First time biker ...How do I go about it?

start small. get a basic, 100 CC bike (125 will have more power, but for now, focus on handling).


no auto start, nothing fancy, should be COMFORTABLE.


now, ride around as much as possible.


pay attention to the bends and curves. play a game : keep the bike on the divider (dude, only do this on empty roads). learning how to turn is one of the most important lessons, and its rare to find an indian biker who can turn well.


learn the proper riding position : the arms should be slightly bent at the elbows, the torso should be bent forward a bit, and the head MUST point in the direction you want the bike to go. (adjust the handlebars as needed).


speed in a bike is not important, its the skill. many a time, i beat the pulsars and yamaha fx's at the green light on my 8 year old hero cd-dawn, coz i know how to take max advantage of my bike (sadly, they catch up to me within 10 seconds and overtake, coz i NEVER ride my bike above 50). If you know how to gearshift properly, brake, and accelerate, then you can be 10x safer than the idiot next to you.

also, ALWAYS assume that the other motorists are fools who dont know an iota of how to drive anything. this will save your behind many times.

remember, brake>>>>>>accelerator. learn braking before accelerating. when braking hard, downshift gears and release clutch, the resultant engine inertia will slow you down further, and decrease chances of slipping.

NEVER BRAKE WHILE TURNING. again, say it with me, NEVER BRAKE WHILE TURNING. its of to brake as much as you like BEFORE entering a turn, but dont apply brakes as you turn, its dangerous as fvck. theoretically, you can brake in a turn, however, doing that will send you into the opposite traffic, resulting in an accident. trt to minimize use of the rear brakes. you should use the front brakes more than the back brakes. like 60-40 split.

oh, and STICK TO THE LEFT SIDE, when you drive, i HATE slow bikers who occupy the middle/right lane, stopping me from overtaking (if this was gta, i'd have them taken out with a missile launcher, and then trampled upon by a tank, and then washed away with a water jet from a fire truck.)

thats all i can say atm, which covers the basic mistakes 90% of the indian drivers make.

post if you want more advanced stuff.

see, mate there is no "course" or curve of learning.

I wouldnt trust my younger brother 100% while driving, yet he learnt to ride a bike before me. Its not about the time spent, its about the skill you have.

just practice on empty roads till you can drive without randomly veering in a direction, and can balance the bike, and have successfully learnt to keep the bike in control, so that it does not shut off randomly (due to wrong gear, or something). then you can slowly go around and drive in open roads, have someone, prolly your dad or friend (who knows stuff, dont take on a stuntsman or dhoom-fan kinda guy) whose driving you trust (i learnt from my dad, i totally trust his driving, infact, i take naps while he drives)

good luck on your quest!!!

obligatory :

its too dangerous to go on your own, here take this!!!

If you can ride a cycle, you can ride a bike to>>>>Provided you can handle the weight. FOr starters a bike of the category of Splendor is okay.
pulsar and above is for those who can handle the speed and have a correct state of mind on-road.

Apart from that all I can say is, Practice makes perfect.

I have been driving the same bike - splendor, for the past 11 years. and I started just like you. Back then I used to be so thin that I couldn't lift the bike even if it fell from its stand lol. Mind it splendor is a 100Kg bike.

Gollum, mate, a motorbike is a different beast than a bicycle.

However, there are some similarities, so, if you just want some practice, or want to scout out some roads, get on a bicycle and ride. Its neither recommended nor forbidden. Do what you think is best.

-> Which bike should I buy, something which is easier for first time rider?
I don't wanna buy a 2nd hand.

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If you can replace it later on, or you can be satisfied with a 100cc bike for all your life, get a Discover 100 DTSi (4 gears version).

But, if you want somewhat of a performing bike with a wish to keep it for long term, the best Indian premium bike for a beginner according to me, is Yamaha FZ16. It has good city level performance/ handling combo and has good tyres and well tuned brakes for safety reasons.

->How do I practice after the course?
It's not possible for me to get a pavilion rider with DL .
Is it safe to practice in roads, and avoid the main road?

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Try colony roads for a start.

-> I know it's subjective, but how hard is the leaning curve(no pun intended)?
How many hours should one practice before he is confident of riding in main traffic, specially Bangalore traffic.

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Within a week, you can get hold of the machine. But good riding sense comes in a lifetime.

Keep headlights on at night time, take right hand corners rounding the circle from the left properly, brake early (so that brake light appears soon) but do not brake too hard (people behind you might crash into you), etc. I learnt all these things by experience and a constant desire to learn & improve.
Also, don't ever be too confident, even after 5 years from now.

And no matter what: always wear a full face helmet and a pair of good shoes (with no exception to this rule), and if possible, riding jackets, knee guards, etc. Don't listen to people speaking against helmets and protection, because they haven't seen anything. Ask me: I've seen & heard of guys getting crashed and killed, riding at 40 kmph, which is considered a normal speed.

Do w/e you like buddy but just be patience(it will come gradually and with experience), but don't hit someone or vice-versa.
And most important : Stay away from lady drivers/riders on road and Auto-Rickshaws(extremely deadly.).

Confidence.
I regretted biking since the gear system was little tricky for me. But now, i am mad at driving.
The greatest astonishment to me is that i learnt to ride cycle (5th grade), bike(12th grade) myself.
IF you have confidence, you can learn it yourself. Believe me if it became your passion, it will be difficult separate you from your bike

when you brake, dont apply clutch till the bike slows down enough, downshift gears accordingly, this is very effective braking. read more (wiki) about 'engine braking'.
dont remove the 'mirrors' for style or have them faced towards yourself. learn to use it in proper way.
always think of safety, not just of yourself, but others on road too. when you approach turns, be careful of vehicles/kids... + dont overtake vehicles at junctions if they have slowed down , especially buses, because they might have slowed down to let other vehicle cross through.
wear helmet.

I say, its the desire to ride with pleasure and improve! And the, the time you spend with your bike will decide how you ride.

Practice on the empty roads thoroughly and for 2 weeks then take a friend with you whom can drive good (good is not fast) and ride around with him in those empty roads. Let the pleasure and fun of riding come to you and your graph will have a dramatic increase!

If you find riding a burden on you, you will never learn to ride!

I learned to ride a bicycle at the first grade, basic gear less 2 wheeler driving (TVS Scooty PEP+) at 5th grade and Just bought a geared two-wheeler (TVS Apache RTR) on 11th and am in 9th grade. However I learned biking in the 7th grade. Improving ever since!

So, the desire and the pleasure are the keys!

Dont listen to music while driving and don't attend calls while driving. Good advice from shin chan.

And never take sudden turn or swerve on a straight road.

Auto start is good during rush hours.

And keep distance from autos, buses and trucks.

If you see them, behave/drive as if they are filled with terrorists out to ram your vehicle. Not far from the truth, actually, if you think about it.

@eggman.. do you know to ride a gear less scooter?

do you only want to go for a bike.. or is scooter a option..

cause I have driven in Bangalore traffic from past 12 years and now I prefer scooter over bike as its more comfortable and easy to manage in Bangalore traffic.

in any case.. you should first try a gear less scooter for couple of hours to get comfortable with riding (take it from one of your friends) then you can start learning the bike

RCuber said:

@eggman.. do you know to ride a gear less scooter?

do you only want to go for a bike.. or is scooter a option..

cause I have driven in Bangalore traffic from past 12 years and now I prefer scooter over bike as its more comfortable and easy to manage in Bangalore traffic.

in any case.. you should first try a gear less scooter for couple of hours to get comfortable with riding (take it from one of your friends) then you can start learning the bike

Click to expand...

best reply ever


although OP should know, a two wheeler is the most dangerous mode of transport.

If you can spend a lakh on a bike then get a tata nano, good for rainy weather and saves you from dust and pollution, robs you of all your dignity

doomgiver said:

And keep distance from autos, buses and trucks.

If you see them, behave/drive as if they are filled with terrorists out to ram your vehicle. Not far from the truth, actually, if you think about it.

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He is right , stay away from them as much you can. Specially when you are in learning mode.

and FYI.. Bangalore traffic can only become worse.. I had used my Splendor for about 5 yrs or so .. then one day I took my bro's Activa to my workplace and I was like dang.. no gear changes ..

RCuber said:

@eggman.. do you know to ride a gear less scooter?

do you only want to go for a bike.. or is scooter a option..

cause I have driven in Bangalore traffic from past 12 years and now I prefer scooter over bike as its more comfortable and easy to manage in Bangalore traffic.

in any case.. you should first try a gear less scooter for couple of hours to get comfortable with riding (take it from one of your friends) then you can start learning the bike

Click to expand...

Yes. I know how to ride gearless scooty. But again I never rode in traffic.
I only want to go for an bike.

I have also rode bike for around 10 hours, but not much in traffic.

But it was about 2 years back.

Even then , I never got very comfy with with stopping and starting bike at will.Had hard time in taking a U turn , stopping without shutting off the bike .
Gonna start training again this Thursday. It's a 10 hours course, after that I'll start practicing on my own.

Problem is, all my friends stay very far from where I''m staying . (Indiranagar). So asking for a spare bike is not an option.
I don't even know how I'll get the bike from showroom to my place. Probably gonna bribe some friend for that.

RCuber can give you lessons for a small fee

eggman said:

I don't even know how I'll get the bike from showroom to my place. Probably gonna bribe some friend for that.

Click to expand...

Gollum said:

best reply ever
If you can spend a lakh on a bike then get a tata nano, good for rainy weather and saves you from dust and pollution, robs you of all your dignity

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well, and truly said. HEAR HEAR!!!!

doomgiver said:

NEVER BRAKE WHILE TURNING. again, say it with me, NEVER BRAKE WHILE TURNING. its of to brake as much as you like BEFORE entering a turn, but dont apply brakes as you turn, its dangerous as fvck. theoretically, you can brake in a turn, however, doing that will send you into the opposite traffic, resulting in an accident. trt to minimize use of the rear brakes. you should use the front brakes more than the back brakes. like 60-40 split.

Click to expand...

Good honest post i must say, but i differ on this point.

You should use your rear brake (tapping action and not a slamming one) to control the curve radius..If you enter a corner/turn too fast , use the rear brake only to correct your course..The use of a front brake on the other hand is not advised.

Another few tip for a first time biker:

1. Watch the surface on which your moving- slippery , sandy, rocky- even a seemingly harmless braking, done improperly, can cause you to lose control so fast before you can what the fruit!!

2. Learn to use both mirrors- they are not for show, they have a purpose. Always check the mirrors when ever making any lateral movement- be it left or right.

3. Dont be a racing monster on the road- Control the urge to race with egg heads. These short spirited burst of speed are very very unpredicatable, and you may end up in a hospital rather than reaching your destination or if ur real unlucky-in a jail . Better to be safe than sorry.

4. Keep a very cool , level head when driving. You will run into autorickshaws that turn without a signal, or indica cabs that change lanes without warning or goverment bus that overtakes on your shoulder without a horn or the proverbial pesky pedestrian who will cross the road as if he born to cross the road .....do not get all ruffled up..
Since your starting fresh , you may end up making mistakes on road..like a stalled engine with ppl honking behind you, again dont get nervous and act stupid

5. Anticipate - Related in someway to Pt 4, Anticipate the actions of ppl around you...kids on side of the street may suddenly dart across..Crossings will have a few errrant last minute high speed dashers....the auto infront can suddenly make a turn.etc etc .keep your distance and maintain a speed such that you have full braking confidence.

6. Before starting for the day, always inspect your vehicle for basic functions - brakes, clutch, lights, indicators.

7. Common sense- a rare quality in most motorost that pky the road.

And please use your helmet...you can show off the hair when ur stationary...and if you feel stiffled, go ride a cycle.

Cheers!!

^^good points. Agree with the turn thing and anticipation.

aloodum said:

Good honest post i must say, but i differ on this point.

You should use your rear brake (tapping action and not a slamming one) to control the curve radius..If you enter a corner/turn too fast , use the rear brake only to correct your course..The use of a front brake on the other hand is not advised.

Another few tip for a first time biker:

1. Watch the surface on which your moving- slippery , sandy, rocky- even a seemingly harmless braking, done improperly, can cause you to lose control so fast before you can what the fruit!!

-snip-

Cheers!!

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I'm sorry, sir, but I'd like to take up with you this point :

1. You should NEVER brake with the rear brakes alone (tapping or mashing), when making a turn. Sure, pros like us can brake decently on a turn, but what you are saying is a recipe for a wipeout. Rear brakes are hardly enough for braking in any situation, and are there purely for balance (guess why sports bikes have a 60-40 brake ratio?)

Most turns on Indian roads are badly surfaced, many even have a wrong gradient (like, road curves to right, and the road slopes DOWN from right to left, trust me, I've been on a few of them, I had to take them on 2nd gear). Brake with rear end, and you'll lose your legs.

I'm not saying dont use rear brakes, just use them less than your front brakes, and always use brakes together. (try it out, use only front, then back brakes, then both. see for yourself how much distance it takes to stop, btw, rear brakes have more chance of locking)

Oh yeah, point #6, sadly, i never check maybe i trust my bike too much, eh? (or im in too much hurry )

oi!!! don't scare the guy yaar

no, mate, riding a bike is no joke.

when i see the brainless fvcks riding like morons on the road, i wish that they all die in horrible accidents. they are a menace to themselves and those around them

^^ lolz too harsh eh?

btw where is the OP??

^^Not in the hospital

^^ i hope he's come out of his "shell"

Haha...
Thanks a lot guys for the valuable suggestions.

As a first timer, every suggestion has been incredibly helpful to me.
Been practicing last week, gained a bit of confidence.

Still not very well confident with starting and stopping bike at will.
Turning is another area where I get scared,and can't make narrow turn. :-S
Need to practice more.

Changing gears have been fine till now. Seems to be within grasp.
No problems while riding freeway .

Haven't fallen once , although was really close when I pressed the front brake without pressing clutch while turning.
Should've read the points more carefully

Planning to book Yahama FZ-S .

Is a good bike for first timers ?

see, i told ya, dont brake while turning.

what bike are you using right now?

for your first bike, choose something with a good balance, excellent comfort and easy handling (like, you should be able to turn it without feeling nervous).
riding straight is easy, its the turns that will give problem the most. hence, choose a bike, which allows you to turn easily.

and bumper to bumper traffic.

doomgiver said:

see, i told ya, dont brake while turning.

what bike are you using right now?

for your first bike, choose something with a good balance, excellent comfort and easy handling (like, you should be able to turn it without feeling nervous).
riding straight is easy, its the turns that will give problem the most. hence, choose a bike, which allows you to turn easily.

Click to expand...

Ya. Haven't made that mistake since.
Sometime I press rear brake slightly to gain a bit of control.

How should one turn.
Press clutch to slow down the bike and take a turn without braking? Is it the right way?

I'm using Unicorn for practicing.

don't engage clutch when turning, unless you cannot maintain speed during the turn.

engage clutch only when coming to a halt/stop or slowing down to keep the engine from stalling. when controlling speed via breaking do not engage the clutch. it will disengage the drive and you will not be able to take the advantage of engine braking.

that said .. you can still use the clutch, but its not a safe practice.

eggman said:

Ya. Haven't made that mistake since.
Sometime I press rear brake slightly to gain a bit of control.

How should one turn.
Press clutch to slow down the bike and take a turn without braking? Is it the right way?

I'm using Unicorn for practicing.

Click to expand...

see, the thing to proper turning is control. dont engage clutch while turning. with clutch lever open, the engine will maintain speed (if throttle is engaged) or gradually decrease speed in a predictable way (if throttle is shut off). turns should always be taken at zero acceleration or constant speed (speed is dependent on road properties). donot try to accelerate or deaccelerate in turns.

also, i dont get you... how can you press the clutch lever and slow bike? the clutch lever, when pressed, frees the engine from the transmission, like this, you have a constant speed, decreasing slowly.

with clutch pressed, and throttle open (not pressed), the friction from engine will slow down bike quicker.

what i suggest is this : in turns, press clutch to roughly half, and give a bit more throttle power. this will result in less quick changes in speed (as clutch is not fully engaged, engine has to turn more to provide same power, hence, rate of power delivery/power transfer is lessened, resulting in a safer turn.

unicorn is a nice bike. tho its got a bit higher centre of gravity (personal opinion, YMMV)

and yeah. the clutch is the most important part of the bike. master it first. along with the brakes. (using rear brakes for control is acceptable, as long as the press is not sudden. but please dont do this on wet roads.)

@Eggman : Remember there are no set rules for driving , everyone has a "style/mode" of driving. While common best norms/practices may exists, what works for me may not work for you.
The key is to find a confident riding style, which alone you can figure. Trust me when riding its gut feeling with presence of mind that will play in your head, not a rule book
Each corner, turn is different..Thats where your experience, with your gut feeling will come to your aid.

Dont be scared of braking...practise using both brakes..Only these two when applied in unison will bring a bike in complete halt in the intented stopping distance...Each brake alone will take far more stopping distance...... The rear, on most bikes , when slammed too hard will cause fish tailing--- your bike will be pulled to one side , in a slippery manner.
Having said that, your practising on a unicorn- A honda..All honda and its derivatives have a delayed/spongy front disc brake action comapred to a say a pulsar. This spongy actions allows a safer stop

Pardon us if we have scared you ...We are humans and we will make mistakes..accept it..and learn...Use common sense and in no time will you garner loads of self confidence.

Cheers!!

Finally ordered bike.
What all do I have to do and take care of?

I know i'll have to get number plate. Apart from that?
The insurance will be done by the showroom.

^^ Congrats .. which bike did you book ? AFAIK unless specified the showroom guys themselves will get the registration/number plate done.

I've booked FZ-S, Orange black*bharathautos.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/2012-FZS-Fiery_Orange1.jpg

Few question:
I currently have only LL and the bike won't have it's number plate when released (although registration number would be given).
The showroom is around 2 km from my home. So when getting the bike, if a cop catches me what do I say??

you can just state your registration #/challan copy to them. in any case you will be given a temp registration # which will be valid for 30 days.

Yaayy!! Finally got it!!

Thanks everyone who have helped me in gaining confidence

eggman said:

So when getting the bike, if a cop catches me what do I say??

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*www.thinkdigit.com/forum/customavatars/avatar15910_19.gif

^^ LOL.

^lolz.^.

Faun said:

*www.thinkdigit.com/forum/customavatars/avatar15910_19.gif

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Good one!!

eggman said:

I've booked FZ-S, Orange blue*bharathautos.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/2012-FZS-Fiery_Orange1.jpg

Few question:
I currently have only LL and the bike won't have it's number plate when released (although registration number would be given).
The showroom is around 2 km from my home. So when getting the bike, if a cop catches me what do I say??

Click to expand...

This is Orange only.No Orange blue

sumit05 said:

This is Orange only.No Orange blue

Click to expand...

Oops...I meant Orange - black

Firstly, Congrats on your New Bike...

Well, there has been some nice advices to you in the earlier post.

Pay Attention to the below

1). Inspect your Vehicle before taking out for a RIDE. You don't have any idea, what someone else would have done to your Bike, when its parked in the Mall Parking Zone or Office Parking area or outside. Inspect Brakes, Clutch, Engine Oil Level, Amount of Petrol Left in the Tank. Most Importantly, make sure your ride is set to Neutral Gear before & after any Trip, as you are a starter. Check your Tyre Pressure every time, whenever you visit Petrol Bunk for refilling.

2). Read the Manual & instructions before hand & know your Bike.

3). Always get your Bike Serviced at the designated Service Centers with the designated period or KM's. Have a test ride before your Bike is delivered out of the Service Center. Inspect your Battery Serial Number with your battery warranty slip & make sure they are matching.

4). Also read the Insurance Coverage on your Bike. Read & understand, what is exactly being Covered & what's not.

5). As the Bike is new, try not to ride hard with Increased Rev. Keep it simple & linear. Don't try to ride the bike above 60's till you complete your first Servicing.

6). Make sure your are familiar with the Control Panel. Specially with the Lights, Horns & Pass-By Lights, Choke & Indicators. Its very hard to reach one of them at night, specially when its dark.

7). Safety should be your first priority. Not only for you & your Bike. Also for the other commuters on the roads. Always wear Helmet when you're in charge of your Bike. No matter whether you are riding to the next grocery shop close by or a far distance. Wear Shoes always, as your Bike is a toe shifter.

8). Make sure you have the emergency numbers stored in your Mobile, which includes Police, Ambulance & the first person to be contact in case of any emergency. Never use Mobiles, PMP's or go out of Focus when you are riding & are on Road. Believe me or not, in many cases like people gathered on the road because of accidents. Other tend to lose their focus on the road. They watch them & try to know, what's happening out there. Its better to avoid, in case your are sensitive to handle situations like this or keep your ride on the left side of the road till its Cleared.

9). The Most important thing : Learn to use your vehicle mirrors. They are very important aspects in your Ride. The Moment you hear or see an ambulance/police sirens back of your ride or near your ride, its better to immediately slow down & keep towards left side of the road.

10). Speeding or Being a Maniac on Indian Roads is not safe for you as well for others. Why ?? Firstly you are not sure most of the times, how well the Roads are maintained. Second is the pedestrians. Third is the Bus, Auto, Other fellow bikers..blah blah. When riding at night make sure you keep your Headlamps in Dipper Mode, which doesn't goes straight on the Opposite direction Traffic.

11). Maintain your Bike well, it will take care of the rest. Same goes with your Health.

Have a nice time with your Bike & Keep your Eyes Wide Open, when on Road.

Just got my first servicing done !
Every thing is great, except that the front brake feels much more softer now than before!
It scares me a little while riding.

Is it normal and will the brakes be back to normal after few kms. (Already rode 28 km after servicing).

Yes, after the Oil change the Disk tend to not work for sometime. So be careful during those days. after 40-50Kms, the disk brakes works normal as before.

d3p said:

Yes, after the Oil change the Disk tend to not work for sometime. So be careful during those days. after 40-50Kms, the disk brakes works normal as before.

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Oh thanks
Ya , during servicing the engine oil did get changed.
I was thinking maybe they screwed up something .
Good to know that.

Will drive for 30-40 km more and see what happens.

One more question.
How long does it take to get the DL??

I had given the test last Tuesday and yet to receive them.

I'm from bangalore.

Sent from my Samsung Galaxy S3

If you have acquired the Learner's License then Driving License won't take more than a week after the test.

d3p said:

If you have acquired the Learner's License then Driving License won't take more than a week after the test.

Click to expand...

Oh! I have given test 9 days ago for DL..still awaiting
I've given my home address, but I'm not there 9-5.
Maybe they've come and gone. But they should call atleast...

eggman said:

Oh! I have given test 9 days ago for DL..still awaiting
I've given my home address, but I'm not there 9-5.
Maybe they've come and gone. But they should call atleast...

Click to expand...

Generally they send such documents through Indian Post EMS. Usually they will leave the DL at your doorstep. And weird thing is they won't call you at your number to inform "You got a parcel"

Finally got the DL after a month's wait.

During reviews , I've seen people claim that the top speed of the bike was 105-115 (with a pillon rider).

Today in a highway , I tried to attain the highest speed, but unfortunately the bike won't go above 90 km (with pillon).

RPM at top gear was around 7000 , when I hit 90.

I usually change gears between 4-5k.
What could be the reason of such low speed?
Is it because the bike is new or I'm riding it wrong?