Cost of restricting

Originally Posted by ***Steve***

I've got no problem with someone saying "I think we need to do a bit more work on..." that's fine but this guy just wasn't a good trainer. Bottom line is if you can ride a mountain bike on the road you can ride a 125 in a day it's really about getting the basics, building confidence and practice, practice, practice at the CBT level.

If they didnt ride the bikes enough at the training center then of course they wouldnt be ready for the road - youre right its all about getting on the bike and doing it.

Originally Posted by ***Steve***

They spent more time in the classroom than on the bikes, the training area was very small and, considering this was a female only day designed to get them upto speed in a friendly relaxed environment, the guy spent most of the time talking about himself or his hatred of all car drivers and how someone will try to kill you every time you go out on the road and how only his vast experience has saved him on numerous occasions

That cant be right - we were just lectured for the allocated time about the need to wear the correct clothing, and the need for awareness out there on the road, road craft, lifesavers etc then he tested us with questions - but we were on the bikes before lunchtime - couple of hours tops IIRC in the classroom. It almost sounds like he was trying to put them off I'd complain to somebody.

mind you im like that I complain about everything haha

[northwind]

Originally Posted by ***Steve***

Bottom line is if you can ride a mountain bike on the road you can ride a 125 in a day

Abaolutely not true, that. I'd cycled every day for about a decade before I did my CBT, took me three visits before I had enough bike control to go on the road. My risk awareness, obervation, and roadsense was all fine, but actually controlling hte bike totally defeated me- mainly clutch control, just couldn't work it out. It's very common for people not to complete CBT in a single day, even if they're already road users. I think it's something like 1/6 that don't go out on the road the first time.

But, there's "You're not ready for the road, lets do more practice yard stuff" and there's "Ooh, you poor girls must be ready for a nice mug of cocoa". If none of the three were ready for road work, I'd think any good school would carry on with the practice yard. Both times that I did it, the rest of my group were ready to hit the road so I dropped out at that point, wouldn't have been fair to slow them down, but if it's the whole group that's different. (of my 4 CBTs, 3 had at least one person besides me on their second visit, by the way)

Originally Posted by northwind

took me three visits before I had enough bike control to go on the road. My risk awareness, obervation, and roadsense was all fine, but actually controlling hte bike totally defeated me- mainly clutch control, just couldn't work it out. It's very common for people not to complete CBT in a single day, even if they're already road users. I think it's something like 1/6 that don't go out on the road the first time.
(of my 4 CBTs, 3 had at least one person besides me on their second visit, by the way)

Blimey - I didnt realise that - I struggled a bit but got through it!

The DAS was a different matter - talk about exhausting over 4 days and failed first time - mind you Ping will tell you I was a physical and emotional wreck

Well done for keeping going at the CBT Northwind - I think I would have been too deflated to carry on

Try these mate, www.probiketraining.co.uk

I used them and they were great, couldn't fault anything but the fact they use Jodie Marsh for advertising.

Originally Posted by northwind

Abaolutely not true, that. I'd cycled every day for about a decade before I did my CBT, took me three visits before I had enough bike control to go on the road.

Oh sure there are always exceptions but I'm talking normal people not Scots, When all you have for company on the roads is some shaggy cows and the odd velocipede it's going to be a shock when you're introduced to the internal combustion engine for the first time

Steve! You said if a person can ride a mountain bike they can pss thier cbt...

Well, i have 3rd person experiance of this NOT being the truth! When i did my CBT in april (seems easy since doing my test) there was a guy that had only ever ridden pushbikes - not even driven or ridden a car or bike on private land. The first thing he did was pull a wheelie (the bit when the cbt instructer says "pull away, then come to a halt) - i thought he made a cracking start!

He got a bit scared, but calmed down and carried on riding, learning to change gear. After an hour, all seemd well - we rode around the parking lot safley, then this guy got it all tits up - a complete mess of changing gear, then panicked and tried to bring the bike to a halt - into pushbike mode he went, and was grabbing at the clutch and front brake, not shutting the throttle properly, letting the clutch out and leaping forward. For what seemed a lifetime i watched this bloke pogo towards the wall, then CRUNCH, he embedded the poor, tiny, innocent Honda CG125 into the wall.

Morale of the story?

Dont think you can ride a motorcycle, even as puny as a CG125, if you have only ever ridden a pushbike.

Matt

Originally Posted by alpinestarhero

Morale of the story?

Dont think you can ride a motorcycle, even as puny as a CG125, if you have only ever ridden a pushbike.

Matt

I suppose that's fair comment, I guess I should modify my stance and say if you have road experience and balance you're off to a good start and what you need then is good instruction and practice.

Sometimes it's easy to forget that others aren't blessed with my natural ability and cat-like reflexes.

The fact that, coming of a roundabout too fast, I panicked and stuffed the SV into a barrier days after passing my DAS is neither here nor there

[northwind]

Originally Posted by mumstoy

Well done for keeping going at the CBT Northwind - I think I would have been too deflated to carry on

I'd already bought a bike If not, I doubt I would have stuck at it, since it was a cost decision, not a love of bikes. Incredibly glad I did, though, wouldn't have it any other way now.

My dark secret is my 125 XSV Yamaha Virago. It looks utterly different to my bronze 650S - but variety ... Picked it up off a lady who'd lost her boyfriend and bottle for a grand.

Its a great ride until you get to 50mph +, then the screaming and vibration starts like catching the cat in the lawnmower. But for bimbling around town and commuting, its great. Such an easy ride, feet out front, fat saddle, and lots and lots of chrome and to fiddle with. They rust, the screws on the sprocket cover were stripped, the clutch return spring is like wet spaghetti; but its a joy to tinker with - and it looks great.

Have done 50 mile trips on it. 100 round trip, fill 'er up when you get back and change out of a fiver. 15 quid to tax, peanuts to insure. New fuel diaphragm and air filters adds lots of zip. I am teaching my son to ride on it next month so the plates are on!

When I want to go - its back on the SV650S ho ho .


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[northwind]

Nice- here's my old one



26,000 miles on it too, not bad for a wee-twin.