Motorcycle School

[dsmiththailand]

My mate from NSW has recently retired to Pattaya and would to go to school to learn how to change gears on a big bike.  Can anyone reccommned an english speaking training school?  Thanks.

 

He is aware of all the dangers in Thailand when riding motorcycles and the crazy number of deaths on the roadways.

[couchpotato]

A school to 'change gears'....this is a wind up right?

[KhunLA]

suggest your friend start with one of these 2 wheelers, as if 'gears' available, it's a simple button on the handlebars:

Edited April 7, 2022 by KhunLA

[scubascuba3]

You can learn the gears on a smaller bike, main difficulty with big bikes is the weight

[Moonlover]

22 minutes ago, scubascuba3 said:

You can learn the gears on a smaller bike, main difficulty with big bikes is the weight

Good idea. Most small bikes here have a semi-auto clutch so he can learn the footwork first and then graduate to a manual clutch later once his confidence builds.

 

I doubt whether he would find a riding school willing to teach him 'big bike' skills until he has confidence on a smaller machine.

[ezzra]

A big bike riding school, and an english speaking one too? tall order there mate...

[Doctor Tom]

If he hasn't ridden a big bike before, say 500cc plus, here is certainly not the place to learn, or to gain experience  If he must then I suggest that he makes contact with the Pattaya big bike club and see if they can help him with some instruction.  However,  if he thinks that just changing gears is the issue with big bike riding, well I hope his medical insurance is up to date, he may well need it.  

[scubascuba3]

24 minutes ago, Moonlover said:

Good idea. Most small bikes here have a semi-auto clutch so he can learn the footwork first and then graduate to a manual clutch later once his confidence builds.

 

I doubt whether he would find a riding school willing to teach him 'big bike' skills until he has confidence on a smaller machine.

When i learnt to ride a big bike in the UK, a 5-7 day course, you start off with a manual 125cc bike, then if feeling confident switch to 500cc for the big bike test, so if i was learning here a wave would help but another 125cc bike with gears and clutch will be available

[richard_smith237]

1 hour ago, dsmiththailand said:

He is aware of all the dangers in Thailand when riding motorcycles and the crazy number of deaths on the roadways.

Quite clearly he’s not if he wants to learn how to ride a ‘big-bike’ in Thailand. 

 

Pretty much veryone will be universal in suggesting if he is intent on riding in Thailand do first on a scooter (150cc) where the issue is not bike control, but predicting the unpredictability of traffic around you - its not really something anyone would want to contend with while ‘learning gears’.

 

Anyone (most people) who can drive a geared car and pick up how to change gears comfortably on a motorcycle, it just takes some time for it to become second nature so the focus is not on the gear-clutch-accelerator balance and is instead on looking out for ‘everything’.

 

Its not just about changing gears, its about being able to ‘flick' a heavier bike around something where necessary and knowing how to brake has hard as possible (ABS is a must here - the roads are often smooth and slippery). 

 

57 minutes ago, scubascuba3 said:

You can learn the gears on a smaller bike, main difficulty with big bikes is the weight

As scuba mentioned, weight is of course a big deal... So getting used to weight, gears, learning new traffic behaviour (unpredictability)... 

 

Then there is the additional facet - big bikes are simply not practical around town.

 

There are larger bikes which are fully auto such as the Honda NC750x (which also has the convenience of storage where the tank usually is). 

 

 

The best thing he can do is go with a mate into an empty carpark... to learn to change gears, feather the clutch, and control with trail braking at slow speed, practice emergency braking etc...  then progress to the quiet roads etc...

 

 

 

[aussiexpat]

I'm thinking the OP's mate must have a death wish. I've ridden bikes since I was 8 years old with my first "big bike" a 750 at 17 and currently have a 1200 at 56, so I seem to have the much needed self preservation skills

 

However, in 14 years of coming to Thailand I've rented a 150cc scooter once for a week. Thinking of a retired gent riding a big bike in Thailand when he needs lessons on how to change gears is mind boggling....

 

Edited April 7, 2022 by aussiexpat

[bojo]

If a retired person thinks he needs lessons to learn how to change gears, well really they shouldn't be considering riding a motorcycle in Thailand................If you know, you know and if you don't by now, well, it's more than a sign............................................

[PoorSucker]

An old Honda phantom is perfect for the job. 

 

[richard_smith237]

14 hours ago, PoorSucker said:

An old Honda phantom is perfect for the job. 

Indeed, he could pretend he’s riding a Harley... get that out of his system... 

Then revert to self preservation (relative) and ride a scooter !!!

 

That said; it all depends what this guy wants. 

Does he want to tour Thailand on a motorcycle ? or does he want something for around town ?