Noob

Jae-So

Jae-So

Jae-So

Soldato
Joined
9 Jan 2010
Posts
3,795
Location
UK
Hi guys looking to get into bikes, I'm a real noob, so chuck all the advice you can at me.

I took the CBT a few weeks back, but both my handling skills and gear abilities sucked to say the least. I ended up passing the CBT on a 'ped.

I spoke to a school near me and said I will need lots of training up, so I will just keep training up there and do the direct access when I am ready; I'm over 24 and have a full driving licence.

The plan after that is to get some gear and just ride friend's bikes and do short rentals when visiting places with friends (nothing powerful), and perhaps do some further training after getting the licence.

I know everyone will urge me to get a bike and just do it that way, but TBH I have nowhere to keep it and am too busy to maintain a bike at the moment, so I would rather do it this way and just take it slow and get out there when I do get the chance.

EDIT: Ooo also, where can I get some decently priced but good gear, helmets, jacket, kevlar jeans etc. Maybe 2nd hand, except for helmet?

Anyway, chuck some advice my way
 
Last edited:
Wouldnt advise a second hand helmet, go to a bike shop and get one to fit, there are lots ranging from £30 to well £1000. Thing is all helmets that are legally sold in the UK have to pass certification to X level. All your paying for beyond the cheapness lightness, fashion etc. Dont worry we all succomb to expensive helmets at some point though. I would recomend paying for one with a internal sun visor. As for the rest second hand kit etc. Biking is not like any other clothes you buy, its designed to save your ass when something goes **** up and it has to fit well. Try aldi or lidl if they still have some stuff knocking around.

Buy a cheap 125 and just get on the road in quiet times (after 1900) and ride and take your time. As they say its like riding a bike you never forget.
 
SPG said:
Wouldnt advise a second hand helmet, go to a bike shop and get one to fit, there are lots ranging from £30 to well £1000. Thing is all helmets that are legally sold in the UK have to pass certification to X level. All your paying for beyond the cheapness lightness, fashion etc. Dont worry we all succomb to expensive helmets at some point though. I would recomend paying for one with a internal sun visor. As for the rest second hand kit etc. Biking is not like any other clothes you buy, its designed to save your ass when something goes **** up and it has to fit well. Try aldi or lidl if they still have some stuff knocking around.

Buy a cheap 125 and just get on the road in quiet times (after 1900) and ride and take your time. As they say its like riding a bike you never forget.
Click to expand...

Hi, thanks for your reply, in my OP I asked about 2nd hand kit except hemlet i.e. I will definitely buy the helmet new. I have heard about a lot of hardly used but 2nd hand gloves, jackets etc, that's what I'm looking for, people that splashed on stuff but never did use it much. I wondered if you knew of any specific websites for that stuff (besides ebay). I agree it has to fit well though, I was just on the look out for stuff, I will mot likely buy new anyway

As also said in the OP I would prefer not to buy a bike until I have a full licence and more training.
 
What bike will you be doing the training on? I'd hope they'll stick you straight onto a "big" bike.

I know you said you don't want to get a bike before you pass your test, but spending a bit of time on a tiddler getting some practise can do a lot of good - it sounds like the training school you've chosen are doing extra lessons on top of the DAS course, and a full DAS course being the best part of £700-800, if you're going for extra lessons at say £100 a day, how much are you going to be paying them?

A lot of people (myself included) have spent a few months on a 125cc before doing their full test - in 4 weeks and nearly 1000 miles on my 125cc my riding has come on sooooo much, gears/clutch control, slow speed control, and just general confidence has been helped loads by riding daily on a 125.

I'll probably end up doing my full test at the end of summer, and I'd hope that after 4/5000 miles and 4 or 5 months all the training I'll need would be a couple of days practising the mod 1 and getting rid of any bad habits/getting used to the bigger bike.

It's an option to look at, rather than chucking loads of money at a training school. 125's can be sold for what you buy it for, and as for maintenance, apart from lubing the chain and giving it a wash every few weeks, there's nothing to do.
 
Check out the sharp.gov website before buying a helmet.

You would be surprised how many supposedly brilliant helmets out there offer poor protection.
 
Ah brilliant, on sharp.gov right now, looks useful. That's exactly yhe kind of advice I need :)

Guys I know a fair few of you bought a 125 and learnt that way, fair play, but it is not how I want to do it. I want more tuition and I don't want to pick up any bad habits or come off in my early days. As stated earlier I also don't have time to maintain a bike right now, nor do I want a bike right now.

So paying for tuition and direct access is my preferred method to learn and skill up. When I have the licence I may well get a modest bike, hey it may even be a 125, but I'll be much better on the road. Riding a similar bike after weeks of training vs riding it with 1 days training should mean I have more control.

I have friends with 2 bikes (of which 1 is a 125) who are happy for me to ride with them, so with that option available yes I would rather throw money at a good school and gain skills, rather than buy a bike right now.
 
Last edited:
i had a terrible cbt, as per my thread, i was told to not give up and carry on as my end goal was my direct access and to go round europe

i wasnt even looking for a bike when i took the next step as i was going to use schools, but found a 125 honda for just shy of £800, I got all my gear on ebay, boots cost me £60 jacket £140 matching trousers to zip fir £140 gloves £20 and on the most part its been really good kit (i spent more as i will need it in europe). I had a fried ride it home for me (although you can get a bike delivered) then i went out at 8pm at night to the nearest car park and practised and practised, 3 days on and 300 miles i feel so much more confident on it, at first i missed gears and backed traffic up a bit by doing 50 in a 60 but after an hour of doing 50's on off it felt natural. I still detour round areas i know that are busy but its progress

Insurance cost me £160 for a year and fuel is £13 a tank that goes forever.

i dont have a drive so its parked down the road in a lay by, and i work 6am to 7pm 5 days a week, i dont intend to do any maintenance in the 3 months i have it. Get used to a 125 and practise slow riding in car parks, clutch control is everything, what you can get away with on a 125 and a 600 are completly different

hope this helps
 
sorry when i mean maintenance I mean oil change, filter, spark plugs, etc (eg service maintenance) not the basics of tire pressure / condition, chain lube, lights, EG the things that keep you alive

sorry for not clarifying
 
Last edited:
See for me I want to learn that stuff and I can learn all that when helping friends maintain their bikes after riding them. However I have no time right now to maintain my own bike well enough. So I will learn on a school's bike then when things settle down get my own and maintain it.
 
Last edited:
Where are you based? I recently did my DAS with a school near Luton/Bedford and they were great.
As for gear, I bought most of mine from eBay, I just made sure I got good stuff in "as new" condition. Helmet of course was bought new and I bought my gloves new when I went to my local J&S to try on all the stuff I then bought second hand.
 
Last edited:
tbh mate if your dont want to maintain or own a bike, what's the point in spending over a £1000 pounds on training.

May as well just renew your cbt every 2 years for £60 if your only renting peds etc.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom