I have my first observed ride/assessment on Sunday

I had my second observed ride today and tried my hardest to correct all of the last observations. My main points from today were an occasional lack of forward planning and if I'm honest these times were when I was saturated with information and lost my focus a little and all the while trying to correct/adjust my riding. I still feel like I've made progress and the addition of some slow speed manoeuvres was interesting especially when getting ready I cheated slightly by flipping down the brake pedal extender. So all in I've got more to practice and learned plenty today.

Its not a great idea to be overloaded with information. You can presumably get from A to B in one piece on 2 wheels so you should be addressing the changes that need to be made in bite size chunks. You wouldn't stuff a whole cake in your mouth at once and not expect to choke.

If you are having difficulty with any aspect your tutor should be able to see it and have a strategy to help you resolve it.
 
Its not a great idea to be overloaded with information. You can presumably get from A to B in one piece on 2 wheels so you should be addressing the changes that need to be made in bite size chunks. You wouldn't stuff a whole cake in your mouth at once and not expect to choke.

If you are having difficulty with any aspect your tutor should be able to see it and have a strategy to help you resolve it.

My observer has been very good but if I'm honest I'm hard on myself and keen to learn.
 
I had my second observed ride today and tried my hardest to correct all of the last observations. My main points from today were an occasional lack of forward planning and if I'm honest these times were when I was saturated with information and lost my focus a little and all the while trying to correct/adjust my riding. I still feel like I've made progress and the addition of some slow speed manoeuvres was interesting especially when getting ready I cheated slightly by flipping down the brake pedal extender. So all in I've got more to practice and learned plenty today.

yes it is tough to learn something different if you have been riding without extra thought for years,however by using the system everytime you ride it does become second nature.The more observed rides you do the more you learn,coping with someone watching your every move,making adjustments to answer the chats over coffee and finally its great to be able to show off your new skills with an Examiner following you on Test. oh you must practice the many things you are learning from the Observer on your own, i found using unknown roads sharpens techniques, enjoy.
 
Unknown roads do add another dimension to it as I am usually riding the same roads daily.
 
My observer has been very good but if I'm honest I'm hard on myself and keen to learn.

That is admirable but you should be working at a pace you can comfortably cope with in terms of converting the information you have been given into verifiable results in your riding. As a Police motorcyclist I had 3 weeks of training just to reach the standard required for the test. I had been riding, ( like a twat I can now confirm with some degree of authority ) for several years prior to that.
In those 3 weeks I learnt the elements of the system and in the 33 years since how to practice them, how to use them, how to do so skillfully and where appropriate to make changes.

As Micky said, its still work in progress - just very fine tuning these days though.

Enjoy.
 
I had my third observed ride today and apparently I am coming along well. I still have the odd time when I'm not certain if I should be making progress or taking the softer/slower option.
 
I had my second observed ride today and tried my hardest to correct all of the last observations. My main points from today were an occasional lack of forward planning and if I'm honest these times were when I was saturated with information and lost my focus a little and all the while trying to correct/adjust my riding. I still feel like I've made progress and the addition of some slow speed manoeuvres was interesting especially when getting ready I cheated slightly by flipping down the brake pedal extender. So all in I've got more to practice and learned plenty today.

If that's how you're feeling, my first guess would be that you may be trying too hard! Try slowing down a little and looking further down the road. If I had a pound for everytime I've heard sayings along the long line of "lift your vision", but it's true. The key to good riding is observation and anticipation. If you can crack those two, you'll be laughing and riding will become 'easier' for it. The reason most people f£ck up is because they arrive at a hazard, maybe at an inappropriate speed and with no plan to deal with it! The further ahead you look, the earlier you will have the chance to see things and then plan accordingly.

So coming back to your point, if you're feeling flustered whilst riding, you're probably suffering information overload i.e. either not seeing things early enough and/or making the right plan to deal with it. Get this part right and the road speed will naturally start to increase.

Don't worry, with a bit of thought and application you should get there! It'll either come gradually to you, or you may have a eureka moment but you'll get there!!

Happy riding!

Marc
 
I had my third observed ride today and apparently I am coming along well. I still have the odd time when I'm not certain if I should be making progress or taking the softer/slower option.

That's great to hear-please keep the thread going as I'm finding it interesting to see how you're getting on. I intend doing mine this year too so I guess riding in a disciplined way takes a bit of getting used to?

When I did my car with the IAM exceeding speed limits was a big no no, except for certain circumstances on a motorway for short periods to get past heavies in heavy traffic etc so you could continue to make progress at the legal limit. Is that the same sort of thing your observer is expecting you to do or is there a bit more latitude?
 
Sayings you won't find in the blue book...

"If in doubt, go for it"

"It only hurts if you survive"

"Fast in, faster out"

Anybody got any others? :D
 
Did a couple of freebie assessed rides today. This turned up at the start! :D No. Not a premonition: both riders were fine, thank goodness! Glad things are going well.:thumb2
 

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Did a couple of freebie assessed rides today. This turned up at the start! :D No. Not a premonition: both riders were fine, thank goodness! Glad things are going well.:thumb2

That's a nice looking Trophy on the right ;)
 
"If in doubt, go for it"

"If in doubt shut your good eye and go for it"

"I've sometimes failed to spot a prat ... sometimes that prat was me"

Use my Six P strategy and you'll not go far wrong ...

"Perfect Planning Prevents Piss Poor Performance"

Corners you can't see round?

"Stay wide, stay late"

"It's Not Rocket Science"

:beerjug:
 
That's great to hear-please keep the thread going as I'm finding it interesting to see how you're getting on. I intend doing mine this year too so I guess riding in a disciplined way takes a bit of getting used to?

When I did my car with the IAM exceeding speed limits was a big no no, except for certain circumstances on a motorway for short periods to get past heavies in heavy traffic etc so you could continue to make progress at the legal limit. Is that the same sort of thing your observer is expecting you to do or is there a bit more latitude?

you got to go for Littleade, new year, new experince, the results are Motorcycling enjoyment and a longer life!
 
I have now had confirmation of my check ride for Wednesday, hopefully test to follow soon.
 
Just completed a six day RoSPA course at Ormskirk - well six Saturdays in succession.

Really enjoyed it and picked up some great tips and dropped a few bad habits.

Would really recommend it
 
I had my free trial observation ride the other day with an IAM assessor, very enjoyable, and I've took the plunge and signed up for the Skills for Life program.

I ride 'very well, but there are several areas where we can really help you to improve and get the most out of your riding, and your bike'

I ride pigeon toed, so I've got to make myself ride on the balls of my feet, which I found uncomfortable the other day as my legs are stiff, and my knees are crap, but it'll get easier I suppose.

I need to straight line roundabouts instead of swooping round the curves on them, and I need to use my mirrors more. - I can check both my mirrors without moving my head, but that obviously isn't visible to an observer, so I'll have to keep my head moving for his benefit!

He wanted me to be a bit more extreme in my positioning for bends - I was using a fair bit of the road, but he wants me to use more, which will open up the road ahead for me even more.

Like many riders new to the 'advanced' world, I'd say my main areas for improvement are observation and planning - I'm looking forward to getting out again with him soon!
 


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