danksy Posted May 25, 2008 Report Share Posted May 25, 2008 On the spur of the moment a couple of weeks back, prompted by my g/f (who rides a NC30) I bought helmet, gloves, boots and jacket. Also on the spur of the moment last week (Tuesday afternoon) I booked a Theory test for the Wednesday morning. Not having read the highway code etc. I was a bit sceptical as to whether I would pass, or indeed if my hazard perception was up to scratch. Anyway, I walked into the test centre, and 45 minutes after walking in, I was walking out with my passed certificate! woo hooo!!!! So I have my theory, helmet, jacket, gloves and boots, plus I have just had a complimentary 1.5 hr free (stop/starting, slow speed control, gears etc.) lesson I have booked my CBT for 8th June, then a Direct Access course from 15th June until 18th June! Is there anything I should be doing now to prepare myself for the CBT? or DAS? I am so looking forward to riding! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ritey Posted May 25, 2008 Report Share Posted May 25, 2008 Not sure if there is anything you can actually do other than to just do it, which is exactly what it seems like your doing. Good luck with it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scotty Posted May 25, 2008 Report Share Posted May 25, 2008 I guess it can be a bit difficult on the ego living with a biker girl and not be able to ride ! You're ahead of the game for your CBT. When I did mine they took it from the real basics : "this is the brake lever, this is the gear shift etc". To be honest it was exactly what I needed as I'd only ever been a pillion before! If you're already able to get on/off a bike, get it on it's stand, and do slow speed stuff then you're a long way into it. The observation and road rules will complete it. Now you just have to be patient and wait for the big day .... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lee_ Posted May 25, 2008 Report Share Posted May 25, 2008 Nice one, all the best for the test, might be worth reading an up to date highway code. p.s, got a stunning 10,000 mile RVF400 NC35 for sale if your looking for a bike http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v512/Lee_367/Bikes/NC35/P1000420.jpg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SneakyMcC Posted May 26, 2008 Report Share Posted May 26, 2008 Nice one, all the best for the test, might be worth reading an up to date highway code. What he said, top man D! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pingpongpo Posted May 26, 2008 Report Share Posted May 26, 2008 If you can nail the slow speed manouveres then you'll be fine. Depends on how much of a dog the bike you learn on is. The one did my DAS on was a complete sack of ****e. Riding a half decent bike feels like silk compared to it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danksy Posted May 30, 2008 Author Report Share Posted May 30, 2008 Nice one, all the best for the test, might be worth reading an up to date highway code.p.s, got a stunning 10,000 mile RVF400 NC35 for sale if your looking for a bike http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v512/Lee_367/Bikes/NC35/P1000420.jpg Lee sent you a private message about the NC35 !! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lee_ Posted May 31, 2008 Report Share Posted May 31, 2008 returned. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mort Posted May 31, 2008 Report Share Posted May 31, 2008 Thats the nicest RVF I've seen.... does you proud Lee Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lee_ Posted June 4, 2008 Report Share Posted June 4, 2008 Thats the nicest RVF I've seen.... does you proud Lee Thanks Mort, It really will be a shame to see it go. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danksy Posted June 11, 2008 Author Report Share Posted June 11, 2008 Well that's the CBT dnoe! I must say I felt totally at sea with the CBT... riding felt alien and it was mentally hard work. Not sure I'm cut out for this :smashfreak: Still DAS starts on Saturday... i've come this far, just got to learn to keep doing the life savers and work on my gear changes, and my approach to roundabouts Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ollie_A3 Posted June 11, 2008 Report Share Posted June 11, 2008 Well it would do mate! its all new to you isnt it! I must say i enjoyed the CBT, and the DAS was ok too! but passing the test and doing all of that stuff is the easy bit! Real learning/riding comes once you have passed! Ive only been riding a year, but its the best thing ive ever done!!! love it!! :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scotty Posted June 11, 2008 Report Share Posted June 11, 2008 I must say I felt totally at sea with the CBT... riding felt alien and it was mentally hard work.Not sure I'm cut out for this :smashfreak: Nick - you know that I'm a newbie to this so your feelings are all recent and familiar for me. I felt exactly the same as you. In fact during the morning I genuinely didn't know if I could do it. Getting a smooth throttle and gentle clutch were really doing my head....but it does get better. Just imagine how much you've learnt today. It's not that easy but nor was learning to drive a car. When you start your DAS you'll get re familiarised with the 125 and it will be easier to ride than you think today. Then when you get on the 500 and you'll suddenly find that it's more stable and the power delivery is much nicer. You'll enjoy the DAS more than the CBT. Relax on the bike. Flap your arms like a chicken (seriously). Let it move around under you and experience the fun. Just let the pressure go and enjoy and you'll fly through.......and then the proper fun begins Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danksy Posted June 12, 2008 Author Report Share Posted June 12, 2008 Flap my arms like a chicken :smashfreak: isn't that a fail? The DAS course i am doing is on 500's from day 1... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chelsea Mick Posted June 12, 2008 Report Share Posted June 12, 2008 Flap your arms like a chicken I have to do this every time I use my rear view mirrors if I actually want to see behind me Good luck with your DAS Nick. Just realx and enjoy it. I'm sure it will all come together for you on the day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danksy Posted June 12, 2008 Author Report Share Posted June 12, 2008 Gotcha on the flapping arms front :notworthy: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scotty Posted June 12, 2008 Report Share Posted June 12, 2008 Gotcha on the flapping arms front :notworthy: How's it going? I trust you're enjoying the bigger bike I'm not surprised you went straight on the bigger bike. I did about 2 hours on the 125 before moving up but since my CBT was about 3 weeks before the DAS, a quick reminder made sense. So apart from flapping what else they got you doing? Any stiff muscles from life savers yet? [edit] Doh! Just realised you haven't started the DAS yet ! Flapping - helps you relax and get the tension out. It's also good for throttle control i.e. if you can keep a constanst throttle whilst flapping, then bumps/pot holes etc shouldn't affect it. I've not found this too easy! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danksy Posted June 14, 2008 Author Report Share Posted June 14, 2008 Thanks Scotty... I had a bit of an issue with the previous riding school i used for CBT, due to the instructor having what can probably be best described as "Small Man Syndrome". So I changed schools for the DAS and within about 20 mins my confidence levels had grown massively. I love the acceleration of a bigger bike, but even with riding with instructors and with hi-vis etc. there was a very near miss today, involving my mate who was leading at the time. He narrowly avoided (thanks to a good emergency stop) being mowed down by a tosser in a passat emerging from a recycling centre and not looking. Really the only thing I am struggling with is positioning on roundabouts, getting the lifesavers done (but not too often!) and u-turns on the 500 are SO much harder than the 125 :flush: But I love it! 2 days next week, then the test on Wed :eek: :smashfreak: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scotty Posted June 14, 2008 Report Share Posted June 14, 2008 U-turns! grrrrr. I put my foot down for a nano-second on my first test and failed. Annoyingly I'd done 20 back to back in the same spot on the morning of my test. My instructor got me doing all sorts for U-turns. Firstly he banned rear brake, then he made me do it standing on the pegs, then standing without rear brake and finally standing, no rear brake and flapping like a chicken. Do that lot and then when someone says you can sit down and use the brake it's just a bit easier! hehehe Since you've done just a few days riding and come from nothing to where you are now, just think how much more you will improve over the next two days. It really is all about confidence in the bike and relaxing....which means more enjoyment and you'll ride better. Glad to hear it's fun again. Good luck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
air-captain Posted June 17, 2008 Report Share Posted June 17, 2008 How is the DAS going, I passed my test last Tuesday. I struggled with the clutch to start with, but after a few hours on the road its gets easy. You can practice the routines in the car, looks a bit silly doing shoulder checks in a car when you come up to junctions, but it helped me make everything second nature, so the test was easy on the day. Also, make sure you cancel the indicators in your car, dont leave the car to do it, this is good practice for the bike. The U-Turn is a tricky one, but as long as you get your weight in the right place on the bike, and look down the road not the curb you should do fine. Good luck for your test, try to relax and enjoy the ride. Cheers, Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ritey Posted June 17, 2008 Report Share Posted June 17, 2008 Good advice, also I found with the U turn, if you can get your instructor to take you down roads if possible with lots of small proper roundabouts (rather than the painted blobs), and do a lap, this is usually a smaller turning circle than the U turn, so if you can do that (which you will) you start realising there is no problem with U turns Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mort Posted June 17, 2008 Report Share Posted June 17, 2008 U turns are made much simpler by looking at the right thing at the right time (like much of bike riding). Basically you do a 2 step look - 1st is looking 90 degrees to the right at the point you chose to start the turn looking at where you want to be on the other side of the road.... (e.g 2 feet from the opposite kerb) 2nd is 90 degrees again this time looking up the road in the direction you want to go. You do this when you are roughly 90 degrees (halfway) across the road. You are looking at the exit from the turn... You go where you look but it does need practice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scotty Posted June 17, 2008 Report Share Posted June 17, 2008 Welcome Captain! What bike have you got? Nick - good luck for Wednesday geezer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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