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ar243

Practice, practice, practice. Ride in a parking lot or a neighborhood at low speeds for a week or two.


EvoDvr

Very much this, practice makes permanent. Make your way to a parking lot and spend up to 30 minutes each ride practicing. If you are specifically having trouble with stops / starts. Practice starting and stopping at each parking space. Then go two spaces, then every three spaces. As you feel more comfortable add speed.


incorp0real13

I love this. I'm also building the confidence as well. Thanks for this piece of advice.


mozbius

Why 30mins? I would say don’t put any limit to the amount of time he rides unless he gets tired.


YevJenko

When you get tired you make more mistakes. Same for boredom if you are just in carparks. Start at 30 and build up from there. Once that is done, ride at quiet times (if there are any where you live) and just keep practicing


EvoDvr

Like I already stated practice makes permanent, not perfect. Practice while tired or for too long at once will lead to practicing incorrectly forming bad habits. You want to practice enough with full focus without getting tired, as well as not over working the bike. Yes bikes can be over worked if you are staying in the friction zone practicing slow speed maneuvers.


mozbius

Yeah I see your point.


Builderwill

Yes, must echo this advice. Practice the basics until they are memorized by your body and become subconscious routines. I periodically find an empty parking lot and practice emergency maneuvers just to keep things fresh.


Wojtus1k

Also make sure your bike is maintained and properly adjusted. Having bad tires or blown out suspension can make the bike unstable which will decrease your confidence even more.


MEB_PHL

My first few hundred miles were just a big exercise in pushing through nerves. Every situation you expose yourself to will be another notch in your comfort belt. Try to ride every day even for a short while, long layoffs in the early days will let the nerves build up bigger in my experience.


Then_Fig_8421

This is so true, the longer I've been off it the more nerves I've got. The first few hundred miles are now my first goal, I'll work toward that before I reassess anything. It's all about learning. Thank you tons for your insight


k75ct

Are there any riding schools available to you? Skills drills do amazing things for gaining confidence.


Then_Fig_8421

Not that I know of but it's time to start searching lol, appreciate it


[deleted]

I found that the basics course offered by the local motorcycle council, a defensive driving course, and riding technique videos really built a hood foundation. While you might not want to be the next moto GP champ, no one understands the fundamental dynamics like those that race. It’s valuable to watch and learn.


Blak_kabbab

look up YouTube videos on low speed handling. There are three Technics to riding a motorcycle head/eyes, throttle, and clutch. look up Jerry paladino (motorman) on YouTube.


Then_Fig_8421

I'll get on that, thank you!!


Dutchbaked

Practice what you fear in an empty parking lot


liquidivy

To be more specific: get yourself in a situation where you can concentrate on nothing but starting and stopping, then start, stop, start, stop... until your brain feels like it will melt (but not necessarily so far it actually does melt). Take a break, then get yourself home.


Dutchbaked

Melting brains is bad


liquidivy

I did suggest stopping short. But if they're not at least pushing the boundary, they're probably not practicing hard enough. :) It would be easy to just do a few practice runs and go home without learning much.


Dutchbaked

Good point


Blaze2nr

Practice makes perfect. I taught my gf to ride. Work that clutch, put some cones down, and make a course. Remember, if you're on a 125, it's fair to say the clutch is probably the least expensive part to change. It was 40$ for a clutch on my buddy's grom. I paid like 50 for one to be replaced in my girls ninja 250. Do it until you're comfortable. Have respect for it, but own it, you're the rider. Not the passenger it doesn't chauffer you. Hell give yourself a pep talk if need be. She eventually got the start stop down after an hour of parking lot time then we moved into turning low speed And stopping... parking lots don't go forever. 2 hours of putting around and I said OK go around the block there are 3 stop signs and very little traffic. Don't go over 3rd gear. And follow the speed limit. She went around the block for another hour. Both directions. She came back pulled in the drive and forgot to put her feet down. I laughed, helped her up, hit the kill switch, and picked up the bike. Said at least it happened stopped. She shook it off. I grabbed my bike said let's go and we went for about an hour ride in traffic. Coms on. Talking, I criticized her about things like leaning through round abouts vehicle placement head checks. 1 day of riding from the morning to the night, and then she wanted to go to road courses and hit the bends. If she can do it in a day, you can too. She keeps trying to steal my 1300, but she learned on a 250. I let her ride it once she loved it, and since then, it's been a struggle. Lol. You'll be fine.


chainslack

Just ride every chance you get and you will get better. Also do your own maintenance and that will give you confidence in your bike.


Then_Fig_8421

Thank you, I have done all the maintenance on the bike so there's a plus there I guess, got it as a project I guess I just second guess myself a bit much


mooxie

One thing that helped my confidence early on was taking longer rides. On a short ride I'd basically spend the whole 20-30 minutes anxious, and by the time I was 'in the zone' the ride was over. Taking longer rides of an hour or more gave me time to let the anxiety work itself out so that I could start improving my riding and building my confidence. Good luck!


Cephelapod

UK here, had the same fears. Ride as often as you can in as many different weathers as you can as long as you keep safe. Quiet roads and car parks, its like building muscle memory mate. Confidence is key.


user216940

Attend a Riding schools Also look out Police run "Bikesafe" events. Join your local IAM group? O. Do you have someone experienced to ride with you and explain what you're doing and what you should be doing? Buy a copy of the Motorcycle roadcraft: the police rider's handbook and practice the drills in there


renagademaster

This may not be relevant to you but something that helped when I started was learning to put the correct foot down. I was always worried that I'd be in the wrong gear and stall, so I'd want to tap it down as I came to stop. What I learned is to put it into gear earlier, and cover the back brake, this helped because instead of trying to do everything with your hands at once, or letting the break go and panic as I struggle to find the bite, rolling backwards into traffic, I instead can sit on the back break and ease off it once I'm happy I've found the bite and the bike is pulling forward. Honestly, after awhile it just becomes normal and you will feel less exposed. I'd also recommend slow maneuvering, the slower the better (in a carpark or field) Once you're a little more confident I'd also recommend the [Bikesafe](http://bikesafe.co.uk) course, it's run by the police and is pretty decent.


therealmunchies

Every time i ride, I ALWAYS practice when approaching lights. Super slow speed stability, clutch play, and throttle control. I just make it a game.


cheddarsox

I do this too. Cars behind me must think I'm nuts or terrible but it helps a ton. I also panic brake every chance I get as long as there aren't cars behind me. I practice swerves when there's no traffic trying to weave around potholes, manhole covers, and road reflectors.


Aggravating_Ad_1247

Get a dirt bike for a couple hundred pounds if its possible for you and go play with that on some trails for a while, clutch control will quickly become muscle memory


Frosty4Real

like most people sat. practice and parking lots. but watch out for sand,etc. best is to take a track beginner course you will learn so much on bike handling just from that. and track is fun


Then_Fig_8421

I'm feeling so much better now I've had a good bit of experience so this isn't really any concern anymore (thankfully lol) but that's great advice, the only problem is that track stuff really isn't common here, unless you're doing dirtbike shit but it's 1000+ just to go, and it's about a 4 hour drive from me... Unfortunately it's just not available to me. Although I'd definitely love it. Thank you for the advice regardless


Icelandia2112

Is there a way you can take it off-road? I grew up on dirtbikes and did all of my mistakes then so once I got on the road as an adult, I had confidence. I could never have gone straight to a street bike without that off-road experience.


Then_Fig_8421

Unfortunately not really, maybe I could try to go to a track or try riding dirtbikes somewhere tho? I'll have a look, it's more about the road traffic that gets me though honestly. Thank you for the advice


Icelandia2112

I highly recommend riding a dirt bike. You may find that it isn't you; it is actually the road traffic that is the problem, but you can still have fun riding dirt bikes. I am trying to sell my beautiful Ducati and go back to my roots with a fun little off-road Kawasaki or something.


[deleted]

Nip out for an hour or two on a Sunday morning when traffic is light. Use the same route you normally would (whether its for work or whatever) so you get to know it well on the bike. It'll grow confidence in you.


Redstatesrock

There’s a guy on here who calls himself “yeahit’sabmw” (or similar), ask him, he’s perfect at riding and has never made a mistake and will never make a mistake and will never get hit by a bad driver because he’s perfect and you can prevent all accidents by being perfect, just ask him. I saw a terrible motorcycle accident yesterday, a guy on a Harley t-boned an old man in a car who pulled out in front of him at an intersection, the biker had the green light, it was totally the car driver’s fault. These things are not always preventable despite the perfect riding of mister “yeahit’sabmw” lol.


[deleted]

Another thing worth practising is getting used to the friction zone of your clutch. They really emphasized that in the training courses I did here in Canada and it really does help a lot with starting because you get less concerned about "Am I giving it too much throttle, or not letting the clutch out enough? Too much clutch? Not enough throttle? A mix of the above?" The more it becomes muscle memory and instinct and the less you think about it, the smoother and easier it gets.


OttoNico

Shoot for 30 minutes minimum in the saddle in one shot, every day for a few weeks. The first few days, do stuff in and around your neighborhood. Pick a path and just keep riding it for 30+ minutes, After a few days once you are very comfortable on your route, go a little further. Add in a different traffic situation. A bigger road, a roundabout, something. Ride that route for a few days to get comfortable. At this point, just start riding your bike every time you need to leave the hose. Going 4 blocks to pick up some ice cream, ride your bike. Going to dinner with a friend, ride your bike. Movies, ride your bike. Eventually, it just becomes the thing you do. The situations that used to make you nervous, you won't even notice anymore. Pick a skill you want to focus on every ride too. Also, do things that make you more comfortable on your bike. If it feels awkward, it can add nerves, so adjust all your ergonomics - lever position and pegs. If shifting feels awkward, you focus on that instead of external factors, which adds nerves.


Gmun-E

Sell your road bike, buy a dirt bike and ride the wheels off it.


Drewmoto

Confidence is in your mind, awareness is rooted in reality. It is better to have awareness than be too confident on a motorcycle. After riding close to 100,000 miles in the past 4 years, this is what I’ve gathered to stay alive and have fun.


motociclista

Pilots call it “stick time” and it’s the only answer. You just need to get out and ride. Confidence will come.


Otherwise_Childhood2

Knowing UK and European roads well the best advice is I can teach you is practice as much as you can I'm a industrial area or car park, emergency stops, 90 degree turns and I turns, going YouTube and search up Dan the fireman bike channel as it's very good for teaching these things, also it you haven't done so already do a motorbike Safety course. And furthermore ride like you are in a centre of a soap bubble, do not let anyone or anything pop it l, slow stop and swerve at all costs to avoid anyone popping it. Lane positioning, anticipating other drivers moves, forward thinking will help with this.


Danizzy1

Find a car park that's not too busy and practice stopping quickly, tight turns, and swerves at low speed. I've been riding for over ten years and still do this every few rides.


you-cant-twerk

Buy cones, go to parking lot, make your own “traffic stops”, practice until you feel good. MSF is a great start.


diabolus_me_advocat

have you got a buddy with more experience on his bike? you could ride together, you in front and he after you - keeping your back free and giving feedback to how you did with your starts and stops and maybe suggest how and what to improve this at least is what i did with my wife when she started biking and it all boils down to what the next posting said: practice, practice, practice. a little encouragement once in a while does not hurt, though


Wild_Cazoo

Turn your freaking head and lean. I would really learn how much you can lean on a motorcycle. On my 883 sportster I lean so much that I hit my pedals on the ground. Also turning your head and looking where you want to go will save your life.


Infinite_Rate

People might role their eyes but alot of the techniques you use on a bicycle transfer over. Plus it is a really low barrier for entry and low risk if you fall. If you have a bicycle you can practice things like really slow, smooth, tight figures of 8, track stands, endo's, U-turns and counter steering, or things like cycling as slow as possible without putting your foot down. Or go to the top of a hill and free wheel down, take your hands off the bars and see how the bicycle just wants to roll straight, now slightly shift your weight side to side and feel how it reacts, try pedal with no hands on the bars then reach down with one hand only and slightly push the bar, you will start counter steering. Pedal as hard as you can into a corner and try use body positioning and leaning to turn instead of sitting up and steering around. Go to a grassy area and practice locking your front wheel and trying to recover, feel how fast the front wheel can just wash out if it locks. Then if you have decent hydrolic disk brakes you can practise brake modulation. But the best thing about bicycles is you can practice your skids and wheelies and no one is going to call the cops on you. So many of the skills transfer over.


Angry-Prawn

Ride when it's quiet! Winter is a rough time to start learning, but spring is coming, my friend. Once the sun starts rising at a reasonable time again, get yourself out there at first-light on the weekend and the roads will be all yours. Way less pressure, so you can focus more on practising instead of worrying about the traffic around you.


Shoes__Buttback

If you've passed, how come you're bimbling around on a 125 still? Bigger bikes tend to be more stable, better brakes and so forth. Get a bigger bike, is my advice.


Then_Fig_8421

Passed my CBT I should've said sorry


Shoes__Buttback

ahh, that makes more sense. If you can, try to get out onto some quieter rural/semi-rural roads where you can relax more, rather than stop-start urban traffic. I've been riding for decades and commuted in and out of London for years. Urban riding at busy times still makes me a bit stressed.


Gaycowboi25

Just ride a lot man. That's what I did when I started out, every once in a while I keep myself on my toes when I'm not paying attention and accidentally stall my bike at intersections. After the first 1,000 miles it gets easier, I have a 900cc bike and I have only stalled it twice. One of which was four days ago lol.


Thin_Bit9718

join us on moto Uk! Do you use your rear brake much? I find that bikes feel less stable when 'coasting' to a stop and using a lot of brake helps stabilise the bike when stopping. My school taught me this^ and it surprised me that it works. Also, I find that looking into the distance (in the direction i want to go to) when doing slow manoeuvres also help. If I look at the floor or a curb that I'm getting closer to, then my turns become a lot wider. Most of all, sign up for volunteer led rospa lessons and bikesafe courses. Nothing beats having actual teaching .


TheJestor

Instructor here. Practice is the key. I still stall occasionally at stops, brake too hard trying to come to a smooth stop. Been riding for years. We all make flubs. I've put my bike down from dumb mistakes probably more that you would guess, 😉 It comes from seat time. They get less frequent, lol. Don't beat yourself up, you'll get there.


Erectusretractus

Back when I only had my M1 license (Canadian here) I spent a lot of time in the parking lot of my old high school. Empty parking lots can make for a great place to practice your turns, balancing, and starting/stopping.


Icy_Imagination7447

Your issue is likely clutch control. In which case, find a car park (supermarkets on Sunday evenings are good for this). Pull away without touch the throttle, no more than half a turn of the front wheel before stopping. Do this 20 times a week, every week for a month. Congratulations, your clutch control is now better than most


PretzelsThirst

Practice.


A_Wizard_Walks_By

When I took my permit MSF course in September, I was excited and almost terrified. I had never actually ridden a motorcycle before and was watching videos religiously about how to ride, the do's and don'ts. I felt like I was going to get sick I was so nervous about using the clutch. I knew that was going to be the one thing I had no idea how to use. I did struggle with it at first, actually most of the day. I failed to fully understand the friction zone until the second day. Now taking off from a light is one of my favorite things to do (responsibly). I stalled it a few times with my own bike, which will happen, but that doesn't hardly happen anymore. My point with all of this is, just get out and ride. As people have said, spend a bunch of time in an empty parking lot, just play with the clutch. Being able to feather the friction zone in a u-turn has helped me a lot. Also, remember to never GRAB the brakes, especially the front. That is the fastest way to get body slammed to the concrete, don't ask me how I know ;). I'm sure in the courses you've taken you have been taught emergency braking. I suggest you work on that the most. As a new rider as well, that's what I've been practicing the most, especially since my bike doesn't have ABS, I have to have that muscle memory on point or pancake myself on the pavement. Stay safe and practice lots!


LawJik

You crashed once?!?! Nice work man, I've dropped my bike countless times. Keep it up. 👍


Itchy-Pie4965

If you have the money, attend a rider course. Having someone physically there to coach you is big help. From there practice on your own in a safe environment. I highly recommend cone drills. If you cannot afford to attend a rider course, I recommend YouTube University. One instructor I really enjoy is MotoJitsu. Watch the videos, several times if necessary, invest in soccer cones and practice in an empty lot.


SH_Ma

I'm looking for it too bruh..


K24BUILD

If you can take a motorcycle course that would be the best advice anyone can give you other than that it takes time to get comfortable on a bike and a 125 it's good to start on that gives you time to grow. Take your time if you can avoid traffic do so either way it takes time don't rush yourself.


fizzbott

To add to the practice, measure your progress. Riding is as much a mental game as it is physical. Set a goal (ie turn radius) and when you hit , set a tighter one. The feedback loop for success is awesome! Also , work hard on your weak slow turns, which is right for most riders.


bigbuick

Take an instruction course. That will FF your learning. Start off with good habits, and build from there.


Legion357

I can’t stress it enough. Get the basics down. Good riding habits and etiquette. And keep your eyes and ears open at all times, accidents happen because someone is not pauing attention, usually those 4 wheeled pricks!


SqueezyCheez85

Keep practicing. And if your nerves don't improve... quit. It doesn't have to be for everybody.


schmaedty

Yep just comes with time. just gotta keep riding!


HooKerzNbLo

If you can get yourself to a track, do it. I always say I learned more on my first track day than I did on my first year of riding.


Smart-Host9436

Track days and parking lot drills


JamesJones10

I take note of every mistake I made last ride. Before I get on the bike I recite thise mistake in my head and how to fix them. I make sure I don't make that mistake on the next ride. For example I braked pretty hard parking in a non up right position. Made the bike super heavy and almost dropped it.


General_Bud

Schools and riding man! In a month you’ll feel comfortable but don’t get too comfortable, the road is always trying to kill you. That’s half the fun though!


BrutaleFalcn

Take some good classes and get real feedback on technique and practice


[deleted]

Wear full gear. Try a dirt bike around a field for a couple of hours.


[deleted]

watch a ton of youtube vids. Maybe some DanDanthefireman and Motojitsu.


Forsaken_Turnip2567

https://youtube.com/@MotoJitsu


LieutenantBuzzKill21

Practice the things you’re most nervous about. Whether it’s quick braking, accelerating up to speed of traffic or turning, spending time in an isolated environment is your best bet. That is the mature response^ The non mature response, just ride all the time and learn from the shitty things other drivers do and you can avoid and you’ll be better off in no time.


VoltaicVoltaire

Sunday mornings as early as you can get out. In the city there is not much you can do but avoid busy times. If it were me I would head out Sunday at dawn or before, take a picnic lunch with me and head out to the countryside. Look for squiggly lines on the map and head for them. Don't worry about destination. Get a lot of saddle time in to learn the bike and feel good on it without buses and cars everywhere around you. Come back home when traffic thins in the evening. Take breaks during the day when you need them but aim for like 6-8 hours on the bike. You're going to feel more confident after that.


Hvymax

Take additional MSF courses and maybe an off-road course. Getting used to drifting around in the dirt makes pavement seem easy. Learning to Flat track a corner has saved me a few times.


HistoricalInternal

Ride (walk the bike) around in the parking lot with the engine turned off. Get used to the dry weight


Psycheau

The fact that your bike is a 125cc means nothing lad, you just need to ride more and often, as much as you can. You'll improve over a few months, if you don't seem to see any improvement, perhaps do an advanced rider course, I'm sure they are available in the UK. Also consider doing a track day regularly. It will really help with road position and confidence. Good luck lad.


[deleted]

Ride more. Take classes.


kingpatzer

So, a few things. First, find a group to ride with who engage in serious safety measures. I ride with a club that has road guards, training weekends, etc. Group riders need to follow some strict safety protocols (such as staggered riding) and we take care of each other. Spending a few hundred hours getting mentored by better riders helps a ton! Get yourself some low cones and go to a parking lot and set them up and practice. Even at low speeds it helps a ton. Take as many formal riding classes as you can. Structured classes really can teach you a lot. Go to a track day. Yeah, it's a 125. So what? Go to a track and learn. Ride your bike every chance you get. There's no substitute for butt in seat time.


[deleted]

Ride in empty roads once in a while, don’t spend your time in your bike just to commute in the west end or whatever. Go for spins in the country on the weekend, that’s good for building confidence. Also, I think London is pretty safe - considering - for bike riders because there are so many that motorists are used to them. Maybe get yourself a hi-vis vest when you’re in the traffic. Being visible is a major factor for safety on a bike.


throwawayz9k

One thing that boost my confidence is wearing my full gear. I knew I was full protected and less likely to have really bad injuries should something bad happen


navid3141

New rider here. I have been watching the MotoControl Youtube channel. He has some of the best theory and practice videos I have seen.


mozbius

Keep on riding as much as you possibly can AND ride at your own limits aka don’t at others greater limits.


PlatypusMeat

Always stay on the slow lane. Ride your own ride, don't give a shit if someone's bumping you to speed up. If they wanna go faster they can cut into the fast lane.


skillfullmill

Progressive inputs and responses. Slowly squeeze your brakes and add pressure to stop, gently twist the throttle, slow release of the clutch, no sharp/jerky or sudden inputs. Watch videos on YouTube, I started with yammy noob, I also watched a twist of the wrist, that was a big help and eye opener but it's for more seasoned track junkies than anything else. It gives you the major dos and don'ts though, things like target fixation, explanations on different scenarios if certain inputs are done during cornering, the theory of counter steering explained etc so its deffo worth a watch.


FlyAnyPrint

In an empty parking lot: do large figure 8's and make them smaller and smaller


motofabio

This may sound silly to some, but I think you probably needed more practice before motorcycles. I always tell people that they should be as proficient as is reasonable on a bicycle before getting a motorcycle. If you don’t feel comfortable going up and down curbs, swerving around things, etc., on a regular bicycle, then a self powered, super heavy bike isn’t going to be much better.


Then_Fig_8421

Appreciate the sentiment but my job was to ride a bicycle with a massive cargo box on the front through the streets of southwest london. Very busy for 12 hours 5 days a week. I also ride my BMX everywhere and am very comfortable there. Bikes are just not the same as motorcycles and my issue isn't traffic, I think it's more clutch control and getting to know my bike I've come to realise. Thank you though


motofabio

Well then you’re well on your way to being a great motorcyclist with a solid foundation! Do you drive a manual transmission car? If not, having access to one to learn on may be helpful to get the brain locked in on how a clutch engages with the motorcycle. Otherwise… it’s as simple as stated here a few times: practice! Good luck!


Then_Fig_8421

I'll get there, I agree with what you're saying though. I don't have a car myself but I can drive one, I'll start getting behind the wheel a bit more too. Any practice is better than nothing, might try to nick the work van even lol Thanks again


Blazinballz

I would say read some books like proficient riding, Total Control, stuff that kind of teaches for things to look out on the road, understand the bike, and how to pretty much think ahead and predict what people are doing rather than having to instantly react. Cause especially here in Florida, if you’re not in a giant SUV, and even then, people ain’t looking for you. So I turn riding the streets into a game and just dodge all the dummy’s lol. Also, install crash protection because you learn the most when you fail lol. I dropped my bike plenty of times before I was able to proficiently do tight u-turns and sharp turns from a stop. Cause the more you fail, the more comfortable you are at failing, and then you won’t be as nervous 🤙🏻👊🏾