Learning to ride....eek

theleg

theleg

theleg

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Ok so im getting on a bit and ive finally decided i wanna learn to ride a motorised bicycle..Perhaps its a mid life crisis..

Anyway do i have this right..

I need to take the CBT, then the theory test and then I can sign up and do a DAS course right? Then, assuming i pass the test, i can buy and insure a bike of any size?

Now how do things work with bikes? im guessing the riding school will loan me a bike for the duration of the training? Or do i need to get a bike first?

Bike choices...
Ive never ridden a bike before so obviously im not gonna go out and buy the biggest thing available...I dont wanna end myself just yet.

Im also not really interested in buying a sports style bike that doesnt have the whoomph to back up its looks. Seen way too many dudes riding bike looking bikes that sound very much like my sisters hairdryer and have power to match.

Would it be best to buy a 125 and ride that for a while?
Im not sure but i quite like the idea of taking it offroad too...not crazy stuff, just actually being able to ride on semi difficult terrain, not just roads. So maybe a supermoto/enduro type bike? Are these reasonable as beginner bikes?

Im quite excited to be honest...bit scared though, after seeing too many dodgy videos of dudes being run over by massive lorries.

Tips and advice anyone?
 
Here's what i did:

1) check you have class A provisional entitlement on your paper counterpart license.

2) phone the bike school near you with a good reputation, get your CBT booked (and a pre CBT lesson if you feel you need it, i didnt have one)

3) pass CBT - easy, book your DAS course with the same bike school

4) book your theory test & swat up, the reason i put this after CBT is if you get on a bike and change your mind you've not wasted £30.

5) have some lessons on a big bike - bike school should include hire and insurance in their course costs.

6) pass practical test

7) buy a hayabusa turbo (or whatever takes your fancy).

I would recommend that after the CBT if you want to continue that you buy your own gear (helmet and gloves at least), borrowing smelly nit infested helmets from the bike school isnt good imo.

I had been driving close to 3 years when i did my bike stuff, wo i'd already done the new-style theory test with hazard perception.. this is the thing most people find difficult, you'll already have a lot of road sense from driving a car so you shouldnt find it massively difficult.

all the above cost me £580 all in at a school with a VERY good reputation and very VERY good pass rates. you get what you pay for.
 
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RiPz said:
Here's what i did:

1) check you have class A provisional entitlement on your paper counterpart license.

2) phone the bike school near you with a good reputation, get your CBT booked (and a pre CBT lesson if you feel you need it, i didnt have one)

3) pass CBT - easy, book your DAS course with the same bike school

4) book your theory test & swat up, the reason i put this after CBT is if you get on a bike and change your mind you've not wasted £30.

5) have some lessons on a big bike - bike school should include hire and insurance in their course costs.

6) pass practical test

7) buy a hayabusa turbo (or whatever takes your fancy).

I would recommend that after the CBT if you want to continue that you buy your own gear (helmet and gloves at least), borrowing smelly nit infested helmets from the bike school isnt good imo.

I had been driving close to 3 years when i did my bike stuff, wo i'd already done the new-style theory test with hazard perception.. this is the thing most people find difficult, you'll already have a lot of road sense from driving a car so you shouldnt find it massively difficult.

all the above cost me £580 all in at a school with a VERY good reputation and very VERY good pass rates. you get what you pay for.
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Cheers...is 580 expensive as far as these things go? im not really too concerned about the money as long as i get decent training which allows me to pass first time.
 
£580 total is very reasonable, mine was £120 for the CBT and then £515 for a 4-day DAS course about 13-14 months later (took me a while to get a bike, ride for 2 months and then crash braking my leg and recover from that before taking the test)
 
SKILL said:
£580 total is very reasonable, mine was £120 for the CBT and then £515 for a 4-day DAS course about 13-14 months later (took me a while to get a bike, ride for 2 months and then crash braking my leg and recover from that before taking the test)
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Ouch, that sucks :/

Do you have to have your own bike for the DAS test?
 
Nah, the bike place will loan you a bike (usually a CG125 for the CBT and something like a GS500 for the DAS, both dull and boring but easy and comfortable to ride)

As RiPz mentioned if you do decide after CBT that you want to go for DAS then get your own gear, and this will cost upwards of ~£300 for a full set, but obviously if you're gonna get a bike you're gonna need that anyway, just makes it nicer when doing the DAS.
 
Helmet and gloves..what else am i gonna need? Im guessing i wont need to be head to toe in leathers while im doing my cbt?
 
For the CBT just use their stuff (if you hate bikes even a helmet and gloves is a fairly big cost), for the DAS (or more specifically for once you've bought a proper bike) I'd go for the following:

Helmet - upwards of £80 depending on quality/weight/make (I've got a Nitro £80 helmet, which is ok, does fog up quite a lot which I'd assume/hope the more expensive ones are better at avoiding)

Gloves - £50+ (I've got two sets, my main set is thinner and not waterproof and cost £75, the thicker waterproof set was £60 iirc)

Boots - £80+
Jacket - £60+ (I've got a cheapo textile £60 jacket, nice that it's waterproof, lack of vents make it horrible in the dry, and a £200 leather jacket which is awesome but not quite waterproof)

Then there is trousers, not strictly speaking 'needed' but I personally wouldn't want to ride anything over a 125 without them (crashed in just jeans on my 125, did get an 'egg sized' bit of skin burnt/scraped away from my knee), for trousers again it's £80 upwards really.
 
Chris :cool:

I keep meaning to do my DAS, but Kate seems to think I'd go out and buy a Simpson Bandit and a '92 streetfighter'd Fireblade and do rolling burnouts and wheelies up the high street..... as if :rolleyes:
 
Learning to ride = good idea!

Re getting a bike, if you've been driving for any more than 30 seconds I'd suggest a 125 would feel pretty tame and you'd be bored of it... well, after the CBT/day 1 of DAS. After you've been on the school GS500 or whatnot you'll not want to go back.

Have you read any reviews of the SV650 replacement? Gladius I think, seems tasty if you like naked bikes!

EDIT: OH, it's probably been mentioned but on the equipment front (after CBT or whenever) get a spine protector, something like Forcefield or... Knox are gooduns.

Leathers or textiles is the great decision you have to make. Though if it's for pleasure then leathers please! Mine stood up to the occasional downpour on motorways and whatnot without me getting damp. Tight fitting k.
 
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Griffo, not sure a 'proper' back protector is worth it for the road, any decent jacket will have a fairly good back protector built in, and wearing a seperate one is awkward.

I've got one for racing, and I'll use it religiously on track but I can't see myself ever wearing it on the road, I'll just bung the back protector back in the suit (or just wear my 2-piece stuff) and use that...
 
Fnurgle, I've always worn my Forcefield big ass thing. No more hassle than punching a tramp really. Though the thing that came with my jacket was just a bit of foam that seemed about as useful as a teacup. Suppose it depends what/who I smash myself into! :p
 
Griffo said:
Fnurgle, I've always worn my Forcefield big ass thing. No more hassle than punching a tramp really. Though the thing that came with my jacket was just a bit of foam that seemed about as useful as a teacup. Suppose it depends what/who I smash myself into! :p
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CE approved body armour is generally just bits of foam anyway.
 
Just to add.

I did my CBT a while back, and a month ago I did my Theory and next week I have my DAS.

I am 37 and have been driving cars for 20 years. Always fancied a bike so this year, like you OP I am having my mid life crisis if you will.

I have no bike yet, the DAS school is supplying everything. I have helmet and boots but that is it. Some clothing coming from brother on law who is a motorcycle cop.

I cannot wait. Got a week off of work for lessons and test on friday the 13th :) hopefully not unlucky for me.

Then I will look at a bike. I too dont want a sports bike. I want something around the 600cc mark, hornet, bandit, fazer etc. I will spend about £1500 on my 1st bike. dont wish to spend more than that as I will be inexperianced and could drop it etc.

I have no friends who are bikers, so I am a full virgin apart from picking my brother in laws brains.

But every summer for years I have fancied a bike. So this year I am working extra hard to buy one.

Sorry to jump on your thread. I wish you well doing your DAS

I have been told when you are doing your test 2 of the biggest things to remember is life savers and cancell your indicators.
 
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Must be that time of year - I am 35 and always wanted a bike, got my CBT on Saturday and then will be going for Theory/DAS/Test by the end of April with luck. I am hugely lucky in that I have a 1998 GSX600F sat waiting for me to pass *hugs ex wife* :)
 
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