I learned to ride (slowly and at a late age) a long time ago. Then I met Dan because he wanted to learn to ride. And now I have a friend who wants to get her license and first bike. This last one is quite interesting, as she has to navigate the difficult Swiss process of getting her endorsement.

Unfortunately for her I am not much help, as I was able to just transfer my US license direct to a Swiss one (and they even gave me the authority to pull a trailer - the fools!) But here there are restrictions, including not just the cc of a motorcycle, but also the kW. And the theory tests, and the required 8 hours of personal lessons, and the mandatory first aid course, and then the actual test - where the tester rides pillion on your bike while you navigate the city's streets 

She is also working on a shoestring budget, so finding "the bike" for her might be fun, to put it one way. I do have lots of spare gear, so I can at least get her outfitted for safety.


Anyway, there's not really much point to this post other than so say that I am really glad that I didn't have to go through the Swiss process   

It should be much more difficult here as well. Far too easy.

I’m always excited to hear about someone who wants to learn to ride and get a bike.  What a fabulous adventure they are about to embark on. 

It’s key that your Swiss friend has you to gear her up and encourage her.   

DD, I always thought you were a wonderful ambassador for our sport.
(I was right.)

A big test for you both, please keep us posted with the progress.

It should be much more difficult here as well. Far too easy.

This ^^^

I might have just found a bike for her 

I put out an APB on the Swiss motorcyclists FB page, asking if anyone had a lead on a beginner's bike. Just got a message from someone on there with a CAGIVA RAPTOR 650. I know nothing about this bike, but he's selling it cheap. He's also a very skilled mechanic, so I have no qualms about her buying it WRT mechanical soundness.

Let the games continue! 

Saw a few of those in NL.   Seemed like nice bikes.   I can't comment on build quality.  I think they have the Suzuki SV650 engine so that part should be stone reliable.  However, it is also a pretty strong motor so I suspect it would put the bike in the Category A Unlimited license tier.   

It's great that you're helping her! 

Those Swiss exam testers must be a brave bunch if they're riding pillion on a noob's test ride!   

Wait!  Motorcycle shops are open?   People are not wearing masks?   Where do you live again?

Notwithstanding, she will be very happy with that helmet in the long run.   

You are commended for helping someone learn to ride.  Not as easy as it sounds for either of you.

Today we went shopping! There is a great shop 15 minutes' walk from my apartment, so we met up there and she put a bunch of helmets on her head. The shopkeeper was super helpful, and I tried to point why one helmet might cost more than another (vents, weight, wind noise, internal sun visor, etc.). In the end, she spent more money than she really wanted to, but she got a nice Shoei (GT Air). She is super happy with the purchase and even wore the helmet on the walk back to the apartment 

visitors can't see pics , please register or login



After dinner she and I walked down to our garage where i sorted through our old gear. I got her outfitted with a pair of boots, pants, jacket and gloves. It is pretty much on "permanent loan" until she gets around to finding her own gear.

Saturday we'll go to Zürich where she'll make the decision on the Cagiva 

What a cutie!!   Did she get one of those Rossi jerseys, too, or is it too soon?

Maybe it’s best to work up to that.   



I have bought a lot of motorcycles and motorcycle gear in my life (the rest of my money I’ve just squandered).    I have never, ever, regretted buying quality gear regardless of price.    But I have regretted buying mediocre, inexpensive gear.

Yay!   

Naturally I got lost trying to get us out of Zürich, but eventually...

Everyone gets lost in Zurich - it's urban legend - although GPS might be ruining that experience. 


Nicest starter bike ever! 

visitors can't see pics , please register or login


Happy girl

Skee is right.   Nicest starter bike ever!   


Although XLR8 did start out on an FZ1.   Not that was necessarily wise for a starter bike. 

I’ve tried teaching a few people to ride. (At their request; I’m no pro.)  It Is challenging.  Some people just get on and go.  One friend was never even able to get it into first gear, even with me pushing.  (Today he is a noted heart specialist. Different people have different abilities.) That is why I admire your effort. It ain’t easy.   Don’t give up too soon.  We ALL make low speed drops. 

Find a bigger parking lot - I know Switzerland right - where she can bail mid-turn. Practice Circles & Figure-8s staring with large turns and gradually decrease radius.  Builds coordination.  Use parking lines as imaginary barriers.  Start with a large area and work down.  Easier if bike is set idle at a slow walking pace when in first gear, if you have the ability to temporarily alter idle speed. 

Then work on tightening the radius until she builds confidence in low speed quick directional changes.

Good point Nick.  Now go make a Negroni or an Aperol spritz and pretend you are in Italy.     Won’t be meeting in Ohio this year either.  If we’re lucky, DD will post photos from her first international ride.

I've taught quite a few people to ride with much success.  One of the first things I teach is annoyingly sciency for a non science guy but it's about kenetic (or potential or whatever) energy and newton's basic laws.  An object in motion and all that.  I try to emphasize the fact that just because you are able to slow or stop the front wheel, there is still a great deal of energy from the rest of the bike and your body and whatever else that's along for the ride that wants to keep going.  And it will take advantage of the slightest little thing and use it as an opportunity to try to keep on moving.  If you're perfectly straight up and the wheel is perfectly straight, it has almost no hope.  However, if you're wheel is turned a tad or you've leaned just a smidge in either direction, that energy will capitalize on that and use it to find a path for movement.  If you're wheel is no longer moving, then the only other option is down.  But the energy is still there until the complete cessation of movement has been realized.  I use a barely moving non running bike as an example.  I have the rider paddle toward me and make them hit the front brake with the bars perfectly straight and then with the bars turned slightly in each direction to drive the point home.  If there's a hill, then a bit faster but still on non running bike.  You can do this many times in a short distance.  Then I have them do that with the rear brake and note the difference.  Final objective is to teach the braking maneuver in such a way that the rider will end up slowly coming completely off the front brake just prior to the stop.  I explain that this is just a learning tool and that as soon as the body mechanics of braking get better, (and the falling stops) then the life saving front brake drills will continue and get harder and harder.    Of course there is also the pitch, camber, and surface you're riding on that can lend to opportunities for energy overflow antics. 

But I like to do this before the bike ever gets started because I think it's the most important thing to know.  The going is easy. 

Not a sermon, just a thought.   

Shifter has been replaced and the learning continues!

Today was forecasted to be 32C, so the plan was an early start. Eh, 9:30 is early for a Saturday, right?    Dan offered to come with me for this lesson and I'm glad he did, as he is much more "no nonsense" and will put her through drills that I would probably not consider.

We swung by Mac's apartment where I left my bike, doubled up on hers, and then Dan followed us to a nearby parking lot that I HOPED would be accessible and empty. It was almost perfect! There were some parked cars, but there were also 3-4 people throughout the morning who had come here for driving practice. We had found the Secret Place 

Dan and stood at opposite ends of the side lot and gave her instructions for about three hours. She did fantastic! 

I didn't bring my camera and didn't take many photos with my phone because I didn't want to distract her from the lessons. I apologize for the potato quality 

New jacket!
visitors can't see pics , please register or login


Early in the day, just getting the hang of riding through a corner (after a lot of duck-walking)
visitors can't see pics , please register or login


After a couple of breaks to reconvene and go over what she's doing and answering any questions, the jacket was removed. It was getting hotter...

Dan encouraging her at a stopping exercise
visitors can't see pics , please register or login


We ended the lesson with her following Dan around on his bike, which worked out really well.
visitors can't see pics , please register or login


We're going to get together again tomorrow evening and add to her confidence and skills 

This is brilliant!   

Quote from: Skee on Yesterday at 02:39:56 PM

I am a little surprised to see she chose a yellow jacket.  I was under the impression yellow was unpopular because police wear it.  Is that attitude changing?

I have never heard this comment here. In fact, hi-viz stuff is incredibly popular here, and more likely to be seen than your basic black textile.

May have just been the person I was speaking with or the country I was in at the time.