Phase 2 continued - 650cc bikes


It occurred to Clever Bird after Baggy's last lesson, that two hour's in one go was a bit much for an old bird like Baggy; mentally and physically. So the next lessons she booked were one hour sessions. Baggy was nervous about riding a 650cc bike, but Clever Bird explained that she was an idiot. The leap from a 125 to a 500 is huge, but Baggy was fine. From a 500 to a 650, not so much. Today's bike was a Kawasaki 650 ER-6n. Clever Bird (not for the first time) was completely wrong, there is a significant difference between the power and feel of a 500 and a 650; no idea why, some clever technical explanation. But Baggy found it much more comfortable than the Honda. More checking of clutch and brake positions to fit Baggy's hands. More practise at feeling the subtleties of the extra power. And Clever Bird it did feel considerably different.

Then an hour of riding through central Ipswich in the pouring rain. Baggy had the same Instructor as last time. He figured out quite quickly that Clever Bird is a bit of a perfectionist and puts too much pressure on Baggy while Freda Fretter just causes her angst, so he was very good at encouraging and motivating Baggy. Right turns became a little easier. Neutral gear was not accidentally found. Baggy learnt to ride at a crawl in heavy traffic. Her Instructor did a bit of a tourist guide commentary to keep her from trying too hard, relaxing Baggy into riding instinctively.

Facebook Status 12/8/13: "Yee hah, oh no wrong ride - should have said Brrrm Brrrm!

Very big grin"

 

A few days later, the next lesson was with the same Instructor (at Baggy's request), but this time was out in the Suffolk countryside. Up and down hills on bendy 60mph roads. Whizzing along. Banking the bike. Learning to steer through gently pushing the handlebars and using Baggy's weight. Through shade and light. Avoiding pot-holes. Swerving round man-hole covers and drains. Over railway tracks. Going fast enough to discover that once she goes over around 55mph Baggy's ponytail starts spinning out behind her like some mad animal. Brilliant sunshine. Clever Bird wishing that she could remember how to drop the internal sunglasses in Baggy's helmet down. Squashed bees and flies on the visor. Two whole beard hairs sprouted. Back to base feeling as though Baggy was really getting somewhere.

Facebook Status 16/8/13: "Crawling through central Ipswich in the pouring rain on Monday. Cruising round country lanes at 60mph in sunshine today. The Kawasaki 650 behaved on both occasions. I did my best. This here becoming a hairy thing is indeed a steep learning curve,

but kinda fun."

 

The next lesson was different again. This time Baggy's preferred Instructor wasn't available, so she had a new one. The lesson was to be on the private "pad" where Baggy had started her CBT, but of course this time she could ride to it. Same course. Much more powerful bike. Mini-roundabout, cones, right-hand turn all okay. "Okay", says the Instructor, "Let's see you try a U-turn". He explained what he wanted and where. Baggy set off. Executed a perfect U-turn. "Very good. Have you done that before?". "No, that was my first time. It's easy", "Well no, it isn't. You need to do this, that and the other, blah, blah, blah or the bike could fall over and land on your leg". "What?" worries Freda Fretter, but we did it perfectly. "Okay, do it again".

Baggy set off. Disaster! Not even close. Miles past the line she was supposed to be within. "Okay, blah, blah, blah, remember not to lean, blah, blah". Baggy set off. Even bigger disaster. "Try again. see I told you it wasn't easy". But it was till you started blah, blah, blahing. "Seriously, I cannot do this". But Baggy, as Clever Bird said, you did it perfectly, instinctively. Right, so do that again. Yes finally, not perfect, but at least not a disaster. Any beard hairs that had appeared had now disappeared. Baggy is trying not to cry with frustration. Figures of eight were next. they weren't great as Baggy had lost her confidence. Back to base. Baggy was very low.

Facebook Status 19/8/13: "Weaving through cones and doing figures of eight and U-turns today. On the bike that is, not on the Wessles horse! Got home looking forward to a well deserved cup of tea and there is no power in the village :( "

Baggy's next piece of advice, choose an Instructor who suits your personality. There was nothing wrong with today's Instructor, but his style really didn't work for Freda Fretter. She had done a perfect U-turn. If he had just asked Baggy to do that again, just as before, she would have done it. Instead he explained why "it was so difficult", so despite having done it perfectly, Freda now believed that Baggy couldn't do it, and that she might even get hurt trying. Guess what?



Never mind, concentrate on the Theory Test. Baggy's next piece of advice, revise. It's surprising how many new road signs have appeared in thirty years. Plus there are lots of questions specifically related to motorbikes. Baggy was a good student. Clever Bird made her work. So although rather nervous, she sailed through her Theory Test. Yay, Module 1 Test, here we come........