Bigger and Better?

The plan was for me to ride the 125 down to the off-road site and for Rob to follow on the 500.
If all went well there, we’d swap and I’d take the 500 on to the road.
I’m not sure if it was just apprehension at the thought of riding the 500, but I suddenly felt very comfortable on the125!
Several people have told me it’s easier to ride a bigger bike, but to me bigger means faster, heavier and therefore much more scary!
The first thing I noticed was the sound of the engine; I could hear the additional power.
The controls all felt slightly different of course, and I was aware of the extra weight.
I rode around the site for a while, changing up and down gears, braking, and attempting a couple of U-turns.
Then it was out on the road. The clutch felt easier, the gears a bit more definite, the throttle more responsive. Maybe not quite as scary as I’d expected. I was aware of not putting too much front brake on when the bars are turned. It’s going to be impossible for me to pick it up off the floor if I drop it.
I did feel a bit tense, but we covered lots of different roads and speed limit changes and even ended up back on the A14 for one junction, so there was plenty of time to adjust. Another rung up the ladder and I started to enjoy riding again.

If at first you don't succeed...

I can’t say I was over enthused about my next lesson, I was actually quite nervous, but determined to do much better this time.
It took a little while to get back into it, but it was better. No close encounters with lampposts or kerbs, which was nice!
I even got to go on the A14, which was ever so slightly scary, but good fun. The 125cc managed about 60mph, but it felt much faster on a bike than in a car.
Rob was doing his best to re- build my confidence and I started to feel a tiny bit more in control. Of course there were still plenty of mistakes, but when they did happen, I did my best not to panic. I even had a go at a couple of U-turns, which weren’t great, but not total disasters either.
Then we worked on junctions a bit more- getting the right sequence on approach and dealing with them safely and (hopefully) under control. Parts of the lesson were actually a little more enjoyable and a little less white knuckle! I still find my mistakes frustrating, but I can at last see a little progress. Rob said we’ll move up to the 500cc next time, which I’m hoping means he can see a little progress too

Learning Curve

I couldn’t wait for my next lesson. I booked an hour with (another) Rob and felt reasonably confident as the CBT had gone so well.
It was a different bike, but still a 125cc and I felt sure it wouldn't be a problem.
I should probably mention at this point I’m not very patient with myself when I get things wrong! I stupidly believed that I should now be in full control of this machine (after 5 hours?!) and when it became clear that I wasn’t, I felt deflated.
It all started when I tried to turn right out of a junction, let the clutch out a bit quick, made the silly mistake of looking at the kerb and lamp post opposite, and started heading towards them! I managed to get round (just about), but it dented my confidence big time and got me thinking (maybe a bit too much).
The stalling,wobbling and general jerkiness. I felt like I was the worst biker ever!
Obviously it’s a completely new skill and it’s going to take time.
But that didn’t stop me getting so completely frustrated and annoyed at myself that I couldn’t wait for the lesson to end. It felt like a very long hour, and it seemed nothing had gone right.
I had a chat with Ros and of course she made complete sense and encouraged me to think about the things I had achieved. Three weeks ago I didn’t know how to start a bike, or select a gear, or even tell you where the clutch was.
I’m just so used to being in control of a car; it seems ridiculous that I can’t feel the same level of control on a bike. The difference is I’ve driven a car for 18 years and ridden a bike for a few hours.
Still, I’m not giving up that easily; I’ve booked two 2 hour lessons for next week. Now I just need to accept that I’m not going to get the hang of this in the next 5 minutes…Dammit!

Compulsory Basic Training

As the day drew nearer, I started to have visions of me with a gang of 16 year old lads and their scooters…all of them laughing at the old bird struggling with the gears, her balance and basically just being on a bike full stop.
As it turned out, it was me and just one 16 year old lad on a scooter. It was his 16th Birthday and the CBT was part of his present.
I did feel very old and very envious of his automatic scooter. Our instructor was called Rob and the day kicked off with a chat about the importance of having the right kit.
We then went down to the sugar beet factory and practised getting the bikes moving, figures of 8, U-turns and some junction procedures. I felt very wobbly on the slow manoeuvres, but not too bad overall.
After lunch we had a session on the Highway Code, and then we were out on the road.
First Rob was in front, then we swapped round. I couldn’t decide if I was terrified, excited or both. I think it was actually about 80% sheer terror and 20% excitement!
The thing that struck me was how vulnerable you are on a bike. I felt like I should be visible to everyone. After all, I felt very aware of my surroundings - much more than I am in a car. The sounds, the smells - everything seems closer and more real. And yet the scary thing is, because you are small and probably not perceived as a threat to someone in a car, you get the feeling you are almost insignificant to most drivers.
We got back to the centre at 4pm and were de-briefed and handed our CBT certificates. A long day,but I felt like I had learnt alot.

Getting started.

I decided having an off road lesson would be a good idea as I have never even sat on a bike.
I arranged it for the same day as my Theory test. There’s not exactly a rush to take the Theory test, but I just wanted to get it out of the way, and I’m hoping that I can pass my practical test before the theory certificate expires in 2 years!
I’d practised with my theory test DVD and felt reasonably confident. It’s more the practical aspect I’m concerned about!
Having passed the Theory test I set off for my lesson. I felt really nervous and a bit sorry for my instructor, Charlie. Poor bloke will need the patience of a Saint!
He loaded up the van with the bike and we set off for the old sugar beet factory near Sproughton.
He patiently explained the controls and despite the fact the idea of riding the bike seemed damned near impossible, I managed it (sort of)!
I even got up to 3rd gear, with a lot of encouragement from Charlie and finished the session feeling excited and keen to take the next step. I booked my CBT (Compulsory Basic Training) for the following week.

Getting the right gear

I had a budget of £500 and absolutely no idea.
Flicking through some brochures, I was pretty confused as to what would be the most suitable kit for me.
For a start, there’s not as much choice for ladies. Then there’s the choice between leather or synthetic..or a bit of both.
Then there’s the double stitching; treble stitching; protective pads; removable linings etc, etc.
And, I haven’t even started on boots, gloves or helmets yet!
I went to see Ian at MaxMoto with an idea I might prefer leathers (just because they looked good!)
I was there for an hour and a half. Not only did I get to try on various kit, Ian also got me to sit on a bike in the kit to see if it still fitted and the protection was in the right places.
In the end, I opted for waterproof textile jacket and trousers. I chose this because it was good value for money, comfortable- the jacket and trousers can be zipped together. And, it offered adequate protection for the type of riding I’ll be doing in the type of weather I’ll be doing it. My only slight concern was that the jacket and trousers were both black, but this will soon be sorted with a high visibility vest.
The boots I chose fitted well and again were good value for money with good protection. The down side to them is that they aren’t 100% waterproof, so I’ve got myself some 100% waterproof socks.
The gloves were Furygan lady gloves. Even small-sized men’s gloves were way too big and bulky.
The helmet I chose was a Caberg V2.It offered good value, had the appropriate safety marks, fitted well, and I liked the idea of having a built-in sun visor, especially with all the low winter sun to come.
I managed to get myself all kitted out for under £400 and am really grateful to Ian for all his help and patience, not just with matching up the rider with the kit, but also starting to get me thinking about matching the bike to the rider as well.

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