I’m off this week on holiday and had something planned for every day. I booked motorbike lessons and my test this week and thought I might as well take the rest of the week off and turn it into 9 days off. My best friend also has the week off so we’re going to hang out a lot. The motorbike lessons were going well, I’d gone from a 125cc to 650cc on the first day and was on the 650cc all of the second day. Whilst doing a 30mph emergency brake test I screwed up, badly. I was riding a Kawasaki ER6-n (650cc) bike and locked up the front wheel. Before I knew what was happening I was rolling on the ground and then looking at the motorbike. The motorbike had done the whole of the braking zone on its side.

This was my first motorbike accident and the first time I’d really hurt myself. Once I got to my feet I felt really hot and almost threw up. When I had composed myself I looked at the marks I left on the road and the damage I’d done to the bike. It has a crash bung on it which had taken most of the impact but the foot brake has been bent. I hurt and didn’t want to ride back. Since no one from the bike training place could pick me up I got taken back on the back of the instructor’s motorbike. The more time that passed the more I hurt so my friend took me to hospital the next day. There we found out that I’d fractured my elbow.

I’m annoyed and feel stupid for this whole thing. I was doing well on the big bike until that point and now I’m limping about and struggling with everyday tasks. I should be fine in a week or two but my friend and I are off now. Yesterday was a really nice and sunny day but we spent the morning in hospital and the afternoon hanging out at his instead of going out. I’m also worried that we might have to cancel our trip but I’m hoping that I will be well enough but then to go.

A big thing I will have to do is explain to my Grandad that I’ve hurt myself. And that I did it whilst riding a motorbike which he is really against and does not know I’m doing. My plan was to pass my first test, which was meant to be this morning, and then pass my second test and get a bike in April before telling him. Instead I’ve got to tell him that I came off a motorbike whilst having lessons because I can’t hide a limp and a arm sling.

My plan was to just get my full license and get a big bike but I think trying to do so in such little time means that I’ve made mistakes. I’m trying to learn to operate a bike whilst riding it and learning the practical tests on top which seems to be too much for me. I do well then make a rookie mistake, the last of which ended up with my going to hospital. My new plan is to get myself a small bike and ride that for a few months before coming back and trying the big bike test again. That way I should know how to operate and ride a bike before going onto the big bikes and doing my tests.