5 The Learning Process

LEARNING TO RIDE A MOTORCYCLE! 

Phoning the RTA I found out all the steps needed.

Knowledge test of road rules,

2 Day training Course, 

 ‘L’ plate Licence  (3-12 months)

 ‘P’ plate licence (12 months)

Then my unrestricted licence (because of my age!  Yes, age does have some advantages)

Armed with the RTA Motor Cycle Handbook, Road Rules, my studies began.

Then finding the online knowledge test consisting of 45 questions where I could practice. 

Hour after hour laboriously answering the questions,  FAIL, FAIL, FAIL would pop up, then PASS!

A few more times and I will be set!

 "Rider Training and Testing"  Stay Upright Bike Riding Course Booking.

Choosing the nearest location, Loftus, I was told by the operator the next vacancy was in another four weeks,  however they have just had a cancellation, this week-end!

 A cancellation!  Oh that cunning Softail Deluxe probably gave someone the flu, added work commitments or another reason to pull out of the course.  The 'powers to be' made space for me!

 When you are being directed in life to do something, and you take the steps, 'doorways' magically open, giving you a clear pathway to walk.  Resistance and stumbling blocks come from our own thoughts and fears.

 2 Day Rider Training Course – Learning to Ride

Rocking up at 8am, we were presented with rather dodgy motorbikes with plenty of dings, well, that is comforting!  Dings?

Naturally, the course consisted of young testosterone filled males, young enough to be my sons, and one male around my age!  My saving grace!  Still, quite exciting!

Within the first 1 ½ hours, I could not see myself staying upright and coordinating the foot and hand brake, clutch, gears and accelerator in unison.

We went through the ‘bits’ on the bike we needed to know, the ones that propelled it forward in a smooth, safe manner.

NOW I know where the brakes, clutch, gears are! 

This is going to be an episode of patting your head and rubbing your stomach simultaneously, very uncoordinated.

I was going comparatively well! So I thought! 

Towards the end of the session, the instructor told two of us that we would need a one on one instruction on another day before we could complete the next phase.  It's a good thing, one hour private instruction!  That is cool!
A little daunting to remember everything- knees in, look 5 secs ahead, relax,  hand accelerator, front and rear brake (hand and foot controls) and as for the gears? up-down-mid, tap, tap, oh that will be explained in the next session.

Damm that clutch!  (That is the silver flicky lever in front of the left hand handle bar, not the pedal in front of the left foot peg as previously thought!)  

If at FIRST you don't succeed, try, try again! 

Back soon ………………. 
For the next episode of learning to ride!

One on One

Being dismissed from lack of clutch control on day one, I rocked up for my one on one, one hour lesson. Pretty cool having a private lesson – it is included in the course, for the novices!  Yes, ME!

My eye control is good, always looking forward and where I need to go in the turns. (I guess that comes from my skydive training – you always have to keep eye contact or you will lose or gain height in a formation.) So I knew the importance to look where you are going.

Got the hang of the clutch and foot brake, touché!

Hang on…squeeze the clutch hard…‘gently’ squeeze the hand brake, oh that is two different actions performed simultaneously!  Yes I squeezed ‘both’ hard on many occasions.  It improved with time, still needs a little more work.

Around and around in an oval I go, improving with each turn.  This is cool!

Accelerator needs more control work, yet OK!

Now gears!  Oh lord!  Who designed this system?  There is no diagram showing which gear you are in!

Neutral, ha, the green light shows me that one.

Tap down for first, lift up for second.  

Squeeze clutch fast, let out slowly…the opposite action for the hand brake, just have to keep remembering which one is which.

Around and around the oval I went changing gears, stopping occasionally trying to remember these dissimilar actions.

A few oops’s and a little jerky, yet I WAS RIDING!

Picturing myself on my Softail, sensing the freedom I longed for.

The session came to an end. Parking my bike, I felt fulfilled and anticipating to proceed with Day 2 of the course.

The instructor told me all the good things I did, then told me I would need yet another one on one lesson!  What? I was doing so well! I admit it wasn’t  as smooth as it supposed to be, BUT I WAS RIDING!  (in 2 gears) . Apparently, it needs to be smooth and more consistent.

If at ‘SECOND’ you don't succeed, try, try again! 

Back soon ………………. 

For ‘ANOTHER’ episode of learning to ride!


Second One on One 

Rocking up at the course today for my 2nd One on One, I was feeling strangely self confident, compared to last time!

For some reason I knew I was going to 'get' it without the angst, maybe it was the familiarity of the location and having the same instructor. Whatever the reason, I felt good!

Went through the basics a few times and then the dreaded gear changes!
Hmmmm,  a little uneven on the accelerator control, yet the gear changes was pretty good (for a beginner).
Oh! I was so excited,  my front brake stopping was remarkably smooth. I hadn't given it much thought as to how much pressure to apply, it just came without thought!

A sense of relief washed over me that something was occuring without the strained thought process.

I passed, and now allowed to participate in Day 2 of the course tomorrow,

See you then!


Mark this day!  Sunday, 29th January 2012


I PASSED my Stay Upright course!


Certificate in hand, I am off to the RTA this week to obtain my BIKE LICENCE!
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