Get On - my first ride for over 31 years!

Earlier this week I booked a place for a free 45 minute 'experience' with these people http://www.geton.co.uk/ and I attended this morning.

The location was the driving test centre in St Helens, which I thought would be a bonus for me as it's likely that will be where I take a MOD1 when the time comes.

The weather was beautiful - mild and barely breezy - I had the roof down on my convertible car for the drive, there and back.

Easy enough to find (in a car with sat nav), I arrived ten minutes early. There was a liveried van parked up and an easy-up shelter with jackets, helmets and gloves to borrow and a young lady with registration forms. The toilets in the test center building were available (good!)

It was all very relaxed and friendly - they aren't trying to persuade you of anything beyond giving you a chance to ride a 125cc bike under guidance, and they don't even insist on sending contact information to riding schools if you don't want them to.

The helmets were all pretty clean and didn't smell; the jackets were clean but mine showed some fraying and wear on the cuffs and velcro, and the gloves were either brand new or close to it.

I took my own Sidi boots, but they seemed happy with trainers from what I saw of others.

The entire test centre MOD1 'arena' was given over to the event, with two riders at a time, each 1-2-1 with an instructor and having the length, but half the width of the area each.

There were five bikes to choose from: a 'normal' road bike, a fat tyred low-seat thingy, a scooter, a grom or something similar and the one I took (largely because the normal road bike was taken); a trials type bike, which reminded me of the Honda MT5 which was the last bike I rode all those years ago.

I admitted to having some knowledge and previous experience, but also to how long ago it was, and the instructor judged his approach to me very well, I thought - he assumed nothing, and I in return claimed no ability, and we got on just fine.

As it happens, and with some little glitches like pressing the gear leaver down when coming to a halt, I was very pleased with myself and my riding.

The instructor took my gear-down action as I came to a halt to be me remembering my previous experience, I think.

I don't mind admitting (as I did to him) it was actually the car driver in me not being able to resist putting the left (car clutch) pedal down as I stopped to save a stall...

I got loads of 1st and 2nd gear riding done, half a dozen runs through the slalom; plenty of stopping from (modest) speed in 2nd in between cones; plenty of slow-speed, clutch-slipping tight turns and lots of figure-eight practice, too.

I didn't come anywhere near putting a foot down, or even remotely touching a cone at any point.

I felt really pleased with myself by the end, which came surprisingly soon as time flew by, and if before the session I was concerned by how long ago (and completely un-tutored) my previous riding experience had been, by the end I genuinely felt like a MOD1 pass was a realistic, feasible thing to look forward to, and my CBT and the prospect of some road-riding was suddenly something to look forward to instead of being anxious about.

Well done, it may prove to be the inspiration you need to do something with it this time, leaving it another 30yes may be pushing it.

awesome so when you doing your CBT

Well done, it may prove to be the inspiration you need to do something with it this time, leaving it another 30yes may be pushing it.

That's the point of the born-again biker though, isn't it - realising you might have less time left to enjoy things than you've spent not doing them already?

awesome so when you doing your CBT

Soon (ish) - I'll let you know.

Nice one, mate......sounds like a good day.......

Glad to hear you enjoyed it. I was going to do this but ended up getting excited and doing the CBT. Enjoy the learning process it's great fun.

I did a free taster session before my CBT, every little helps when starting, or restarting.

I came back to biking after a 33 year break, did a refresher course before I let myself loose on an unsuspecting public. That was about 7 years ago and in that 7 years I have gained an IAM qualification and covered about 70,000 miles, many of them with my wife and we both thoroughly enjoy it. I hope you enjoy it too.