Starting to drive/ride... should I get a bike?

[Andrew_C]

Winter gloves - the Dr Zoidberg looking ones are warmer.

 

Earplugs - Some helmets are quieter than others - it isn't just loud 'zorsts! I get a lot of wind noise from my Shoei Quest.

[arwen]

Yup, I've got a reasonably loud, burbling exhaust. But over 40mph it's wind noise that fills my helmet.

I really struggle to ride any sort of distance without ear plugs.

[crc-ict]

Tis' a good bike.

 

*EDIT*

[ATTACH=CONFIG]43828[/ATTACH]

This is what I got.

 

Beware though, if you are looking at secondhand, they are still a relatively new model, so on the used market you are more likely to see it's predecessor, the CBF125. These are apparently a good bike too, but with an unfortunate reputation for rusting away fairly easily. Not ideal in the British weather, especially if you will have to store it outside. Look very carefully at any used CBF125 to make sure there isn't signs of too much corrosion.

 

Also, in my experience, beware of cheap waterproof textile trousers. I find them to be horribly hot and sticky.

 

Yup, I've got a reasonably loud, burbling exhaust. But over 40mph it's wind noise that fills my helmet.

I really struggle to ride any sort of distance without ear plugs.

 

+1 for earplugs. Try a few different types and find some that suit you. Not worth the risk to your hearing to ride without.

[Theory]

Beware though, if you are looking at secondhand, they are still a relatively new model,+1 for earplugs. Try a few different types and find some that suit you. Not worth the risk to your hearing to ride without.

I got mine new and +1 for earplugs.

[localzuk]

Well... I've made my decision. I'm going down the 125 scooter route. Going to have a go tonight after work (as our estates manager also runs a bike business), and then if I like it he can run a CBT for me on the weekend. So, I could be riding by Sunday. :/ Edited June 26, 2017 by localzuk

[Svella]

I'm too much of a wuss to ride a bike, ideally I'd like to start driving lessons but circumstances

[Garacesh]

I'm too much of a wuss to ride a bike, ideally I'd like to start driving lessons but circumstances

 

I would have thought that would have disqualified you from being in charge of any flavour of vehicle?

[Svella]

I would have thought that would have disqualified you from being in charge of any flavour of vehicle?

Thankfully not, I'd be allowed to drive if I had my condition under some control.

 

This explains it better than I.

https://www.narcolepsy.org.uk/resources/narcolepsy-and-driving

Edited June 26, 2017 by Svella

[arwen]

Well... I've made my decision. I'm going down the 125 scooter route. Going to have a go tonight after work (as our estates manager also runs a bike business), and then if I like it he can run a CBT for me on the weekend. So, I could be riding by Sunday. :/

 

 

Enjoy! Keep your head up and look where you want to go ;-)

 

However, I'd strongly recommend you at least start CBT on a geared bike. If further down the line you want to do your full licence it needs to be done on a geared bike. Even if you still only want a scooter/twist and go.

Have a go on a geared bike, if after a while you simply cannot get used to changing gear, then swap to a twist and go.

[localzuk]

Enjoy! Keep your head up and look where you want to go ;-)

However, I'd strongly recommend you at least start CBT on a geared bike. If further down the line you want to do your full licence it needs to be done on a geared bike. Even if you still only want a scooter/twist and go.

Have a go on a geared bike, if after a while you simply cannot get used to changing gear, then swap to a twist and go.

I'm having a go on both this evening. So we'll see.

[localzuk]

So, went and had a shuffle around with some bikes/scooters tonight. Discovered that scooters are just too darn small. I am too tall for them and feel ridiculous.

 

However, a geared 125 bike was much better. Not as bad as I thought it'd be. Will take some getting used to but I could manage it.

 

Also discovered that helmets are incredibly effective at heating up my head. Good lord my head was hot.

 

Outcome of it all? Doing an hour and a half practicing around the yard at our estate manager's place on Thursday, and then doing a CBT on Saturday.

[arwen]

Glad to hear you are going with the geared bike! much more choice for buying then too :-)

 

Have fun at CBT, you don't really need to practice before hand. CBT is meant for complete novices.

[localzuk]

Have fun at CBT, you don't really need to practice before hand. CBT is meant for complete novices.

Its more for me to get used to it all, so a CBT will then be easier. Things like changing gear with my foot - that's going to take some getting used to.

[pcstru]

Outcome of it all? Doing an hour and a half practicing around the yard at our estate manager's place on Thursday, and then doing a CBT on Saturday.

Excellent. Good luck.

[Joanne]

What's the deal with changing gears on a bike? Do you push something forward to gear up and backwards to gear down?

[Andrew_C]

Push down with your toe, and hook toe under lever to lift up. Normally...

 

1st down, up to neutral, up to 2,3,4,5

[Svella]

Push down with your toe, and hook toe under lever to lift up. Normally...

 

1st down, up to neutral, up to 2,3,4,5

That's mildly confusing I think something like

"Click down for first gear, half a click up for neutral, or a whole click up for 2nd, then 3rd, then 4th and 5th - clicking down from 5th takes you to fourth etc - you cant skip gears, if you're in 5th you have to click down to 1, then half a click up to neutral it"

is it a little easier to understand imo.

Just my 2 pence.

[crc-ict]

Glad to hear you are going with the geared bike! much more choice for buying then too :-)

 

Have fun at CBT, you don't really need to practice before hand. CBT is meant for complete novices.

Its more for me to get used to it all, so a CBT will then be easier. Things like changing gear with my foot - that's going to take some getting used to.

 

Although not necessary, as you have the opportunity it's not a bad idea by any means. I did an hour pre-CBT because I wanted to see if I would like it before committing to a whole day and £100-odd quid.

 

Getting that one-to-one time to get the basic hang of the clutch and gears was so useful when it came to CBT. CBT is a packed day with a lot to take in, so anything you can get learnt beforehand is going to help. And bearing in mind that a lot of CBTs are done in a group of up to four, if you are with three 16-year-olds on twist and go 50's you are going to feel time pressure when trying to get used to clutch and gears.

 

An hour or so should have you competent at moving off and stopping the bike at least, leaving CBT day for you to concentrate on the manoeuvres and 'roadcraft' elements without trying to figure out how to make the machine work at the same time

[arwen]

Yea you can't really block change gears on a bike, however if you just keep the clutch pulled in (clutch is left hand on a bike, gear leaver is left foot)), you can kick up and down the gears. So if I am coming up to a junction/lights that I know I'll need to stop at and I am in 3rd or 4th gear, I'll pull the clutch in and mash the gear leaver down as far as it will go, so I end up in 1st. I rarely sit in neutral at junctions on my bike.

 

On a bike you quickly learn to know if you are in the right gear or not by the sound and feel of the engine. It's much more "feely" than sitting in a car.

[crc-ict]

- you cant skip gears, if you're in 5th you have to click down to 1, then half a click up to neutral it"

 

Not strictly true - you can't skip selection of gears, but there is nothing to say you have to engage each one. Eg you can go from 5th to 3rd by clutch in, click down, click down, clutch out. Common move for example at traffic lights is to stop in whatever gear you are in, clutch in and click all the way back down to first ready to go.

 

But yes, can't skip completely like a car where you can move the lever straight from 5th to 1st. But that's a good thing on a bike, you wouldn't want to accidentally change down too many gears at once!

[localzuk]

Our Estates guy went through the mechanics of how it all actually fits together with me yesterday, so it all makes plenty of sense. I got the hang of pulling away quite quickly. (Release clutch a bit until you feel it bite, and give it a bit of throttle). Seemed to work.

[crc-ict]

You might need to modify that technique a bit for slow manoeuvres. That works OK for a launch, but if you want to move around at walking pace or less, you'll do better setting the throttle (a bit above idle, varies according to bike), then using the clutch bite to control the speed of the bike - hold throttle steady and let clutch out a but to go faster, and pull in a bit to slow down. A bike generally has a wet clutch so slipping it is fine. That's how I was trained to do the Mod 1 test exercises. It's tricky initially, but once you get the hang of it, it is fine.

[localzuk]

You might need to modify that technique a bit for slow manoeuvres. That works OK for a launch, but if you want to move around at walking pace or less, you'll do better setting the throttle (a bit above idle, varies according to bike), then using the clutch bite to control the speed of the bike - hold throttle steady and let clutch out a but to go faster, and pull in a bit to slow down. A bike generally has a wet clutch so slipping it is fine. That's how I was trained to do the Mod 1 test exercises. It's tricky initially, but once you get the hang of it, it is fine.

He did mention using the clutch to control speed too when going slowly. I hadn't got to that stage really though! Only had about 10 mins just figuring out the bike so far.

[TomHD]

You mentioned you were tall Localzuk! Have you got a bike in mind yet? I would highly recommend a Honda Varadero 125... Honda stopped making them in 2013 (I think) but have just released a load of old stock, registered 2017. They're an excellent 125 with size and styling akin to a larger engined bike, have huge road presence and are very economical and reliable. They also hold their value very well too

[foofighterjim]

So if I am coming up to a junction/lights that I know I'll need to stop at and I am in 3rd or 4th gear, I'll pull the clutch in and mash the gear leaver down as far as it will go, so I end up in 1st. I rarely sit in neutral at junctions on my bike.

 

On a bike you quickly learn to know if you are in the right gear or not by the sound and feel of the engine. It's much more "feely" than sitting in a car.

 

Not strictly true - you can't skip selection of gears, but there is nothing to say you have to engage each one. Eg you can go from 5th to 3rd by clutch in, click down, click down, clutch out. Common move for example at traffic lights is to stop in whatever gear you are in, clutch in and click all the way back down to first ready to go.

 

The above methods really aren't recommended. It is referred to as block changing and can result in you being in the wrong gear at the wrong speed / place / time. Without making this a direct criticism you should be knocking through the gears as your speed is decreasing, this also has the added benefit of saving some wear on your breaks with a bit of engine breaking. If you don't have time for this then you are most likely approaching the hazard (in this case the traffic lights) too quickly, with the sequential method you also have the added benefit of being in the right gear to accelerate immediately should the lights change before you get to them. The only time you should come to a complete stop in anything other than first gear is in the event of an emergency stop.