Phew! After three days in a row on a bike, I'm finally at home! Here's how I got on with my intensive training and module 1 test.
Day 1
As I mentioned in my last entry, I'd got on the Kawasaki ER-5 at the end of my final lesson, and assumed I would be riding that for my intensive training. But instead I found out I was using the Yamaha XJ6 instead. I thought this bike was okay, although much faster revving than I would have liked. At heart, I like a lot of torque rather than top end power, and when I wound up the XJ6 it did almost feel like it was running away with me. I found it nice and easy to manouver though.
Day 1 (and 2) was divided into three hour sessions of roughly 2 hours each. I did plenty of practicing of Mod 1 manouvers and found the XJ6 to be quite managable. The only thing I was having a little difficulty with was the swerve and stop excercise. The highlight of the day was a 2 hour ride out towards Newport on the A519, and then cutting up to Baldwin's Gate, returning to base via Newcastle Under Lyme. This is the kind of riding I'm looking forward to doing when I pass, and a throughly enjoyed it, getting up to some quite high (but legal!) speeds. It was raining too, but I didn't mind that so much and I was pleased that all the gear I bought over the last couple of months kept me warm and dry.
Day 2
My instructors and I were reasonably happy with my roadcraft, and with my Mod 1 test following the next day, day 2 saw me concentrate on practicing for that test. They wanted me to try the ER-5 again - I was hesitant as I was now used to the XJ6 - but it didn't take me long to settle into it, and I preferred it anyway (being a twin as opposed to the four of the XJ6). The two key things I mastered during this day were stopping 'professionally', as I wasn't too elegant before when it came to putting my foot down, and mastering the swerve and stop manouver. Sometimes I find it easier to get left alone and figure something out for myself, so I was happy when I got about 5 minutes to give the swerve and stop a go alone, and get it in my head.
We did some road craft in the middle portion of the day. With my confidence increasing (and on the ER-5, which I was becoming genuinely fond of), I began to relax and enjoy the ride. We spent some time around Newcastle Under Lyme again, and despite this being an area I'm quite familiar with, I went down roads I've never seen before! On a bike you can get more of a 'feel' for a place than in the cocoon of a car, so I would flip my visor up and have the breeze on my face, and take in some of the sights and smells.
The final session of the day was more practicing of Mod 1 manouvers. As part of the emergency stop and swerve and stop excercises, one must ride around a corner at roughly 20mph. I wasn't getting up to speed on these, so I was encouraged to really pick up the pace and lean over. Now, to those who've been riding for years it will seem like second nature, but it was a real mental challenge to lean so far over and corner at such a speed. It took quite a few goes, but as my confidence increased and I learned to trust the physics of a bike in that state, I got up to speed and improved my entry into both manouvers.
Day 3 - Module 1 test
I have to admit to not feeling terribly confident on the morning of the test. My instructors thought I was good for it, and there was no reason really for me to feel that way. I had read a lot of scare stories about the Mod 1 test which really help. I decided to look at it philosophically - treat it as a practice run and be fully prepared to have to do it again.
My test was in Burton on Trent, which is about 45 minutes away. It was quite rainy and blustery on the way down there, but it was a good experience to get on the A50 and do a long stretch of dual carriageway. After turning onto some excellent A roads to get to the test centre, we arrived and watched another candidate go through her test, then went inside.
While waiting for my examiner to come out, I told my instructor how when I took my driving test I'd managed to keep a cool head because I was under the impression I'd failed after a slightly juddery start out of the first junction at the test centre, and stayed relaxed throughout the test. To my amusement, I managed to unintentionally repeat the trick - when the examiner asked me to start my bike up and wheel it backwards out of the bay, I managed to leave the side stand down. I saw it before I got into the test area, but I know examiners are always watching and again assumed I'd failed.
With the pressure off, I did all my manouvers fairly confidently. I don't remember too much of it actually, and it is rather short, probably under 10 minutes in my case. I parked up, went inside and to my delight, the examiner told me I'd passed! And not only passed, but with no faults at all.
We headed back along the route we came, and I had a big smile on my face.
My Mod 2 test is next week. I may well put in one final lesson, just to brush up the day before. Of course, if I pass I will be able to ride my Pegaso, but as I'm due to be away working the week after, I may wait until the end of the month to get it delivered.
Friday, 12 November 2010
Thursday, 4 November 2010
Second lesson - and points! (But no prizes?)
Higher speeds
I'd been looking forward to my second lesson all week. I knew I would at some point be getting up to one of the school's 500cc bikes this week, but there would first be another trip onto the roads on a 125.
Having ridden the CG125 on my CBT and for most of last week's lesson, I thought it would be a good idea to ride the YBR125 for this week's road session. I hadn't liked the YBR as much when I rode it last week, I found it cramped and just 'looser' in it's feel, yet I'd found it easier to manouver. I went out onto the road with my instructor and felt confident. Again, I had the same complaints for the YBR, at 5'10" I'm perhaps a bit too tall for it, and I got a little annoyed at it's unwillingness to change up gear at times - the YBR seems to need a very positive shove, as opposed to the quick flick that was sufficient on the CG. Still, I'm a believer that making things harder in practice makes it easy when it's time to do it for real, so I didn't feel bad about it. I had a quick run around the yard and went through the slalom and figure 8 again - they felt fine.
This lesson on the road was good for three reasons. Firstly, I went faster than I'd ever gone before, round about 55mph on a national speed limit section. I was surprised at how much windblast I felt at that speed, and also how much my helmet seems to weathervane. I've said before I'm not a speed freak, but I think riding up to 70mph is realistic on dual carriageways, and up to 60mph on some of the A roads in the Peak District.
Secondly, I learned countersteering. It took a few minutes for this to sink in, and a few more practice runs to actually implement, but it's actually something I'd done before when riding my pedal bike on the road (I have been at times a keen road cyclist).
Thirdly, there was the general feeling of confidence from putting all this together. I'm getting my observations mostly correct now, and they are beginning to become instinctive rather than something I have to remember to do. Still, I don't want to become complacent and forget any of them come time for the mod 2 test.
Larger Capacity
Finally, the time came to ride one of the big bikes! When I arrived for my lesson I spotted the Kawasaki ER-5 parked up in readiness, and this was to be my steed for the second hour of the lesson. The first thing impressed upon me was the weight of the bike and having to re-learn getting it off the stand and coming to a halt.
Once I mastered these basics, it was on to circuits of the yard and stops, and then the slalom and figure 8. Just as my instructors told me, once I was used to the weight, this larger bike felt better for these low speed excercises as the centre of gravity is lower. I felt confident going through them, and my instructor told me I'd done well so I finished the lesson a happy man. A few days respite now before I begin my intensive course next tuesday, and my Mod 1 test in a week's time.
Say Cheese!
It's taken 13 years on the road, but I've finally been caught speeding. It happened last Sunday morning, at 9am on the A6 in Stockport as I made my way to Eastlands. I was doing 38mph in a 30 zone, and I was caught by a Gatso, of all things.
Now, I am very careful not to speed. I never intentionally break the speed limit in urban areas. While I'm not very familiar with this stretch of road, it is an extemely wide boulevard, and with no speed limit signs, it felt fairly safe to assume it was a 40. I'm pretty eagle-eyed when it comes to speed cameras, so I would have happily sailed through this particular trap in the full knowledge of the speed I was going at.
Amongst one of the FAQs on the form Greater Manchester Police sent me was something along the lines of "I didn't know this was a 30mph zone, there were no signs up". With the response "30mph areas are not marked with repeater signs." Well, I can tell my new Mancunian friends that they most certainly are thoughout Stoke-on-Trent, and indeed if there had been on this stretch on Stockport I most certainly wouldn't have been driving over the limit. Assuming other drivers think the same way, the motorist could be kept within the speed limit just by having the signs up, thus reducing road casualties. I'll leave you to consider their motives for not marking a wide stretch of road with speed limit signs.
AOB
The workshop manual for the Pegaso arrived last week, and I spent an evening printing it out and binding it. I was looking on course to have it delivered after I (hopefully) pass my Mod 1 test next week, so I have it ready to rride after I (hopefully) pass my Mod 2 a week later. But it looks like I may be working away for a week just after the Mod 2 test, so I may hang fire until after I come home.
I've also found a couple of places online which can supply me with Aprilia parts, and as I order a few things from there I will report on their service. I think a centre stand is likely to be amongst the first purchases.
I forgot to mention last week that I sat on a KTM Superduke which felt great, and this week got to sit on a colleagues Triumph Tiger which seems a great bike too, but perhaps a bit to tall for me.
I begin my intensive course next Tuesday!
I'd been looking forward to my second lesson all week. I knew I would at some point be getting up to one of the school's 500cc bikes this week, but there would first be another trip onto the roads on a 125.
Having ridden the CG125 on my CBT and for most of last week's lesson, I thought it would be a good idea to ride the YBR125 for this week's road session. I hadn't liked the YBR as much when I rode it last week, I found it cramped and just 'looser' in it's feel, yet I'd found it easier to manouver. I went out onto the road with my instructor and felt confident. Again, I had the same complaints for the YBR, at 5'10" I'm perhaps a bit too tall for it, and I got a little annoyed at it's unwillingness to change up gear at times - the YBR seems to need a very positive shove, as opposed to the quick flick that was sufficient on the CG. Still, I'm a believer that making things harder in practice makes it easy when it's time to do it for real, so I didn't feel bad about it. I had a quick run around the yard and went through the slalom and figure 8 again - they felt fine.
This lesson on the road was good for three reasons. Firstly, I went faster than I'd ever gone before, round about 55mph on a national speed limit section. I was surprised at how much windblast I felt at that speed, and also how much my helmet seems to weathervane. I've said before I'm not a speed freak, but I think riding up to 70mph is realistic on dual carriageways, and up to 60mph on some of the A roads in the Peak District.
Secondly, I learned countersteering. It took a few minutes for this to sink in, and a few more practice runs to actually implement, but it's actually something I'd done before when riding my pedal bike on the road (I have been at times a keen road cyclist).
Thirdly, there was the general feeling of confidence from putting all this together. I'm getting my observations mostly correct now, and they are beginning to become instinctive rather than something I have to remember to do. Still, I don't want to become complacent and forget any of them come time for the mod 2 test.
Larger Capacity
Finally, the time came to ride one of the big bikes! When I arrived for my lesson I spotted the Kawasaki ER-5 parked up in readiness, and this was to be my steed for the second hour of the lesson. The first thing impressed upon me was the weight of the bike and having to re-learn getting it off the stand and coming to a halt.
Once I mastered these basics, it was on to circuits of the yard and stops, and then the slalom and figure 8. Just as my instructors told me, once I was used to the weight, this larger bike felt better for these low speed excercises as the centre of gravity is lower. I felt confident going through them, and my instructor told me I'd done well so I finished the lesson a happy man. A few days respite now before I begin my intensive course next tuesday, and my Mod 1 test in a week's time.
Say Cheese!
It's taken 13 years on the road, but I've finally been caught speeding. It happened last Sunday morning, at 9am on the A6 in Stockport as I made my way to Eastlands. I was doing 38mph in a 30 zone, and I was caught by a Gatso, of all things.
Now, I am very careful not to speed. I never intentionally break the speed limit in urban areas. While I'm not very familiar with this stretch of road, it is an extemely wide boulevard, and with no speed limit signs, it felt fairly safe to assume it was a 40. I'm pretty eagle-eyed when it comes to speed cameras, so I would have happily sailed through this particular trap in the full knowledge of the speed I was going at.
Amongst one of the FAQs on the form Greater Manchester Police sent me was something along the lines of "I didn't know this was a 30mph zone, there were no signs up". With the response "30mph areas are not marked with repeater signs." Well, I can tell my new Mancunian friends that they most certainly are thoughout Stoke-on-Trent, and indeed if there had been on this stretch on Stockport I most certainly wouldn't have been driving over the limit. Assuming other drivers think the same way, the motorist could be kept within the speed limit just by having the signs up, thus reducing road casualties. I'll leave you to consider their motives for not marking a wide stretch of road with speed limit signs.
AOB
The workshop manual for the Pegaso arrived last week, and I spent an evening printing it out and binding it. I was looking on course to have it delivered after I (hopefully) pass my Mod 1 test next week, so I have it ready to rride after I (hopefully) pass my Mod 2 a week later. But it looks like I may be working away for a week just after the Mod 2 test, so I may hang fire until after I come home.
I've also found a couple of places online which can supply me with Aprilia parts, and as I order a few things from there I will report on their service. I think a centre stand is likely to be amongst the first purchases.
I forgot to mention last week that I sat on a KTM Superduke which felt great, and this week got to sit on a colleagues Triumph Tiger which seems a great bike too, but perhaps a bit to tall for me.
I begin my intensive course next Tuesday!
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