RE: PH takes on the CBT
Discussion
I'm old, so my first "training" was riding my best mate's Dad's 3 Speed NSU Quickly up and down their drive!
Got my moped before my 16th birthday, so practiced a few times in the garden until my Dad got upset about me ruining his lawn!.
Which might be why he might have taken me to some quiet back roads and might have let me loose for a while (possibly)!
So I was up before 6 am on my 16th blatting around for hours before I had to go to school.
Move on a year to 1976 and I had a Honda CB175 sitting in the garage ready for the big day!
Once more I was up before 6, but soon discovered things happened so much faster at 80 than they had at 40!
Still I had already booked my test (waiting lists were long at the time) and on the day I pootled around the block in both directions for a bit and managed to stop before I hit the tester (well I could see him behind the tree).
So a pass, and a pass in the car test the next day - probably the most exciting week of my life!
But I don't think that sort of "test" would be suitable now, although I agree it would be good if more people took the CBT even if they have no intention of ever having a bike. It just gives you some additional understanding and awareness.
If I had somewhere to keep one I'd have a bike now, but since Mrs Tidy and I parted ways the garage went and so did my Yamaha RD400C - you can't really keep one of those under a cover.
Got my moped before my 16th birthday, so practiced a few times in the garden until my Dad got upset about me ruining his lawn!.
Which might be why he might have taken me to some quiet back roads and might have let me loose for a while (possibly)!
So I was up before 6 am on my 16th blatting around for hours before I had to go to school.
Move on a year to 1976 and I had a Honda CB175 sitting in the garage ready for the big day!
Once more I was up before 6, but soon discovered things happened so much faster at 80 than they had at 40!
Still I had already booked my test (waiting lists were long at the time) and on the day I pootled around the block in both directions for a bit and managed to stop before I hit the tester (well I could see him behind the tree).
So a pass, and a pass in the car test the next day - probably the most exciting week of my life!
But I don't think that sort of "test" would be suitable now, although I agree it would be good if more people took the CBT even if they have no intention of ever having a bike. It just gives you some additional understanding and awareness.
If I had somewhere to keep one I'd have a bike now, but since Mrs Tidy and I parted ways the garage went and so did my Yamaha RD400C - you can't really keep one of those under a cover.
Did my full licencse* with Honda at Donnington Park, having done 2 years on Ls and it was an absolute joy, Neil was a fantastic instructor, one of the nicest guys I've ever met and streets ahead of the school I did my cbt with, learnt loads and passed first time.
Still don't know how to explain what it's like to car drivers, nothing quite does it justice.
Still don't know how to explain what it's like to car drivers, nothing quite does it justice.
- covering both bases, please don't hurt me.
poing said:
Nice article and very well written!
I keep delaying mine with various excuses, mostly financial and suicidal, but also I'm a bit too old to get wet and cold and still consider it fun. Not to mention that despite being almost 45 years old my mother would still kill me!
Oh, just noticed this is in BB. Should be in GG if Honda are trying to convert people.
I did my CBT at 44 and my full licence at 46. I even admitted it to my mum some time after my 45th birthday! Since then, I've ridden a rental bike from London to Dublin and back, and another one from Los Angeles to San Francisco - it's an amazing way to experience a journey.I keep delaying mine with various excuses, mostly financial and suicidal, but also I'm a bit too old to get wet and cold and still consider it fun. Not to mention that despite being almost 45 years old my mother would still kill me!
Oh, just noticed this is in BB. Should be in GG if Honda are trying to convert people.
The standout moment for me was after my CBT, on a big bike for the first time. We'd done some pootling on some B-roads, and we were told to take a left onto an A-road. After straightening out I decided to give it a big , smooth handfull of throttle, and the feeling of power and acceleration was just mindblowing! I'd loved everything about bikes so far, but this was instant, full-on addiction! And made even better when the instructor said 'Good acceleration Mike'
Murphy16 said:
I'm surprised more 'car people' aren't into bikes. They offer the analogue and engaging experience car enthusiasts seem to bemoan the loss of in modern cars, even at low speeds and small capacity bikes.
Think it's a safety thing. No matter how careful you are, it only takes one idiot to not see you and it's goodnight vienna. That said I want to get a license or qualification for every category on my drivers license. Since I passed in 2009 I can only drive cars whereas the older generation can drive anything up to a small airplane. I'm starting with the CBT and working my way up from there.
Schmeeky said:
The standout moment for me was after my CBT, on a big bike for the first time. We'd done some pootling on some B-roads, and we were told to take a left onto an A-road. After straightening out I decided to give it a big , smooth handfull of throttle, and the feeling of power and acceleration was just mindblowing! I'd loved everything about bikes so far, but this was instant, full-on addiction! And made even better when the instructor said 'Good acceleration Mike'
I had a similar experience. First time opening it up..got up to 90 mph* which felt rapid...had the instructor behind saying "that's better" in my ear.- this was obviously on a private track not subject to legal speed limits.
I did mine as the first step in a 5-day "Direct Access" course at the beginning of 1997. In the snow. Never looked back.
What riding a bike does, more than anything, is make you much more aware of your surroundings. As well, having been driving for more than ten years at the time, road regulation knowledge was already in place rather than going in as a teenager with no experience at all.
Like others have commented I'm surprised more fast car people don't do this. At the time it was the easiest, and definitely the cheapest, way of accessing much more exciting on-road performance. Some friends have said "oh I'd just kill myself". Awareness of one's own mortality increases with age...
What riding a bike does, more than anything, is make you much more aware of your surroundings. As well, having been driving for more than ten years at the time, road regulation knowledge was already in place rather than going in as a teenager with no experience at all.
Like others have commented I'm surprised more fast car people don't do this. At the time it was the easiest, and definitely the cheapest, way of accessing much more exciting on-road performance. Some friends have said "oh I'd just kill myself". Awareness of one's own mortality increases with age...
sgtBerbatov said:
Think it's a safety thing. No matter how careful you are, it only takes one idiot to not see you and it's goodnight vienna.
That said I want to get a license or qualification for every category on my drivers license. Since I passed in 2009 I can only drive cars whereas the older generation can drive anything up to a small airplane. I'm starting with the CBT and working my way up from there.
I think that a lot of people over-exaggerate the number of near-miss incidents that happen. Admittedly I don't live in the centre of a large city, but the roads around me are busy at the usual rush-hour times and there are far more blind corners and concealed entrances than you get in the conurbations, but commuting nearly every day and riding regularly I have had literally a handful of "oh sThat said I want to get a license or qualification for every category on my drivers license. Since I passed in 2009 I can only drive cars whereas the older generation can drive anything up to a small airplane. I'm starting with the CBT and working my way up from there.
t" moment of people pulling out on me or doing other similarly dodgy manoeuvres over the last decade since i passed my test.Good observation, riding within your capabilities, riding in such a way that car drivers can see you... all of these things will help to keep you rubber side down.
BFleming said:
A few of the kids near us had Suzuki TS80's. They must have been incredibly slow, but definitely quicker than a 10 speed racer, and something to lust after.
I remember my first time on a TS50, it seemed very quick at the time but I was only 16. By the time I'd had it a while it didn't seem very quick and as I rode the later 125's, 200's, etc etc a 50 then seemed very slow (but still fun with a "never back off, never brake" mentality).Edited by Fastdruid on Wednesday 8th May 10:32
Matt Bird said:
Or at least begin to, given there are still the A2 and A tests to do beyond the CBT.
Minor correction: A2 is only relevant if you're under 24. You'd be taking the Mod 1 (low speed handling on a closed course) and Mod 2 (on-road) tests. I did mine last year after loving my CBT, and immediately bought a 2009 Street Triple R which has, to me, an utterly absurd power to weight ratio. I can't imagine what the current crop of superbikes must be like.
I've mainly commuted so far (5k miles or so) but hope to get around to some proper fun riding at some point.
generationx said:
I did mine as the first step in a 5-day "Direct Access" course at the beginning of 1997. In the snow. Never looked back.
What riding a bike does, more than anything, is make you much more aware of your surroundings. As well, having been driving for more than ten years at the time, road regulation knowledge was already in place rather than going in as a teenager with no experience at all.
Like others have commented I'm surprised more fast car people don't do this. At the time it was the easiest, and definitely the cheapest, way of accessing much more exciting on-road performance. Some friends have said "oh I'd just kill myself". Awareness of one's own mortality increases with age...
Normally means my wife/mother won’t let me have one.What riding a bike does, more than anything, is make you much more aware of your surroundings. As well, having been driving for more than ten years at the time, road regulation knowledge was already in place rather than going in as a teenager with no experience at all.
Like others have commented I'm surprised more fast car people don't do this. At the time it was the easiest, and definitely the cheapest, way of accessing much more exciting on-road performance. Some friends have said "oh I'd just kill myself". Awareness of one's own mortality increases with age...
I find pure car drivers who try to berate/demean/slag off motorcyclists (ok - 'bikers'!) quite irritating. If you fear motorbikes, that is fine, nobody is going to judge you on that - they're not for everyone. But please don't try to deride us as gimp-suit wearing ninja turtles or whatever! I love my cars..... love, love, love. But I also love my bikes (currently 9 and growing - everything from a CRF250 to a Panigale S...... well, they are cheaper and easier to store than cars!). In fact, stick a V8 in a lawnmower, and I'll give that a go too (which we did back around 1997 - an old Rover V8 in to a Westfield....... don't ask!!!). I guess I just consider myself an overall 'Petrolhead', and can love and appreciate either/or for what they are. Some days, a blast up the hills in my little 205 1.9GTi is just the only thing that will scratch an itch. Other days, nothing on the earth will come close to a track day on the 675 race bike: it IS possible to love both! Just take a look the likes of McCrae, Schumacher, Surtees, Hailwood, Alonso, Senna, Hill..... Hell, LH even has a bike named after him!!!! 
Great article, especially considering I think a lot of car drivers think that riding a motorcycle is dead easy.
What they don't teach you during the license phase are things like countersteering (which you do unconsciously but doing consciously improves your riding no end) and things like body positioning, more advanced road positioning etc. It's not easy, but when it comes together I can't honestly see any car experience being as fun as the best bike experience on the road (and probably on the track too).
The main issue with motorcycling is that the worst experiences on a bike are much worse than the worst experiences in a car. Hail, snow, hard rain, visor misting, diesel etc... I'd rather be in a car in bad weather. In the summer on clear roads though? Bikes are unbeatable in so many ways.
What they don't teach you during the license phase are things like countersteering (which you do unconsciously but doing consciously improves your riding no end) and things like body positioning, more advanced road positioning etc. It's not easy, but when it comes together I can't honestly see any car experience being as fun as the best bike experience on the road (and probably on the track too).
The main issue with motorcycling is that the worst experiences on a bike are much worse than the worst experiences in a car. Hail, snow, hard rain, visor misting, diesel etc... I'd rather be in a car in bad weather. In the summer on clear roads though? Bikes are unbeatable in so many ways.
Tri_Doc said:
I'd love to ride a sportsbike - performance per £££ is unquestionably better than 4 wheels, only issue being that I quite like my kidneys, liver, spleen, pelvis, c-spine and the rest of my long bones.
Just admit you are scared, you could get hit by a bus or be in a plane crash tomorrow, people who spout *omg I'd kill myself* get on my tits! Tri_Doc said:
I'd love to ride a sportsbike - performance per £££ is unquestionably better than 4 wheels, only issue being that I quite like my kidneys, liver, spleen, pelvis, c-spine and the rest of my long bones.
Hmm, so is what you are saying, that those of us who DO ride motorbikes, DON'T like our kidneys, liver, spleen, etc.? That's a pretty insulting/demeaning statement there mate. :/Gassing Station | Biker Banter | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff