This is for the not so newbies

[Mr. Peanut]

But as for natural... I thought I was a natural, but years on, and many skills gained, a lot of those 'natural' techniques were just inferior to the learned ones, and caused too much overconfidence in my ability.

[arcane12]

Last comment before I unsubscribe.

This thread is turning into an advice columb. Stop reading it now, there is too much info for you to prcess.

Get a mentor, and let them teach you. No one person has it right, but trying to emulate fifty people at once spells death.

Great advice

[zique]

The idea is to gently feed in more throttle as you let the clutch out, so you keep the rpm at a constant speed as the clutch takes up the load. 2500 rpm is plenty. Don't just rev it more to start with, that's how ya get in trouble.
Don't be shy to sit on the bike without the engine running and get the feel of it even. Practice getting the hang of co-ordinating feeding the clutch and gently turning the throttle at the same time. That way when you try it for real it'll feel right.
Try just starting to take off, then pull the clutch in again and roll to a stop. then take off again etc. It shouldn't take too long to get the hang of it.

Thanks sooooo much man!!That's some wonderful tips!!
Can't wait to try that out.

I'm sorry Bosslady for hijacking your thread!

[bosslady]

Update... I haven't been out on the road since sunday morning before last. My gear just arrived today so i feel a lot better about going out to practice although will still only do it when the roads are very quiet, until I build a bit more skill/confidence up. Am trying to arrange a mentor through this website too. Good luck to me, I guess!

[arcane12]

Great to hear! Now you have to work on getting in or out of the gear in less than 15 minutes... that takes practice too!

[bosslady]

Great to hear! Now you have to work on getting in or out of the gear in less than 15 minutes... that takes practice too!

I reckon I could cut 10 minutes out of that time when I lose some damn weight hahahhaa

[Tigadee]

I reckon I could cut 10 minutes out of that time when I lose some damn weight hahahhaa

Then you have nothing to worry about - the heat of summer and the gear will mean you'll sweat off a few kilos easy!

[Oblivion]

Then you have nothing to worry about - the heat of summer and the gear will mean you'll sweat off a few kilos easy!

Try doing that with Sunburn.

[Paul in NZ]

Update... I haven't been out on the road since sunday morning before last. My gear just arrived today so i feel a lot better about going out to practice although will still only do it when the roads are very quiet, until I build a bit more skill/confidence up. Am trying to arrange a mentor through this website too. Good luck to me, I guess!

Stop filling your head with dreaded falling downs and complications... Its motorbike not a nuclear accelerator... just ride the darn thing... or in the immortal words of Homer Simpson, 'Don't over think this."

[GrayWolf]

Update... I haven't been out on the road since sunday morning before last. My gear just arrived today so i feel a lot better about going out to practice although will still only do it when the roads are very quiet, until I build a bit more skill/confidence up. Am trying to arrange a mentor through this website too. Good luck to me, I guess!

Stop filling your head with dreaded falling downs and complications... Its motorbike not a nuclear accelerator... just ride the darn thing... or in the immortal words of Homer Simpson, 'Don't over think this."

You're both right really... Nothing wrong with riding in the quiet periods nd roads to get the feel and a bit of confidence for leaning, braking, stopping at junctions, pulling out of them etc. If you stall on a busy intersection there is always the perceived pressure of the motorists behind, as well as obligatory horn honking and often 'verbal encouragement'
Howeer Paul is also right, DONT over think/ over worry about it. At some time you'll HAVE to face the big bad world. If you feel confident with the basic handling skills (junctions/stops/etc etc) then get out onto the road.

[Number One]

"Also I don't want to look like an asshole buying a bike, some nice gear then never getting on it or using it. And I sure as hell do delight in proving people wrong..."

Yeah don't be one of 'those' assholes!

Keep at it and relaxxx and of course ENJOY

[actungbaby]

Getting the instructor to set you on the right track shows you've got the right talent

I doubt any of us really were "natural riders" at the very outset. I wasn't, but as with any new skill, it doesn't take long to grasp. And don't get put off by constantly measuring your ability with any other rider, especially a seasoned rider.

Here's a funny little sentiment I was told when I took up driving trucks: "You can go around a corner too slow plenty of times, but go too fast once and it'll end in tears" and I've applied that simple logic to my riding over the years. Growing ability and confidence is a process, not an event. But hey, at least you've got the nous to go the instructor route and ask questions

my dad got told when learning to drive container straddle carriers he never make it
In the finiash he was training new drivers himself.
so persinailty instructer can matter.

[actungbaby]

Seems like everyone you talk to when you tell them you're learning was a natural, got on a bike for the first time and off they went, like they were born to ride, fearless. Well is there anyone who's now a confident rider that was never any of these things? Anyone who's scared? maybe wanted to crap their daks? I never went into it thinking I was all that and a bag of chips, thought I might struggle and gosh darn was I right! I don't even know how to drive a manual so not a great start lol. Want to have hopefully a couple more lessons with an instructor before I go out on the road and despite dropping my bike multiple times (have the bruises and achey legs to show for it!) I sure as heck don't want to give up! Tell me I'm not a lost cause!

No way dude they told wayne gardner when went to england to race go home you havent got what it takes , and he went on to be 1987 world champion.
Mick grant isle man tt winner said he got fast through lots practice some are natural but i found usaully the ones like me that have to try alot are better and stick at things insteed getting bored giving up, i was scared drive a car and when was 15 choudint get hand of driving a manaull car

when i actaully got car at 40 i found real easy cause i had the motvation to do it cause car wasint go drive itself

at school must thought i was biggest dummy tryed teach me to read the time.

dad brought me watch when was 10 or so took him like 10 mins and was oh thats easy.
if you feel relaxed with person teaching you it be alot better , and just dont try to much.
When first got my vfr it been eyars since ridden a bike and just wheeled to car park and rode it in first and second gear. i didnt feel confident but alot more practice i got back into it, i rekon things my life that had dread of doing actually things i grew to love, found u get to imagine in your head 1000 times worse that the reality of doing something, i was terrifed to drive a car and friend told me dont be stubid its just extension of yourself, insted me thinking i was driving this huge vechile mind you was a mx 5 so wasint that big a car hehe, hell go as slow as u like i did 30 kph when first drove a car, dad said okay thats cool.
and was used doing 160 kph plus on the bikes

[bosslady]

Stop filling your head with dreaded falling downs and complications... Its motorbike not a nuclear accelerator... just ride the darn thing... or in the immortal words of Homer Simpson, 'Don't over think this."

Uhhh say what? Not sure what you're on about buddy, I'm not worried about falling off anymore, that's what I got lessons for. Not sure if you've read but it's complicated by the fact I don't know how to drive a manual, heck, I've only been driving for 4-5 years as it were. That's foremost what I'm struggling with at the moment, gear changing. If you have a problem with me taking things slow then it's just that, your problem. And I've put off going out because I had no gear bar a helmet I'm pretty sure is half as old as I am. Thanks anyway though... I think?

You're both right really... Nothing wrong with riding in the quiet periods nd roads to get the feel and a bit of confidence for leaning, braking, stopping at junctions, pulling out of them etc. If you stall on a busy intersection there is always the perceived pressure of the motorists behind, as well as obligatory horn honking and often 'verbal encouragement'
Howeer Paul is also right, DONT over think/ over worry about it. At some time you'll HAVE to face the big bad world. If you feel confident with the basic handling skills (junctions/stops/etc etc) then get out onto the road.

Same as above really I do things in my own time at my own pace, that's just the way my brain works. I learn different to most, it is what it is.

[bosslady]

No way dude they told wayne gardner when went to england to race go home you havent got what it takes , and he went on to be 1987 world champion.
Mick grant isle man tt winner said he got fast through lots practice some are natural but i found usaully the ones like me that have to try alot are better and stick at things insteed getting bored giving up, i was scared drive a car and when was 15 choudint get hand of driving a manaull car

when i actaully got car at 40 i found real easy cause i had the motvation to do it cause car wasint go drive itself

at school must thought i was biggest dummy tryed teach me to read the time.

dad brought me watch when was 10 or so took him like 10 mins and was oh thats easy.
if you feel relaxed with person teaching you it be alot better , and just dont try to much.
When first got my vfr it been eyars since ridden a bike and just wheeled to car park and rode it in first and second gear. i didnt feel confident but alot more practice i got back into it, i rekon things my life that had dread of doing actually things i grew to love, found u get to imagine in your head 1000 times worse that the reality of doing something, i was terrifed to drive a car and friend told me dont be stubid its just extension of yourself, insted me thinking i was driving this huge vechile mind you was a mx 5 so wasint that big a car hehe, hell go as slow as u like i did 30 kph when first drove a car, dad said okay thats cool.
and was used doing 160 kph plus on the bikes

Thanks, good to read

I don't have my kids this weekend so will mean I can get out