I did my CBT on an automatic and now ride an auto scoot.
I’m looking to do a Full standard licence course in the summer.
I would like to do the test on a manual, to save me having to go back and do the test again at a later date and having to have restrictions for another 2 years. The problem is i have never ridden or driven any thing with a clutch. My bicycle has gears but that is the extent of my geared experience.
The courses open to me include a 5-day course that is aimed at beginners - starts at CBT and ends in the Test. I think that the having ridden and done a CBT means that all i would be learning would be gears, the CBT certificate means I can ride an auto but I don’t know how.
Is 5-days enough time to learn to use gears? and get my riding up to a test standard - i think i need coaching to get my current riding to test standard anyway.
Being a student i have no money and being a referee my pay has dried up until the season kicks off again so i cannot get a cheap manual to practice on and with my financial and employment status a second bike is a ludicrous idea.
Depends on how quick a learner you are? When I did my DAS this time last year I hadn’t ridden a geared bike for 10 years so I was a bit rusty to say the least on the gears but I picked it up again in the 5 days and passed the test (albeit on the second attempt). If you’ve got auto CBT you’ll have to do the geared version anyway before you can do the geared DAS I think. Most training schools should assess you anyway on the first day and they’ll let you know if they don’t think you’re ready. Go for it! …before the new test comes in :).
I done my DAS last december, went from never having riden a bike before to passing my full bike test in 4 days, 1 day for CBT and 3 for the DAS, depends on how quickly you pick it up, DAS can be anything from 3-5 days I think.
I’m cramming on the theory and hazard-perception stuff at the moment. I took my driving test way back in 1996 when I was a seasoned exam-taker, so I’m having to get back into the swing of things now!
I ride a CBR 125 and I am thinking of going for my DAS, I get enough experience on gears from just riding my bike.
I was trying to find out about courses to do the test and it is really expensive :w00t:… I think I will go for the cheapest one even it it is done in three days!!!
Gears should be fairly easy to pick up, remember there is a lot of difference between gears on a car (where the transition from auto to manual is maybe more involved) and on a bike, they are much easier in terms of changing on a bike. it should become natural fairly quickly, I did my CBT on a geared bike, and many people do.
Good luck it with, and if it hasn’t shifted in 5 days, go see a doctor
I was trying to keep quiet about that as I found it quite hard!
Despite having ridden geared bikes many decades before, and having driven a geared car for 20 years I had a lot of trouble judging the gear changes and balancing the clutch and throttle. But that was just me - do the CBT - most people find the transition very easy, and even if you don’t, you will have a new CBT, experieince of gears, and professional advice on what you need to do next.
