Psychybikey

ste, I still need to get over the nerves. It is silly, when I go in the car and look at a road I've done on the bike, I think "Did I really do that?" and I look at everybody else whizzing around and I think of all the thousands of journeys that must be done every day without mishap, and I still worry about it a bit. The best thing seems to be to have somewhere to go, not for the sake of practising but because you need to get there, and do it on the bike instead of in the car. Then I have to focus on something else. I know the examiner (on that far-off day) is supposed to be looking for safety, not perfection, but to me they are the same thing and I can't be safe if I'm not perfect. How are you getting on?

A bit cheaper than the electrically heated ones, I think!

Thanks for the warning. I think I'll leave the rest to my imagination.

I've just looked some up online. Plenty to choose from of course but all large sizes (my hands are big for a woman's but not man-size), so I added "women's" to the beginning of the search term. Oh my goodness. Just because it says "women's" I'm being offered pink fluffy gloves, tartan with rabbit fur, women's running gloves - running gloves? Do your gloves make that much difference to how well you run? Price isn't the main thing (within reason, of course). And I don't plan to ride in rain & sleet - not yet - but do need to be prepared, just in case. I used to have a fab pair of horseriding overmitts (three fingers in mitt but the little finger separate) but lost one of them so I might as well lose both and I've never seen any others like them. Not right for biking of course but the principle is the same as the lobsters, I expect. I've got one battery-heated riding glove somewhere (why is it always just one that gets lost?). I wouldn't want an avoidable thing like cold hands to stop me going out on a lovely sunny winter's day.

I went out for a short ride yesterday and the tip of one finger got cold. It made me remember just how unpleasant cold hands can be, and unsafe, too. My summer gloves are great - RST leather ones with protection on the knuckles - but are clearly going to be pretty useless in the cold weather. How have other people solved this problem? Silk inner gloves? I'm not convinced. Overmitts? How can you feel the controls? What about waterproofness? All advice gratefully accepted.

I never doubted for a single moment that you'd do it! You have made such good progress! Well done, I am absolutely chuffed to bits for you.

The weekend produced two completely contrasting rides - one a road I thought I'd go along to see where it went - very narrow, very twisting, and absolutely covered with cow poo, dead leaves, mud, water and chopped-off bits of hedge. Absolutely horrible and I didn't enjoy it a bit (but no other traffic, and no wonder). Then next day a lovely ride up to the Ponderosa along a switchbacking road with lots of big sweeping curves and a nice clear surface. Can't wait to do that one again That one had a lot of traffic on it and I OVERTOOK!!! (OK, I only overtook pushbikes but I still had to get between them and the oncoming traffic)

I know, but what's the point of that? It would be nearly as sad as riding a scooter wearing a skirt, like an old lady.

Thanks. Realistically I can't see me doing the Mods before spring. That still gives me plenty of time.

I expect this has been asked before. Once you've done your hazard perception & theory tests, is there a time limit within which you have to do your full motorcycle test? I know young drivers have to do their practical test within a certain time after passing the theory (can't remember exactly as it is four years since my last child did it). If there is no time limit I could get them out of the way. But if there is, I'm not going to because I don't know when I'll do my Mods 1 & 2.

So the Ninja is going on eBay and one of the photographs I had to take was to show the dials - it turned out quite artistic, if I do say so myself! http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b399/Jillwxm/Ninja9.jpg You probably need to click on the pic to see all the mini-me's

Just have to be careful not to put sugar lumps in the petrol tank.

yes, treating it somewhat like a pony...

After several trips out trying to work out which is the best way for me to progress, I've opted for going over and over a familiar route I can do it without too much stress or worry, and just getting a bit better and more confident each time, and going a little further at the end before I find somewhere to turn round and come home. This is enabling me to get better at bends (pretty well all blind bends round here so I have to get the right balance between confidence and timidity, too much of either of which would be equally bad) and forward planning. It seems to be working and I can enjoy my rides now because the whole ride isn't spent worrying about what to do next. I can even meet an unexpected hazard without flapping! One example - two cyclists coming from the opposite direction, riding side by side on a country lane - easy-peasy until a white van decided to overtake them and come across onto my side of the road. I just tucked in and let him pass, without even worrying. Not bad for somebody who was so scared only a few weeks ago. Practice makes better. Not perfect, that will never happen, but better I still need to find a reasonably clear open space to practice my slow work, but I think in a couple more weeks I might be ready to try and get across to the industrial estate on the other side of town where I can practice that and also stopping from faster speeds. And no doubt hugely entertaining for the garage staff - today was the first time I've put petrol in the tank myself, and when I put the petrol cap back on I didn't realise it sits slightly proud of the top of the tank, not completely flush - so I spent ages trying to make it sit further down. At which point my husband turned up (who was off on his own ride on his DRZ ) and put me right

And I think I meant to post this in Bike Chat but it's too late now.

Seriously, nobody would want to see my ass being shaken...

It might be the only one. However, I find that I don't get flustered when I've got a car following me closely along the twisty, windy, unmarked roads that I have to use to get anywhere, including to untwisty roads. Inevitably I'm going to hold somebody up sometimes. Especially since dear hubby criticised my lack of speed. But I find it doesn't bother me at all. I think, it's their problem, not mine, and they can overtake when we get to a safe bit. I am quite sure this would have bothered me terribly if I were younger because I get so self-conscious if anybody is watching me. Today was much better - still the odd argh! moment. I went to the car park I was thinking of using to do slow work and it was useless. Simply not big enough and no straight lines. Just a big roundabout in the middle. I did find a bit I thought I might have a go at U-turns on, but it was covered with fallen leaves and water. I took a measuring tape with me and measured 7.5 metres, which looked enormous when I had the tape out, but immediately shrank to almost nothing the minute I got on the bike and I didn't even try I did some slow riding (which has helped me to practice clutch control) but it was like being on a fairground roundabout - only cheaper - and I didn't dare go round the other way for a change, in case a car appeared. Never mind, it's all progress and I'm off work again tomorrow, so two consecutive days are bound to be better than a week in between rides.

Exactly so. When you are driving or riding (including suicidally on a horse) you will clock lots of hazards but not automatically and immediately take avoiding action. What I can't understand is how you can be penalised for indicating that you have spotted something, well before you need to do something about it. The bus or white van pulling up are good examples. of course somebody might step out into the road. Are you supposed to wait till somebody does so before you react? Why isn't that too late? In real life you would already be slowing down, but if you click at that point you get penalised. I really don't get that and it makes the whole idea of the test really scary.

Thank you, BBB!

Good idea, there is a car park nearby (attached to one of the local heritage centres) that I can use, just not sure if it's big enough but it is definitely big enough for practicing quite a lot of the stuff. Supermarket ones are all on the other side of town through lots of horrendous traffic, unfortunately.

....I get a bit disheartened and frustrated by my slow progress. And I compare myself with other people, which I know we shouldn't do. And it's a pain having to work 9 - 5 at this time of the year so it's always dark after work and I'm not ready to go out in the dark yet; or in foul weather. Then I look back at where I was a month ago. And if I look back at where I was two months ago, I don't think I'm the same person. I've only had my bike four weeks and maybe ridden it six times so far. So really, it's not all that bad. It just feels like that sometimes when I read other people's posts and they passed their CBT half an hour ago and have already booked their trip down Route 66 on a Harley. Somebody give me a slap.

Well done!

Fantastic! I'm doing this from work because I couldn't wait till I get home! Work pc won't let me do it so using mobile. I am so proud of you! Well done! (back to work)

??????????????????????????????

Good for her. I expect she had to practice the technique (like judo?) a bit at home first, though. I regularly lift weights that other people find heavy, and they are not heavy at all, just cumbersome, and it is all about the way you do it, and I know it's the same with the bike stand. I doubt if the Mod 1 examiner will allow the use of the foot peg! However, I intend to get it right, if only for my own satisfaction.