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Sounds good. Let me know. Cheers!

Thanks BIgHeavy. Some great suggestions there, will definitely try them. At the moment been doing a couple of hours on a Saturday and Sunday weather permitting. Not into high speed stuff, just gradually trying to get more confident on a big bike. Only done about 300 miles since passing my test a month ago and only 125 time was my Cbt. Wish I’d started riding years ago!

Cheers rennie and gerontiuos. Will try and get out to Abbots Bromley this weekend. It’s going to be sunny and 5 degrees!

Aaahhh! Sorry again! Posted twice. What a numpty!

Sorry messed up typing the end of my original post. Meant to ask for the best roads for bikes you guys recommend around the area. Cheers.

Hello everyone. So only been riding about 3 weeks since passing my test and buying my first bike. I’ve been riding whenever I can when it’s relatively dry and above 2 degrees! Just trying to get used to the new bike and improve my confidence so I can go on longer ride outs with groups eventually . I’ve always lived in the city and don’t mind riding in traffic but don’t really know the best roads which would be more fun on a bike. Would really appreciate any suggestions from riders around Walsall or Sutton Coldfield where they normally go for an enjoyable ride for an hour or two. Cheers.

Hello everyone. So only been riding about 3 weeks since passing my test and buying my first bike. I’ve been trying to ride whenever I can when it’s relatively dry and above 3 degrees! Just trying to get better and improve my confidence so I can go on longer ride outs with groups eventually . I’ve always lived in the city and don’t mind riding in traffic but really enjoy quiet roads which more fun on a bike. Would really appreciate any suggestions from

Well done on the pass! Passed Mod 2 a few weeks ago and just got my first big bike. I'm also not the most confident rider and have only been out by myself a couple of times in the last few weekends. Only done about 80 miles but each time out it gets better as I'm sure it will for you. I'm in Streetly, so not far from you. If the weekend weather is dry and you want to ride or any advice from my experience of mod 1 and 2 let me know. Cheers and good luck!

Cheers guys. Looking at Birmingham, morning in a classroom then 3 hour observed ride out after lunch. Cost £50. Looks like I'll go for it. Hopefully have more experience by the time it comes round (not till May/June) and good weather!

Hi all, Did my DAS a few weeks ago have just started riding an mt07. Anyone one here done Bikesafe? Was thinking of booking one local to me in May. I do feel ok when out but would like to improve my confidence and skills (especially cornering). Guess only comes with clocking up more miles. Cheers.

Boring question I know. Looking at options for my new first bike. Will be stored in an alarmed integral garage but more concerned when I’m out on it and need to park up. Mainly be using it for fun at weekends and rare occasional commute. Thinking of an Almax heavy chain and Abus disclock stored in a 10l Kreiga bag on pillion seat. perhaps carrying a heavy chain around in such a way will be too much of a pain and not secure enough carried in a tail pack. Disclock may suffice if I’m out riding on nice quiet roads and just fancy a quick bacon sarnie in a cafe. After spending £5.5k, £250 odd quid on security seems to make sense. As a newb all opinions appreciated and any cost savings.

Just recently passed my bike mod 2 and have been a car driver for a long time. Re theory test. Didn't buy any of the books or dvds. Just used an Android app. Paid £2.50 for it. Had loads of real questions on it and hazard perception videos. You can do the questions by topic or full mock tests. Kept practising till I was getting close to 100% each time. Come the real thing it was easy as I had seen 90% of the questions before. Good luck!

Cheers guys! An Akra is definitely on the list when I can afford it!

So happy just bought my Bike. Collect next Sunday. Cant wait!

One thing that helped me which stopped me focusing on the speedo and getting the right speed is when I practised, my instructor told me to listen to the sound of the bike at around 32-35 mph. It was quite distinctive in 2nd gear and I knew I was over the right speed. May be of help to you. Good luck.

I just finished mine and was also very nervous to start. But once the nerves settle you should be fine. It helped me to not think too much about the tests early on in the training and remember that i am paying a fair bit of cash for this experience so I may as well enjoy it! Good luck!

Started DAS on Tuesday with Mod1 on Thursday afternoon. First day was tough, 2nd day better, not putting my foot down as much on the slow stuff. Weather was crap all days and come time for Mod1 the winds got up to about 45 mph (thanks Eleanor!) Two of us with the instructor, other lad went first, breezed it. No minors. I get very nervous at tests and during the two days of practice I was ok but would now and again lose focus and put my foot down on the U-turn or knock over the cone with my foot on the swerve (always on the right side never the left!) and come the test, cone was on the right! So starting the test, nerves had really built up during the time in the waiting room and was sure I was going to put my foot down on the U or touch a cone, walking out the wind had really picked up, examiner grabbed my gloves from blowing away whilst I was putting on my helmet!I must have looked a right uncoordinated prat! Decided I was going to take my time between each part and waited about minute or two waiting for a drop in the gusts of wind, took a few deep breaths and focused on getting my revs up and moving away with as much control as I could to be nice and steady for each manoeuvre. Got through all the slow stuff ok, not very smooth or relaxed, but didn't put a foot down or touch a cone. Controlled stop and E brake all ok. Now the swerve, thought I did ok but did came off the throttle a little early. Examiner says 47 kph, gutted! Really nervous now as I know only have 1 go left to get it and was annoyed with myself getting everything else right just to balls it up at the end. So I thought just go for it! Did it but had no idea what speed. Gestured back to the waiting room by the examiner, thought I'd blown it. He says "well done, you've passed". Two minors, bit wide on the 8 and slow speed on the 1st go at the swerve. Asked speed on 2nd go, 57 kph! So happy that Mod1 is out the way. As others have said, easy to pass but also easy to fail. Was much more worried about Mod1 than 2. Just one more test to go and I can start bike shopping! What I learned and could help others is to take your time and trust the bike. With me it was to learning to have the confidence to just let the clutch out a touch when I felt the bike was too slow and I felt the urge to put my foot down to not drop the bike. Looking forward to Mod2 next week with a bit better weather. Cheers guys!

You shouldn't be too hard on yourself. Riding conditions are horrible at the moment. If there was ice, I'm surprised your cbt went ahead. I did my cbt a couple of weeks ago and there were people who struggle at the beginning and then are ok. 3 laps is barely anything and as your are new to it all, it will take a bit longer but you will get there. Others on this forum were very encouraging to me as I struggled on my pre-cbt/taster session, but a little while into my cbt it all clicked and my confidence grew, as I'm sure it will for you. The best advice I got was to just relax and enjoy it. The manoeuvres and balance is so much harder when your shoulders, arms and hands are too tense.

I'm also about to start DAS soon. Don't have the 125 experience you do but the school I'm looking at do 3 days for £560 (for who have 6 months experience) and 4 days for £650 (little experience). That seemed good value to me as it includes bike hire, both tests fees and getting me to the test centre. Did my cbt at another place who said they prefer to do 2/3 hour lessons instead. A few days after my CBT I did a 2 hour DAS lesson with them on a ER6 which was only a pad lesson involving balance, stopping and slow manoeuvres. Had a discount on that so was £44. After that it will be £55 for a 2 hour lesson or 3 hours £60 for mod 1 practice (getting to the test centre and includes 1 hour practice). However after the lessons its £85 for mod 1 and £160 for mod 2 (includes bike hire, test fee and lesson prior to test). So obviously depends on what kind of pace you would prefer to do it at. I'm still unsure about which one to pick. Don't really want to drag it out with lots of lessons which will add up and then pay for the tests. But I guess the option is there for people who don't want to do the long days. If you have the 125 experience already and have practised the slow stuff for mod 1 as well, perhaps 3 days would be enough as you'll probably adapt to the big bike pretty quickly and have good road sense. Best of luck.

Cheers for your post someone. Think I was just unrealistic and expected more from my 1st DAS /pad lesson on the ER6 but was probably due to my own limitations. Obviuosly don’t have much experience on big bikes but the bike I was on had 60k miles on it and throttle, clutch and rear brake felt much less easy to handle than the newish klx 125 I used on the CBT. Perhaps a few more lessons will help. As others have said I need to think more about enjoying it rather than getting frustrated about the slow speed control stuff. Hopefully that will come with practice. CBT felt fantastic when I was on the open road. Just want to crack on and enjoy riding. Probably too impatient with my own progress and need to appreciate that the school I’m with want to build a good foundation of skills rather than rush me through the tests. Will do a couple more lessons, get past this bad weather then think about a 125 for more practice. Think I’m two minds only because I had so much fun on my cbt but the first DAS lesson felt like such hard work.

I'm quite impulsive/impatient and did want to pass mod 1 and mod 2 as soon as possible and buy a XSR700 or MT-07 straight away, but after that 1st DAS lesson I'm thinking thinking that F**k what other people think or judge. I'll get a Duke 125, have fun, learn slow manoeuvre/ clutch skills at my own pace, and hopefully big bike skills will be easier then and will need less lessons before mod 1 and 2?

and goat sorry!

Thanks to Bender and someone also for your replys also.

Thank you for taking the time to reply Hoggs. For my first time on a big bike, I did enjoy my first DAS lesson. But damn did i found it hard! Was too tense probably. I am not the most coordinated! It was a 2 hour/pad lesson going over the controls and manual handling of the 600cc bike. First bit was going round the car park and coming to a very controlled slow stop (lots of repitions to get it perfect). Then was slow slalom over 2 cones (2 parking bays apart). Struggled at that so instructor thought best to do U turn instead (3 bays). Problems I had was to juggle feathering the clutch whilst keep the revs up and using the back break at the same time. Managed it a few times but went too wide most of it it. Really got frustrated at myself! Relied on balance as on the light 125 for cbt rather than clutch control. Know I won't be able to get away with that for Mod1. My favourite part was the road section of the cbt. Probably didn't stop smiling for all of it! Instructor mentioned that i didn't make many mistakes either, so was really chuffed as was first time out on the roads an a bike. But didn't get do do that on the 600 for the 1st DAS lesson, probably too early though. Was thinking about doing 2 hour DAS lessons once a week on the schools ER6s to get ready for mod 1. Compared to the Kawasaki KLX 125s for my cbt, the ER6s rear brakes felt really awkward in terms of position and feel. After that 1st DAS lesson I'm now thinking of getting a 125 and practising the slow stuff on my own. Think I'll do better at my own pace and no one watching. Really like the look of the Duke 125s. I would be able to afford a used one and from what I've heard that are the best 125s and are quick-ish for a 125 (full 15bhp). My aim is to be hopefully get my full licence about Easter (CBT and theory is already passed). What do other people think of practising on a Ktm 125 and doing 600cc DAS lessons once a week at the same time? Im in no rush and don't need it for commuting and rather just for for weekend pleasure/summer riding. Thanks everyone.

So decided to book my first DAS lesson on a big bike this week. The school says its a 2 hour session similar to the the pad/taster session I did on my pre cbt in their car park. This should get me used to the controls/balance/weight of the bike. If Im ok, they will let me out on the road for a bit. Thought this might be the best way to make me decide if I want to do DAS straight away or get a 125 and practice on my own for a bit.