iiisecondcreep

this happened to me as well, was told (in person) that I was too small to do DAS (I'm 5'4). Mind you, in the few times I spoke to her her attitude was appalling every time, I've since heard that she's always like this. Anyway, I went elsewhere and passed my das in november! I can't make any recommendations as I'm not in your area, but the advice I would give is do a bit of research and then speak to the place you are planning on going to (in person or on the phone), ask lots of questions, tell them what you want to do and see how you feel about them. If you're not happy with what they tell you, try somewhere else. If someone had a bad experience, (I'm not saying this IS the case but) that could have been as much or more their own fault as it was the training centres (eg personality clash or whatever). When I spoke to the place I went to they were very friendly and helpful, when I said I wanted to do DAS and had no previous experience they said they'd recommend doing CBT and then start out with lessons on the 125 and once I got the confidence move up to lessons on the 500. Which is what I did, and I had no problems with the 500 at all

Wrap up warm and have fun!

Don't forget to wrap up warm, I did mine in Feb last year and it was flipping freezing!! Good luck with it all

I did my DAS as normal lessons. I had also never been on a bike ever before, I found the CBT to be physically and mentally exhausting (first few lessons and first lesson on big bike were pretty nerve wracking as well!), there is no way I could have done a crash course in a week! Started off with a few lessons on the 125 then moved onto the 500. Also didn't do my mod 1/mod 2 at the same time (booked my mod 2 when I passed mod 1).

Nice one! Love those boots Wish there was a George White up here, keep browsing the clearance section.... hopefully they'll have a good selection at the bike show again this year, got my helmet there last year for half price

Good luck, hopefully the snow will be well gone by then

Yay, well done

Hiya, I'm near Falkirk so not *that* far from you. I volunteered for a while at my local RDA, so I know the good work they do I have absolutely no ideas, sorry! But I would be interested in taking part in any bike related charity fundraising, so I will be keeping an eye on this thread

You can get normal helmets with that shape at the front.

Is it not just a normal black helmet with an additional solid black visor attached serving as a sun shade?

I think the sperate forcefield back armour offers a greater area of protection ie lower back as well, the insert one doesn't go that far down.

Congrats

My tpft insurance includes legal cover and breakdown cover with the rac (although I am with the AA anyway which covers me for any vehicle).

I'm 27, passed my DAS in Nov and got a '98 gsxr 600 a few days later. Insured tpf&t this year, because fully comp would have cost me almost as much as the bike and tpft was £600 less. Plan on going fully comp next year.

Nah, no limit its got to be THIS! http://www.hein-gericke.co.uk/shop/prod ... ts_id/8818

As above, depends on the stuff! I bought my own helmet, jacket, gloves and boots shortly after I started having lessons. I had intended to buy some gear while I was learning anyway but I started learning just before the Scottish motorcycle show so I got helmet/gloves/boots there and saved £££ (jacket came from a sale at a dealers so saved on that too)

Ultimately came down to fit and comfort, but I did also use the SHARP ratings to help me decide.

Are they the same as bagster? I know the baglux website has bagster covers, didn't know if they were the same company though. I just got a bagster tank cover and bag for my red/black gsxr. I'm really pleased with it. Colour matches really well (even has the black stripe that continues up from the fairing (pic)) and it feels really good quality.

I did my module 2 a week ago on Thursday in Stirling. I had a lesson the week before it, my next lesson was a mini lesson before the test itself. Was at my instructors at 12, test was at 1.30pm. Lesson was maybe 45mins long, by the time I'd nervously chattered away and spent ages getting myself ready. Arrived at the test centre 15-20minutes before the test. Sat, waited, stressed. Eventually, the examiner came in and out we went. First off, the questions bit. He asked me how to check the condition of the chain and the first part of the second question I thought was a trick... 'if you take a pillion on the back, which way should they face?' '.... ..... forwards?' Then asked me about adjusting the bike for carrying a pillion. Then we set off, around (but not in) town and on two 50mph dual carriageways. Not much to report, really. The independant riding bit wasn't as bad as I'd expected, I have a terrible memory and am so bad at following directions but I managed fine- can't really go wrong with 'follow signs for Stirling'. On one of the dual carriageways I stayed at 40mph behind a car rather than than overtake, which I was slightly worried about getting marked down for and I was convinced I'd briefly got a second too close however... When we arrived back I was told (as soon as I got off the bike!) 'I'm pleased to let you know you've passed' Success! Passed first time, no minors And, much the same as when I got my car license, I don't at all feel ready to be out on the roads by myself lol

I passed my module 1 FOURTH time I found the mod 1 very stressful, and people say this is meant to be the easy bit! First time: I'd been practicing for aaaaaages (I never got my theory out the way- I didn't bother doing that til I was almost ready for the practical tests and of course the wait ended up being ages, and then the wait for the mod 1 once I'd passed was another 6weeks/2months ish!), but I'm quite a stressy person so I did extra lessons near the time. I was told I did not need a lesson the evening before, but I insisted! What happened? On my very last practice emergency stop at the very end of the lesson I locked the back break- first time I had ever done it. Any guesses what happened the next day? Wheeling the bike- spot on slalom- spot on figure of eight- bit wobbly but otherwise fine Avoidance- spot on U turn- nae bother Slow ride- best I'd ever done Emergency stop- locked the flipping back break! ARGH! No minors, just a big black mark next to the emergency stop. Bah. Attempt 2 Turned up in the morning without my theory pass certificate. GUTTED. Fortunately they had a space in the afternoon so the examiner let me have that so I could go home and get my certificate. On the test- braked before the bike was upright on the avoidance.... Attempt 3 (this was an odd day, there were 2 other bike schools there at the time doing mod 1's, out of 8 or 9 people- only 1 passed all day). Never made the speed for the serve, 2nd attempt locked the back brake. Attempt 4. Internal narrative 'THIS IS NOT A CAR! GET YOUR FOOT OFF THAT BACK BREAK!' Passed, YAY! Got one minor because I arrived in the box at the end of the avoidance "like a bag of spanners".

I do see your point, but like I said even if (which I am 100% certain it is not in this instance) it was just a money making scam, it was still the cheapest option! I did ask out of interest and apparently, the most anyone has ever had to pay out was £40 in the 15 or so years they've been there.

Surely they're insured for this? If you crashed a car on a driving lesson you wouldn't be asked to stump up for it. I chucked an er5 down the road on a lesson and didn't pay a penny towards repairs, insurance waivers etc.... It just seems another way to scam money from people who have their heart set on something. Thats a rather negative outlook. the first place, I have absolutely no doubt that they were just trying to scam money out of people. The people I went with I don't believe this at all, its a small family run place and I believe its simply that they do their own small repairs rather than go through the insurance. As they were £10 cheaper per hour than the 2 other places i knew of (I had at least 20 x 2hr lessons with them so saved a fair few ££) I wasn't complaining about having to fork out if something was badly enough damaged to require repair.

I did my CBT way back in Febuary, and it was FREEZING! I had absolutely zero experience of riding a bike (closest was riding pillion once or twice), I was nervous but I was even more excited! When I had originally looked into learning to go a bike I had asked in the only bike place I knew of and here are some things they told me: They strongly advised against doing the CBT with no prior experience and said you should first do a trial on the bike which cost £70. I wouldn't be able to go on to do DAS because I was too small (I'm 5'4) and I'd find the bike too heavy and not be able to do the manouevres. They offered a £50 insurance waiver (optional but they strongy advised against not taking it). However, as I didn't know any other places (and the shop always seemed to be busy) i decided to book with them but I told a porky pie and said I'd had a little pootle around on a friends bike so I didn't have to pay the extra £70 for the 2hr trial. So i called them, booked a date and was told they don't take payments over the phone so i jumped in the car and went in, I was there in around 6 minutes and when I went in I was told (by the same woman I'd spoke to on the phone 6 minutes previous, and who had told me the other info above) that the day i had booked was now fully booked. I said, 'its become fully booked since I called less than ten minutes ago?' 'yes' she replied, as scornfully as she had been every other time I'd spoke to her. No 'I'm sorry' or even any attempt to see if there was another time I could do. I just walked out. (and of course, not even a cheerio or bye!) I was fuming! Anyway, I got the old yellow pages out and found a few places to call. I ended up going with the first place I called because the woman was so friendly and helpful on the phone- and I am so glad I did go with them they were brilliant (I've since passed my DAS with them and will hopefully doing some advanced training with them over the summer, no insurance excess to pay only pay for any bits you damage, ability to do DAS was judged on personal ability not height lol! and I could do CBT with no previous experience without a problem). I also discussed my experience with the other place with them, and it would seem I am very far from the only one who has had such an experience! I did it over 2 days, the first day it was just me and she told me all about bikes and then we went to the car park they hired for off road stuff so I could have a wee shot (with them the CBT can be done over several days, its not a 'fail' if you don't get it on the first day). The second day there were two other people, one was re-doing her CBT after doing it previously and then not doing her test and the other already had a scooter that he'd had a sneaky shot in. We started with all the manual handling of the bikes, then manouevres. After that we did some practice road riding, how and when to do observations checks, how to ride through junctions etc. And then- the road! I was so nervous, luckily I got one instructor to myself and the other 2 CBT people went with the other instructor. It was such hard work! That coupled with the cold, towards the end of the day I was ready to say 'I'll just come back and finish it next weekend', but she pointed out that I only had to do another half an hour road riding to have done my 2hours, so i went for it! Apart from being FREEZING it was a really good day and I managed to get my CBT certificate by the end of the second day

Congratulations!

Hello! i am new to the forum and I am from Central Scotland (Bonnybridge) Only got my bike at the weekend (and my first ride on it was down the a9 in the dark ) so hoping to gets lots of practice doing short rides before the bad weather strikes so i will be ready to enjoy scotland at its best in the summer!