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LollipopJimmy · 05-03-2021 4:25pm

goblin59 wrote: »

Thats ****ing ****.

I used generic deals headphones on the day when I did the test.
But they were crap and I couldn't hear his instructions anyway,
Surprised they didn't let you just tune your instructors radio into the frequency they were using

We asked him couldn't do that and he wouldn't. That would have been the simplest solution and given the reason for this messing (covid) I'd have expected some leeway. It's not as if there was something wrong with my safety equipment or bike

goblin59 · 05-03-2021 4:58pm

LollipopJimmy wrote: »

We asked him couldn't do that and he wouldn't. That would have been the simplest solution and given the reason for this messing (covid) I'd have expected some leeway. It's not as if there was something wrong with my safety equipment or bike

It would have made sense for them to have even tried making a profit, buy a bunch of cheap headphones that they knew worked with they equipment and then sold them for about €15, I'd have paid that on the day if i was stuck.

Have you rung the RSA, told them you followed their guidelines about the ear piece and it didn't work?
once its a 3.5mm head phone set with no microphone it should have been within their guideline.

LollipopJimmy · 05-03-2021 5:41pm

I will ring but haven't yet. I fear today it will only anger me further.

ronanc15 · 05-03-2021 6:07pm

That's a **** buzz man, really sorry to hear that. I used my instructors earpiece to be safe but it was still extremely patchy. Even missed two calls completely at roundabouts and went straight instead of taking a later exit. Still passed which tells me he was used to using a piece of sh1t radio

07-03-2021 12:51pm

I'm looking for some advice.

I usually go everywhere by bicycle, or ebike, or train, and have been told I can wfh permanently so I won't even be on the train much. I'm an experienced cyclist and have good road positioning etc. but I had a couple of close calls in recent times with very close overtakes whereby if I was not paying attention and jammed on I would have been milled out of it into a ditch or the "overtaker" would have smashed head on into oncoming traffic. Close overtakes are what bother me the most with cycling, left hooks, dooring etc I can cope with.

I don't have a driving license or a car, I can't justify the expense when it would used a handful of times a week at most, particularly as am saving for a house, although I would like something for longer trips than the ebike.

A friend (who is not a motorcyclist) suggested I get a moped or small motorbike and expressed the opinion that I would be 'accepted' more on the road and would not get as many close passes. Is this the case? He also said that petrol, tax, insurance, running costs (and the bike itself) would cost far less than a car (which seems to be true) especially if I kept it to 125cc or under. I would like something with a fairly upright position. Having looked on youtube maybe something like the Honda Supercub or CT125 in particular (if released in Europe) would be fun. Main use would be pottering around local town on errands on occasion, or longer trips mainly exploring on crappy rural backroads. Speed is of no concern.

Although I have never been on a motorbike so that would be a concern, do many people who go for the initial training having never sat on a motorbike before? Any advice?

Jimmy Bottlehead · 07-03-2021 1:14pm

Alan Famous Newlywed wrote: »

I'm looking for some advice.

I usually go everywhere by bicycle, or ebike, or train, and have been told I can wfh permanently so I won't even be on the train much. I'm an experienced cyclist and have good road positioning etc. but I had a couple of close calls in recent times with very close overtakes whereby if I was not paying attention and jammed on I would have been milled out of it into a ditch or the "overtaker" would have smashed head on into oncoming traffic. Close overtakes are what bother me the most with cycling, left hooks, dooring etc I can cope with.

I don't have a driving license or a car, I can't justify the expense when it would used a handful of times a week at most, particularly as am saving for a house, although I would like something for longer trips than the ebike.

A friend (who is not a motorcyclist) suggested I get a moped or small motorbike and expressed the opinion that I would be 'accepted' more on the road and would not get as many close passes. Is this the case? He also said that petrol, tax, insurance, running costs (and the bike itself) would cost far less than a car (which seems to be true) especially if I kept it to 125cc or under. I would like something with a fairly upright position. Having looked on youtube maybe something like the Honda Supercub or CT125 in particular (if released in Europe) would be fun. Main use would be pottering around local town on errands on occasion, or longer trips mainly exploring on crappy rural backroads. Speed is of no concern.

Although I have never been on a motorbike so that would be a concern, do many people who go for the initial training having never sat on a motorbike before? Any advice?

If you're on the road, you're at risk. Car is less risk due to the metal protection around you. But on a bike or moped, you're at similar risk to a bicycle. If you come off or get hit, all bets are off. Proper gear REDUCES the risks of injury or death by a certain amount, but nothing is a guarantee.

You'll still have crap drivers and ignorant cyclists making trouble for you, so you always have to drive defensively if you want to stay alive.

Petrol, tax, insurance are all less than a car, especially on a 125 which runs for hundreds of miles on dreams, hopes and a little petrol. Tax is €88 a year, regardless of engine size. Start up costs are high. Bike, gear (and I'm an All The Gear All The Time, or ATGATT kinda guy), training, insurance, and before most of that, the IBT (Initial Biker Training). Also factor in security for your bike; a very good chain and lock at minimum.

Yes a lot of people do the training having never driven a bike. I did. And I fell in love with it and never looked back. Give it a try, if you like it - great. If you don't, then you're down a few hundred quid but at least you tried and had a new experience.

07-03-2021 1:37pm

Jimmy Bottlehead wrote: »

If you're on the road, you're at risk. Car is less risk due to the metal protection around you. But on a bike or moped, you're at similar risk to a bicycle. If you come off or get hit, all bets are off. Proper gear REDUCES the risks of injury or death by a certain amount, but nothing is a guarantee.

You'll still have crap drivers and ignorant cyclists making trouble for you, so you always have to drive defensively if you want to stay alive.

Petrol, tax, insurance are all less than a car, especially on a 125 which runs for hundreds of miles on dreams, hopes and a little petrol. Tax is €88 a year, regardless of engine size. Start up costs are high. Bike, gear (and I'm an All The Gear All The Time, or ATGATT kinda guy), training, insurance, and before most of that, the IBT (Initial Biker Training). Also factor in security for your bike; a very good chain and lock at minimum.

Yes a lot of people do the training having never driven a bike. I did. And I fell in love with it and never looked back. Give it a try, if you like it - great. If you don't, then you're down a few hundred quid but at least you tried and had a new experience.

Thanks for this. I'm quite good at defensively riding on my bike, so that awareness should carry over, I would hope. The close passes are what annoy me as aside from good road positioning there is not much you can do, almost every other element of bad driver behavior I have found I can offset (or predict) with due care and awareness, but they are sometimes past you before you even know they are there. I was thinking that with a moped/motorbike close-passes would be reduced as I will be going a bit faster, car drivers may not have as much of a "must get in front" mentality, and even with mirrors that may help with awareness of what is behind me.

I would definitely wear decent gear.

I had been pricing costs of a car, a decent one would set me back 6 to 8k before insurance, tax, lessons, petrol etc. If I could get on the road with a bike for 6 to 8k initial 'investment', or even a little more, I would be happy enough as ongoing costs would be far less (depreciation seems a lot less than on cars too).

Do the IBT folk supply a bike, gear etc for the training? (well in normal times anyway dunno how covid has impacted)

Thanks again

Jimmy Bottlehead · 07-03-2021 3:19pm

Alan Famous Newlywed wrote: »

Thanks for this. I'm quite good at defensively riding on my bike, so that awareness should carry over, I would hope. The close passes are what annoy me as aside from good road positioning there is not much you can do, almost every other element of bad driver behavior I have found I can offset (or predict) with due care and awareness, but they are sometimes past you before you even know they are there. I was thinking that with a moped/motorbike close-passes would be reduced as I will be going a bit faster, car drivers may not have as much of a "must get in front" mentality, and even with mirrors that may help with awareness of what is behind me.

I would definitely wear decent gear.

I had been pricing costs of a car, a decent one would set me back 6 to 8k before insurance, tax, lessons, petrol etc. If I could get on the road with a bike for 6 to 8k initial 'investment', or even a little more, I would be happy enough as ongoing costs would be far less (depreciation seems a lot less than on cars too).

Do the IBT folk supply a bike, gear etc for the training? (well in normal times anyway dunno how covid has impacted)

Thanks again

In normal times, yes.

You'd definitely get on the road for less than €5k.

Ballpark figures but...

Bike: €1000-2000 (although now is a rotten time to buy a bike, as noted on the forum recently).

IBT: €500

Gear: Your call, but if you wanna maximise your safety, you're talking helmet, jacket, pants, boots, gloves. You can save a bit starting off used (not the helmet though) but overall you're looking anywhere from €500-1000.

Insurance: How long is a piece of string? I should think definitely well under €1000 though.

Coffee: €10,000. Bikes get cold, coffee is hot.

knucklehead6 · 08-03-2021 1:32pm

Pretest today and i'm feeling strangely apprehensive!!

garlad · 08-03-2021 1:55pm

knucklehead6 wrote: »

Pretest today and i'm feeling strangely apprehensive!!

When is your test?

knucklehead6 · 08-03-2021 1:56pm

garlad wrote: »

When is your test?

25th. Have another pretext with the same guy that morning.

garlad · 08-03-2021 2:00pm

knucklehead6 wrote: »

25th. Have another pretext with the same guy that morning.

Best of luck!
Been riding long?

I only started last October. Need a bit more practice before I look to book a test. Hopefully with the better weather I'll get out more than once a week.

sm3ar · 18-03-2021 7:37pm

Anyone know the Dun Laoghaire test route?

Bluefoam · 18-03-2021 10:49pm

I was thinking of doing my CBT at the Triumph/Ducati center, does anyone have any better recommendations? Located in South Dublin.

Jimmy Bottlehead · 19-03-2021 5:57pm

Bluefoam wrote: »

I was thinking of doing my CBT at the Triumph/Ducati center, does anyone have any better recommendations? Located in South Dublin.

Cognitive Begavioural Therapy is decent enough, personally I prefer a psychodynamic approach.

Neither are much use for teaching ya how to ride a bike though.

Try the IBT instead. As for doing it at those centres, I wouldn't. I'd go somewhere to get proper training so I didn't write off my nice new or used Triumph or Ducati

I recommend Eric Dalton, you'll find other recommendations if you look on the board. It came up recently enough.

Mjolnir · 19-03-2021 6:03pm

Jimmy Bottlehead wrote: »

Cognitive Begavioural Therapy is decent enough, personally I prefer a psychodynamic approach.

Neither are much use for teaching ya how to ride a bike though.

Try the IBT instead. As for doing it at those centres, I wouldn't. I'd go somewhere to get proper training so I didn't write off my nice new or used Triumph or Ducati

I recommend Eric Dalton, you'll find other recommendations if you look on the board. It came up recently enough.

At least I'm not the only one who gets irrationally annoyed seeing cbt instead of ibt.

Eric dalton or Tony Moore if you're up that way.

Bluefoam · 19-03-2021 7:43pm

Jimmy Bottlehead wrote: »

Cognitive Begavioural Therapy is decent enough, personally I prefer a psychodynamic approach.

Neither are much use for teaching ya how to ride a bike though.

Try the IBT instead. As for doing it at those centres, I wouldn't. I'd go somewhere to get proper training so I didn't write off my nice new or used Triumph or Ducati

I recommend Eric Dalton, you'll find other recommendations if you look on the board. It came up recently enough.

Thanks for the recommendation, I might just try the IBT instead 🥺

Hotblack Desiato · 19-03-2021 9:22pm

There's also another meaning for CBT you need to be careful about... don't google it in work :pac:

Bluefoam · 19-03-2021 9:49pm

Hotblack Desiato wrote: »

There's also another meaning for CBT you need to be careful about... don't google it in work :pac:

Oh noh... I feel fragile now. Do not look it up!

Jimmy Bottlehead · 20-03-2021 9:22am

Hotblack Desiato wrote: »

There's also another meaning for CBT you need to be careful about... don't google it in work :pac:

He'll know about it if he goes for that training! :pac:

Bluefoam · 20-03-2021 11:45am

Well, I'm just finished day one of my CBT course... Not what I was expecting at all. I don't know any more about bikes and certainly don't feel safer on the roads...

I'll see how day two goes before I decide if I want to keep it up.

Jimmy Bottlehead · 20-03-2021 2:36pm

Bluefoam wrote: »

Well, I'm just finished day one of my CBT course...

I'll see how day two goes before I decide if I want to keep it up.

Yeah, the aul C&B Torture can be rough for keeping it up.

Varik · 20-03-2021 5:06pm

Bluefoam wrote: »

Well, I'm just finished day one of my CBT course... Not what I was expecting at all. I don't know any more about bikes and certainly don't feel safer on the roads...

I'll see how day two goes before I decide if I want to keep it up.

When did the CBT restart in the UK, I know they were doing the same as here with only front line people getting the tests but I thought the CBT was still closed.

Bluefoam · 20-03-2021 5:34pm

Varik wrote: »

When did the CBT restart in the UK, I know they were doing the same as here with only front line people getting the tests but I thought the CBT was still closed.

CBT is a different thing to IBT... Google it only at your own discretion 🤣

Bluefoam · 21-03-2021 6:07pm

Can anyone tell me how the tester communicates with you during the riding part of the test... Do they have standard helmet communicators? I saw someone above mention that they had their own earbuds...

If I have my own Bluetooth headset, will the tester connect with that? I'm going to install a Sena in my helmet.

Mjolnir · 21-03-2021 6:14pm

Bluefoam wrote: »

Can anyone tell me how the tester communicates with you during the riding part of the test... Do they have standard helmet communicators? I saw someone above mention that they had their own earbuds...

If I have my own Bluetooth headset, will the tester connect with that? I'm going to install a Sena in my helmet.

No you have to buy earphones with no mic, plug in to a radio(walkie) they give you for the test, and they have a similar set up with a mic to give you instructions.
If you show up with a Bluetooth kit they'll send you home on the spot.

Has to be a standard 3.5mm Jack which can work with the likes of a motorolla cp040.

Bluefoam · 21-03-2021 6:25pm

Thanks. Not sure how I'll get me big noggin, ears and headphones into the helmet &#55358;&#56611; but other people must be doing it, so I'm sure it's possible.

Mjolnir · 21-03-2021 6:28pm

Bluefoam wrote: »

Thanks. Not sure how I'll get me big noggin, ears and headphones into the helmet �� but other people must be doing it, so I'm sure it's possible.

Either buy a cheap set of in ear earphones or amazon sell ones that are like the ones we get with Bluetooth sets. Make sure whatever one you get doesn't have a built in mic.

Very easy to fit earphones in they barley protrude from your ear.
You absaloutly will not fit over ear headphones in a helmet hahaha.

goblin59 · 21-03-2021 8:23pm

Bluefoam wrote: »

Can anyone tell me how the tester communicates with you during the riding part of the test... Do they have standard helmet communicators? I saw someone above mention that they had their own earbuds...

If I have my own Bluetooth headset, will the tester connect with that? I'm going to install a Sena in my helmet.

My tester used a Motorola 2 pin walkie talkie.

the 3.5mm jack fits and then only works in Mono and the audio sucked.

Could barely understand what he was saying

Bluefoam · 21-03-2021 8:53pm

Is this the right type of earphones? Ratings are low, sound quality poor...

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Hensych-Motorbike-Motorcycle-Speakers-Headphones/dp/B01C7119WM

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Learner/Newbie Sticky All Learner/newbie/Starter Questions Go here!!**