Confessions from a first time rider

**KelvinAng** · 22nd February 2010, 22:11

Originally Posted by Mokadah

This. It's scary how often you see bikes cruising along with an indicator going, so giving it a press-press for luck as you approach every intersection is a good plan. Deliberate post-corner press-presses and random press-presses are also advisable

I've developed an OCD with indicator-cancelling press-presses.

**GOONR** · 22nd February 2010, 22:13

Originally Posted by KelvinAng

I've developed an OCD with indicator-cancelling press-presses.

lol! So I'm not the only one..

**Sable** · 24th February 2010, 12:57

Please use your clutch. Upshifting without a clutch is okay, if you're racing it and you have the cash to replace bent and worn out bits, but for street use it's unnecessary. Downshifting without a clutch is even worse than upshifting.

**Disrespective** · 24th February 2010, 13:47

Originally Posted by Sable

Please use your clutch. Upshifting without a clutch is okay, if you're racing it and you have the cash to replace bent and worn out bits, but for street use it's unnecessary. Downshifting without a clutch is even worse than upshifting.

Worry not, that phase lasted a very short time. I'm very much the type of person who lives by a rule of 'No shortcuts allowed until i can do it the right way easily' I've since not done any clutchless shifting at all.

I'm about to sit my full licence test tomorrow morning so will update this post with the outcome of that for the unwashed masses to read once they realise bikes are a great way of travelling.

**KelvinAng** · 24th February 2010, 14:02

Originally Posted by Disrespective

I'm about to sit my full licence test tomorrow morning so will update this post with the outcome of that for the unwashed masses to read once they realise bikes are a great way of travelling.

Good luck for the test!

**Disrespective** · 25th February 2010, 08:32

My rage is incandescent.

I didn't even fail and i'm fucked off. I turn up to the test after stopping at a garage to grab a set of $20 sunnies as there was heaps of glare off the wet road and sit patiently for the tester.

He turns up and starts the conversation by "Paul? I'm really sorry but..." and i just start boiling over.

The fuckers have forgotten/lost the earpiece for the test and aren't prepared to do it the old fashioned way with me seeing where they want me to go in my mirrors.

Now, i HAVE to have the test done before next week and it's now Thursday... Fuckers, who knows what will happen now.

Both I and the tester have left terse (more so in my case) messages with the people who should have this shit sorted and am just waiting for replies to arrange a new time to sit it.

I'm so pissed right now, i had to go to a happy place on the stupidly long ride home so i didn't get into trouble.

Don't even get me started on this shit.

News Just in...
Wayne Burton, one of the testing official people just rang to say a guy will be at the Kilbirnie station at 11:45am today to take my test. So, i'm happy(ish), but imagine if i'd rented the bike and just taken it back and tried to argue for money back on a wasted day and had to go back with my tail between my legs asking to use it again.

It really isn't very professional at all. Especially when they admitted that this has happened before so is a known issue with the people who use that station.

**duckonin** · 25th February 2010, 08:58

Originally Posted by DangerousBastard

Good on ya bro. Yeah you just HAVE TO check the indicators coming out of every corner, and approaching every intersection - the last thing you need is to be indicating a left turn when you are going to plow straight through the intersection at 50k. You don't need to look down at the dash - keep your eyes on the road and just use your left thumb and go press-press-press if you want them canceled. You can just randomly press-press to check that they are off also - very very occasionally you will find them left on, so check it regularly.

Be careful out there, and have fun!

Steve

DB A +1 Post very good advice ...

**Disrespective** · 25th February 2010, 11:44

Woo, i'm a big boy now.

Well the test was taken at 11:45am today and i passed with only a few things mentioned.

One: I took a gap at a roundabout that didn't let the tester follow and he said i should be wary of who was behind me having to stop also... i thought that was a little bullshit as whoever is behind me should be able to make up their own mind if a gap will fit them rather than blindly following me.

Two: When i was doing my hazard detection he made me do the street i was in twice, on the first run i had to exit the street and then turn around and re-enter it and name the hazards, then when i had to do two u-turns on the street for the second run i left out some pedestrians on the sidewalk talking as i had included them in my first run, and just forgot.

The man taking me, Mohammad, was doing the test in his lunch break because of the fuckup of the higher ups so big thanks go out to him again for helping me out.

Either way, i now have a scrap of paper and am off to buy some beers. If anyone is interested in the route i can jump on google maps as it was different to my restricted in almost every way.