Nataly 38 #1 August 25, 2009 I'm literally beside myself with joy!!! The last thing I did with the motorcycle yesterday was drop it around a bend :( I felt so upset about it, but I turned in early, read a lot of your comments, got an early night, and set off first thing in the morning. First off, the rental place was really cool about the indicators. They replaced them in about 15 minutes and told me not to worry about it. I then went straight for the lessons I had booked, and this revolutionised the way I control the bike. Well, in short, i learned to *control* it!! The instructor was very calm and patient, showed me how to ride the clutch/use the rear brake & keep off the front brake. SUCH a world of difference. I rode for about 7 hours today. I'm drenched in sweat, exhausted, but really, really happy "There is no problem so bad you can't make it worse." - Chris Hadfield « Sors le martinet et flagelle toi indigne contrôleuse de gestion. » - my boss Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Misternatural 0 #2 August 25, 2009 >u-turns, slow turns, figures 8's & uphill starts. What is.... How cops can tell if you are drunk for $200 Alex Beware of the collateralizing and monetization of your desires. D S #3.1415 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
d_squared431 0 #3 August 25, 2009 I am glad everything is working out for you. Have fun!! TPM Sister#130ONTIG#1 I love vodka.I love vodka cause it rhymes with Tuaca~LisaH You having a clean thought is like billyvance having a clean post.iluvtofly Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Nataly 38 #4 August 25, 2009 Quote >u-turns, slow turns, figures 8's & uphill starts. What is.... How cops can tell if you are drunk for $200 Alex Ah ha ha!! Perhaps I should have specified that these were deliberate, controlled manoeuvres!!! "There is no problem so bad you can't make it worse." - Chris Hadfield « Sors le martinet et flagelle toi indigne contrôleuse de gestion. » - my boss Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Misternatural 0 #5 August 25, 2009 I am thinking about getting a bike too.... an on off road one so I am reading about your adventures very carefully. I am looking for a Suzuki DRZ 400 or something to ride in the woods first. keep up the good work!!Beware of the collateralizing and monetization of your desires. D S #3.1415 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
nigel99 625 #6 August 25, 2009 Are you doing the new DAS test in the UK with the so called "swerve test"?Experienced jumper - someone who has made mistakes more often than I have and lived. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Nataly 38 #7 August 25, 2009 Sadly this is unavoidable.. Unless of course I just keep to my CBT, which doesn't allow me to ride on motorways, which kind of defeats the purpose.. So yeah.. The new test with all of it's weird and wonderful pylon-avoiding tricks "There is no problem so bad you can't make it worse." - Chris Hadfield « Sors le martinet et flagelle toi indigne contrôleuse de gestion. » - my boss Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JohnMitchell 16 #8 August 25, 2009 Quote Ah ha ha!! Perhaps I should have specified that these were deliberate, barely controlled manoeuvres!!! Fixed it for ya.Living in Britain, are you pretty used to driving a clutch? I hear 90% of the vehicles over there have a clutch. Over here, 90% of the vehicles have an automatic transmission. Makes it easier to drink our lattes and text while we drive. Makes it tough to teach someone how to drive a bike, though. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wmw999 2,589 #9 August 25, 2009 The classes where you get to swerve, run over things, ride on gravel, and make skid marks while riding someone else's bike are absolutely invaluable. Whenever a newbie in the US talks about getting a bike the first advice folks give them is to take the Motorcycle Safety Foundation (MSF) class, which does exactly that. It's kind of like practicing emergency procedures. Having already run over a 4X4 piece of lumber, if you ever really have to on the roadway, you'll KNOW it's possible, rather than automatically freaking out. Man, I sure hope I never really am faced with that, though Wendy P. There is nothing more dangerous than breaking a basic safety rule and getting away with it. It removes fear of the consequences and builds false confidence. (tbrown) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Remster 30 #10 August 25, 2009 Quote Man, I sure hope I never really am faced with that, though Especially at highway speeds, as opposed to the 25mph we were doing on the MSF rides! Remster Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
nigel99 625 #11 August 25, 2009 Quote Sadly this is unavoidable.. Unless of course I just keep to my CBT, which doesn't allow me to ride on motorways, which kind of defeats the purpose.. So yeah.. The new test with all of it's weird and wonderful pylon-avoiding tricks Shame - I understand that the new test is quite hard. Something that I was not taught during my CBT but during an advanced rider course is using counter-steer to turn harder/quicker. You use it naturally when riding above about 20miles an hour, but understanding it and getting a feel for it requires a little thought. The police instructor told us he sees loads of guys on sports bikes "fighting" their bikes around corners instead of simply steering properly.Experienced jumper - someone who has made mistakes more often than I have and lived. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
nigel99 625 #12 August 25, 2009 Quote Quote Man, I sure hope I never really am faced with that, though Especially at highway speeds, as opposed to the 25mph we were doing on the MSF rides! I've hit a plank on the M25 at speed (~60MPH) and was very lucky, but the worst incident I have had was also on the M25 having a plastic shopping bag fly up and snag across my visor so that I was blind. Luckily my wife (who I trust) was directly behind in the car so I could break hard and go by feel - but we both crapped ourselves. Experienced jumper - someone who has made mistakes more often than I have and lived. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SkyDekker 1,465 #13 August 25, 2009 Quote I'm literally beside myself with joy!!! The last thing I did with the motorcycle yesterday was drop it around a bend :( I felt so upset about it, but I turned in early, read a lot of your comments, got an early night, and set off first thing in the morning. First off, the rental place was really cool about the indicators. They replaced them in about 15 minutes and told me not to worry about it. I then went straight for the lessons I had booked, and this revolutionised the way I control the bike. Well, in short, i learned to *control* it!! The instructor was very calm and patient, showed me how to ride the clutch/use the rear brake & keep off the front brake. SUCH a world of difference. I rode for about 7 hours today. I'm drenched in sweat, exhausted, but really, really happy Good to hear you got right back on the (iron) horse!!! Everybody will drop there motorcycle once, doing it on a rental, without hurting yourself is the absolute best way of doing it!!! The key in riding a bike is in the eyes, you and the bike will go where the eyes are looking. As you found out yesterday, if you look down, you will go down as well. Riding the clutch and the rear brake are absolutely great ways to manouvre at slow speeds. Don't forget to keep your knees tight to the tank as well, this will help with the control over the bike. Good luck and keep it up!!!! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Remster 30 #14 August 25, 2009 Quote 've hit a plank on the M25 at speed (~60MPH) and was very lucky, Planks I think I could handle too. But the MSF course has an "obstacle" course with 4" x 4" pieces of wood you have to ride over. THAT would hurt at 60mph And plastic bags scare the hell out of me when I ride. One flew by about 3 feet next to me on the highway yesterday.Remster Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DrewEckhardt 0 #15 August 25, 2009 Quote Something that I was not taught during my CBT but during an advanced rider course is using counter-steer to turn harder/quicker. They taught us in the basic MSF safety course. Something like look left, push left, go left. Practical application followed with swerving maneuvers in the parking lot. Best $80? I spent. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
nigel99 625 #16 August 25, 2009 Quote Quote 've hit a plank on the M25 at speed (~60MPH) and was very lucky, Planks I think I could handle too. But the MSF course has an "obstacle" course with 4" x 4" pieces of wood you have to ride over. THAT would hurt at 60mph And plastic bags scare the hell out of me when I ride. One flew by about 3 feet next to me on the highway yesterday. Yes I just converted to "proper" units and that would definately hurt. I think it is ludicrous that here in the UK you either have 125's or "big" bikes and I don't like the DAS format where you can get your full bike license in 3 days. Added to that there is a rather restricted market for smaller bikes that are non motor-x or pure learner (CB250 for example). So it tends to push people onto very powerful bikes and unlike Shrop most people don't seem to like "yank tanks" so they get sports bikes. I am impressed at the approach Nataly appears to be taking of getting familiar with a small bike before doing her DAS. The biggest safety factor I think is to NOT ride like a biker, generally behaving like a car and not lane splitting unless necessary (for me that is motorway traffic slower than 30Mph, A road traffic Experienced jumper - someone who has made mistakes more often than I have and lived. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
nigel99 625 #17 August 25, 2009 QuoteQuote Something that I was not taught during my CBT but during an advanced rider course is using counter-steer to turn harder/quicker. They taught us in the basic MSF safety course. Something like look left, push left, go left. Practical application followed with swerving maneuvers in the parking lot. Best $80? I spent. The MSF courses sound very good from what has been said. Having riden bicycles most of my life and motorcylces a fair portion, until it was pointed out to me I would have sworn you turned the direction you turned the handle-bars if asked, obviously you "learn" to do it without thinking. As a small tribute long before the UK swerve test came out Tonto suggested practicing this manouver to improve safety.Experienced jumper - someone who has made mistakes more often than I have and lived. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Remster 30 #18 August 25, 2009 QuoteQuote Something that I was not taught during my CBT but during an advanced rider course is using counter-steer to turn harder/quicker. They taught us in the basic MSF safety course. Something like look left, push left, go left. Practical application followed with swerving maneuvers in the parking lot. Best $80? I spent. After riding for about 12 months, I tool their experienced rider's course. It was a great refresher of the basics, plus application of the skills using your own bike. 100$ very well spent too (when I took the BRC, it was closer to $250 tho. But still very much worth it!)Remster Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Nataly 38 #19 August 25, 2009 Quote I am impressed at the approach Nataly appears to be taking of getting familiar with a small bike before doing her DAS. I think there are a lot of reasons for my approach.. The main thing, however. is that when I did my CBT (learner's permit), I found there was too much pressure for me to learn everything straight away because of the other people in the class.. I got frustrated, and when I get frustrated my performance invariably suffers. Was the same with AFF.. I did level 4 (?) like three times in a row, and when I walked away, calmed down, and gained some confidence in the tunnel, I came back and everything from there was a breeze. So I felt that the best way for me to build up my confidence would be to learn, at my own pace, how to ride a manoeuvrable bike. I reckon at the end of the week, I should feel much more at ease and so the lessons and test shouldn't make me feel stressed or scared. At the end of the day, I think that practising will only help me be a better, safer, more aware rider when I *do* take my test. Or.. Maybe I'm just a scared pansy!! Edit to say: I think if this were 10 years ago, I'd be much more horny to get my licence *now*.. But I guess in my "advanced" age, it's less important to rush into these things! (Obviously I've turned into a bit of a pansy!!)"There is no problem so bad you can't make it worse." - Chris Hadfield « Sors le martinet et flagelle toi indigne contrôleuse de gestion. » - my boss Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
shah269 0 #20 August 25, 2009 Leather? Check! Bike? Check! So have any soccer moms.....i mean dads hit on you yet? Life through good thoughts, good words, and good deeds is necessary to ensure happiness and to keep chaos at bay. The only thing that falls from the sky is birdshit and fools! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
D22369 0 #21 August 25, 2009 Woooohoooo!! sounds like your having a blast, good for you!! when you become a more proficient rider start incorporating front brakes into your sphere of knowledge, most of your potential braking power in an emergency situation is there (used correctly that is) using both front and back brakes on dry roads can get you a really short stopping distance but takes practice, keep going! RoyThey say I suffer from insanity.... But I actually enjoy it. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
