Class 2B lessons - part 1

Having thought about maintaining a car, I decided it was ridiculously expensive to do so and thus I might not be buying a new car when my COE expires next year.

My next option is a motorbike because I am too used to the freedom of travelling whenever I want, wherever I want, and I simply can't envision the long hours of waiting for public transport. Thus here begins my adventure with riding lessons.

Firstly, every one taking riding lessons has to start with a 2B licence to ride bikes below 200cc. Then you have to wait a year before you take your class 2A to ride below 400cc bikes, and ANOTHER year to take class 2 (above 400cc bikes). It's a ridiculous waste of money and time if you ask me. I'll just stick with the 200cc.

I took my lessons with Comfort in Ubi. Basically the structure is broken down into 6 components which you have to learn and pass before you can get your licence - Basic Theory (you get to skip this if you already have a class 3 licence), Riding Theory and Defensive Riding Theory. Then Circuit Riding, Road Riding, Highway Riding.

The riding lessons are divided into 8 lessons, and I took three attempts to pass lesson 1. Yes, apparently you  are evaluated during each lesson and if you can't demonstrate to do as taught, you will have to repeat that lesson again.

My first lesson was a disaster, I didn't know there was literally no where to store your belongings except for this locker system, which you had to pay for. I didn't have any coins on me, and the riding counter does not change money, so i had to go all the way to the cafe to change for dollar coins, and back. To my dismay my locker didn't work, swallowed my coin, and everyone had already left for the lesson. Real Shitty.

One of the instructors took pity on me and kindly offered to keep my belongings for me. I gathered all my gear and ran to the bike area and dropped one of my gloves in process. I couldn't find it and so I had to purchase another pair. Apparently they don't let you proceed with lessons if you are not fully decked out with gloves, knee pads, elbow pads, proper clothes and helmet. So all that time wasted made me REALLY late. 

To top it off, i went to the wrong instructor for lessons. Apparently you had to wear these coloured labels (see above) with numbers to identify yourself, each colour signifies the lesson number you're there for (red means lesson 1 and so on). Apparently I hadn't really noticed so I was standing like an idiot with the wrong group until the instructor told me so.

So, for lesson 1, basically you are taught almost everything you need to know about riding a bike. Believe me, it's quite a lot. This includes going up to 5th gear and stopping the bike in high speed. Does this sound scary? That's why I kept failing lesson 1, hahahaha.

The first and more irritating hindrance to me is getting the bike off the main stand, mounting it back, and keeping it in balance on standstill. The bike is damn heavy. It kept falling, and when it falls, it's very difficult to pick it up. I swear I never handled anything this heavy before and it was my first obstacle with the bike. I really need to build up more strength just to be able to handle the damn bike. It really weighs a ton!

There were guys who kept helping me whenever my bike fell, but that's not the point,  the point is to be self sufficient. So note to myself - Conquer the damn bike! 

It's relatively easy to handle once you sit on it, and there's no problem with putting my foot on the ground. I'm only 1.58m btw.

But once I'm off it, standing beside it, or pushing it, it has to tendency to fall, and once it starts to tilt, the weight and gravity will just work against me and down goes the bike. It's painful when it hits your leg too.

So..if you took driving lessons in manual, you'll find it easier to understand the concept of switching gears. Apparently on a bike, to switch gears, you have to keep kicking the left pedal-gear-stick up or down. There's no indicator to show which gear you are in so you have to keep count mentally. The gear pedal doesn't really seem to change its position either, seems like it just springs back to the same position when you kick up or down. What I found annoying is that the Neutral gear is the second gear. Essentially it's not at the lowest point.  I don't know why this makes sense to the bike manufacturers but it's quite annoying for me.

See the wall of tyres? That's also where the small circuit is for lesson 1 learners 

For the first lesson, we are first taught how to start the bike, maintain biting point in first gear and ride forward a few metres. There is a wall of tyres to cushion any bike bumps. If we can do this, then we are taken to a small circuit to ride in circles. 

There, we have to demonstrate that we are able to change  up to third gear. Then we are taught how to stop in third gear, while using the hand brake and foot brake. This part is not easy. And the challenge is the coordination of gears while stopping - closing throttle, applying hand and foot brakes to slow down, clutch and down gearing quickly, and braking to stop at the indicated point.

Then when you can do this, you are taken to a bigger circuit where you are made to ride up to fifth gear and demonstrate high speed braking technique. Your reaction time and coordination of gears, clutch, throttle, brakes will be observed.

Then you will be asked to demonstrate high speed riding and using the engine brake effectively. 

All this in lesson 1! Yes no kidding. 

I felt like I needed to do more lesson 1s and was ready to fail again after my third time. My bike dropped twice and my stopping procedure wasn't entirely smooth or accurate all the time (sometimes i clutched before braking), but the instructor probably took pity on me...and let me pass.

Till next time, look out for lesson 2 and more.