Prac 1.01, 1.02, 1.03

Prac 1.01 - 23/09/14 (First prac lesson)

Felt super intimidated cause it was my first time in my entire life I'll be on a bike! Was pretty blur about what to do, where to sit, whether or not to take the number tag outside the classroom or what. Some of the instructors already knew who I was cause my sister took her 2b there a little past 1-1.5 yrs? My sister did socialize with them and since we are twins... We pretty much look alike hahaha.

Took my 1.01 with 4 other guys + me as the only girl. Put on knee and elbow guards + helmets and we got onto our bikes. Was tiptoeing throughout.. I'm standing at 1.6m ± 0.01cm so prolly cos I have short legs or something thats why I had to tiptoe LOL. They said I was "too tall" to take the low cut bike cos its meant for 1.55m people.

First lesson was basically learning how to clutch in and brake properly, all in gear 1. I was pretty buay balance and kept relying on my front brakes (which is really bad cos I'll just fall forward). The rest of the guys were progressing much faster than me so I kinda felt the pressure + being frustrated with myself. There was another instructor who came and helped me by providing a longer route by marking out with cones etc to practice 1/2 clutch, controlling the throttle + braking.. Cause initially we were doing it against a wall which was prolly 1-2 metres distance. Anyway, I failed the lesson in the end, already expected to. But the rest of the 4 guys passed their 1.01 hahaha.

Even though I felt damn embarrassed about my first lesson, my family told me normally first lessons for everything will be damn unstable plus I'm unfamiliar with the bike and how it works. So I decided to go on and book my retake of 1.01.


Pract 1.01 + 1.02 - 25/09/14 (Second prac lesson)

Reached like a few mins late so I was moving damn frantically, tryna put my bag in the locker and quickly going into the classroom to take my number tag and little did I know... I locked my bag without taking out my gloves and hat liner WTF hahahah. Furthermore I only had one 1 dollar coin and I just used it.. Saw the instructor taking me and I shamelessly asked him if he had change for a 1 dollar coin hahaha he did and I quickly went to the locker to grab my stuff.

AND, I was supposed to take my 1.01 with another guy but he didn't turn up so basically I was his only student for that session... Got pros and cons lah I guess. Pro: Instructor can work closely with you regarding your mistakes. Con: He has to basically focus ONLY ON YOU (ok I don't know if thats really a con hahaha)

I used a low cut bike that day. Practiced my 1/2 clutch plus throttle movement and then my instructor asked me to up gear to 3 then kick down to gear 1 when stopping etc. After awhile I got to go out to the main circuit! But only till gear 3 lah. Went round the circuit before stopping and dropping to gear 1 then moving off. There was once after stopping, I think I leaned my bike too much on the left and my left leg cannot tahan the weight so I dropped the bike LOL oopsssss.

Went back and did a debrief. The instructor passed me for both 1.01 and 1.02 and I was really thrilled! 1.02 is about going up to gear 3, drop gear and stopping at gear 1 from 3.


Pract 1.03 - 30/09/14 (Third prac lesson)

Today's lesson was broken up into 2 parts, 1) go up to gear 5, drop to gear 3, then to gear 4, then drop to 3 when going around bends. 2) Maintain low clutch control. Took this lesson with 2 other guys.

First we went to warm up at the mini circuit by going up to gear 3, drop to gear 2 etc. Must remember to close throttle, brake, clutch in, drop gear, release clutch then release brake!!! Afterwards we went to the main circuit where we went up to gear 5! There were areas where we had to go up gear 5, then drop to 3 before entering a bend, then maintain at 4, drop to 3 again before entering a bend, go up to 5 and then drop to 3 again hahahah, I know it sounds very messy when I type it out like that. I think changing gears for me wasn't a big problem but sometimes I don't have time to go up to 5 before having to drop down to gear 3. The instructor didn't have alot to say about my gear shifting.. I probably have to work more on my braking skills :(

Before that, my instructor told us to not change lane if we were to be stuck behind cars unless given a signal cos we weren't taught how to change lanes yet. What happened was.. I was SUAY SUAY stuck behind a private car taking TP. The TP car then braked so I stopped behind and waited, yes I waited. Saw the TP car engine stalled (I know it stalled cos it surged forward plus I kena car stalled before hahah). The car subsequently DID NOT move at all, no signal, no brake lights, never switch on engine again?!?!? Then I saw the TP person (sitting at the passenger seat) kept looking back at me. There was another car taking TP (yah wtf damn suay or what) waiting behind me and the car changed lane. I kept looking around cos I didn't know what to do, no one was nearby so I couldn't ask anyone whether to wait or change lane.... Then I made the move to change lane (yes wtf was I thinking) and suddenly some bike instructor from far shouted "OIIIIII" at me and deep down I was like "shit ffffff bad move". Saw my instructor after and I went to tell him what happened. He said he already knew cos someone went to walkie talkie him... Wah bloody embarrassed lah you can't imagine how paiseh and bad I felt?!?! My instructor said I'm like "sabo-ing the TP car and stuff" but he said it's alright it's okay.... I kept apologizing though?!?! SIGHHHHHH.. I don't know whether I caused that TP person to fail or what lah but I don't understand why after stalling the engine, the car didn't immediately turn on engine again and move off or do something?! Plus the TP tester kept looking back at me so I don't know what that means, felt damn lost..... I still feel damn bad about it idk lahhhh :( :(

Then we went back to the mini circuit where the instructor laid out several cones, around 1-1.5m apart. We had to stop at each individual cone. On a straight lane, we need not place our left leg on the footrest unless doing a turn, and there was a part where we had to go up to gear 2 and then let it engine brake until the next cone. It was really difficult tryna control my low speed!!! Damn frustrating. I kept wobbling and couldn't brake smoothly so at times it was pretty jerky.

During the debrief the instructor gave us his comments.. 2 students failed 1.03, myself and a guy, the other guy passed cause I did saw the way he controlled the bike and it was quite steady hahaha. I don't mind failing my lessons and rather fail to ensure I had grasped my foundation of the bike well enough to proceed to stage 2. Felt damn shagged and tired after the lesson (tiredest day I felt as compared to other 2 lessons I took previously), but I had to go for my riding thory practice after. Immediately knock out upon reaching home.