Scorpygirl on the road...kind of!!

[crashe]

Thanks Crashe, I forgot about buckbucks thread. Would like the Mrs to catch the two wheel bug. Would be fun to ride together.

Then she has to practise, practise everyday or when ever possible all those little things that she has just learnt...... by herself..

Then on the next lesson you teach her a few more things to take in.....
then she practise and practise that and the other things....

slowly it all sinks in....... then she will feel brave on her own to venture out onto other roads........ once that happens there is no stopping her....

but patience is the keyword here for you.

Im about to head off to scorpygirls second lesson with her....
She has been practising what I have shown her so far...

Then I have to then catch up with Blondini and see if she wants to go for a another lesson.... to venture her out a tad more......

yep I got two on the go with lessons...........

[LilSel]

Finding neutral is a B*****d on the Virago but that's a quirk I will have to get used to.

Im glad it wasnt just me.... lol.... I kinda got used to it... but too right it can be a pain.

[Scorpygirl]

Well I have had Lesson No. 2 - Wahoooooooo!!! I think I am slowly getting this bike thing and crossed the boundary of utter fear.

Crashe and I had a few laughs along the way!! You have to make it fun for your mentor too, eh!!

Todays highlights were:

I went further - out of my comfort zone - and now have some nice little back streets that I can use to practise on - u turns, corners, intersections, a roundabout and a 25 km corner.

I got up into 4th gear and hit 50 km - what a buzz!!

Gear changes are becoming a bit smoother and I am finding Charlie!!!

Funny things:

Coming up our road I usually have a little parking bay to do a three point turn in. There were very few cars when I did the first one. On the second on a car had pulled in right were a wanted to do my three point turn. The length suddenly halved. Oh Shit!!! Bit of a panic stop and then Crashe showed me the learn on how it should be done.

On the final round Cashe said to go back the way we had come and then head back home. However I thought "I'm getting tired" so I took a short cut thinking that she wouldn't notice!!! Wrong!!! LOL!!!

There are heaps of things for me to practice and of course I made lots of mistakes today - one of the main ones being target fixation - on a power pole!! . But I am learning so much and that is really cool.

Thanks again Crashe. You are a very good mentor. I hope you are not getting too tired with two of us to teach plus helping DD with his directions. You are a legend!!

PS - I think I am getting the bike bug!!!

[crashe]

Scorpygirl - You are doing really well........ keep it up.

Keep up with the practise........ yep lots to learn but after a while it becomes second nature.

Oh and yeah, no short cuts next time........

See you at your next lesson.... Text me when you are up for it.

[Scorpygirl]

Hi all

Went out for another practice ride yesterday, on my own. Just around the loop that Crashe and I had mapped out. I practised my u-turns and am getting a little smoother, especially on the roundabout. Gear changes still need work but I figure that will come with time. I missed my turn at one point and ended up on Dominion Rd. However that was all good and I owned my lane in traffic.

As I said I am not a natural. (Learning to drive was a nightmare for me too!!) The biggest thing for me is that I have overcome my fear and got on the bike. For me to be out on my bike, on my own, is a major!!

I didn’t go out to practice tonight as it was the first day back out work. My head was full of plans and stuff to do for 2007, after a meeting with my Manager this afternoon. My brain was reeling!!

I will be back out for a practice tomorrow.

[crashe]

Well done.... keep up with the practise.....

Yep in time it will all flow together....... and soon you will be out there joining us on the group rides...... (Close your mouth hehehehe) yes you will be.

Good on you for going into Dominion Rd, well done......... that is a busy road...

Hmmmmmmm I can see we may have to venture a bit further afield on your next lesson.....

So in the meantime practise, practise and practise....................

[Scorpygirl]

Well after the last couple of days of shitty weather and today being fine, I thought I better get back on the bike and do a bit more practice. Only did driveway stuff today for about half an hour after work. I concentrated on practising my hill starts today and they are becoming easier. Not stalling it so many times now. I am getting to listen and feel the engine to learn when the clutch starts to bite and how much more throttle I need. I am also getting better at feeling the balance of the bike when walking it around.

One of the next things I need to practice is my stopping. I am finding I am putting my feet down too early and then the bike jumps forward as I apply the clutch and the brakes. Any tips would be welcome, or does this come with practice.

Hazards to watch for on the drive - cats from next door jumping over the fence and sitting in the middle of the driveway. Neighbour doing her garden at the side of the driveway. Neighbour coming home and parking her car in the driveway!!! See even in your driveway there are hazards!!!

Well roll on the weekend when I will be back on the road to practice more skills!!

Yes Crashe I got the bike out of the garage and put it away all by myself as Rhino is still at work!!! hehehehe

[crashe]

Well done...... yep aint it amazing how many hazards can just be on your own driveway that you share with others....

I am so impressed that you are now getting your bike out and even putting it away by yourself....

Roll on the weekend for you to get out on those roads again.......


Can you check out a carpark for us to do some other practise stuff in....
Yep I got some stuff for you to do.......
You will have to wait til I see you to show you.. hehehehehe

Keep on practising the braking......... and you will get it... can you also remind me on our next lesson to show you what I do......

[Scorpygirl]

Well I have been a bit quiet on my thread of late but I have still been out practising when time permits.

Last week I got out of my comfort zone of my little back streets and ventured along Dominion Rd and up Balmoral Rd. Rhino tracked along behind on the Gold Wing. I even got up to 58 km along Balmoral Rd!!! My confidence is gaining on every ride and I am now way more relaxed.

Today - Rhino had to take the Gold Wing for a warrant so I said I would tag along with him get some petrol from the Gull Service station on New North Rd (near VTNZ) and then go for a little ride.

We got to VTNZ (first time over railway lines for me and that was all good) to find out that they didn't have anyone to do motorbikes. No worries as the warrant doesn't run out til next Sunday.

We head off from there and down Sandringham Rd and then onto St Lukes Rd. At the intersection of St Lukes and Dominion Rd, Rhino comes alongside me and says I am doing well. I say I feel like going up and onto Greenlane Rd. So off we go.

We ended up going up Greenlane Rd to Great South Rd. The lights along Greenlane Rd weren't kind to us so I had plenty of practice with stopping and starting at traffic lights!!! We then tracked along Great South Rd and into Newmarket, up Khyber Pass Rd then back down Mt Eden Rd to home.

Plenty of hazards to watch out for along these busy roads. I practised being consious of using and turning my indicator off, using my mirrors and also looking behind before changing lanes.

I really enjoyed the little ride today and now feel confident enough to tackle the motorway and riding to work. My need for speed is getting greater!!!

Today I also bought myself some throw over panniers and a disk-lock, so now I am a real biker!!!!

There is still plenty to practice, especially with being smoother with my gear changes and finding neutral from second gear.

I feel such a buzz now!!!! I love my bike.

[kro]

Scorp's, I am probably going over what your tutors have already started teaching you, but the thing I think that kept me alive all these years, was my Dad's unrelenting brake training. Before I got myself on the road, he spent ages setting up hard braking situations for me, in a controlled setting off the road at first.

Hard braking in emergency situations is like karate/jiu jitsu training, it's something you pray you never need to use to preserve life and limb, but it's bloody good to know it's there if you need it.

It's great to hear that you have patient, and supportive mentors, that is a huge huge help, so well done to crash, cola, and rhino (and to you for giving this a shot, it's bloody magic being on two wheels mate)

[crashe]

Kro - Yep your right, emergancy braking is a good thing to learn........

Scorpygirl has been asked to find a car park or huge area to practise on in her area. So then she can learn how to do it and practise her emergancy braking... just like what has been happening in the Wednesday night mentor evening's (she cant make those night's due to another committement).
Tis much better to learn to do it in a safe area than out on the road.

Monday, I am heading over to her place to go out for a ride with her and teaching her to do emergancy braking, counter steering and weaving......
Shhhhhhhhhh she doesnt know all this yet, so it will be a nice surprise for her. As well as getting her onto the motorway.

[MacD]

There aren't many carparks around her area that aren't used all weekend. One possibility would be the Epsom Campus/College of Education (or whatever it's called now) off Epsom Ave.

Map available here.

Crashe - tell Rhino to take his bike to Kerry at Motohaus for his WoF!

[Scorpygirl]

Well what can I say but what I really cool afternoon out riding with Crashe.

We practised some emergency braking, countersteering and weaving in one of the carpark areas at Epsom Campus. Unfortunately the surface had a lot of soggy blossoms and leaves on it so it wasn't ideal and we had to go around the barrier to get in in the first place. I need more practice!!

Rhino had adjusted my clutch yesterday but it just wasn't working for me. I kept stalling the bike. Grrrrrrrrrr! So we toddled back home and got Rhino to adjust it back to where it was.

Crashe and I then decided to go for a ride. Down St Lukes Rd into Great North Rd and then into Swanson Rd. We stopped off at Blondini's place for a welcome cold drink. Thanks Blondini and nice to meet you finally.

Of we go again and we did the small windies through Don Buck Rd and then gassed up at Shell Westgate.

Now comes the fun part. I wanted to do the motorway!! So Crashe gives me some instruction about taking the bike up to 70 kms, and if I wanted to go faster take it up a little more. if at any stage I didn't feel right I was to take the next off ramp and she would guide me home.

Off we go...On to the on ramp at the top of the NorWestern. I hit 50 km, 60 km and close to 70 km.. Least to say I surprised Crashe indeed!!! Hehehehehehe.

We got off at Western Springs and back to Mt Eden from there.

I feel on a real high at the mo.

Unfortunately I won't be able to ride to work tomorrow as while adjusted the right mirror it has sheared off. Probably as I result of a bin I had a while ago. . Rhino will get another one tomorrow.

If you had said to me a month ago I would be on the motorway now I would not have believed you at all!!

Thanks so must Crashe for all your help. I really appreciate your time and effort to help me.

Now I just need to do some country roads!!!

I love my bike now!!!

[crashe]

Now comes the fun part. I wanted to do the motorway!! So Crashe gives me some instruction about taking the bike up to 70 kms, and if I wanted to go faster take it up a little more. if at any stage I didn't feel right I was to take the next off ramp and she would guide me home.

Off we go...On to the on ramp at the top of the NorWestern. I hit 50 km, 60 km and close to 70 km.. Least to say I surprised Crashe indeed!!! Hehehehehehe.


Unfortunately I won't be able to ride to work tomorrow as while adjusted the right mirror it has sheared off. Probably as I result of a bin I had a while ago. . Rhino will get another one tomorrow.

Yep it was a fun afternoon out riding with scorpygirl...... in the sun and that humidity. Gee it was stinking hot out there today.

70kms yeah right !!!!!!!!!! More like ---.
Well done thou...... you did so well on the motorway, coping with all the traffic. Most impressed.

You did brilliantly in the heavish traffic going throu New Lynn, Kelston, Glendene, Henderson township throu to Massey as well.

What ya mean the mirror sheared off.........?
There were two mirrors on the bike when I left your place.
You only need one mirror so you can still ride to work tomorrow.... no excuses.

[Scorpygirl]

Yep it was a fun afternoon out riding with scorpygirl...... in the sun and that humidity. Gee it was stinking hot out there today.

Yeah it was really hot and thanks for the stop at Blondini's, I needed to rehydrate. Thanks for coming out on such a hot day.

70kms yeah right !!!!!!!!!! More like ---.
Well done thou...... you did so well on the motorway, coping with all the traffic. Most impressed.

Shhhhhhhh .....the cops might read this thread.

You did brilliantly in the heavish traffic going throu New Lynn, Kelston, Glendene, Henderson township throu to Massey as well.

What ya mean the mirror sheared off.........?

Another story......


There were two mirrors on the bike when I left your place.
You only need one mirror so you can still ride to work tomorrow.... no excuses.

I am not riding without the right one...sorry.