My first on-road ride, alone !!! O dear....

[JodieWodie]

No Noggin...I am doing my A test.....

I feel the speed of the CG is enough for me for a couple of years.

I need LOTS of practice !

How do you do a good hill start then ?
I tend to rev it and rev it and not get far or stall it.
I guess it's just nerves and I let the clutch out too far.

[Noggin]

The A class, is that the 33hp test?

What really helped me with pulling off from normal, or on a hill, was just to sit on the bike, and practice releasing the clutch, and feeling the bike start to pull, then I'd pull it back in, I'd just practice this a few times a day before going out on the bike. This helped me to know where the biting point was.

When doing a hill start, i rev the bike a bit more than normal, and take a bit longer slipping the clutch. Eventually, you will be able to hold the clutch on the biting point, and this will stop you rolling backwards.

By the sounds of it, your either letting the clutch out too far, or are still learning where the biting point is. When i started to ride, I wasn't very good at the clutch control. I wasn't smooth enough. Now I am a lot smoother, and can make more minor adjustments. When you are smooth with the clutch it is much easier.

When pulling off, do you look ahead, or at the rev meter?



Craig G(Noggin)
____________________
Current bike: kawasaki zx12r 2002
Track bike: yamaha r6 1998
Old Bike: honda NSR 125 1998

[AceRimmer]

Thats a good looking thing, and the bikes not bad either . I just did my CBT and have been going out and about abit, I do find people get up my arse (cars that is!) but theres nothing more satisfying than some quick acceleration away from them at traffic lights, at least until they catch up with you and overtake you . I wonder if its because ive got L plates on, so the sooner I pass my test hopefully the less people will pester me. As for hill starts and stuff the more practice the better, get a feel for where the clutch brings the drive in, and listening to the engine for how much power it has in it.

To build up some confidence goto a quiet area and just practice riding that might help.

[JodieWodie]

Yes Noggin...33

Yeah..I think my trouble is the 'biting point'...shall practice more this evening !

Thanks for the advice you two....
hopefully the roads will be quieter this evening

JO xxxx

[Ian (GPX)]

Jo,

If you want to learn more, go and buy a book called 'Motorcycle Riding the Essential Skills' published by the DSA, it costs £9.99 and is a real good read if you are keen on learning to ride a bike and pass your test. You can get the book from most places, including WH Smiths.

[JodieWodie]

Hi Ian...

yeah, I got that book,
and the cbt, theory and practical test book

They are really good !

Thanks anyway

xxxxxxxxx

[Gazanimal]

Confidence with your bike will come gradually.

It took me a while to get used to the biting point of the clutch & I used to stall my cbr600 at junctions etc as I wasn't fully used to the bike.

Luckily I took the plunge and travelled to work each day (55mile round trip) so I got a lot of practice in & now I feel fairly comfortable with the machine & the clutch.

My advice would be to find a quiet industrial estate which has roundabouts,junctions & straights etc that you can got to & practice manoeuvering the bike around. Helped me immensely when I 1st got my CBR.

Even if you stall in front of other motorists,just take deep breaths,knock the bike into Neutral,flick the starter switch etc,etc
If the people behind you aren't goons then they'll realise you're not Valentino Rossi as you have L-plates on & even as car drivers they've all had to learn at some point.

Keep practicing & you'll be flying along (hopefully not literally) before you know it.

[Kickstart]

Hi

Does the CG have a rev counter (I know the older one didn't but the newer one might).

If so use that to check but keep the revs at a constant level (eg, maybe 4000rpm) and let the clutch out slowly. Manipulate the clutch and throttle to keep the revs at that point as you pull away until the clutch is fully out.

All the best

Keith
____________________
Traxpics, track day and racing photographs - Bimota Forum - Bike performance / thrust graphs for choosing gearing

[Dazbo666]

Very nice looking bike there Jodie...
(having said that I'm already a Honda fan and hoping to get a CBR after my Direct Access test ).

As for the biting point, even if you don't have a rev counter, take notice of the sound of the engine. You'll soon get used to the sound that the correct amount of revs will make.
Then as you let the clutch out, you'll notice that just at the biting point, the sound will get slightly lower just as the bike starts to move off. (Listening to the sound rather than looking at the rev counter also means that you can continue your observation of any traffic around you).


I guess it may be slightly easier for me being a biker newbie, cos I've been on 4 wheels for a number of years, so although I haven't been riding for very long, I have plenty of on road experience.


It's still just a matter of practice and building your experience... and believe me, you'll be using your clutch control without having to think about it before long - eventually it'll be second nature for you.


Good luck, and ride safe!!

[JodieWodie]

[Dazbo666]

No problem Jo.

Being part of the biking community is one of the best parts of being on 2 wheels!