Nervous Riders Query!

Originally Posted by SoulKiss

How you stop is very much up to you.

From my experience of a year and a half ago......

On my DAS course we were trained to stop left foot down, right foot on brake.

Main reason for this is that it stops the bike from going anywhere and encourages you to get down into 1st easily, you were probably trained to put it in 1st and keep the clutch in.


Just relax and enjoy.

It's really interesting how things have changed! Passed my test 37 years ago and there was little or no training available as now - you just bought a bike and learnt from your mates

I usually have both feet on the ground at junctions/lights, holding the bike on the front brake, specially in winter when its wet/greasy/icy - it's too easy to slip on one foot When ready to set off, left foot to snick into first gear.

However, would suggest not to try and change too many things at once, just build confidence with the skills you have learnt and build the mileage on-road experience.

Definitely agree with SK's last line!

HTH

Tim

I have to disagree with Berlin. When they go to a bigger bike they'll still be having difficulties as they've said they're fine on 125's! I was more dangerous when I started riding but if I had a 125 I can't see how it'd be any less dangerous.

I think something might have been missed at the training stage if you're both falling off in the same way. I must admit I wasn't sure if you were siamese twins!

Experience will help and I found that my training sucked big time. I'd never advise someone to ride how I was trained.

Hope it comes. You will have good days and bad days though.

Originally Posted by Berlin

I think you've answered your own question there.

Why on earth are you on 650's if you feel like this? Go back to 125's and get some exsperience... and confidence!

Then *when you are ready* go up to a larger bike.

I can't belive folks are telling you "it'll come" when you are obviously a danger to yourselves and other road users at present. Yeah! and you might be dead/have killed someone before then.

Pop back to the shop and trade the 650's in before something Nasty McPasty happens.

Carl

I think I disagree with this. I was always told while learning that bigger bikes are easier to ride and ill say I think it is.

Is it the bike you are scared of biting you or is it the roads themselves? What is it you are doing when you fall off?

It is all experience, dont worry too much about what other people do when riding, do what works for you, if it gets the job done safly then whats the issue?

As for stopping at junctions, ill generally put left foot down with right on the back brake. Only time I dont do this is if I know I have a long wait at then I put it in neutral and either hold the bike with my leg or use front brake.

Turning right you wait till you can go, you should be able to get out pretty quick (maybe worth trying your setting off, SV even limited is nippy!). If there isnt a space to go then you wait, dont worry about the traffic behind you! Concentrate on what you ae doing.

Just take care, if it gets too much dont panic just pull over and have 5 mins.

Buy a Gixer Thou.

[Stu]

I beg you, please check your nearest IAM group that does bikes.
http://www.iam.org.uk/iamgroups/groupdirectory/
Seriously, look at the advice above and how contradictory it is. (although some is really funny) this is serious. There are no requirements of experience required to join IAM, just a licence and a bike capable of 70mph. It is ?80odd for your first year including the eventual test should you wish to take it.

Cheers for that - I will definitely ring the IAM. Thanks again as the advice on here has been really good.

Practice mainly, that's all it takes. Vis-a-vis the foot down thing, I find it a bit of a hassle to knock it into neutral and then put your right foot on the brake; it leaves you having to do a jig when the lights go green and you suddenly need to find first and shoot off. It forget about all that and put both feet firmly down, keep in first if you are rolling up to a junction with the intention to pull out soon. Only do the neutral/brake thing at long lights.

I think you are probably struggling with the difference between your 125 and the sv, i found it strange that i had to rev the sv much more when i started riding it to pull away and also the amount of engine braking.

One thing that a friend and i did, as suggested by someone else, was go to a quiet car park and practice the slow manoeuvres. We found we were fine going at speed but lacked confidence at slow manoeuvres, such as pulling out of junctions.

we just prcaticed loads of turning right and left from stop and u-turns both ways (I know no-one really does u-turns after the test but it was the principals of controlling the bike at slow speeds) as we were taught by keeping steady revs, foot on the back brake and using the clutch to adjust your speed. It really does work, once you can consistently do u-turns, the slow stuff on the road gets much easier, in my opinion.

I found the change from 125 to 650 quite a big one, so understand what you're experiencing here. Yes you can get over it, and no don't whatever you do think of giving up riding!

Happy to come up to see you both for a day one weekend and we'll go out for a ride together? Maybe take in some car parks as well, as they're a good place to get used to the bike at slower speeds.

That would be great - thanks! I've also rung the IAM and we're going to their meeting next Tuesday at Panshanger