A guide to the pre-learners course

Any chance you can scan a copy (even remove any personal details / names if you want, and either email me a copy or PM me with it?
I've heard this from three people tonight!

 

http://imgur.com/a/EqJoy/

 

Thanks Kane! Very quick
I will have a read, and make sure Heidi1 is up to speed as well.

Will be interesting to watch to see if they are just making the Pre Provisional training (day) mandatory like NSW... or also going to use the NSW version of the MOST... that letter says they were bringing the "Pre Learner and the Pre Provisional course to be aligned with NSW"

 

Sounds like they are bringing it in line... guess we'd better find out

 

I did my ACT learners course today, and there was no counter steering exercise? Good write up though.. was great to read through the actual day, so really there was no surprises!

 

as of 1 July 12 the ACT course has changed to be the same as the NSW one...
so one less hour of instruction, and thus no counter steering exercise any more.

 

Alrighty will update the post now guys to remove the counter steering part!

 

Remember the L course is the beginning not the end of the learning journey. I have been riding for approaching 50 years and every day is a new learning experience (not Alzheimer's either). The learners course takes you from Unconsciously Incompetent (you don't know how dangerous you are) through Consciously incompetent (Oh shit I am dangerous) to Consciously Competent (I know what to do as long as I think about it).

You now have many kilometres to cover and many years of experience to come to become Unconsciously Competent where you no long have to think about anything but the world in which you are riding and preparing yourself for danger should it eventuate.

Get your P's quickly and then move onto further training, learn from others but avoid those that brag and boast. Always ride to your own limits - remember you ride therefore you think.

Finally after nearly 50 years of riding take this piece of advice - It is better to Give Way then be Dead Right.

If you want some practice or a group ride that focuses on rider development the MRA ACT runs two rides a month that you may be interested in.

Cheers

Pete

 

I like all of what you have to say here, but despite my being an opinionated son of a bitch, the bit that I have quoted from you above is the bit that I agree with 500%.

 

Just wanted to say a huge thanks for this thread... Made me feel a bit more confident when I did the course on Wednesday!

 

Well Done Tofuguts.

Head over to the new members thread to say G'day and tell us a bit about your self

 

Glad to hear it was helpful mate Congrats on passing!

 

I had this course over the weekend and thought I would update this thread with my own review for those current lurkers/posters both now, and in the future.

This review/overview comes from someone with zero car/motorcycle experience. I am novice in the truest sense of the word. I only have my car L's. That's it.

Day one turned out sunny, but started overcast/wet. In the morning we started out in the classroom, but it was really just to run through some administrative stuff and to get your gloves, helmet, and, of course, your hairnet! (for hygiene, but, in that case, they really should have offered us gloves for our gloves as well!) Overall classroom time is kept to a minimum; I guess you learn more by actually seeing and doing...

When we started on 'the range' the ground was wet, not drenched, but wet. It didn't really have an impact on us, but it did make my street shoes a bit slippery when I would rest them on the pegs. The squeaking of my street shoes on the pegs didn't give me confidence that my feet would stay on, but I think it was unfounded. Either way those concerns faded pretty quickly. So, anyway, we started with getting on the bike properly. We would then learn the correct start-up sequence, and learn about the clutch and friction point. It started a bit sketchy though; initially the bike scares you because the feel and the noises are so much different than a car. To be honest just getting on the thing was daunting.

The last activity had us going in an oval circuit and shifting up to second, before going back down to first when we were on the other side of the oval. I had difficulty coordinating and remembering the correct sequence of events: i.e., pull clutch quickly in, throttle off, gear up/down, throttle on, let clutch slowly out. All these things are basically done simultaneously. And the braking! The brakes on a bike are so sensitive! At least at the speed we are at (max 25k/ph). That was probably the real surprise of the day one. My perception was that we would really have to stomp on the rear/front brakes but I was wrong, and the throttle is very sensitive also, so minute inputs only.

Anyway I got a bit flustered on day one when they ran some exercises in a real short space, but once they let us go on the oval track a few times, and uninterrupted for 10-15 minutes, it felt really great and natural. I was up and downshifting - I was pretty jerky/clunky though, and on day two I found neutral a fair few times while on the range which was frustrating as I was really making an effort to stomp down to first and really keep the pressure up to go to second (we could only use two gears). I guess it's a question of technique and practice. Sometimes I was the last to get going or to finish the exercise, but I didn't care. I went in with nothing to prove.

Day two started in the classroom again, but we basically left straight away to the range, and our bike time started off with us repeating the last activity of day one. To get us warmed up I guess. By day two I noticed the instructors would just say to mount up and pull out when you're ready. Instead of dictating who goes, and when. The overall pace is faster, and they start to give you some breathing space. Other activities of the day include breaking in general, and then breaking to a reach a certain point (to simulate an intersection/stop sign), but not really emergency breaking. Some slow riding with rear break control, and they talked to us about creating a crash avoidance zone. Always observing, buffing, and such. If you can't slow down or stop in time to avoid something that may happen up ahead, then slow down. We were told/shown how just 5-10k's slower can make a big difference here. A fair bit of time was spent on cornering - which was really flowing/natural/fun. Enter wide, exit tight, and avoid the 'head-on zone' around the center line of a bend. A bit more classroom time in day two, but again it's 95% range time over the two half days.

The instructors are very accommodating and professional, but I think they assume some prior knowledge/skills, although they say in the brochure that this course is for complete novices. Because in the beginning of the day when I was flustered I stalled the bike a fair few times because I would slow down, brake, and forget to pull the clutch in. One instructor came up to me and said "You wouldn't forget to do that in a car would you?" and I was like "Ahh...I don't know...I've never driven a car before...", but I don't think he heard me...but it's all good; he was trying to help by relating it to something I 'should know', but the thing is - I didn't...

The real disappointing thing for me was a fellow ACT learner. They created a hostile atmosphere over the two days, and, when I stalled the bike while pulling out slowly from a stop, I got flustered and started to panic a bit. Anyway I composed myself and was just talking myself through it, anyway, since you can't overtake, I was holding some people up, and a middle-aged man behind me got impatient and out of frustration said "C'mon! hurry up!". I was really flabbergasted to be honest. I mean he was there with his son as well...and although it felt like I was there for a lifetime it was probably only 60 seconds. It really just shook me up coming from a mature aged man like that. I mean, we are in a controlled environment TO make mistakes...it's all practice...and people will stop and stall in front of you out there on the road. So just brake, stop, and let them get their shit together, no? It really turned me off even dealing with other riders in the future. This was was an experienced motorcyclist who knows HOW to ride (he had let his L's expire multiple times)...and that was his advice?...but I know he is just one to spoil it for the many.

If you do the course in winter, dress warmly. Be prepared. Balaclava, scarves, multiple layers whatever you have to do. Trying to listen to the instructors when all you can think about is how damn cold your face is - well it's no good. Keep your gloves and helmet on, even when you are dismounted and listening to the instructors, it'll help keep those bits warm and keep you focused on what they are saying.

I passed the course but does that make me ready for the road? Nope. Not at all. It has really just got me ready to BEGIN practicing in other controlled environments - like UC carpark about 100m from my place

 

Thanks mate, it sucks you had some negative experience there but you have the right attitude, yep you're a newb, but now you have a licence to learn
Do you have a bike?

 

Thanks, and yeah I should have something by the end of this week - which I'm looking forward to.

 

Cool, keep an eye out for learner sessions, or maybe see if someone is around to join you for a ride in the meantime.

 

You are now qualified to sneak around your neighborhood in non-peak times Don't get confused and feel you should be ready to go commute in the morning rush, take your time and practise the skills. Keep an eye out for learner sessions, you'll meet lots of people in the same boat and I PROMISE you, no-one will tell you to hurry up or will give you a hard time. Anyone who is not respectful to everyone there, is not invited back.

You'll be fine, just take your time.

 

Anybody who's done this recently, do you have a sense for how long people typically are waiting to get in on a weekend Stay Upright Pre-Learners course (I can't seem to find the price on the website any more)? Also, how much is the Pre-Learners course at the mo?

Asking for a friend. Ta.

 

I just emailed them via the link on their site and was sent a list of dates and open spots.
Can't remember cost, but it might be on www.rego.act.gov.au

 

Cost is $252 which includes the bike, helmet and gloves. Having just gone through this a few weeks ago, availability just depends on demand. I was able to get into a weekday course with 2 days notice.