Dombo

I have noticed the same. 60 years old and planning to do DAS this year and looking at RE Himalayan or Honda CB500X. Clean driving licence since 81 but no biking experience other than CBT, and a week’s rental on L plates, live just inside M25, employed, married, homeowner etc. Quotes for above bikes, garaged, SDP and commuting coming in at £500 with over double that for excess. Even when I tweak the details on comparison sites, remove commuting, put full bike licence for a year, BikeSafe course and IAM bike pass there’s little difference. For a 125 on a CBT only the quotes were double that.

There were quite a few bikers on the ferry to Bilbao when I last went a couple of years ago. Our place is in Aragon about 35 miles SE of Pamplona. Fantastic roads around there as well as light off road to explore. There’s a website, navarider.com that has routes as well as organising guided rides. Its name comes from Navarra which is the province next to Aragon.

Traffic was generally very light and overall much slower than we are used to. The locals all ride smaller bikes and even car drivers would have grown up riding them so tend to be more aware of motorbikes than in the UK. In towns the traffic looks like total chaos but seems to work and everyone seems to expect everyone else to look out for them. Our little XR150 bikes had a fair amount of road presence among all the Honda Blades and Visions that made up the bulk of the other vehicles, and in heavier traffic the law of gross tonnage seems to apply. Compared to the locals I was also very over-dressed with proper helmet from UK, armoured summer jacket, boots, gloves and knee/leg pads. My only near miss was passing some water buffalo just as one decided to make a bolt for it.

We didn’t have time to get full licences here before we went so only had our recent CBTs. For Vietnam you need a 1968 IDP and ours were both stamped in the motorbike box (as well as just about everything else except buses and HGVs on mine). This satisfied the police when they flagged us down. Apparently they tend to assume that a foreigner on a “big” geared bike is likely to have a full licence back home - most tourists ride the smaller semi-autos or point and squirt automatics. They’re only interested in the IDP, not our UK licences.

Just spent six days riding this area of northern Vietnam with my son and a local guide. We were all on Honda XR150’s. Excellent bikes, suitable for on and off road, and about as powerful as our 125s but not available here as no real market for them in that engine size. Absolutely stunning scenery riding on mostly twisty mountain roads, three days dry and sunny and three days pouring rain thanks to Typhoon Talim.

I have the Revit Eclipse mesh jacket, t-shirt underneath when it’s hot, and I use my hi viz waterproof cycling jacket over it in cold weather. It has elbow and shoulder armour along with a pocket for a back protector, and I can vouch for the armour in a couple of very slow speed embarrassing tumbles off road.

As I mentioned in the CBT thread I got my certificate a couple of months ago, and last week I hired a little Yamaha YSR 125 for a week for fun and to get some slow-riding practice. This involved riding routes I normally cycle, figure 8s and U turns in a car park, and commuting up to London for a few days. It helped with slow speed stuff in traffic but the thing I really noticed was the friendliness of other bikers. Sat at traffic lights on a learner bike, hi viz cycling jacket over my armour and festooned with L plates there was a roar alongside and a Kawasaki Z1000 pulls up. Bloke glances over at me, possibly the uncoolest individual on Brixton High Street, and gives me a thumbs up. Then yesterday, on my way to hand it back, I’m going straight over a mini roundabout, with three motorcycle coppers coming the other way, and I get a nod from two of them.

Looking at your routes, if you straightened the bit between Liege and Frankfurt a tad you’d not be a million miles from the Nurburgring……

A day and a half is pretty lively for 1200 miles. At an average 60mph that’s 20 hours of driving, fine if you’re swapping drivers every couple of hours and blasting down the motorway. If I were doing it for pleasure (only done CBT but I’d take the convertible) I would take 5-6 days and have a couple of hotel stops as well as the wild camping. Mix up motorways with some nice twisty mountain bits and it’ll be fun.

Feeling much happier today. I took the advice above and changed schools, went with an excellent local one where I’d got my previous CBT in 2018. Only two of us, both on geared bikes so we had very detailed instruction on fantastic little Honda MSX bikes. Clutch control got better as the day wore on and I got the hang of dragging the brake for the slow speed stuff. Then a very enjoyable couple of hours riding around a nice mix of roads, and a fresh CBT certificate at the end, to add to my theory test that I managed to scrape a pass in a couple of weeks ago.

I was amazed at the difference being on a 500cc bike, even just a 2 hour taster, happily pootling along at half walking pace, never stalling and easily doing slaloms, U turns and figure 8s.

Thanks everyone for the encouragement. I’ve got another CBT in a few weeks, theory test after Easter, which I’m not worried about as I nailed it last time. And if all goes well try for DAS.

Thanks. No complaints at all about the instructor, he was very patient and helped as much as he could. It was all down to me.

Hi all, a bit of background - I have had a driving licence since 1981 and passed my CBT and theory test a few years ago intending go on and take DAS but family issues and covid got in the way so both lapsed. I had also done a try out on a 500cc arranged by the school and loved how much more planted the big bike felt. Today I went for CBT again, on a geared bike, the other two students were on autos, and I really struggled on the figure 8s, U-turns, clutch control was rubbish and I was either stalling the bike or revving like a demented thing to the extent that I was dreading going out on the road and was almost relieved when the instructor said I should stop and come back for further training. So all told a bit of a rubbish experience and feeling a bit useless as everyone I see out and about on bikes make it look effortless. Thanks for reading. Whinge over, feel free to commiserate, heap mickey-taking abuse or offer advice.

To give a bit of balance from a car driver's perspective - driving through Worplesdon in Surrey on Saturday morning I eased off and moved over slightly to let three bikes past. All sped past at 60 in a 40, the last one doing a wheelie then overtaking the next few cars into oncoming traffic causing the vehicles to swerve, luckily he came to no harm. In my experience these were completely atypical as returning home that afternoon I was heading up towards Newlands corner from West Clandon, noticed two bikes behind that I'd already clocked at the lights, he on a nice Bonneville and companion on what looked like a Royal Enfield. Eased off again up the hill as they looked positioned for an overtake and got a nice little wave from both. In my experience this behaviour tends to be the norm.

Just to add a third element to the mix, I learned with NAUI, National Association of Underwater Instructors, in NYC a few years ago prior to heading for Martinique on hols. The main advantage to this I found vs say learning in the resort, was that the open water dives in New York were brutal - cold water, leaky wetsuits and near zero visibility, and seasickness (luckily on the boat and not trying to blow chunks through my regulator). So after qualifying in these conditions, diving in Martinique was a breeze. However I had previously done a BSAC taster as a kid at school and for this we had to dump all our kit in the pool, jump in and put it all on, mask last. We also had to swim a few lengths underwater with tanks but without the mask, and learn basic first aid. The mask exercises were invaluable when I was buddied with an absolute throbber who managed to knock my mask off in the refresher buddy breathing in the resort. Thankfully I never had to put the first aid knowledge to use. I subsequently did a refresher with BSAC and found them to be very thorough.

I did my CBT in July 2018 and theory shortly after. As a middle-aged bloke who’d never ridden anything other than point and squirt holiday rentals 25 years ago I found the CBT enjoyable, if nerve-wracking on the road, but left it feeling a bit, meh, as to whether I would carry on and commit to DAS. Everyone had said bigger bikes were easier and more enjoyable to ride than the 125 learner machines so I was pleased to see Phoenix offering a £20 taster session on big bikes – 90 minutes riding around their training ground in Crystal Palace. (I should add I have absolutely no affiliation of any kind to Phoenix, just a happy customer). I have to say, to anyone like me who is unsure about taking the plunge these sessions are well worth it. Given I hadn’t ridden since July I started back on a 125 to get into the swing of gear changing, balance, and the instructor had me doing U-turns, slaloms etc but then progressed to a 500. The difference was incredible. To experienced bikers this will seem like old hat, but to a total noob like me, the 500 first of all sounded better, but it pulled so smoothly and felt so well balanced it was an absolute revelation compared to the screaming little 125. Feathering the clutch and keeping pressure on the rear brake I could happily pootle around the slalom and figure 8 at slower than walking pace and everything about the bike just felt better made and more solid. Although still not convinced biking’s for me I will be going back for another session as I enjoyed it so much, and hopefully get the bug.

Well that's the theory done and dusted. Aced the 50 questions in just shy of 11 minutes but scraped the hazard spotting. One clip I actually scored zero, but overall enough to pass. Now I need to work on "you're not getting an effing motorbike" from SWMNNBO. Nice to learn a new skill - like if I took flying lessons I wouldn't necessarily go and buy a plane, just nice to be able to hire one if I wanted. Have to say, compared to when I did my driving test back in 1981 the system is a lot more thorough and quite glad I did it, if only for the Highway Code refresher. For example, last time I was stopped by the police, in 82, he pulled in front and turned on a Stop sign in his rear window; now they flash headlights and pull up behind. Who knew?

Hi, I did my CBT last month. First time ever on a geared bike, having only ever ridden holiday mopeds some 25 years ago. My main worry was changing gear but that was fairly easy. I cycle a lot so have reasonable balance and for the U-turn and figure 8s you should look where you want to go, and I mean really look, point your head in the direction you want to go and look into the distance, not the wheel. The bike will absolutely go where you're looking. We had about 3-4 hours doing slow manoeuvres like this and then out onto the road with the instructor. Bearing in mind I have happily descended twisty mountain roads on a pushbike at close to 45-50mph wearing just a helmet and lycra, and rush hour commuting in central London, I was surprised at how nervous I was on the 125, clad in hi-viz armoured jacket, gloves, full face helmet and stout boots, and the all important L-plates. The instructor was very good however, kept me and the other pupil in close radio contact with a running commentary very close to what you're taught on IAM driving courses, eg "pub car park ahead on left, vehicle emerging" etc. He picked me up several times on not cancelling the indicators after a turn. Unlike cars, they do NOT self-cancel, and towards the end he was understandably getting snappy with me for this highly dangerous error. Then my main problem was the hill start - our area in Surrey is quite hilly and my problem was one of habitually putting my right foot down when stopped, which of course you need to hold the bike on the back brake. Eventually I got it sorted and got the CBT certificate. It was an enjoyable day but I didn't leave with the expected burning desire to go full DAS and get a bike, however six weeks on and I've booked my theory test, bought some boots and looking at other kit with a view to taking DAS and getting a full sized bike after that. I had thought of getting a little 125 to get some practice on but everyone I've spoken to says the bigger bikes are easier to ride so I may as well put the 125 money towards DAS and a full size machine. Good luck with your CBT, remember just look where you want to go and relax! And cancel the indicators.

Hi all, new here. Done my CBT as a first timer in my 50s and now prepping for my theory test. Regarding the hazard videos, are they as fuzzy in the test as some of the official and unofficial examples online? A few I’ve seen have for example a cyclist or pedestrian that only appear as a tiny smudge at the point you are meant to first notice them. They’re obvious second time round but just wondering if the test videos are a bit sharper?