Looking to get bike license.

[Mungrel]

Hey all,
been having some discussion with a friend and we're toying with the idea of going for our motorbike license in the near future.

Any tips / advice or ideas on what the go is with getting a bike license in QLD is?

One thing i've picked up have been to stay in the tire tracks on the road as opposed to the centre of the lane where oil is most likely present. True?

Thanks in advance.

[Scommo]

Very true.

And ride as if you are in-visible to other motorists, like they are all out to get you. Get a set of loud pipes so other people can hear you. .

Goodluck.

[A^K^T]

A little professional instruction could go a long way .
Gloves
A summer jacket is handy so your not tempted to ride without one .
Dragon Jeans or similar .
Suitable footwear .

once you have done a few k's a cornering and breaking course could be good , the one i did some time ago was great . Fourth gear only and using no breaks on a 99CBR900 around Barbagello :D

[Mungrel]

Good advice Scommo, thanks.

Thanks AKT, professional instruction is definitely on the agenda
Fourth gear only and no brakes :eek: i'll need some practise hehe

[natedog11six]

Hi mate.

I recently got my motorbike licence this year.
The most common way is to do Q-Ride. There are lots of licenced Q-Ride training centres around the joint. In my experience, Q-Ride is really good. First session was for 6 hours, made up of theory and riding. I forgot to mention that it is competency based training. I then went back for a second session that went for 2 hours and was all riding skills. Slow speed manouvering, emergency braking, slalom, etc. Once all the right boxes are ticked off, you then head out onto the road with a group of about 8, including 2 instructors. You may already know all of what I just said... but also because of the new laws that have come in this year, you have to go for your 250cc licence no matter what. Whether you are on your Opens or 21 years old or not. I think so anyway. Once you've complete the Q-Ride training, they give you a Q-Ride certificate which you take to QLD Transport and you can then get your licence.

The advice that the guys have said earlier is very useful. And you'll learn alot of it at the Q-Ride training. Positioning yourself on the road is very important. One thing that was really hard to take in, for me anyway, was the whole "counter-steering", but it made sense in the end. To turn right, you have to push with your right hand on the handle bars because it's when the bike is leaning that turns it the way you want to go.

It's definately handy to have your motorcycle licence, you have a lot of fun in the process and learn a lot of helpful hints for when you're on the road (even when driving a car).

Here is a site that is very helpful with lots of things like what gear to get, what bikes are good for learners, riding tips, and how to go about getting your licence:

http://www.#################/forums/viewforum.php?f=2&sid=d50e128a3c5c753a1b9d0937aa5c3b93

Anyway, good luck!
-Nate

[Mungrel]

Awesome response Nate, thanks heaps! :)
I did a quick search last night and found the Q-Ride site, only had a brief read through it as i was falling asleep at the time, but it definitely sounds like the go.

[A^K^T]

Good advice Scommo, thanks.

Thanks AKT, professional instruction is definitely on the agenda
Fourth gear only and no brakes :eek: i'll need some practise hehe

It's actually quite good , the reasoning behind it is that there is less to think about . You concentrate on lines and positioning on the bike . You roll off the throttle and judge corner entry speeds .
The instructors said that in the later stages of the day people actually became slower when they started using the brakes because they would near on stop before the corner and have a much slower entry speed .

[Mungrel]

Makes sense i spose.
Worst case scenario, into the sandpit you go eh? lol
But yes, it would be great for judging speed and line.

[RATTLER]

Mungrel - As a rider for many years my best advice to you regarding riding a motorcycle on the road is clothing! NEVER ride without:

1. Jacket with all required padding
2. Dragon jeans
3. A decent set of shoes e.g docks

Even if you're going down to the shops, please wear all of the above!

I don't know what it's like over there, but up here you see guys riding with shorts, tshirts and thongs/sandles!! They've obviously never come off on the bitumen! I have come off on bitumen and luckily I was wearing adequate clothing! Once doing 110km/h and this is the result!
http://i182.photobucket.com/albums/x10/mesatinken/Rattler/New127.jpg
http://i182.photobucket.com/albums/x10/mesatinken/Rattler/New758.jpg

I'll 2nd Scommo's comment about adding after market cans also mate! Atleast people can hear you but you always need to be on the ball to pre-empt the d!ckheads out there who don't give a sh!t about us riders!

Good luck with it mate



Scotty

[OPPYLOCK]

Hey all,
been having some discussion with a friend and we're toying with the idea of going for our motorbike license in the near future.

Any tips / advice or ideas on what the go is with getting a bike license in QLD is?

One thing i've picked up have been to stay in the tire tracks on the road as opposed to the centre of the lane where oil is most likely present. True?

Thanks in advance.

Just my opinion but if you haven't ridden bikes before, do yourself a favour and go out and do some dirtbike riding first. Although the riding courses are good and teach you valuable skills, they can't replace experience. Dirt bikes are fun and a lot more forgiving and making a mistake in the bush is safer than on public roads.
As others have said, set aside some $$$ for good gear.
Safest part of the road to ride is where the danger isn't. Sometimes you ride the middle because it gives you the most room to brake should something go pear shaped. Oil/coolant in the centre of the road mostly occurs at intersections. Good not to be in there when braking in the wet.

Cheers

[Mungrel]

Thanks Rattler, dually noted.

Oppy - I used to ride the quad and 2 wheeler round the farm back in geraldton a few years back so i've had a bit of experience on bikes (mainly what not to do :lol:). As for riding in the wet - i'll be avoiding that wherever possible as we all know wet weather brings a lot dickheads out.

Thanks

[borry]

gday mungers..

accidents will happen, I got t-boned of fmy bike ( i was only doing 60 or so ) and i was in and out of hospital overnight. WEAR THE RIGHT GEAR! thats all i can scream. Had i of been in a singlet, etc i would have been in much worse condition then now. I ha dmy riding boots on luckily otherwise i woudl of crushed a foot or worse due to the nature of the acco.


Listen to all the guys previous posts, as much of a pain as it is to put on the gear, you only have think how much worse off you be if you didnt do it.


but all in all, bikes are excellent fun and i would reccomend them to everyone, just be on the look out and you will be fine!

[bob82]

i just got my ps on my bike and u need to ride like everyone is a moron
but the best advise i ever got was ride along saying to yourself
i can see....
they might...
i will ...
so in other words
i can see a boy on the foot path
they might run out in front of me
i will move over and slow down

[Mungrel]

Gday Borry long time no see!
I'm pretty sus of other drivers on the road even when im in my ute.

Good advice Bob, thinking ahead and all that.

So with the common consensus being ensuring i get decent riding gear, can anyone suggest places to get quality gear from?

Also, the helmet i use for my circuit racing is a full face with AS1698 standard. Is this a suitable / legal helmet for on a motorcycle? (no cracks, near new condition)

[Road Warrior]

Gday Borry long time no see!
I'm pretty sus of other drivers on the road even when im in my ute.

Good advice Bob, thinking ahead and all that.

So with the common consensus being ensuring i get decent riding gear, can anyone suggest places to get quality gear from?

Also, the helmet i use for my circuit racing is a full face with AS1698 standard. Is this a suitable / legal helmet for on a motorcycle? (no cracks, near new condition)

Any helmet you use for road use must be AS1698 approved, so your lid is fine.

Gear you can get from any decent sized, reputable bike shop. Personally I would go for leather for a jacket. Hell, I commute in leathers because I 'feel' safer in them, but it's up to you. Spend the extra and get some decent branded/quality stuff. There are good 'cheap' brands available and there are bad 'cheap' brands available, if you know what I mean.

Oh, and training, training, training. A rider who says he has nothing to learn will soon become a dead rider.

[markols1]

Hey all,
been having some discussion with a friend and we're toying with the idea of going for our motorbike license in the near future.

Any tips / advice or ideas on what the go is with getting a bike license in QLD is?

One thing i've picked up have been to stay in the tire tracks on the road as opposed to the centre of the lane where oil is most likely present. True?

Thanks in advance.

Hey mungrel heres something i borrowed from a bike forum a lot of it is very good practice and its a good read cheers mark.http://www.gixxer-forum.net/forum/showthread.php?t=5111&highlight=survive+bike just use your imagination and change the US/Europe/ wording.wouldn't worry to much about the oil it's the skipps and other animals dead in the middle yes it is the right move. one the car driver will see you easier and if the car/truck straddles the stiffy in the middle of the road its a good chance you will hit it just read the one million things to do when you ride cheers.

[BigAl83]

Yeah, agree with everyone, some good advice here. Most everything you need to know they'll teach you in the course, such as:

Stay out of blind spots,
head check when you change lane or move from standstill,
use the full lane to your advantage,
don't forget to cancel your indicator,
use your rear brake on corners and whilst moving slowly,
learn to "set-up" when coming towards intersections etc,
try not to rest your fingers over the clutch and brake levers,
move your weight on the bike when cornering,
use the front brake to move the weight forward for better steering,
avoid painted lines on the road, manhole covers etc,
keep your head up,

That's all I've got atm. Basically if you can ride a bike you shouldn't have any trouble getting your Ls, It's a little strange riding on the road to begin with but since you already drive a car and know the rules you should get the hang of it prety quick.

[wikky]

G'day Mungrel,

Everything that's been said already regarding rider training, the right gear and riding tips is good advice. One thing that was stated earlier regarding boots though, DON'T wear a pair of Doc Martins while riding, buy a proper pair of motorcycle boots. They start at cheap and nasty and go up to as much as you want to pay. You can get plain leather or flash colours, all depends on your tastes and your budget.
In regards to getting fitted out with gear, try and get all your gear in one place. That way you can usually geat a good deal and most places should look after you.
Something I noticed when I was a learner though in regards to keeping off the middle of the road and in the wheel track line, don't get sucked into getting too far over to one side. You may find that impatient people behind you (especially in heavy traffic) will try and squeeze next to you or past you. I was nearly knocked off my bike by a wanker who did this just a few days after getting my L's. Scared the fcuk out of me. Just something to think about.
There's so many tips and tricks of the trade. I grew up around bikes and picked up heaps of tips from my old man who also rides. But I found scouring the bike forums and searching for 'new rider', or 'riding tips' and things like that, I picked up so many useful things. It's just a matter of remembering them and putting them into practise.
I reckon my No 1 riding tip has already been spoken about a few times though. You need to ride defensively. Assume no one can see you on the road and always be on the lookout. On a bike you need to be taking in everything that is happening around you.
Sorry about the long winded post. Good luck with it mate.

[Mungrel]

Cheers guys, all very useful advice :)

[OZChris]

Any helmet you use for road use must be AS1698 approved, so your lid is fine.

Also check the visor as they have a separate AS number. Some tinted visors are not AS approved.

[1969ollie]

Hi,
A good riding school is a good start Morgan and Wacker rider training in brisbane do a good job starting off in a secure training area before hitting the roads, Rides are also good to get your skills up

Cheers

I meant to say rides days are great for getting your skills up

Cheers

[borry]

Oppy - I used to ride the quad and 2 wheeler round the farm back in geraldton a few years back so i've had a bit of experience on bikes (mainly what not to do :lol:)

Thanks

just one other thing mungers....


if you are used to riding dirt bikes while your younger ( like I was ) be sure to wear old undies when you go for a ride on a decent road bike. They are stupidly quick compared to a dirt bike... im pretty sure when i went WOT for the first time on an R6 i left one big brown stain down the road behind me.


just some more advise :spew: haha

[Road Warrior]

Also check the visor as they have a separate AS number. Some tinted visors are not AS approved.

Correct. Particularly the iridium/mirror tint visors. They also have a stamp on them usually that says they cannot be used at night, etc.

[funkshen]

hey mate, iv had my p's for 6 or 7 months now, as you've said you lived in gero a few years ago so you know the type of people who drive around here.

from what iv seen and from my very little exp AND being an 18yr old.

- Ride like every cage is out to get you
- Look ahead at where you want to turn, not right in front of you
- Do head checks aswell as using ur mirrors

Iv already been in a pretty hectic crash, 120 round a bend. the s-bend if you know it..good learning exp

iv seen a few of the old timers around here on their cruisers with indicators that havnt been pushed off. if theres one thing that would piss anyone off its trying to determine when/what someone is going to do!

[Mungrel]

:lol: remember geraldton all but too well :eek:

Specially the 'S' bend, the ol' VT used to handle very well through there... hehe
Also clipped a roo heading home from work one night.

Thanks for the visor tips too guys, mine is clear, ill check the AS tag also.

[GHZ28]

Hey James,

I am going through this same thing right now with my wife, she didn't bother getting her license way back when Ls were 5 years for zero dollars and just rode around with me all the time. Now at 50+ decides she wants a license.

I believe now you have to hold your L for six months whether you do Q-Ride or not, maybe someone could clarify that. Anyway, obviously she can not ride my 900 or 1300 so I went and bought her a Honda CB?250 naked type learner bike.

We go on rides most weekends to get her confidence back up, and spent a lot of time in a local footy club carpark just doing the low speed expertise stuff.

I have ridden many road bikes over the years, Yammie RD350 was my first, then a Kwaka 750 triple, Laverda 1000, Kwaka 900/1350 Yoshi kit, then the XJ900 for the past 21 years and now FJR1300 (and a few dirt bikes as well) and the best advice I was given about riding on the road came from Gregg Hansford who I went to school with......remember the only person on the road thinking about your safety is YOU. You are all you have going for you.

Keep in touch re the Ls etc and maybe we can organise combined rides or something as I have to spend time with Robyn and her friend with her learners.

Morgan and Wacker were also recommended to me, as well as the Honda run HART at Brisbane airport.

Cheers,

Garry

[GHZ28]

An update.....as I wasn't sure on the 6 months if you went to Q-Ride

Well if you go to them for your certification, you do not have to do the 6 months on L. That is the big advantage of the Q-Ride system and their selling point, prove competency and away you go.

on the riding gear....I have always worn a leather jacket, but am finding it just too hot and humid up here now. So I asked a friend in the police what they are now wearing in summer......DriRider Climate Control 2 jackets......so today I ordered one after trying one on. Good winter and summer, nice flow through in summer mode but still has hard armour for the fragile bits, shoulder and elbow, and is waterproof.

FWIW, best info I could find.

Cheers,

Garry

[cycloneo71]

Hello all, short time reader, first time poster, I'm here all week so try the veal.
With no motorbike experience - ever, I spent two years riding a 50cc scooter (waiting for the flack on that one) to work and back as a cheap and practical solution at the time. Talk about developing survival skills on two wheels. Imagine being on a unicycle while running with the bulls! Everyone on the road hates a scoot, and I didnt have any power to skip away from anything in front, beside or behind me.

Taking that experience into the Q-Ride (Mitchelton/Brookside) made the transition very simple to a bike. The instructors quickly seperate individuals and small groups into similar levels of competence and take you through the each skill/step as fast or as slow as 'you' need to. This means you will only pay for what you need without waiting for others, or holding them up, depending on your own skill and development throughout the training. One 18 yr girl fell off at the end of her engine-off slow brake application (step 1, day 1) by forgetting to put her feet down. She was lovely and I am sure she is happily cruising on her desired Virago 250 as I type. I did the first day 6 hrs minimum for fixed fee, got through all the competencies and only did the road ride (1 extra hour of fee) the next day with myself and the instructor. License gained lickety split. The others in my starting group of nine would have all needed different amounts of attention and time to get through the course.

Doesn't sound like much training, but I was confident with my 'road spidey senses' from the scoot time, and was confident in the skills they had shown me. This is of course balanced with a respect for the road, a healthy tinge of fear to keep me alert and a liking for my own skin. No silly stuff for me.

I ride a Kawasaki ER-6n as my first bike (before the new restrictions came in) and still love it. Supersport bike fans will probably quickly agree that it is a starter bike. I wear all the gear at all times because I dont need to fall off to know that it will hurt.

I've had a couple of near misses, all cars doing an illegal move, and the biggest lesson I have learnt on the road is to leave a healthy gap between you and the vehicle in front (ypu can't always be in front), and watch the sides for merging idiots on phone/lipstick/hairbrush/stereo.

Re a previous post - I don't avoid the rain as my bike is my only option to get to work. Other forums and advice I have heard say not to avoid wet riding. Some suggest to deliberately find a quiet spot/area on a rainy day and practice some braking and cornering in order to learn the different feel. When you are caught in the rain unexpectedly, you can be confident.

Long post, but thats because I love my riding. I recommend Q Ride to learn the bikes and the road experience can only come by getting amongst it.

Hope you go through with the licence and ride smart,
ooroo

[Mungrel]

Thanks Garry & Ooroo,

I'll definitely go through Q ride, it sounds like the most sensible and practical solution.
I'll try sus that out this week and see if i can get more time off work. :lol:

Will keep ya's informed :D