Getting into motorbikes

Forums › Transport (cars, bikes and boats) › Getting into motorbikes

jonherries

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#312503 22-Apr-2024 22:17

A thread to describe my experience getting my motorcycle licence and getting my first motorcycle. Have had a moped for years but upgrading and learning lots of things!

First you need to do a basic skills handling course.
I did this with Ross over in Wainuiomata https://twobaldbikers.co.nz/
Really good guy with lots of experience and very passionate about the subject matter. Did the course and assessment on the same morning (a Sunday).

Then you need to do your learners license test for class 6 (motorcycle).
You can just walk into VTNZ and do this, similar to renewals, but you get a blue licence for passing.
Probably worth doing the questions and read of the road code - there are some double negative questions so important to check. They also only have one right answer not like some of the online tests.

Some interesting things I didn’t realise:

- using your back brake to control speed during low speed manoeuvres rather than throttle
- what a wet clutch means - cooled by engine oil. Means you can ride it more than in a car
- how much the front brake (75%+) does vs back brake
- chain and chain ring maintenance
- wrist position on throttle needs to be in extension
- a tail tidy and what it does hahaha

Did urban rider training today, and will do ride forever and CBTA method to get my restricted and full I think.

Interested in making a first bike choice now, looking at Ducati Monster 659, have seen the CF Motos (450nk?) and Kawasaki L650s. All the big four have LAMS bikes which are limited in terms of CCs (and power) for learners.

Let me know any other things I might need to know as newbie.

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#3221633 22-Apr-2024 22:33

Weight is a factor worth looking at. Lighter weight tends to be more fun on limited urban roads. Heavier tends to give less fatigue and more comfort for touring.

jonherries

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#3221634 22-Apr-2024 22:38

Interesting - one of the surprising things related to that is the fuel efficiency (or not) of bikes and the size of the fuel tanks for them (smaller than I realised).

This adds up to more fill ups than I was imagining. Eg. Was looking at one bike and a “feature” was that it would go 300ks on a tank.

Jon

gzt

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#3221640 22-Apr-2024 23:17

Larger aftermarket tanks are available for most things if you're particularly keen on less fills. Dedicated touring bikes tend to have larger tanks.

elpenguino

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#3221641 22-Apr-2024 23:31

I would state the obvious, that good gear is worth its weight in leather. Or whatever your preferred synthetic is.

Are you intending to be an everyday rider or sunny sundays only?

Most of the posters in this thread are just like chimpanzees on MDMA, full of feelings of bonhomie, joy, and optimism. Fred99 8/4/21

jonherries

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#3221653 23-Apr-2024 06:40

A mix, have a good jacket atm and have boots but looking for a new helmet and some pants. Quite like the LS2 helmets but havent bought one in a little while so will look/try some again.

Jon

SteveXNZ

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#3221656 23-Apr-2024 06:52

Congratulations on getting your licence and getting into the world of motorcycling. You’ll have a stupid grin on your face most of the time, tempered by moments when either your inexperience or other road users will try to kill you. Half a century ago I was in your position – I’m still alive with a bike in the garage so I hope my comments are useful.

Training is the best investment you can make. Basic skills courses must be followed up by advanced courses – Prorider through to Gold are good. So too are adventure riding courses. You come across roadworks where a truck has just dumped some deep gravel – can you cope?

Get experience off-road if you can. Buy a dirt-capable bike and do trail rides. Consider getting into adventure riding if you like getting off the beaten track. Learning to control your bike on slippery surfaces off-road with the odd fall is much better than on tarmac.

Get experience on-track if you can. It’s a great way to push your bike and your skills to the limits in a safe environment.

Understand counter-steering and practice using it

Practice situational awareness and assess risk – difficult when you’re young with “No fear” emblazoned across your forehead, but it can save you from tricky situations. Look well ahead – what’s unfolding in front of you should have been picked up 100m earlier

Slow in, fast out. When cornering maximise your visibility through the curve, continually adjusting your position within the lane for visibility and risk minimisation. Clip the apex on the way out. Ie late-apexing is much safer than a racing line.

Target fixation is built into our genes. It kept us alive in the African savannah but it won’t keep us alive on a bike. Always look to where you want to go, NOT at the hazard.

It’s natural to tense up on a bike in tricky situations, but frozen arms and shoulders are not conducive to control. Practice tensing your ankles and knees to lock onto the bike, keep your upper body loose, and ride through the situation like Valentino Rossi.

ATGATT – all the gear all the time. Crashes happen. Buy good quality gear for safety and protection against the elements, and wear it all the time.

Most importantly, keep the rubber side down and have fun.

jonherries

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#3221662 23-Apr-2024 07:31

Awesome @SteveXNZ. - agree on the training - have found it super useful and will continue to complete those.

Thanks for the off-road/trail thoughts - it is something in the back of my head, wondering whether I am more likely to do it on a MTB though.

Very much agree on the equipment bit, Ross suggested buying your equipment first (before your bike) so you aren’t tempted to skimp after you spend more than you planned on the bike!

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Inphinity

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#3221673 23-Apr-2024 08:34

Gosh, and I thought a Mini was a tight fit, must be a real squish getting into a motorbike... sorry, I'll see myself out.

Good learning thread, well done!

how much the front brake (75%+) does vs back brake

Fyi, this holds true for the majority of (non-commercial, at least) road vehicles, it's just a more noticeable effect with fewer wheels to balance on.

cruxis

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#3221682 23-Apr-2024 08:54

The back brake is also used to control a wheelie, rather than shut the throttle off and let the front wheel slam back down. You can overtake on yellow lines just don't cross them. You can use Bus lanes., But not Bus ONLY lanes.

Bung

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#3221694 23-Apr-2024 09:31

cruxis: The back brake is also used to control a wheelie, rather than shut the throttle off and let the front wheel slam back down.

That's sure to be one of the things covered in any ride to survive course. /s

elpenguino

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#3221747 23-Apr-2024 09:39

jonherries: Awesome @SteveXNZ. - agree on the training - have found it super useful and will continue to complete those.

Thanks for the off-road/trail thoughts - it is something in the back of my head, wondering whether I am more likely to do it on a MTB though.

Very much agree on the equipment bit, Ross suggested buying your equipment first (before your bike) so you aren’t tempted to skimp after you spend more than you planned on the bike!

I guess the point of the dirt suggestion is to learn skills for when traction is not there. Without investment in extra bikes and gear, you might get some of the benefit of dirt riding by looking for other low traction practice locations. Maybe riding around on wet grass, if that's something that's available to you.

Most of the posters in this thread are just like chimpanzees on MDMA, full of feelings of bonhomie, joy, and optimism. Fred99 8/4/21

Silvrav

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#3221755 23-Apr-2024 10:30

SteveXNZ:

Congratulations on getting your licence and getting into the world of motorcycling. You’ll have a stupid grin on your face most of the time, tempered by moments when either your inexperience or other road users will try to kill you. Half a century ago I was in your position – I’m still alive with a bike in the garage so I hope my comments are useful.

Training is the best investment you can make. Basic skills courses must be followed up by advanced courses – Prorider through to Gold are good. So too are adventure riding courses. You come across roadworks where a truck has just dumped some deep gravel – can you cope?

Get experience off-road if you can. Buy a dirt-capable bike and do trail rides. Consider getting into adventure riding if you like getting off the beaten track. Learning to control your bike on slippery surfaces off-road with the odd fall is much better than on tarmac.

Get experience on-track if you can. It’s a great way to push your bike and your skills to the limits in a safe environment.

Understand counter-steering and practice using it

Practice situational awareness and assess risk – difficult when you’re young with “No fear” emblazoned across your forehead, but it can save you from tricky situations. Look well ahead – what’s unfolding in front of you should have been picked up 100m earlier

Slow in, fast out. When cornering maximise your visibility through the curve, continually adjusting your position within the lane for visibility and risk minimisation. Clip the apex on the way out. Ie late-apexing is much safer than a racing line.

Target fixation is built into our genes. It kept us alive in the African savannah but it won’t keep us alive on a bike. Always look to where you want to go, NOT at the hazard.

It’s natural to tense up on a bike in tricky situations, but frozen arms and shoulders are not conducive to control. Practice tensing your ankles and knees to lock onto the bike, keep your upper body loose, and ride through the situation like Valentino Rossi.

ATGATT – all the gear all the time. Crashes happen. Buy good quality gear for safety and protection against the elements, and wear it all the time.

Most importantly, keep the rubber side down and have fun.

Very good advise here, and to repeat - ATGATT - trust me you don't want the nurses scrubbing out stones from an open wound that you got skidding across the road.

Second to this, ensure you know how to test fit a helmet properly, otherwise its useless in a fall as it will come off.

If you the Christchurch area, I am happy to give you some pointers (I Gave lessons in my younger days, including off-roading in Africa) and happy to help any newcomer to biking.

Lias

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#3221756 23-Apr-2024 10:30

I had my full bike license before my car restricted, but I haven't ridden for a decade or so. Partly because my engine died and I couldn't at the time justify a replacement, but the main reason I haven't gotten back into riding is because of what I perceive as the anti motorcycle slant of transport policy in NZ. I was one of many who rode in protest against the proliferation of cheese cutters and the massive ACC levies and I hoped those things would be repealed by now but here we are. Riding a motorcycle in NZ is both expensive thanks to ACC unjustly singling out motorcyclists and needlessly dangerous thanks to NZTA putting in cheese graters rather than solid barriers IMHO.

But ranting aside, enjoy, treat every cage driver as if they're actively trying to kill you and keep it shiny side up :-)

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mudguard

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#3221777 23-Apr-2024 11:50

Yeah the annual registration is quite substantial if you're used to car amounts.
Even a 50cc scooter is extortionate

jonherries

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#3221905 23-Apr-2024 18:22

Thanks for the feedback guys

@Silvrav - I’m in Wellington so unfortunately wont have the benefit of your guidance.

Interesting about the wheelies @cruxis will have to have a practice sometime ;)

Recently had a cyclist try and tell me off for riding my moped in the bus lane in WLG, he had just finished a rant at a Mercedes driver (telling him his car was ruining the world) so figured he was wound up and just ignored him.

Jon

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