Newbie on a 125 worried

[Elvispercy]

Hi.... I'm an ex driving instructor with 30 years plus driving experience, I just got my first bike, a lexmoto Detroit 125. I've been riding around to work and back and practicing on car parks for around a month now. I booked my mod 1 just for the sake of getting the Lpates off after the mod 2, by the way I'm not presuming I'm gonna pass just because I know the road etc, that's bullshit.....on the car park I'm very confident on all the slow stuff, the slow ride, the slalom, the u turn....I'm fine with the circuit.....but what I am worried about is getting up to speed on a 125 for the emergency stop and hazard avoidance... If I stay in 2nd gear then the engine is screaming, if I change up to 3rd then would I have to thrape the hell out of it to get up to speed? I'm not sure about the length of the test track but it does look a bit small to me to easily achieve the required speed.... Any advise would be ace.

[Bender]

4 minutes ago, Elvispercy said:

Hi.... I'm an ex driving instructor with 30 years plus driving experience, I just got my first bike, a lexmoto Detroit 125. I've been riding around to work and back and practicing on car parks for around a month now. I booked my mod 1 just for the sake of getting the Lpates off after the mod 2, by the way I'm not presuming I'm gonna pass just because I know the road etc, that's bullshit.....on the car park I'm very confident on all the slow stuff, the slow ride, the slalom, the u turn....I'm fine with the circuit.....but what I am worried about is getting up to speed on a 125 for the emergency stop and hazard avoidance... If I stay in 2nd gear then the engine is screaming, if I change up to 3rd then would I have to thrape the hell out of it to get up to speed? I'm not sure about the length of the test track but it does look a bit small to me to easily achieve the required speed.... Any advise would be ace.

Screw the bike in 2nd, the speed is negligible and 125 is more than capable of it. 

 

Pleenty of vids on YouTube 

 

 

 

Welcome btw  

[Elvispercy]

To that's what I was hoping you'd say cheers

[Fiddlesticks]

Carrying some speed in the bend before the straight helps. It's a bit unnerving at first because you have to lean the bike.

[Blackholesun]

This is mod 1 on a125 I take it ?

[Elvispercy]

3 hours ago, Blackholesun said:

This is mod 1 on a125 I take it ?

Yes mate....atm I have no desire for a bigger bike (I do not that will probably change).... I'm just enjoying the ride and saving on fuel.....I decided to just have a go at the mod 1 (no lessons) then leave it a short while, get some riding xp, then try the mod 2 (again no lessons)..... So I take it 3rd gear is best, giving it some beans coming out of the bend?

[billy sugger]

As @Bender said, do it in 2nd. It's only a short distance, so engine will be fine, but 3rd gear is not quick enough to get you to the required speed from the bend to the speed trap, unless your confident enough to go through the bend at a decent speed. 

[Elvispercy]

9 hours ago, billy sugger said:

As @Bender said, do it in 2nd. It's only a short distance, so engine will be fine, but 3rd gear is not quick enough to get you to the required speed from the bend to the speed trap, unless your confident enough to go through the bend at a decent speed. 

Thanks..... I've been practicing going through the bend in 3rd on a mock up car park.... What speed would you say I should be exciting the bend at to reach the target speed?.....I really am worried about taking it in 2nd as the noise of the engine kinda puts me off...lame, I know.

[Tigs]

you go into the bend at 20 and through the trap at 30.. then you ease off the throttle and do the manoeuvres

 

I have not done Mod 1 - yet - But have watched many videos lol 

You should learn to 'hear' what 30 sounds like.. apparently!! 

[Elvispercy]

11 hours ago, Tigs said:

you go into the bend at 20 and through the trap at 30.. then you ease off the throttle and do the manoeuvres

 

I have not done Mod 1 - yet - But have watched many videos lol 

You should learn to 'hear' what 30 sounds like.. apparently!! 

Did you stay in 2 gear or up to 3rd? Remember I'm on a 125cc

[Tigs]

I have practiced all be it in a carpark - and I can do the bend moving up to gear 2 - and push the throttle and get to what my speedo says is 30 on the straight in 2nd - it does sound full on (i'm on a CBF 125).. I have not been though the speed trap - to know exactly how good my speedo is though!

 

 

 

[Elvispercy]

Thanks everyone for all your advise.... Passed mod 1 this morning at Wolverhampton..... 2nd gear is the way to go to make sure you reach the speed on the higher speed exercises.... Yes it screams a bit on a 125 but it's only for a second or 2..... Feel great.... Day off work tomorrow.... Drink tonight.....cheers.

[Bender]

1 hour ago, Elvispercy said:

Thanks everyone for all your advise.... Passed mod 1 this morning at Wolverhampton..... 2nd gear is the way to go to make sure you reach the speed on the higher speed exercises.... Yes it screams a bit on a 125 but it's only for a second or 2..... Feel great.... Day off work tomorrow.... Drink tonight.....cheers.

Well done, told you it's the way to go  

[Tigs]

Yey - that is heartening to read - 

 

I passed my theory today - so one step closer!

 

[Bender]

3 hours ago, Tigs said:

Yey - that is heartening to read - 

 

I passed my theory today - so one step closer!

 

I can remember doing that, lovely old lady dishing out results, will I see you again said I, she smiled and shook her head  

[Elvispercy]

3 hours ago, Tigs said:

Yey - that is heartening to read - 

 

I passed my theory today - so one step closer!

 

I used the emergency stop as a kind of trial run for the hazard avoidance.... Do it in 2nd , even on a 125.... My bike was screaming but what the hell, don't be put off by the noise..... After I completed it I politely asked the examiner what my speed was.... He replied  "52kmph" ..... So I just did the same for the hazard.... By the way the hazard I found easy , not much of a swerve at all, use your hips and counter steer your way through then get on the break nice and quick.... You can do it !

[Tigs]

Honestly I felt like i was a criminal they checked my ankles and I was half expecting to find something! 

 

As for Mod 1 - I'm planning to try a big bike - i'm hoping that the skill is similar and I wont panic! But i'm not banking on it!

 

[Elvispercy]

On 10/11/2022 at 22:57, Tigs said:

Honestly I felt like i was a criminal they checked my ankles and I was half expecting to find something! 

 

As for Mod 1 - I'm planning to try a big bike - i'm hoping that the skill is similar and I wont panic! But i'm not banking on it!

 

Yeah lol..... They checked in my ear and even told me to take my hearing aid out.... And to remove my jumper.... Thought they were gonna get the marigold gloves out and ask me to bend over lol