The first time I got on a motorbike as the actual rider-driver I wore Levi jeans. When I went home they had this large tear in the region of the knees – both of them!

I went on a course to learn to ride a bike and the bike I got was way too big for me. Those of you who know me know what I mean :-). Astride the bike, I had one foot on the ground, on my tip-toes, the other leg not touching the ground. If you want to really picture what I mean, just imagine a dog peeing on a tree.

I was on the bike, all novice, when it suddenly cut-out! This was the last thing I expected, got a huge fright and lost my already precarious balance. I toppled to the side, torn jeans and torn ego. Naively I tried to lift the bike up myself! As an aside, that night I asked my favourite sage, google, and he showed me a few youtube videos on how to pick up a bike. So now I know.

The second time I fell off the bike, on the same course, it was on a turn. Very slowly (I came to realise that was the main problem) and carefully (not that carefully) I took a turn, and put my foot out for balance (don’t ask me why). Already on a turn with a too-big-bike, I naturally leaned too far to the side and …you know the rest…

When I bought a bike, the main pre-requisite was that the bike fit me. So I settled on a pitbike that I feel I can learn and get confident in. Any other bike I get will need to be lowered but I am told this is simple to do. Probably expensive. But doable. Because I don’t want the little detail of my height be a constraint in riding a motorbike.

I will also not wear my Levis…