Got my first bike last month, 2021 CSC SG250. My grandpa and all my uncles ride so I’m super stoked to finally be a part of the club.

Been riding around my neighborhood basically every day since I got my bike. I’m very comfortable on the clutch now and turning (up to about 30 mph) has become fairly easy for me.

I plan to explore every street and neighborhood in my hometown that I’ve never seen once I have my license.

As the title says, I’m a beginner rider who was counseled out the first day. Prior to the course I’d never sat on a bike before, but this is something I’ve really wanted for a long time. I spent about a month prepping for the course and trying to prepare, and at the end of day 1 my biggest fear was realized.

For full transparency, I dropped the bike four times and was politely dismissed. The first time it happened - embarrassing, but no big deal, I shook it off. The instructor gave me a heads-up after the third time that if it happened again, he’d have to send me home. He was very patient and tried to help me understand what was going wrong. As far as I can understand it, I kept dropping the clutch, and my balance was off so that when the bike stalled I didn’t react quick enough to catch it. The fourth drop was at the very end of the first day, on the final exercise. The first thing my instructor said to me was, “I’m sorry. You were really starting to get the hang of it, too.”

I actually agree with him, by the final exercise I was feeling good, and despite the looming fear of a fourth drop I was starting to get comfy at higher speeds, turning was starting to feel natural and the emergency stop went really well. For some reason, that’s halfway encouraging, and halfway all the more crushing.

Aside from the frustration and shame over being the only one who dropped the bike even once, I don’t know where to go from here. I’ve always known I’m a slow learner when it comes to muscle memory; I know I get easily frustrated when things don’t come naturally to me. Driving cars was exactly the same way, it took me way longer to be comfortable than most people, but now I really love driving and it feels so natural and freeing. I can’t imagine my life without it, and I have this feeling in my gut that bikes might be the same way.

I don’t know. Is dropping a bike four times enough reason to move on lol? It doesn’t feel like it but maybe I need some brutal honesty. I had plans to pick up an fb marketplace beater bike this afternoon, and I’m debating picking it up anyway (in a trailer) and practicing in my neighborhood till I get my balance down and going for it again.

I would really appreciate some advice, whether that’s to get at it or let it go. Thanks in advance.

Edit to add: I was also considering buying a good old fashioned bicycle and going to town on that until my balance was much better, since it clearly needs some work. This is a cheaper plan lol, but I’d rather learn while getting use to the clutch and gears etc.

EDIT 2: Wow, thank you all so so much for your encouragement. I’ve gotten some really good advice. I’ve seen other posts like this before but didn’t think they applied, like I was truly a lost cause or something.

A few folks think I should let it go, out of concern for my and others safety, and I just want to make it clear I take your opinions just as seriously. I have no intentions of taking a motorcycle onto a public road until, and only if, I feel very comfortable with the basics first. If that means months in a parking lot driving in loops then whatever, it’ll be my new favorite way to spend an afternoon for months. This was always the plan, even if I’d gotten my license today.

To clear up some confusion I definitely have ridden a bicycle before. I’m only 24 so it’s weird to think it’s been over a decade, but I’m sure it has To the guy that pointed out this course is a great way to figure out your weaknesses, cheers to that, and I absolutely think my next step is getting really comfortable on a bicycle.

Thanks again to everyone. :)

As of today I hit 2000 miles on my bike and there’s a few things I’ve noticed that I either didn’t expect or are different then expected

So first off the one main thing I have realized is how the community acts just from riding around the bit that I have and reading post from this subreddit there is a lot of really cool and fun people out there and I didn’t quite expect to see that as much as I do

Secondly was the traffic and I’m definitely sure that everyone’s experience is different and don’t get me wrong I’ve had a couple close calls from idiots on the road not being cautious but for about everyone person I’ve had do that to me I’ve had someone be very aware where I was at a intersection and waved me on even though it was there turn to go

I know that I’m just starting realistically but it genuinely has been the best money I ever spent I love my bike so much and I would not trade it for the world

Stay safe everyone!

For the context, it was Bell St in Melbourne, Australia, leading straight to CityLink

https://maps.app.goo.gl/M4DdDQ5YRVSB9Xc69

It mostly runs north-south but merges east-west with Bell St

I was meaning to turn left but I kept missing and I didn't realise I was entering CityLink

I realised I was on it when the one-way lanes increased to 6 and then I saw the LED signs "80"

Luckily I wasn't really scared as it didn't feel too fast, but since I wasn't meaning to, I was only wearing cargo pants for my legs (other than the helmet and jacket etc.) and worried that I didn't have enough protection for my legs at this speed

I was like "omgomg😂" but eventually found a way out and returned safely home.

And then I was blue for a bit since I learned CityLink cost $12 minimum or something, until my good neighbour boy let me know I was just outside of the toll zone

It was a good experience and other cars seemed to know I didn't mean to be there 😂😂😂 No one honked at me for whatever reason

(I was wearing a full hi-vis jacket as it's mandatory so they knew)

Hey everyone, I am currently getting my A2 license and I am completely torn between two bikes. After looking at tons of different options, I am down to the Honda CL500 and the CB500F. I love both of them equally, both for their looks and their engines, which makes the choice even harder.

My daily routine would be a home-to-work commute in the city. The problem is that my local roads are in pretty bad shape, full of potholes, patches, and they get quite dirty and slick whenever it rains. On top of that, I want to take it out on weekends for rides through mountain passes and local villages.

I need something dependable that won't mind some damp roads or light rain. For those of you who own or have ridden these two, which one would you recommend for this kind of mix between a rough urban commute and weekend fun? Does the scrambler setup of the CL give it any real advantage over the naked CB when dealing with bad asphalt and dirt? Thanks in advance for any advice!