CBT - Experiences of other Members

[fastbob]

3 hours ago, Spongefinger said:

 

Some motorcycle schools will do lessons before the CBT or taster sessions. So you don't go in completely unready. My 14 year old daughter had a hour lesson on Sunday just because she wanted to see what it's like to ride a motorcycle. 

That does sound like a great idea . 

[fastbob]

On 24/05/2021 at 13:21, JackieOWheels said:

 

Yeah, he said he didn't feel like he was on the bike for more than 10mins as they just started the exercise with going round in a circle and then told shortly after to stop. There was only one other rider with him but that rider already knew how to ride so didn't need to practice much, my mate said the other rider was already moving on to the 2nd gear and was slow controlling the bike. I thought it was crap how he was told so quickly to come back next time when the instructor should have spent more time with my mate as the other rider was more experienced so less time was needed to "train" the other rider.

There are two sides to every story and none of us were there . 

[Hoggs]

6 hours ago, Spongefinger said:

 

Some motorcycle schools will do lessons before the CBT or taster sessions. So you don't go in completely unready. My 14 year old daughter had a hour lesson on Sunday just because she wanted to see what it's like to ride a motorcycle. 

You're the coolest parent ever!

[Hoggs]

soz double post

Edited September 22, 2021 by Hoggs

[bonio]

26 minutes ago, Hoggs said:

soz double post

too much gin

[Spongefinger]

18 hours ago, Hoggs said:

You're the coolest parent ever!

I'm sure my children would argue that point but thanks anyway

[rightstuff]

Looks like Rochford 

[JRH]

On 22/09/2021 at 22:40, Hoggs said:

You're the coolest parent ever!

Hey.

[Spongefinger]

On 23/09/2021 at 21:03, rightstuff said:

Looks like Rochford 

 

Yep. Passbike

[dar1976]

Hi all.  
 

So after 25 years of driving cars and 10 years of driving articulated lorries and coaches as a commercial driver, I’ve bitten the bullet and booked myself onto a course in Andover at the end of January.  Very popular right now so that was the first one available or I’d have got on one sooner.   
 

Been watching YouTube videos on what to expect.  I’ve asked for a 125 Manual as I plan to go on to do the DAS if everything goes to plan.  I’m really hoping I can get my head round squeezing the lever for clutch and brake having spent lots of years doing it with my feet.  
 

Anyway, as a newbie to the forum - thanks all for posting your experiences.  It’s great to read through and get an idea of how things are.  
 

Hopefully I can give a good post next year after the event.  
 

Dean.  

[Mississippi Bullfrog]

4 hours ago, dar1976 said:

Hi all.  
 

So after 25 years of driving cars and 10 years of driving articulated lorries and coaches as a commercial driver, I’ve bitten the bullet and booked myself onto a course in Andover at the end of January.  Very popular right now so that was the first one available or I’d have got on one sooner.   
 

Been watching YouTube videos on what to expect.  I’ve asked for a 125 Manual as I plan to go on to do the DAS if everything goes to plan.  I’m really hoping I can get my head round squeezing the lever for clutch and brake having spent lots of years doing it with my feet.  
 

Anyway, as a newbie to the forum - thanks all for posting your experiences.  It’s great to read through and get an idea of how things are.  
 

Hopefully I can give a good post next year after the event.  
 

Dean.  

Good luck with this. Using the clutch and brake levers doesn't take long to adapt to. What matters is getting the feel of how to control the bike when going slowly, that's where the co-ordination needs learning. 

 

For new riders, and indeed drivers, it's being able to control the bite point. With cars there's a set bite point you can hold, bikes are different, you tend to control the bite by holding steady rpm, letting the clutch in and out slightly and balancing things by applying a touch of rear brake. The need to hold the bike in balance whilst going slowly is the skill. 

 

Remember that bikes use wet clutches with multiple plates rather than one dry plate, if you've got a head for how things work it helps understand what's going on.

 

The application of a little rear brake is the bit most car drivers don't anticipate.

[S-Westerly]

What he said.

[bonio]

2 hours ago, S-Westerly said:

What he said.

I'm impressed. I didn't even understand it.

[Bender]

18 hours ago, dar1976 said:

Hi all.  
 

So after 25 years of driving cars and 10 years of driving articulated lorries and coaches as a commercial driver, I’ve bitten the bullet and booked myself onto a course in Andover at the end of January.  Very popular right now so that was the first one available or I’d have got on one sooner.   
 

Been watching YouTube videos on what to expect.  I’ve asked for a 125 Manual as I plan to go on to do the DAS if everything goes to plan.  I’m really hoping I can get my head round squeezing the lever for clutch and brake having spent lots of years doing it with my feet.  
 

Anyway, as a newbie to the forum - thanks all for posting your experiences.  It’s great to read through and get an idea of how things are.  
 

Hopefully I can give a good post next year after the event.  
 

Dean.  

It's so different from car it's not confusing, I'm sure at some point you've ridden a push bike so your brains half programmed. 

 

Once the coordination is out the way it becomes much easier. 

 

Good luck. 

[JRH]

18 hours ago, Bender said:

It's so different from car it's not confusing, I'm sure at some point you've ridden a push bike so your brains half programmed. 

 

Once the coordination is out the way it becomes much easier. 

 

Good luck. 

This is so true. I have more problems swapping between my car and my wife’s car than my car and the bike.

[HondaCruiser]

Just my 2 cents about my CBT!

My instructor was a an ex-army bloke, so I don’t know why he acted as he did...maybe because he’s a tiny skinny guy and was trying to impress us all or something!

Anyway, he explained the controls etc etc, all 3 of us were in twist n go bikes.

We did all the usual stuff in the car park, and that’s when he started using expletives, like “what are u f**king doing?”, “you pussy, I didn’t ask you to do that!” or told us stories of former pupils like “I had one c**t who f***ed up everything...” etc etc!

When he took us on the road, we were already put off by his attitude and his swearing, so naturally we made plenty of mistakes, taking wrong turns etc!

i took a wrong turn and he shouted in my earpiece asking me to pull over!

”What the f**k are you doing, pillock?”

Anyway, we all passed thankgidbut the gist of the matter is, instructors like those shouldn’t be instructing! 

Edited January 9, 2022 by HondaCruiser

[Bender]

@HondaCruiserhe's a knob, you need a better instructor going forward. 

[Blackholesun]

Sounds like a right karnt....

[JayMutt]

That's one thing I'm hoping for when I'm doing learner classes...that the instructor is patient, easy going and basically not a complete arse. If he is then I'll find another test centre.

Edited January 15, 2022 by JayMutt

[fastbob]

On 09/01/2022 at 19:32, HondaCruiser said:

Just my 2 cents about my CBT!

My instructor was a an ex-army bloke, so I don’t know why he acted as he did...maybe because he’s a tiny skinny guy and was trying to impress us all or something!

Anyway, he explained the controls etc etc, all 3 of us were in twist n go bikes.

We did all the usual stuff in the car park, and that’s when he started using expletives, like “what are u f**king doing?”, “you pussy, I didn’t ask you to do that!” or told us stories of former pupils like “I had one c**t who f***ed up everything...” etc etc!

When he took us on the road, we were already put off by his attitude and his swearing, so naturally we made plenty of mistakes, taking wrong turns etc!

i took a wrong turn and he shouted in my earpiece asking me to pull over!

”What the f**k are you doing, pillock?”

Anyway, we all passed thankgidbut the gist of the matter is, instructors like those shouldn’t be instructing! 

You should have filed a detailed complaint . I've met this loathsome type plenty of times and they need to be curtailed . 

[JayMutt]

Are steel toe cap boots not suitable for wearing when on a bike? Thinking about it they wouldn't be very flexible and may make it awkward when trying to shift gears etc. 

[Fish]

Steels are not recommended as if you have an accident they will enjoy removing your toes from your feet, get some proper boots. Plenty of choice for all different budgets 

[dar1976]

My CBT Experience.

 

I turned up for 0830 ready for a 9am start.  Temperature was -1.  By the time I had my full gear on, I barely noticed the chill.  I had previously had a few email conversations with Stuart of Andover Rider Training so we followed up on various concerns in person whilst we waited for the other trainee to arrive.

 

I had already mentioned my desire to move on to bigger geared bikes in the Summer and so I thought I should aim for a geared 125 bike today.  The other chap was there for his second CBT and has motocross experience.  So the session had it’s challenges for both of us.  He felt he had to knock some of his bad habits away and I had to conquer my fears of never having ridden a motorbike. 

 

We were shown the controls for the bikes – 2021 Binelli 125s – and all happy with that.  Then we wheeled the bikes over to the pad.  Manual handling was all good.  No issues there. 

 

Started up the bikes and the other guy goes first.  Showing how to ride in a straight line from one end to the other.  No pressure then.  He does this 2 or 3 times end to end, round the end cones and back again.

 

Then it’s my turn.  I mount the bike, start it up and try and find the footpegs with the lack of downwards peripheral vision inside a helmet.  Took me a while to get the hang of that.  6ft4 with long legs wasn’t doing me any favours.  Anyway, I get a run up and down the yard a few times – stalling from dropping revs too much or forgetting to pull in the clutch when I come to a stop.  Not exactly foreign as I have been driving manual vehicles for 20 years.  Just struggling to convert foot actions into hand actions.  By the third time he left me to do it on my own as he could see I was stressing myself out.  That bit finally clicked.  I was getting quite good at slow control in a straight line and paddling round the corners with my feet.  

 

Meanwhile the other chap had moved on to slow control exercises – U-Turns and Figure of 8.  I could see he had much more confidence and was getting through the session much faster than myself.

 

I will give Stuart credit, he was very patient with me and gave me plenty of opportunities to get the hang of it. It was around this point that (after 2.5hrs) Stuart said we really need to be getting moving and pushing on.  Fair enough.  SO I was given the option of a 50cc Automatic or go home, lick my wounds and come back another day for some geared bike lessons.   For all I was kicking myself, I knew I was holding up the other trainee and Sturt only had so much patience. 

 

I had a 5 minute chill and decided to go back another day.  I would have been cheating myself to scrape through on a ped.  Also I am 23 stone.  That ped would have screamed for mercy

 

So all in all, I take away a  couple of positive things.  He said my knowledge was good (Thanks YouTube) and he could see I was making progress – just not at the rate that either of us were comfortable with.  I am 45 so it’s taking a bit more to sink in.  I was also doing shoulder checks naturally (my HGV training rubbing off)

 

So I am going back for a few 1-1 lessons on the geared bike.  He’s certain I will be fine.  Just a bit slower to pick things up than others.

 

Oh and I didn’t drop it.  So I can’t be that bad

Edited January 30, 2022 by dar1976

[Bender]

57 minutes ago, dar1976 said:

My CBT Experience.

 

I turned up for 0830 ready for a 9am start.  Temperature was -1.  By the time I had my full gear on, I barely noticed the chill.  I had previously had a few email conversations with Stuart of Andover Rider Training so we followed up on various concerns in person whilst we waited for the other trainee to arrive.

 

I had already mentioned my desire to move on to bigger geared bikes in the Summer and so I thought I should aim for a geared 125 bike today.  The other chap was there for his second CBT and has motocross experience.  So the session had it’s challenges for both of us.  He felt he had to knock some of his bad habits away and I had to conquer my fears of never having ridden a motorbike. 

 

We were shown the controls for the bikes – 2021 Binelli 125s – and all happy with that.  Then we wheeled the bikes over to the pad.  Manual handling was all good.  No issues there. 

 

Started up the bikes and the other guy goes first.  Showing how to ride in a straight line from one end to the other.  No pressure then.  He does this 2 or 3 times end to end, round the end cones and back again.

 

Then it’s my turn.  I mount the bike, start it up and try and find the footpegs with the lack of downwards peripheral vision inside a helmet.  Took me a while to get the hang of that.  6ft4 with long legs wasn’t doing me any favours.  Anyway, I get a run up and down the yard a few times – stalling from dropping revs too much or forgetting to pull in the clutch when I come to a stop.  Not exactly foreign as I have been driving manual vehicles for 20 years.  Just struggling to convert foot actions into hand actions.  By the third time he left me to do it on my own as he could see I was stressing myself out.  That bit finally clicked.  I was getting quite good at slow control in a straight line and paddling round the corners with my feet.  

 

Meanwhile the other chap had moved on to slow control exercises – U-Turns and Figure of 8.  I could see he had much more confidence and was getting through the session much faster than myself.

 

I will give Stuart credit, he was very patient with me and gave me plenty of opportunities to get the hang of it. It was around this point that (after 2.5hrs) Stuart said we really need to be getting moving and pushing on.  Fair enough.  SO I was given the option of a 50cc Automatic or go home, lick my wounds and come back another day for some geared bike lessons.   For all I was kicking myself, I knew I was holding up the other trainee and Sturt only had so much patience. 

 

I had a 5 minute chill and decided to go back another day.  I would have been cheating myself to scrape through on a ped.  Also I am 23 stone.  That ped would have screamed for mercy

 

So all in all, I take away a  couple of positive things.  He said my knowledge was good (Thanks YouTube) and he could see I was making progress – just not at the rate that either of us were comfortable with.  I am 45 so it’s taking a bit more to sink in.  I was also doing shoulder checks naturally (my HGV training rubbing off)

 

So I am going back for a few 1-1 lessons on the geared bike.  He’s certain I will be fine.  Just a bit slower to pick things up than others.

 

Oh and I didn’t drop it.  So I can’t be that bad

Nothing wrong with that, good on you for knowing where you were at, keep us informed and good luck  

[Spongefinger]

On 30/01/2022 at 14:26, dar1976 said:

My CBT Experience.

 

I turned up for 0830 ready for a 9am start.  Temperature was -1.  By the time I had my full gear on, I barely noticed the chill.  I had previously had a few email conversations with Stuart of Andover Rider Training so we followed up on various concerns in person whilst we waited for the other trainee to arrive.

 

I had already mentioned my desire to move on to bigger geared bikes in the Summer and so I thought I should aim for a geared 125 bike today.  The other chap was there for his second CBT and has motocross experience.  So the session had it’s challenges for both of us.  He felt he had to knock some of his bad habits away and I had to conquer my fears of never having ridden a motorbike. 

 

We were shown the controls for the bikes – 2021 Binelli 125s – and all happy with that.  Then we wheeled the bikes over to the pad.  Manual handling was all good.  No issues there. 

 

Started up the bikes and the other guy goes first.  Showing how to ride in a straight line from one end to the other.  No pressure then.  He does this 2 or 3 times end to end, round the end cones and back again.

 

Then it’s my turn.  I mount the bike, start it up and try and find the footpegs with the lack of downwards peripheral vision inside a helmet.  Took me a while to get the hang of that.  6ft4 with long legs wasn’t doing me any favours.  Anyway, I get a run up and down the yard a few times – stalling from dropping revs too much or forgetting to pull in the clutch when I come to a stop.  Not exactly foreign as I have been driving manual vehicles for 20 years.  Just struggling to convert foot actions into hand actions.  By the third time he left me to do it on my own as he could see I was stressing myself out.  That bit finally clicked.  I was getting quite good at slow control in a straight line and paddling round the corners with my feet.  

 

Meanwhile the other chap had moved on to slow control exercises – U-Turns and Figure of 8.  I could see he had much more confidence and was getting through the session much faster than myself.

 

I will give Stuart credit, he was very patient with me and gave me plenty of opportunities to get the hang of it. It was around this point that (after 2.5hrs) Stuart said we really need to be getting moving and pushing on.  Fair enough.  SO I was given the option of a 50cc Automatic or go home, lick my wounds and come back another day for some geared bike lessons.   For all I was kicking myself, I knew I was holding up the other trainee and Sturt only had so much patience. 

 

I had a 5 minute chill and decided to go back another day.  I would have been cheating myself to scrape through on a ped.  Also I am 23 stone.  That ped would have screamed for mercy

 

So all in all, I take away a  couple of positive things.  He said my knowledge was good (Thanks YouTube) and he could see I was making progress – just not at the rate that either of us were comfortable with.  I am 45 so it’s taking a bit more to sink in.  I was also doing shoulder checks naturally (my HGV training rubbing off)

 

So I am going back for a few 1-1 lessons on the geared bike.  He’s certain I will be fine.  Just a bit slower to pick things up than others.

 

Oh and I didn’t drop it.  So I can’t be that bad

 

Don't sweat it. I was 49 when I did my first cbt. 6 of us there I was by far the slowest learner got to the end and the guy said he didn't feel I was quite where I needed to be, I kept stalling all the time and my slow control was not great, so to come back, I was pretty gutted but went back three days later had just a hour or so 1 to 1 and it just clicked. Keep at it, it will come