Hi from the UK - and help..!
 

Hello everyone,

At the age of 56 I decided it was time to get on the road again. Thought a motorbike would be good. Bought an old CG125. Many things fell off. Replaced things, including kick-start lever... Learned to drain a carburetor, etc. Practiced slow control in local car-park. Many times. Set off one sunny morning, let go of the clutch too quickly. Hit neighbour's pick up truck. Fell off. Lots of blood on leg. Scary neighbour shouting at me. Insurance claim. Got on again next day. Drove round car-park. Bike stalled. Pushed it home (limping..). Went to Manchester to look at nice new scooters. Wondering about whether I can get there (on the road) from here (terrified of combination of UK traffic and co-ordinating bike controls at same time). Getting sad looks from bikers when I mention scooters. Feel like a failure.. Anyone else been here...?

hang in there! practice is all.keep using the cg while you fall off - and you will fall off while you are getting the hang off it but it will all be worth it eventually:D

as for rufty tufty biker looking down on scooters - f**k 'em! I've been riding bikes for 40 years, a bike mechanic for as long ,had hundreds of bikes and now, I ride a scooter!

Hi longtallsally, welcome to the HUBB :)

I am new here too and new to motorbiking - I do my CBT next week and have my heart set on CG125 (hopefully with less falling off bits than yours!).

Not sure if you have previous motorbike experience or not from your post, but have you done your CBT? That should give you the basics to be able to control the bike plus you go out on the road with an instructor for at least 2 hours. Or if previously done a CBT or have a bike licence etc then you could see about either a few hourly or maybe a days lesson to get you up to speed and get your confidence back?

Personally I don't think it matters what you decide to ride - do whatever feels more comfortable/safe to you. I know there are quite a few scooter riders on the forum ( Scootergal is one that springs to mind).

Good on you for getting back up and getting back on, I look forward to hearing about your progress :) :scooter:

You're only 56!! A mere youngster!
Just do it as the advertisement says.

Thank you bikerz. Your words were just what I needed to hear. My current hero is Ed March, the bloke who's ridden his C90 to the Arctic Circle among other places. I love the simplicity of it. Wahey!

Thanks for your post optimisery (love the name..). I did my CBT in the summer and my instructor (an astute man) decided that it might be a good idea if I did my road test on a scooter, having watched me struggle with a bike for half an hour. So I went out on the scooter and I loved it. Perfectly happy and it was only a 50cc. I think that's a moped - but I loved it! I felt like I could have ridden it for hours, numb bum or not. I wish you the best of luck with your riding and if you don't mind a tip from a complete greenhorn, make sure your CG is a bit newer than mine (20 years old)!

Thanks longtallsally :) Though I've been eyeing up the older ones cause they look so much better :)

Sounds like an automatic scooter may be the way to go for you, for the time being anyways..

If you like the Ed March stories then here are a few links for you that maybe of interest, if you haven't already seen them:

Scooters Ride The World
UK To Mongolia on cheap Chinese C90 copies by the Gobi Girls ( Also HUBB members)

Postie Notes
The Gobi Girls & Scootergal ride Australia soon on Honda Ct110's

RTW on Underbones
Day by day account of a Round The World Trip again on cheap Chinese C90 copies - its quite a read ( I'm still only on page 10!)

Our paths may cross at some point as I am often down Manchester way - I'm from Rochdale & mum still lives there.

Best of Luck!

An automatic 'twist-and-go' 50cc scooter is a good way to start out. My daughter wanted a bike but was very timid, so we got her an under-powered 50cc scooter and I taught her how to ride that so that she could get a basic bike licence. She has been riding that bike daily for about a year now, and has decided that she's ready to step up. She wants a bike with gears (non-scooter) so we are working on upgrading her skills and getting her another bike.

With a low-powered automatic scooter, you can concentrate more on the basic riding skills until you build up confidence. Once you've got a grip on the basics of motorcycling, you can take on the additional skills that come with more powerful engines and manual gear changes.

Good luck and enjoy!

Thanks for the links Optimisery. I've started reading RTW on Underbones (what is an underbones...?). I'm assuming he means a scooter. I'm already hooked on the story so I'll continue reading. Also the other links. For those of us who can't yet do, we can read about other people doing, and it's keeping me going. I agree with you about old CG's - that's why I bought one - and also because they're cheap.. I'm sure I'll feel better about it once the Spring rolls around and I can start interfering with it again. I don't want to give up just yet, but I'm thinking of perhaps getting a scooter while I go on learning to ride the bike. That way at least I can get off the car-park. If you're ever heading South, let me know and I can introduce you to my CG. Who knows, by then you may have your own!

Thanks Bermuda Rover. My thoughts exactly. At least on a scooter I can get used to the traffic (Fear no. 1) and slowly get to grips with the gears/clutch (Fear no. 2). Either way, I'm determined to get out on two wheels and if it ends up being a scooter, I feel much better about it now I've had such a nice response from the HU crowd.

Hello LTS .. Just being on two wheels is one of the most liberating things anyone can do.. what every you ride how every you ride it ..

That should be "ever" !! typo !!

I have noticed a bit here in Australia ,that a lot of older folk are buying scooters,the lower centre of gravity is a big help for those who lack upper body strength.Any how that aside they are very comfortable bikes to do distance on.
saying that i'm referring to the larger scooters 400cc and up.Iv'e been riding for 35 years ,so give your self time to build your skills they do not happen over night
best of luck ,Noel:D

Hi LTS :)
The CG is a great bike and I would stick with it if that's what you imagine travelling on (or bigger). If you haven't been riding since you did the CBT, it may be worth contacting the training centre to have a refresher day. Some trainers also offer private training & will gladly take you out.

I've been riding for 3 decades (a CG125 was my 1st bike) - you never stop learning & we all make mistakes, no matter how long we've been riding :oops2:
Make sure you've got the protective gear on & hopefully the only thing you'll injure is your pride. Get back on and laugh it off :mchappy:

56, just a wee bit older than me. I'm off on Alaska to Argentina next year, just back this year from another one elsewhere You're never too old until your dead :) Scooter, why not, they have some pretty quick ones as well. bike is better though :)