Testimonial: being small does not prevent you from riding a motorcycle !
Maria has always wanted to ride a motorcycle with her family, except that it was a bit more complicated for her because of her modest 1m49 … But whatever: the code in her pocket, she registers for the license motorbike and hard work… Testimony.
Maria is 39 years old and measures 1m49 for a weight "above average"… And despite her small size, she has always wanted to ride a motorcycle with her family: it is therefore with the code in her pocket that she registered for the motorcycle license in September … recounts his experience.
I took my first lesson at the beginning of October: after learning to shift gears on the center stand of a Suzuki 500 GSE, the instructor asks me to start: quietly, with his help, I take off, then he asks me immediately to stop me. Unfortunately my feet do not touch the ground … and I fall! For a course that was to last 2 hours, I stopped after half an hour, fear in my stomach…
My kind instructor Loïc, whose driving school is located in Bonnières-Sur-Seine (78), assures me that he will find a solution for me so that I can start lessons. After waiting 15 long days, I tested a motorcycle on which I could touch the ground: Loïc changed the rods and lowered the fork! I don’t feel very comfortable, but at least I can put one foot on the ground (not both!), With a swing from right to left depending on the foot I put on…
The lessons can therefore begin, strewn with a few falls of course, not to mention the difficulties of making U-turns with a motorcycle that is too big, too heavy and my arms too short to do it well … But finally, after a lot , a lot of work and hours (more than 40!), my U-turns pass! My slow course is going well and the fast not too bad, except for the U-turn where I still lose a lot of time.
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Auto Ecole 2007 Loïc Sicart |
| An address to be strongly recommended. I would also like to point out that taking the motorcycle license with Loïc was really a very powerful experience. Loïc is really an exceptional person who deserves to be talked about because he has had difficult cases. !
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And then we discover that for the exam, we cannot be helped: the difficulties start again because once on the bike, because of my legs too short, I can neither remove nor put on the crutch without help, unless ‘have a small sidewalk within easy reach … So I had to learn to remove the kickstand before getting on the bike, and to remove it after getting off (without help, of course!). Still long hours of work !
I even wanted to give up my training several times, because I really felt like I was not moving forward: "i can’t succeed, i’m really too small"… But I hang on: more falls, more failed U-turns, again the slow course which no longer passes, but Loïc is always behind me and repeats myself over and over again"you must not give up! you haven’t done all of that to stop yourself now! Come on you go and you have to get there !"… Without forgetting the encouragement of my family, who often accompanied me to my classes and whose help was also very valuable.
Finally, at the end of May 2009 (almost a year after registration!), The day of the plateau exam arrives … Except that my beautiful yellow Suzuki does not want to start! So I had to do all the maneuvers without an engine on another higher motorcycle, with a lot of difficulty and suffering … but I succeeded !
Then, after pushing the beautiful yellow Suzuki to start, it’s the turn of the slow course … which goes very well! And finally, torrents of rain pour over the set and the exam stops for almost an hour before the last three candidates, of which I am one of course….
Finally, it’s my turn to set off for the fast course on the soggy track … And I did it! Within the allotted time and just on the A line, a little bit beyond but the examiner didn’t penalize me. We leave relieved with Loïc and I start to prepare myself for the next challenge: traffic !
On the program: the unevenness of the road, hill starts, rotten surfaces, rain, wind and stops with one foot on the ground, hoping that there are no holes each time! Finally, after a dozen hours on the road (very little compared to the plateau) and a month to the day after the plateau exam, it’s the road exam…
I did not encounter any problem, except the fact that I passed a tractor on a white line … But the examiner told me that with all the efforts I had made to have my motorcycle license, he couldn’t not give it to me and then he was sure that I would not do this kind of nonsense again…
Here it is: so it took me a year, a lot of courage, a lot of energy and a lot of support … but I got it, my motorcycle license, and on the first try! I have since bought myself a Suzuki 500 GSE which we have lowered as well. For the moment everything is going well, except when I arrive at a roundabout: a car cuts me off, a drop in height and presto it is the fall with my son behind me. But with all these hours of practice, at least I had learned to fall and my son too, without sore or breakage !
I owe a debt of gratitude to my instructor, Loïc, because without him I would not have my motorbike license today: out of curiosity, I went to get information in other motorbike schools that did not want to take me because I was "really too small"…
Finally, my little experience gave a lot of courage to the people around me, who didn’t dare because of their small size. I hope that will appeal to those who read me too! Because frankly, whatever your size, the bike is too good! Do not hesitate to send me your messages via the editorial staff who will transmit: I would be delighted to discuss with those who still have apprehensions !
Maria WILLAIT – Photos DR
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