Awww soz to hear that moonstone Probably get it next time after more practise i know what you mean about the expense tho after i passed my CBT i asked about having a few more lessons to practise my gears and cos i had passed it automatically goes up from £15 an hour to £30 an hour which is gonna work out more expensive So im the same as you have been looking around for a cheap 125 to get out and about on and as DC said the more experiance the better your confidence I just need to get passed that dreaded roundabout lol
Thats why I'm not aiming to do my test this year, 2 reasons really,
I can't afford it, too many rallies, meets etc to fund
I think I need more practice, I wouldn't trust myself to ride 'safely' if i passed a test straight away, I find it a bit daunting that you can go from 125 to unlimited cc's
thats just my opininion..others will disagree, but I know whats best for me.
Never mind, moonstone.
Manana.
One day, the examiner will say, "You've passed!"
And then you will have a smile on your face that would shame a Cheshire Cat.
Everything you've said Lin speaks volumes of nerves... Now you've got it out of the way and know that the examiner's not going to eat you for brekkie, it'll be easier next time to chill out.
Just ask yourself when the last time was that you had to take any kind of test/exam... Then give yourself a break when you realise how long ago it was! It's fine when you're a kid and your whole life is measured by various assessments - you get into practice and learn how to cope with your nerves... leave it a few years and suddenly it's about the most daunting thing in the world!
As for your route to riding... My personal choice is to go for a 125 and take the restricted route... Certain people keep telling me it's a "waste of time"... erm whose time exactly?! Entirely your choice and if you personally feel you'd benefit from time on a 125 with L-plates, go for it
dont know why people have such a downer on restrictors, how fast do ya need to go? and how many of us dont feel ready for das, if restrictor option was not there would the alternative be a 125 for evermore, not that theres anything wrong if thats what you want but at least it means that you can go and get more or less what ever you want
My feeling on the subject is that if you want to ride a 125 all well and good, but it you want something bigger then you have to go for it. Being restricted is just frustrating in my opinion. At the end of the day, whatever cc bike you ride, it will only go as fast as you make it. Imagine passing yr driving test and being limited to a 1 litre micra for 2 years......see where i'm coming from?
Totally agree Julie, and thats what I would probably do, once ive got 'fed up' of riding a 125, its all about progression, for me.
125...get the feel of a bike, get to know how other road users perceive you, get your confidence.
Restricted... now you can keep up with some of the bigger bikes, further journeys, taking it all in... get experience, then go for the full test.
Again, this is just my opinion, and who knows, 6months down the line, I may well want to do my full test, but at the moment, I'm not in any hurry. I want to learn to respect the bike, respect and receive respect from all other roadusers, of course i do now, having held a driving license for over 25yrs, but I think its a new learning curve on a bike...
And like i said before, its a personal thing, I simply couldn't trust myself with a big powerful machine.
Really sorry to hear about your hiccup Moonstone.<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p>
However, I’d agree whole heartedly with Wannabe to be honest in that it sounds very much like nerves getting the better of you and nothing more.<o:p></o:p>
So I wouldn’t look at it as a fail! You’ve posted since your initial “bad news” post and come out with statements like “I rode rubbish” etc, well get those thoughts out of your head woman lol!!!<o:p></o:p>
You need to look at this positively. I know it probably isn’t easy, but in a couple of days it will be I promise.<o:p></o:p>
Firstly, you need to look not negatively, but positively at the mistakes you made. When I’m teaching martial arts and someone tells me they did a technique wrongly, what I always tell them is knowing you did it wrong is half way to doing it right!! So now you need to be talking again to your instructor and asking for additional tips on these problem areas.<o:p></o:p>
The second thing you need to do is celebrate! Go out for a drink with friends, have a big cream bun or whatever you do to congratulate yourself. Why? Because from your own admission in your post, there are loads of things that you did right. And right now you need to concentrate on these.<o:p></o:p>
The third thing you need to do is accept that a lot of your problems were down to nerves and again, as Wannabe says, as soon as you realise this and also realise that the examiner wasn’t an evil demi-god, your next test shouldn’t be so unnerving.<o:p></o:p>
So, give yourself a pat on the back, say “Ok, I may have failed THIS time, but I know why and so I’m gonna be better prepared for next time.”<o:p></o:p>
So well done you for having a go, don’t worry that you failed, many do the first time and well done again for standing back up and saying, right, here’s to another go!<o:p></o:p>
Hi all
I feel right now that I need to step back take a breather and get in some quality riding the only way I can do that is to get a 125.
Doing it the way I have, has been so had hoc. Having a couple of days with lessons then a couple of weeks without until payday again then another couple of half days and although on the same type of bike a different bike so getting used to the bite on each occasion I really need some stability.
The thing that worries me is picking up bad habits whilst riding solo I can only think its harder to get out of them. Anyhow I am off to work now so night everyone and many thanks
Lin xxx
Geoff is right Lin and like I said on the phone it was like you said mainly down to nerves, thats the reason I failed my first test, I even had to ride home from the test centre afterwards alone as I went to take my test on my own and rode much better as there was no pressure.
It's good to read you being positive about it and knowing what you did wrong and that they are things you can easierly put right your more than half way to passing your next test.
I felt I benefitted from having a 125 on L's to just ride around on a gain confidence, it was also a cheaper option than paying out for lessons and hiring a bike. I had a Virago 125 as my first bike but found it a hard bike to U turn so managed to pick up a brilliant SR125 for £500 off ebay this was the bike I took my test on as it was the one I knew and felt at home on which is half the battle when taking your test, feeling at one with the bike your on.(I even sold this bike on for a profit after passing and going back to my Virago)
Wannabe your right I did do the 125 test then a few months later got myself a bigger bike and rode on restriction for the two years, in fact I didn't even rush to take out the restrictors when my time was up. I only noticed the restriction at the top end speed, what this bike did allow me to do in the two years was gain more experience while riding a bike that even when I was riding it at the national speed limits still had something in reserve should I need it to get me out of trouble, unlike my 125 which had nothing in reserve.
I took a weeks camping gear on my restricted bike and still managed to keep up with bikes I was riding with on the motorway so the restriction never bothered me.
A 125 test is cheaper to take than a DAS but at the end of the day its totally up to the individual what suits one doesn't suit another but none of us can critise what ever route each other takes as its about being a biker, riding a bike and keeping yourself safe out there and not what route you took to get there.
Lin, if you're serious about buying a 125, I know a certain gorgeous young lady who's selling one (and who is currently upstairs sleeping lol).
Roachy is selling her CG125, which is a superb little learner bike for £1250 complete with about £400 of extras including top box and rack, crash bars, heated grips, new back tyre etc.
If you're interested then I'd drop her a PM.
Ok, I know Redditch to Pontefract is a long way, but if you bought the bike (obviously you'd want to see it first), then I'd happily come pick you up in the car and follow you back darn sarf (ish) on my bike.
Have a think about it.
Aha! I thought I was right CG... I just don't trust my memory these days!
I get your point about DAS DC but I've never owned a flash motor either! I've driven a few, but not when a newbie driver. Personally speaking, I'd like to see restriction brought in for newly qualified drivers... but that's another story for another place.
Bike engineering & design has improved drastically and restriction isn't as limiting as it was. Before I went for the CBT, I was adamant that I'd be taking the DAS route... it was only after doing the CBT and I realised how monumentally awful I was at riding that I figured it'd be WAY more sensible to plate up and do my 'apprenticeship' on a 125. There's no rush... took me 40 years to bother actually trying to ride, so what's another couple of years here & there, getting qualified?
Says she, who's climbing the walls 7 months after CBT cos she STILL doesn't have a bike!
Lin, sorry to hear you did not pass. . Today is another day, you can always try again, if at first you don’t succeed, try try try try again…. I am so proud of you for trying girl. It takes guts and courage to even get out there on a bike….. ( LOL) It took me two attempts to pass my bike test, and that was back in the good old days when all ya had to do is go in a straight line. (And for those that know me, will agree, I sure can go fast in a straight line now) If I was there now, I would give ya a big hug…. And I don’t like doing hugs. (Girlie stuff, PHEW!!!!) Well done girl for getting out there and giving it a go.. YOU didn’t fail all you didn’t wasn’t get that little piece of paper which said you passed this time. You can still keep trying, and I am sure you will be out there again…. Lots of hugs Lin ,
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