Im still a bit scared pulling out of junctions

[Hardrive]

Hi again guys as some of you know I passed my cbt 3 weeks ago and bought myself a 1993 yamaha sr 125 and I tend to have big problems pulling out of junctions esspecialy turning right as im consetrating on life savers and giving gas and letting the clutch go slowly while pressing the rear brake to control the speed to cross over the road like i was taught on my cbt...

But my problem is I either give it too much power or more often not enough and look like a child thats had it stableisers taken off for the first time lol......

Can anyone give me any hints on how to be smother...also where i live most junctions are on hills.

Also my bike has drum brakes front and rear and tend to go round corners really slow as so many ppl have warned me that drum brakes are poor....I never brake on a corner I brake before it and power slightly to go round,, I dont lean the bike at all at the mo its hard enough for me to go round a corner with out having to change my underware when i get home lol...

[allconfusedat39]

i wouldnt worry about it fella. take ya time .. it's your life your protecting. everything else will come with experience and the only way to get that is to ride. some have more confidence/skill than others but go at you own pace and you'll get there. and yes drum brakes are shite!

[JimR]

yes drum brakes are shite!

Have you tried a double leading shoe ..... awesome

Regards Jim

[forest]

dont worry mate we all started off the same way. but give it time and you will be like the rest of us. wanting faster corners. long winding lanes. and more time to spend on the bike. keep trying bud.

[yoda]

Hi again guys as some of you know I passed my cbt 3 weeks ago and bought myself a 1993 yamaha sr 125 and I tend to have big problems pulling out of junctions esspecialy turning right as im consetrating on life savers and giving gas and letting the clutch go slowly while pressing the rear brake to control the speed to cross over the road like i was taught on my cbt...

But my problem is I either give it too much power or more often not enough and look like a child thats had it stableisers taken off for the first time lol......

Can anyone give me any hints on how to be smother...also where i live most junctions are on hills.

Also my bike has drum brakes front and rear and tend to go round corners really slow as so many ppl have warned me that drum brakes are poor....I never brake on a corner I brake before it and power slightly to go round,, I dont lean the bike at all at the mo its hard enough for me to go round a corner with out having to change my underware when i get home lol...

Practice as much as you can, these junctions are the best. You will not have a problem in the future with heavier bikes if you use hill junctions now. One day it will all come together and you will wonder what all the problems were!

[pilninggas]

to be fair, i rarely do all those life-savers now (i know i should, but shit happens) and as for using rear brake to control speed i never do.

maybe just check it is clear to go and pull out, just check over your shoulder once you have completed the turn (but obviousl do all that stuff when you do the full test)

ill probably be vilified for saying this. but a lot of that stuff they teach you is a load of junk

[Guest Exupnutta]

If you can, go out with other riders. Worked for me

It's better if you can concentrate on riding, knowing someone has your back and someone infront to learn off.

As has been said, keep at it, one day you'll find the sweet spot

Regards,

Olli

[Slippery When Wet]

to be fair, i rarely do all those life-savers now (i know i should, but shit happens) and as for using rear brake to control speed i never do.

maybe just check it is clear to go and pull out, just check over your shoulder once you have completed the turn (but obviousl do all that stuff when you do the full test)

ill probably be vilified for saying this. but a lot of that stuff they teach you is a load of junk

You only need to do life saver if you are turning from a major road into a minor one. T'other way a mirror check will suffice. The best tip I can give you is keep your head up and focus on where you are going ie up the road you are turning in to, DONT look down at the curb. Look up and that's where the bike will go.

[R4v]

Whatever works for you is fine, safety is the main thing. Once you have more miles it will get easier, no rush just enjoy the learning.

[rf9rider]

and giving gas and letting the clutch go slowly while pressing the rear brake to control the speed to cross over the road like i was taught on my cbt...

You were taught to use the rear brake while accelerating out onto a junction?

Never heard of that before.

Would have thought throttle control was the best for that.

[Hardrive]

They taught us the instructor said its to stop the rear wheel drifting with aceleration as we are turning. but god knows i do seem to not do it unless i come out of a downward junction or hill from standstill.

On a down side had my first OUCH on the bike on way back from work this morning. Well it was raining hard and your all thinking oh god he lost it on a corner,, UMMMMM its a little more imbarasing I was pushing the bike in the garden to park it and the grass was wet and my stupid sidi boots have no grip at all and the bike fell on its side no damage to the bike as i can see its still dark out side but my hand is killing me as it got caught between the handlebar end and the ground, seems as its just brused...The odd thing i found was the smell of fuel was overpowering. I have checked to see if there is a leak but cant find none.

Also any tips on riding in the rain I had my visor half open as the rain was really bad and visabilaty really poor and took it easy that easy I only did 35mph in a no speed limit applies area and the wind was really strong and the bike seemed wobbely if that makes sence.

Any tips welcome

[badbrad]

The only advice I would give you about helmet is get one that has vents this helps prevents the visor steaming up when your driving. Only problem is when you become stationary at traffic lights sometimes they steam up but I just open it alittle it will soon clear.

On driving all I can say is take your time and dont worry about anyone else, your safety comes first, enjoy riding your bike and drive at a speed your comfortable with at the moment until you built your confidence

[SRJ999]

Looks like there's good general advice all round there. However; this rear brake lark. Although you have an older machine with presumably less powerful brakes than a current bike you really don't want to be using that back brake unless you have to. As has been stated, throttle control is what you want to be learning, rather than trailing the back brake. Bear in mind that doing so works against anything you try to do with the throttle. It's also distracting for other road users if they see your brake light continuously going on and off.

Use your mirrors a lot and be aware of what's around you but don't worry about doing lifesavers each time you breathe. As your riding hours increase, you'll learn when best to do those. There is so much that goes on in your head for the first few months but, having got through the CBT, you'll need to be learning how to ride as well as how you pass the test. Hopefully you have friends who also ride but if not, just get out and do it. Often. Don't be tempted to charge along all the time - stay comfortable with it. In no time, you'll be riding like the biking god we all are and will wonder where all that fear went.

Enjoy and welcome to the fraternity. No offence, ladies.

[Darko8472]

Also any tips on riding in the rain I had my visor half open as the rain was really bad and visabilaty really poor and took it easy that easy I only did 35mph in a no speed limit applies area and the wind was really strong and the bike seemed wobbely if that makes sence.

Dunno about the more experienced riders in here, but in my experience (having only been riding about a month) I tend to leave the visor open about an inch or so, you still get a little water in but it doesn't hit you in the eyes. As for the visibility unless it's absolutely peeing it down, you should be able to see things well enough, just take things easy and be prepared to brake a lot sooner than when it's dry... don't grab at the brakes, just dab them gently enough to slow you down progressively. If you can slow down a little by easing off the throttle even better.

[Hardrive]

thanks guys your all great and really appriciate your help and I like the term bikeing god I like the sound of that at the mo im more like Frank spencer crossed with jack cluseu on the bike lol which is not a good combination...

In the cbt test We got it ramed down your throats DING DING DING when ridin the instructor said if we changed direction in the road like to overtake parked cars we look in one mirror (ding) then the other (ding) and a life saver in the direction we are going to (ding) and again to come back in after overtakinge the parked cars..we also had to do it if we approaced a 30 mph zone from 40 mph ect as soon as we saw the sign ding ding ding and also every junction and roundabout. and on round abouts when we signal left to come off a roundabout we do a left life saver. and so on....

In the full test with these new tests comming into effect this month do they require the same life checks as what we was taught or was my instructor doing his best to just over do the life savers in order that it may save our lives? The reason I ask is I dont want to pick up any bad habbits as im planning to do my test next year and have already picked what bike im going for and I hate to say it on a yamaha site but its the kawasaki ninja 250r..But I really do like this bike and ticks all the boxes for what i need the bike for and for only £3500 new its only a little more expencive than a decent 125 new.

[Cy Welch]

Also my bike has drum brakes front and rear and tend to go round corners really slow as so many ppl have warned me that drum brakes are poor....I never brake on a corner I brake before it and power slightly to go round,, I dont lean the bike at all at the mo its hard enough for me to go round a corner with out having to change my underware when i get home lol...

Trying to go around corners without leaning the bike is not only dangerous, but make your more likely to need to change your underwear. Just like on a bicycle you want to lean into the turn using countersteer (push forward lightly on the handle you want to turn towards) and lean at a natural angle for the speed. Doing so will make for a much more enjoyable ride and cleaner underwear.

[BryanCooper]

hi all... i had an accident about 2 years ago when a car pulled out in front of me when he came out of a T junction. It wrote my Yammy RXS100 off and made me nervous about riding... i got a hired motorcycle and when fit enough to rid got straight back on the road. I am still aprehensive when i see cars at give way lines as i approach but i guess caution is better than care free. As for riding i tend to look where i want to go and the bike follows. So avoid looking in the gutter or the bike will go there. As for pulling out of junctions i check my direction is clear, any lanes i have to cross make sure they are clear then a live saver to make sure no one is going to cut me up. when clear i go. I was told when i done my CBT get away from the hazard as quickly and safely as possible.

hope it helps or if not kills a bit of time if you read it.... lol

P.S. the more you ride the more confident you will get.

Bry.

[BryanCooper]

They taught us the instructor said its to stop the rear wheel drifting with aceleration as we are turning. but god knows i do seem to not do it unless i come out of a downward junction or hill from standstill.

On a down side had my first OUCH on the bike on way back from work this morning. Well it was raining hard and your all thinking oh god he lost it on a corner,, UMMMMM its a little more imbarasing I was pushing the bike in the garden to park it and the grass was wet and my stupid sidi boots have no grip at all and the bike fell on its side no damage to the bike as i can see its still dark out side but my hand is killing me as it got caught between the handlebar end and the ground, seems as its just brused...The odd thing i found was the smell of fuel was overpowering. I have checked to see if there is a leak but cant find none.

Also any tips on riding in the rain I had my visor half open as the rain was really bad and visabilaty really poor and took it easy that easy I only did 35mph in a no speed limit applies area and the wind was really strong and the bike seemed wobbely if that makes sence.

Any tips welcome

fuel was either leaking from carb breather tube or breather in fuel cap. The wind will cause you to wobble as you try to keep your balance, same as if you are being over taken by a large van or bus you get a spot of turbulance. in the rain just WATCH OUT FOR MAN HOLE COVERS, TAR BANDINGS (the stupid strips of tar that fill cracks in the tarmac.) and ROAD MARKINGS they get slippery when wet. And applying your rear brake when cornering may cause your bike to skid and slid from under you especially in the rain. Just be gentle on the accelerator.

Bry.

[Gas up - Let's Go!]

Also any tips on riding in the rain I had my visor half open as the rain was really bad and visabilaty really poor and took it easy that easy I only did 35mph in a no speed limit applies area and the wind was really strong and the bike seemed wobbely if that makes sence.

Any tips welcome

FogTech do a wipe for the inside of your visor (do a google search, you'll find them on the Paintball sites), one application lasts about 3-4 hours of really heavy rain. Other products are available, have a look down the usual bikes shops/dealers. These are cheap solutions, but... You need to keep your visor shut during your ride, completely as once the rain gets inside the coating is useless. A more permanent solution is a Fog City insert, these work faultlessly, but be carefull when cleaning them as they scratch easy. I have one of these in my Aria, and I use the FogTech wipes in my Tour X (no fog city available for these yet).

applying your rear brake when cornering may cause your bike to skid and slid from under you especially in the rain.

Only if you dip your clutch.

This trailing the rear brake thing, there are a few opinions on this, and each one has it's merits. However, on a nice smooth 4 cylinder machine, you can get away with throttle control, if you have a shaft driven bike the engine braking will be very good, however if you are running a thumper (single cyclinder bike) then the only way to keep it smooth through the corner, especially at slow speed is to trail the rear brake. You need to use this method on some V-Twins two as they can be a bit 'lumpy' at slower speeds. Another point, at some time you are going to corner too fast, we've all done it. The experienced riders will give a bit more opposite turn on the bars, the bike will lean a bit more, you get round and then worry about what you've done after you exit the corner. The more inexperienced rider will either overrun and leave the road, back off and maybe loose enough speed to get round, or worse go for the brake, and usually the front brake, and this will stand the bike upright and it all gets very messy. The rear brake, however in this situation will cause the bike to tighten into the corner, and may just save you from making a mess of it all! There are advanced techniques for using both brakes in fast corners to improve traction at the front wheel, but you really don't want to think about anything like that for a while.

Filtering, the rear brake gives you lots of controll here too, hit the front and you'll start to dive, yes with experience you'll be fine and you can, given practice controll both the throttle and the front brake to keep the bike stable. As you are just learning, stick to using the rear for controlling the stability.

As for leaving junctions, keep at it.

My wife has recently done her CBT, and she was told to dip the clutch in corners! After I confronted the instructor it turns out that he hadn't ensured that his pupils understood him fully. You have to watch out for this, if you think something is wrong, ask, and keep asking until you are completly sure what you should be doing.

Some aspects of the test are a little obscure, and after the test you will forget to use these ever again, after all we all develope out own riding style, some of use are still riding safely as a result. Some, sadly are not. Remember this, the test is not a certification that you can ride, it is an invitation to continue your learning. The Rossers in most counties run the BikeSafe Scheme, take advantage of this, these guys are highly trained and are eagre to pass on thier experience and knowledge (yes you get some numpties too, but you do everywhere!). You might even consider some advanced riding, but in my experience these courses are expensive and you have to be very open to critisism and not get upset easily.

Read 'Roadcraft', and read it a couple of time a year, you will learn something that will make your life easier every time you pick it up.

but above all, go out, have fun and enjoy the ride.

[Hardrive]

Thank you guys your great

I got the courage to go on my first big ride the other day 60 mile round trip and ive got out of the habbit of trying to control with the rear break when comming out of a junction and giving the bike more revs and controling the bike better with the clutch and its working great its as if im out of the danger point quicker and dont feel i have a tousand things to do when im pulling out of a junction.

Anyway on my ride on country A roads I was doing 50mph to 60 mph and slowing and corners and for some wierd reason I was riding and noticed Hey im not turning the handlebars what the hell it threw me a bit. I guessed I was starting to get confident as i had started to look at the countryside whising by. and the next corner I noticed I was leaning a bit instead of turning the handlebars and was not as tence so I thought Is this counter steering and I remember reading a post saying if you want to turn left push the left side forward slightly and back to normal to lean in that direction so I tried it and it was even easier. I found that I took all the bends roughly 5 to 10mph slower than i do in the car and it was so enjoyable.

I pulled over in a lay by to check my bike to make sure its all ok being its first big ride for me (yea i know 60 milles big ride but it was for me lmao) and had a cigarett and reflected on the ride so far and thought im thinking about riding too much instead of enjoying it so from there I did less life savers as I know what was behind me i can see them in my mirrors and only worried at junctions and roundabouts and changing lanes about my life savers. And I really enjoyed the ride I arrived In Colwyn bay feeling quite relaxed and fresh.

On the down side a guy threw an empty bottel out of a van but hey thats car drivers no consideration lol.

And opening the visor at low speeds like less than 20MPH works great to get rid of the misting in the visor.

All in all I had a great day riding and so gonna take my test next year and get a bigger bike and cant wait to go somewhere next week as I now feel when the journey ends im kinda dissapointed cos I enjoyed it so much.....