Tips for a complete newbie, and some questions.

[NighthawkNZ:Me]

even so I managed to lose one that was bolted on during a trail ride!

lol... thats not hard to do... its a wounder thats all you lost

[Terminated]

Who_Me_33

Yes you 33: gidday and welcome to the site. I see Crashe has pointed you to my newbie training thread [awww shucks Crashe, you're embarassing me ]

Here is an extract from that thread:

As At Wednesday 15 November
Elapsed Time Since Last Update: 8weeks
Riding days completed since last update: [Average 4 days a week approx]
Distance Travelled 2,146km
Total Distance 8331km [since 12 May]

Training Strategy:
DEE-FAP Discipline - Focus - Attention - Personal

Just because I have passed my Restricted Licence today, this does not give me a personal licence to ramp it up to the 100kph immediately, I got to earn my personal skill level progressively and gradually too - and my mentor [Uncle B] said 'take your time in pushing the envelope a bit further'.

DEE-FAP is your personal approach to your riding development I have selected the keys as:

Discipline - You will know when you get that pit gut feeling when something goes awry - Expect the Unexpected. Discipline yourself to not let that moment pass and if you have the time then immediately pull over and stop.

Ask yourself 'what happened? What did I do wrong? or What didn't I do?

And don't get angry because some cage may have cut you off or pulled out in front of you at an intersection or from a parked space. Think about it you can't control the other road user, but you can control your approach to riding strategically.

Focus - Have one or two things as key review points each time you get on your bike. Think ahead where and when you want to focus your attention on those keys. It does not have to be immediately, you may have a pre-arranged location in mind [eg slalom - cone weaving - countersteering technique] you may have a good quiet road [without the cones] or that empty carpark with the cones.

Attention - Develop a habit of cycling through your safety strategy for me as an example [check mirrors, heads up horizon, glance at gauges and speedo, heads up horizon peripheral sensitivity - here exercise your visual awareness your peripheral vision can be 'shut down' because though you are looking ahead your mind may be wondering and your peripheral vision may not be alert [day dreaming] and back to checking mirrors and repeat the cycle. When coming back into increased traffic flows this Attention drill takes on greater meaning.

Personal - How you approach your DEE-FAP Discipline Focus Attention Personal strategies will be evolving as your riding skills develop. Above all be true to yourself when you next go for a ride and think again about where you're riding and how you're riding. Remember you do not have to be overly tense and completely locked into your training program remember to relax.

There will come a time when you get on your bike and very shortly maybe a kilometer or two or three and you know that you are not completely 'at one' with the bike, recognise it for what it is and if necessary don't venture out on that recreational ride, stop go [home] back inside and have another cup of tea/coffee. Revisit that feeling in your mind's eye and when you feel ready then perhaps go for that ride and definitely have one or two keys things to Focus your Attention on. You may have had the initial not 'at one' feeling with the bike because you just got on the bike and headed off without a DEE-FAP

Heads Up and Enjoy

My strongest recommendation for you is to seek out a mentor to periodically review your riding over the next 6 - 12 months. And next I would encourage you to spend 20 minutes minimum practising your slow bike control each time in a quiet cul de sac or parking lot - before you go out for your ride.

Enjoy your new found freedom.

Heads Up and Enjoy

[Lteejay]

And as for mentors, how hard is it to come across someone who is willing to do it (I know of 2 people who would be more than happy to do it, but both of them are in Reefton, which is not much help to me).

Heres a list of mentors

http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/showgroups.php

There is bound to be someone in CHC - look at their profiles. I am sure most are willing to help as they put their names down as willing to mentor. I suppose it just depends on whether they have time at this moment in their lives.

I have found all on site very very helpful - luv you guys long time

[Roj]

Welcome to KB, good luck with the riding and keep those eyes open,

there will be times when things go well and times not so well, as has been said, read BuckBuckno1's thread, he has set out a very methodical approach to learning

maybe it should be said again, read BuckBuckno1's thread

[who_me_33]

Who_Me_33
And don't get angry because some cage may have cut you off or pulled out in front of you at an intersection or from a parked space. Think about it you can't control the other road user, but you can control your approach to riding strategically.

Thats helped me a couple of times already, (and many times in the past on a bike round traffic, some people dont understand that cars are not bikes (also that reminds me, I take it its illegal to ride a motorbike in a cycle lane). Also read a fair bit of buckbucks thread, if a mods reading this, maybe it should be stickyed. Has been very helpful reading. And am chasing will be getting a mentor, thanks for the list of them by the way. Also out of interest, is it necessary to drop it into first when ever you come to a stop, or is it aceptable to stop in second, and then click it down to first, while stopped. Or is that a bad idea.

[Lteejay]

I never use 1st apart from when I am starting. I usually glide to a stop at corners etc in either 2nd or 3rd. Similar to being in a car - it just depends on what is the easiest at the time. Ya might wanna wait to see what the grey haired ones think though

[mstriumph]

Velcro will not keep the L plate on.

After 40 years practice I'm far from sure I have the skills to handle inner city riding in Auckland. I rely on very load yelling and threatening gestures. But of course Christchurch may be another matter .

And yes, roundabouts are as scary as they sound . Vicious horrible things.

Welcome, by the way. Yes, you.

WHS

and welcome!!

[quickbuck]

Also out of interest, is it necessary to drop it into first when ever you come to a stop, or is it aceptable to stop in second, and then click it down to first, while stopped. Or is that a bad idea.

Yes it is (necessary to go all the way down to first).
Most bike gear boxes HATE being shifted when none of the internals are rotating.
The good thing about them is you can change without the clutch (as almost all are constant mesh, or sequential in other words). That is a lesson for the future mind you.
Bike manufactures have made it easy for you to find 1st by putting neutral between 1st and 2nd (on most bikes it is).

Keep the questions coming. We don't mind.
Remember the only silly question is the one that wasn't asked.

[quickbuck]

Ya might wanna wait to see what the grey haired ones think though

Steady, I'm not that grey... honest!
Well, maybe a little...

And the balding is years of wearing a crash hat.... (Tui anyone?)

[NighthawkNZ:Me]

Steady, I'm not that grey... honest!
Well, maybe a little...

And the balding is years of wearing a crash hat.... (Tui anyone?)

hey wait is that why im going bald... ...

I'll take that Tui now

[quickbuck]

hey wait is that why im going bald... ...

I'll take that Tui now

There is a doz in my fridge.

Bring some Speights up with ya, and they are yours.

[NighthawkNZ:Me]

There is a doz in my fridge.

Bring some Speights up with ya, and they are yours.

deal.... bling

[Dodger]

Bike manufactures have made it easy for you to find 1st by putting neutral between 1st and 2nd (on most bikes it is).

This also makes it easy to sometimes find neutral when changing up from 1st into second.

Anyway,
Welcome to the site

[quickbuck]

This also makes it easy to sometimes find neutral when changing up from 1st into second.

Then there are the manufacturers who put random neutrals all through your box at random times

[who_me_33]

Went for a ride nigelp today, was very helpful, pointed out that I should be further over, and also that my speedo was out (when its reading 63kmph its doing 50, that will explain why traffic was always building up behind me, wasnt that they were all breaking the speed limit). And I also checked my chain, which is too loose, (I now know how tight to have it aswell, which is very helpfull).