Taking a break from lessons

[Psychybikey]

I am taking at least a couple of months off. I am becoming so disheartened and currently having no pleasure from my lessons.

I was almost test ready last month and due to take my Mod 1 for the first time next week. About b****y time after two CBTs, two theory & HP tests, three schools, any number of instructors before I found my current excellent one, and three years on the road so that I can now do all kinds of weather (winter and summer), all kinds of roundabouts, heavy traffic, night riding, country roads, hills, fast riding - well, as fast as my bike will go, which is 65 mph downhill with a following wind - but can I do a U turn? Can I do slalom? Can I do figure of 8?

I could, but I can't now. I don't know what's happened. When I dropped the instructor's bike on myself last month, the spectacular bruises faded after about three weeks and I replaced my helmet as a precaution, but unfortunately the impact triggered off a frozen shoulder, which only time will heal - I am doing some exercises so it won't get as bad as the last time I had one of these, the other shoulder, which had no reason at all. So not only am I in pain all the time, but it does make turning difficult. No matter, I should still be able to do it, it's not just that, I can push the handlebars round if I have to. But something has happened to my head and I simply CANNOT do those slow manoeuvres.

Life is fairly stressful at the moment and as we all know, getting on the bike is a good way to de-stress, even if it's only because you are so busy trying to stay alive that you forget about all the other stuff. So if I'm coming to my test preparation in a stressed state too, and getting worked up about my lessons, and not enjoying them, it's time to take a break.

I have even considered going and doing my Mods independently on my own bike so I could at least pass something (and never have to do CBT or theory & HP again), but then there are issues with how on earth do I practice getting up to the required speed on a tiny little 125 in the three inches they allow you before you have to do the speed trap or the swerve. It is all becoming too much for me and I've decided to take some time off and just enjoy my road riding, which I know is well up to Mod 2 standard.

I know there are much worse things going on in this big world than a stupid old woman not being able to get up to the stupid Mod 1 standard. I know there are greater injustices than idiots riding like idiots in an idiotic manner but it doesn't matter because they can do U turns, can't they. But it feels so unfair. And I am carrying that negativity with me. So I'll see if just trying to forget the whole pass thing for a while will work.

I only want to ride a 250. It's not like I want to tear up the tarmac in something that's more powerful than a racing car. But the rules are the rules, and I am stuck on a 125 for ever, it seems

[NeilM]

Stick with old girl.

Head up

[Joeman]

Start practicing big turns and work smaller and smaller until you're doing a regular sized U-turn!

[Bungleaio]

You aren't the only one that struggles with U turns. How long are your lessons? I did 2 days of 7 hours which helped rather than having short lessons every now and then.