Korean Job Discussion Forums

krisinkorea · Joined: 16 Mar 2006 Location: Not too far from Seoul

Heh guys,

I live near Deagu and I'm wondering if anyone out there can teach me how to ride a motorcycle. I'm serious about this and really want to buy one tomorrow. I researched driving schools, sure, not in Korea. So, that's not going to happen for me. I can take them back home. The guys I work with will probably help me out when they come back from Thailand as 3 of them have motorcycles. But, I'd like to take the opportunity of the weekend coming up.

I am a girl. I don't want a scooter. I want a small motorcycle so that I can see Korea too. I've driven a stick shift on a car like 3 times. So, we are starting with the basics here.

Anyone...help out??

krisinkorea · Joined: 16 Mar 2006 Location: Not too far from Seoul

Oh, forgot to mention that I'll pay too. Unless, of course you suck at teaching me how to ride.

kimchi_pizza · Posted: Wed Aug 30, 2006 4:10 pm Post subject:

I can't teach you as I'm too far away, but do you want to ride a "real" motorcycle or one of those motorcycle/scooter cross breeds that food delivery men ride around on?

There's a big difference. I think it's great having a motorcycle, but the weight of the motorcycle is your biggest problem. Since you want to learn you WILL tip it/dump it (just a matter of when) so you have to be able to lift it back up. Also you DO have to be careful and be able to turn and lean suddenly to avoid a possible accident.

I recommend getting a scooter first and work your way up. I did. Started with a scooter for over a year then later got a 125cc motorcycle in Taiwan. Came to Korea and got a 250cc (need a Korean license for that). Now I have my heart set on a 650cc that looks sweet!

Actually, you can enjoy the view better with a scooter as it's slower and smoother.

Wish ya luck![/i]

poet13 · Posted: Wed Aug 30, 2006 5:00 pm Post subject:

There are two kinds of riders. Those who have laid their ride down, and those who are going to.
Until you are an able rider, wear protective clothing, even if its too hot.

A friend told me yesterday that up to 125 cc there is one license, and beyond that, another.

If you are a true beginner,I would suggest a 125cc. It will get you from a to b for a year until you have some experience.

kimchi_pizza · Posted: Wed Aug 30, 2006 9:32 pm Post subject:

Poet's right. My bad. Just show your hometown license and may have to take a computerized test and eye test to get your vehicle license for UP TO 125cc motorcycle (I had to).
Then for 250cc or higher, you need a heavy motorcyle license and for that you need to take a written test and a road test which is difficult as all get out.

There are several recent posts that go into more depth about tests and registration.

PM me if ya want more details

JongnoGuru · Joined: 25 May 2004 Location: peeing on your doorstep

kimchi_pizza · Posted: Thu Aug 31, 2006 2:01 am Post subject:

That's the thing that gets me. Every motorcycle has it's own little quirks and takes even a seasoned rider to get used to a new bike let alone try to ride an unfamiliar bike through THAT course.

So, yea, had to use theirs. The only advantage was that it was a 250 like mine, but mine is wider and heavier so I could handle their lighter weight Honda. But I had to practice turning on a dime, or 100 Won coin for that matter, for an entire month before taking that test a second time.

Thankfully, I passed. (A well deserved ego-boosting, brag-moment there! Smile

)

JongnoGuru · Joined: 25 May 2004 Location: peeing on your doorstep

DavePuff · Joined: 01 Jan 2005 Location: Daegu, South Korea

I started riding a bike once I came to Korean having never rode one before.

I bought mine off my friend and headed down to the riverside parking lots and just began practicing. After a couple of weeks I felt good enough to ride on the roads and haven't looked back since.

I don't have a licence (I have a 125cc) and didn't think you needed one if you're on a 125cc or less.

It's all about confidence.

I'm in Andong, not too far from Daegu, so the roads are a little more forgiving for a new rider.

Zyzyfer · Posted: Sat Sep 02, 2006 11:47 pm Post subject:

It only takes a day or two to pick up all the basics. Then it's easing into further distances and situations.

Start out in a parking lot. Preferably at a stadium or something. Turning is the hardest part as a beginner.

Make sure the bike's light and you can man (or woman) handle it. Starting from a stopped position is also tricky for a few days. The clutch is far easier to deal with than a car, though.

Good luck finding someone.

captain kirk · Joined: 29 Jan 2003

Ha! I passed the first time! Took the test a month ago in Daegu. It was a 250 Mirage. You get on and twenty feet later are on the course between the beep-sensors. No time to get acquainted with the handling of the bike.

Passed the first time and didn't beep once. Ha! No practicing prior to, either. Double ha! Wanna hear some more gloating?

Gloat, gloat, gloat....

passport220 · Joined: 14 Jun 2006 Location: Gyeongsangbuk-do province

Nope, I live too far away and can not physically teach you. I did teach a former girlfriend and I would like to give you two tips:

- Where your eyes go your head goes�� where you head goes the rest of you will follow. What I mean by this is keep your eyes up and looking forward. Sounds simple but when you are going through a turn people tend to look down at the street and curbs or side of the road to guide their way through. My tip is keep your eyes and head up and look through the turn. Look at the point you will be at when you finish the turn and beyond. When you ride a bike you will realize your peripheral vision is more keen than you know. Your peripheral vision will take care of guiding past any pot holes and such. The eye brain mechanism is really amazing that way.

The converse is to look down at the street as you go through a turn and you put your head down, and your body wants to follow, don�t worry you won�t go down but you will be �fighting� your way through the turns. Trust your peripheral vision and your riding will be smooth and a lot more fun.

This goes for all the time not just turns�. look up and ahead of the point you are riding to. When I taught my ex. I kept drilling her on it �Eyes Up!, Keep your head up!� She is a good rider now.

- Tip two. Don�t worry so much about the clutch and shifting. A bike is smother and much more forgiving than an auto. You will have to practice where everything is though. I mean before you get on the bike sit in a dinning room chair lay out a simulation where everything is on a bike and practice it. Ok, I know it sounds silly and yes you will look silly doing it. If you are serious about learning do it, it will truly help.

A 125cc step through is a real bike (not the scoter style). I have ridden �big bikes� state side for many years. However, in Thailand I rode a 125cc for years and loved it. A 125 is a staple in Asia and companies put a lot of time and big bucks into engineering them. Some are just plain commuter bikes and some are truly cutting edge high performance. You can get a lot of enjoyment out of them.

You will do fine!

Ryst Helmut · Posted: Sun Sep 03, 2006 3:00 pm Post subject:

Hyeon Een · Joined: 24 Jun 2005

Is riding a bike much different to riding a scooter apart from the extra weight and the fact that there's gears?

I've been riding a 90cc scooter for a few months and am very comfortable on it. Will it take long to switch over to a 125cc bike? My co-worker is selling his and I might be buying it..

passport220 · Joined: 14 Jun 2006 Location: Gyeongsangbuk-do province

The short answer is no.

The long:

The only question is the clutch and shifting of gears. It can take an hour or so to figure out or less than a minute depending on what you buy.

Some are available that are fully automatic. You just hit the gas and go, and remember to hit the brake when you want to stop.

Some have a gear shifter but an automatic clutch. The only thing you need to do is click the gear depending on how fast you want to go. This is the most common 125cc available. Not to worry, the gears are very forgiving. I have been on the back of a Thai motorbike taxi driver's bike that no matter what we did he left the bike in 3rd gear (it just means it takes a while to build speed from a dead stop).

You can also buy a bike that you have to clutch and change the grears completely manual. These bikes often are less expensive or desirable if you want higher performance as in street racing.

Don�t worry about the weight. The bikes are designed for small framed Asian woman to handle. I have seen young children in Thailand as young as 10 or 11 handle them just fine.