bosslady

Originally Posted by bosslady

don't worry, it was still light out! For those who have read my other thread http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/sh...not-so-newbies I'm starting to feel a bit better and got brave and went out in the traffic w00t w00t then I got confused at an intersection (confuzzles me when I'm driving my car too) and went towards the town centre with twice as much traffic and corners haha uh oh. Anyway I'm still alive, albeit a little bit gross and sweaty, probably nerves. No mishaps except stalling after I'd stopped to give way to a car when I was turning right into my street, the couple of cars behind me probably weren't impressed but hey that's what the big yellow L is for eh... Other then that the hardest thing I am finding is changing down gears, I just don't "get" it! Any advice?

From this thread here: http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/sh...a-ride-tonight

Up until then I'd just tootled around my block a few times and going any further than that was unfathomable! I just meant to take myself just a little bit further than my neighbourhood and got confused at an intersection because I guess I don't know my neighbourhood as well as I think I do, and it's funny you know - some places I've driven through a million times and now on a bike, everything looks different and I don't recognise it anymore, I guess I never really paid attention when I was in my car. Anyway I ended up going further into the town centre than I anticipated and it made me quite nervous. Decided to pull into the supermarket car park and turn around and go home because it all felt too overwhelming all of a sudden. Surprisingly, I got back home alive

As for the gear changing I mentioned. Sometimes I still have a little trouble almost 5 weeks on changing down but by that I mean it could be a bit smoother and require a little less thought but from then to now? I'm definitely way better, it's totally all about practice.

22/12/2012 I found a carpark in a nearby highschool. It's not the biggest but it's kind of long, has some little islands on it, speed bumps, a bit of length down the end of it for me to practice gear changes. Hills to practice hill starts, space to practice both emergency stopping as well as TRYING to come to a smoother stop... But I guess it's not normal for a bike to be doing that and people watching me from their houses or other people walking through the car park totally put me off, made me stall and generally just feel awkward, embarrassed, nervous. The worst part of that night, I can now laugh about and I like to tell the story because it's funny and it gives other people a bloody good laugh too. Just as the below post says, I went to go up a steep driveway and it's one of those moments where everything goes slowly except that I didn't do anything about it, because I didn't know what to do! Couldn't understand the funny noise my bike was doing. Basically I was in way too high a gear (3rd I think?) for what I was trying to do and when I went up the driveway, the bike started making a funny noise (which was my bike telling me about my gear being too high) and then it just died and fell sideways. So embarrassed I was trying to pick my bike up as quickly as I could before anyone saw me. Picking up a bike is hard enough as it is what made it a little bit worse was that it was up a slight incline, trying to sit it upright but also stop it rolling backwards at the same time. The worse part... I couldn't help but keep hitting the horn THE WHOLE TIME. I kept telling myself NO, NO!! STOP HITTING THE HORN!!! Kept hitting the horn... somebody came out...

Originally Posted by bosslady

So I went out again tonight... went to the local school, as I have a couple times to practice. Then these damn kids turned up and some man came out of his house and was watching me... needless to say I got a bit nervous and took off lol. Wish I could have practiced changing down gears a bit more but I was starting to get a tiny bit better, kept trying to remember the advice given I.e. blip... all went well until I went to visit someone around the corner. Steep driveway, going up, turning left DEAD. DROP!!! Fell on my left with the bike of course. Now shit happens right, but whilst trying to lift my bike I kept hitting the horn so yea people came out to look of course... sigh, lol.

I was also having trouble knowing what gear to be in but got some helpful advice in my thread.

29/12/2012 The first time I ran out of fuel... I vividly remember freaking the f*ck out when my bike started jerking. I pulled over straight away and looked at my bike but I couldn't see anything unusual. Then I had a thought, maybe it's fuel, because I haven't put any fuel in my bike since I got it... the gas station was only 100m up the road so I thought I'd try that and maybe it would fix the problem. At this stage I didn't know anything about a reserve for my tank, I didn't even know there was such a thing, I suggest ya'll newbies read up on it! Anyway yes... the fuel seemed to fix the problem but I was scared it would happen again so text someone off of here to ask their advice, they seemed to concur that it was probably lack of fuel... lol. Damn not having a gauge! As a newbie you can often live in constant fear of running out of fuel...

Originally Posted by bosslady

33.4km today had a funny ride. Left home early, hooned up my road, turned right at the top, cruised along for 50m, then bike started sounding shit and getting really jerky, losing power. Keep riding another 150m or so, still the same thing, pull over wondering wtf is wrong? everything looks ok? hmmm gas station down the road another 100m, maybe it's gas? $10 later she's off and away, happy as Larry! lol!! dumb ass...
Anyway upside is today was very good and I feel my confidence creeping up slowly, makes me so happy! didn't have the fear in the pit of my stomach about going on the main roads like I did maybe a week ago. Yay me!

29/12/2012 The first time a biker "nodded" at me. It felt really good and it made me smile....

30/12/2012 I crossed conquering the motorway off of my list... TICK!

Originally Posted by bosslady

Thought I'd take the back way to Albany from Birkenhead cause there's a stretch of road that's 70kmph so I can practice going just that little bit faster. Ok now I'll take a ride through the industrial area.. cool... wait where am I now? oops... keep going, maybe I'll come across a familiar place so I can get my bearings? yup, Albany shopping centre except that now I don't know where the "back way" is (get your mind out of the gutter) to get back home... umm umm f*ck it, bit the bullet and got on the mway and strangely enough I'm still alive to tell the story? got off at northcote and got another *nod* from a bikie

31/12/2012 The Harbour Bridge, TICK!

Originally Posted by bosslady

Got on at Onewa this morning, off at St. Lukes for work this morning. Before 6am this morning so not much traffic, also of course it's almost all 80kmph for that whole ride except for a k or two before the st lukes off ramp where it's 100kmph. Going home will be interesting esp with the roadworks and it cutting down from 5 to 3 lanes. Anyway, yay for me!

I arranged a mentor (Kiwi Graham) around this time. I've only been out with them once so far but it was very good, I've learnt a lot since then but keep making a mental note of the things I need to work on so we can "attack" them next time I see him.

Now, I still need to build my confidence and have a lot to learn BUT I've also learnt HEAPS and built up my confidence since I started that thread. I am very happy with my progress so far and you know what? Proud of myself also. That said, I've really had to push myself, but at the same time be mindful of not pushing myself TOO much, some days I had to fight my mind to "let" me go out for a ride. No, I'm too tired (whatever) to go practice, No, I want to watch xyz tv show, No, it's too late, No, I don't want to get up that early tomorrow etc. I had to fight my mind because I knew the only way I would get better and start to enjoy riding, was by getting out there because honestly? I was DREADING going out on my bike and wondered, when would it ever be fun like people say it is?

I've had a lot of very nice and supportive comments in regards to my riding and how well I'm doing. As a newbie, you have to not let it get to your head "wow, such and such said I was really good at xyz" I think it's pretty easy when you get ego boosts like that, to let your head get inflated like a big balloon. But I'm not very keen on that balloon being "popped" and while I enjoy all the positive comments and support (don't stop them coming, please!) I have to keep it all in check.

On and upwards!