Maidofdartmoor

I literally cannot push the bike backwards while sitting on it, unless I’m on a level surface. Instead, I put it on the side stand (leaning over dangerously because of the adverse camber) then stand in front of the bike and use all my strength and weight to pull it upright and shove it backwards into the garage. Although I find it difficult, I’ve never dropped the bike doing this. Only when there were cars in the way and I couldn’t get it at the right angle. People have this idea that motorbikes are like bicycles, so they park partially in front of my garage and ‘leave me a gap’ at the side. I found this gap a real struggle even on my little 125, never mind with the Honda hornet & panniers. Unfortunately, my insurance company assures me that I will always be liable for any damage if I scratch a car in this situation, because it’s a stationary vehicle, even if badly parked. All extra anxiety.

Thanks guys! For some reason my bike doesn’t have a centre stand, but maybe I could find one to fit it. I might have just enough space to turn the bike, if I get rid of my other bike which is in there. I think the turntable is a great suggestion, I’ve never even heard of such a thing.

I passed my bike test at the end of February, and now have a 2002 yellow Honda hornet, 599cc. I find it light and nippy, and have done hundreds of miles on it already without a single problem. The only problem I have, is trying to get it into my garage at the end of every ride. I live in a council estate, and halfway up the street there is a block of garages. The garages are all down the side of a steep hill, and its a narrow area. So not only is there a steep incline in the equation, but also a steep adverse camber when aligned with the garages. Which makes it even harder to push the bike back up a slight slope into the garage. The bike has to go in backwards, because if there are cars parked outside the garage is either side of me, I’m unable to push the bike backwards up the hill. I usually ride down into the garage block, turn the bike around, ride back up, and then back the bike into the garage. But if the garage area is blocked up with cars, I’m unable to turn the bike around and get completely stuck. The best bet is to reverse down into the block of garages, which eliminates the needs to turn the bike around. But I struggle to push it backwards over the pavement at the entrance, even though it’s only a slight incline. To make matters worse, I’m always watched by several unkind neighbours, who are worried that they might get their cars scratched, and keep telling me that I shouldn’t have the bike and it’s too heavy for me to handle. I’ve never had any problem handling the bike, except in this horrendous garage block. I’ve dropped the bike once already, and was unable to pick it up on my own, so it was very embarrassing. It’s probably difficult to advise me without seeing the area, but I feel sure that there must be a better way to manage things without access to a man’s strength? It never occurred to me when I did my bike license, that my garage would prove to be the most difficult and dangerous part of biking!

Yes, I had a long argument with them, and did something called ‘share my license’, and they still insist that I have a full car license. To be fair, it does state that on the DVLA licence check, but it goes on to clearly list what categories I can drive, and what I can provisionally drive.

No, I had a provisional car license. But my new bike license states that I can provisionally drive car B, so I don’t understand the issue. But my insurers insist that I have a full driving license, after looking at the exact same DVLA check that I’ve just looked at!

I’ll try that! It’s a shame though, because Admiral is by far the cheapest quote. And when I go on ‘Check my Licence’, it clearly lists the categories of motorcycles I can ride, followed by ‘vehicles you can provisionally drive’. How an insurance broker can’t read a UK licence is beyond me!

It’s clearly shows on my license that I have no category B. On the front of my license, it states AM/A/k/q. Every time I try to sort out my learner driver insurance, I get a message saying the wrong license has been selected, which is stopping my insurance payment from going through. Even after going through ‘check my license’ maybe they don’t often encounter a learner driver who has a full bike license, that’s the only reason I can think of!

I passed my full bike license a couple of weeks ago, and they took my provisional car license, and I received my new license in the post. When I rang up to try and get learner driver insurance, the DVLA check said there was a problem with the license, and Admiral declined to insure my car. They ran a DVLA check on me, and insist that it’s not a provisional car license, but a full car license. I’m so confused! So now I have a full bike license and a car that I can’t get learner insurance on. Whats going on here?

It’s probably a 70. I don’t feel visible enough, and it’s hard to judge the speed of traffic coming up behind you. Even when hugging the verge in the slow lane, a car undertook another one at high speed and came so close me that I nearly got hit. Really shaken up!

I have been out on the dual carriageway for the first time since passing my CBT, and found it easy when it’s quiet, but scary in rush-hour. I have to pass four slip roads on the way home, but my bike only goes at 55 miles an hour, and it’s quite dangerous if I indicate right and move into the fast lane. But staying in the slow lane doesn’t seem to be an option either, in case I hinder the entering traffic. Earlier I ended up in the centre of the dual carriageway, with a stream of traffic coming in on the left, and traffic hurtling by at 90 miles an hour on the right! I can’t seem to find any information to help me with this, and I’m terrified to try again.