CBT was today

[insomnai]

Well, what a mess.

Got all my gear on, went through all the intro, what the aims were, all the basic stuff. The wheels are here. You hold the handlebars by these /PointsAtGrips, front brake and back brake /MorePointing. etc etc.

Approached the bike, had all the various bits and pieces pointed out, which side to stand at, you know, all the basic stuff you start with.

This is where the fun begins.

Due to my size, I am given the Suzuki Van Van to ride which was a lovely little thing.

Stall.

Stall.

Stall, stall stall stall stall.

"WT actual F"?

Stall.

Stall stall stall.

Instructor comes over to me, tells me I might be releasing the clutch too fast. I adjust, go through it again while the instructor is with me.

Stall stall stall.

"This doesn't feel right, I can't feel a 'bite'"

Instructor goes through the motions with me very patiently, he was a cool guy.

Stall Stall Stall Stall.

"Aaaraghghghghgggghhhhh!"

Everyone else had moved onto full laps and changing gears. I'm still trying to get the bite and being more confident with 'slow control'. I was concentrating that hard I actually forgot how to stop the bike.

I eventually managed the figure of 8 and had stopped and started a few times but the rate of stalls was becoming increasingly annoying.

Instructor laughs and approaches me again.

"The bike is clicking" I tell the instructor. He raises an eyebrow and asks me what gear i'm in. I tell him it should be first. "I haven't changed gear at all, my foot wasn't on the pedal to make sure!" I wasn't ready for that yet, so I made sure by keeping my foot off it.

Instructor asks me to get off the bike and he sits on it, and looks at me strange. The bike somehow ended up in 3rd gear without me actually doing anything. He rides round in a half lap and then pulls up next to me followed by adjusting the clutch.

After this, I carried on with doing laps stopping and starting which was far smoother, gaining confidence manouvering around the outside of the other students who were getting further and further in front of me.

The rest of the group at this point was doing dominant position and indicating to the left on a fake junction spray painted on the track.

I was doing laps around the area stopping and starting to get this sodding clutch control mastered which did feel like it was getting easier and easier.

And that was it. Instructor asks me to pull to one side after giving indicating and manouvering a shot and getting used to it. I still hadn't even moved to second gear yet and the guys were breaking for dinner and readying for going on the road.

I knew at that point I was no where near where I needed to be in order to get onto the road. I go inside and the instructors credit me a couple of hours and inform me I need to return another time at further cost.

So, next Saturday at 10am I will be going back and giving it another shot.

I'm dissapointed, absolutely, but I know i'm not ready yet and wont risk it. I am glad I still have a chance to go back and do some more before hitting the road, but I guess it will be a little longer than I thought before I am.
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Stepping outside into the open air and sunshine in a way that a bus can't give for the first time in 37 years.

[Alan1986]

I also had to do my cbt over two days,
At least on your next visit you will have the basic control already,
You will have the morning to do all of that again and get use to it,
Like yourself I wasn't ready for the road the first time,
Your next visit will be much better
____________________
Cbt Done, Currently wobbling around on a Cbf125 and love it
DAS some time soon

[Rogerborg]

Amen to that. Bear in mind that there are a lot of repeat "Learner" doing their CBT over and over again just to get their 2-year ticket, so don't judge yourself against them.

The gear snafu, it happens, I still spack it up sometimes. Although were you being told to re-start just by pulling the clutch in rather than going into neutral?

Eh, never mind. You actually managed to get a 125 moving in 3rd gear - that's quite an achievement! With hindsight, you're going to view this as a funny anecdote. Biking's about experiences, and that's a corker.

[dydey90]

I had a few embarrassing stalls doing my A2, I'd say there's less of a bite point on larger bikes and it took some getting used to. They're probably designed like that as a 125 at tickover won't be going anywhere with your feet down, whereas a a 650 could easily drag you into a hedge.
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This post is probably not serious and shouldn't be taken literally.
Past: CBR125,ER6f NINJA 650, ZZR600 Current: VFR750

[NJD]

Wouldn't even think twice about it. Much better to be learning under instruction in the early days than push yourself to learn solo out on the roads before you're ready, isn't made easier by the amount of idiots everywhere. Once you've got the CBT cracked and you're out and about on your own the rest will come in no time.

[carriusmaximu...]

I had to do two CBTs and really I'm super thankful for it. Just think of them as lessons rather than tests. You are just paying to get a bit more pratice in from a professional instructor. Totally worth your time and money.

Have you booked a CBT again soon?

[thepuma]

Sounds to me like you were clicking it up a gear (into 2nd) at the start rather than down into first..lol...easy done though if you've not be told otherwise.

Sounds to me like the instructor failed you...rather than you failing. The part before the road section is about 3 hours is it not...the instructor should have been able in this time to have seen if you were changing gear ok etc....I can only assume the group was large..ie 4 or 5 people and he didn't have the resources to give you proper attention.

To be fair on my CBT I was nowhere near capable to be going out on the road...but I just grin and bared it and hoped I didn't get deaded.

I got my certificate at the end of it but the 'real' learning happens when youre on your own with your L plates on.
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YBR125 (SOLD) - CBR250R(SOLD) - CBR650F(SOLD) Current - Street Triple
765 RS

[Alan1986]

[Cronik]

Listen. I completed my CBT just the other day. I was extraordinarily bad, with a day that reflects your own.

I say I stalled it in my thread around '8 times' for some reason.

Nah. Probably more 30-40.

On the 1st day, instructor barking at me, on the pad, kept stalling.

On the 2nd day, practicing, on my own, still stalling.

On the road, out-n-aboot, where danger lurks, STILL stalling.

When I get my first bike, the first thing that's likely? Stall.

Yes Mr. Instructor, I hear you. I feel your words. I know what I keep doing wrong. My head understands- my hands don't. I need time with this, not yours, but my own. Now let me be. That's a good boy.


I blamed the gloves first time. They were cumbersome.
I blamed my fingers the second time. They were numb and chilly.
I will blame my lack of experience the next time.


After the abysmal 2nd day, I was hardly in any hopes of continuing on. It was so deflating. Cronik has never felt so empty.


Something super simple became another extreme.

I'd offer you trite lines of encouragement; but I'm afraid I'm all out.

Whatever I am speaking to you, I am telling to myself too...
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*A Vacuous Vacancy*

[Alan1986]

Cronik

I thought you stroked your instructors beard, shagged his wife and spent all his savings?

My first day on the cbt I felt the gloves I borrowed didn't help, big bulky things,
Second day I borrowed a pair that were thinner and I could actually feel the clutch properly,

Ended up buying quite a thin pair myself in the end, suit me fine so far
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Cbt Done, Currently wobbling around on a Cbf125 and love it
DAS some time soon

[Cronik]

[pinkyfloyd]

Not everyone gets it on the first day, believe me I know this all too well. You compound the stalling when you get frustrated with yourself, that makes you stall more. and more, and.... you get the idea. After a break you'll probably go back and wonder why you went wrong the first time. It'll be easy. Nine times out of 10 when they come back they are fine.

In other news, No U turn? No Emergency stop? No controlled braking?

I hope so as they are part of what you MUST do on a CBT.
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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.

[louisella]

I know its easy to say but try not to beat yourself up to much about it - I think people have an expectation that going on a bike for the first time will be very different to the reality. There's a lot going on with both your hands and feet so it is easy to get flustered when you're nervous. On my first attempt at CBT, the instructor gave up after lunch time as I just wasn't getting it (that was on a 1:1 basis so as well as feeling frustrated, I was annoyed that we didn't just carry on in the yard with different techniques - anyhoo that's a different story).

I remember feeling REALLY disheartened and convinced that I couldn't do it but was determined to try again so booked with a different instructor (this time it was 1:2) and it went much, much better and by lunchtime I felt road ready. I didn't ride again then until doing DAS last week - the first day felt like CBT all over again as I must have stalled about a million times (I was on a van van as well).

Don't put pressure on yourself because it didn't go as well you hoped (and definitely try not to compare yourself to the others). As others have said, the confidence will come with practice and time, good luck!

[Kidjal]

Friend of mine kept falling off and couldn't balance, let alone change gear. Was tasked with riding a pushbike around to practice his balance before they'd let him progress - rightly so.

Told him then the same - get frustrated you wont learn, take it on board and move forward, you'll crack it. Emotion doesn't help you
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Still going strong - Triumph Street Triple '08

[Yorkshire Geek]

Took me two days as well, first day I totally fucked it up and couldn't get the hang of slow control. Braked while turning, dropped it twice (one of them while not moving), and was generally a danger to myself and others.

Next time I aced it, was much easier after a break. Just reframe yourself and go back for the rest, it's much easier the second time around.

[insomnai]

Yeah I know I was dissapointed. I was annoyed at myself for a whole host of things.

Figure of 8 I did when I stopped stalling for that 45 seconds I wasn't stalling.

U turn I did same as above.

Didn't get to emergency stop.

There was actually 6 of us on bikes in the practice area. I was sure it was supposed to be a max of 3 per instructor.Well, they're the instructors i'm sure it's easier with a full group of likewise capable riders in the same set and they know what they can deal with.

With luck i'll nail it this coming Saturday but if not, i'll simply go back and do some more lessons and get the good ole' confidence up.
____________________
Stepping outside into the open air and sunshine in a way that a bus can't give for the first time in 37 years.

[carriusmaximu...]

You really will nail it this Saturday. Have faith in yourself. Don't put any pressure on. Learn at your pace your way.

I was in your position only a few months ago. I came on BCF for advice and some courage. The people on here was awesome made me see its So worth it.

So I know how it feels to think you can't. But biking is so worth it. Who cares how long it takes or how many times you need to go back. Its not failure....its more training.

Now I moved from thinking I failed at a CBT to riding a scooter to riding gears to booking my DAS training.

I really enjoyed my second CBT. The day was so muchThe fun. Go and enjoy yourself.

[insomnai]

Yep, that's me CBTeed up for the next two years. So pleased!

Once i've got myself a bike i'm going back for a couple of hours with an instructor so he can fine tune me a little. After all, CBT safe does not mean completely safe and I prefer the latter

Cheers for the words guys very kind of you all.
____________________
Stepping outside into the open air and sunshine in a way that a bus can't give for the first time in 37 years.

[trevor saxe-coburg-gotha]

[-Matt-]

[NJD]

[Alan1986]

Congrats and have fun
____________________
Cbt Done, Currently wobbling around on a Cbf125 and love it
DAS some time soon

[carriusmaximu...]

That's awesome. Congrats 😀😀😀😀😀😀😀

[Rogerborg]

[insomnai]

I don't believe that increasing my proficiency or bettering my riding technique while I get used to riding on the roads, means that biking isn't for me.

I don't expect to be '100% safe' as that is impossible. I know that, you know that, anyone on two, four or 6+ wheels knows that. Pedestrians even know that and most pedestrians are thick as f**k.

I just want to be as safe as I can tis' all. Everyone around me deserves the very minimum of someone who isn't a prick added to the total number of road users

While I could save my cash for lessons and test, I have the money to get just a 125 at the moment. The rest would follow later
____________________
Stepping outside into the open air and sunshine in a way that a bus can't give for the first time in 37 years.