So this morning I woke up... looked down my balcony and saw my shiny red bike sitting downstairs shouting at me to take her for a spin... "TAKE ME FOR A SPIN!!"
Very hesitantly, I said: "Maybe, I won't ride yet but I'll have a sit on you and turn the engine on and see if you can start"
She co-operated very well, started on first go. She did rev abit too high with the choke on full so I turned it down a bit. I didn't quite want my neighbours to throw eggs at me or her. I'm sure this is something I'll get use to and will soon know what she needs and wants.
I was feeling slightly more confident compared to the last few times and was handling the weight of the bike with full tank of petrol quite well so I decided I was going to give it a go even though I don't have oggy knobs yet. I was prepared at this point that if I were to drop her, it was my own choice and I'll just have to deal with it. I also knew I was sensible enough to stop and walk her home if I start to get nervous.
So this was how it went...
1) I decided to get her in a straight line first before taking off. That way in case I lose balance and panic, it is less likely I'd to drop bike
6) It took me forever to her on the straight line from her park position coz there was a gentle slope. My legs were a bit short so struggled to walk her up. I decided to put her into first gear and very very slowly got her into a straight line before taking off. A bit clumsy and slow here but managed fine in the end. She is parallel to the road.
7) I took off very very slowly with both feet on ground first just in case she drops! Picked up some speed and put both legs on the pegs. Then came 1st right turn on a little hill....
8) Thank goodness there were no car so continued on the right. Had to put in slight throttle to have enough speed.
9) Then shortly came 2nd right turn around a roundabout! This was abit scary as I felt it was a too small a roundabout for my level of turning experience...
10) I talked my brain into calming down and worst come to worst, I's fall at a slow speed.
11) Anyway, because I had to stop on the roundabout give way sign, I was abit slow to take off into the roundabout but managed to do it extremely slowly.
12) WE MADE IT!! WE MADE IT!!
13) After another length of straight road, I had to make 2 more right turns and I was back to original position
I basically repeated the above 5 times and got slightly better each time. Also practiced some gear changing... abit hit and miss... sometimes smooth, sometimes not...
Also, did abit of practice on the straight to get use to friction point...
For now, I'm not going to push my luck and will wait for oggy knobs to be installed first! =)
FUN FUN FUN!! I'm glad I persisted on!!
Saturday, 30 July 2011
Friday, 29 July 2011
13. I have a Bike
After much consideration and a tonne of research, I finally decided Bike 4 was IT! After I decided what the maximum price was, I had to tell myself that if he was not willing to sell at it or below it, I had to walk away and just keep looking.
I rang the seller the next day told him that after having done some research and calling a few places, I think a fair value is $x. I didn't think I low balled the offer too much. However, the seller told me that it was way too low and he would not sell at that price and said the minimum he would sell was $y. I eventually said look here, I'm only willing to go $xy and that is it for me. After the conversation, I texted him and told him that at the price he was asking, I cannot justify the cost because I may as well pay $200+ more from a dealer and get 12 months warranty and 12 months rego. I also need to fix a few things on the bike and that was around $450. Eventually, he texted me and said if I meet him at the halfway point, I've gotten myself a deal.
I had a think about it and decided, for $100 more, I could get my bike this weekend and start practicing on it... so I decided I was willing to pay the price! =)
Anyway, I got Mr V and Mrs V to help me with the bike. Mrs V met me at the sellers house and rode the bike back to their place. There, Mr V helped me change the front brake pads and taught me how to maintain a bike.
I now officially have a bike sitting out front! Time to do some riding! :D
I rang the seller the next day told him that after having done some research and calling a few places, I think a fair value is $x. I didn't think I low balled the offer too much. However, the seller told me that it was way too low and he would not sell at that price and said the minimum he would sell was $y. I eventually said look here, I'm only willing to go $xy and that is it for me. After the conversation, I texted him and told him that at the price he was asking, I cannot justify the cost because I may as well pay $200+ more from a dealer and get 12 months warranty and 12 months rego. I also need to fix a few things on the bike and that was around $450. Eventually, he texted me and said if I meet him at the halfway point, I've gotten myself a deal.
I had a think about it and decided, for $100 more, I could get my bike this weekend and start practicing on it... so I decided I was willing to pay the price! =)
Anyway, I got Mr V and Mrs V to help me with the bike. Mrs V met me at the sellers house and rode the bike back to their place. There, Mr V helped me change the front brake pads and taught me how to maintain a bike.
I now officially have a bike sitting out front! Time to do some riding! :D
Wednesday, 27 July 2011
12. Is this it?
Today, I asked if Mr V could help me check out the bike Mr W saw on Saturday. The reason was Mr V saw the last 3 bikes and I was hoping after his assessment on this bike, he would also come to the same conclusion as I did. I thought this bike was as good as bike 3.
We met up at Picture me Rolling and made our down to Albion Street. The seller provided us with keys and left the bike with us to cast our eyes over and to discuss what we thought. Mr V basically came to the same conclusion as Mr W. On the same day, Mr W also told me to re check some rusting on the fork just in case but the pitting was cosmetic only and would not impact the bike mechanically. Mr V also took it for a test ride and said everything appeared fine.
The seller also provided us with service history which was very thorough and a good sign the bike had been looked after. The seller also appeared to be a genuine honest seller, a rare commodity now a days. He told us how much he bought it for, how much he had it listed for and why he had dropped the price. He also told us he was looking to sell this to buy a street triple and honestly, I quite like the way he conducted his business.
At the end of the session, Mr V advised that for whatever price I negotiate this bike at, I need consider that I will need to fork out extra dollars for new tyres and front brake pad.
We then made out back to Flinders Street and reconvene with the people at Picture me Rolling. We chatted and met a few new people... had a look at some of other people's bikes and it turned out to be a fabulous night.
We met up at Picture me Rolling and made our down to Albion Street. The seller provided us with keys and left the bike with us to cast our eyes over and to discuss what we thought. Mr V basically came to the same conclusion as Mr W. On the same day, Mr W also told me to re check some rusting on the fork just in case but the pitting was cosmetic only and would not impact the bike mechanically. Mr V also took it for a test ride and said everything appeared fine.
The seller also provided us with service history which was very thorough and a good sign the bike had been looked after. The seller also appeared to be a genuine honest seller, a rare commodity now a days. He told us how much he bought it for, how much he had it listed for and why he had dropped the price. He also told us he was looking to sell this to buy a street triple and honestly, I quite like the way he conducted his business.
At the end of the session, Mr V advised that for whatever price I negotiate this bike at, I need consider that I will need to fork out extra dollars for new tyres and front brake pad.
We then made out back to Flinders Street and reconvene with the people at Picture me Rolling. We chatted and met a few new people... had a look at some of other people's bikes and it turned out to be a fabulous night.
Sunday, 24 July 2011
11. Bike Shopping
On Sat, I went with another friend to check out a bike in the Northern part of town. Mr W assessed the bike as Mr V would and told me what he thought. He also showed me a few things and what to look for in the brake pads which I previously did not understand.
Starting with the background, this bike is a Honda VTR 250 in the red I like! It is a 2007 model. Based on my research, the bike was first purchased in 2008. Interestingly, Honda never exported a 2008 model into Australia and for that year, the 2007 bikes were still being sold. In 2009, Honda released the new VTR which had fuel injection.
On first glance, you could tell the bike was quite well maintained which is always a good signed. Mr W general conclusion was that bike seemed to be quite fine. The steering was fine, the engine looks good, forks were not oily, chain an sprockets looked fine and would probably last for quite a long time. In terms of accident damage, it appeared to have been dropped once or twice but looked relatively minor. There were some cosmetic scratches on the front tyre rim and the speedometer. The only key concerns were that the front brake pads are nearly gone and would require replacement. A set of brake pads would cost around $50 and labour would cost between $80 to $100. The tyres will also need to be replaced and that would cost circa $350. Mr W also noticed that the muffler was spraying liquid when the throttle was turned and but after some assessment, indicated that it is likely to be due to trapped water and not fuel leak. We did not test ride the bike due the weather and partly I would like to have a think about it whether or not this was the one or not.
At this point in time, I'm fairly keen on the bike as I am with Bike 3 however, given what the market is, they both seemed overpriced.
On the same day, Mr W also took me to test sit no more bikes and I think it is safe to say the VTR250 fitted with me best. The ninja wasn't too bad either. We also dropped in to say hello to Ron and Gary at Flywheels!
Starting with the background, this bike is a Honda VTR 250 in the red I like! It is a 2007 model. Based on my research, the bike was first purchased in 2008. Interestingly, Honda never exported a 2008 model into Australia and for that year, the 2007 bikes were still being sold. In 2009, Honda released the new VTR which had fuel injection.
On first glance, you could tell the bike was quite well maintained which is always a good signed. Mr W general conclusion was that bike seemed to be quite fine. The steering was fine, the engine looks good, forks were not oily, chain an sprockets looked fine and would probably last for quite a long time. In terms of accident damage, it appeared to have been dropped once or twice but looked relatively minor. There were some cosmetic scratches on the front tyre rim and the speedometer. The only key concerns were that the front brake pads are nearly gone and would require replacement. A set of brake pads would cost around $50 and labour would cost between $80 to $100. The tyres will also need to be replaced and that would cost circa $350. Mr W also noticed that the muffler was spraying liquid when the throttle was turned and but after some assessment, indicated that it is likely to be due to trapped water and not fuel leak. We did not test ride the bike due the weather and partly I would like to have a think about it whether or not this was the one or not.
At this point in time, I'm fairly keen on the bike as I am with Bike 3 however, given what the market is, they both seemed overpriced.
On the same day, Mr W also took me to test sit no more bikes and I think it is safe to say the VTR250 fitted with me best. The ninja wasn't too bad either. We also dropped in to say hello to Ron and Gary at Flywheels!
Wednesday, 20 July 2011
10. More Bike Shopping
Today, Mr V and myself went to inspect a bike in Marrickville. The weather was shocking and so was traffic! Definitely not one of those great riding days. Anyway, here's a snippet of bike no. 3.
Bike 3:
This bike is located in Marrickville. It's a 2007 red VTR 250 and looks like it's in a pretty good condition.
The bike was sold second hand to this guy at ~100kms in 2009. In the last few years, the bike has been ridden to ~15,000kms. The bike is mainly used for commute to work and the seller is selling it as he now requires a car for work.
The bike looked like it was very well maintained. The steering was good, the forks were in good condition as they looked consistent with its ks and was not leaking, the engine looked pretty good with no scratches or dent, the engine sounded pretty good with no rattling, the chain and sprockets were only recently replaced and the bike was serviced at 1,000km, 6,000km, 12,000km and 15,000kms. The tyres would most likely need to be replaced within 3-6 months depending on how much riding is done. The wear and tear on the brake pads looked consistent with its use.
The bike however has had a few minor accidents. On the right hand side, there were a few scratches to the right steering weight ball and the end of the pegs were also broken. These damages were from a stationery drop and in the scheme of things, relatively minor issues and could be easily replaced. On the left hand side however, the bike had taken a much bigger hit. The seller told us that the bike and him took a bit of a skid after they hit a puddle of water on a left turn. He advised that the gear lever broke and had to be replaced. They are also some cosmetics damage on the chrome/metal part of the odometer and some scraps to the body (nothing major).
Conclusion: The bike given it's usage is in a pretty good condition. It has its share of accidents but nothing serious enough to structurally affect the performance of the bike. The bike is definitely worth considering. However, the seller is asking for too high a price. The bike cost the same as a brand new Ninja and will still require new registration and tyres which will result in it costing more than the Ninja. I still have a couple more bikes to look at so at present, I'm in no immediate rush to buy one. It would be nice to be able to buy something at a good price.
Bike 3:
This bike is located in Marrickville. It's a 2007 red VTR 250 and looks like it's in a pretty good condition.
The bike was sold second hand to this guy at ~100kms in 2009. In the last few years, the bike has been ridden to ~15,000kms. The bike is mainly used for commute to work and the seller is selling it as he now requires a car for work.
The bike looked like it was very well maintained. The steering was good, the forks were in good condition as they looked consistent with its ks and was not leaking, the engine looked pretty good with no scratches or dent, the engine sounded pretty good with no rattling, the chain and sprockets were only recently replaced and the bike was serviced at 1,000km, 6,000km, 12,000km and 15,000kms. The tyres would most likely need to be replaced within 3-6 months depending on how much riding is done. The wear and tear on the brake pads looked consistent with its use.
The bike however has had a few minor accidents. On the right hand side, there were a few scratches to the right steering weight ball and the end of the pegs were also broken. These damages were from a stationery drop and in the scheme of things, relatively minor issues and could be easily replaced. On the left hand side however, the bike had taken a much bigger hit. The seller told us that the bike and him took a bit of a skid after they hit a puddle of water on a left turn. He advised that the gear lever broke and had to be replaced. They are also some cosmetics damage on the chrome/metal part of the odometer and some scraps to the body (nothing major).
Conclusion: The bike given it's usage is in a pretty good condition. It has its share of accidents but nothing serious enough to structurally affect the performance of the bike. The bike is definitely worth considering. However, the seller is asking for too high a price. The bike cost the same as a brand new Ninja and will still require new registration and tyres which will result in it costing more than the Ninja. I still have a couple more bikes to look at so at present, I'm in no immediate rush to buy one. It would be nice to be able to buy something at a good price.
Saturday, 16 July 2011
9. Bike Shopping - Trip 2
Ok. As you all know, last week was officially bike shopping trip 1. Today, was trip 2 and I was fortunate enough one of the forum members offered to take me out shopping and help me inspect two bikes.
Bike 1:
The first bike was located about 20mins from where I live. It was a 2007 Honda VTR and appears to be in a very good condition.
A little bit of history, the bike was previously owned by a mechanic (who is the cousin of the seller). Based on conversation with the seller, he's looking to sell the bike as he no longer rides very much and would like to use the spare cash for his mortgage. A bit more probing however unveiled that he does not appear to know what he was selling. One instance - the website indicated the bike came with many spares including a different coloured tank, when asked what were the spares, his response was "not sure as it's all at my cousins place".
As for the bike condition, my first impression was that the bike appeared very well looked after. It looks pretty much brand new from my my set of inexperienced eyes and it even has its own blanket. There were some minor cosmetic damages - a couple of tiny chips on the tank which was expected of a naked bike and some scratches on the right handle bar weight, the front brake lever and the right oggy knobs. However, as they were not replaced, it may suggest that the drop was fairly minor. In terms of storage, it had a very tiny compartment under the seat which may fit a puncture kit. The colour of the tank is red however, the cowl is black.
On the more mechanical side of things, the wear and tear on both tyres appears to be fairly consistent with the amount of ks (~8900km) on the bike. It would however be due for a replacement fairly soon. The brake pads usage appeared consistent with the ks. From my understanding, the feel of the brakes, clutch and suspension all seemed fine. The engine looks pretty good and the bike sounded very nice with the stay in tune carbon fibre exhaust. The steering on the bike also did not indicate any bearing issues.
Based on my research, I find that the asking price of the bike is slightly higher than what I would pay for and it was priced more inline with what you would expect to pay at a dealer. There is also no service history and it appears to me that all modifications and servicings had been done by the seller's mechanic cousin. I'm also slightly uncomfortable that the owner does not know his own bike as well as he should. On the plus, it looks like he has been taking care of his bike.
Conclusion: Very hesitant to buy as I'll be buying something at a fairly high price and no idea on it's service or crash history. It is attractive in the sense that it has been well looked after, it looked clean and has some nice modifications on it. However, at the asking price, I may as well buy a brand new baby Ninja.
Bike 2:
The second bike was located about 15minutes from the first bike. It was marketed as a 2006 Honda VTR but it was actually a 2005 model.
A bit of history on the bike, it was bought by the seller from a dealer in Parramatta. He went there with his Dad who is also a rider. The seller claims he was sold a 2006 model but the sticker on the bike suggest otherwise. He also appeared to me like a mechanical noob as I am but that's just my impression. His reason for selling were genuine as there is a for sale sign outside his parents house.
Based on first impression, the bike did not appeared to be well loved. It was not cleaned for the sale and has its fair share of wear and tear. In my ideal world, I would like to purchase something that has been looked after well as I'm a bit of a neat freak and a perfectionist (and yes, I am aware that statistically, there is a good chance of dropping the bike and/or crashing). I guess a good but not direct comparison might be kitchens. Just as much as my girlfriends and I love cooking, we all maintain out kitchen quite differently. GF 1 does not look after her kitchen at all and cleans/replace parts only when it has gotten to status "horrible", GF 2 looks after her kitchen but there is always some oil splatters. My kitchen is cleaned immediately after each use and would most likely only have your standard wear and tear. I certainly hope that this is how I would treat my bike too.
Enough of random blah... on the more mechanical side of things, the left hand rim of the front tyres suggest the bike has been drop a few times and may have skidded a little. There are also some scuff marks on the odometer. The muffler is also slightly dented at the end and there are a number of scratches on it. The radiator has also taken a hit on the right hand side. The tank has also been repainted as it no longer has the Honda and VTR stickers. The paint job was not all too well done and there is also a slight dent on the left hand side of the tank. The tyres appear to be the original tyres from 6 years ago and there are cracks in them which suggest replacement. The bike has 11,000kms and the wear and tear of the brake pads appear consistent. The chain on the bike will require some adjustment and the teeth is neither rounded or sharp... kind of in between. The rear brake would also require some adjustment as it requires a fairly hard press to get the brake lights to come on. The back indicators were aftermarket indicators. The wear and tear on the forks of the bike suggest the bike should have done significantly more ks than 11,000kms. It is likely that it has been replaced when the bike was brought into the dealership. It does not appear to have steering issues.
Conclusion: The bike is definitely a learners bike. It has its fair share if not plenty of wear, tears and a few hits. For the asking price, it is a definite no. At $1000 less, it might be worth considering if there is nothing else in the market however even then, that $1000 saved would be used to fixing up bits and pieces (e.g tyre replacement, adjustments of bits and pieces, maybe fork replacement etc).
Based on today's experience, it might be worth while looking around in the market a little more. Ideally, I would like to purchase a bike seller who is the first owner with full history and service logs. Also, being fresh on my Ls, I'd like to get a bike sooner rather than later to start practicing and have some fun. And more importantly, I don't leave too long of a gap otherwise I might forget how to start a bike and change gear.
PS thanks to Mr V (I thought I might keep his name private), I've learnt a little bit more about bikes today!
Bike 1:
The first bike was located about 20mins from where I live. It was a 2007 Honda VTR and appears to be in a very good condition.
A little bit of history, the bike was previously owned by a mechanic (who is the cousin of the seller). Based on conversation with the seller, he's looking to sell the bike as he no longer rides very much and would like to use the spare cash for his mortgage. A bit more probing however unveiled that he does not appear to know what he was selling. One instance - the website indicated the bike came with many spares including a different coloured tank, when asked what were the spares, his response was "not sure as it's all at my cousins place".
As for the bike condition, my first impression was that the bike appeared very well looked after. It looks pretty much brand new from my my set of inexperienced eyes and it even has its own blanket. There were some minor cosmetic damages - a couple of tiny chips on the tank which was expected of a naked bike and some scratches on the right handle bar weight, the front brake lever and the right oggy knobs. However, as they were not replaced, it may suggest that the drop was fairly minor. In terms of storage, it had a very tiny compartment under the seat which may fit a puncture kit. The colour of the tank is red however, the cowl is black.
On the more mechanical side of things, the wear and tear on both tyres appears to be fairly consistent with the amount of ks (~8900km) on the bike. It would however be due for a replacement fairly soon. The brake pads usage appeared consistent with the ks. From my understanding, the feel of the brakes, clutch and suspension all seemed fine. The engine looks pretty good and the bike sounded very nice with the stay in tune carbon fibre exhaust. The steering on the bike also did not indicate any bearing issues.
Based on my research, I find that the asking price of the bike is slightly higher than what I would pay for and it was priced more inline with what you would expect to pay at a dealer. There is also no service history and it appears to me that all modifications and servicings had been done by the seller's mechanic cousin. I'm also slightly uncomfortable that the owner does not know his own bike as well as he should. On the plus, it looks like he has been taking care of his bike.
Conclusion: Very hesitant to buy as I'll be buying something at a fairly high price and no idea on it's service or crash history. It is attractive in the sense that it has been well looked after, it looked clean and has some nice modifications on it. However, at the asking price, I may as well buy a brand new baby Ninja.
Bike 2:
The second bike was located about 15minutes from the first bike. It was marketed as a 2006 Honda VTR but it was actually a 2005 model.
A bit of history on the bike, it was bought by the seller from a dealer in Parramatta. He went there with his Dad who is also a rider. The seller claims he was sold a 2006 model but the sticker on the bike suggest otherwise. He also appeared to me like a mechanical noob as I am but that's just my impression. His reason for selling were genuine as there is a for sale sign outside his parents house.
Based on first impression, the bike did not appeared to be well loved. It was not cleaned for the sale and has its fair share of wear and tear. In my ideal world, I would like to purchase something that has been looked after well as I'm a bit of a neat freak and a perfectionist (and yes, I am aware that statistically, there is a good chance of dropping the bike and/or crashing). I guess a good but not direct comparison might be kitchens. Just as much as my girlfriends and I love cooking, we all maintain out kitchen quite differently. GF 1 does not look after her kitchen at all and cleans/replace parts only when it has gotten to status "horrible", GF 2 looks after her kitchen but there is always some oil splatters. My kitchen is cleaned immediately after each use and would most likely only have your standard wear and tear. I certainly hope that this is how I would treat my bike too.
Enough of random blah... on the more mechanical side of things, the left hand rim of the front tyres suggest the bike has been drop a few times and may have skidded a little. There are also some scuff marks on the odometer. The muffler is also slightly dented at the end and there are a number of scratches on it. The radiator has also taken a hit on the right hand side. The tank has also been repainted as it no longer has the Honda and VTR stickers. The paint job was not all too well done and there is also a slight dent on the left hand side of the tank. The tyres appear to be the original tyres from 6 years ago and there are cracks in them which suggest replacement. The bike has 11,000kms and the wear and tear of the brake pads appear consistent. The chain on the bike will require some adjustment and the teeth is neither rounded or sharp... kind of in between. The rear brake would also require some adjustment as it requires a fairly hard press to get the brake lights to come on. The back indicators were aftermarket indicators. The wear and tear on the forks of the bike suggest the bike should have done significantly more ks than 11,000kms. It is likely that it has been replaced when the bike was brought into the dealership. It does not appear to have steering issues.
Conclusion: The bike is definitely a learners bike. It has its fair share if not plenty of wear, tears and a few hits. For the asking price, it is a definite no. At $1000 less, it might be worth considering if there is nothing else in the market however even then, that $1000 saved would be used to fixing up bits and pieces (e.g tyre replacement, adjustments of bits and pieces, maybe fork replacement etc).
Based on today's experience, it might be worth while looking around in the market a little more. Ideally, I would like to purchase a bike seller who is the first owner with full history and service logs. Also, being fresh on my Ls, I'd like to get a bike sooner rather than later to start practicing and have some fun. And more importantly, I don't leave too long of a gap otherwise I might forget how to start a bike and change gear.
PS thanks to Mr V (I thought I might keep his name private), I've learnt a little bit more about bikes today!
Saturday, 9 July 2011
8. Ls and Bike Shopping
Given all my previous experience, I decided that rushing into anything was a bad choice. I booked in the my theory test one week ahead so that would leave plenty of time to study. I ended up having to travel a bit for work during the week so it all worked out for the best.
I rocked up at the Motor Registry and sat down for the theory. Got through all 45 questions in about 15 minutes. 100% of the questions were from the practice tests so no surprises here and I got full marks. YAYYY!!!
Within 30 minutes, I was happily walking out from the Motor Registry with my brand new license sitting in my little purse! =) I wanted to do a dance on the street but decided against it... Lol.
Next was bike shopping! I went around town today with a friend (armed with advise from a fellow forum rider) and sat on a few second hand different bikes... they included
1) Honda CB250
2) Suzuki Bandit
3) Honda CBR250rr
4) Yamaha Virago
5) Honda CBR250r (Brand new)
6) Honda VTR250
7) Honda VTR250 (Brand new with fuel injection)
Bike 1 felt very upright. Bike 2 felt strange. Bike 3 was sporty and quite comfortable. Bike 4 was seated very low. Bike 5 was too big and both feet couldn't find the ground. The most comfortable sitting position was Bike 6 and 7. Although they were the same bikes, the new Honda (7) had a slightly more comfortable position but it was only marginal.
I decided to test ride the second hand VTR. I was initially very apprehensive as I was afraid I would drop the bike. However, the moment I was on the go... Oh My Goodness! What a great feeling! Now I know why I wanted to ride a bike. It was awesome and amazing and really quite hard to put into words! You really have to give it a go yourself!
Anyway, I left the bike shop armed with as much information as I can and over the next few days, will be deciding on whether that would be my bike! =)
I rocked up at the Motor Registry and sat down for the theory. Got through all 45 questions in about 15 minutes. 100% of the questions were from the practice tests so no surprises here and I got full marks. YAYYY!!!
Within 30 minutes, I was happily walking out from the Motor Registry with my brand new license sitting in my little purse! =) I wanted to do a dance on the street but decided against it... Lol.
Next was bike shopping! I went around town today with a friend (armed with advise from a fellow forum rider) and sat on a few second hand different bikes... they included
1) Honda CB250
2) Suzuki Bandit
3) Honda CBR250rr
4) Yamaha Virago
5) Honda CBR250r (Brand new)
6) Honda VTR250
7) Honda VTR250 (Brand new with fuel injection)
Bike 1 felt very upright. Bike 2 felt strange. Bike 3 was sporty and quite comfortable. Bike 4 was seated very low. Bike 5 was too big and both feet couldn't find the ground. The most comfortable sitting position was Bike 6 and 7. Although they were the same bikes, the new Honda (7) had a slightly more comfortable position but it was only marginal.
I decided to test ride the second hand VTR. I was initially very apprehensive as I was afraid I would drop the bike. However, the moment I was on the go... Oh My Goodness! What a great feeling! Now I know why I wanted to ride a bike. It was awesome and amazing and really quite hard to put into words! You really have to give it a go yourself!
Anyway, I left the bike shop armed with as much information as I can and over the next few days, will be deciding on whether that would be my bike! =)
Sunday, 3 July 2011
7. Pre Learners Day 2
This time, I only had to travel to Botany. It was much closer. I got a guy named Aaron and again, one of the best instructors I've had.
First thing of Day 2 was getting on the bike and doing some circles to warm up. I won't go through the detail but for the rest of the day, we had to learn about road safety, learn to overtake and merge in traffic, be able to change gear comfortably, be able to do an emergency brake and take off properly. Again, Aaron was incredibly encouraging. In between each criteria, he talked about his life and made us feel really relaxed. He explained everything carefully and repeated when we required him to. He was very positive and provided lots of encouragement! But most importantly, he taught us to ride! We all passed and it was a great feeling. My confidence is up that tinny bit again.
The next step now is doing the theory and getting my Ls! =)) And bike shopping! Woohooo!
First thing of Day 2 was getting on the bike and doing some circles to warm up. I won't go through the detail but for the rest of the day, we had to learn about road safety, learn to overtake and merge in traffic, be able to change gear comfortably, be able to do an emergency brake and take off properly. Again, Aaron was incredibly encouraging. In between each criteria, he talked about his life and made us feel really relaxed. He explained everything carefully and repeated when we required him to. He was very positive and provided lots of encouragement! But most importantly, he taught us to ride! We all passed and it was a great feeling. My confidence is up that tinny bit again.
The next step now is doing the theory and getting my Ls! =)) And bike shopping! Woohooo!
Saturday, 2 July 2011
6. Pre Learners Day 1 - Repeat
I made my way to the training centre at Clyde about 2 hours before I was due... just in case...
Mostly got there fine except that I realised I forgot my license half way there. Anyway, I rang the guy in charged and he said not to worry about it. Phew!
Got there fairly early and waited around for a bit. There were a bunch of guys + 1 girl doing their Ps and they all looked so confident! One day I'll get there I'm sure!
Not too long later, Steve called out for me and another guy and got us ready for Day 1 repeat.
He asked about our experiences and what went wrong on Day 1. Before we started, he reassured me that I was going to be fine and its quite likely that I'll get through the day. He started off with making us ride the bike in the straight line. We both did well and he praised us and told us to keep up the good work. Next was left turn... I was initially abit wobbly so he said, let's do this a few more times and before I knew it, I was riding fine. Right turn was no problems. Than it was changing gears and before we knew it, he got us off our bike and told us both we were ready for Day 2. PASSED!! Yipee.
Through the whole process, he explained why we had to do what we were doing and provided real life examples of when it would come in handy in traffic. He took the class at a reasonable pace and provided alot of encouragement. I left the centre feeling much better about myself and slightly more confident.
As I was leaving, I called and booked in for Day 2.
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