The deal is done, the bike is ordered, the training is booked, I brought a helmet and a jacket – yes they are blue and I’ve taken some stick for making sure I’m co-ordinated with my bike, philistines, do they know nothing. The party night came and I wasn’t going to go but my 14 year old daughter wanted to go and see what it was all about, so we went. We were one of the first so got a goody bag each, got a free burger and a listen to the Kerrang DJ. Some of the faces I knew from the CBT and they were all geared up ready to drive their 125’s away at midnight, we had a good look around and chatted to loads of people getting new 60’ plate bikes but I couldn’t stop – My bike was away in the storage area and not due to be delivered till the following week…
We left them to it at about 10pm and drove home in the car.
The bike eventually arrives, inside a van, its lowered off and we do the checks of paint work, owners handbook, keys, immobiliser, and the lecture about not riding it cause it would be illegal and I had to sign a disclaimer to that effect. I pushed it from the road to the drive behind my car (pictured) – I was determined to leave it there for a few hours so that everyone would see it. It was like being 17 again with the rubbish 10 year old Escort estate on the drive that I couldn’t use except I’m 40 and it’s a brand new bike and I’m meant to be grown up. I gave it a good dusting over and even a bit of polish, ok ok it had 2.4 miles on the clock, what of it, it was my new toy and I want to play. But it looked huge…
Training day 1 – Making Friends with the bike
Saturday morning, 8am Halesowen, I arrive at Streetbike and there are the training bikes parked on the yard – 600cc monsters, nothing like the 125cc I did the CBT on – what have I signed up to, they look massive, how will I cope with that. Back with Paul who I did the CBT with, “let’s make friends with the bike” he said... Didn’t get what he meant at the time but I do now, you are so much in touch with what the bike is doing, nothing like a car, everything is exaggerated, the noise, the feel the exposure but it all felt a bit more grown up than the CBT, this was serious. This was a machine that needed to be handled properly after all it would get to 60mph in about 3.5 seconds and top out at 130mph -140mph that was about twice the acceleration of my car which is a Focus ST 2.5 turbo and this was a training bike.
We spent some time on the patch where we did the CBT, it was different but the same – I know what I mean. Then out on the road with some basics, turn left, turn left, turn left, turn left recognise where you are, let’s try that again… then suddenly over the radio “at the end of the road we are turning right, turning right, remember what to do from the CBT”… eerrrrmmmm NO!! mind went blank, came to a stop a bit suddenly with no finesse , all a bit messy, not really pointing in the right direction, in 4th or 5th gear or maybe 3rd – who knew – think think think, composure, nothing coming pull out and head up… better. Rest of the afternoon went better after that – realised its about staying calm, head up and looking around, shoulder checks, life savers, observations, signal manoeuvre - Just keep doing that...
Great day, knew why I wanted a bike and this was it but surely there was more out there than just Halesowen.
Training Day 2 – This is it
Today was about getting some miles in and learning the craft of riding not just left, left, left with the odd right turn. We set out heading towards Bridgnorth, beautiful sweeping wide A roads, 50mph and 60 mph limits so really got to get some biking done. This was what it was all about and it didn’t leave me disappointed in any way. We took it in turns leading, there were two of us with Paul following on, soon realised that Paul liked his lunch which suited me too, bacon butties and fry-ups were going to be a part of this training too, but good to get a break in after a few hours.
Bridgnorth then on to Kidderminster more A roads, some dual carriage ways, with nice sweeping curves – Perfect.
Another great day on a bike, bit of a warm ear from the radio ear piece but a small price to pay.
Training Day 3 – Birmingham city test runs
Today was all about fine tuning the skills, making sure checks are second nature, the practicalities of being on a bike are understood like less space needed to enter an island, making a decision and doing it not dithering around and getting up to speed – getting up to speed, not considered that as an issue, it’s a no brainer…. Wrong! We’d done some short bursts at 60mph but there was always a bend coming up so easing off and taking the long sweeping bend at about 45mph. Today we hit national speed limit dual carriageway and Paul was keen to make sure we were confident – the first time I got to 70 mph I looked around, surely I needed Mr. Scott and Mr Sulu in attendance at this speed. It was fantastic and such a thrill but my god how fast does it feel compared to a - car what a rush… some more riding around meant we hit that section a few times and I was much more comfortable with it but I think I’m going to be sticking to the nice A roads rather than motorways and wide dual carriageways, seems much more fun.
Training Day 4 – Test Day
A couple of hours on the bike then a relax at the test station in Garrets Green, Mick was doing his mod 1 first. I was cool and calm, tests never bother me, if you know what you are doing why worry, that just makes it difficult. Mick went off, 15 minutes later back in through the door with a proper miserable face – he’d failed, didn’t get up to speed on the first attempt at the swerve then missed it cause he was watching the speedo second time, he also got a few minor points for not shoulder checking both shoulders in the middle of the patch – as if you were surrounded by traffic.
1 - I took note, road steady into the first green box, found neutral, switched off, stand down and got off.
2 - Pushing the bike is easy enough, balance it on ur hip for forwards and hold front and rear for backwards, don’t forget those shoulder checks even when pushing, and parked it in the next bay. Done! Slalom in-between the yellow cones and the two blue cones then do a figure of eight twice around the blue cones – No cones moves no feet down, Done!
3 - Ride the corner at 19mph and through the speed trap at 32mph swerve through the blue cones and come to a stop with the front wheel in the little blue square of cones. Bit late on the breaking but in the box and through the cones. Done!
4 - U-turn. Shoulder, mirror, mirror, shoulder, pull away, 2nd gear, check and go. No feet down. Done.
5 - Walking pace ride… 1st gear very slow behind the clip board, wobbly but Done!
6 - Around the bend again 19mph, through the speed trap at 32mph, emergency stop. Done!
7 - Ride to the gate and wait… Gate open parked all checks Done!
Not quietly confident but absolutely convinced I’d passed, walking back thinking about the Mod 2 and tonight finally out on my own bike, lots of people who want to see the bike, got a good 100 mile round trip to get everyone in. Lots of Facebook posts about what I was doing – everyone know what was happening.
Back for the debrief, Paul comes in to, I wanted him to share in my good news.
Examiner: “if you travel before doing the u-turn how many should checks would you do”
Me: “Two, one to pull away and then one before you start the U turn”
Examiner: “You missed the second one, you looked where you were going and pulled out”
Me: “huh”
Examiner: “Sorry to tell you but you have not been successful here is your test sheet”
It was a clean sheet, I’d done a shoulder check but carried on looking, maybe I should have looked forward then back, maybe I should have left the look a little longer to make it clear… Didn’t matter I’d failed and no Mod 2 – was an early bath for me, a very miserable ride back to Halesowen…
CY
Training and tests - Last part by customer Cy Pearson
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