I started learning how to ride a power bike a few months ago.
I was writing about my experiences to make a Twitter thread, but it turned into a Medium article.
This article won’t teach you how to ride a power bike, but it will teach you some important lessons about life.
Sit back and relax as I take you on this journey with me.
Day 0: I went to buy my riding gear and almost cried 😅. Everything is so pricey! For some reason, I decided to break my heart even more. I looked up the price and shipping costs for parts for my bike, and I started to think twice about this expensive hobby.
Day 1: I prepped myself mentally and started classes. My instructor began with theory: pen on paper, making analogies of road rules, and what to do when riding. Things like when to use your handbrake and when to use your footbrake, how far away you should be before turning on your turn signal, how to get around tricky road networks, etc. After that, we went to a nearby elementary school’s football field.
I learned the basics of how to move the bike, but it was hard for me to start it 8 out of 10 times, and when it did start, it would shut off almost as soon as I tried to move it because I let go of the clutch too quickly (the bike is old and has rules for how to handle it).
I also forgot how to turn left after going right around a tree (wide-range laps) over 25 times. To push me to get it right, my instructor told me I would have to pay 1000 naira (approximately $1.5) every time the bike went off. At the end of day 1, I only owed him $3 (a big win).
I learned to change gears and got up to the third gear on my third try while doing less than 20 km/hr, slow and steady.
Day 2: For most of the day, my instructor only let me make left turns around the tree, and I had to ride in rough terrain (a low bush). I had to push the bike out of ditches more than once, which helped me figure out how the clutch, brakes, and gears worked together. After that, I rode the bike into the open field and put it in gear 4. I made a mistake when I started slowing down. I ran into a small puddle, lost control, and fell. The bike fell on my leg, but I didn’t get hurt because I was wearing my safety gear. Safety first! As a sharp girl, I stood up and, with adrenaline pumping through my body, tried to pick up the bike. Unsurprisingly, I failed and broke the clutch because the bike was still running, and I revved it. I learned from my mistake, put it off, and managed to pick up the bike. I felt so strong.
Day 3: Yesterday, I learned how to turn left. Today, I forgot how to turn right, so guess who’s back to learning how to turn? Me!
My teacher drew a circle around a tree, and I had to stay inside it. I was so embarrassed because I failed 80% of the time. A whole senior product designer has had trouble turning left and right for three days in a row. Honestly, it felt like trying to color inside the lines as a 3-year-old.
I should mention that I was learning on a 200-cc delivery bike, which isn’t half as heavy as my regular bike, but every day, a different part of my body ached.
Day 4: My major challenge for the day was to carry my instructor behind me and do the same left turns 😂; we almost fell a few times. Turns out that riding with someone behind you isn’t so bad. 🤗
Afterward, I had to do crazier short-range turns than the previous day with 2 tires that I had to go around to form the number 8 without stopping. I failed successfully every time and ended up calling it a day very early.
Day 5: Surprisingly, today was better. My turns were better, and changing gears was easier. I also got to ride my bike on the field, so yay! I didn’t think it would be easier to ride my heavy bike than the crazy old 200-cc bike I had been practicing on all week, but it was, and everything was better. The only thing I had to learn was how to change gears, and I couldn’t find gear 2 for the life of me.
Day 6: I took the old bike out and rode it around the estate several times. I was proud of myself for not falling. The speed breakers were hard to get used to, and the bike kept going off while I tried to get through them. Then I went out with a friend, and we went on a short cruise. While on our cruise, we met a man who called his wife outside to see me riding the bike. He has been trying to teach his wife to ride bikes.
Day 7: My instructor asked me to bring the old bike to the field, which is about 5 km away, and according to Google Maps, I would get there in 5 minutes. He wasn’t riding with me, and I had never ridden out to the main road. My heart was pounding. How would I navigate busy intersections on my own and deal with Lagos danfos? 😭.
I said some affirmations, went on my way, and an unfortunate thing happened. While swerving to avoid hitting a car, I hit a ledge instead and fell into an open gutter 😂. I got help from people around; I stood up, picked up the bike, and continued. I made it to the field in 30 minutes instead of 5. I did more boring turns, and on our way home, my instructor, after hearing about my morning ordeal, made me ride behind him past the same places I fell and an even worse route with traffic, but I made it home without any more incidents, and my confidence soared.
Day 8: I made a grocery run with my bike out to the supermarket, and things worked out fine. At this point, using a balaclava and helmet made me feel a bit claustrophobic, but I stayed the course, and now I slay like the baddie I am in them (air high five for me).
For more practice, I found a stretch of road on a nearby estate, and I practiced my gear-changing skills up and down a couple of times. I finally solved my neutral and gear 2 issues.
Day 9 and 10: I kept practicing my gears and turns and got more comfortable navigating corners, using my turn signals and horn without looking down to know which was which. In addition, I became more aware of my environment and situations without focusing too much on the bike. I also perfected how to use my mirrors.
Day 15: I made the choice to make my first long trip from the mainland to the island (Egbeda to Ajah). I made a quick stop over at Victoria Island to say hi to a friend, rested for a bit, and then headed out again. It was a Sunday afternoon without many vehicles on the road.
I had been studying my route for a while, taking notes of the places with portholes and bumps and planning how to navigate them. I made it to my destination in one piece and learned some valuable lessons.
Day 120: I can now do long trips of 30 km or more without stopping. I have also explored almost all of Lagos on my bike, and I am set to do my first interstate trip this weekend. Oh, how the scared little biker has grown.
Through this process, I learned a few things, and I hope they help you navigate life better. It's a 10-point lesson and is also a short read;
1. You will be really bad at it before you get better. It’s a new thing you are trying; it didn’t come pre-installed. It’s important to get your head in the game.
2. Like they say, “Safety First,” you might fall, and so you have to protect yourself. I never go out riding without my protective gear, and that is how I ended up without a scratch on me both times I fell.
3. Learning is just the beginning; you have to push yourself to actually ride in the streets with other people. It’s scary but worth it, plus it only gets better and easier.
4. There will be plenty of naysayers and negative people; avoid them. Most people will eventually want to ride with you.
5. Some days will be terrible; embrace them, take a break, and try again later.
6. If you follow the road less travelled, you will find a lot of the things you have always wanted.
7. Always find a mentor. I have two people in my life who are bikers, and I asked for their advice every time I wanted to try something new. They gave me perspective and tips that just worked.
8. Don’t rush. Things will make sense in their own time.
9. Never underestimate how much money you will spend. Whatever you think you will spend, double it.
10. There are things nobody would remember to tell you; you have to experience them to know them, like how tired and dehydrated you would be after a long ride and how important the gym and cardio are for optimal riding.
At the end of the day, it all depends on how much you want it and how far you are willing to go.
Go for it though; life is short!
