The day I told myself, “Alright—time to do proper city riding,” I hopped on my Monkey 125.
Small. Cute. Obviously born for fun rides.
The only problem?
The more fun it is, the more “oops” moments a beginner collects. 😅
And what’s extra annoying is that my “oops” moments always show up with perfectly dramatic timing:
right behind a car, at a red light, on an uphill, with people watching.
It’s like the road is an exam…
and the Monkey is the proctor.
1) “Stopped… but still in 2nd gear?” — The 2nd-gear start that instantly dies
I stopped neatly, perfect distance behind the car in front.
“Okay… I’m getting good,” my brain said.
Then I realized—
I was still in 2nd gear.
Classic beginner logic:
“I can do this… you can start in 2nd… right? (maybe?)”
I slowly released the clutch, added a tiny bit of throttle…
Vrrr… tsk.
Dead.
The silence after that? Brutal.
Suddenly everything feels slow-motion in the middle of the city.
The car in front is already gone.
The car behind me is radiating that “Uh… hello?” pressure.
And there I am, talking to myself inside my helmet:
“Ah… it was 2nd gear… sorry, Monkey…”
The Monkey stays quiet.
But when I restart, it’s like it’s saying, “Okay. Try again.”
Lesson of the day:
- When you stop, check: 1st gear
- As a beginner, don’t “maybe it’ll work.” Do the sure thing: 1st-gear start.
2) 3rd → 2nd downshift, then “JERK!” (even my heart downshifted)
I’m cruising, chill, enjoying the wind.
Then the car ahead slows down a bit.
“Okay, engine brake… 3rd to 2nd… should be smooth…”
I downshift—
but my clutch release was awkward,
my throttle didn’t match,
and my speed was higher than I thought…
Result?
JERK. THUD.
The Monkey basically reacts like: “Huh? What are we doing today?”
That’s when I realized:
Downshifting isn’t just “going down a gear.”
It’s a dance. Timing. Rhythm.
Beginner downshift energy:
Me: “2nd gear, let’s go!”
Monkey: “Hold on—your RPMs don’t match!”
Then it answers with its whole body: “JERK.”
Lesson of the day:
- Downshift = clutch timing + road speed + engine RPM
- Rush it, and the Monkey will complain… in body-language form 😅
3) Stop on an uphill, then start again: “Why are you HERE, uphill?!”
This is the boss level: stop on an incline… then take off again.
As a beginner, your brain feels like it lags for two seconds.
I stopped uphill, distance was fine, everything looked okay.
Time to go again…
Slow clutch release, a little throttle…
Vroom… vroom… tsk.
Dead again.
More embarrassing than flat ground—because uphill adds the extra fear:
“What if I roll back?”
So your whole body goes tense.
Restart attempt, panic thoughts:
“Am I being too gentle with the clutch?”
“Am I not giving enough gas?”
“Or… is my Monkey trolling me now?” 😭
But honestly, the Monkey is kind of smart—before it gets worse, it gives you that little warning tsk first.
Like it’s saying:
“This is where you need a more confident clutch… and a bit more throttle.”
Lesson of the day:
- Uphill start: find the biting point / friction zone
- Throttle: not the “tiny bit because I’m scared”—the amount you actually need
- Beginner priority: calm first, not perfect
4) Why do my mistakes still somehow feel “fun” on the Monkey?
Let’s be real: stalling is embarrassing.
Jerky shifts hurt your ego.
Uphill? Instant sweat mode.
But the Monkey 125 is weird in the best way—
because it still makes me laugh.
It’s light, honest, and gives super clear feedback.
My mistakes don’t become “trauma.” They become mini-lessons.
And the Monkey feels like it has a face:
When it stalls: “Okay. Again.”
When the takeoff is smooth: “OHHH nice—progress!”
So my cycle stays fast:
mess up → understand why → try again → succeed → have fun again
That’s what “fun driving optimized” really means:
Even if you’re a beginner, it won’t let you lose your joy.
5) One line I learned today
“You shift gears with your foot… but smoothness is made by your hands—and your heart.”
Next city ride, I’m sure there’ll be another tsk somewhere.
But it’s fine. The Monkey isn’t judging me.
It’s like it’s saying:
“Start again. This time—gentler… and more confident.” 🐒✨
Quick safety note
If you’re a beginner, practice stop-and-go, clutch control, and uphill starts in a quiet area before jumping into traffic.
Being sure and calm matters more than being “fast.”