Picking up a bike today...and Royally Crapping myself! Help!

[dontknowmuch]

Guys,

I don't know what'sa happening to me.
I'm a spanking new rider and I've found a great bike in great condition in Essex. And I'm in North London.

My problem is this:
I'm crapping myself over getting on the A12 and doing 70 odd miles to get home!
I mean, don't get me wrong I'm not a terrible rider in any sense of the word, and I know I never felt this way when I took my car on the dual carrigeway for first time, but I'm so nervous and tentative about riding back I feel like an Alien is gonna burst out of my chest!

Any advice? Any mantras?..

Sorry if anyone is percieving this as a moan, but the cathartic value of this post isactually doing some good....


H.

[DAF]

What bike are you getting?
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2005 Yam Fazer (FZ6-S)

[Dazbo666]

I'd suggest doing some "block work" similar to what you would have done on your bike lessons/test etc??
...or a nearby industrial estate etc

I know what you're saying though - I'm quite a new rider myself, and my 1st ride after passing my test was on a brand new CBR600RR *gulp*
Just take it easy on a few quiet residential roads to start with, and I'm sure that you'll be surprised at how quickly you'll feel more relaxed
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1st bike (Sept'06 - May'10) : 1991 GPZ500S / Current bike (since Nov 2009) : 2003 Suzuki Bandit 600N
Word of the day : DILLIGAF

[alex_t]

u will b fine once u r on, and i guarentee it that u will speed once ur on there just run it around the block few times get the gist of the weight n throttle control n u will b cool
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[CBT - passed 29.04.06] [Theory - passed 19.05.06 *34/35*] [DAS - passed 09.06.06]

SV650, blue

[Villers]

I guess I can relate to this mate. My last time out on a bike ended in an unexplained high side at 50mph. Yesterday I picked up my brand new bike to set off on the 100 mile journey home. I was on the train on the way there and the gf texted asking how I was, to which I replied 'shitting myself'. By the time I got there I was sweating, and when I got on the bike I moved the kickstand up and knocked it into gear causing it to stall. Not a good start.

Just had to take it easy and try to get my confidence back. Going to take a few miles to get back to where I was. Just take your time and most of all enjoy riding.


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RS125 > CBR6 > SV650S > ZX636R > GSX1300RZ Hayabusa > 06 RSVR Mille > SV1000S > Street Triple 765 RS

[stinkwheel]

Just remember that the speed is controlled by how far and how quickly you twist the throttle. If you don't twist it too far, it wont go too fast.

As others have said, take it somewhere quiet and have a ride about on it to get a feel for the bike. Practice moving away, up and down the gears, try braking progressively harder and get used to how it behaves, where the clutch biting point is and suchlike. Do a wee bit of slow riding and some slow speed turns.

Also don't tense up. If you are tense this will translate to overcorrections in the steering so sit on the bike, take a deep breath and force yourself to relax, especially your arms, shoulders and hands. Remember, you are sitting on the bike, your arms are just turning the bars not holding you on the face of the planet, gravity takes care of that all by itself.
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“Rule one: Always stick around for one more drink. That's when things happen. That's when you find out everything you want to know.”
I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles.

[dontknowmuch]

Well I did it!

I got on the train and was doing a lot worse than sweating, Villers! Lets just say it was a good thing that there weren't many people on the train at 9:17 in the morning. Because that toilet door DOESN'T stop smell

I went down to colchester in Essex, which must have been about 60 -70 miles away from London. Sadly, my post was literally 30 mins before I left the house, so I didn't get to read any of them. Till now!

The bike i went to get was a 1998 Yamaha YZF600R. It had 24000 on the clock and was in great condition. A couple guys from here recommended this bike, and they weren't wrong.
It's awesome.

After getting lost in the bleedin village, I set off on the A12 and headed West. London bound.

So I spent about 30 mins, doing only slow speed manouvering and emergency stops (by the way, that gets on peoples nerves at 11.00am on Satuday morning!).
Then I took it around this little sea side village and after a while I felt I had control and could adjust to the throttle.
Siggi's words of wisdom are gonne be emblazened on my soul. It was touching! Thanks man!

I was fine once I was on and couldn't wait to get back home and show the family. And (dammit!) Alex_T was right. I sped. Hope there weren't any cameras.
In my defence. The A12 was clear and now it is out of my system (turtle headed...) and I am not interested in breaking any speed limits any time soon.

Many thanks Fellas and Fellettes.

H.

P.S. No one told me not to do Lifesavers on the motorway! D'OH!!!

[stinkwheel]

[gazza]

i remember feeling the same when i went to pick up my bike got it from a guy in rochdale some 60 odd mile from me and had to go on the m62 back to barnsley in a howling gale, best advise i can give is spend a little time round the backstreets get used to the feel of it before hitting the big traffic take it steady good luck

[akaDAVE]

Picking my first bike up was an experience I'll never forget. It was also was about 70miles away.
After learning on an ER5 it was a few months since I'd ridden and the ZXR felt ridiculous in the car park to start with, a completely different proposition to the ER5!
I blindly followed my girlfriend to start with and she went straight onto the WRONG side of the M25 which was absolutely jammed. So my first introduction to filtering was for about 3 solid miles before another 20minutes or so before I could get off the M25 just to turn around.
Then as I got to the twisty A24 it started absolutely pissing down. It definately made a bit of an adventure out of it.
I did think for a few moments 'what am I doing here, what have I done!'
I was glad to get back home (an hour before my girlfriend!). Probably still the longest journey I've done on the bike.
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GSXR600

[BorderHooner]

congrats mate

I passed my test in dorset at my dads couple of weeks ago, bought my bike in bournemouth - rode to plymouth, stayed for the night then back to newcastle via a night stop in northampton.

nearly 600 miles round trip though did 850 miles over 4 days, so I know what you mean, I was bricking it the first couple of hundred miles
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Benelli. Happy as a pig in cacky.

[king kong]

I've had my new bike about three/four weeks and was also crapping myself. it still feels new and Love going to work even better coming home again though.
I remeber the day I got it spent about 2 hours driving around town followed by a quick blast up the A24!

Enjoy the bike