traffic and few start/stop places i.e traffic lights. Single track lanes would be a good place.
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XR 125, DT125 LC, Greeves Scottish, RS200, XS400, GPX600r

Theory Passed - 18/7/13 MOD1 Booked - 24/9/13

[marsden1967]

Middleton is a bit ambitious for my first outing! I might make it to Jarrow
Aaron we will have to compare terrifed notes about how we do
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Ooooh Matron!
current bike(s) YBR 125, ER6 N

[-LG-]

I was terrified about going out by myself when I passed my driving test.

I felt the same when getting my bike, didn't help that it was rush hour when I picked it up!
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Snow rider wrote: I'm far to annoying to be near for long periods of time

[Scotsman37]

Just take your time, don't let other road user harass you and most of all have fun as everything is a learning curve and we've all been through it just be careful. Plus, remember watch your fuel gauge!and fill up when necessary!

[Copycat73]

[AaronCooper]

[metalangel]

When I got my first bike, the first thing I had to do on it was ride it home from Bridgend to Cardiff, with the options being the M4 at rush hour or up and down through the Vale on the A48.

Get out there and enjoy yourself! You'll be nervous at a few points but the rest of the time you'll be too busy loving it, so don't build this up into a big thing in your mind.

(that being said, a quieter time is a good idea, so if/when you stall fewer people will see you)
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Previous: 2002 Honda CB500 (sold), 2007 Suzuki SV650SK6 (crashed), 2005 Yamaha FZ6 Fazer (sold). Currently bikeless
"A faired bike will get you 10x more clunge than a unfaired one." -Marlboro Matt

[SandTiger]

Do you have anyone who can go out with you, in a car or a bike? On my first day, i just went up and down my hill, and the opposing road, to refamiliarize myself with junctions and gears. The next day, i had my mum of all people, take me out, and maintain the speed, and keep an eye on me.

I honestly felt that i was riding much better without the instructor there, shouting in my ear. Maybe it was just nerves on the day of the CBT that was messing me up.

You'll be fine. Do everything in your own time. Don't let the nerves get the better of you, and enjoy yourself. You might stall it a few times, so try not to panic when you do. I'm finding most drivers are as kind as can be with learners, i havn't had anyone get arsey with me yet.

[marsden1967]

That would be great pootling up to minchella's on my 125 with all those grizzled bikers watching me
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Ooooh Matron!
current bike(s) YBR 125, ER6 N

[Andy_Pagin]

My first solo ride was from the City of London to Enfield in rush hour - a month after doing the cbt, I survived. Honestly don't worry about it, the nerves will be gone in five minutes.
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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

[Joeval]

If you can get out when the roads are quiet, that's probably best. But, the nerves will be gone in five minutes flat!

When I picked up mine, the nerves lasted about 500 yards, down the narrow lane from where I picked up the bike.
From there, bloody fantastic fun! Until I made a hash of all this clutch/gear lark at a set of traffic lights at a busy bit of roadworks, of course...
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CBT Passed 22/04/13

[Copycat73]

[angryjonny]

My first solo ride was from Sutton Coldfield where I bought the bike to a mate's house in Derby. The next day I rode it from Derby to London, albeit with my mate driving my own car back down to the big smoke for me.

After the first couple of minutes it isn't scary any more.

[marsden1967]

I am only down the road from minchella's, so I might go the other way towards Seaburn.
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Ooooh Matron!
current bike(s) YBR 125, ER6 N

[Pete.]

You'll be fine. Just remember when you're going very slow (pedestrian speed) apply a little throttle and control your speed with the rear brake and it'll wobble a lot less. Leave yourself plenty of room and don't grip the bars too tight or use your arms to support your upper-body weight.
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a.k.a 'Geri'

132.9mph off and walked away. Gear is good, gear is good, gear is very very good

[recman]

[clancy]

just jump on, youll be fine after 5 minutes as youll release you can drive fine, just give yourself plenty of thinking space and you have nothing to worry about
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KLX 300r

[PaulS]

When I collected my YBR from Ian Bell's at Bedlington I had the luxury of being able to go back and forth along the back lane behind the shop at slow-ish speeds a good few times, getting used to changing gear and so on, it had been a good couple of months since CBT. Then, I branched out round estate roads, just doing a 'circle' of the same route several times, all the while re-acquanting with stopping at junctions, pulling off, observations and lifesavers...

After this I informed my escort driver (wife) I was 'ready' and then home we went via somewhat faster NSL roads and the Western bypass!

So, I think doing a pre-selected circular route around your estate again and again might be a good start, you can concentrate 100% on machine control, observations, giving way etc., without added challenge of unfamiliar routes and feeling under pressure to go fast in traffic. When you're feeling confident, then down to Seaburn would be good next step, long straight stretches, 40mph limit to try a little more speed, car park when you get there to pull into, relax for a minute and then go back the way you came...
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CBT: 16 Feb 2012.
Theory: 2 Sep 2013 - failed the *#!@ Hazard Perception!!
2012 Yamaha YBR 125 (5 Apr 2012).

[trevor saxe-coburg-gotha]

I take it you two guys're getting span new bikes with delivery miles on them? Bikes that still need running in? If so, it may well be that the gear box will be a bit "tight". Personally I've never bought a new bike, and would never (the depreciation would kill me) - but when I got my '04 Suzuki back in August it only had 96 (!!) miles on it and one owner. Fucker was hunting like George the fucking VI, and didn't have an MOT either. Soon sorted that though. I say "soon". Took 5 weeks (man, I was so pissed off - the MOT guy just wouldn't or couldn't do it - long, long story).

Anyway, one thing w/ my bike was neutral didn't appear to exist. Or if I *did* manage to find it, it then wouldn't go into first. Right PITA, that was. So often I thought I was in first at a junction, spied a gap to go, then found the bike was actually in second. Cue ferocious and feverish stamping on gear lever whilst creeping out from the junction to cross busy dual carriageway, lorries approaching like garbage crushers. Of course, you *can* quite easily pull away in second - just gotta feed more power through, and let that clutch bite for 5 times as long, i.e. until you're well under way. So maybe make sure your gap is generous. Fuck those behind innit. That's why you've got plates on.

What else. Oh yeah. My gloves always used to get wet, despite me never riding in the rain. Because I sweated so much. Death grip sucks ass and it'll feel like you've got carpal tunnel syndrome after quarter of an hour if you don't release some of that hold.

Corners. Blech - I'm still crap, but at first I was hilariously rubbish. I actually remember my very first bend on my "new" Suzuki. I can still feel the rigidity of the manoeuvre, the abject lack of finesse, the plain awkwardness of it all. A bloke up the road was walking his dog right towards just as I got round the bend and I felt like both of 'em were staring into my n00b's soul and sneering at teh gheyness of it all. Best early advice I had on cornering was look into the bend, right into it, to where both sides of the road merge together through perspective, and keep looking there. Look where you want to go, i.e. I suppose this is better advice for further down the line when you're ragging it everywhere - but bion, it served me quite well even as I wobbled around corners. Helped me to smooth them out.

Basically, go for it guys. It's ace.
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"Life is a sexually transmitted disease and the mortality rate is one hundred percent."

Mobylette Type 50 ---> Raleigh Grifter ---> Neval Minsk 125

[Ribenapigeon]

For the first couple of weeks after I got the bike I went out for late night runs around the city. In the morning I would take a turn round local suburban roads before hitting the main roads. Soon didn't need to do that though, realised I was ok and just headed off no bother.

When I picked up my WR from the dealers it was at rush hour. Now that was a terrifying journey but luckily it was all left hand turns to get the couple of miles to my flat.

We all go through this, you will be fine. In a few weeks you will wonder what all the fuss was about.

Grizzled old bikers; just rock up and say hello. i've had nothing but encouragment and good advice from experienced bikers. They will just be happy another recruit has joined the cult. Just don't expect much from the Harley riders, f*** knows what their problem is.