Marcantg18

Very late bloomer to the bikes... Was naughty when i was 23 in a car so put me off, but looking for jobs and most requiring transport, I ended up going and getting a scooter.

A Chinese Jinlun Tommy 125... Fun to begin with and certainly had some charm about ended up hurting me badly with its inability to want to go out in damp rainy weather (I live in Northern Ireland... the weather is a problem) and basically throwing me off it and bruising a few ribs.

At this point you'd think it would be enough to put anyone off!... but no, i had already decided prior to this that i wanted a 'proper' bike. I had booked in with my cut instructor and told him that the ambition isa to go straight to the big boys doing Direct Access. I said that id do a few lessons here then travel to the mainland to do an intense course. He then told me he'd do it for me as Direct Access is finally in Northern Ireland.

My first lesson (on a YBR125) was interesting, needless to say i knew i was no longer on a scooter (even though id be going home on the scooter). Stalling became a very common theme for me. This soon however became a thing of the past. My second lesson i was both confident and cocky but just seemed to get it. It felt more me.

My third lesson I was introduced to the 600 (XJ600 I think). The grin plastered to my face when i opened her up was apparent that i was in my element and my initial thought was 'fec*ing A!'

'Why did it take me so long to do this?' was the second thought in my head.

Only had 2 lessons so far on it but i don't foresee me taking too much longer to get to test.

Recently however the not-so-faithful Jinlun decided to put the fear of god into me...again. We had an extremely wet day and prior to it not wanting to start that morning prior to work, coming home it decided it didn't want to go any faster than about 5-10 miles an hour. This was at full throttle too! Then decided to shoot into life nearly throwing me off again... I remember how much it hurt and wasn't in the mood for the pain again.

The next day, I got the bus to and from work. However! I rang my instructor who i knew was selling one of the old training bikes and agreed to 'try' to come up with the money to buy it. I hadn't even seen it but had a fair idea what it was. And i also knew that it was going to be a 'proper' bike or at least proper n the sense of clutch and gears etc.

I sold quite a few of my personal items. Even got some daft ejit to buy the scooter from me (i did clearly warn and advise to get it serviced and looked at) and within 4 days i had raised enough to buy it...

Im now quite the proud owner of a YBR125 2008... (the one that taught me) and as much as its a 125 i foresee that for work it will be a faithful companion for me. Certainly 'reliable' is a word i have heard a lot of people saying to me.

So still with my L plates on, but a lot more confident in my actions on the road now and I'm now constantly window shopping for my weekend and touring bike in which this time next year i should be traveling across america with one of my best mates.