First time out on the road this evening on my own!!!

Gunni Parker

Gunni Parker

Gunni Parker

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First time since I passed my CBT in febuary what a daunting experience it as, I was truely scared stiff. I kept on checking my blind spot constantly to see if any cars were going to take over me and splat me! :eek: I was only going 20mph at the most lol.

Any tips from experienced bikers to help me through this? Ive got to make my way to work soon as the buses are killing me.:(
 
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Yeh command the road. Don't ride to close to the kerb inviting all the traffic to pass you. Make sure that if traffic wants to overtake you, then they have to cross the middle white stripes.

Don't feel pressured or bullied by traffic behind you, hold your own position. This will help you gain confidence. Give nice clear and early signals so everyone knows what your doing.

Just relax and learn to scan everyone around you and read what they're all doing. It helps you to plan your route.

Enjoy your riding :)
 
Progression Progression Progression, loads of people fail their MOD 2 for going too slowly which is dangerous as people try and overtake you in normal speed zones.

As said don't ride in the drians be middle too middle right

Don't slow down too early and take ages to speed up, get on with it and you'll get more confident.

Concentrate on what's important not what could happen behind, obviously be aware of whats behind but do remember your moving in a forward direction, I often move my wifes centre mirror in her car for a few minutes when she gets more interested about the car behind being to close / trying to get past, than whats in front of her
 
Probably just need practice mate. To be honest, 5 months with no riding is likely to leave anyone a bit shaky, never mind someone who's simply done a CBT. Have you been out since your CBT with other riders?
 
As said try to keep your road prescence, keep out of the kerb.

Where abouts are you? are you riding around towns?

The beauty of being on a bike is if it gets too much you can stop pretty much anywhere to gather your thoughts without getting in anyones way :)
 
As other's have said + dont rely on your mirror's keep doing your life saver's , after not long they will be second nature and you wont have to think about doing them.

I promise you they can do and WILL save your life. :)
 
I hadnt ridden in over a year and jumped on a zx7r which is frankly too big for me and **** myself for the first day or so, just give it a bit of time and youll be fine :)
 
Why do drivers have to drive right up your backside??? I was sticking to the speed limit. Why can't they deal with that. And sorry, to answer your questions no, I haven't been out with anyone since my C. I litterally jumped on my bike for the first time today. I just ran short distances to each of my friends houses. I live in and town and work in another town. So the distance is fair, the town I work in is built up of dual carridgeways. Of which I am cacking myself about going on!!! But I need to for work.
 
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Gunni Parker said:
Why do drivers have to drive right up your backside??? I was sticking to the speed limit. Why can't they deal with that. .
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In the words of Meat Loaf:

"Objects in the rear view mirror may appear closer than they are."

Seriously though, it ticks me right off as well.

Regarding mirrors and lifesavers, if you get your mirror placement bang on, you won't need to do many. I only do them at roundabouts, junctions and changing lanes.

I set my left mirror looking straight down the road behind me (helps for long-distance copper spotting) and my right mirror angled down covering the blind spot from the left mirror. I'd be lost without that configuration.
 
Good work! 5 months is a long time.. I'm putting my deposit down for a bike tomorrow so will be out on my own soon about a month after my CBT and even that feels too long without riding for me! :)
 
just keep on doing as you do mate, if your sat there thinking about the tips and hints you have read on here you are more likely going go wrong as your thinking more about this thread than the car in front :D
 
I just passed my DAS a few weeks ago and only started riding to work the other week. To start with I was cacking it too, busy bothering about people behind me etc. After a few days you start to get into the groove though, you just need to spend time on the bike and your confidence will grow.

As others have said command the road, make sure you sit middle, or middle right of your lane as some driver will try to overtake you.
 
My one and only tip which helped me get through the first few days, pick a mates place about 50 mile away, ride there, in which ever way you like, arrive, chill and talk. You will talk about all the things you did on the ride up then you have to ride home again. Thats 100 miles under your belt. The next day, do it again... Just keep riding the same route for a week or so, eventually you will know the route and know the bad spots on it, other spots you will start to enjoy and come comfortable with your bike... Just ride it how you want to, don't push your self, you will make a lot more progression going at your own pace than doing too much. Trust me.

ags
 
My one bit of advice is don't feel obliged to filter the traffic.

If you're happier sitting behind a car in traffic daydreaming - do it.

Worth also repeating is sit in the middle of the lane - not to the left, or you'll invite everyone to (maybe dangerously) overtake you even if stuff is coming the other way (!!).
 
britboy4321 said:
Worth also repeating is sit in the middle of the lane - not to the left, or you'll invite everyone to (maybe dangerously) overtake you even if stuff is coming the other way (!!).
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When I did my training some twenty years back (god I'm old :( )they specifically advised against using the middle of the lane as this is where all the oil etc gets dropped and it's more slippery than the rest of the tarmac.
 
Dogbreath said:
When I did my training some twenty years back (god I'm old :( )they specifically advised against using the middle of the lane as this is where all the oil etc gets dropped and it's more slippery than the rest of the tarmac.
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I did my training a month ago and that's what I was told too. Basically, ride to the left or right of centre to avoid the muck. When I was learning I was more comfortable to the left (I guess I felt less exposed) but just make sure you don't go to far over, as someone will try and squeeze past.

I now generally ride right of centre, makes it easier for overtaking and you are more visible to any vehicles in front (if they bother to check their mirrors!). I do switch around my road position depending on the corner I'm approaching though.
 
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