Starting on two wheels

A friend asked me last week whether they should get into riding. I said yes, then realised I'd been answering that question piecemeal for months and never written it down. So this is the version I'd send instead. Skip whatever isn't useful.

Get the training right first

Before any gear or any bike, you need a CBT and (if you want anything bigger than a 125) a DAS. I did my CBT with North London Motorcycle Training and my DAS with Lightning Motorcycle Training. Both were good. The instructor matters more than the school, so if your first lesson doesn't feel right, ask for someone else next time. They've heard it before.

Listen to the instructors. They've watched a lot of new riders make the same mistakes, and the things they keep saying are the things that keep you alive.

Don't cheap out on the helmet

The first thing I bought was the helmet. It's protecting the one thing you actually need to keep using everything else, including this hobby. Mine is a Shoei NXR2. There are cheaper helmets that are perfectly safe, but I wanted the one I wouldn't second-guess. I haven't.

Try helmets on in person. Different brands fit different head shapes, and a helmet that's "fine" in the shop will become unbearable on a 90-minute ride. Spend the time. The internet doesn't know your skull.

The rest of the gear, briefly

Here's what I'm wearing, with no claims that it's the optimal kit. It's just what I bought, and what I'd buy again.

Jacket. Merlin Shenstone II Cotec Air. Mesh-heavy, vented, good for warmer weather. I'll need something heavier come winter.

Jeans. Resurgence moto jeans. They look like jeans, ride like proper protective trousers. Worth the premium.

Comms. Cardo Packtalk Edge Solo. Music, calls, sat-nav prompts, all without taking the helmet off. Solo because I mostly ride alone.

Phone mount. Quad Lock motorcycle mount with their universal adaptor. Solid, silent, never lost a phone.

Tracker. Monimoto 9. Hidden on the bike, alerts your phone if anything moves it without your key fob nearby. Cheap insurance.

Frame sliders. R&G, fitted after my first drop. Should have fitted them before. They were the same price either way and they save fairings that cost ten times as much.

Security, because London

A bike in London is a bike at risk. I run a Hiplok D1000 and the DX1000 chain combo. They're heavy, they're awkward, they're the best thing on the market right now. The combo lives at home and the D1000 alone goes with me. Combine that with the Monimoto and a covered, anchored spot wherever possible.

Insurance is a yearly research project. I used a meta-search engine and ended up with a provider I'm happy with. The cheapest quote is rarely the best one. Read the excess and what counts as "modifications".

Four things I'd tell myself before my first lesson

One. Remind yourself why you're doing it. The reason you wanted to ride is the same reason you'll keep going when traffic's awful and the rain has started. Hold onto it.

Two. Don't worry about falling. You probably will, eventually, in a low-speed embarrassing way that hurts your pride more than anything else. Anyone who tells you it definitely won't is being optimistic. Frame sliders. Confidence comes back.

Three. Think about the freedom you're gaining. Riding lets you switch off from everything in a way nothing else I've tried does. The negatives are real and very small compared to that.

Four. The community is the surprise. People stop you at petrol stations to talk about the bike. There are no stupid questions in any forum I've been on. Be aware, be observant, ignore the idiots, and the rest of it is good.

That's most of what I know. Ask anyone who's been riding longer than me and they'll know more, but I think the basics are the basics. Get the helmet, get the training, get the bike, ride it.