So what are the common beginner mistakes??

[patmahe]

Hi,

So I'm getting into bikes - see below

http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...

So what are the common mistakes a noobie makes? Is it concentration, attitude, observation. What did you do wrong when you started out, what are the mistakes I should be aware of and avoid.

All advice humourous or otherwise is welcome.

Cheers

[BraemarBlue]

The first lesson I learnt was NEVER take your eyes off the road in front - I have never moved my head to look behind when there is any car in front. Only use mirrors. And I stared in 1975 at 19 and have always owned at least one motorcycle.

[RemaL]

don't grab too much front brake, I use the gears more. get used to not using the back much. after your DAS of course

keep well away from the car in front, they do all manner of stupid st

[rumpelstiltskin]

Of all the stuff i learned as an instructor i would say look well ahead!A hazard dealt with early is a hazard dealt with safely,sounds cheesy but its true!

[RizzoTheRat]

All of the above but to my mind attitude is one of the most important.
Never get over confident, no matter how good you are there's always someone better, so never get goaded in to keeping up with someone who may well turn out to be a lot quicker than you. Never stop learning.

Also always remember to take your disklock off before you pull away because it's very embarrasing having to get someone to lift your bike off your leg.

[Sossige]

Number one lesson is that the bike goes where you look.

The biggest mistake I've made so far is putting myself under stupid amounts of pressure. Relax, enjoy and it'll come.

Now, if I could just take my own advice and stop beating myself up when I make mistakes, I'll be sorted. I need a "zen and the art of motorbikes" smiley

[Rawwr]

Look where you want to end up and you'll get there. Don't look at hedges

[Chilli]

Rawwr said:

Look where you want to end up and you'll get there. Don't look at hedges

Will you leave it out!!!!!

Actually, re the look as far forward as pssible advice. I too have been taught this, but have secretly had a doubt about it. I mean, what could be a hazard at the time might not be a hazard by the time you get there. Alsoworks the other way, somethnig you may dismiss as irrelevant, might becopme a hazard in tyhe seconds to come. I prefer to think that everyone at any given time should make their own judgements, as it's a how long's a piece of string question....no?

[Rawwr]

I didn't mention your name!

[Chilli]

Rawwr said:

I didn't mention your name!

Sh!t.

[MattOz]

I'd agree with all the above. Target fixation is one of the biggest "dangers" for all bikers, new or experienced. The disklock removal trick is also handy!

Remember that drain/manhole covers are usually poorly sited on corners and will be treacherous in the wet. Pay attention to white lines and keep a keen sense of smell for diesel and horse st.

Similarly, if the hedgerow or grass verge is freshly cut, is there a tractor with a queue of traffic behind it round the next corner?

Ride ahead of yourself at all times, and try and relax. A bike willl not respond well to tightly gripped bars, and you'll be knackered from hanging on.

Above all, enjoy your time on the machine. I've been riding for 16 years and have done loads of miles both here and abroad. Biking never fails to raise a smile, and that's why I love it.

Matt

[black-k1]

Chilli said:

Actually, re the look as far forward as pssible advice. I too have been taught this, but have secretly had a doubt about it. I mean, what could be a hazard at the time might not be a hazard by the time you get there. Alsoworks the other way, somethnig you may dismiss as irrelevant, might becopme a hazard in tyhe seconds to come. I prefer to think that everyone at any given time should make their own judgements, as it's a how long's a piece of string question....no?

Chilli – you appear to have misunderstood what you are supposed to be doing. If you are looking at the vanishing point (the furthest point ahead where you can see the road) and see a potential hazard, you do not then stop thinking about that hazard until you have passed it or until you know it is no longer a hazard. Likewise, just because you are looking at the vanishing point, you don’t stop looking for previously unspotted hazards up close.

What you are looking for are places/events etc. that have the possibility to become a hazard so, for example, if you spot a side road joining your road a mile ahead then you should already be looking for joining traffic or traffic turning into the side road from that 1 mile off. But, you should not stop looking for joining or turning traffic until you are past the junction and if, as you approach that junction, you do not have good visibility through and across it then you should already be taking ‘just in case’ actions like reducing speed and covering the brakes even though it may appear that there is nothing there.

I think that properly looking ahead is the single greatest skill that any motorcyclist (or car driver for that matter) can develop and is one of the things the ‘noobies’ tend not to be able to do.

[Taita]

Don't give it a phenomenal amount of beans from 1st into 2nd in the wet.

Just learnt that one myself.

[TL84]

I wish I had an on board bike came Taita, because I was pissing myself laughing at that. I've never seen anyone take the following roundabout at 3mph before

[Chilli]

black-k1 said:

Chilli said:

Actually, re the look as far forward as pssible advice. I too have been taught this, but have secretly had a doubt about it. I mean, what could be a hazard at the time might not be a hazard by the time you get there. Alsoworks the other way, somethnig you may dismiss as irrelevant, might becopme a hazard in tyhe seconds to come. I prefer to think that everyone at any given time should make their own judgements, as it's a how long's a piece of string question....no?

Chilli – you appear to have misunderstood what you are supposed to be doing. If you are looking at the vanishing point (the furthest point ahead where you can see the road) and see a potential hazard, you do not then stop thinking about that hazard until you have passed it or until you know it is no longer a hazard. Likewise, just because you are looking at the vanishing point, you don’t stop looking for previously unspotted hazards up close.

What you are looking for are places/events etc. that have the possibility to become a hazard so, for example, if you spot a side road joining your road a mile ahead then you should already be looking for joining traffic or traffic turning into the side road from that 1 mile off. But, you should not stop looking for joining or turning traffic until you are past the junction and if, as you approach that junction, you do not have good visibility through and across it then you should already be taking ‘just in case’ actions like reducing speed and covering the brakes even though it may appear that there is nothing there.

I think that properly looking ahead is the single greatest skill that any motorcyclist (or car driver for that matter) can develop and is one of the things the ‘noobies’ tend not to be able to do.

Hiya David,
I appreciate what you're saying, but I wasn't solely talking about a vanishing point. merely a general observation of the furthest set of hazards you can see at that time. Agreed, you should never stop thinking about thwem until you have passed them. Noe should you ignore the others that you have already clocked. This is prob the reason why I think the hazard perception test is a load of toilet.....mainly becasue absolutely everything has the potential of being a hazard. I was ove told by a senior observer with my IAM group, that I missed the parked car (on an observed run) with nio-one in it. I didn't think it posed a danger itself, as it was parked an there was no-one in it. "Ah, suppose there was, but they were doing something, and you couldn't see them"? My response was something like Well, I was too busy worrying about the lampost that coul;d have possibly got struck by lightening and fallen on my head, or that commet that could possibly land in the road ahead of me. I fear I'm digressing somewhat, but I just get the impression that these kind of people lover the sound of their own voices, and feel like they have to contribute (the instructors that is). Don't get me wrong they're not all like that SHE was the only one I refused to go with again. I mean I'd only been riding 5 minutes, and she couldnt keep up.

Sorry, back to your point. I actually think I do this without realising. My vision is excellent....although it wasn't always, obviously. However, I think that EVERYTHING you seee has the potential to be a hazard, and suggest we automatically prioritise them, and eliminate the unlikely ones...however, where do you draw the line. I've had this conversation with many senior observers in the past,and everyone has ended up saying that it is open to discussion.

Cheers.

[black-k1]

Chilli said:

Said many wise things!

I agree that the hazard perception test is crap for anyone with more than about 5 minutes experience of riding/driving. I have been told (by a reliable source) that the City of London police asked all their drivers to take the hazard perception test when it came out and most (may even have been all) failed because they were clicking just about everything as a hazard.

You are also right that there is no ‘black and white’ line between what is a hazard that needs some degree of management and what can simply be ignored. It’s all about management of the potential and the only one who can make that call is the rider/driver themselves. And, of course, each person will view each situation slightly differently so no two riders are likely to absolutely agree on a course of action.

But back on topic, most ‘noobies’ do not look much more than about 25m to 50m ahead of them which means just about every hazard they find is already into the ‘critical’ stage before they have even started to react to it and that all their reactions therefore have to be rushed with little consideration time.

The best piece of advice I have ever been given with regards to riding a motorcycle (or driving a car) is ‘if you can’t see it you can’t deal with it’!

[Chilli]

Yep, I agree. TBH though, it's not just the noo's that struggle with it. I know a few that could do with a lesson or two.....just not from me!

[bazwaz]

RizzoTheRat said:

Also always remember to take your disklock off before you pull away because it's very embarrasing having to get someone to lift your bike off your leg.

That brings back memories. It was back in 1972, i'd just got my first scooter. (a BSA 250 Sunbeam) Went to town, did some shopping, got on the bike and set off without taking off the steering lock. Did a quick 360 and fell on my ar*e. All very embarassing.

Barry

[Rob_J]

Rawwr said:

Look where you want to end up and you'll get there. Don't look at hedges

Learnt that on my CBT as I put the training bike in a fence......

[slim_boy_fat]

I dont think there is one simple thing but learing how a bike handles and what it can do goes a long way.

A large number of fatal accidents happen because riders enter a corner too fast for their skill level and come off the throttle apply the brakes and run wide onto the path of oncoming traffic.

Too fast for their skill level NOT too fast for the bike.

You will not go far wrong by riding at a speed where you are able to stop in the distance you can see. Sometimes that means significantly slower than the bike ca go. On of the frustrating things about riding a performance bike on UK roads!!

Also learn and practice how to brake.

Only significant accident i have had was from locking a front wheel in the wet.