A call I dreaded making...

[azekeil]

I finally plucked up the courage to call Wayne, my motorcycle instructor. I arranged with him to pick the bike up - just as well as he's losing his garage in two weeks so he was needing to get in touch with me to see if I still wanted the bike.

Apparently the week starting September 16th is the best week for him - stuartl how are you looking for the Monday or Tuesday? We should be there between 8-9am to pick up. Apparently it's in pieces and will need to be thoroughly stripped down etc.

I asked him about the possibility of training a friend of mine up (kissycat1000) but he insisted that she would have to pay. I did say that I shelled out £1500 quid to get him back on the road, and that I was hoping he would be able to do me a favour. He also reminded me it was my fault as I was doing 70 in a 30 zone - true. However I reminded him that I did it as a gesture of goodwill and that he had insurance. He told me he was brassic and surviving off £400 a month.

The conversation didn't get unfriendly but he was quite firm with me and resisted my attempting to be assertive. I asked if he might give her a CBT but he said that she'd have to pay. He also reminded me that I'd had a 10% discount as I was going on the round the world trip but that I probably wasn't going on it. I told him I wouldn't as I'd had my bike stolen just two months after I passed my test, and it was only June I'd got myself my new bike and told him what it was. The conversation lightened up a bit as he made appreciative-sounding murmurs and asked if it leaked oil, which it does, a little bit. He also asked what year it was.

He did say that he wasn't going to do the 6-day guaranteed course after the last woman that did it took 3 months to do - but that he'd offer it to my friend for £650. I said I didn't think she'd be able to afford it but I'd mention it to her.

Anyway, my thoughts are to look into what I need to teach a learner rider legally and any additional things on top, then do a CBT and teach kissycat1000 myself if it's possible until she takes her full test. That's the only way I can see it would be possible.

Sorry for the style of post, I'm a bit shaken up by the call and wanted to record how it had gone. I'm off out now with goddesssnoweh who came in a few moments ago to go shopping.

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Re:

[azekeil.livejournal.com]

Compulsory Basic Training - it's the test any motorcyclist must take to ride on the roads legally. It entitles the rider to legally ride a motorbike of up to and including 125cc.

To ride bigger bikes you must then take a further Full Access course to pass your full test. You have to have been riding for 2 years or be 21, whichever comes first, to ride the full range of bikes regardless if you take the full test or not.