Nervous newbie needs advice.

[Saraya]

Hi all. I passed my CBT on Sunday after having 3 intro lessons. I was very nervous. I’m 43, never driven and had only ever ridden a pushbike a few times on the pavement. The clutch biting point malarkey took me a while to get to grips with - and I’m still by no means ‘smooth’.

My hubby and sons breezed through their CBTs and claimed it was easy. For me, it was a massive thing and I felt like I’d climbed a mountain. A bloody great big one. The day was not without cock ups. I got nervous as I approached my first ever mini roundabout. Panic made me forget to change down and I dropped the revs too low for third gear and stalled. Tried to keep calm, started the bike again and tried to pull away in third… The lurch and stall from that put me smack bang on the painted white centre. So that was fun.

Then after quiet roads we went on a 50 limit. I’ll admit I didn’t go over 43 but felt like I was doing mach 3. I was hanging on for dear life thinking I’d soon be joining Spock and Bowie, when we started up a long steepish hill. I knew I needed to change down and the bike was certainly telling me to change down. But I was too terrified to move my hands and made the poor bike drag me up it, in 4th.

But I didn’t die (nor did the bike) and I got my certificate at the end. Hubby came bounding through the door after work last night and exclaimed, “I’ve bought you a new bike! We pick her up on Saturday!” I nearly wet myself when he told me where the dealership was. It’s all duel carriage ways with mahoosive roundabouts and no handy alternative routes. I’m unsure what to do. I feel terrified. I did a short section of duel carriage way on my CBT. But it was sort of a pretty one, with hedges in the middle and you couldn’t see the other side. The ones I’ll have to ride are the scary looking buggers, which look like thinner motorways.

Is that first ride after passing, a pants wetting one for everybody? I’m wondering if just because I can legally now ride, does that mean I should ride? I’m wondering if maybe I should insure my son on the bike for a day and get hubby to take him there, so he can ride her home. And maybe see if there is such a course as ‘You’ve passed your CBT but are still bricking it’ type thing. Or does everyone feel like this and it’s just a case of I need to grow a pair, grit my teeth and do it? I’m not sure if I’m being a wuss or a responsible person. Thoughts much appreciated.

[Cronik]

[Silver_Fox]

If you're not confident, tell him. My other half was a bag of nerves after the CBT, and in retrospect I'm glad we got her a 125 rather than straight into her big bike lessons/test. Get your son or someone else to ride it back. Then go out on local, quiet roads you know, or better still, find a quiet car park and ride round and round until you start to feel more relaxed. Don't rush into being on the road. There is no competition with anyone. Go slow until you are ready to progress onto the next larger road etc. All in good time
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CBR600 F3 FV
CG125

[RedPanda]

Get it delivered to your house and have a few evening sessions on quiet roads.

You’ll make mistakes like stalling it, putting it in the wrong gear etc, but we’ve all been there. The only way to improve ability and confidence is time on the bike.
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CBF125 (2013) -> CBR600F (2001) -> 'Ninja' 300 (2014)

[Matt B]

I'm agreeing with these guys ^^^

Get it delivered or get somebody else to ride it back
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stinkwheel: He had an animated .gif of a cat performing fellatio. It's not socially acceptable. It can have real life adverse effects on other people.

[andyscooter]

did my first cbt on a brand new bike that I had bought

got it delivered to cbt centre

after cbt I got my dad to come in his van to collect me and bike as the only way home was all duel carriage way

it was three years later when I bought a new bike that I had to face that same route even then it terrified me

but saying that I had to ride into a city centre for work on the Monday morning so went in on the sunday to practice
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gilera runner vxr200 (chavped)
if its spelt wrong its my fat fingers and daft auto correct on my tablet

[vanderbale]

Get the 125 home safely and don't do anything you don't feel ready for. After some practice on quiet roads you should gain confidence.

This will sound odd but it might be useful to book a training session or two for the full license. The full license training is far more comprehensive than a CBT, afterwards I felt far more confident regardless of the bike plus my instructor helped me unlearn some bad habits I picked up.

[Ste]

What bike have they bought?

Yes the first time you ride your bike on your own will be slightly daunting.

If you've only ever ridden a pushbike a few times then you're at a bit of a disadvantage so going out on your pushbike should / could give you more confidence on two wheels.

You don't have to use both lanes of the duel carriageway.

If you got on well with the staff where you did your CBT then they'll be able to sort out some type of "you’ve passed your CBT but are still bricking it" lesson. If you didn't get on with them, go ask a different training school about a post-CBT lesson. Then you can start thinking about getting training so that you can get a full license instead of wasting time on a tiddler.

[Bally-]

[Cornell Finch]

I can't add anything that hasn't already been said, but I will say this:

CONGRATULATIONS!

Sounds like you are determined to do this and I am sure that you won't regret it. I was crap on my CBT (been riding 11 years now and am coming up 44) and the first ride afterwards, on a crappy Chinese 125cc cruiser thing, scared me witless.

Thankfully I had a good friend with me riding his bike and giving support. With time and practice it will get easier and you will enjoy the experience every time you get out on two wheels.

Good on you, go for it!

Coll

[Saraya]

Thanks for all the replies. Much appreciated.
Hubby and my eldest have cruiser style bikes. I had a go on theirs, but as they’re lower, when I’m stationary, all the weight of the bike is against my dodgy knee and it makes me feel unsafe. Plus the turning circle seems to be that of a bus! My youngest’s bike is more sporty. Looks like he’s lying down and his feet are behind him – and I won’t even brave sitting on that one.

My lessons and CBT were on a Yamaha YBR. I feel much safer as the weight is between my thighs rather than my knees – if that makes sense. And I have no trouble getting round tight corners. So hubby got me a YBR. As a lot of the riding schools use them, I’m assuming they’re forgiving to novice riders that balls up gear changes. And easy to replace bits, should I drop her!

I’ll get my son to ride her home and will do my first ride at 5am on Sunday morning. Hopefully the roads will be quiet and I can gain confidence.
Thanks again everybody.

[Teflon-Mike]

No one MAKES you ride a motorbike.. you should have been told this on CBT.. if YOU don't feel up to ridng, or riding a certain road, or in certain traffic.. YOU DON'T HAVE TO.. remember that.

BUT... by the same token, you wont get over your anxeties hiding from them... believe me.. I have pills for it, so does the O/H, who I struggled through all this with fve years ago, doing her CBT and road training and a very long road to a full licence, and now a 'big-bike' she still often needs more than a litte 'encouragement' to get on and ride...

Read this: - DAFT-BAT-Out of 'L'!

That's her story of getting from being a perpetual L-Plater, repeating CBT every two years and finding every excuse under the sun to avoid stepping up to do it properly before she met me.... and I gave her some encourgagement.

One thing you might find i there, was that having the right people, offering the right support is PARAMOUNT... being bullied or pressured or belittled to get on and do, is often counter productive; you will need a lot of encouragement, but positive encouragement to get over the 'first step' and get on.. once past that, you will probably wonder what you were worried about and have a great time.. but if you dont feel you are dog t because you want to but because you have to, you proaby wont find the fun.

What I WILL say, is that after dong CBT, and cramming SO much learning nto one day, using so many muscles that haven't been used, or used in the same way, and using them so long in that full day of riding... it IS a bit ardiouse... used to teach the damn thing every week-end and it was hard work often just to watch! But, you now have your DL196, and you can go at your own pace, and as yu 'practice' rememver its a provisional, or 'practice' licence you have, you aren't a fullytrained fully qualified rider yet.... but as you practice, what you learned in CBT is likely to start making a lot more sense.... and if you start to find you dont quite remember or you dont know what to do... GO BOOK ANOTHER LESSON... CBT is just the starting point.

As to picking up the bike.... Its YOUR decission.. remember that....

You can go and get it and ride it home.... once n teh saddle it will probably be 'easy' compared to being on CBT, especially if hubby is in the car being a rolling road-block watching your pretty bum as you go for you.....

You can go and get the bike... and take a good lock and chain with you, or buy one in the dealers that have the bike..... once outside.. THEN decide if yu want to ride it, there and then... it will likely be business hours, so traffic likely moderate to heavy.. if early morning or evening could be utter chaos.. so think about that when you decide to go get.... but either way.. no reason you cant lock the bike to a lamp-post for a bit.... go get a cup of coffee some-where, or sit in the car and read a book for a while till the traffic is lighter...Where and when you ride is STILL your decision.

Gettng the bike delivered by the dealer, or getting your lad to ride it back home... avoids that first ride being on that road... but it wont avoid you first ride.... you are going to ride it some-where, some time or no point having the damn thing!

Is it REALLY going to be much if any less dautng setting out from your own drive-ay, wth hubby and son watching, and the neighbours, and the dog watching? And how far you going to get before you encounter roads just as scary?

That ride home with rolling road block watching your bum COULD just be a very good way to get in the water and start swimming, could't it?

But either which way round its YOUR CALLL.. you are the one with the tickets with your name on, you are the one with the controls in your hands... YOU are the one who has to make the decisions.. not hubby, not son, not the dealer, not us.... its YOUR CALL.

Back to the nerve... anxiety dont go away, and its good that t dont, that 'worry' is what lets us know our safety systems are working and we are looking out for danger.... ignore them at your peril... JUST not TOOO much....

Our Snowie is a bugger for over-thinking and over fretting..... and a it of a menace because of it... three years with a full licence, and even now.... round town! GEEZ she scares the shit out of me! Hazards every bludy where! Kids kicking balls about, teenage mums pushing prams into the road! Idiots in Saxo's bouncing the back suspension with thier bass bins! And Snowie! She's 'off' gone, left me behind!

Open country road? No traffic? Nice day? Good surface, no cow crap!.. CORNER.... bout half a mile away.... and the brake lamp comes on, and by the time we get to it she's down to walking pace!
Eh?! What's the problem?

What's going on! Riding like a loon round town, but an old duffer on a naer perfect country road?!? Ah! The fret factory kicked in! Round town she can SEE all the hazards.. keeps her brain busy... contry road? Nothing to worry about... why is there nothing to worry about? And she starts worrying! Something is missing.. what hasn't she spoted, ad with NO hazards to contend with.. she grinds to a gradual halt trying to bludy FIND one!

We have radio's... shhh.. I have discovered if I mildly remark through the intercom... "Oh.. I think I left the oven on when we came out" or "Darling... did you lock the gates when we left?" BINGO! She has somethig to worry about and starts bludy ridng

You don't 'over come your nerves' by ignoring them.. thats silly and dangerouse, theres usually good reason to be nervouse.... you need to work out what it is, and whether its reasonable, and put it into proportion, and not worry TOO MUCH, anxiety needs to be managed, not over come. Get the nerve respons in check and proportional to the actual dangers.... which are likely a LOT less than you fear or imagine...

And remember, you are the one with the handlebars in your grip... YOU decide where and when to ride... go at your own pace, ride your own road, make your own decissions, but as I have jusy commented in another thread... make good rational decisions baed on good information gathered for yourself, DONT let fears or exitement rule your reason....

And find the fun..

There's always another route... whether that's to the problem of getting the bike home, or where to go when you are riding.... so pick the one that you like best... but don't just sit there, doing nothing... as they say in the army, indecision is the worst decision... and that route you dont much like the look of right now? Well, once you are on it, could be the fun-one... might not, but you never know until you have tried it!

Your call.. but I'd suggest you have a good thing and a long talk with hubby, and see if you can give it a go, with him mother-ducking you in the car behind, as a rolling road-block.

Just remember he will have to be close enough to stop any-one else trying to jump in the gap between you, and even at a good 2s or more following distance he is likely to 'feel' too close to you... but have faith, if he holds the gap you wont have to worry about what's behind, and can concentrate on riding your own bit of road as if there's little oro other traffic on it pretty much and faster roads, are often the easier and safer with fewer juctions and hazards likely to jump out at you...

Get the nerves in check, and proportion to the real risks, and shouldn't be an issue, and you are likely to find the fun...

But still your call at the end of the day.
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My Webby'Tef's-tQ, loads of stuff about my bikes, my Land-Rovers, and the stuff I do with them!
Current Bikes:'Honda VF1000F' ;'CB750F2N' ;'CB125TD ( 6 3 of em!)'; 'Montesa Cota 248'. Learner FAQ's:= 'U want to Ride a Motorbike! Where Do U start?'

[Rogerborg]

^^^
Hmm, not too bad.

First, good work on getting the CBT done. Despite what you were doubtless told, there's loads to cram in and it's physically and mentally demanding. You're doing fine, and don't worry about hubby and sons spouting off about how easy it was, they're just competing over their piston sizes, to so speak.

The YBR is indeed a very decent choice, no worries on that front. Your may find the rest of your family wanting to "borrow" it once they get tired of their daft riding positions.

On that, you might find that doing anything with the insurance will exceed the cost of having the dealer deliver the bike, so I'd check into that.

And yes, your first soLo ride will likely be nerve wracking, especially if you get some White Van Man right up your chuff. You will stall it, you will have some wobbles, you will have some Moments. That's not necessarily a bad thing: biking's about the experiences and you're in for some corkers.

If in doubt, pull over, get off the bike, have a stretch, get some perspective back. Nobody's really going to drive into the back of you, even if they're shouting "Bloody Learner, get a move on!"

The vast majority of what you're getting into is brilliant fun. Just take it at your own pace, ride your own ride, and don't let the buggers borrow your YBR.
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Biking is 1/20th as dangerous as horse riding.
GONE: HN125-8, LF-250B, GPz 305, GPZ 500S, Burgman 400 // RIDING: F650GS (800 twin), Royal Enfield Bullet Electra 500 AVL, Ninja 250R because racebike

[andyscooter]

You just had to didn't you roger
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gilera runner vxr200 (chavped)
if its spelt wrong its my fat fingers and daft auto correct on my tablet

[ADSrox0r]

A YBR will fit in the back of most decent sized family cars if you whip the front wheel off.
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Current bikes: '08 VFR 800 VTEC(yo) , '07 ZZR1400 Winter hack: '95 Aprilia 650 Pegaso Currently lusting after: RC30

[Undinist]

Saraya, I'm a little jealous - I wish I could go back in time and relive my first ride. I was 18, living with my parents. The dealer delivered the bike, a shiny new Honda CD200 Benly. I reminded him that when I bought it he'd promised to give me a few tips on how to ride it. He said that as I knew how to drive a car and ride a bicycle I'd soon get the hang of it. He pointed out the clutch, gear and brake levers and the neutral light and gave me the handbook. Then he left. I had never even sat on a motorbike before. Luckily there was no one else home and we didn't have any neighbours - I don't think I could have coped with an audience. I started the bike and inched along the driveway towards the road, which was long and straight with a 50 mph limit and the occasional car bombing past. The road had recently been resurfaced so to get out of the driveway I had to climb up a two inch lip of tarmac. I must have stalled at least a dozen times trying to feed in just enough revs to creep over this huge obstacle. Thank God the bike had an electric start. After a looong time I wobbled out on to the road and...that's all I can remember. My next memory is of my Dad, a week or two later, complaining that he'd seen me doing 60 within a few hundred yards of leaving the house.

Here is the steed - two cylinders! Four gears! A chain case! But nothing too sporty like disc brakes or a rev counter - those were strictly for the Big Boys on their Superdreams and RD250s.

https://www.carandclassic.co.uk/uploads/cars/honda/3566276.jpg

[Ribenapigeon]

[Ribenapigeon]

I remember getting the call from the dealership to say my WR125X was ready to pick up. It was rush hour and I had to ride it back home. Luckily it was all left hand turns from eh dealership to my house...phew! made it though.

A good time to practise is late at night when the roads are quiet. just go out and tool around practising junctions and roundabout without any other traffic getting in the way. within a few nights you will be sorted.

Basics are...always check over your shoulder before changing road position.
Ride on the right hand part of the lane its not a bicycle get out of the gutter.
Feet UP! as soon as the bike is moving get those feet off the ground. If you tap the ground with your foot you can destabilise the bike and thats what causes newbie bike drops at low speed.
Oh..and go at you're own pace, dont try to keep up with others or go at their speed.

Dont get a cruiser ever, they're for girls. Oh sorry You are a girl. Anyway point out at all possible opportunity that cruisers are for girls.

[Teflon-Mike]

[Doovy]

Dual.
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Yamaha RXS 100 > Honda CD 250 > Honda Hornet 600 > Honda CBR 600RR > Yamaha RXS 100 > Kawasaki ZX6R J2 > Yamaha FZ1

[BTTD]

If you've got zero previous road experience then there's a lot to learn. We all started there. Some things will come quicker than others, but one day's CBT can be information overload, and quite honestly isn't all the information you'll ever need!
Get the bike delivered, take it out on quiet roads/early morning to get used to it. Practice slow control in a car park when there's no one about. When you're more comfortable start getting used to busier junctions and roads.

Simply put, there's an easy way and a hard way. Make it easy.

[Rogerborg]

https://i.imgur.com/tcJ4i4M.png
____________________
Biking is 1/20th as dangerous as horse riding.
GONE: HN125-8, LF-250B, GPz 305, GPZ 500S, Burgman 400 // RIDING: F650GS (800 twin), Royal Enfield Bullet Electra 500 AVL, Ninja 250R because racebike

[Pjay]

I wish I could have somehow read this thread before divorcing my wife.
A CBT and a 125 would have saved me a whole lot more in the long run...

[JoeDaStudd]

Having not driven before I really can't blame you for being nervous as there is a lot to take in.

If you haven't already grab a copy of the highway code and read through it. Pay special attention to road markings and signs.
Last thing you want is to be panicking every time you see a road sign or road marking your unsure what it means.

Between now and when you get your bike whenever your passenger in a car or pillion really pay attention to how the traffic moves and the driver/rider reacts to hazards and different roads (junction, roundabouts, lights, etc).
Helped me a lot when I was learning to drive which in turn helped me when I got my ybr (great little bike ).

I'd echo what everyone is saying get it delivered or someone to ride it back for you then practise somewhere quiet.

[Saraya]

Thank you so much everybody. You guys are awesome.

Knowing the pressure is now off, on me getting the bike home on Saturday - I'm actually starting to get a bit excited about my first ride on Sunday. Now I just have to have a lesson on how to use a petrol pump!

I really do appreciate all your advice. Thanks for such a lovely welcome.