Newbie biker looking to progress

[koan123]

Good morning all,

Thought I'd sign up and introduce myself. I'm Mark, I'm 26 and I've been riding my 125cc Varadero for 6 months now since doing my CBT.

Up until this I was strictly on four wheels as I lost an old friend to a motorcycle accident. Thankfully I finally gave it a go myself and have found it to be amazing fun, if slightly nerve wracking at first!

I've just done my first bit of training for my full license and am REALLY looking forward to jumping on a 500 next time

I can normally be found around Gloucestershire on the Vara or my rather silly looking MX5, so it'd be nice to meet some people to go riding with.

Longest trip so far has been from Cheltenham back to Kent to see my parents, great fun but I mustn't get as lost next time >_< Still it was an adventure to go cross country with no motorways.

Now I must stop looking at silly bikes for my first 'big' bike, the Daytona keeps looking at me with alluring eyes.......

[Mumrah]

Hi Mark and welcome. I'm sorry to hear about your loss but good to see you've decided to give biking a go!

Good luck with your tests

[Rogerborg]

Good job.

Why didn't they start you on the big bike (it will be a 600+) straight away? The size shouldn't be an issue, coming from a Verydearo.
____________________
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

[pinkyfloyd]

[koan123]

[Rogerborg]

It's perfectly reasonable since you're paying for rider training.

On the other hand, there is the issue of getting familiar with the bigger bike, which you're also paying for.

If it were my money, I'd want to be getting the most out of it. Remember, nothing compels you to go via a training school, you can always buy your own 600+ bike, do some "private road" practice and then find a way to get it to the test centre.
____________________
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

[MC]

Same with my training (DAS). Started off on a CG (despite a years experience on a 125), quickly came back & got the ER5. Only on the 2nd day did I get the Bandit, which tbh I think I would have been OK with from the start, but I can see why schools don't want people dropping their 'good' bikes.
____________________
Yamaha MT-03 '08 (crashed)
Honda XR-125L '04

[Az]

I turned up on my little CBF125 and was put straight onto a 2009 MT-03. I was let loose in the car park to get used to the clutch/biting point and weight after a quick briefing about how not to be hard on the throttle or brakes.

[bhinso]

Hi Welcome, and good luck with your tests, I'm sure you'll be fine. I remember one of my mates had a vara and they're great 125's. Not that far down the road from Warwickshire either

[koan123]

Thanks all for the words of confidence, now I just need to get out there and practice some more!

I have to say, the Varadero surprised me. For one because it's a good sized bike (I felt so cramped on the CG) and for two because it has a surprising amount of poke considering its 'only' a 125, and supposedly a heavy one at that.

[janner_10]

Where about in Gloucestershire, I'm from Tewkesbury.

There are loads of good riding roads on the doorstep.
____________________
Yamaha FZS600 (Now gone to heaven) > CBR600F4i (SOLD) > '99 YZF-R1

[koan123]