So not shore why I'm wrighting this but kind of alone on my biker journey so maybe you all can give me of advice or just be my cheerleaders 😆
Most people I know do not like the idear of me on a bike.
So I'm 42 and finely am learning the bike I had my 1st lesson that did not go as I thought and been suggested I may have to try a scooter 😅 just to get my confidence up, I should add I can't drive anything , I never even sat on a motorbike before my 1st lesson so was all 100% new for me and I'm a huge over thinker , so my 2nd lesson is next month hopefully it goes as planed and I can do my cbt on a bike if not I'm being told to do my cbt on a scooters then just get a bike so I can lean in my time , I feel so bad wrighting this as feel like im failing allready 😆, so maybe you can give me tips or at least tell me of people who went that route 😆,
Take your instructors advice and complete your CBT on a twist & go, then spend a few months on the road getting comfortable with the throttle, brakes and being on the road. Once that's all good, it should just be a gear change lesson. All going well It will be a case of selling the scooter and buying a geared bike.
If you try to push yourself to much and don't get it, you could end up giving up and losing out on a good lifestyle.
Yeah that what my teacher said he said he could see my anexity a mile away 😆, I just really had my heart set on a bike but I guess it just taken the long road to what I want
Quote: Take your instructors advice and complete your CBT on a twist & go, then spend a few months on the road getting comfortable with the throttle, brakes and being on the road. Once that's all good, i...
I have worked as a motorcycle instructor so maybe I have a little more insight into your predicament. Not having any driving or riding experience is not all bad. There are benefits as well. So don't just focus on the negative parts. I honestly think your instructor is selling you short because he might only want pupils who need minimum input for an easy life. To advise someone they are only suitable for a scooter after one lesson seems pretty poor to me. May ask how long your lesson was and how many students to instructors there were. One thing to consider (and this is from professional observation of teaching students). People who have mastered riding a twist and go scooter on the road often take longer to train to a high standard as they have to overcome involuntary muscle memory and all the bad habits they have picked up. Throttle control and braking on a twist and go are different to a manual bike due to the mechanics of the machine and the need to match road position, speed and revs with gear changes. My advice would be to change your instructor and book a half day 1 to 1 pad session somewhere. Don't let people tell you you can't do it, don't tell yourself you can't do it. Find a good instructor. Good luck, you can do it.
Im of the opinion that going for a twist and go scooter would be a mistake. Stick with a proper bike with gears. The skills needed to ride a geared bike is totally different to a scooter. They are like chalk and cheese. Plus as you progress to full license etc it would be gears all the way. You may wish to change instructor as well, because it sounds like he is more interested in you passing your CBT rather than gaining bike skills for life. Couple of points at the start you may find things hard. However with biking it's practise, practise and more practise I took my advanced license after a 30 year break from biking, and coming back to it I found it hard. Prob took me twice as long to get to test standard than someone who had been riding continuously with no 30 year break. What I'm saying is don't give up, stick with gears, you will find it more enjoyable once you master the basics trust me 😃
Sounds like good advice from these gents so far. There are positives and negatives to what you have been told and although I am not qualified in any way, I would like to give my two penneth. Rags I know has been a riding instructor for a long time and I would always bow to his judgement and knowledge. The other two guys I don't know them but they do put forward arguments I would agree with. If only Buzz SP were around, it would be interesting to hear his take. Me personally, if I were getting into biking for the first time in my 40's, I would seek advice from another instructor or school. I would feel that I were being fobbed off if I had been told to stick to a scooter. Surely the challenge is to overcome the initial problem of mastering the controls. Perhaps as Biker1002000 says, a few lessons 1to1 would be a greater benefit to you. I remember as a spotty 16yr old climbing on a moped for the first time after only riding push bikes in the past. I was impatient and didn't really listen to my mate when he was trying to explain the fundamentals of mechanised biking. Needless to say, I came off on a loose surface. Looking back, I think I learned more from that one embaressing incident than I did for a long time after. Keep at it, find another instructor if need be, one who has the time and patience to get you through synchronising hand and foot controls. Don't let one lesson put you off getting into a satisfying lifestyle. As I said, I am not an instructor, but I would not be happy with myself if I didn't see the challenge as something I was determined to beat.
My two-penorth....If you've never driven anything nor passed a test then a twist and go is the way to go to gain confidence.Not everyone 'gets' gears/clutch at first so a twist and go to 30mph could be ideal.Now.....if 30mph seems daunting at first then maybe find somewhere to practice off road...there is no shame in that! The main thing is building confidence not shattering it and everyone learns at a different pace.To some it comes naturally but others need to work on it. Once you've gained your CBT then the learning really begins....and in all honesty never stops.I passed my test in 1985 aged 17 and even now at 57 still learn things!If anyone tells you they've nowt to learn then don't listen to them!Riding motorbikes is a daily learning curve! Keep plugging away and you WILL get there.When you do it opens up a World/Lifestyle that only those on 2 wheels truely understand. You'll understand this is a few years I guarantee it! Good luck...ride free...ride safe. Edit*** A pal of mine, now in his 50s could never master the clutch/gear combo so he just stopped.He drives a car but on an Auto licence.
A clear difference of opinions! You say you have no 'road' experience at all, (you can't drive anything). Have you rode a peddle bike? confidently? Ride one, tomorrow and the day after, learn to look where you want to go! Your instructor will explain this. Learn the highway code. Understand it. Do online mock theory tests. Many. Again. And again. I would take the advice of the instructor who has met you, observed you and, probably worked out a plan for your specific way, we are all different. He probably is 'not bad at his job' and met many people like you, so probably a good bet to go with his opinion and judgement. I would highly recommend. Start on a moped, twist and go. Simple procedure here of evolution! Learn the road, the hazards and more importantly how you handle the situations you are going to find yourself in. This way your head isn't being overloaded with to much information which will cause you to panic and flap, where mistakes will be made. Steady on, plenty of time, I know many people older than you who, similarly to you hadn't rode a bike. Now they say. They wished they had done it sooner! Good luck. Welcome to BM aswell.
With a little insight of being a full time DSA and ERS motorcycle instructor for the passed 20 years. I did pick up on the line, "I'm a huge over thinker". This why I suggested you listen to your instructor's advice and go the auto route to start with. Not having to worry about the gears will give you less thing to "Over Think".
I didn't do my test til I was 40 either but I had been pillion since 17 and driven car since 20s if that made a difference.....but
when I first sat on a bike to actually ride myself I was like..... omg!! I did my CBT first..... I found that better because that was mostly in the safe off road space .... maybe do your CBT first?
I didn't have a bike to practice on between lessons but I used the schools SR125 (I couldn't comfortably reach the floor on their 250 bike and they suggested whilst learning that was not good idea!). I did 6 lessons and then test and passed ..... with loads of swearing.... I'm glad them head things are one way 😄
I started on a restricted cbr400 and after two years my licence automatically moved to big bike but I stayed with 400s....
anyways just my thoughts that maybe try CBT first?
good luck whatever you decide.... it's best feeling ever when you pass 🎉🎉🎉💫
I didn't take my test until I was 30 but I'd been riding motocross bikes off road since I was 12 and road learner bikes on my car license for over 10 years.
Without you having any previous experience of driving/ riding anything I seriously suggest taking Ragnars advice ( which appears to be broadly in line with your own instructor anyway) as not only is he an experienced instructor and rider he also has a scooter aswell as his big boy motorcycle so he knows what he is talking about.
I got to be a back pack for 1st time on big and I was pritty scared to get on bike but once bike started moving loved it every second, biker who took me out was great and took good care of me, but definitely showed me how much I'm going to love having my own
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