A female rider's class 2B journey

[GuiNNeSS]

Arh, that's maybe because you are looking at the pylons.

 

The deal is, your body, muscle and eyes are co-ordinated in such, that you look at things, your body will move head on onto that thing.

 

So circuit training is the best time, for you to learn to break that habit. Such is the same for defense tactic, vehicular drifting and dancing classes.

 

When you have a free time, walk thru the pylons, count how wide a step you have to. to each pylon and use that to gauge how long your bike is, from front wheel to the seats. So you will eventually be able to practice and swing your bike at the pylons without having to look at them or down the tarmac to gauge the distance of the pylons. Try walking thru the pylon 2nd time with eyes close. Heads held high. So it will become almost muscle second nature to know when your hand in front should swing the bike.

[swissbake]

advice on gear changing, cos i had the same problem too...

 

1. pull clutch in

2. tilt foot up to the max and keep it there

3. throttle and release clutch

4. release foot.

( this may seem like a no brainer but you must do in this sequence in order for the gears to engage properly )

 

Why you hit neutral may be because

a. foot never tilt high enough for gear to be in ready position

b. clutch release too soon so gear never engage

c. foot release too soon before gear engage.

 

many times we rush gear changing only to find gear not changed.

So make more forceful foot engagement, and keep foot longer in gear and well after hand release before releasing foot to ensure proper gear engagement.

 

This practice important because you need gear 2 for crank and figure 8 obstacles and there is little chance for recovery if you did not engage properly.

 

 

For plank:

keep visualizing doing imaginary straight lines on the course ( even today I will aim to ride the yellow straight lines of bus stops

look far far ahead and TRUST yourself !

legs squeeze tanks tight !

body straight and bum close to tank

Be prepared to come off plank. It WILL happen. so make it your strategy instead of feeling scared or surprised about it. you will react better when you are mentally prepared.

 

For Plyon:

do imaginary pylons on the course to loosen up

use your bum and body to tilt bike, rather than only arms

 

remember ..

you go where your eyes go

you will not fall if your bike is kept upright

your body is an active participant and can help counter bike tilt. its never only your hands that control the bike.

 

good luck !

Edited October 7, 2014 by swissbake

[wyora]

9th lesson: 3.01 ( failed on first time) 7 oct tues

 

plank and pylon (cones)!!!!!!! at first i thought the pylon would be hard.. because my turning skills are not that good. but it turned out easier then i expected. was rather surprised at myself the first time i tried the pylon, i didnt knock down any cones, although it was wobbly. just that my speed needs to be faster. the plank was the underestimated one.. haha maybe because of my sucky balancing skills. went off the plank a few times.. and the tyres got lodged against the plank and fell once. each time i successfully went through the plank more then 6 seconds, no matter how wobbly, i heave a sigh of relief and gave myself a pat on the back haha. but seriously i suck at this.. need more practice haha

 

well anyway tomorrow is a day of another bike practice.. haha not really aiming to pass the class, but rather aiming to get myself better with the plank and cones!!! ( especially the plank!!)

 

my next lesson is later in the evening.. wish me luck!!

[wyora]

10th lesson: 3.01 ( failed on second time ) 9 oct wed

 

failed again.. this is the first time i failed for 2 times for a lesson haha. hope there wont be a third :x the pylons were ok.. just had to work more on the plank. didnt fall today.. but was just not very good. sometimes a little too fast, sometimes too slow, sometimes too wobbly, but sometimes were not bad. not consistent at all.. definitely improved since the last lesson, but not good enough to progress to the next lesson! kinda already got the hang of it.. but afraid i would forget, so i am going for classes everyday.

 

my next class is later in the evening, wish me luck!

[No.10]

Good luck!

[nsr1980]

Take Care Sis, remember eye look far grip tank with tight firmly, half clutch with bit throttle control is important.

 

10th lesson: 3.01 ( failed on second time ) 9 oct wed

 

failed again.. this is the first time i failed for 2 times for a lesson haha. hope there wont be a third :x the pylons were ok.. just had to work more on the plank. didnt fall today.. but was just not very good. sometimes a little too fast, sometimes too slow, sometimes too wobbly, but sometimes were not bad. not consistent at all.. definitely improved since the last lesson, but not good enough to progress to the next lesson! kinda already got the hang of it.. but afraid i would forget, so i am going for classes everyday.

 

my next class is later in the evening, wish me luck!

[hannnnnnny]

For plank, what works for me is to have a good stable start. Once on the plank barely need to adjust clutch or throttle, just use control speed with pressure on foot break.

[biker76]

practice more , lean with confident on your learner bike..

[Isopropyl]

it took me five times before clearing the plank lesson. even then, i suspect the instructor give me chance:sweat:

 

gain some speed before going onto the plank. once on the plank, fully clutch in and just let it roll. if it going too fast, just tap the brake lightly. if it is too slow, half clutch and throttle abit.

 

the school will teach you to half clutch all the way and tap on the foot brake. i find that method has too many forces acting (engine brake and rear brake) causing you to lose your balance. so i just fully clutch in and roll over smoothly. remember to look far. you want to see where you are going and not where you are.

[No.10]

I find if you clutch in and let a motorcycle coast, its very hard to control. Just step on the rear brake hard.

[suchwow]

Dont think you should clutch in either. Just half clutch, press rear brake hard and throttle smoothly whilst looking ahead with confidence. Plank wiill actu be easy, it's fun too!

[FireGunz]

10th lesson: 3.01 ( failed on second time ) 9 oct wed

 

failed again.. this is the first time i failed for 2 times for a lesson haha. hope there wont be a third :x the pylons were ok.. just had to work more on the plank. didnt fall today.. but was just not very good. sometimes a little too fast, sometimes too slow, sometimes too wobbly, but sometimes were not bad. not consistent at all.. definitely improved since the last lesson, but not good enough to progress to the next lesson! kinda already got the hang of it.. but afraid i would forget, so i am going for classes everyday.

 

my next class is later in the evening, wish me luck!

Wow.... that fast! (I mean the booking system at BBDC) lady as base on the TS date with in a week had go until practical lesson 3 P2.

 

Sent from my SM-N9005 using Tapatalk

[FireGunz]

Wow.... that fast! (I mean the booking system at BBDC) lady as base on the TS date with in a week had go until practical lesson 3 P2.

 

Sent from my SM-N9005 using Tapatalk

Sorry.... mean with in 2 week in practical lesson 2 as that is fast for the booking...

 

Sent from my SM-N9005 using Tapatalk

[FireGunz]

Sorry.... mean with in 2 week in practical lesson 2 as that is fast for the booking...

 

Sent from my SM-N9005 using Tapatalk

By the way, wish you good luck too.

 

Sent from my SM-N9005 using Tapatalk

[wyora]

11th lesson: 3.01 ( passed on third attempt, finally)

 

finally passed the 3.01 plank and pylon slalom.. dont understand why they must call it so cheem pylon slalom when they can just say cones... haha. for the cones today, i didnt knock down any.. but timing still not good. too slow.. my timing was 6.2 seconds.. for TP, you will need to clock 6 seconds and below. today i was much more confident on the plank.. my plank timing is 7-8 seconds, for TP you will need to clock at least 6 seconds. although about 3 times went off the plank, especially when theres people around me looking at me i will feel pressured and cant perform well.. its kinda like a subconscious thing haha.

 

the next lesson ( 3.02) is emergency break on wet surface.. a bit scared scared cos i see the ground like very slippery, with water and soap. can foresee my own feet slipping on the ground and causing the bike to fall. haha.

 

anyway, my next lesson is tomorrow afternoon. wish me luck

[wyora]

Dont think you should clutch in either. Just half clutch, press rear brake hard and throttle smoothly whilst looking ahead with confidence. Plank wiill actu be easy, it's fun too!

 

thank you all for your advises.. i didnt clutch in fully. cos without any throttle, i find it hard to balance and always feel like falling off. i think what works for me is half clutch and throttle, and i use rear break almost all the way. and towards the end of the plank when i know i am stable, i pressed the rear break more to further slow down the bike to achieve a longer time duration.

[wyora]

By the way, wish you good luck too.

 

Sent from my SM-N9005 using Tapatalk

 

yea quite fast... almost everyday got vacancy slots for lessons! but everyday got about 1-2 lessons in a day for the specific class you need to attend.. depends if you can make it on those timings

[No.10]

Well done on passing and moving to the next practical!

[nightlights]

You're progressing really fast!! Hahah I'm still at 2.02, failed my first attempt for 2.02 today :\ lane changing was a killer.. at least for me hahah.

[wyora]

Well done on passing and moving to the next practical!

 

thank you ! haha..

[wyora]

You're progressing really fast!! Hahah I'm still at 2.02, failed my first attempt for 2.02 today :\ lane changing was a killer.. at least for me hahah.

 

yup i agree too.. 2.02 is rather tricky at first.. but you'll get the hang of it!

[Raptor]

Interesting read.... wish you best of luck on your journey.

[Anodize]

Another female biker ._.

[Byby]

Bbdc seems easier to book lessons. Cdc always need to wait for at least a week. :-(

[gohjohan]

 

Wyora nothing beats having a riding buddy.

Find one to give you tips!

 

Try your best and work on what you think is your weak points.

Its expensive but dont try to save on going for revisions or let it be a factor in your pursuing it.

 

Sometimes trying the best is the most you can do.

If the instructor wants you do come back, you will.

 

Hydher to the rescue!

 

For me passing is about skill and behavior. They are very different things.

 

Behavior is about what you do or do not do. No skill or bravery is involved.

 

To improve behavior

I will actually talk aloud to myself when riding in circuit to remind myself what to do. Eg, check blind! filter right! Signal! Cancel signal! Change gear! On second gear! Release clutch! Look ahead! Check back!

 

You do this to build behavior. You want to reduce instances of demerit points such as from wrong gear ( they can hear it if you are on 1 not 2 ) or fingers on clutch during figure 8. Even duck feet or feet kept under gear can demerit. So remember to keep feet on top of gear and pointing forwards.

 

Fyi figure 8 is move off, second gear, turn, cancel signal, hands off clutch, figure 8, left signal, turn, check traffic, turn, cancel signal. If there is on coming traffic you need to down shift, stop, check traffic, check back, check blind before moving off, and cancel signal after ( because there is a left turn in front that you will not be taking )

Never signal, cancel signal, fingers off clutch, check traffic all carry individual demerit points.

This is on top of demerit if too slow figure 8.

 

You may ask what's with all these behavior in real life.

Feet on gear is to allow fast downshift if engine braking

Fingers off clutch is to ensure complete engine brake during emergency, and to make sure riders don't regularly drag clutch.

In an emergency every micro second counts and where your fingers/feet are at when it happens makes a difference because you're at 70kmh not stationary. 70kmh is 19.4m/s. Average Human takes 0.7s to recognize and react. Add the time to move a body part just to get ready could mean a big difference in an emergency. That's why lane 1 is advised 5 car lengths.

 

To improve skill

Skill is about your natural ability to balance and take risks. It's about how well you do something.

I just can't/ don't dare to lean deep or turn fast like some. For this I need to practice to improve.

 

In the future, during circuit practice, you can forsake going the full circuit per test criteria and just keep repeating your weak obstacles over and over.

 

Or practice with a bicycle in a large empty car park. Practice makes perfect, and class 2b needs lots of practice.

 

Many fail because they don't practice enough. They think the prescribed lessons are enough or they just want to save money. This thinking will actually cause them more time and money in the long run if they fail their TP. the 2 month wait between tp is reason enough to practice practice practice before the tp.

 

Behaviour can be learned but for skill, this will vary for everyone. Some are better than others, so the learning curve is different. My skill isn't that good in the beginning too, but with lots of practice, you'll get there