What are you riding?

[arwen]

I love my kevlar jeans... To bad they are too warm for working in or I simply wouldn't bother changing out of them when I get to work!

Glad to hear the nerves are getting less. It's loads of fun when you don't need to concentrate so much on what your hands and feet are doing !

 

It was incredibly foggy on my way in this morning. Took my 125 cause it's exhaust is louder... in the fog it sounds even better!

[Oddbod]

Proof that loud pipes save lives : )

[Joanne]

My bike stalled today whilst waiting in traffic... possibly because it was cold. Then it does this thing where I gear down and it stays in neutral and I have to release the clutch and re-engage to get into gear... not handy at a busy junction!! Luckily the L plates save my face... also I know how to quickly sort the problems out....

 

Anyone know why that might be happening though?

[bald_pig]

My bike stalled today whilst waiting in traffic... possibly because it was cold. Then it does this thing where I gear down and it stays in neutral and I have to release the clutch and re-engage to get into gear... not handy at a busy junction!! Luckily the L plates save my face... also I know how to quickly sort the problems out....

 

Anyone know why that might be happening though?

 

Sounds like your gears weren't lined up, it happens, normally you can rock the bike a little to get it to shift.

[Joanne]

how strange... I wonder if it's because I'm short and the bike leans a lot when I'm stopped because of my tiny legs.

[Andrew_C]

Check the adjustment of the clutch cable first, then look for play in the gear linkage.

[arwen]

I'd say clutch cable is loose too, or getting snagged somewhere. Probably just needs adjusted.

[foofighterjim]

My bike stalled today whilst waiting in traffic... possibly because it was cold. Then it does this thing where I gear down and it stays in neutral and I have to release the clutch and re-engage to get into gear... not handy at a busy junction!! Luckily the L plates save my face... also I know how to quickly sort the problems out....

 

Anyone know why that might be happening though?

 

Regarding the engine stalling do you have an automatic or manual choke? My first bike had a manual and if you left the choke on for too long it would stall once everything was up to temperature, if you were too quick to take it off you would find it would stall if you let the engine idle.

[Joanne]

it's an auto choke. Spoke to FiL last night and he said he'd help me tighten the clutch cable.

 

It was fine coming in this morning, but traffic was light so barely stopped!

[DarrenF]

Had a few bikes and had similar issues with most of them where you need to clutch out to get gear box to start following instructions. Nothing major to worry about once you know the quick fix and thankfully did not happen too often.

Darren.

Impero Support Team.

[Joanne]

Yeah, it's just a big deal when I'm pulling up to a junction and have to stop momentarily and I forget I'm not in 1st or something... Only done just over 50 miles so definitely still learning! I try not to panic, but I bet the people behind me are like WTF is she doing?!?!?

 

Considering strapping an oversized L plate to my bag! Hahahah!

[Chris_Cook]

I'd get the oil checked or changed if its not been done in a while. It helps all the gears and clutch to slip around easier. It could be the clutch plates sticking together. If your in neutral, try pumping the clutch lever in and out a few times fast. That plus the clutch cable as already mentioned.

 

Also I find it helps to change down whilst pulling up to a stop. That way, both sets of gears are moving. If one set has stopped, it may not mesh first time.

 

Its hard though, Its taken me ages to get it right, and I still get it wrong on occasion.

[Joanne]

I did check the oil and it was within limits, but on the lower side and it was golden in colour. I rode it yesterday and it was fine, so might just be that once a week isn't enough. I was gonna come in on it today, but ended up coming in my car because I had a computer to drop off.

[pcstru]

Yeah, it's just a big deal when I'm pulling up to a junction and have to stop momentarily and I forget I'm not in 1st or something... Only done just over 50 miles so definitely still learning! I try not to panic, but I bet the people behind me are like WTF is she doing?!?!?

Sequential gearboxes tend to just be a bit ... fussy, especially on Motorbikes around the 1st/2nd/Neutral. I usually find releasing the clutch to the bite point and then trying to engage or disengage the gear does the trick. Each bike you own will train you on it's individual needs (I've yet to have one that wasn't sometimes fussy around 1st/neutral, some are worse than others).

[Andrew_C]

Mine is quite "agricultural" going into 1st. But that's no real surprise on a Guzzi.

[Bompalompalomp]

Got my theory done in Feb, been putting off MODs due to increasing anxiety. MOD1 booked for Halloween ()... Annoyingly I stopped talking to the only person I know with a bike I can ride outside of training, so I feel really underprepared since I haven't ridden outside of training and practice since last year.

[Joanne]

I had some time at a test centre because I did my CBT along with another Lady who was preparing for her MOD1. I went through it too and it involved manouvering the bike by hand from one bay to another, stopping in some cones, weaving through cones and a speed measured swerve where you had to get up to 30 and I imagine an emergency stop.

 

Seemed ok to me. If you've been riding on a provisional for a bit, you'll be fine

[Bompalompalomp]

Have my last training later on today. My training before we did all of those but had to cut short on the emergency stops because of the wet, so should be doing those today. Those are the worst for me since my first drop was braking in the wet, and I had a near miss when somebody had to emergency brake in the middle of an A road because an old man decided to swing a U-turn after missing his exit on an island...

 

If I become PM, all bike tests will just be doing figure-8s for half an hour! I love figure-8s

[Andrew_C]

Most fails are on rear-obs. Do one any time you do ANYTHING! Including taking the bike off the stand, wheeling it into parking space, and getting off.

[arwen]

MOD 1 is where the floor is lava game comes into it's own. If you are good at slow control with your feet firmly on the pegs then you should pass no bother :-)

Good luck Bompalompalomp !

[diddylord]

Best of luck with Mod 1, hope all goes well

[Bompalompalomp]

Passed

 

Was having an anxiety attack all the way through so got some weird looks, but my only minor was a silly mistake. I stopped so he could tell me what was next, did my observations to move then promptly forgot what he said and asked him to repeat it. Then moved again without redoing the obs... Instantly realised once I'd done it!

[witch]

Well done!!

[CAM]

Congratulations.

[mikkydoos]

@Bompalompalomp

 

Well done that man. Straight onto your mod2 now you're in the swing of it.

 

I found the mod2 much easier than mod1. If you drive a car you know all the rules already.

 

My mod1 was on a thursday, mod2 the next day, so it wasn't an option to fail my mod1 or I wouldn't have been able to take the test the next day.

 

All my training had been in heavy p**sing rain. The two days of my tests were bright and dry. Not good for judging swerves, stops, braking etc.

 

Nothing like pressure to get the best out of ya !