Newbie in Bournemouth

[bonkerskirsty]

Hi Peeps

I've booked my CBT next week and want to get a geared 125. I was going to do my CBT on a geared bike, but am worried that I might not get through it in a day if I do it this way. Is it better to do it on an automatic and then just practice the gears once I've actually got the bike?

Thanks

[Orennayar]

From my experience, I never rode a bike before my cbt, it might be a bit overwhelming to go on the geared bike first, it takes some times to get used to gears and it's going to be hard to focus on everything at the same time.
Personally I booked a 2 hours course on a manual bike after the cbt just to be sure I'd have good basis and everything (also got to ride a CB600 )
cheaper alternative: when I did mine, there was a girl who booked a second cbt after the first one, just to do it on a manual bike this time.

[Kazman]

I did my CBT on a geared bike a few weeks ago (1st time on a bike).
Found it all quite daunting tbh, not helped by the instructors rather indifferent attitude to my "stupid" question (not his words, just how I felt from his replies).
It has put me off the whole thing at the moment, but after speaking to work colleagues etc, it just sounds like I may have needed a bit of time acclimatising to the nature of the sequential box and how best to change down when rolling to a stop etc. I also think that I started obsessing with the gears which then led to me not taking in other aspects as much as I should have done. I should add it was not clutch control, hill starts etc that I struggled with, just the "feel" of the way that the shifts are carried out and finding neutral.

[pinkyfloyd]

I'm not sure about the school you are going to but we will teach you gears and if you struggle we'll put you on a ped for the ride out. With us you will get enough experience to go and practice the gears on your own. The main thing you have to master, which is 90% of riding a bike is the clutch control.

We'll teach you clutch control and if you cannot get to grips with it right away you will know enough to practice.

Go do the CBT on gears. Learn the basics from your instructor and refine it when you get home.
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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.

[shereen]

[-LG-]

I went for a geared bike (wasn't given a choice to be fair). I had ridden a bike about four years earlier as a taster session, but that was just around a car park, getting into second. Before that it was a automatic around my friends garden 10 years before.

It wasn't a huge problem for me. But it may have helped that all I had to learn was ride the bike, I already knew road signs etc due to driving for six years. I don't know how old you are and if you have a car license already.

Who are you doing your CBT with? If you want I can recommend someone, they are based in Blandford and I think Verwood still, but are fantastic. I did my taster session with them, and then my CBT/DAS last year.
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Snow rider wrote: I'm far to annoying to be near for long periods of time

[alt tab]

They'll give you plenty of time and ease you in. Definitely worth going with gears first and doing your best at it. If you really are useless, I'm sure they'll identify that at the time and let you complete the CBT on a moped.

[Orennayar]

[shereen]

[bonkerskirsty]

Thanks for all your help. I've been driving a car for 15 years, but I've only ever driven a moped when it comes to bikes, and even that was only for a couple of hours a few weeks ago!

A work colleague is going to show me how the gears work on his 600 later but sadly I won't be let loose with it!

[Matt B]

[pinkyfloyd]

I've had students that just couldnt get to grips of the geared bike or even the CBT and get up to a safe standard. We invite you to come back at a later date, following day whatever and work on where you lacked and sort it all out.

On Saturday we had a guy that was just not getting gears, would not be ready for the road ride that day and needed a lot of work. He had his 125cc bike delivered to our yard so a ped was out of the question. I brought him in the following day at no extra charge and hammered it into him. Followed him home while he rode his new bike just to make sure.
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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.

[Matt B]

[MCW]

Before I booked my CBT, I was offered an hour's free lesson as part of a scheme called Get On. www.geton.co.uk
I did this with Motag in Salisbury, who also teach in Poole, and they were excellent.

Why don't you book in for an hour and have a go on a geared bike? Then, depending how you get on, you can choose what to take the CBT on.

I found that when I did the CBT, that initial hour stood me in really good stead, as everything was a bit more familiar.

Good luck, and welcome to the forum.

[pinkyfloyd]

[MCW]

Pinky, what's the name of your school?

[pinkyfloyd]

Kickstart rider training in Gosport. Need more details PM me etc.
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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.

[Robster]

Did my CBT on a geared Suzuki Van Van, never ridden a motorbike in my life, was confusing as you actively have to 'think' to change gear, which hand does what etc. But I got there in the end.

After you pass, go and rent a 125 for a weekend, find a quiet estate and spend a weekend bimbling around, getting used to it. I was amazed I managed to get from Ensbury Park all the way to New Milton via. Mudeford Quay. Did a whole 55mph too!

[bonkerskirsty]

Woohoo, I've passed the CBT on the geared bike! It did take a bit of getting used to and I kept stalling, then when I didn't stall I'd set off too fast, culminating in me nearly dropping the bike once!

However, by the road ride I'd managed to sort myself out and although was still slightly terrified of all the traffic etc, managed to survive it!

Got to admit, I'm still very daunted by the prospect of going out alone and am also worried that as I haven't got my own bike I'm going to forget it all again. Thinking about maybe hiring a bike in the next few weeks just to get some practice in and try and build my confidence before too much fear sets in.

[pinkyfloyd]

[Aff]

There's a good place to hire in Bournemouth. I didn't want to do lessons for my test so hired a 125 for a week from these guys:

https://www.motorcycle-hire.co.uk/

£108 for a week for a YBR125. Was in good condition and gave me loads more practice time than I would have got from a school at 4 times the cost.

It's a family running it from their home, give them and ring and they will sort you out. You need to tell them if you have any points because they have to adjust their insurance, I had 6 speeding points at the time and it didn't cost me any more, just had to let them know.
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Current Bikes:Honda 929RR Fireblade, Honda CD200 Benly (Project), Stomp Z2 140
Electric Bike Project

[bonkerskirsty]

Thanks Aff, I've just emailed them so hopefully they might have one available for me to borrow this weekend...clear the roads of Bournemouth everyone!

[-Matt-]

Good job on the CBT

Best bet if youre nervous (and if youre hopping on a new bike), head for the nearest quiet industrial estate/carpark. (Sundays are brilliant for messing around in these spots ).

Gives you plenty of time to get used to the gears/clutch and handling before going out onto the road amongst traffic and getting in a panic. Once youre comfortable with the biting point and getting the rev's right to pull away comfortably it'll be much more enjoyable once you hit the road

Everyone stalls at first though as with learning in cars, dont get put off if its seems you aren't getting to grips with it straight away.

[Robster]