[Closed] Nailed it!!!! Motorbike test.

Nice, and just in time for summer 8)

It's a cliche, but now the learning really starts.

Enjoy it, you will never love motorcycling again as much as you will for the next year or so.

Get a bike that you really want, not one that makes sense, although a bit of both is good.

Be safe.

Congrats, doing my CBT this Saturday. Looking forward to it.

Just remember the ladiezzz love wheelies.

Thanks for the advice guys, whats your plan Drslow?

Excellent, congratulations!

Now, 'scuse me for jumping in but if you're interested in a 59 plate DL650 Grand Touring (full luggage, ABS, centre stand) with some exciting extras like a lower fairing and laser exhaust let me know! - email is in profile. I'm located in York.

Ideal first bike as its only a 650cc but its big enough and has the spec for longer rides as well as commuting comfortably.

😀

Edit: Castle Honda in Castleford usually have a decent selection of stuff, worth a look (I know its not South Yorks). Most bike dealers are a friendly bunch to be honest, far nicer bike shopping than car shopping! enjoy it.

get yerself a test on an NC700 or 750. Just been out on mine. Just so nice to ride.

It's a cliche, but now the learning really starts.

That is very true. Every day is a learning day. Definitely recommend getting some regular sessions lined up with a decent instructor (is it AIM who do them?) Helps a lot with the staying safe thing.

True enough also that you'll never love motorcycling as much as you do in that first year. It's the most fun but probably also the most dangerous time. Be careful out there.

Get the bike on the track too, is a lot of fun. Things like the Superbike school is a great way to get started.

Excellent work.
You could try SMC in Sheff - I think they do test rides - they have demo weekends etc.
If I recall J&S in Doncaster don't - well that was a while back when my mate wanted a testride

Congrats!

Passed my Mod 1 and booked my Mod 2. Fingers crossed!

Thats it DAS motorcycle tests all passed, well chuffed with myself.
Should have done it years ago but hey ho

snap! Last Friday for me. Lovely day for it! In the process of getting my Beta Evo 250 road legal, then out for a blat on the byways - actually, there's 7 miles of byways between me and the MOT place. 🙂

True enough also that you'll never love motorcycling as much as you do in that first year.

Yep, think I did 25k miles in my first year (all leisure at weekends) on top of 35k commuting in the car.

TBH im looking to see if i enjoy it. If i can grasp the CBT stuff then i'll do the theory and take it from there. With wife / kids / self preservation high up my agenda i'll be taking it easy and making sure its safety first at all times.

I've actually stopped talking to people about me doing my course as everyone has a close relative / friend who has been killed / disabled. It should maybe put me off but i'd rather experience motorcycling for myself and make my own judgement on safety / risk / reward

Just been looking at the price of courses and what would be needed. My dad has now restored 2 vintage bikes, a Grieves Scottish and a GrievesI MDS, 'd like to be able to take one out for short pootles. As I understand it id need an A 2 licence or more, both bikes have a Villiers 250cc 2 stroke. So CBT, das mod 1 and 2. I regularly cycle last riders doing this as I commute to work in central London and the provider charges £120 CBT, £530 mod 1, £350 mod 2. Good courses I'm sure, but for a very occasional gentle pootles on quite country roads I wish there were a cheaper way.

Still, enjoy op, and stay safe.

http://www.bikeschool.co.uk

I went here. Amazing. If I can pass, anyone can.

Things have changed since I did my CBT in 1996; but I did the CBT to see if I liked biking, then rode with L plates for a year before passing test in 97 - aged 32, two v young kids, first bike Suzuki GSXR 600 LOL, now still riding almost 20 years on.

I believe the year on L plates was the best thing I did.

Buy a bike that you want, it's not the bike that will make you unsafe..

Now, remember the U turn you did? Never do another unless 200% sure there is no one into you. 🙂

And to balance the "my son/daughter/father/mother/neighbour etc friend was killed on a m/c" - I rode for 30 years including lots of high-speed plus London/M-way commuting and I don't know anyone dead/hurt from m/c's.

There's probably an element of a London-tax in those prices, but they're not bad.

Get a recommendation from someone who's done it with the school you're looking at. I did mine with Lightning in Reading, they were utterly rubbish. The only thing in their defence was the weather wasn't their fault. But on a week long course it snowed heavily most nights. So the CBT was done gingerly in an icy car park, then day 2 we were told to go upto Oxford as Reading had too much snow/ice and apparently Oxford might be better, if we didn't show up we'd lose our money but if we did show up we could re-book if it was cancelled. So we had to drag ourselves across the chilterns in the Landrover in order to sit around and do F*** all for the day. By Thursday (the supposed day of the MOD1 test) I'd managed about 2 hours on the big bike. The test centre was more pragmatic and cancelled the tests based on the forecast.

Re booked the training/tests in the summer and they weren't much better. There was something up with the Reading centre so had to go upto Oxford (bear in mind I'm doing a motorbike test, I didn't have transport!) on the commuter (full price) trains for 9am starts. The instructors were never there on time (we've had to call in someone from Reading/Swindon as so-and-so is on holiday etc etc). Then there was the faffing, the bikes always needed something fixing on them before we could get out (usually just in time to ride to the shops for lunch). And that was if there were enough instructors & bikes to go around!

Then there were the bikes themselves. "they all do that, it's just the ..........." was the default. No they blooming well don't! Problems ranged from a front brake lever 2" from the bar with no adjuster (or free play), back brake that had two settings, nothing and jammed on, worn clutches, chains worn past the limits of the adjuster.

In the end (after inevitably failing) I phoned up a trainer up north while I was there with work, explained the situation and re-took it with him (and passed). Bikes were faultless, we were on the road at 9:30 every day and I passed with only 1 minor (which I swear he made up).

Congratulations!

Now get out and ride! I've had a bike for 12 months now and completed 12000 miles in that time, none of it commuting. It's fab!!

Trips to Barcelona and Lake Balaton, Hungary already planned for this Summer...

Rachel

I did mine with Lightning about 6 or 7 years ago. I thought they wete ptetty good.

Check out Gyor in Hungary, it's beautiful (and v cheap).

Congratulations! Have a watch of this, it's a bit american cheese but otherwise it's excellent at explaining how to ride a motorcycle. Worth watching even if you`ve been riding a few years too
Twist of the wrist 2

Congratulations! Took me three goes to do mine BITD. Failed once for speeding and once for not being in control (i was - i was doing a wheelie 😀 ).

It really is the only way to travel and if you commute, then you have the added bonus of arriving to work with a smile on your face.

Keep a similar attitude to other road users as you do when cycling (i.e. they are all trying to kill you) and you'll be grand and no matter what the situation - always plan an escape route!

Sopron is worth a visit in Hungary. About an hour from Vienna.