Handling certificate help

[aff-man]

Hi Ladies

Ok so I ended up buying my girlfriend a little GN125 for her birthday and she went along to get her handling certificate. Unfortunately she had a few issues and was told to come back for the full monty course. Being several hundred $$$ for these courses and the fact that she was told some things that dont quite line up with what the https://www.nzta.govt.nz/driver-lice...orcycles/bhst/ says I was just wondering if you had any suggestions of lady friendly companies in Auckland that may be a little more helpful than just expect you to do it.

Or more importantly NOT tell you that you may be one of the 5% of people who just can't ride as that does WONDERS for your confidence. And we all know how unimportant confidence is when riding a bike.....

Any help would be muchly appreciated

[Blackbird]

Ok, I'm not female but Philip McDaid of RiderSkills (http://www.riderskills.co.nz/) is one person I've had lots of direct experience with. Fantastic temperament and patient. Has had lots of female riders go to him for training. One of the top trainers at all levels in the country and highly qualified. I know there are other good trainers in Auckland too but have no direct experience.

[Bikemad]

i presume you are taiking about Steve and Dawns school..........has she ever ridden a motorcycle before ?
if not then i would suggest she does do the Full Monty..........particularly if you have her safety in mind
My daughter had to do it twice before she passed.......money well spent i say.......shes my only child

[nzspokes]

Ok, I'm not female but Philip McDaid of RiderSkills (http://www.riderskills.co.nz/) is one person I've had lots of direct experience with. Fantastic temperament and patient. Has had lots of female riders go to him for training. One of the top trainers at all levels in the country and highly qualified. I know there are other good trainers in Auckland too but have no direct experience.

Agree with this.

[Gremlin]

Yep, another to say Philip at Riderskills is good.

If your gf wants a female instead then Dawn (qkchk?) runs Rider Training with Steve (hubby).

Honest opinion though... sure, doing the "full monty" may be expensive, but it could save her life. If she's never ridden before, then the extra time in the seat will help no end before she's on the road. You don't really want to be scraping through BHS, as the next practical assessment that's mandatory is Restricted.

I'd also suggest you look at the Ride Forever courses when she does have her licence. Some people can pick it up naturally, others need to work at it a lot harder to "get" it.

Yeah, flame me, there are also some that can't. Motorcycles do require more co-ordination than a car... perhaps she practice by making brrrm noises? I do believe in getting seat time though... we all fell as babies before we could walk...

[eldog]

Took me years to summon up the courage to attempt BHS. I had never ridden a mbike before or had much to do with them really apart from magazines and looking at them as they went passed.
Quite a few of my friends had bikes when I was growing up, but I wasn't in that crowd. Missed out I guess.

It can be daunting taking the BHS if you have no idea and expect more help by just turning up. I passed and was relieved, but realised there was a whole lot more to riding than what I had just achieved.
Driving a car didn't really help at all, in fact I think apart from the road rules it made it more difficult.

(I have used she below but could be anyone)

If she has the opportunity to ride, see if she wants to do it (not you standing over her) maybe like me just needs to be shown and given some space to work it out for herself, as long as you are there to offer 'help'/support.
I recommend doing a full learning course, just go and do the basics first, get confidence in herself, take it gently.
Practise those things in the BHS test it doesn't need much room or for long times- it can be depressing if you don't get it right after a few try's.
Alter what the practises are, vary it up. This worked for me. I still need to do it more. Regular is better than long gaps of lots of practise IMHO.

If you do these full courses get her to ASK the trainer questions even if she feels they may be dumb. Its amazing the answers she may get.

You are already a proficient rider, that can be quite intimidating for a beginner - trying to keep up (I fell into that trap and it too me ages to work through it.)

In recent times I have taken several things from riding -
Who I ride with and when
Awareness of what I can do and what others are doing
Self Responsibility - no one else is riding your bike
Planning, my rides and where I ride, how the road layout and surface affects my position etc

most importantly

Ride my own ride=Confidence in what I do.

Confidence - comes through experience, some people just do and its ok, I am not one of them.

I am not a know it all, I am not trying to tell you what to do. These are things I found - myself, by myself.
Its taken me a few years to figure this out, I am a slow learner, I make mistakes and learn from them.

Every one learns at there own pace

Hopefully she takes her time and continues her riding career.
A good trainer should be able to make the student feel comfortable.

Yes it can cost, but whats the cost if she cant ride properly?

[george formby]

Can't help with a trainer but respect to you looking for one, rather than find out your limitations trying to train your G/F yourself. Kudos.

Enjoyment and motivation are paramount. I did countless hours of practice with my G/F, we all learn differently and have different issues to begin with. I quickly realised that we both needed a trainer. A professional trainer is for avoiding bike related domestics, laying the path for a life long passion and getting wobblers arcing.
I know people who are paying off a TV over 5 years, doing the best for your G/F now is a gift for the rest of her life. The price is cheap. She might decide yeah, nah. She might go on to race. It's worth a few hundred bucks doing it right.

I've put the time and money into my G/F's riding over the last 3 years and it's reached the point now, that when she takes her helmet off after a ride I see a wide eyed, gleaming, occasionally raving, bike addict. A very competent and safe one. My throttle happy buddy. I love it, love riding with her. Priceless.

Thanks for letting me share.

[eldog]

Enjoyment and motivation are paramount. I did countless hours of practice with my G/F, we all learn differently and have different issues to begin with. I quickly realised that we both needed a trainer. A professional trainer is for avoiding bike related domestics, laying the path for a life long passion and getting wobblers arcing. Doing the best for your G/F now is a gift for the rest of her life. The price is cheap. She might decide yeah, nah. She might go on to race. It's worth a few hundred bucks doing it right.

I've put the time and money into my G/F's riding over the last 3 years and it's reached the point now, that when she takes her helmet off after a ride I see a wide eyed, gleaming, occasionally raving, bike addict. A very competent and safe one. My throttle happy buddy. I love it, love riding with her. Priceless.

Well said

[Stirts]

As a very new front bum with minimal time on a motorbike, one of the best decisions I made was to book a training session with Philip at RiderSkills. He is awesome...very patient, explains what he is teaching and why, looks at your current riding ability and asseses any "habits" you may have picked up and basis the sessions from there.

[aff-man]

Thanks for the response guys...

The reason we went to a place that will help her out is a bit about the domestics side of things. If she actually enjoys riding then I can work with her to hone her skills as I have done for people in the past. I am not pushing her into riding and will never do so as it is just not for some people, but she has been riding pillion for the past 5 years and has been bugging me about learning for about as long.

Don't get me wrong spending the money is not an issue and I am just trying to make sure that the money is well spent as she has done one course and it didn't go so well and I don't want the same thing happening again.


Will have a think and she is now lurking around here so may put up some questions maybe.

[george formby]

Thanks for the response guys...
.

If it's any consolation, I was wearing a frock when I posted.

[Maha]

''Or more importantly NOT tell you that you may be one of the 5% of people who just can't ride''

Really? that was said?
Get a hair-cut Jono, find a pink jacket then re-book, I would love to see the look on the face of a trainer when a supposed noob is doing a foot dragging wheelie on a GN.

[aff-man]

''Or more importantly NOT tell you that you may be one of the 5% of people who just can't ride''

Really? that was said?
Get a hair-cut Jono, find a pink jacket then re-book, I would love to see the look on the face of a trainer when a supposed noob is doing a foot dragging wheelie on a GN.

Well it was that she is one of the 5% that cant pick up riding easily potentially

I don't do wheelies anymore......honest plus i'm sure the RSV4 is incapable of doing them

[Gremlin]

Get a hair-cut Jono, find a pink jacket then re-book,

No, he needs a yellow helmet and hawaiian shirt.

Since she has a bike, find somewhere quiet near you, transport the bike there (or ride 2up?) and just let her have some time getting used to controls, balance etc.

[aff-man]

No, he needs a yellow helmet and hawaiian shirt.

Since she has a bike, find somewhere quiet near you, transport the bike there (or ride 2up?) and just let her have some time getting used to controls, balance etc.

Shit you guys are reaching deep into the archives for that one....



Already in progress..... got asked to leave the "empty" carpark though so will need to find a public one....