Advice needed for a newbie

[Fat Angry Scotsman]

[UncleFester]

Some of us may never reach Tony's age, much less consider learning to ride a bike at it. I'm not sure any of us are qualified to understand fully from his perspective just what correlates to 'sporty'.

I'll be happy to still be sucking air at 70 never mind riding a motorbike at 80 plus!!
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Module 1 and 2 passed - October 2014. Happy owner of a 2017 Z1000SX, ex owner of a YBR125 / CB500 / VFR800.

[Easy-X]

My father-in-law has gotten back into bikes in his late '60s. Thinking of his "crowd" (Last of the Summer Wine but on Harleys) they're all maniacs!

But going at it cold, in your 80s?! Kudos, sir
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Husqvarna Vitpilen 401, Yamaha XSR700, Honda Rebel, Yamaha DT175, Suzuki SV650 (loan) Fazer 600, Keeway Superlight 125, 50cc turd scooter

[Tony Norton]

Hi All,

Nobby was right, what's the point of an A licence if you're going to be happy on an A2 compliant bike. Well, having ditched the Vulcan, no guarantee that remapping will get it over 50Kw, and the 'cruiser' position probably not being ideal for Mod 1 of the test, I reckon I have found the ideal bike: -

2022 Honda CMX500 Rebel S. It's 471cc, quite enough for me at the moment and, more important, it fits me and I fit it. Although about 5'9" tall (used to be more like 5'10") I am short in the leg for that height, and I feel so comfortable on the Rebel. Going to put in an order by the end of this week.

Dan Sutherland's review on MCN is very informative. So there's no rev counter, I go by ear anyway, and I am getting a bit fed up of the 6000rpm in top gear at only 50mph on my YS125. If I pulled those revs in my car I'd have lost my licence years ago! The brakes a bit indefinite? I would have opted for softer pads, more than adequate for my intended use.

So that's the bike. The progress from there? Training for the A2 licence. My local instructor has offered to come round to mine, with his intercom gear etc., and my lessons will start from home, ideal. Checked with my insurance company this afty and, yes they can insure it (fully comp), as well as my YS. Only condition, I must take the test within 60 days of the start of the policy. Hopefully the necessary number of lessons, and the test, can be fitted within that time frame.

If all goes well, roll on the summer!

Cheers
Tony N

[Fat Angry Scotsman]

[UncleFester]

Suit you nicely that and it's got some of the nice things that old bikes just didn't have.

Good luck and let us know how you get on
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Module 1 and 2 passed - October 2014. Happy owner of a 2017 Z1000SX, ex owner of a YBR125 / CB500 / VFR800.

[Tony Norton]

Hi Scotsman,

it is 60 days from the start of the policy which I will ensure is the midnight preceding the day on which I have my first training session.

So the sequence will be, get bike, put "L" plates on it, arrange first session with instructor, ride bike up and down my drive, implement insurance to start at the appropriate time and date.

Tony

[Fat Angry Scotsman]

[BRUN]

Best of luck Tony, sounds like you have narrowed down your needs perfectly

As has been mentioned, ask your instructor how busy the local test centre is, and how often can he get you on lessons ? My local test centre had approx a 6 week wait

My own learning journey took a lot longer than it should have, work prevented me from doing it all really close together, and then I was unlucky to have my lessons, and tests, paused for a long time with covid restrictions, repeatedly

Keep us posted

[Fat Angry Scotsman]

[Ayrton]

[Fat Angry Scotsman]

[Freddyfruitba...]

For what it's worth, my son did all his tests last year; the training school apparently made continuous block bookings of 'anonymous' test appointments, so basically as soon as you were deemed by the instructor to be ready for Mod 1 and 2, they just put your name on an appointment within about a week's time. I don't know how many do this, but it can make the process pretty quick
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KC100->CB100N->CB250RS--------->DL650AL2->R1200RS->R1250RS

[Fat Angry Scotsman]

[Tony Norton]

Hi All,

I think I must be lucky Scotsman. I told the lady who runs the school I use about the 60 day condition, and asked if they pre-booked test dates. The answer was yes, and we should be able to get through it all in 30 days. Whether it will be that quick we shall have to wait and see. At the moment I have 4 training days booked, 8th, 9th, 15th and 16th of March. I intend to ask the vendor to hold off on the registration until March, and I will activate the insurance on the 7th.

Here's hoping.
Tony

[Fat Angry Scotsman]

[ThunderGuts]

Good stuff Tony, sounds like you're getting sorted. Mod 1 is all about being pedantic, no matter how ridiculous it seems. If the instructor tells you to do x y z, you just do it. That's how to pass it. Forget anything else until after mod 1 as mod1 is so far removed from mod 2, it's best to completely forget about anything else until mod1 is out of the way.

Good luck and keep us posted.
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TG.

[Tony Norton]

Hi Scotsman,

I am hoping that the confidence I will get from knowing that I could, should I need to, put both feet flat on the ground, will enable me to keep both feet on the pegs without worrying about possibly dropping the bike.

My grandson's bike insurance has the "able to ride bikes not belonging to him etc." clause. My bike would have to be insured for that to be valid, so if I insure it from the 1st March he could ride it to our off-highway location for me, I would go in my car, and I will maybe be able to get in a bit of practice before, and between, my training sessions. Very similar to what I did before my CBT, only I trailed my YS. I don't have the trailer any more, but I trust my grandson, now a family man, (wife and 4 year old son), to not do anything stupid on my bike. I still have the bloody great stack of cones I purchased prior to my CBT.

Will update you as appropriate.

Happy biking,
Tony

[UncleFester]

My only hint is to treat yourself as 'on test' as soon as you enter the test centre.

Talk yourself through moves verbally so that they are memorised and also by talking to yourself you keep your breathing steady. All if which help you to stay calm and relaxed.

As others have said, this is a simple game with simple rules.
____________________
Module 1 and 2 passed - October 2014. Happy owner of a 2017 Z1000SX, ex owner of a YBR125 / CB500 / VFR800.

[Easy-X]

[RAYK47]

I did MOD1 and MOD 2 a week apart, and that was only becauise it was recommended by my instructor (in case i failed MOD1 i needed time to cancel MOD2 without incurring a charge). maybe COVID has elongated that a little.

[Mountain_Man86]

All this speak of MOD1 and MOD 2 taking weeks to complete is odd to me. I took my MOD 1 in the morning, and did the MOD 2 in the afternoon.

I passed them both in one day!

I don't see why all the naysayers are so negative. 60 days is plenty if you find a school with pre-booked dates already sorted. Just don't fail and you'll be fine. Where there's a will, there's a way.. which is why I think it's epic you're getting into bikes at the young age of only 85!

[ThunderGuts]

Back to back tests are all good and well, but you're putting all your eggs in one basket. I doubt the school can fill the afternoon slot at such short notice if you fail the morning, so you're going to lose that money if you don't pass (in addition to your mod1 retest). It's also quite a bit of pressure to get all that done in one go. Yes it's possible, but the mod1 and mod2 are so different there is a lot of sense in having a gap so you "acclimatise" to the mod2 after the ridiculously pedantic and unrealistic mod1 environment.
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TG.

[Fat Angry Scotsman]

[Mountain_Man86]