Beginner Stories and Emotionally compromised
Posted: Thu Apr 08, 2010 11:35 pm
Hi Everyone,
I am quite a newbie.
I have seen a couple of beginner stories, but nothing like mine. I wonder if people like me ever get to ride, or do they get injured or do they quit or what? I'd love to see how people turned it around.
I passed my MSF course and got my license in the US 5-6 years ago. Never got a chance to buy a bike or ride one.
Since I moved to europe, I decided to take some classes here. Here in the Netherlands, people take about 12 hours of riding lesson, then pass one test, take another 12 hours and then pass a test in traffic. These courses and exams cost you about 1200 euros! Yes, it's the price of a cheap bike!!!
I've taken about 4 or so lessons. I figured I don't know anything, so let me start from scratch. I felt sooner or later I will be able to gain enough confidence to at least be able to go somewhere and test drive motorcycles so I can choose one to buy... or even rent one. In any case, they had a Suzuki Bandit 600. It's pretty heavy.
I was initially doing okay, but I started to drop the bike in slow speeds. I reacted to it physically. Beyond feeling tired, I felt nausea. They required me to take at least 1,5 hour lessons and that was too long. After the second lesson my motorcycle instructor got into a moto accident on his way home, and I changed to another one who wasn't as good. He kept telling me not to be not to be afraid, and was not giving me enough instruction. So after the 4th or so lesson, I stopped and waited till the weather got better.
A week ago, I found a different place. The instructor speaks okay english. Today was my first lesson. I am emotionally compromised.
I was just touring around in the parking lot, a bit nervous, trying to get used to the bike. There was a moment where was turning the corner, and I thought "Hey, I am looking in the right direction, why is my motorcycle still not turning?" It turns out it slipped on something and I fell.. again. I FELL AGAIN. The funny thing is that, several months ago, I was doing swerves, and stop tests, but now I went around in the first gear trying to not hit anything.
This is frustrating. I might also be putting pressure on myself because I want to just move on and not spend all this money to run around in circles in the parking lot. But the pressure is not helping. Maybe I should just tell myself, I am spending the money to just have fun. Maybe I should just go and buy a motorcycle and exercise on my own. Or I should just rent one.
In any case, physically I am doing okay but emotionally i am compromised. How do people just get over it? The funny thing is, if you think you will fall down, you do fall down. And when you fall down, then you lose your courage more. What a vicious cycle!
I am quite a newbie.
I have seen a couple of beginner stories, but nothing like mine. I wonder if people like me ever get to ride, or do they get injured or do they quit or what? I'd love to see how people turned it around.
I passed my MSF course and got my license in the US 5-6 years ago. Never got a chance to buy a bike or ride one.
Since I moved to europe, I decided to take some classes here. Here in the Netherlands, people take about 12 hours of riding lesson, then pass one test, take another 12 hours and then pass a test in traffic. These courses and exams cost you about 1200 euros! Yes, it's the price of a cheap bike!!!
I've taken about 4 or so lessons. I figured I don't know anything, so let me start from scratch. I felt sooner or later I will be able to gain enough confidence to at least be able to go somewhere and test drive motorcycles so I can choose one to buy... or even rent one. In any case, they had a Suzuki Bandit 600. It's pretty heavy.
I was initially doing okay, but I started to drop the bike in slow speeds. I reacted to it physically. Beyond feeling tired, I felt nausea. They required me to take at least 1,5 hour lessons and that was too long. After the second lesson my motorcycle instructor got into a moto accident on his way home, and I changed to another one who wasn't as good. He kept telling me not to be not to be afraid, and was not giving me enough instruction. So after the 4th or so lesson, I stopped and waited till the weather got better.
A week ago, I found a different place. The instructor speaks okay english. Today was my first lesson. I am emotionally compromised.
I was just touring around in the parking lot, a bit nervous, trying to get used to the bike. There was a moment where was turning the corner, and I thought "Hey, I am looking in the right direction, why is my motorcycle still not turning?" It turns out it slipped on something and I fell.. again. I FELL AGAIN. The funny thing is that, several months ago, I was doing swerves, and stop tests, but now I went around in the first gear trying to not hit anything.
This is frustrating. I might also be putting pressure on myself because I want to just move on and not spend all this money to run around in circles in the parking lot. But the pressure is not helping. Maybe I should just tell myself, I am spending the money to just have fun. Maybe I should just go and buy a motorcycle and exercise on my own. Or I should just rent one.
In any case, physically I am doing okay but emotionally i am compromised. How do people just get over it? The funny thing is, if you think you will fall down, you do fall down. And when you fall down, then you lose your courage more. What a vicious cycle!