Trickier than I thought, hopefully not discouraged

I finally took the basic motorcycle training course this weekend. It consisted of three 5-hour meetings. The first was classroom, ending in a written test. The next two days were out in the parking lot on 125 cc bikes.

It was definitely harder to ride than I thought it would be. It was like learning to drive a car for the first time, except more difficult and with a sense that you're going to kill yourself. Since I've never driven a manual transmission car, the entire experience was completely new and every skill had to be learned. Trying to stack all those skills in a matter of hours was really challenging.

Early on, I had some difficultly shifting, popping the clutch or absentmindedly letting it out while stopped. After I while, I was all right, though I wouldn't say that the majority of my shifts were smooth. I got more and more confident with my abilities and learning the steps necessary to turn or stop.

That is, of course, until I fell.

I was coming in to get back in line with the others, who were waiting to do an exercise one at a time, and I was going too fast. I was turning to line up and just hit my brakes, not hard, but just a bit too much. With my handlebars turned, a bit too much front brake sent the bike to the ground in a flash. I got a little raspberry, but was mostly just embarrassed. After that, though, I doubted everything I thought I had learned. We had just gone over how to stop out of a turn and I completely blew it in real life.

Anyway, despite my worry, I've gone and bought a kickass helmet and some gloves, so now I'm financially obligated to keep going. More more more more more more more more more more more more more more more practice please.