So that riding malarky then...

...I get where you're all coming from now, sheesh, hard work!

Been out on the old CG this evening. Here are a few tips if you are about to embark on your first trip on the road after your CBT:

1) Don't go in rush hour.
2) Attempt to get to know your bike on a quiet road before heading into rush hour.
3) Don't buy a bike that weighs as much as a football when it's windy.
4) Attempt not to stall the engine pulling out of a junction facing down a hill when you know you have to stop to kickstart it back up...and thus making your experienced biker of a boyfriend park behind you...things may end drastically...bikes rolling off stands and the like....
5) DO NOT brake on corners.
6) DO slow down before changing gear.


So remember all that and things might go smoothly

My first time out on the road without a nice reassuring voice in my ear spoonfeeding me directions and tips, in rush hour, in full bike gear (CBT i ended up wearing walking boots and jeans) and on a different bike (kickstarter, old and light as a feather in windy conditions) was a little eventful

How easy it is to over-think everything when nervous

Other than that, I did quite enjoy myself, found it a whole lot more reassuring when following YC on the way back as opposed to being in front on the way to where we going. Although that probably has more to do with me knowing the bike a little better after having sat on it for longer.

Need more practise! Considering getting a newer CG as the kicker is so tiring when your brain is already working overtime, but then I guess I should just get used to it, oh and get fitter!

Ride on!

Originally Posted by missyorkie_chris

How easy it is to over-think everything when nervous

I get what you're saying, when i was riding around on my 125 i panicked when i got on and it wouldn't start, turns out the kill switch was on, then getting panicked again because it still wouldn't start but then because the stand was still down

looking back you have to laugh though, atleast your out on the bike improving all the time

Originally Posted by GeneticBubble

looking back you have to laugh though, atleast your out on the bike improving all the time

Very true, good way of looking at it

[Dave20046]

Give it a couple of weeks (or less depends how much you ride it) and it'll be second nature - another one for you; make double sure you don't leave your indicator flashing (if it has those ) , I used to (and still do I think) click cancel out of habit so there's no way of it being on.
Cagers love a reason to pull out on a biker, indicator being left on is almost too good to be true for them!

number 2 is definite and should be number 1! That way, number 5 will not have such an effect

Originally Posted by Dave20046

Give it a couple of weeks (or less depends how much you ride it) and it'll be second nature - another one for you; make double sure you don't leave your indicator flashing (if it has those ) , I used to (and still do I think) click cancel out of habit so there's no way of it being on.
Cagers love a reason to pull out on a biker, indicator being left on is almost too good to be true for them!

Yeah switching indicators off is a weakness of mine, but I remembered most of the time on the CBT, but then I did have the instructor reminding me to do it...but when you're thinking about the other stuff indicators tend to get slipped to the back of the mind ...hopefully will become second nature as you say when I have time to think about it more as a result of being more used to everything else that take up more brainpower lol

Originally Posted by missyorkie_chris

Yeah switching indicators off is a weakness of mine, but I remembered most of the time on the CBT, but then I did have the instructor reminding me to do it...but when you're thinking about the other stuff indicators tend to get slipped to the back of the mind ...hopefully will become second nature as you say when I have time to think about it more as a result of being more used to everything else that take up more brainpower lol

On my cbt the instructor was constantly saying Ben change up a gear i can hear your bike hitting the limiter from a mile away

Originally Posted by GeneticBubble

On my cbt the instructor was constantly saying Ben change up a gear i can hear your bike hitting the limiter from a mile away

Yeah I did that the first couple of hills too!

[Dave20046]

Originally Posted by GeneticBubble

On my cbt the instructor was constantly saying Ben change up a gear i can hear your bike hitting the limiter from a mile away

On my test I found it was impossible to get the bike above 30mph in second gear....so I just left it in second gear and worried about other stuff.

Had my CBT on a thursday. It was pouring with rain and I took it in the middle of exeter. I passed/survived, then had to ride at my own lowly pace all the way home in the pouring rain which took about an hour.

Most nerve racking day of my life...