Just got CBT on an automatic, what is the best way to gears?

[what he said]

So after wanting to learn to ride for far too long, I finally did something about it and completed my CBT. Yay! But although I was only interested in getting a geared bike, it was recommended I do it on an automatic as I was a compete novice. And because of a previous bad experience with a trainer that is what I did. Trust the expert knows best, and all that.

On the tube home with my certificate I realized I had never thought about what I would do next. My first thought was to get a scooter so I could practice for a bit then do a gear conversion course. But looking at the prices a decent one seemed no cheaper than a bike, and with all the added hassle and cost of having to sell and buy it quickly put me off.

Next I wondered if I could just do the gear conversion straight away. Is that a good idea, with no other experience than the CBT itself?

Although then I noticed those courses are more expensive than CBTs, which started to make me think maybe you can do one again but on a geared bike? I guess though the focus on the proper course is worth the extra.

Doing a quick search online for advice then found people in a similar situation saying they just got a bike and taught themselves gears. I think if I lived across the road from a car park or similar that would work for me.

But even being conscious of having to pay another £100 I am not sure it is such a good idea even on my quiet-ish local streets. I needed two attempts at the CBT, plus the bad experience last year, and expect I will eventually want to go for a full licence of some kind, so am conscious of it piling up just to get to a L-plated 125cc. And sadly I do not know anyone with a bike who could help out teaching me, as that seems the best compromise.

I also know about the Get On free rides which some seem to have taken after their CBT as a free conversion course, but quite honestly I am way too shy to pull that off!

In hindsight it probably would have been best to have ignored the advice and said to do the CBT on a bike, but I cannot change that now. So, any suggestions on what I should do?

I do not need to commute so this is purely for the fun and freedom of it. My sister lives 50 miles away in the middle of nowhere and as I do not drive I have had to rely on my parents to be able to visit her. Only now they are moving to a middle of nowhere 150 miles away too. So at the moment I am mainly looking at occasional family visits and just being able to get places in and around London.

Sorry if this is a a stupid question. Trust me, I have many far more basic and stupid ones when the time comes!

[Quornholio]

[Sabs]

I'd never ridden a bike in my 40 years of being on this planet until I did my CBT last year and had no biking experience whatsoever, not even friends that are into it, nothing. You should get another done on a geared bike asap in my opinion.

Look for somewhere else to do it if you're not happy with where you went, but do it, it's a step to one of the best things you'll ever do.

[evilbond]

Its not so hard, i did my cbt on geared with no previous motorbike experience, takes a few mins to get used to.

If you drive a car its much the same except your hand does the clutch and revs and foot changes the gears.

There's many guides on youtube that will show you how its done. Get a little practice somewhere quiet and you will be fine.

RoadcraftNottingham was good viewing when i was a noob(still am a year later ) would recommend a look.
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Bike: K2 Bandit 600S
Car: Astra GTC

[G30]

Practise. Either do some training with a school (most should do auto-to-manual 2 hour basic courses) or buy a 125 and go out when there's hardly anyone, a lot of the time no one, on the road. If you do the second option you can easily stay in 1st and go 15mph then get the hang of changing gears by yourself. You'll get used to the throttle, braking, the clutch especially when pulling off not to stall. Everything. If someone comes up behind you and they don't overtake you can just pull over. It's up to you.
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KTM RC390 -- Kawa ER6f -- Yam YZF R125 -- Yam YBR 125

[pinkyfloyd]

[mjn51]

Long story short,
Your CBT (edited for clarity) "certificate" covers both auto and geared bikes, you don't need to do a conversion

[pinkyfloyd]

[Ribenapigeon]

First thing, don't fret over the whole business. Everyone has the way that suits them and seems you need to take the slower steadier route rather than the "CBT on monday tests on friday" DAS course route. First get a budget. £500/£600 seems to be the going rate for instruction through tests. £1000/£2000 for a decent second hand japenese bike which you can sell on easily in a year. A few hundred for gear and then the same for insurance. Then just shop around for local instructors, do a few phone calls and ask around here for any local recommendations.

Thing is, go at your own pace. That was the best advice I got. Don't worry about gears, an afternoon with an instructor 1 to 1 will have you flicking up and down the gears no problem.

[Andy_Pagin]

I did my CBT on a scooter. When I wanted a geared bike I did a two hour training session then bought a geared bike. Training cost fifty quid about three years ago.
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They're coming to take me away, ho-ho, hee-hee, ha-haaa, hey-hey,
the men in white coats are coming to take me away.
Yamaha Vity -> YBR125 -> FZS600 Fazer -> FZ1-S Fazer

[cretin box]

[Christoffee]

When I did my CBT I couldn't get the hang of the gears in the car park. But as soon as I was out on the road it very quickly turned out ok.
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Bike: CBF125

[barrkel]

[pinkyfloyd]

[barrkel]

[Northern Monkey]

the DL196 validates a provisional entitlement on a licence.

If you have a valid DL196 then the provisional entitelment on your licence is validated.

There is no reference in law to automatic only DL196, so you can ride either, regardless of which bike you undertook the training on.

It may not be a good idea, however, there is no reason in law that you cannot go buy a YBR125, some insurance, some L plates, and go and ride.

[pinkyfloyd]

What Mjn wrote implied that the school should have taught both gears and ped riding on the same day. I was disagreeing with that until you seemed to disagree with me.

I teach CBT so I think I know what I am talking about when I put my post up about not teaching gears to ped riders.

We do not teach gears to ped riders. If they want to ride a geared bike after thats up to them, they can either learn alone or come back like you did for a conversion. But we do not teach it on the day.

Which is the point I have been making before you jumped in and said I was talking shit.
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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.

[mjn51]

[pinkyfloyd]

Yup. The Cert covers you for both, But the day does not should you not require it.
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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.

[Ste]

[sabian92]

[pinkyfloyd]

[Ste]

Everyone knows that the training won't include anything to do with gears if you're doing it on an automatic.

A CBT is a CBT, there is no such thing as a CBT for a moped.

[sabian92]

[pinkyfloyd]