First bike - sh*tting myself

[DanceLikeAMon...]

Well, I bought Dodsi's SR from him, and wasn't meant to be using it until I got my helmet off my mother for Christmas, but I have gone to visit her every day just to sit on the bike and make brmmmmmm noises (it's living in her garage until I get a ground anchor fitted at my house) and she has finally relented to my moaning about the bike sitting there not being used and says that if I want, I can take it out for a run on Sunday coming.

The only problem is that I am feeling really nervous about riding it . I did my CBT about 3 months ago, and apart from stalling a fair bit and struggling with U-turns, I had no problems with the riding, so I am sure I will be OK after an hour or so, but for some reason I still have butterflies in my stomach.

I have been driving a car for 13 years so have no problem with roads, my only concern is actually controlling the bike. I can't remember simple things like which foot to put down when stopping at a junction ffs!

Any tips, or similair experiences from anyone?

[Doobrey]

All I can say mate is that it takes time and practice. I also have an SR125, but have been riding it on and of for the last few months. Don't get me wrong, i have been weeks sometimes without having a go!

Take the bike to somewhere quiet that is local to you and practice...don't go out like a mad man, take your time and your confidence will improve...

That's I can offer in my limited experience I am afraid!

Doobs

[ts50x0]

the best thing to do is to find anice quite road near by and practice using the gears, setting off, stopping, and some basic manovers to get your confidence up,
everything else will just come from practice and as long as you take your time you should be fine.

[meyrick]

I can sympathise on both counts. I have been staring at my bike for a couple of weeks waiting for the final hour of my CBT that was called off due to bad weather. I'll be going out to finish that tomorrow...on a scooter...so I am quite nervous about firing up my CB125T. I did have my heart set on geared bike training after my CBT but it took so long to book the CBT I'm not sure I can be bothered any more. My dad is going to drive it to a car park so I can potter about and start slowly, working up to changing gears etc. and just see how it goes. I suggest you do the same, if you can.

Paul

[DanceLikeAMon...]

Provided that the weather is OK, I was going to get up early on Sunday and go down and take the bike out for a run. By early, I mean as soon as it is light so hopefully there wont be much traffic on the roads.

The road that leads off the bottom of my mother's street is about 2 mile long with a roundabout at either end and one set of traffic lights in the middle, but apart from that there are no hazzards and it is perfectly straight, so I am just going to ride up and down that until I get some confidence.

[Barker-CBR 600]

Dont worry about getting rusty from the gap in your CBT... its just like riding a bike (someone had to say it ).

Tip - if your nervous stay away from towns etc the coming weeks, theres bound to be a few nut case xmas shoppers around in the evenings trying to get an hour shopping in before closing time.

But just enjoy it, time will fly!
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Previous - Gilera DNA50 / XVS125 Dragstar/Honda CBR 600F/GSF 650 Bandit
Current - 2013 Suzuki VZ800 Intruder
'Is this a rhetorical question?'

[Fire_Eyes]

[yambabe]

Do you have a friend who also rides that you could meet up with? Or is there anyone from here who lives nearby who might be free for a couple of hours?

I found it a lot easier when I first started riding to have my other half behind me fending off the traffic & covering my worst mistakes - and also we stopped regularly for him to give me advice & comment on how I'd been doing.

I would also recommend your local supermarket car-park outside normal shopping hours if it is easily accessible. Ideal for practising starting, stopping and turning.
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Sod falling in love, I wanna fall in chocolate.

[dodsi]

Be gentle with it, bikes have feelings too!

and i know what your feeling, when i picked my bike up on sunday i was kacking myself and had to ride the damned thing 90 miles

soon got myself together and was sat on the A1 at 80mph most of the way home!

Thing is the SR is really forgiving and wont go much more than 60 anyways just take it in little steps (keep the revs low too this way if you are quite throttle happy it wont take off too quckly)

if you are cruising about at 30mph get it into 4th gear and it will be nice and smooth!

[DanceLikeAMon...]

Cheers folks. I have got myself a lovely hi-viz tabbard today for my little run about!

Dodsi, you will be pleased to hear that I spent all of Sunday cleaning off the A19 grime and buffing her chrome. Just finished digging the hole for the anchor about ten minutes ago.

[dodsi]

What i like to hear!

Remember it is not the end of the world if you do bin the SR as there is nothing to bend really, plus its light as a feather (miss the lightness) so wont do massive amounts of damage!

Watch out for those lesser road users called "cagers" as at the moment they keep pulling out on me (very nearly got knocked off the ER-5 tonight) seems like its their sole mission to knock me off.

One got my Friend James (one who came with me to drop the SR off) on monday his GPZ 500 is written off! after one pulled out on him. luckily he was not badly hurt!

a high viz tabbard (god i love that word tabbard he he he) is a great idea!

[DanceLikeAMon...]

Sorry to hear about James (and his bike!), he seems like a nice guy. Please pass on my regards.

I have "hired" my stepdad (the one who kept telling you his stories about ye olden day bikes) to follow me in his Explorer to block any cars from getting near me, so I should be pretty safe.

[dodsi]

sounds good, no one will get past him in that bloody thing its massive!

note to self...post them brake pads and stuff...

[DanceLikeAMon...]

[dodsi]

please do, i keep forgetting!