My new riding buddy....

[jonothan]

My wife and long suffering partner of 19 years, Elaine, passed her CBT yesterday (Compulsory Bike Training) which is the first of the three components to obtaining a full UK Motorcycle Licence. Next step is the theory, the final step is the 40 minute riding test being followed by a DSA (Driving Standards Agency) examiner.

But she is now entitled to ride a 125cc machine displaying L-Plates.

So I took her to the local Honda Dealer. CG125? No. Shadow 125? No. She's chosen the CBR125R (the baby Fireblade) in black.

I'm over the moon. I have a new riding buddy who just happens to be my best and closest friend. Great news.

I'd love for her to ride the R when she passes her test. She says it's far too big and heavy but I'd love to know how the ladies in this group find riding the R.

Jonothan

[9291150]

Jonothan, thats great, I wish my wife would be interested in riding, but forgetaboutit!

But the worst thing you can do is rush her, especially to ride your R. Give her all the time she needs to feel comfortable on her 125. Confidence is everything. When she is ready, I'm sure she'll ask for your key!

[scottybooj]

nice!!! have fun teaching her to ride.

[FGanger]

As "our Pat" would say, "Pictures, we need pictures."

[Paper]

Edited, and moved on...

[KHaynes]

Congratualtions to your wife. An interest in riding is a great thing to share. Enjoy.

[boxermania]

Jonothan....funny thing, your post.

I subscribe to MCN here in the states, it is a no advertising all encompasing motorcyclyng magazine. I sent a comment to the editor on one of last months articles regarding the function of the MSF (Motorcycle Safety Foundation) here in the US.

See, Stateside you can buy whatever bike you want with or without the MSF training. The particular article had to do with a young woman, age 23 that had just completed her MSF trining, went to the HD Dealer and bought a V-Rod.

Well to make a long story short she got onto one of the expressways entry ramps, acccelerated the bike, lost control and smashed ahard gainst the cement culvert.....needless to say she died.

The point that the article tried to make was if the MSF training had helped this gal.....totally missing the point that I made earlier....here you can buy a rocket and not know the accelerator from the brake.

It is possitively assinine that this country doesn't have a system like you folks have that you graduate to larger dislacement with time and experience.

Best luck to you and the better half.....

[kbc68]

I had my wife riding her own , she earned her M license , her first ride was a 1980 CM450. She rode for a few years went on some overnight trips did the ride for site and other charities and then once she was pregnent it was all over !!!! . She still has a keen interest for them ,i got her on the RR last year ,but that was about it ! I know she would love R1150R . Well i geuss it's just all mine !!

[mcooperstein]

In my younger days...I rode motorcycles. I loved my bikes, and we got along great! Then, Elizabeth came along. I ended up loving her more then my bike, so we got married, and the bike went bye bye. No motocicleta for marco! Life wasnt totally boring, as I helped raise three wonderful kids. Then one day 23 years later, I started getting the itch again, and talked to my wife about getting a bike. To make a long story short, she agreed, and in July 2001 I bought my beloved R1150R Atlanta Blue (fastest color). Elizabeth rode pillion the first year, but discovered that she didn't like being passenger. No control, the view stank, just wasn't fun! So we decided to both take the MSF course together. She got her license, decided that she really liked riding, went out and bought a Yamaha Virago 250 (wonderful little bugger of a bike) and rode it for 2 years while she gained confidence, skill, and experience. That first year she rode nearly drove me mad, as she *never* drove faster then the posted speed limit. She was very cautious, took absolutely no risks, unlike me who went out after 23 years hiatus from riding and bought a big BMW sight unseen and drove it 300 miles home from the dealership! What can I say..the difference between men and women! Anyway, last week, she traded in her beloved Virago and bought a Suzuki Marauder 800. We ride together a lot, and I really enjoy sharing this sport with her. She's much more confident then she was when she first started and enjoys motorcycling as much as I do! So, all I can to you women out there who are considering learning to ride...do it! By all means, take the MSF, take your time, and have lots of fun!

Mark

[jonothan]

It is possitively assinine that this country doesn't have a system like you folks have that you graduate to larger dislacement with time and experience.

It wasn't always like that, Boxermania. The UK Bike Test was, up until a few years ago, a laughable examination where the examiner observed on foot, running through alleyways as you followed a set course through narrow urban streets. An emergency stop and a U-turn and that was it.

Then the government in it's wisdom began to look in dismay at the large number of fatal and non-fatal motorbike casualties on the ever more crowded UK roads and decided to improve training and raise the riding standards.

Now, the first step is the CBT as explained above, an eight hour course which is no walkover. Elaine passed, as did one of the two young lads who were with her. Another girl of her age was failed and has to retake, as did the twenty-something lad. So the instructor passed two of the four on the course. Now, considering Elaine had never ridden a geared motorcycle before, that was no mean feat. She has 23 years driving experience, mind. As I said, she can now ride a 125cc machine displaying L-Plates for up to two years. If she hasn't passed her bike test by then, she must retake her CBT.

After the CBT, the next step is the theory test. 35 multiple choice questions (pass 30/35) on Highway Code, bike maintenance, road safety, vulnerable road users, motorway driving, first aid at the roadside and so on. Followed by 14 "Hazard Perception Clips" where you have to click on the computer screen, where videos of real life driving scenes are shown, as a developing hazard becomes a real hazard requiring action on the driver's/rider's part. The pass rate for this is 45/75. Each hazard will score from 0-5, depending on how soon you react after the hazard develops. It's actually not as easy as it sounds, as clicking too much will void that particular clip, and one clip will have two hazards on it. Sounds easy, but it was harder than I thought. The Theory Pass Certificate is valid for two years and entitles you to sit the practical examination.

The practical exam is a 40 minute ride, being followed by a DSA examiner, usually on a bike, sometimes in a car. You wear a radio ear piece, he tells you where he wants you to ride and gives directions. The examiner is always a very experienced and highly trained biker, whether he uses a car or a bike to follow the student. The standards are very high. A U-Turn (no putting a foot on the ground is allowed, and good balance and observation are essential) is required, an emergency stop (a locked rear wheel will fail you normally), and a hill start, an angled start from behind a parked car are required too. You must keep up with traffic, and ride the machine confidently and always up to the speed limit where safe to do so. All road types are covered other than motorways, and each test route almost guarantees you'll encounter most common hazards and difficulties. You'll then be asked two questions on bike maintenance (Show me how you would check the oil/tell me how you would adjust the chain etc) and safety, and one on carrying a pillion passenger. You're allowed a few minor faults, such as the occasional wobble, but missing lifesaver glances over your shoulder, leaving an indicator on, or putting your foot down on the U Turn will all fail you outright. As will any road positioning fault or breach of the Highway Code. If you fail, you cannot resit the exam for two weeks or ten working days.

It gets more complicated still.

Taking the test on a 125cc machine will entitle you to ride a machine up to 33 kW for two years after which you can ride any machine you like, or until you are 21 years old if you take it before you're 19 years old. Interestingly, the BMW R850R can be purchased in the UK in "detuned" format so that a rider who has passed their test on a 125 can then go and buy a baby boxer. I've been told that the detuned 33 kW R850R actually goes very well in spite of the reduced power. Most bike manufacturers have detuned versions of their bigger machines for this reason, or the dealers can convert them to the lower powered variant.

Taking the test on a 500cc machine will entitle you to ride anything immediately (Direct Access). This is for over 21 year olds only. The only way you can train on a 500cc machine prior to the test is being followed by a DSA approved instructor, wear an orange tabard and be in radio contact with that instructor at all times. This requires formal instruction prior to your test and will normally include modules covering all aspects of road use, including road behaviour and manners, first aid and so on.

Passing the test on a machine which is automatic will entitle you to ride an automatic only. I won't even mention light motorcycles here (machines 50cc-100cc) as it's even more complex.

So, has this worked? Well, yes, it has. The death rate and injury rate for newly-qualified motorcyclists has plummeted dramatically.

Passing mine has also made me a much better car driver. I did the Direct Access - I trained on a Kawasaki ER-5.

And this has given me quite a sense of achievement.

Sorry if that's a bit long-winded and boring but I just thought you'd like to know.

Jonothan

[BobFV1]

Jon - Cngrats to the Mrs! Take it nice and slow.

Arrived in the UK this morning. Lots of rice rockets bombing down the red lane of the M4 towards London. Saw my first BMW, a silver RR, in Richmond about 0730 this AM.

[Bones]

Boxermania:
I am ALL FOR proper training. ALL FOR IT. I did the MSF course, and have since completed.....a LOT of high performance riding schools. However, one thing that NONE of the schools teach (nor could they) is common sense.

So if someone who has no riding experience takes an MSF course, gets on a Vrod and goes to try to get onto a highway via on onramp to merge with traffic and has a fatal crash, whose fault is that? It is the rider's. That just defies common sense.

And regarding "laws" to protect us from ourselves. PLEASE, don't we have enough of those? You cannot legislate common sense, either. We need alot of things in this world, but another law is not one of them. At least not in the States.

Sorry for the rant.

Jonathan:

I am thrilled that your wife has gotten excited about this and that Honda is a fantastic bike. If you ride it, you may not want to give it back to her. They are just FUN.

Congrats.

Bones

[NCRoaster]

During my twelve years as an MSF instructor I always advised new riders to start with a small bike and ride it for six months to a year before graduating to a bigger bike. However, I was always amazed by how many people would go out and buy a monster bike right after and sometimes before the class. I can easily say that most of those people were Harley folks longing to belong to the GROUP. How could those people buy anything else after all the peer pressure. Many Harley folks see other brands as not worthy of their recognition. So new riders are forced to get a big bike. The women would often get the Sportster which is probably the worst bike for new riders to get because it is top heavy and has a high seat. The larger Harley models have lower seats which would make them easier to ride for many of the short-legged women who took the class but they were afraid of all that power. The smart, safe and practical men and women students would not succumb to peer pressure and get something lighter, less powerful and usually with a lower seat to start their riding career.

NCRoaster

[FGanger]

Jonothan,
I PM'd you, check it out.
Frank

[jonothan]

I took these pictures just now (on my phone so please excuse the quality) but here's Elaine's bike.

We collect it on Saturday. She's pretty excited at the prospect.





Neat little machine, huh? It's a beautiful little bike. 125cc, liquid cooled, OHC. Top speed 80mph.

Full instrumentation. Here's a couple of pictures from the Honda UK website.





Ideal for a learner.

Jonothan

[DJ Downunder]

Nice little bike....I've not seen them downunder.

Tell her to take care and remember all cars are out to get us.

DJ

[jonothan]

Nice little bike....I've not seen then downunder.

Tell her to take care and remember all cars are out to get us.

DJ

I will, DJ. Actually, on second thoughts, I'll maybe ask her. If I tell her stuff she puts her hands on her hips and gets this cross "don't you tell me what to do" look on. Which is part of why I love her but you know what I mean.

Thanks for your concern.

The smart, safe and practical men and women students would not succumb to peer pressure and get something lighter, less powerful and usually with a lower seat to start their riding career.

Wise words indeed. The reason that she chose this was that she felt really comfortable on it and not intimidated. It's actually a very skinny bike. It's like a stick insect. On a diet.

But Elaine likes it and had I bought anything else, she wouldn't have ridden it. Push someone, especially Elaine, into doing something and she'll find excuses not to do it.

Jonothan