Learning to Ride in Durban: What a Certified Instructor Wants Every New Rider to Know
Carol Heppell of Ubuntu Motorcycle Training School on the habits, gear and licence basics every new rider in Durban should know before their first lesson.
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Most people learn to ride a motorcycle the same way: a friend, an uncle or a father takes them to an empty parking lot and shows them how it’s done. It feels like a good start. The trouble is that along with the clutch and the brakes, they also pass on their bad habits, and bad habits on a motorcycle are hard to unlearn and costly to keep.
At Ubuntu Motorcycle Training School in Durban, we teach new riders the right way from the very first lesson. Here is what we want every new rider to know before they start.
Gear up before you mount up
The first habit we teach is the simplest and the most important: you put your gear on before you get on the bike. Every time, even for a short ride.
Every rider who trains with us needs:
- a helmet;
- riding pants, or at the very least jeans;
- proper shoes, ideally boots that cover the ankle;
- a jacket;
- gloves.
No gear, no riding. It is a requirement for every lesson, because it is a requirement for every ride you will ever do.
Can you ride a bicycle?
You don’t need any motorcycle experience to start with us, but you should be able to ride a bicycle. Balance is the one thing that is hard to teach on a motorcycle, and if you can already balance on two wheels, we can build everything else from there.
Understand the bike before you ride it
Our beginners’ course starts on the ground. Before you ride anywhere, you learn the bike and its controls: what each lever, pedal and switch does, and why. Riders who understand their machine react calmly when something unexpected happens, instead of grabbing the wrong control.
One-on-one lessons, at your own pace
All our lessons are one-on-one with a certified instructor. Every person learns at their own pace. Some riders are confident after a few sessions; others need more time, and that is completely fine.
Training with a certified instructor means you learn proper riding skills from the start, and you build real confidence on the bike rather than the false kind that comes from getting away with mistakes.
Ride your own ride
The best advice we can give any new rider is this: ride your own ride. Stay within your own abilities and your own limits. Don’t let anyone pressure you into riding faster, keeping up with the group or taking risks you are not ready for. Your skills will grow with time, and the riders worth riding with will wait for you.
Your licence: what you need to know
- Learner’s licence: your learner’s licence is valid for two years only, so plan your training and your test within that time.
- Code A1: for motorcycles up to 125 cc. You can get it from the age of 16, so it is the route for 16- and 17-year-olds, and for anyone who wants to start on a smaller bike.
- Code A: for motorcycles above 125 cc, from the age of 18.
Where we train
All training takes place in a safe, secure area in Westville, KwaZulu-Natal, away from traffic, so you can learn and make mistakes without pressure.
Book your first lesson
Whether you have never sat on a motorcycle or you want to fix the habits a well-meaning friend taught you, a certified instructor will get you riding safely and confidently.
Ubuntu Motorcycle Training School, Durban
Carol Heppell, certified instructor
Phone: 061 016 4399
Website: ubuntumotorcycletrainingschool.co.za
Let your journey begin.
