A quick recap for all you who missed ‘Newbies Tale’ part 1.
I am very new to this biking lark, presently taking lessons, have an 03 GS Adv sitting in the drive (arrived last weekend) and take my test next Tuesday (21st June).
Conversion to a biker started a few weeks ago when I turned up at a youth club playground in Hartlepool, all ready to start my life changing lessons. As I walked in nervously I saw a rather large machine…...whooah!…… just the job for me I thought. Ok lets see your CBT certificate then said my instructor. My what I replied…….and that’s when it all started to go wrong. Someone in the council had cocked up resulting in the instructor being under the impression that I could actually ride one of these two wheeled things. Alas the big bike was pushed back into the lock up and, in return, a very small 125 was wheeled out. At 6’3’’ and 17st I thought he was having a laugh but that was not to be, for the next 1 1/2 days this was my mode of transport. The largeness of me and smallness of the bike made me consider if it would actually be quicker if I picked it up and carried it under my arm. Having checked the bike over, including the brakes, the instructor asked me to do the same. I thought these bikes must be crap if we have to see if they are ok first. So on to the riding bit. As a learner the biggest problem I had was getting two hands and two feet each to do different tasks all at the same time. It was quite a rarity for this to happen during the first day….why cant they make automatic bikes with self cancelling indicators. As for Hartlepool its not what you would call a top tourist spot but the town centre is a good training ground. If you can survive the plethora of cats and dogs, single mothers with their pushchairs, cars (usually stolen) pulling out in front of you and a load of ASBO collecting hooded teenage tearaways throwing stones at you as you ride by then I guess everything else will be a doddle. To cut a long story short I graduated onto a big bike half way through the second day and on my first outing onto the open roads it pissed down just as my visor steamed up and I was reaching 65 on the motorway. My jeans, I now know these are not suitable, were soaked and all I can say it’s a good job I put on my brown undies that morning.
In view of the above I decided a trip to the local BMW dealer was needed to find more suitable clothing. Arriving at the dealer I realised this was the first time I had actually been close to any GS bike in my life even though I had bought one (at this point in time mine had yet to be delivered). Big…very very big….I will say no more. One condition of me being allowed a bike is that I have to wear a bright jacket, so looking at the racks of jackets the Rallye 2 stood out as being highly visible. Before arriving I had convinced myself that a size 54 would be about right but having looked at them I thought a larger one may be more suited to my frame. It was heavy and seemed just a little tight so I called over the not so eager sales person to help locate a larger one. Sir, this is the largest I was advised. Noting the meagre stock of Rallye 2’s on the rails I assumed I would have to order a larger one from BMW but having put this to the sales person I was greeted with a No Sir, this one is the largest….the largest BMW actually make. Oh! Resigned to the fact this would have to do I tried their largest on again and with a bit of adjustment it actually seemed ok. Taking his advise to sit on a bike just to check if it was comfortable I headed over to a new GS Adventure and plonked myself on it. I should mention that the wife and our 9 month old daughter had accompanied me to the dealer. As the wife always insists on our baby understanding what is going on she plonked her on the big shiny aluminium coloured tank in front of me. I should also mention the fact that as she is teething a copious amount of baby drool regularly congregates around her mouth. I could see the sales person getting rather nervous by now as our pride and joy was banging the tank like a carribean steel drum and then it started….just a little drip at first but then a large dollop of fresh baby drool landed on the tank. Nonchalantly the wife brushed it away with her sleeve but this seemed only to spread it over a larger area of the tank. Let them sort it out I thought as I walked off to find a pair of trousers. Managed to find a nice black pair of Tourance complete with braces despite the village people comments from the missus. As I concluded the deal, when I say that I mean paid the full price with no f@*$ing discount, I could see Rona now sitting on a lovely lime greenish Rockster. At least the drool wont be so noticeable on that I thought as the sales person said he was prepared to throw in a pair of hip protectors for free. So that was me all kitted out. With a second hand pair of BMW gloves and carbon helmet off ebay I was all set for the road, all I needed now was my yet to be delivered bike. Forgot to mention the BMW boots I bought off a German called Harald from Stuttgart….at least they should be well polished then.
Next episode will reveal the outcome of my test and first impressions of the Adventure which arrived last weekend. Did I jump straight on it and drive about without a license…..what do you think!!!!!
Richard.
I am very new to this biking lark, presently taking lessons, have an 03 GS Adv sitting in the drive (arrived last weekend) and take my test next Tuesday (21st June).
Conversion to a biker started a few weeks ago when I turned up at a youth club playground in Hartlepool, all ready to start my life changing lessons. As I walked in nervously I saw a rather large machine…...whooah!…… just the job for me I thought. Ok lets see your CBT certificate then said my instructor. My what I replied…….and that’s when it all started to go wrong. Someone in the council had cocked up resulting in the instructor being under the impression that I could actually ride one of these two wheeled things. Alas the big bike was pushed back into the lock up and, in return, a very small 125 was wheeled out. At 6’3’’ and 17st I thought he was having a laugh but that was not to be, for the next 1 1/2 days this was my mode of transport. The largeness of me and smallness of the bike made me consider if it would actually be quicker if I picked it up and carried it under my arm. Having checked the bike over, including the brakes, the instructor asked me to do the same. I thought these bikes must be crap if we have to see if they are ok first. So on to the riding bit. As a learner the biggest problem I had was getting two hands and two feet each to do different tasks all at the same time. It was quite a rarity for this to happen during the first day….why cant they make automatic bikes with self cancelling indicators. As for Hartlepool its not what you would call a top tourist spot but the town centre is a good training ground. If you can survive the plethora of cats and dogs, single mothers with their pushchairs, cars (usually stolen) pulling out in front of you and a load of ASBO collecting hooded teenage tearaways throwing stones at you as you ride by then I guess everything else will be a doddle. To cut a long story short I graduated onto a big bike half way through the second day and on my first outing onto the open roads it pissed down just as my visor steamed up and I was reaching 65 on the motorway. My jeans, I now know these are not suitable, were soaked and all I can say it’s a good job I put on my brown undies that morning.
In view of the above I decided a trip to the local BMW dealer was needed to find more suitable clothing. Arriving at the dealer I realised this was the first time I had actually been close to any GS bike in my life even though I had bought one (at this point in time mine had yet to be delivered). Big…very very big….I will say no more. One condition of me being allowed a bike is that I have to wear a bright jacket, so looking at the racks of jackets the Rallye 2 stood out as being highly visible. Before arriving I had convinced myself that a size 54 would be about right but having looked at them I thought a larger one may be more suited to my frame. It was heavy and seemed just a little tight so I called over the not so eager sales person to help locate a larger one. Sir, this is the largest I was advised. Noting the meagre stock of Rallye 2’s on the rails I assumed I would have to order a larger one from BMW but having put this to the sales person I was greeted with a No Sir, this one is the largest….the largest BMW actually make. Oh! Resigned to the fact this would have to do I tried their largest on again and with a bit of adjustment it actually seemed ok. Taking his advise to sit on a bike just to check if it was comfortable I headed over to a new GS Adventure and plonked myself on it. I should mention that the wife and our 9 month old daughter had accompanied me to the dealer. As the wife always insists on our baby understanding what is going on she plonked her on the big shiny aluminium coloured tank in front of me. I should also mention the fact that as she is teething a copious amount of baby drool regularly congregates around her mouth. I could see the sales person getting rather nervous by now as our pride and joy was banging the tank like a carribean steel drum and then it started….just a little drip at first but then a large dollop of fresh baby drool landed on the tank. Nonchalantly the wife brushed it away with her sleeve but this seemed only to spread it over a larger area of the tank. Let them sort it out I thought as I walked off to find a pair of trousers. Managed to find a nice black pair of Tourance complete with braces despite the village people comments from the missus. As I concluded the deal, when I say that I mean paid the full price with no f@*$ing discount, I could see Rona now sitting on a lovely lime greenish Rockster. At least the drool wont be so noticeable on that I thought as the sales person said he was prepared to throw in a pair of hip protectors for free. So that was me all kitted out. With a second hand pair of BMW gloves and carbon helmet off ebay I was all set for the road, all I needed now was my yet to be delivered bike. Forgot to mention the BMW boots I bought off a German called Harald from Stuttgart….at least they should be well polished then.
Next episode will reveal the outcome of my test and first impressions of the Adventure which arrived last weekend. Did I jump straight on it and drive about without a license…..what do you think!!!!!
Richard.
Top man......good luck with the test and keep the posts coming 
