Ah Bollox !!!!!!!

As it says in my sig I start a Direct Access Training course Tomorrow. This will lead to a practical test on Friday for my bike licence (the knees are knocking).

What happens today? I go and break my only set of glasses. .

I will have to rush around trying to get them repaired before the 9.45am start of the course.

Thats the third bad thing to happen in the last 2 months. I had two cars drive into the rear of my car on seperate occasions and now have broken my glasses.

What else can go wrong?

Wish me luck

GOOD LUCK !!!

(Keep the rubber side down.)

You'll be alright, bad things happen in threes don't they? So you've had your share now, plain sailing ahead, you'll walk it, OK?





















Here's hoping!

Thanks guys

none of this tonight

Good luck! i hope the weather stays fine for you, as it seems to have been monsoon season in the UK.

Boxers,

Relax. take it easy. Youve seen what maddbrit looks like. They gave him a license, they also gave me a license and I couldnt ride a shaggin bike at all.

Enjoy-pass-remember EVERYTHING they told you. Keep safe for 6 months. then come an pay us a visit! Enjoy every single moment of the most liberating activity on the planet....

Welcome to the club. You can change gear in flippers, right?

bob

They held my MSF training in pooring rain. It was great. I think the group bonded more because of it and we all got to practice rain riding. Though I did go out and get some proper rain gear. I don't think my Gordon's Fisherman rain gear and home depot contractor gloves would hold up for long once I left the parking lot.

Good luck on getting the licence! Do you have a bike ready?

Contacts....... you will love them for rideing

Good Luck!

JEEBUS! NEVER ask that question. :eek1

Not so quick update.

Day 1: Absolute nucking fightmare. Was supposed to start the week on a 125. Howerver because, as Spanish Bob pointed out I have flippers for feet (uk13), I had extreme difficulty changing gear. The trainer, Steve, decided that it would be better for me to use one of the cbf's they have. Talk about a sudden step up in power, relatively, after only 2 hours on the road with a 125 on the CBT. I was also out with a fellow newbie on his test day. So I eneded up riding round some of the busiest road in South London.

Always ended up going too fast (for the posted limit or junctions or corners or bends :eek1 ) or in wrong gear (too low or high). Leaving the indictors on because I'd mucked up a turn. Clutch control was awful, as was the use of brakes (too early and not enough or to late and too much). U-turns what are they? Nearly had the bike over several time or was riding toward the pavement (sidewalk)

I did have doubts, at one stage, about my sanity.

At the end of the day I felt like I had gone 10 rounds with a pro boxer.

Slept well last night

Day 2: After recovering over night. I started today a little shell shocked and sore. I thought surely it could not get any worse than yesterday. How wrong could I have been.

Today started wet, very wet:dog.

Wonders to behold I actually started to ride quite well. I had half decent clutch control, my braking was semi acceptable, I could control my speed round corners most of the time so I did not end up almost tipping over or heading toward the side of the road, I remembered to turn my indicators off when I got a corner right. U-turns, alright I wrung the neck of the throttle, but I managed to complete quite a few if slightly messy.

The only down side was my misreading of a couple of situations that had the trainer, Lyndon, screaming in my ear and praying for me . I'm still here.

Oh and running low on fuel 1/2 a mile from the training centre while following the trainer and causing me to stall at a set of lights. All it needed was shaking about to get it going again. I would like to thank the rider that stopped to assist me and give advice

Do not feel as tight and sore as yesterday, was a little more relaxed on the bike, not as much death grip on the controls.

Off to bed shortly to recover again as I am shattered.

Thanks for the encouragement. Wiil post another update thursday.

I resemble that remark! I did my training here in Norway and we spent the first two weeks working cone courses. After that first day of cone weaves on a CB750 (the standard ride in the "heavy bike" program) my entire core from butt to shoulders felt like I had been beaten with hoses.

Sleep and some beer therapy can help. Ibuprofen, aka "Vitamin I", is your also friend.

Keep it up!
Fritz

Shorter update this time.

Day 3: Back with Steve today. Another semi wet one. Found out Lyndon was helped off his bike the night before whilst filtering. Cuts and bruises only luckily. Car just decided to turn right, across his path, without indicating

Riding was OK. Still leaving indicators on when messing up corners, forgetting to do lifesavers sometimes :eek1, use of controls improving, but I am back to not being able to do U-turns.

Had one major moment at a mini roundabout. I entered in 3rd and when I went to accelerate away on exit I stalled the bike. I managed to get it started while still rolling and selected 2nd and continued on my way.

I think I am still reading the road like a car driver in some situations. That is a habit I must change

Still got home shattered. I never knew bike riding was this hard mentally and physically.

Day 4: First dry day.

Ok I think I know why I can not do a U-turn on demand. I know it is about the combined use of the throttle, clutch and rear brake when needed. I think I am trying to use too much rear brake. This makes the manouver attempt too slow and I end up either twisting on more throttle or damn near falling over. I used less rear brake today and it was a lot easier. Still not great but a lot better.

The rest of the riding was not bad. No really scary moments today. The roundabout scare yesterday was a wake up call.

The guy I was riding with failed his test for the second time today. A lack of control in the emergency stop was his major. The trainer was not best pleased. He thought he was going to pass.

Still knackered. Will be having a quiet night in anticipation of my Test tomorrow

PS I am getting numb finger tips at the end of the day. Is this a result of the gloves or the position of the control and my hands?

We are doing about 6 hours of riding a day so far. Split into about four 1 1/2 hour rides with maybe 5-10 minutes between, plus a 30-40 minute lunch break.

Wow that sounds like really hard work! Persevere mate, it gets better as you've already found.

The only advice I've got is R-E-L-A-X.

Good luck!

Do yourself a favor the next time you buy glasses and get TWO. If you need them then you NEED them and can't afford to go without. Here in the states you get a great deal on the second pair anyhow. I'm blind without my glasses and I often have to get out the second pair some mornings just to find where I put down the first pair the night before...

As for the numbness in the fingers, don't grip the bars that tight. You don't want to hold onto the bike with your hands, grip the bike with your legs and only loosely hold onto the bars. They are for steering the bike -not holding onto it. Most n00bs hold the bars WAY too tight and that leads to all sorts of handling problems that make numb hands seem like nothing. Grip the bars no tighter than you would hold a tennis rack when you are not actually swinging it. Think of the bars as a set of balls you are juggling. Most of the time they are in the air when you are not gently nudging them to steer their course through the air. That's how it is with the handlebars.

Essentially, it's not as physically or mentally demanding as it appears to be for you right now. You will find it much harder work as a novice rider as you will undoubtedly be focusing on controlling the machine and will be paying attention to every little thing you do. Eventually, the process will become second nature, and thus, your riding will become a lot more relaxed and less physically/mentally demanding.

Hope your test goes well.

Failed.

Something really stupid as well considering the timing of the fault. Had just done the U-turn, both walking and riding. Then was told to continue to the end of the road and turn left.

Got to the end of the road. Stopped on the left side at junction. Pulled away but rushed it, bike bogged down. I panicked a bit, I think, gave it more throttle and ran wide. Not into the other lane but too close to a mid road refuge. I was failed for Steering.

If it was not for that I would have passed.

Steve thought I was going to pass, but I knew I had failed before getting back to the test centre.

Not that upset. Just did not think it was the best ride I could have done.

Booking a new test date as I type this.

Thanks for the encouragement and advice. Will update again after the next test.

Sorry to hear you didn't pass, but it sounds like you've learned a lot in this short time. Now you know what you need to practice most.

I thought it was spelled bollocks.

I sure do. One of the hardest for motorbike riders. Throttle control

It is. Just trying to get past the swear filter on some sites

Next test date 24th July.