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Comrade Woody
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| Evil Hans |
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Evil Hans
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Comrade Woody
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 Posted: 15:56 - 17 Oct 2016  Post subject: |
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Thanks Evil Hans. I'll not go into detail here but I have quite severe OCD and associated anxiety and depression. A bike's not going to cure me (and hopefully won't kill me either) but I am hoping it will improve my quality of life a bit and do my mental health some good.
I've seen a few nice Varaderos since I started looking but they're usually hundreds of miles away meaning I'd be buying blind and paying for a courier to collect and deliver them. I'd prefer to buy locally really but that reduces my options quite a bit. Fingers crossed something good will come along nearby  |
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| Ste |
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Ste
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| Posted: 16:09 - 17 Oct 2016 Post subject: |
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Don't rush into buying anything, hold fire until you've done your CBT.  |
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| Comrade Woody |
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Comrade Woody
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| carpe_diem |
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carpe_diem
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Comrade Woody
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Posted: 16:36 - 17 Oct 2016  Post subject: |
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Hi Matt, that's where I'll be going yes. I phoned a month or so back to ask about the hire clothes (checking boot sizes) and spoke to Emily who sounded lovely, very friendly and helpful |
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carpe_diem
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| Posted: 16:43 - 17 Oct 2016 Post subject: |
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Good stuff. Hopefully you'll get Jim as your instructor for the day. He's a top guy and a great instructor. Good luck
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Currently riding: Suzuki EN125 | Previous rides: Vespa 125PX, Yamaha SR125 |
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Ste
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carpe_diem
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| Comrade Woody |
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Comrade Woody
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| Posted: 17:17 - 17 Oct 2016 Post subject: |
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| Ste wrote: |
There'll always be another and there's every chance that you'll get a better deal.
On the other hand, if you do spot what looks to be an amazing deal then post some details on here and someone will be able to tell you if it really is good deal. From your point of view, with it being your first bike I expect that any bike which can be yours will look like the most amazingly brilliant deal ever so hearing what people who're more experienced have to say about it could help prevent you from buying a potato of a bike.
The Yamaha YBR125 is another well reputed 125 learner bike to consider.
What's your budget?
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I've been watching sales on eBay and local adverts, as well as dealerships, so have a fairly good idea what things go for now I think, but I'm not a mechanic so judging condition beyond the obvious and the cosmetic is something I'll need a hand with. I was introduced to a friend of a friend earlier today whose partner is a bike mechanic so I may be able to get some help from him with viewings, she's going to talk to him later.
I'll be doing my CBT on a YBR125.
My budget is up to around £2500 or thereabouts, it really depends on the bike. For that money I could have a a YBR125 or the Custom new but I have my heart set on a Varadero. Cheaper is better obviously, but I don't want something that's on its last legs. Honda dealers have recently had new stock available which surprised me because I thought it had been completely discontinued in 2012, they're not on the site but perhaps Honda are bringing them back I don't know, it's moot though because they're five grand on the road and that's way more than I can afford, or would be willing to pay for a 125.
| Ste wrote: | You say your doctor is on holiday, have a conversation with whichever out of your GP and your consultant is not on holiday to find out their opinion on you applying for your license. The DVLA Medical Group are the people who'll decide whether an examination will be necessary and they base their decision on what your GP and consultant tell them. Until you've applied for your license you won't know for sure if an examination is required so try not to worry about it. |
I applied two months ago, it's the DVLA Medical Group who have decided I need an examination and they've named the GP who's away so I have to wait for her to get back. All the delays have given me plenty of time to research and prepare though so it's not all bad I guess. |
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Evil Hans
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ThatDippyTwat
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| Posted: 20:17 - 17 Oct 2016 Post subject: |
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Yeah that was why I was wanting to do the A1, I'd not given a great deal of thought to the DAS really but based on what people are saying here and having looked at prices that's what I'll do, thanks for the advice I'd do it straight away if money wasn't an issue, it'll depend how much I spend on a bike of course but I think I'll have to do the CBT separately first and the DAS next year once I've saved up some more money. |
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Ste
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Comrade Woody
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| Posted: 10:33 - 18 Oct 2016 Post subject: |
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| Ste wrote: |
Not having spoken to your GP about it is a problem. You'll make things a lot easier for yourself if you go and speak with your GP and or consultant about your application for a driving license.
If you haven't already, do "discuss the form with your Mental Health Doctor or Nurse". Have you got a CPN?
If it would be helpful for one of the healthcare professionals to go to the examination you've got with the medical officer then you should ask.
The DVLA are pretty hot on avoiding medical related risk which is understandable. It puts your GP and consultant in an awkward position when they're asked about your fitness to drive when you've not discussed it with them. |
I don't have regular appointments with my GP, I had a few when I changed medication earlier this year, initially to discuss changing it and then later to see how I was getting on with the new one as its dosage was increased, but generally speaking I don't see anyone without a specific reason. I've never had a CPN or support worker or anything like that assigned to me. I have had my share of counsellors, psychiatrists and therapists of one sort or another over the years, some good and some bad, but ultimately no matter how good they are none has really been able to help me. I recently started CBT (cognitive behavioural therapy) again but the first session didn't instil much confidence in the therapist so I'm not expecting anything useful to come of that. The CBT sessions I've started now are limited to five or six due to insufficient funding which isn't enough to tackle the OCD (the opinion of the people who assessed me before referring me, not just my own) but it was all that was availabe so they concluded it was "better than nothing". The reality is treatment often just isn't available and when it is it tends to be very limited. I've had the OCD since childhood, there was a fair amount of intervention when I was young but as an adult you're pretty much left to your own devices unless you're crazy in a more stereotypical way or deemed a danger to yourself or others. Anyway, when I last saw my GP I hadn't made the decision to apply for a licence and get a bike which is why I've not discussed it with her. The decision came about largely I think as a result of the new medication, I've been feeling more motivated to make positive changes and do things outside of my comfort zone and the bubble I've made for myself. There's nothing about my mental health problems that would affect my fitness to drive though, and the medication I'm prescribed doesn't either, all that does in terms of side effects is make me sweat more than normal. It also prevents me from consuming alcohol but I doubt the DVLA would mind that. I wear glasses too but again it's nothing so severe as to stop me from driving. I expect once all the red tape is out of the way they'll issue a licence without any restrictions, I think they're just being cautious.
Slightly off topic Ste, I had a read through a couple of your guides yesterday and found them very helpful, so thanks for that
I appreciate all the advice I've been given on here, I am taking it on board |
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| Teflon-Mike |
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Teflon-Mike
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| Posted: 12:42 - 18 Oct 2016 Post subject: |
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| Comrade Woody wrote: | I have my heart set on a Varadero. Cheaper is better obviously, but I don't want something that's on its last legs |
Veradaro hasn't been in the Honda catalogues for about six years. typical life expectancy of a learner legal is only around 7 years, and they tend to lead pretty hard lives in the hands of 'Learners' who by defanition don't know a lot; they are as prone to kill'em with kindness as they are cruelty; but either way; a learner who's not the most confident of experienced rider, will tend to be hammering them on the brakes avery time they react to something, thrashing them on the throttle to make'em just 'go', and likely utterly unaware of the amount of maintenence bikes need, or how to do it, and usually loath to pay for it.
Your chances of finding ANYTHING Veradaro that isn't tending towards last legs, is pretty slim... AND they are a very overly sophisticated and convoluted design. Great when new, but NOT the most mechanic freindly.
Engine is a V-Twin, a more complex and expensive shape of engine to make; and one Honda stumped up to make for the Shaddow cruiser, to get that 'real' Harley styling, where previous 'Rebel' cruiser used the old Benly parallel twin, whose tooling was long paid for.
Hidden behind lots of plastic paneling, to make it 'look' a more substancial bike than it is, makes it harder to get at to do basic maintenence, and out of sight out of mind mechanics are likely to prevail; and they have a rather notoriouse exhaust rot problem, with the convoluted pipe work wrapped around teh engine and collecting crap behind the plastic. Running issues from that exhaust rotting, are often the 'tell' they are on thier last legs; and owners will go to great lengths fixing almost anything and anything but the exhaust, faffing with carbs and ignition, trying to aleviate the sysmptoms and not tackling the cause, which is expensive, and when tackled often reveals more problems, with corroded exhaust studs shearing in the cylinder head etc. I wont mention the notorious welded sprocket 'problem'.... Oh, too late 
Vera was, one of the most expensive 125's on the market when new; NOW? Coming to the end of thier natural life; they are likely to be one of the most expensive 2nd hand money pits you could find, IMO.
Anxiety & Depression? Yeah.. you really DONT want an old 125 Vera!!! all that oportunity to have a bike that causes anxiety and gives cause to be depressed!
As to the CBT & L's vs DAS routes; I will say I'm on the fence. I endorse 125-ing.. just not necesserily on L's. I don't endorse crash course DAS, but it is training, and stands much better chance of teaching you to do the right stuff right at the start, where going it alone on L's? Well, it doesn't teach you how to do anything... just punishes you for getting it wrong!
DAS? Spending a week with an instructor mother ducking you around teh streets, wispering confidence in your ear over the radio... can allay a lot of initial anxiety.... whether after teh course ends the back-lach hits you bigger or not, though is something to ponder. BUT it is likely to be expensive, and starting totally cold, you are likely to need more than 'average' amount of saddle hours to get up to test standard; whilst your pass chances are going to fall markedly when test nerves kick in in hyperdrive........ and failing DAS tests gets expensive.
On that basis its a bit 50/50, but I think that starting small and going for A1 probably IS a good way to go... but you need to make it work for you.
CBT is the start.... then a 125 on L's.
for above mentioned, I'd scotch the Veradaro from the list and to eliminate variables and reduce chances for stress, I would point you squarely at a three or four year old YBR.. its your first bike, NOT your last; save the 'dreams' for later when theres less other shit to fret about.
Talk to the school when you do your CBT about 125 lessons; you still want to learn to do stuff right, right at the start; AND you would likely benefit from that confidence of having someone to talk stuff through with, check your progress and give you some 'mother ducking'.
Means that you can whittle down some of the course fees, paying only for the lesson learning, and able to go away and practice to your heart's content in your own time, without having to pay someone to watch you wobble, as on a DAS course.
THEN, again, to minimise costs & risks; do the A1 tests on your own 125, self booked. And EXPECT to fail. But, use that to take anxiety away, alleviate the pressure; each one you do is 'just' for practice, and if you pass, that's bonus. And big bonus!
Mod 1 is only £15 a pop; and on your own bike, that's all you really have to pay. To do it DAS would usually beg a DAS lesson, and you are looking at something more like £150 a time for lesson & test! MOD2 is more expensive, £75, self booked, but still a damn site cheaper to fail and repeat than a DAS test on a school bike.
That gets you a full licence; and might not let you ride anything more than you can on L's.. it's an accomplishment; and it should have 'normalised' the process; tests are teh same whether you do them on a 125 for A1 or a big bike under DAS, only difference is teh size of the engine; SO, having done the tests, and likely your 'failing' on the cheaper 125, you can ditch the L's with some glee, then turn attension towards the DAS, and ALL you have to do there is get comfy and familiar on the bigger bike, and redo what you already done test wise on one, KNOWING what to expect when you do, confidence you WONT fail and waste so much money that much higher.
That I think is my advice on the way abouts the problem, for your situation. BUT be forwarned it AINT going to be 'cheap'; so get best value from what you spend; dont wast it on window dressing; put it where its needed, and that's training and tests. Bikes come and go; gear gets chopped and chainged; but your learning & licenecs are for LIFE.
for inspiration have a look at this: DAFT-BAT-Out of 'L'! that's my O/H's blog of her route to a full licence; she started about five years ago, and managed (by teh skin of her teeth!} to get her test in on a 125 under the 'old' rules so it automatically upgraded to a RWYL 'A' after 2 years, without having to repeat for the higher entitlement.
Suffering A&D, she DIDN'T do it in the 8 years before she met me; with the 'wrong' people discouraging her along the way, then trying to go it alone, and no-one supporting or encouraging her.
THAT is probably the most important 'key' ingredient. Having that 'mentoring' to keep the ball rolling, to point you in the right direction, and keep motivation going, when things get tough or start getting hard.
AND the 'right' kind of mentoring. as you may have noted, there is a lot of ego driven opinion in the biking world, demeaning smaller bikes, and 'man up' brovado, which, is likely significantly unhelpful to you in your circs, as it was to Snowie. Be aware of it, and dont let it overly influence you; get on and do what YOU think you have to; whether its fashionable or not; and DON'T GIVE UP!
You want to do this? you want that 'can-do' achievement? you want to feel elated, not depressed? You want to avoid anxiety?
You don't allay anxiety not knowing; guessing or hoping for the best So get that early learning training in up front; get some solid know how, remove areas of possible anxiety.
Bike that stutters and hesitates, bounces about, wobbles and weaves and doesn't do the best it can, even if it doesn't stop working, is not going to inspire huge confidence; more cause for anxiety. so dial down the wants, and sort the needs and buy as new and as reliable as you can get, and sacrifice looks and performance in teh compromise to get as much of it as you can. YBR!
Tests? going to make you anxiouse, there's no avoiding it. and failing tests aint going to help depression; but self booking and doing A1 minimises matters, at least not costing so much to fail, and getting the training up front will improve confidence.
And as half way house; gaining A1 licence is a success to celebrate that says you 'can do' and should spurr you on to get the RWYL A.
BUT, time scales; a typical fresh off the stops newbie, would be expected to get thier licence under DAS within a week. It doesn't need to take that long. Going it alone on CBT & L's, again, no reason newby shouldn't be test standard even going it alone in three months.
For you; it's going to be slower going. BUT, if you go the 125 route; PLAN on getting your first practical tests in within 12 weeks of getting your own bike on the road. NO reason to drag it out; it will NOT allay anxiety. After that? will get easier, and EVEN with bad test nerves, absolutely no reason you shouldn't nail it in three or four tries; there's a weeks colling off after a failled test before you can book another, but should get a date within the month. So, giving plenty of buffer, there's no reason you shouldn't have that 'Phase one' done and dusted and the A1 in your pocket within 6months. and that is reasonable time scale to work within to keep the momentum going, and not get 'stalled' in a set back doldrum....
Then, if you have bought a years insurance & Tax on the tiddler; you have six months or more left to go and do some DAS lessons on a bigger bike... and see how it goes; elation of the A1 and momentum still carrying you along, no reason you shouldn't nail that in a week... but, all down to on the day Xfactor, and you can still ride home without L's... just not maybe on the bike you hoped!
But, it's doing it in small steps.. not ramping pressure trying to do too much in one go, and keeping that momentum to keep going, and forwards carrying you.
FWIW, though, that's my four-penneth's worth.
____________________
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?' |
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