No test for me today, went down in training :-(
 

I was meant to have my direct access bike test today but instead I'm sitting on the coach with my leg elevated getting bored already with daytime tv!

Had my 500 day training yesterday. I've been having some small inconsistencies when I'm stopping putting my foot out too soon. We were going out in the afternoon and pulled up at a junction with dodgy camber. Put my foot out too soon, must have pulled the front brake (I don't remember) bike loses balance and the next thing I know I'm on the ground with the bike on top of my foot. The instructor managed to lift it off me as I pulled my foot out, but my boot was totally squashed to about half the normal width. To say it was painful is an understatement. Couldn't even get up, and when they tried to get me to stand up I thought I was gonna pass out or something. Got an ambulance to take me to the hospital (ambulance driver was a cheeky so-and-so!)...didn't realise I needed to be interviewed by the police too! Strangely enough the night before I had a dream that I got interviewed by the police...hmm...premonition??? Got X-rayed and stuff and thankfully it's not broken, so I just got sent home with some ibuprofen and paracetamol. Got some great bruises on my leg and a swollen foot (hubby took photos) but other than that I'm ok.

Just a pain that I need to buy a new helmet (apparently the instructor saw my head go down too) and new boots and I've only spent like 2 days on the bikes!!

To be honest last night I just wanted to give up...I'm not feeling so negative now but still needing any advice I can get on how to get my confidence back before I go back for more training and test hopefully if I don't change my mind before then... I do have my SV sitting outside though that I'm hoping will keep me motivated! I know it's only a small accident but when it's with something as simple as just stopping then it's a bit scary and really knocked my confidence!

Laura

Re: No test for me today, went down in training :-(
 

The only way you're going to get your confidence back is to get back on a bike.

More training time is what you need. Maybe go back to basics on the 125 and build your confidence up that way before you get on the 500 again.

You just need to keep plugging away at it. Theres no easy fix.

Re: No test for me today, went down in training :-(
 

So sorry to hear this Laura - you must feel so dissapointed :(

Many people drop their bikes at low speed/standstill etc - but I think you were plain unlucky to hurt yourself - Ive done it twice - the first time I fell out of the way and the second time I just had a bruise on my leg.

Give yourself some time to recover before making any decisions and GWS :smt056

Re: No test for me today, went down in training :-(
 

Was it a proper motorcycle boot? Just surprised it got squashed that all, they're usually quite heavily armoured. Having said that I've never had a motorcycle on top of mine!

I think Fizz is right you just need to get back out there, that's what people do after offs & yours is no different. I guess you'll always be a bit more wary/aware of the road camber now! If you struggle with the 500s you can take your test on a 125, then get a restricted big bike for a while to get *really* used to the characteristics, and then do your full unrestricted test a few months later.

Re: No test for me today, went down in training :-(
 

Hope your foot/leg gets better quickly! :D

To be honest you seem to have identified the problem... you putting your foot down too early. Try to work on this, maybe go back to 125's till you feel happy again then move back up to the big bike.

Is the instructor happy to have you back? :p ha ha wrecking his bike and all that :( J/K

Take care!

Re: No test for me today, went down in training :-(
 

at least you got your first incident out of the way. everyone has or is going to do something like this particularly at the start of biking. like fizz said - just getting back involved is the only way. momentary lack of judgement. can't leave you sv all alone not fulfilling its destiny to provide you with a good time.

sucks about the helmet too. but better that he noticed you might need a new one. hope you leg gets better soon.

Re: No test for me today, went down in training :-(
 

Strange, I must have come off about 10 times in training doing U turns (curse them). Hope you mend up soon and get back out there.

Re: No test for me today, went down in training :-(
 

Hey,

These are the boots that I had:
http://www.girlsbike2.com/site/info.asp?id=512

Nowhere near top of the range or anything like that though! I've seen a lot of people training with trainers on which really scares me now! If I'd had trainers on I think I would have broken my foot, possibly ankle too. They thought the foot was broken all along until the x-ray said it wasn't. It wasn't so nice having random people in the hospital walking past making comments about how horrible it looked haha!

I'm looking at something like this now I think:
http://www.bikersdirect.co.uk/Alpine...-WP_AHQ5I.aspx

As for helmets, I really like the Shark ones, so will probably go for one of them.

The other thing is I was really wanting to get it all out the way before the new test comes in and before the weather gets too bad. The thought of the new test with all the low-speed stuff really scares me even more than the current test! And also my bike sitting there all on its own with no-one to play with...

Laura

Re: No test for me today, went down in training :-(
 

I'd already managed to drop it twice doing U-turns that day and jumped out the way! I think if/when I finally get my licence I won't be doing U-turns lol. And I like your little siggy...if someone could just take away the whole "needing to stop" thing I'd be fine just riding about...I like that bit!! :D

Laura

Re: No test for me today, went down in training :-(
 

Most people only ever U turn on their test then forget about it. It seems more of a hoop to jump through than of any practical value to most folk!

Re: No test for me today, went down in training :-(
 

Perhaps that is some of the problem ? Maybe you're putting to much pressure on yourself to get it done before the test changes so you're stressing about it and not being relaxed and taking your time over your lessons.

In your position I'd just wait till I was ready and healed and then go back and talk things through with your instructor and take things easy till I had my confidence built back up. Better to learn and make mistakes in the care of an instructor than rush it through and not be prepared for life once you've passed your test.

I found I had loads to learn once I had pased and my first few months involved a very steep learning curve indeed.

Take your time dont rush a few months either way isnt going to make any difference in the grand scheme of things

Re: No test for me today, went down in training :-(
 

Its not a hoop, its done to show you can control it. Also my instructor pointed out it gears you up for carrying a pillion. If you can't do em singular controlled, you've no chance of carrying pillions...hmmm thats why i don't carry pillions:rolleyes:

Re: No test for me today, went down in training :-(
 

Exactly, it's to show you can control a bike, not particularly because a U turn itself is massively important.

Anyway off topic..

Sorry to hear about the off.. my foot got a little squished in the last little off I had, that was wearing para boots too so fairly sturdy!

Re: No test for me today, went down in training :-(
 

Sorry to hear about this. I know how you are feeling, I was practising U turns on the 500 at the school, went down several times but on the last one I got my leg trapped under the bike it twisted my knee and I ended up with a damaged cruciate ligament.

However the 3 months away from bike school gave me the opportunity to practice U turns on my 125 (I live on a very narrow street - it was a challenge :)) so when I went back to the 500s I was so much improved the instructors were extremely surprised.

I know you have an SV waiting but can your budget stretch to a cheap 125 to practice on? Also if you take your restricted test the SV takes restriction very well from what I have read on here so you would still be able to ride it.

It is demoralising and quite frightening getting back on when you have hurt yourself so early in your biking career but you have to make a decision about whether you are going to give yourself a chance to succeed at this or not. I say go for it, it is worth it!

Good luck and get well soon.

Trace :)

Re: No test for me today, went down in training :-(
 

Sorry to hear about this, but like others have said the only way to get the confidence back is to get back on the bike.

I know it's easier said than done. When i passed my test i dropped my SV on a island the afternoon after passing and that is when my fear of junctions arrived and slow speed stuff. I had to pull myself from under my bike and then had to ride it home which was a very slow ride!!! Completly my fault (wrong gear trying to pull of and then grabbed the front brake)

Maybe once you are better do your lessons/test on a 125?! It is a lot easier (just a bit of a jump after you have passed). But if you are putting yourself under a lot of pressure your brain isn't free to think. (even tho my instructor told me not to think and let it happen)

Keep your chin up and rest that leg of yours..... and you never know you may be able to get your test in before the changes!!!!

Lily

Re: No test for me today, went down in training :-(
 

I dropped my instructor's bike when I bounced of the curb on a U turn (I swear the road was too narrow). Fortuately I managed to jump away from it.

I dealt with the blow by thinking there's no real damage done, and now I've dropped it once, I no longer need to worry about the 1st time I drop it.

Turn it into a positive experience and get back on the bike!!

Re: No test for me today, went down in training :-(
 

Hope your foot/legs ok. I think all of this is a positive riding experience, at least you know what your doing wrong, so you can try to correct it. I hope it does'nt put you off riding.

I also dropped the bike twice when trying to do my U turn (think it was the way the instructor was trying to tell me how to do it!) I have also dropped my bike when a boy racer came up right next to me when i was trying to turn right at a junction, I am still not 100% confidence on my bike, but i think with a bit of practise i will hopefully get better and will be able to learn from it.

Re: No test for me today, went down in training :-(
 

Even after years of riding a bike it can get away from you, my first[1] ever 'stationary' drop was 9 years after passing my test!

In both cases as soon as I realised it was a lost cause I dived off it. Bikes can be fixed, people have to heal and even a small injury can come back to haunt you.

Druid

[1] Ignoring two rolling off the stand while it was parked incidents!

Re: No test for me today, went down in training :-(
 

hope you recover quickly , we have all had our little quirks where we do something and drop the bike so welcome to the real world just take your time and build up your confidence again and you'll do fine all the best paul

Re: No test for me today, went down in training :-(
 

GWS. I dropped by CBR125 a week after passing my CBT at about 1mph when visiting a Fox's Diner....slipped on the only patch of gravel in the whole car park, bike fell on me, about 200 eyes were looking at me with a bike on my foot, wearing Oxtar boots. All was fine, got help getting the bike off me and surprisingly not embarrassed at all and I couldnt stop laughing.

When I was taking my DAS training, my instructors observed my riding and said that our group of 3 needed more slow riding work and that is what we concentrated on including stopping at junctions using the gears and back brake only (side roads only mind) and we must have done about 30 U turns over the 2.5 days we had.

Get better and decide then how you want to move forward, you sound as though you are keen to get back on the bike, which is a great start but only when you are ready and perhaps have some mates with you when you got out practicing for encouragement.

Re: No test for me today, went down in training :-(
 

Hey...

Thanks for all the help and advice :) My foot is on the mend...I can walk on it a bit now without any pain, it just still feels like it's going to go pop if I put too much weight on it lol! :mrgreen: Bruises are still pretty painful but hey, that's no big deal!

So hubby is still trying to persuade me to do the full test...BUT I'm having second thoughts. I think I'm most likely to pass the test (hopefully I can get a date through the training school before the new test) on a 125. I've had some good and bad moments over the past few days including times when I want to give up and feel a bit of a panic coming on when I think about manouvering the big bike under the pressure of training and test. I think I'd be much happier just doing an extra days training on a 125 then sit the test on that. Then I can learn to handle my own bike (instead of switching about big bikes) in my own time and at my own pace etc because as it stands at the moment I can't ride it at all...wheras if I do the restricted test and get the bike restricted...etc etc...

So...that leads on to restricting my bike...I've been quoted £200 and had a few strange conversations about potential insurers about it :confused: Some have said it makes no difference and others say they won't quote me, which I don't understand. But does anyone know what licence I should put in the website? For some of them the choices are just "Full motorcycle, provisional motorcycle, moped" but nothing about the restricted one... In theory I guess if I did that test I would have a full licence for the bike (restricted) that I would be riding, so do I just select that?

Also, if anyone knows of any restrictor kits going (didn't see any in the for sale section) give me a shout! Does £200 including fitting sound a bit extreme??

Laura

Re: No test for me today, went down in training :-(
 

Go for whatever you feel comfy with chick, you want to do it on a 125 then do it on a 125, your life is more important than the full license.

Good on you for getting back on and going for it.

Good luck and glad your foot is on the mend :)

Shell x

Re: No test for me today, went down in training :-(
 

hey good luck with next test, well done for trying again. my wife fell off doing her CBT and refuses to go back!

Re: No test for me today, went down in training :-(
 

I know the feeling! I fell off on my CBT...and 3 times on 500 days, but managed to jump out the way...then the final time on the 500 day which squished me...great stuff! So I know how she feels...if I hadn't bought my bike and got *almost* to test day I would certainly have given up too!

Laura

Re: No test for me today, went down in training :-(
 

I did my test in the end on a 125 and was so happy I did. I now have the chance to learn to ride rather than pass my test on my bike.

My BF has rode my bike as he has a full licence and said he can't really tell the differance most of the time.

If doing your test on a 125 would make you comfortable then go for it on a 125..... after all its only 2 years your rescrited for.

Re: No test for me today, went down in training :-(
 

Your police are obviously far more efficient than south yorkshires finest. I was knocked off my bike and taken to hospital with a 'broken neck' (turned out it was just whiplash lol, nurse got it pretty badly wrong) amongst other injuries. Anyway I tried to log it with the police incase the guy (who stunk of weed and was blasting reggae- but didn;t mention that so my payout came quicker) didn't have insurance etc. Anyway they said they couldn't do it over the phone so I went to the station the next day and they said it's nothing to do with the police no crime has been commited. hmm.
Anyway hope you're not put off and are feeling better soon!

Re: No test for me today, went down in training :-(
 

Yes far too much if you have a pointy bike. Pointy's are ridiculously easy to restrict and I've seen the part go for £40 second hand.
Curvys are a different kettle, I'm yet to experience the joys :rolleyes:

Re: No test for me today, went down in training :-(
 

Sorry to hear about your drop and glad your mending ok. Ive dropped mine a few times, the funniest was when i turned round to check if my rear light was working and another time when i did a u-turn on a hill, the bike started to go over but my foot wouldnt touch the floor until the bike was too far over to hold. We all drop them at some stage, you were just unluck to get hurt.

Yes the parts to restrict a bike are quite cheap, however, you have to have it certified at a garage that it has been restricted, and thats where they sting you, not the price of the parts.

Re: No test for me today, went down in training :-(
 

According to the law it just needs to be a bike restricted to 33bhp not a bike restricted to 33bhp with a fancy certificate. I'm personally having mine restricted by myself then checked over by a shop and dyno'd, the dyno certificate/report will prove without doubt that the bike is under 33bhp.

Re: No test for me today, went down in training :-(
 

shame to hear that...don't let it get you down, we all get hurt eventually, it's what you learn from those experiences that count...
just remember that at low speed the back brake is a better friend to you than the front...

Re: No test for me today, went down in training :-(
 

I was always under the impression that you needed the certificate to show insurance companies before you could get cover, but after trawling through countless messaga boards, it would appear thats not the case after all and Dave20046 is correct.

Re: No test for me today, went down in training :-(
 

Errr...sorry if I seem a bit daft, but what's the difference between a curvy and pointy? :confused: I'm quite new to all this lol! Is the pointy a fully faired one? Or is there more to it than that? Also, why does pointy/curvy make a difference to how easy it is to restrict? (sorry...woman without much technical knowledge!). :rolleyes:

Laura

Re: No test for me today, went down in training :-(
 

I'm re-booked! Phoned the riding school this morning and I'm booked in for 125 training on 22nd September then 125 test 23rd September :D So now I just need to get the bike into the garage for the restriction...although I'll hold off on that a week or so to see about the cheaper parts etc if I can get them somewhere!

Laura

Re: No test for me today, went down in training :-(
 

Don't worry I asked the exact same question when I first bought mine. The curvys are the 1999-2002 bikes and the pointys are 2003 onwards. Named after their shape and dynamicness.
If you've got a more modern one I bet someone on here could talk you through fitting it, despite your gender or knowledge.

Re: No test for me today, went down in training :-(
 

Curvy's (99-02) have carbs and need washers installing under the carbs = PITA to fit.
Pointy's (03+) are EFI and have a different 'restricted' ECU = Very easy to fit.

Druid

Re: No test for me today, went down in training :-(
 

Thanks for that guys! :D So...mine is a pointy then! ('53 plate).

All that makes me wonder though...apparently the kits from Suzuki are around £150 and that's where most of the cost comes in, but if the bikes are so different to restrict then do both kits cost the same or could mine in theory turn out to be less? :confused:

How does it work buying a 2nd hand restrictor kit as far as the certificate etc goes? (hubby wants me to have the certificate...) :p

Laura

Re: No test for me today, went down in training :-(
 

You don't need a certificate legally (well deffo not a suzuki one) but they can be dubiously purchased on ebay. What I would recommend is buying a kit second hand fitting it under someones instruction on here then going to a garage that does 'dyno testing' they will test the bike and give you a report on the bikes power - proving it's under 33bhp, I gather that is about £40-£45. Or you could pay the £200.

Re: No test for me today, went down in training :-(
 

Like Dave said in a previous post, all the law says is that you have to ride in accordance with your license, i.e nothing over 33bhp. As long as you are doing that then you will be fine. If you get pulled then it is up to the police to prove otherwise, whether you have a certificate or not. As far as insurance goes, if you have a prang then they may require proof, but the dyno report should suffice, if its a serious prang then they will have it assessed independantly whether you have a cert or not.

A certificate or dyno printout only says that a restricter was fitted at that particular moment. It doesnt prove that its still fitted 3 months later.

Maybe the best option would be to seek advise from your insurance company first befor doing anything.

Good luck for your test too.

Re: No test for me today, went down in training :-(
 

Dyno run to check power is usually less than £40... used to get them at jordans in leeds for 20, have now gone up to 30.

Re: No test for me today, went down in training :-(
 

Thanks guys. I really do see the point about the certificate now...doesn't really prove anything in the end! I think I'll give a few insurance companies a call and see what they say. I tried to get some quotes when I first thought about restricting it and they were mostly less than helpful, but that might be because I was a bit vague, not sure. Hubby is with BikeSure and he said that they're really helpful if they call up, so I'll try them and see what they say :flower:

Laura