The feeling you get when it 'clicks'.

[ToddUnctuous]

Hullo all.
Complete newbie here, bought a YBR custom just before last Christmas, about six or so weeks from CBT (on a moped ). I'd been practising in the dead of night when there were next to buggerall cars on the road so I wouldn't get in anyone's way.
Getting to grips with setting off from when I had to stop for any reason and stalling every time made me seriously think I wasn't cut out for this.
Lots of perusal of this very forum made me realise that this is fairly common for newbies, and the good advice therein helped a great deal. A few more of what I began to call my 'midnight runs' later and I was getting the hang of setting off (I'm in Bristol, it's like the sodding Pyranees here), but revving the arse of it when I didn't really have to and not being as efficient with gear changes as I could be, I felt.

Today.
I went to have the datatool (don't get one of these bloody sodding things) removed because it was doing my swede in and was draining the battery to boot. The bloke asked me to come at nine. I'd never rode in daylight and in traffic before (apart from the CBT of course) and it went quite well. I got the bus home, killed a few hours and got the bus back. Picked the bike up, and rode back.
And today was the day when I feel it all clicked into place.
Setting off efficiently, gear changes, the lot... It all went rather swimmingly.
Saw four other bikers on the trip back and got the nod from them all.
I'm well and truely hooked.
You couldn't chisel the grin off my face.

Just want to say thanks to the lads and lasses who make up this forum for the useful knowledge and help you all take the time to put up here.

So here's to you *raises glass*

That's all.

[SethWhite]

I only recently passed my test and still feel like I've a lot to learn.

But that moment, when you start enjoying it, rather than ovethinking is awesome.

[Silver_Fox]

I didn't enjoy a single ride until the ride back from the test centre (Mod 2) with my full pass. Suddenly I was in control, I wasn't having to eyeball the speedo all the time and could just go with the traffic. That's when I became a biker

At times before that I wondered what all the fuss was about. I also told my partner I didn't think I'd ever need to go fast and that 60mph would be plenty. Erm

[Evil Hans]

[Silver_Fox]

In my slight defence, I was riding a naked Gladius which at 50 was fine, but at 60 I felt like I was being ripped off the back of the bike. Oh that noob fear

The CBR with its fairing obviously does help somewhat now but I'm sure more of it was just in my head

[Webby724]

*Click* Ahhhhhh, that's a good feels.
A slight misuse of grammar there.

Just take it easy and enjoy the ride
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Honda CG125 "Nostalgia", AKA Hannah the Honda.

I am the god of the Tesco Hudl.

[M.C]

I think with riding (and driving) it's when it starts to feel natural you begin to enjoy it.

[zark]

i thought thiss thread was going to be about that soft 'clunk' when engaging first gear...

i love that...
____________________
CBT - Oct 13. Theory - July 14. Mod 1 & 2 - June 15.
Rides a Fazer like an idiot... Edit: Now ride a Fazer Thou...

[waffles]

When you aren't worried about what you are doing on the road you can relax and enjoy yourself.

For me it all felt right when I got my second bike and I just felt comfortable and confident. We went places, did bike things, came home again with zero drama unlike my previous bike that would be fine on the way somewhere but the second you wanted to go home again the battery would be dead and the kickstart was wanky.
____________________
Theory test - 19/8/09, CBT - 11/10/09, MOD 1 - 16/8/10, MOD 2 - 27/10/10
Past rides Yamaha XT125X, Triumph TT600, Honda XR250
Current rides Suzuki GSXR 600, Honda MSX125

[JP7]

Sounds like you're hooked!

For me there were two stages.

Firstly, having a little faith in my own ability, that I could operate the controls without having to think too much or concentrate too hard. That was my first big click.

Secondly was having the right bike. It has taken me to my third bike, to finally realise I had a bike I loved, enjoyed riding, and could ride reasonably well.

[wots]

I thought this thread was going to be about that feeling when you press the starter and you hear a relay click, then nothing happens, because the battery is flat. Particularly when he went onto talk about the notorious datatool alarms.

For the first week after completing my CBT, I would go round the block it's about 2 miles in a continuous loop with various roundabouts and turns (but initially left only, venturing to the right hand circuit!). However the first half dozen times my wife was tailing me in the car, just in case I did something twattish and she was directly behind me, not another car.

Soon got the hang of it.
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Currently: Yamaha DT 125 LC2,Repsol Fireblade, and Bumblebee MSX 125

[Sload]

"awaits Tef".
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Honda Varadero >> Triumph Speed Four >> Honda CBR1100xx

[mrmistoffelee...]

Last Saturday on my Mod1 lession was when it first started to 'click' for me. Previously i had been hopeless at figure 8's and the U turn but now after trying counterweighting from someones advice on here they are so much easier.

Unable to do the hi speed stuff due to it being icy but we went out for a general ride and I loved every second of it.

Onto the 600 this week and will hopefully get the high speed mod1 stuff done.

I'm living for my 2hrs on a Saturday morning out on the bike at the moment!!!

[Hefty]

[talkToTheHat]

What's that noise?
How long has it been making that noise?
Should it make that noise?
Is it going to be expensive?
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Bandit. does. everything.