Newbie or intermediate?
 

Heres a question for the experienced guys and girls (gotta b pc these days lol), when do you consider a newbie rider to be an intermedieate rider? Is it by how many years riding or miles covered? Iv been riding for 2 years and 3 months (im 19) and covered around 11,000 miles. What category would you say i was?

Re: Newbie or intermediate?
 

Its all relative isn't it?

Compared to one of the wrinkly old men like Peter Henry or Lozzo, you're a pup.

However compared to someone who's just passed, you're quite experienced.

Considering the average British annual mileage(on a bike) is something silly like 2000, you could consider yourself experienced.

It also depends what sort of riding you do. I know a few blokes from the TVSF section who must have covered a good few thousand(towards 10k maybe?) miles since passing less than a year ago, but they have done the vast majority of their riding commuting into London. Thats not the same as tackling twisties is it? By now they're experienced at riding in rush hour/filtering in London, but maybe less so on country roads.

I've been riding for 4 years and i'd say that i'm still a new(-ish) rider.

Re: Newbie or intermediate?
 

asm at the speeds u ride,:smt082
i would not say your newish at all...

Re: Newbie or intermediate?
 

Only in a straight line. :p:smt025

Re: Newbie or intermediate?
 

first million miles and 25 yrs or so are all learning, after that it's cake ;)

Re: Newbie or intermediate?
 

You forgot about the knee injury.

All the best riders have it least one. ;)

The pinnacle can only be achieved if your name is Mark.(shares rictus' glory like a parasite) :cool:

Re: Newbie or intermediate?
 

<notes insult in little black book>

Re: Newbie or intermediate?
 

Do you get any extra points for titanium reinforced legs, heart attacks and strokes?

Re: Newbie or intermediate?
 

Those R6s are no match for a Skeletor piloted ZX10R though.

Re: Newbie or intermediate?
 

Hum??? in that case u obviously have not seen him ride???..
like the wind, like the wind I tell u.. well in straight lines :smt082

Re: Newbie or intermediate?
 

You are what you are. I've been riding for over 25 years and I thought I was experienced until I ended up up crashing (1st time in 20 years). I am a part time CBT instructor, I rode my bike 30 mile round trip to work every day, I sold my car because I never used it, but I always say that there is always someone out there that is faster and rides better than you.
My son has been riding for 3 years & he can kick my @rse in certain circumstances, so what would you call inter or novice is it the size of your gonads to go faster, or how safe you are when you ride?

Re: Newbie or intermediate?
 

:p

Yes, but like i said you really need to have suffered some form of knee injury. Also as you beat me into replying to a thread when you were having 'one of your bad days', i say its no excuse at all. ;)

Sounds like a race is in order(you have to take one of the wheels off to balance the HP.) :cool:

Re: Newbie or intermediate?
 

19 years old. Been riding 1 year and 3/4 months, covered 18,000 on SV's/CBR

I'd say I havent even hit puberty...

(That is not open for abuse from anyone :lol: Yes even you ASM)

Re: Newbie or intermediate?
 

You know what i'm thinking, i don't even need to put it into type. Psychic insult ahoy. :laughat:

Re: Newbie or intermediate?
 

The best riders I've seen have all been fast. I've also seen lots of fast riders who are not very good at all.

;)

Re: Newbie or intermediate?
 

Do 15,000 miles per year.

Been riding 8 years, and more than that when i was a kid.

I still consider myself a fairly big novice, moreso when i read the mags and see them getting their knee down with ease on the road. I just don't have the bottle. I NEED a track day, im sure with my experience my skill level will shoot up, just need a safe controlled place to use the skills i've learnt over the years. TBH, when it comes, im hoping to suprise myself.

Edit to say I know my limits on the road. Fearing of crashing and getting some of the injuries i've seen happen to people over the years holds me back. On a race track I feel i wouldn't mind so much as im there to push it harder.

Re: Newbie or intermediate?
 

Been riding since i was 7 (now a young 36;))but i would say your only as experienced/good as your last ride.

Re: Newbie or intermediate?
 

Very good way of looking at it, though there is no substitute for mileage, varaible roads and conditions and a few crashes to sharpen things up.

My bikes only on course to do 4000 miles in it's second year. As apposed to 10000 in it's first year. ****ty wet summer, more commitments at weekends, avoiding the winter salt a bit more (due to the ridiculous corrosion after the first winter all just having been sorted under warranty) and more need to use the car for work.

I've covered a few tens of thousands in mileage in my time, but my riding is atrocious at the moment. Need a few miles on dry clean roads to get back in the zone after winter.

Also my confidence has taken a hit since I had a baby, which I'm going to start a thread about next.

Re: Newbie or intermediate?
 

I'm 20 (21 on saturday :) ) been riding bigger bigs for 18months and done 13,000 miles and would consider myself in term of riding safely, in control and comfortable - intermediate but as for corning speed still a n00b!

I feel alot more comfortable at riding now than i did the day of my test but that is expected.

Re: Newbie or intermediate?
 

Its more to do with confidence. This time last year, I was still a new rider. Now, with some 2000 odd london miles under my leather jacket, I consider myself reasonably experiance din the ways of london riding.

Still not great on sweeping country roads, like those of Sussex

Ma

Re: Newbie or intermediate?
 

Now, stu, I think its time you learn't about hair in all those funny places and why you dont have to wax it all off once a month...

Re: Newbie or intermediate?
 

Agreed, in London, I seem to leave couriers......

I can flick through traffic very quickly, but safely. But i need to get my B road skills up.

Re: Newbie or intermediate?
 

yea, thats my problem. I'm good in london, and I reckon I could show my dad a thing or two about town riding (infact, I have done a few times - he's not always instantly looking for the gaps to filter through). But I need some time out with my dad on the A and B roads - thats his domain, and I drop to my knees and pay respect at the speed and smoothness with which he carves up those curves. Think john reynolds, but no knee down.

Matt

Re: Newbie or intermediate?
 

I have one of those, right kneecap was plated in Nov 1981 after breaking it in my big crash. I fell off again in August 1982 and wore away the screw heads so they took the plate out. I now have a nice scar there.

I have lots of bad days, but I don't use them as an excuse ;)

Re: Newbie or intermediate?
 

you got to love this stuff, people are after the magic number or limit to pass or mileage to do so that they believe they are "as good" as someone else.

he's a tip, there isn't one.

worked out last year I've covered over 1 1/4 million road miles on a bike,
well over 30 yrs
ROSPA gold
Police class one motorbike course passed
and competed in just about all the major motorcycle sports at one time or another.


I rode for 4 months last year covering just under 12,000 miles, like a complete prat, loads of mistakes and dropped the bike twice.

Not riding just now and probably won't for the next few months, and what Have I got to look forward to ?, learning the whole lot all over again.

you don't just pass a magic number and then you're good, you always work at it or you're never going to be.

Cheers Mark.

Re: Newbie or intermediate?
 

I passed in May and have racked up 9,000 miles, but I'm another one of those people who have done loads of miles and would consider myself an intermediate rider on the type of roads that I use, mainly motorway and central London rush hour filtering.

Put me on the twisties and I cant corner for sh*t.

With all that said, when I came back from holiday I realised that I still had to get back into the swing of things and that I was no where near as good as when I left - so it is back to being a noob again until I get back into the swing of things.

Doesn't everyone find that their riding ability depends on more factors than just miles and the term of riding? I bet that I could run rings round a couple of the guys that have more experience but that haven't ridden all winter. Give them a few weeks and they will most likely catch me up and get their ability back.

Re: Newbie or intermediate?
 

Think what we are concluding here, and Rictus put it very well, is that mileage and experience will get you to a certain level, to maintain it or improve on it, you need to keep on riding the bike, like anything else it's all about practice. A rider who meets a variety of roads and conditions on a daily basis will be much more comfortable with his bike and his riding that somone who doesn't. Just like riding a horse, the better you know the animal.....

Re: Newbie or intermediate?
 

I would say there isn't a competition for newbie/intermediate etc thing.
The day you can ride the way you do, comfortably and safely, wether that be bimbling or riding like a loon, then you are experienced. Add to that when your mates are hooning around and you think, I'm not playing I'm happy doin what I do, then you've gained control. Erm fallen off, brushed yourself off, and got back on-another notch on the experience ladder, hit an animal( like me) and stayed on.....well you get it.

but even after all the miles, or lack of miles I've done, round France and back, with mates not with mates, I still feel like a newbie

and do you know what, it ain't an issue

Re: Newbie or intermediate?
 

Well said: I think you've just described what I believe is the point when you move up from being a newbie, when you realise it's about your own abilities, not other people's.

Know your own limits, aspire to be better and work on it but, overall, be happy with what you are and have the self assurance that what you do today will mean that you will be able to ride tomorrow.

Re: Newbie or intermediate?
 

That is an emotive question really. Some people can ride a bike or drive a car for years and they remain a crap rider/driver.

Being a good rider means knowing your limits, knowing you bike limits and seeing hazards before they happen. This means you have to stay 100% focused on where you are going and what is happening around you all the time. Unfortunately humans are very good at learning the hard way. The trouble is death does not give you a second chance!

If a survey has ever been carried out, I bet it shows that the odd summer weekend rider is more likely to have an accident that a regular rider. However I know it is a well proven statistic that you are more likely to have an accident on a familiar route, as people become complacent and do not pay enough attention.

I reckon after a couple of years of regular riding you should have learnt enough to stay safe and deal with most situations.

Tim

Re: Newbie or intermediate?
 

also
could not have put it better myself...............
remember a good ride is when u get home.safe.

Re: Newbie or intermediate?
 

Why'd you wanna label yourself?

Are you bovvered by what people think about you?

How good do you think you are?

Re: Newbie or intermediate?
 

Haha i dont want 2 label myself, i was just curious as my dad always makes jokes about me being his "padwan" and my SVS being a "toy" as he has over 20 years experience and is used 2 riding his 1200 Triumph Trophy lol. I certainly dont think im a riding god and iv got plenty of room for improvement, im planning to do a trackday and riding courses over the summer when i have enough money :D. Overall i think im a competent road rider.