Take the course!
Posted: Sun Dec 04, 2011 6:58 am
I am a newer rider with two seasons experience. I wanted to share my observations about learning to ride. I am now 50 years old and bought my first bike with little riding experience. I have a younger friend whom I spend some time with who was into the sport and he piqued my interest one day as he brought up his bike to show me. I had wanted to ride as a youngster but my parents would have nothing to do with it.
So in the fall of 2008 I began to put together my plan to get into motorcycling. Pouring over books magazines and the internet I learned about types of bikes and styles of riding. I attended a manufactures Bike show in Toronto in December with my friend and sat on almost every type of bike imaginable and started to narrow my choices. I was looking for a smaller bike that was big enough for my 6 foot 290lb frame. In a cruiser style that was capable of highway speeds
In January I attended another bike show. Again with my friend and saw a used bike that I fell in love with. In no time at all it seems I was sitting down with the dealer and buying the bike. A Yamaha 650 V Star Classic Silverado Tourer. So with out even a license and only mini bike experience in my youth I was committed to the sport. But I had 90 days to get my second level test passed or I would have to start again. I signed up then for a training course and exam for middle of May.
At the end of February I went to the Drive Test Center and wrote my level one motorcycle test. I passed this portion with room to spare and felt proud that now I could go a get my bike and begin to learn how to ride. But I had 90 days to get my second level test passed or I would have to start again. I signed up then for a training course and exam for middle of May. On March 8th The weather was warm 8 degrees celsius and my friend agreed to go with me to the dealer and bring the bike home for me. When we got home I took the bike up and down my street but that was all I could do that day. For the next while it snowed and snowed.
In April the weather had begun to clear and I would ride the bike up and down the street and in our little neighbourhood but never on any road with traffic or speeds greater than 50km a hour. By the beginning of May I was Driving around town with some confidence. I felt pretty good going into the learn to ride course. Perhaps a little to confident.
The classroom portion of the course was taught by a fellow whose enthusiasm for riding was infectious. A bigger guy like me who has a wonderful sense of humour and a penchant for telling stories about "Special Moments" while riding. He taught us basics and SAFETY with equipment and riding. I was dismayed by some of the other students who chose to leave the class early at the break for what ever reason they may have had. I personally took a lot away from the classroom portion of the course.
The two day riding portion of the course was the best part and what I did not know was all the excersises they had us doing was entirely designed to teach us the requirements for the level two driving test. Emergency stopping, braking on a curve. Accelerating on a curve. LOOKING WHERE YOU WANT TO GO. etc. The practice that I learned on those two days saved my bacon on more than one occasion.
I failed the test on the second day. I was so upset with my self. I did not keep my eyes up and look where I wanted to go on a lean turn and drifted out side of the lines. I knew what I had done wrong and chastised myself over it. I resolved to pass the makeup test the following week. But I was more nervous now than before. Perhaps I did not have the skills after all. My 90 day grace period on my level one licence was up in 14 days. I did not want to fail again.
A week later I did pass the test despite my nerves and two seasons later I am still riding and learning. My recomondation is TAKE A LEARNING TO RIDE COURSE. They will teach you things that learning from a friend or on your own you will never pick up. Even after you finish the course practice the skills the began to teach you as you continue to learn.
This year I will take another course and will attempt to get my full bike license. I have 14,000km under my belt after two seasons and am only now beginning to feel like I have the skills to try for my full License.
Keep the shiny side up and the rubber side down.
So in the fall of 2008 I began to put together my plan to get into motorcycling. Pouring over books magazines and the internet I learned about types of bikes and styles of riding. I attended a manufactures Bike show in Toronto in December with my friend and sat on almost every type of bike imaginable and started to narrow my choices. I was looking for a smaller bike that was big enough for my 6 foot 290lb frame. In a cruiser style that was capable of highway speeds
In January I attended another bike show. Again with my friend and saw a used bike that I fell in love with. In no time at all it seems I was sitting down with the dealer and buying the bike. A Yamaha 650 V Star Classic Silverado Tourer. So with out even a license and only mini bike experience in my youth I was committed to the sport. But I had 90 days to get my second level test passed or I would have to start again. I signed up then for a training course and exam for middle of May.
At the end of February I went to the Drive Test Center and wrote my level one motorcycle test. I passed this portion with room to spare and felt proud that now I could go a get my bike and begin to learn how to ride. But I had 90 days to get my second level test passed or I would have to start again. I signed up then for a training course and exam for middle of May. On March 8th The weather was warm 8 degrees celsius and my friend agreed to go with me to the dealer and bring the bike home for me. When we got home I took the bike up and down my street but that was all I could do that day. For the next while it snowed and snowed.
In April the weather had begun to clear and I would ride the bike up and down the street and in our little neighbourhood but never on any road with traffic or speeds greater than 50km a hour. By the beginning of May I was Driving around town with some confidence. I felt pretty good going into the learn to ride course. Perhaps a little to confident.
The classroom portion of the course was taught by a fellow whose enthusiasm for riding was infectious. A bigger guy like me who has a wonderful sense of humour and a penchant for telling stories about "Special Moments" while riding. He taught us basics and SAFETY with equipment and riding. I was dismayed by some of the other students who chose to leave the class early at the break for what ever reason they may have had. I personally took a lot away from the classroom portion of the course.
The two day riding portion of the course was the best part and what I did not know was all the excersises they had us doing was entirely designed to teach us the requirements for the level two driving test. Emergency stopping, braking on a curve. Accelerating on a curve. LOOKING WHERE YOU WANT TO GO. etc. The practice that I learned on those two days saved my bacon on more than one occasion.
I failed the test on the second day. I was so upset with my self. I did not keep my eyes up and look where I wanted to go on a lean turn and drifted out side of the lines. I knew what I had done wrong and chastised myself over it. I resolved to pass the makeup test the following week. But I was more nervous now than before. Perhaps I did not have the skills after all. My 90 day grace period on my level one licence was up in 14 days. I did not want to fail again.
A week later I did pass the test despite my nerves and two seasons later I am still riding and learning. My recomondation is TAKE A LEARNING TO RIDE COURSE. They will teach you things that learning from a friend or on your own you will never pick up. Even after you finish the course practice the skills the began to teach you as you continue to learn.
This year I will take another course and will attempt to get my full bike license. I have 14,000km under my belt after two seasons and am only now beginning to feel like I have the skills to try for my full License.
Keep the shiny side up and the rubber side down.
you wouldn't even be allowed to ride that size of motorbike without a full licence.