Crappy ride today - just having a moan

[DanceLikeAMon...]

Took my bike to work today for the first time (Saturday overtime = £££).

Had to stop at the post office to get a parcel and the newsagent to get a paper, but apart from that it should have been a pretty straightforward 4 mile run to work, but no.

Stalled the bike a couple of times at a junction. wobbled when pulling away, had no control when riding at slow speeds and almost killed a woman who stepped in front of my bike without looking first and almost ran over one of the security guards at work who flagged me down!

It's only my 6th time on the thing, so I know it's just learners mistakes, and I just need more practise (I know what I'm doing wrong - still not getting the rev's up when releasing the clutch ).

And I've got the ride back home to look forward to in a few hours.

No real purpose to this post, just felt like moaning. Thanks for listening!

[Gazdaman]

You really will get used to it.

Throttle and slow speed control are things that come with time.

You'll gain the exact feel for your bike, you'll be fine.

Gaz

[freestyler_onli]

Same thing happened here-only mine was on my test

The moral is-practice on the bike. I used different bikes which was a silly idea as i couldn't get comfortable with one.

Anyway, enjoy the ride home!

[JonB]

You sure the lack of control at slow speeds isn't due to flat tyres? Pump them up if so.
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Be careful whose advice you buy, but, be patient with those who supply it. Advice is a form of nostalgia, dispensing it is a way of fishing the past from the disposal, wiping it off, painting over the ugly parts and recycling it for more than it?s worth.

[DanceLikeAMon...]

[Rift.]

One day you'll feel feel more intune with your bike then ever....then you will post about how great it is!!!

Its life, you have to be crap at something in the early stages of development... keep it up chump
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You only live once so get a bike and ride

[instigator]

If youre wobbling at slow speed, it could be down to you looking just infront of the rear tyre. Look up into the distance, not directly infront of you (unless required) as it helps maintain your balance.

But yeah, practise makes perfect, I wobble my 500 from left to right sometimes, just something you get used to, from bike to bike I guess.

Unless you rev your bike to its maximum and THEN dump the clutch without any control, then you aren't going to wheelie your 125, so don't be scared to give it more revs. It may sound unnatural to you if you're a beginner to rev it like that, but you'll get used to it, and it'll become 2nd nature

[.....]

yeah just rev it. Doesn't matter to much how you hard you rev it as long as you're smooth with the clutch... let it out slowly.

[CWfan1981]

I agree with Instigator on this. The best thing to do is keep your eyes looking further down the road, its the best way of keeping your balance. Also practise makes perfect, dont get too disheartened with it, we all have those days, but you will have one day where everything falls into place and its the BEST feeling in the world!!!

[DanceLikeAMon...]

Yeah, it was fine coming back tonight - shame I was too preoccupied with getting in the house to enjoy it!

Ah well, more overtime tomorrow (which means another ride into work but this time with no other traffic at 7 in the morning! )

Cheers for the advice. There'll be no moaning tomorrow, I promise!

[CWfan1981]

what bike you riding mate???

[DanceLikeAMon...]

A huge...
...powerful
... hell on wheels




... Yamaha SR125

[CWfan1981]

lol... well everyone has to start somewhere. Its still quick enough to keep a smile on your face, at least for a while.

[DanceLikeAMon...]

I find myself doing this face a lot too:

[CWfan1981]

does it make you go faster??? lol

[CWfan1981]

does it make you go faster??? lol

[Stu_666]

Two words, 'Industrial estate'. I had the same problem with you stalling the bike when I first got it when pulling away from junctions or on a slope. Best thing I found was to pop along to a nearish industrial estate, say on a Sunday morning/afternoon when its deserted, and just go round and round the block several times and practice pulling away from junctions. Its good as you've got no impatient w*nkers behind you and you can get a real feel for the biting point and how much umph to give it.

[DM]

Stu took the words out of my mouth. Finding a nice quiet spot to practice will allow you to relax and concentrate.

[DanceLikeAMon...]

The only problem is finding the time/weather to practise. I'm actually getting a lot better, but just really need to get some road time in (I've only been out on it about 6 times since I got it a month ago!)

[ian_s]

Not sure if this helps but what I found switching from cars to a 125 was that you need to slip the clutch a lot more to get it to pull away. I used to stall because I would dump the clutch the minute the bike started to move and it would bog down and stall.

[DanceLikeAMon...]

Aye, I have gone from driving for 13 years to riding the bike and it's horrible being a learner again. I'm sure that it was just as tricky learning to drive a car, I just don't remember it.

[Key67]

Hi

The slow speed problem - is it when you are moving real slow, like when you did u turns? If it is, why not try the dragging the back brake trick? I find this helps me loads when moving slowly in traffic through towns etc. Just the smallest amount can really help.

If it helps, I'm nigh on a year down the line from passing my test and I still have crappy rides. They aren't as crap as my early ones though! Like people have said, it does get better and with it the smiles get even bigger! Stick at it!

Key
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[meyrick]

Hey DLAM,

Just read all of my old posts - that'll bring your confidence back I start work on Monday and I'm supposed to be good enough to ride there myself (through the middle of Bristol - aaah! ) but it just hasn't worked out that way. It sucks that there will be no time for me to practise now, unless I learn in the dark

Also, the slow speed thing could be gears. This was primarily the cause of my crash, so maybe worth thinking about. Are you changing up too soon or not changing down when you need to? I can't drive a car, but according to my dad you need to pay much more attention to being in the right gear all the time on the bike. I went nuts on the gear changes last time I went out and it definitely helps, especially round the sharper bends.

Paul

[DanceLikeAMon...]

[dodsi]

It just takes time.

Took me a short while to get used to riding bikes.

When I jumped on my 500 thats when I got scared, had to ride it 90miles home down motorways and The only real motorway experiance I had was delivaring the SR125 to you!

I would perhaps take the bike for a long rideout somewhere with some biker buddies (if you have them) as when you get back it will just feel natural too you!