Hi! I'm new...

[tracspe]

...and I need help and advice.

Riding a Bike has been on my list of things to do before I die since I met my hubby nearly 20 years ago!!!!! With the new test coming in in September decided this year was as good as any to get a move on.

I did my CBT back in April, and went thinking it'd be a doddle (LOL) oh how wrong can a girl be!!!! Anyhoo passed it by the skin of my teeth and came away thinking I'll never be able to do this.... left it for a while then booked my Theory and did that and passed it in June (this was the easy bit on account of I didn't have to ride a bike!!!!LOL)

So last week I started my DAS course. Had my first ride out on a one 2 one with the instructor just around some quiet roads, nothing major and I did OKAY for a first timer I think. Then yesterday went out for the 2nd time with a different instructor and another learner on a scooter and I was RUBBISH, completely forgot everything, I'm great at going in a straight line, but give me a corner, a roundabout, and if I have to stop oh you bet your arse I'm going to stall.... I was getting so frustrated and to be honest the instructor didn't fill me full of confidence, when we got back to the compound and his first words were "i don't know where to start...". I'm gutted, i hate not being able to do something right!

So yesterday I spent the rest of the day felling like a complete failure and this morning I woke up feeling no better.... although i reassure myself with the fact that on my 2nd driving lesson, I was SHIT. I won't give up though, but i could do with some reassurance that other people have had similar experiences.

I've booked my test for August and I've got the week before my test off so I can cram as much practice as I possibly can in.

My hubby by the way has been riding since he was a kid and it's second nature to him, and although he is being supportive ("well at least you didn't kiss the tarmac" were his first words) he doesn't really get my frustration.

Words of support and any advice would be very helpful right now.

Thanks in advance

[indie]

remember that saying 'learn to walk before you run' give it time and keep with the pratice, your hubby sounds like me, been riding since young, its easy to learn when young and you dont have bad car driving habits getting in the way
Stick with it and remember whats the worst that can happen? you fail the test, so you rebook and try again, keep at it

[druidsam]

i had days when i thought i was shit when i was learning, but one good day makes up for a dozed bad ones and everyone gets better with practice, a couple of others on here had the same bother as you and no doubt they will be along soon to tell you all about it



........................Sam

[grotbag]

Greetings tracspe and welcome to the forum


Riding doesn't come naturally to a lot of us and you need to walk before you can run. You need to remember that the DAS course is intensive motorcycle training. Compare it to car driving, assuming you are a car driver? Some peeps pass after only a few lessons others take forever before the penny drops, riding is no different. The DAS course's total 4-5 days training.


There are already quite a few members experiences such as yours posted on the forum, mine included if you want to read it it's here How many times to pass a bike test?
post 105. In a nutshell, I sacked my DAS as it was too intensive, too much pressure. I bought a 125 and ride as and when, at my own pace etc and it's fandabbybluddydozy . If I'm ready to take my test before it changes - great, if I'm not then so be it!! But that will be down to how I feel, without pressure from anyone else.

There are a few of us in here who ride with 'L' plates on our own bikes to gain experience, without the pressure to perform from an instructor's voice in your ear all the time.

[Scudnut]

Originally Posted by tracspe

well at least you didn't kiss the tarmac

A bikers sense of humour eh?

Welcome to the forum T.

It sounds like you're not giving yourself much credit, what about the good lesson?

I'm not really in a position to advise but I go out on my own for the sole purpose of getting better and better, I know straight away if I did something wrong, I want to be happy with my own riding before I think about lessons or the test. Good luck though T, hope you do good.

[Bill CBF1000]

Welcome Trac and good to see you here

Sack the bloody instructor and go back to the first one! Dont know where in the country you are, but maccymoo uses valley bike School in rawtenstall and they are great , according to her

Only advice I can give is take your time, easy does it, enjoy yourself and dont be down on yourself - ffs you are, as you say, a learner (bit of a clue in the title there) so go n learn and if you make mistakes on a school bike, so what . There isn't a single person in here that hasnt made mistakes - I managed to stall a CBF1000 at a bloody roundabout, right next to a bus full of schoolkids D'oh.

Go out, enjoy, remember the good bits and learn from the bad ones (and tell hubby you will use his bike to practise on ..... then run )

[Singh600RR]

hello and welcome to the forum.

Yes learning to ride a bike is hard - but it comes with practise. Practise, practise....

I went to do my CBT with a friend - he was brilliant the first day - i was poo. However after 3 lessons (pre-cbt) i got the knack of it.

I'd never ridden a bike 18 months ago - now i ride practically every day.

What bike are you learning on? it may be the bike that doesnt suit you? Balance is the key - both on the bike itself and the use of the controls. Every little input has an effect.

Keep yer chin up and keep on going

[MaccyMoo]

Helllloooooo

Time and practice are wonderful things, one bad lesson doesn't make you rubbish - we all have our 'off' days and I've had plenty of those (falling off days that is!). Here's my experience - I got my CBT!

Since then I've had a few lessons (4 or 5 I think) and although I thought my riding was okay, U-turns were another matter entirely - it was only my last lesson on Friday that I managed to do one without dropping the bike!

Actually, I've also noticed an improvement in my riding especially going round corners and roundabouts (sound familiar?) - What is it they say? Practice makes perfect? If you ever want some advice, or just a rant this is the place to come

Like everyone says, you have to learn to walk before you run - AND THEN YOU LEARN TO RIDE (WEYHEY ). Stick with it poppet and it'll all come together, you'll be glad you did.

[DaveM]

Hello Tracspe and welcome to the forum.

Sadly, for the vast majority of us riding doesn't come naturally. It is one of those things you need to work at and practise. The more you practise the easier things should become. Find an instructor you're happy with and stick with him/her. Don't put yourself unser pressure by thinking you have to pass your test before Sept - you'll pass it when you're ready to pass - and don't judge yourself too harshly after only your 2nd lesson.

It doesn't sound like you've dropped it yet. I don't care to remember how many times I dropped the bike when learning, so you aint doing too bad

Keep at it and you'll get there.