First actual ride.

[wysper]

Kilgh - I have met crisis management- he would be a great person to help you get started.

Drop him a PM if you haven't already enlisted some help. Even just a friendly bod to talk to about what you are going through would be good.

Many years ago, I learnt alone too, none of my friends rode, it would have been nice to have some one to bounce ideas off and just learn with. Sure, embarrassing at times but all good fun, and it is nice to share your successes too.

[kilgh]

Thanks guys.

Work is about to get in the way of life for a few days and then I'll get back to it. Am currently awaiting an email back from a local high school who has a very large and rarely used rugby field close by. Sent them a polite query emphasisng my mature respectful safety consciousness...

I'll forgive you Superman.

[Hellzie]

Hey,

I'm very much a learner at the moment too but I luckily have a mentor!!! I found I was stalling a lot as well at first, and it ended up being the fact that I was focussing all my energy into releasing the clutch out smoothly. .. turns out no matter how smooth you are with the clutch, you need to have enough throttle to not stall. I sort of forgot about that part! So yea, don't be scared about giving it quite a bit of gas, it won't go anywhere until you let the clutch out. Bit of a balancing act!

Good luck.

[kilgh]

Thanks Hellzie! Lucky you got a mentor. I think I have the same issue. Not enough throttle. Well throttle control.

Got a day off tomorrow so will attempt to get a bit more practise in.

[orsem]

I applaud another learner. I had never ridden a two wheel motorbike before I turned up for a training session prior to attempting my basic handlers. The look on the instructors face when he asked me how much I knew about bikes was priceless when I asked where the key went

After 2 hours of training, I passed my handlers cert, sat my learners, then set about obtaining a motorbike and teaching myself to ride......... I now have my restricted licence, and hope to attend a few skills courses to get my skill up to scratch for my full test later this year.

The freedom a motorbike provides is just unreal. I'd have given up riding horses years ago if I had known motorbikes were so great

[Reckless]

Hey,

I'm very much a learner at the moment too but I luckily have a mentor!!! I found I was stalling a lot as well at first, and it ended up being the fact that I was focussing all my energy into releasing the clutch out smoothly. .. turns out no matter how smooth you are with the clutch, you need to have enough throttle to not stall. I sort of forgot about that part! So yea, don't be scared about giving it quite a bit of gas, it won't go anywhere until you let the clutch out. Bit of a balancing act!

Good luck.

Thanks Hellzie! Lucky you got a mentor. I think I have the same issue. Not enough throttle. Well throttle control.

Got a day off tomorrow so will attempt to get a bit more practise in.

OK you sorta got it right? But most of us probably could get our bike rolling at Idle with no throttle. Can do this easily on my SV1000 road bike. Anyway you do need enough throttle to get moving but I think it still comes down to Clutch control.

OK most common mistake for a newbie is to let the clutch out till it starts to engage then release it - then bike stalls!!
Thing to practice
sit at a fast idle
let the clutch out till you feel it pulling
let it out another 1mm (or so) till its starting to move the bike
then another mm till its moving you but the engine is starting to labour
pull it in that mm(or so) , letting the bike run at its own rate but freeing up the engine again
Don't accelerate keep this constant and low, just feel and get used to moving the bike with the clutch
then out again that mm(or so) coaxing the bike to keep going a bit faster
then out a bit more and a bit more pulling it in a mm each time the engine starts to labour you will find yourself moving along with the clutch fully engaged and the engine has never gone over 1000 revs
at sometime about here you will be going fast enough to get your feet up or sooner if you feel comfortable about it!
then its time to twist the throttle and get on your way and get into 2nd.

You need to ride the clutch or coax the bike to move you don't need a lot of revs to do this! If you don't have a lot of revs(throttle on) and get it wrong the bike will only stall it wont take off on you so its safe and not so scary!

You need to get the feel of the clutch through its engagement action not just till its starts to engage.

Once you have the mastered this, try the same thing on a hill!

Shit that is much easier in the flesh! Internet lessons suck LOL!!!

Best I can explain over the net?? Good luck!

[kilgh]

Thanks orsem, that gives me hope! I am determined to conquer this machine. Me being the machine. The bike knows what it's doing.

Reckless, nice tips. My biggest problem (other than the newbie death grip) is I'm impatient. I get that clutch engaging and then I'm "Right! Let's go!". This will be a good life lesson for me...slow down. I've only spent 2 hrs 20 mins on a bike in my life...not gonna be doing wheelies on day one. Well intentional ones anyway.

[Reckless]

Your doing awesome and once learned you will never ever forget even after 10 years off its like riding a push bike becomes natural.

You go girl!!

[Hawkeye]

Take up any one of the offers for help in getting started.
I used to windsurf and as a newbie, spent more time in the water or pulling up the sail than I did windsurfing. Tried to do it myself and thought I could master it. No doubt I would eventually.
A guy sat watching me (no doubt having a good laugh at my expense) for almost 2 hours. He eventually came over and spent 10 mins with me explaining the basic of set-up etc and within 30 mins, I was blasting back and forward across the water.
I can now see the mistakes that beginners make and am able to correct and get them sailing within 15 mins.

Riding a bike for the first time is exactly the same. 10 mins with someone who can break the issue down into each component and explain why things are done a certain way, and you will be sweet.

There are a lot of genuine people on here who will be more than happy to help a newbie and get yet another rider out on the road.

Good on you for percivering but take up an offer. You won't regret it.

[kilgh]

Thanks Hawkeye.

[Bass]

If at first you don't succeed......................skydiving is not for you.

[Dutchee]

Kligh - you out riding last night round the ferguson area? Husband spotted a KLX250 (or similar) and BMW and commented to me about it as we were leaving. I thought it must be you (hoped, in any case). Just being nosey

[kilgh]

Nup, not me. Still learning. See new thread for an update.