TunnelEyes

Just mapped my route, 21 miles instead of my intended 7 haha

when I first started (and I'm still relatively new to it) riding at night on roads with streetlights freaked me out as I kept catching my shadow in the corner of my eye and thought it was something/someone coming up beside me, scared the bejeezus out of me!!

Oh gosh I bet! I went out a few country lanes which I think is a bit past my current ability for night riding haha! :')

Went for a ride by myself last night in the dark for like an hour at least haha I regret not sticking to roads with streetlights, bit scary! But still good haha! Criteria met; didn't stall, didn't die. Thats the main thing

Did anyone ever feel like they were never going to get there? Seeing people with bikes and riding and feeling like no, thats never going to be me, I can't do that.

 

Yes, about half way through my CBT last May. I thought I would never get it. In all honesty I probably shouldn't have gone out on the road I was that bad. After I somehow got my certificate I got a 125, practice, practice, road miles etc and never looked back since......plenty of shoulder checks though

This is literally like me, yaaay! Haha that makes me feel better!

Step 1. Go out for at least half an hour on the 125.

When you have completed this let me know and you will get step 2

 

Oh I don't mean I want it now, just even looking at its like such an unreal thought I would ever be like a "biker" haha! Retaking CBT friday so all day riding yaaay!

 

That counts.. you can have step 2 on Friday PM then

Wooo! Actually kind of excited!

I really want an ER6n but I can barely bring myself to ride my little beastie

 

Maybe you need to break this down into smaller chunks. Going from a 125 to passing all your tests and buying a big bike is a HUGE step.

Step 1. Go out for at least half an hour on the 125.

When you have completed this let me know and you will get step 2

Oh I don't mean I want it now, just even looking at its like such an unreal thought I would ever be like a "biker" haha! Retaking CBT friday so all day riding yaaay!

Did anyone ever feel like they were never going to get there? Seeing people with bikes and riding and feeling like no, thats never going to be me, I can't do that.

yup. you will get there just takes practise not going to happen over night I'm afraid.

buy worth it when it does click!

I really want an ER6n but I can barely bring myself to ride my little beastie

Did anyone ever feel like they were never going to get there? Seeing people with bikes and riding and feeling like no, thats never going to be me, I can't do that.

 

Yes. Both when starting out and again when trying to get over an injury last year. It just felt it was getting harder each time out and that I thought I should give up. But I just kept forcing myself to ride, no matter how simple of boring the rides were, and it eventually became easier.

Once you know what the controls are and can balance, the stuff that happens on the CBT, learning is then just experience. There was one time when I suddenly had the thought I was guiding the bike rather than riding it, and that is when I realized I could do it. Starting out you are thinking about riding, and that holds you back. With experience though it becomes more innate.

Take changing gear, for example. First you have to go off the throttle, then pull in the clutch, now you can change gear, if going down maybe you will blip the throttle, then you need to start increasing the throttle and releasing the clutch, but carefully to match road speed. Broken down to going through it methodically like that, one step after the other, is sounds like a lot to do. Yet once you it becomes natural you do it all together in a fraction of a second without any awareness of the individual steps. Thinking about it makes it far more difficult and slower. But eventually it becomes natural and you will do all those steps without realizing.

Just keep riding and 'getting there' will happen automatically that you will not even notice.

That said, I suck at corners, I am very slow on them, so still have the "I can never do that" feeling seeing others. But it is not generally a problem (I ride on my own so can set my own pace) and I just keeping hoping those too will happen naturally over time. Still hoping. Always hoping.

Thank you thats a really interesting way of viewing it!

Did anyone ever feel like they were never going to get there? Seeing people with bikes and riding and feeling like no, thats never going to be me, I can't do that.

It's not even been a week but I've had no time to ride and kind of lost my nerve again

 

Getting on it will be the hardest thing! I remember getting proper butterflies at the thought of going anywhere but once I was going I was always fine!

Last time I was learning there was a few times I had to take my helmet off because I nearly threw up from nerves haha! Thankfully not as bad this time around, but same anxious feeling :/

It's not even been a week but I've had no time to ride and kind of lost my nerve again

Down near Weymouth way

Without recreational riding, my regular commute will be daily for about 20/30 minutes

Oooh amazing! Sadly about an hour from Poole/Bournemouth, close to the Jurassic coast so probably quite far from you!

Manic Mondays there is probably worth a visit, I have not get there yet.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/1795234414047369/

There are other local groups there is one for females only "Dorset Witches" I think?

Its worth lurking on some FB groups to get an idea of whats on....

Thank you!

I play the "floor is lava" game quiet a bit when I'm out. Trying to go slow and not have to put my feet down for as long as possible.

I've started doing this too. However, both times recently when I've had to do a u-turn, I've put my feet down! Now determined to do one again without ”cheating”!

TunnelEyes - I did the DAS route, so went from CBT to full A license in about 6 weeks, so can't really help, but am still very much learning and have only done ~1500 miles since getting my bike. Still feels like there's noticable improvement from one week to the next though, especially in confidence and low-speed manoeuvring.

Nothing beats time on the road, and based on my experience I'd say there's no need to restrict yourself to 125s, unless you want to be on the road ASAP rather than go straight for the A2.

I need to be onroad ASAP for practical reasons, couldn't really afford to take my A2 or buy another bike just yet anyway So in theory, I could probably get my A2 over the summer? If I ride regularly?

If your on face book there's a rash of facebook groups:

Poole & Bournemouth Bikers (most local biker are probably a member).

https://www.facebook.com/groups/446993572004093/

This group is more week day based if you work shifts:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/1625261391095072/

There is also a list of local bike nights in the documents on there one that might be of interest to you is Manic Mondays at Wareham.

I am South on the Dorset/ Hampshire border...

Editing this to add, having seen your confidence issues. There is a small friendly if eclectic group of us that meet on a Thursday with various levels of experience, quite commonly there are more females than men. We all ride at different rates and paces and generally don't take ourselves to seriously, you would be welcome as long as you enjoy a laugh...

Oooh amazing! Sadly about an hour from Poole/Bournemouth, close to the Jurassic coast so probably quite far from you!

A2 would be good to go for and you could upgrade in 2 years to get to a full Cat A!

That's what I was thinking, as DAS is 24 so that's out. Just wondering if 6 months or so is enough to be proficient and confident?

20

Thank you! What a lovely instructor to allow you all that help for free

Hoping, ideally, to save and practice for my A2 license and buy myself a bike for my 21st (December) If it doesn't go to plan oh well, just something to give me incentive to work on my skills

I held traffic up for like two/three changes of the lights! Went out again for another hour or so after with a friend, stalled in the same place again

 

Ah traffic can wait Sounds like you have a bit of a mental block forming at that junction though (we all get them!), take a deep breath you'll nail it

It was good to go out with a friend because when I panicked he told me to keep calm and take deep breaths and that I was doing well, which is sometimes all you need!

Who's worked up through the licenses? So CBT - A1/A2 - A

How long did you spend on each? Would like to do my A2 in the future but dont want to set an unrealistic time limit on myself

Which part of Dorset?

South

Well done! Now just keep repeating that. a little each day and you'll get rid of those nerves in no time

A difficulty at the moment is also finding time to ride with work, the horse, hobbies, "socialising" when I can be arsed! Work is so close it would take longer to ride w/ gear, locks, etc. etc!

Well thanks I thought we could of give it another go ..... can I have my Spider-Man hot water bottle back

Please.

Cost ya a tenner ;p

Guess who just rode her bike for the first time in like 8 months Wooo only had one major panic at a massive stalling session

 

Bet my stalling session when i first rode my 125 home with no geared training was better.

20 in a row till i revved hard, dropped the clutch and wheelied off the line almost falling off.

Now i can do gears no problem all these years later. Can't bloody wheelie if i tried though...

The instructor and ex where knobs. Keep at it, there's some lovely roads in Dorset/Devon area of the coast. Kinda miss them

I held traffic up for like two/three changes of the lights! Went out again for another hour or so after with a friend, stalled in the same place again

Guess who just rode her bike for the first time in like 8 months Wooo only had one major panic at a massive stalling session