First ride for newbie Christchurch rider!

**Kezz** · 27th June 2010, 13:06

Hi all, long time reader, 2nd time poster!

My EN-125 turned up on the truck from Wanaka yesterday, and after having the old man who's been riding for about 30 years check it over and take it for a hoon to suss it out for me, threw $15 in the tank and headed out in some pretty piss poor weather for my first ride!

Took it easy around my own street and cul-de-sac for a bit just to get used to the bike, and how it will react to me doing different things etc etc... As I became more confident I started creeping further and further away from home base, eventually finding myself out on Pages Road out in some real traffic - Holy Crap, I'm RIDING!!

Had a good cruise from Bexley where I live, through New Brighton, past Eastgate Mall through to Woolston, and then found myself following my nose all the way out to Sumner and back home to Bexley to dry off and warm up again

Have been looking forward to getting on two wheels for a long time, and after all the work getting riding gear, BHS, learners and of course the bike - I'm so stoked that it has all paid off, and my first ride out and about (shyte weather aside) was a total success!!

I look forward to meeting KB people from Chch, and once I get a bit more confidence up I'll be coming along to some Saturday rides!

Cheers,
Kezz

**bittertwistedcute** · 27th June 2010, 13:08

Congrats!!! see you out there sometime

**Gibbo89** · 27th June 2010, 13:31

nice one mate, glad to see how amped you are about it all. im basically in the same boat as you. i have done the bhs, got the bike, about to sit my theory and am keen to get along to the rides from bk too...

**SDU** · 27th June 2010, 16:33

Great job. It was bloody cold, at times wet & very greasy on some off those roads you were on yesterday- cred to you for getting out there.

**Old Steve** · 27th June 2010, 16:46

Kezz, all power to you. Great feeling isn't it.

And don't you feel pissed off about bikers, for never coming to you before and telling you how fantastic bike riding is.

Do a bike safety course as soon as you can, I'd recommend that you contact ACC and ask what courses they organise because they subsidise 50% of the course cost. You get half the time off your 6R license, and some of your rego money gets spent directly on you without you having to injure yourself.

**Mom** · 27th June 2010, 17:13

Yay for you! Isn't it a wonderful feeling to be out there just doing it

Well done.

**Kezz** · 27th October 2010, 10:08

Well time has flown and I've just booked my 6R for next Friday afternoon *fingers crossed for good weather*

Has anyone had any adverse experiences with the Sydenham AA for testing? I sat all my cage tests there and didn't have any issues, but that was 10+ years ago so no doubt they've shifted some staff since...

Can't wait to ditch the plate!

**onearmedbandit** · 27th October 2010, 10:56

Originally Posted by Kezz

Well time has flown and I've just booked my 6R for next Friday afternoon *fingers crossed for good weather*

Has anyone had any adverse experiences with the Sydenham AA for testing? I sat all my cage tests there and didn't have any issues, but that was 10+ years ago so no doubt they've shifted some staff since...

Can't wait to ditch the plate!

My girlfriend recently did her 6F there, no issues whatsoever. You get supplied with an intercom unit so the tester can give you instructions etc. Took at 45-50mins.

**robo555** · 27th October 2010, 16:29

Originally Posted by Kezz

Well time has flown and I've just booked my 6R for next Friday afternoon *fingers crossed for good weather*

Has anyone had any adverse experiences with the Sydenham AA for testing? I sat all my cage tests there and didn't have any issues, but that was 10+ years ago so no doubt they've shifted some staff since...

Can't wait to ditch the plate!

I did my 6R there a while ago, no problem. Make sure your rego and WOF is up to date, and all your lights work before you go. Do lots of U-turn practice in a car park.

Only tricky part (which wasn't even tricky) was the right hand turn at Brougham St just because of the heavier traffic.

**Kezz** · 31st October 2010, 17:49

Oh fook. Just realised that my reg runs out today (ie: 5 days before my 6R test), and I haven't got enough in the back burner for 3 months' reg before I get paid Wednesday week... What's the smallest amount of reg you can buy? Can you specify 1 month?

**robo555** · 2nd November 2010, 16:08

Pretty sure it's 3 months minimum. You maybe able to re-schedule your test if you call them early, i.e. do it now.

Otherwise, get the rego up to date NOW.

**The Everlasting** · 2nd November 2010, 16:14

Originally Posted by Kezz

Well time has flown and I've just booked my 6R for next Friday afternoon *fingers crossed for good weather*

Has anyone had any adverse experiences with the Sydenham AA for testing? I sat all my cage tests there and didn't have any issues, but that was 10+ years ago so no doubt they've shifted some staff since...

Can't wait to ditch the plate!

Plate? I never bothered with the L-Plate.

best of luck with your 6R.

**AllanB** · 2nd November 2010, 17:07

Good on ya.

I remember some 30 years back on my first bike (a red honda CB200) - I'd head out for a ride - probably only did 20 kms and come back thinking I'd been on a tour! Each trip got longer and longer.

Then you tackle the Port Hills - now I am positive they were in much better condition 30 years ago! And there were not wankers 2 -3 abreast on push bikes either.

Take care and have fun, if you are after a wee open road squirt toodle out to Lincoln for a pie at Hilliers (on the main road) and they do bloody good coffee at Little River (ah but the Akaroa hills will then cry out......)