Cos short arse 🙁. I want to book in for my R licence (full open big girl ride any bike licence) but running up against my old foe: little stumpy legs.
Went to suss out a CB650F and while it was fine to sit on in the shed, out on the course was a different matter I couldn’t get it up off the stand. I’m disappointed the riding instruction / q ride provider doesn’t have 1 single bike in their stash for shorties. I cannot be the only short person to sit their R licence?????
The attitude of the RSP was basically “oh well” and that sort of highlights what is wrong with the struggling motorcycle sales industry as a whole and particularly for female riders who are often shorter than males. It’s also never been so long and expensive to get your licence.
The current process is:
Learners:
Must have P or Open car licence for at least 1 year
Pre-learners 2 day q-ride course approximate cost $400
Pass a motorcycle knowledge test
* You may be able to get an exemption from completing this if you live 100km from the nearest training area however will need to hold you L’s for 1 year before you can apply for your RE licence.
RE
RE (P or Open as per your car licence)
1 day q-ride course approximate cost $200
Must have held your L motorcycle licence for at least 3 months *or 12 months as above.
R
1/2 day q-ride course approximate cost $150-200
Must have held your RE licence for at least 2 years
It’s not a quick and easy path to getting your full licence and I personally feel it shouldn’t be given motorcyclists are over-represented in traffic fatalities. Even when you remove the instances where the rider was not at fault (environmental factors such as crap weather, sun-strike and shitty roads are still considered rider error for not riding to conditions) we’re still well there.
I’m not talking about literal number because cars still far outstrip any other vehicle type given how many there are vs other forms of transport. But motorcyclists as ~5% of the vehicles and >20% of road fatalities it doesn’t look good for 2 wheels out on the roads.
So now I’m desperately looking for a provider where I can use my own bike (difficult for to being lowered, being heavy, being purpose built for speed and not slow manoeuvres and a shot box turning circle) or that has a lowish R class bike I can use 🤷🏻♀️ neither being great options.
I have a mate with a de-restricted MT07 that has a lowering link (praise Jesus 🙌🏼) which I might be able to use if any RSP’s will accept it as non-LAMS as the rego still shows as LAMS on Transport Main Roads rego check. There is an option to change to non-LAMS (no extra cost) but involves dealer removing the restrictions and providing documentation it’s no longer LAMS. While this might be helpful for insurance purposes and if you were pulled over the the 5-0, I wouldn’t ask someone to do that JUST so I can use it for my R test. I’m not that much of an arsehole.
And yes I have seen the YouTube videos of itty bitty women and that dude who gets on and off at the traffic light stops but that is not me. I don’t want to shift my ass around just to stop. I have toppled over multiple times and I sure as shit don’t wanna do that on my new bike.
Sadly I have been riding my big bike on my L plate with Mr but I can’t wait to be using it as my every day bike once I sort out this licence upgrade.
I have bawled my eyes out over potentially not being a able to do that 😢 at this point I feel like that’s a real possibility. And it makes me so sad to the point if I haven’t done it by Christmas I might sell the CBR500 and GForce 😧. I just don’t want to be stuck in a baby bike for eternity. I’ve been working towards this goal for 2.5 years. Being fucked over at the final hurdle really hurts, enough to give up riding forever.
I have one dream only one and it took a while to even GET a new one once I had fulfilled my last one in 2015. The fear and anxiety of this last step might be the final straw for me. I definitely don’t want it to be but how am I gonna get past it? I don’t know and that is the sucky part.
In the meantime I continue to take the Honda as my daily work commuter and G Force on weekend rides with Mr supervising. Gonna have to do something if I wanna get out of this rut though.
Lady Rider Brisbane 