New rider blog: I have been accepted into the biking family

Well it’s been 10 days since I last checked in and I can honestly say I think I am improving. Hooray!

In my first blog I mentioned how I had become the stall queen. Well I think I have now been demoted to the stall princess. I am still stalling but not half as much.

So the latest piece of advice I have been given is from one of our photographers here, Ian Jubb (or Jubba as he’s known here!) and to be honest it has made me think. “Never grab a handful of brake.” So when I was thinking about this, I thought the same must apply in reverse for letting out the clutch so I have been doing just this at junctions. Okay so that may seem obvious to others but when you are having to think about everything it makes sense so cheers Jubba.

It’s a good job I live with some understanding people, as I came running back into the house after a practice ride around the country roads where I live.

I was that excited as I had received my first bikers’ nod!

That was it, I may not be going at terrifically fast speeds (I am now up to 52!) but I had been accepted in to the family. I am now a bone fide motorcyclist and was proud of it.

The only problem was about five seconds later, when I was approaching a left-hand bend, and another biker came round, crossing the white line in the middle of the road. That soon brought me back down to earth and in concentration mode again until I got home.

With the weather not going in my favour over the last week I admit I have not been out half as much as I would have liked as I feel I need to get the dry riding bit right first before heading for the slippery stuff.

But it has meant I have swapped from my AGV Sport Lady Jane leathers to my Frank Thomas textile gear. I have the Alicia waterproof jacket and trousers and Sofia gloves which are really warm. I have taken the lining out for the summer and it’s still a bit warm but necessary to be properly kitted out for the uncertain black clouds hanging above me.

The jacket is £99.99, the trousers are £79.99 and the gloves are £24.99 and they are fitted with CE protection plus are handily fitted with Quadra-Tech and Evo-Tech lite abrasion resistant outer shell, breathable and waterproof lining and also have reflective areas for being seen in the dark.

Although it has not rained on me yet (thank god) on my Suzuki Van Van it did throw it down on my CBT and whereas my instructor was panicking because he was in his leathers I was smugly prepared and returned nice and dry to the test centre!