Got my first bike EVER today and my first ride!
Today I got a 2009 Kawasaki 250 Ninja Special Edition! I found a smokin deal on craigslist, I got this bike with only 460 miles on it, basically brand spankin new, not even past the break in period. I have wanted a motorcycle for sooo long and I finally have one. Before today, I had never even ridden a dirt bike, and had very little expierence with manual transmissions. Me and my buddy went to get the bike, I paid the man and my buddy drove the bike back home for me. After we made it back safe, I hopped on, and fell in love :) We took it to a small parking lot where a few of my friends who have motorycles were teaching me the basics. I learned, and explored the bike and its controls. That was the first thing. Next was getting moving. Ok...got a little more nervous here. I started out feeling for the friction zone and walked the bike for a few feet. After that I did my first lap in the parking lot nice and slow. I was starting to feel more confident. By the next lap I was going at a good pace around the lot in first gear, with my feet up in the riding position...I had a huge grin on my face! A couple laps later and I was shifting into second gear. I was even feeling comfortable turning the bike and felt like I was able to keep my turns pretty tight in the parking lot. I was just saying to myself to remember to look into the turn, wherever you look is where the bike goes. After a few more laps and picking up a little speed my buddy got on his bike and we drove to a much bigger space, it's like a huge black top, perfect for practicing shifting and turns. There are even some orange cones laying around left by bus drivers in training who often use the space to practice maneuvering. Here I was able to open the bike up a little more and really focused on practicing shifting. Although my shifting is no where near perfect yet, I was surprised at how fast I caught on! Put a huge smile on my face and I was having a blast. All in all I got in about 2 hours of solid on the bike riding practice today and so far I absolutley love it.
Lets see, some of the things I did wrong...definitely killed the bike a couple of times by forgetting to hold down the clutch, on the big black top when I was picking up speed at the end there is a long fence and I noticed while I wanted to slow down and turn, I was getting target fixation on that fence a lot and had to keep reminding myself "where you look is where you go...so don't look at the fence" lol. My shifting still needs work. When I was shifting sometimes the bike would seem to rev real high, I finally realized toward the end that I had a bit of a death grip on the throttle and wasn't easing off enough during shifting. Also had some jerky shifts I think it was because instead of easing the clutch durng shifting I would just be squeezing it and letting it go real quick while I shifted. I'm sure there was more but those were the main things I noticed.
I want to take the motorcycle safety course. I am in the Navy so I think I can get in it for free. If yall have any tips for a new rider I would love to hear them. :) I have read every part of this website and have to say, all the info here has been invaluable!
Check out my bike :)
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a4/EnZoNaMi/IMG_0935.jpg
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a4/EnZoNaMi/IMG_0932.jpg
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a4/EnZoNaMi/IMG_0934.jpg
Some tips:Watch the videos
Some tips:
Watch the free videos at the Howzit Done with Capt Crash web site, more are at the top right of the home page:
http://howzitdonecrash.com
Keep your hands and arms loose. Wear armor for your head, elbows, knees, shins, ankles, shoulders, back and hands.
It often helps a lot to adjust the levers and the height of the handlebar ends to fit you better.
Nice new bike!!
Congrats man...and it's the right colour...love the Kawi Green...
One tip for ya...practice all the slow stuff...see how slow you can ride the bike in a straight line without putting your feet down...practice slow full lock u turns (they are harder than you think)...as slow and as tight as you can, practice figure 8...start with slow circles, left then right and then try the figure 8...all as slow as you can...honest, if you can master the slow stuff the fast stuff is easy...
It's fun to practice the fast stuff, shifting, emergency stops...but it is usually the slow stuff that bites us, especially when you are first starting (or when you get a new bike...I need to do this stuff again).
Good luck, and have a blast learning your new skills!!
Later.
** If you're not having fun, you're doing it WRONG...**
Riding since May 2010...
Some other bits n' bobs.
madjak30 is certainly right about the slow stuff being amongst the most difficult things you'll have to master on a motorcycle; U-Turns especially.
I would add that, when going slowly, you must remember never to use the front brake when your front wheel is not pointing straight ahead or you will very likely drop the bike. Use the back brake only if the front wheel is not pointing straight ahead at slow speed.
At speed on the open road however, you should use both brakes together.
Another thing that nearly got me a few times when I was new to this, was stopping on a piece of road which was not flat left to right (e.g. some driveways on country roads). You may go to put your favored foot down (usually left), find no ground beneath your foot (because of the slope) and then the bike starts to tip over and you have a heck of a struggle to keep the bike from falling over when your foot does hit the ground (as a consequence of the bike falling over).
Another mistake newbie's often make is to drive forwards into parking spaces. This is not a good idea as you will have less visibility when later backing-out of the space (than if you'd reversed into the space initially). It's especially a bad idea if the parking space slopes downward (which is not uncommon). For one thing, your bike's kick-stand (a.k.a. side-stand) may not hold the bike if you're not in the habit of leaving your bike in gear. For another, it's very difficult to get out of the space if your bike has no reverse gear (most motorcycles have no reverse gear).
Maintenance tips
Thanks everybody...just recently got the bike insured, registered and plated, registration stickers for base, and my permit from the dmv so I can legally ride as long as my buddy is with me. Next up is the rider course, kind of backwards I know but they are all filled up.
I was wondering if you guys had any common maintenance/preventative maintenance tips or recommended things that come in handy. For example, how often should I clean the chain? So far I have a motorcycle cover (it is kept in a parking lot outside), bel-ray chain lube, motul chain clean, and a grunge brush.
Hmmm...
Chain lubing...well, every 1000kms (600miles) is the norm...but if you ride in the rain, or very dusty & dirty conditions I would clean/lube the chain after each fill of the tank...
Keeping the bike clean is another good one that people miss...as you are cleaning you may notice things that need to be adressed...an oil leak before it drips on the floor, a frayed cable, etc...
I usually lube my cables every 5000kms (3000miles), check the hoses for cracking and change your oil and filter around that time as well...if you don't ride that much in a year, I would do those things atleast once per year.
Check the electrolite level in your battery once per year...there is usually a line on the battery to show where the liquid should be (above the line)...but if not, just make sure the plates inside the battery are covered by about 5mm (1/4")
I was going to mention valve adjustment intervals, but I really don't know that much about the Kawi's...best advice is to pick up a Clymer or Haynes manual for your bike...they have a maintenance section that will give you an outline to follow...and explain in plain terms how to perform the work...
Good Luck!!
Later.
** If you're not having fun, you're doing it WRONG...**
Riding since May 2010...
More maintenance tips
Starting the engine- let the engine warm up at least a minute before taking off, to get more oil to the top of the engine. Pull the clutch lever in a few times before taking off, to get more oil in between the clutch plates. A carbed bike can have the choke left partly on for the first half mile so the engine runs better until fully warmed up, but remember to turn the choke off when the engine gets warm.
Carbs are set for a cleaner exhaust, and rejetting will make them run better, often just a washer to raise each jet needle and adjusting the pilot mixture screws further out (counterclockwise) will greatly improve the throttle response just above idle, when taking off from a stop sign.
Coolant- change every 2 years is best (every 5 years at the most), half Havoline Extended Life car coolant and half distilled water works as well as the dealer coolants for less cash, or the Evans NPG+ lasts the life of the engine but costs more initially. Most racetracks prefer distilled water and water wetter, but it will freeze and needs to be drained before below freezing temperatures.
Brake fluid- after a few years it will become a brown color from absorbed water and fluid breakdown, and should be replaced. I like the Valvolene Synthetic DOT4 brake fluid because it turns brown more slowly.
Brake pads- for disk brakes you can see the pad thickness, maybe use a flashlight. I rotate the tires backwards with my hand while holding a piece of fine sandpaper on both sides of the rotor, so the new brake pads are bedded in better, and I try to use the new brake pads more lightly for the first few days so the new pads last longer.
Fork oil- it is best to replace it every 20,000 miles. For riders weighing over 150 pounds, you can buy stiffer fork springs and heavier weight fork oil, so the front forks bounce and dive less.
Tire pressure- check it often, typically 30 pounds is best for racing, 35 pounds is best for longer tire life and the weight of a passenger, but the higher pressure somewhat reduces the cornering ability and how smooth the bike rides.
Oil- I suggest trying several, until you find what feels best for your clutch hand and shift foot. A good low priced oil is Rotella T 15w-40. A good medium priced oil is Rotella T 5w-40 Synthetic. Good high priced oils include Amsoil and Maxima. I would change the engine oil every 3000 miles or once a year, whichever comes first. If you change the engine oil twice a year, you can use 20w-50 oil in the summer for longer engine life.
Some reading:
http://www.canyonchasers.net/shop/generic/chain.php
http://www.webbikeworld.com/t2/motorcycle-chain-lube/dupont-teflon-chain...
http://motorcycleinfo.calsci.com/Filters.html
http://vfrworld.com/tex_vfr/tech/oil.htm
http://www.sportrider.com/tech/146_0310_oil/index.html
Covering the brakes
Thanks for all of the info, so far I've learned a lot by reading. I had a question about covering the brakes. Are you supposed to do it ALL the time? I have been using 4 fingers to cover the brakes when riding in the parking lot and it's very uncomfortable. Yeah I can stop on a dime but I feel like I don't have very good control over the throttle with just my thumb wrapped around it...like I might accidently pin it. Not to mention it cramps my hand.Are there certain situations in traffic when you do and do not cover the brakes? And with how many fingers?
I signed up for the MSF course, it's a month away though, it was the earliest one that was open. Until then I still want to ride, I just don't want to develop any bad habits.
One finger Clutch, One finger Brake
Training instructors will shoot me down for this post because they are going by the book ...a very OLD book! Yes there was a time when a clutch and front brake required so much force to apply an entire fist was required, but those days are long gone, unless you are still riding a vintage BSA or similar. Hydraulic actuated clutches and modern disk brakes made the full fisted practice totally obsolete and I challenge any to prove me wrong when I say one finger on each control lever or at the most two is by far the best practice. Even beginners recognize you need at least three fingers and a thumb to maintain a firm grasp on the grips. Training course instructors insist you use all of your fingers to apply the front brake and the clutch and that is just SO wrong. I've seen you tube videos of beginners going over the bars and getting kicked out of class simply because they hauled on too much front brake and I hold the instructor totally responsible for such a failure.
Anybody riding at a skilled level in motorcycle competition does not use a full fist of front brake or clutch, so why it is considered a best practice for beginners???:| Try riding a Trial with a full fist of lever and your arms will be so pumped and fatigued you won't survive one loop, except maybe the loop over the handlebars. You can do nose wheelies with one finger on the brake, lock the front wheel going down steep hill or smoke a front tire braking from high speed on a street bike, so why would anyone teach you to use a fist full of front brake???
This is not even me but every picture I have of someone riding advanced Trials clearly shows the same thing, one finger on each lever. (my levers are moved in further on the bars than his)
I ride with one finger on the controls nearly all the time other than going up extreme steep hills or splattering a rock face and the reaction time is a fraction of what it takes to open a full grip from the bars. If your fingers are too weak to pull in your clutch or front brake, exercise your hands more and move the levers in on the bars to give you more leverage where you can.
This first part is important: You will likely need to go through the motions of using their full fist method to pass your training course, but I still maintain it is totally wrong, just don't argue with the teacher on my account. Personally know 4 motorcycle training instructors to date that I can out ride, so if they disagree; come on out and ride against me in an observed trial competition or challenge me to a slow race :) If anyone can whoop me using a full fist to clutch and brake, I'll take back everything I said and clean their entire motorcycle with my tooth brush :|
...engine braking is very important and even more so with a heavy bike, learn it well.
Elsewhere you inquired about servicing; I spend nearly as much time cleaning and servicing my motorcycles as I do riding them.
Practice, practice, practice...
Go back to Jeff's advice in the first respose to this thread...check out Captain Crash Idaho's video's on motorcycle safety...
http://www.motorcycleforums.net/forum/captain-crashs-pad/31656-howzit-do...
He makes great videos with a little tongue in cheek to keep them entertaining...if you practice what he shows in his videos, you will be at the head of the class in your BRC...watch a video a few times, then go out and practice what was in the vid for about 30mins to an hour...then come back and watch another one and so on, and so on...
I'm going to have to take that advice myself since I bought a new bike, and that is almost like starting over again...the balance points of each bike are different...so you have to become familliar with each bike you ride...not so bad if the bikes are similar weight and power, but my new bike is 150lbs heavier and has more than double the power...so practice, practice, practice...
Later.
** If you're not having fun, you're doing it WRONG...**
Riding since May 2010...
Lol
Nice job on the triple post...lol
I totally forgot about Cpt. Crash's videos...I think I will try and practice like you said. I do have a huge empty black top near by that I can utilize as well.
Wow!
I never realized how much motorcycle cops practice...funniest part for me about that video was when he said, "you can't just expect to play the guitar because you own one"...and here I am watching that video with a guitar in my hands lol. I had just got done playing/practicing!
Yeah, I'm trying to increase my post count...hehehe
Damn CAPTCHA...I hit save and my computer doesn't seem to do anything...so I hit stop...save, still nothing...stop, save...then I give up and just hit forum again...then I notice that I have the last three posts...all the same...awesome!! And there is no way to delete a post...I can edit it, but it won't let you remove it...
Oh well, it really got my point across...hehehe...
Yup, his vids are excellent...and entertaining as well...
I hope I can get out for a ride this evening...we are going camping this weekend, so I won't be able to get out on the weekend...should be a good weekend (even if there is a fireban in place) and the kids always love camping...but no riding...oh well...
Later.
** If you're not having fun, you're doing it WRONG...**
Riding since May 2010...
For covering the brakes,
For covering the brakes, different riders do it differently, and some instructors want it done differently than others. I always keep my right foot near the back brake pedal, I use my index finger and thumb to turn the throttle, and the smaller three fingers on my right hand are for the front brake lever or throttle.
Many sportbike riders only use one finger to put on the front brake- their front brakes can easily lift the back tire off the ground. Some riders use all four fingers for the front brake, but as a former dirt bike rider I learned that this causes a loss of throttle control while and just before or after using the front brake. I only cover the front brake lever when I see traffic nearby or it is an especially tricky road, but some instructors will have you cover the front brake lever all the time, since it is safer for a beginner.
It is best to cover the brakes without touching the levers, so the brake lights do not go on too often, unless you want to give early warning to a driver behind you. You can flash the high beam headlight to warn drivers in front of you, along with the horn. I also do head bobbing and sometimes stand on the footpegs, to make myself more visible if I think a driver has their head up their ass (not paying attention).
yeehaw
Alright, so I spent about 2 hours practicing in a parking lot this evening. They used to have msf courses here and the parking lot I use must be the one they used to use because there are markings and lines everywhere. I watched capt. crash's videos and practiced a lot of slow speed stuff, braking, shifting, and getting real familiar/comfortable with the clutch on my ninja. I walked the bike all the way down the parking lot just using the clutch and friction zone. Another thing I did was practice down shifting and using engine brake instead of the regular brakes. I used some of the markings and just practiced on them, one was a real tight S turn and I did that until I could do it consistently, then there was another tighter S turn that I practiced on. I practiced riding in tight consistent circles while focusing on one spot. I am still a little shaky on those so I want to practice that more. One thing I didn't get to that I will do tomorrow hopefully is the u-turn with in 2 parking spaces. I am feeling a lot better though with slow speed maneuvering and balance. I had been contemplating taking the bike out on the road, and all that practice had me feeling pretty good so I decided to take the bike out on the street for the first time, just to go get gas because I was almost on E anyway. Of course it was late and there was practically zero traffic on base (planned that one) but it felt good to get that first ride on the road in. During that ride I got practice stopping at stop signs, shifting, downshifting, using the clutch/friction zone, braking, turning, changing lanes, and even a few intersections where I had to communicate with the cages. Not to mention it was nice paying 15$ to fill up a tank rather than the $70 it takes for my truck!
Oh yeah and I was a lot more comfortable not covering the brake the whole time. I definitely felt like I had more control of the throttle and overall just felt better. I kept my right foot by the rear brake a lot like Jeff said he does and that felt good for me as well. I wasn't in any situation where covering the brake was necessary so I kept my hands on the grips and just switched to the levers as necessary. I found that using my index finger to pull the front brake felt the best and still left me with control of the throttle. Like Jeff noted, I tried going from hand fully on the throttle to four fingers on the brake lever and that didn't feel good at all. I lost control of the throttle a bit and the bike revved and jumped up on me, I got startled so I immediately pulled the clutch in and used the brake. Overall, even though I was instructor-less I felt like I learned and improved a lot today. I do have some questions though.
When you are down shifting while approaching a stop is it good practice to always down shift to 1st gear? Or is coming to a stop while the bike is in 2nd ok? 1st gear on a 250cc goes so quick that I would rather just leave it in 2nd, but is this bad for the bike/bad practice? I did this once at a stop sign and when I went to accelerate again I ended up killing the bike, not once, not twice...but three times lol. Luckily it was late and no one was behind me or I would have felt like a real dummy haha. Does being in 2nd gear affect the friction zone/amount of throttle you need to take off again? Thinking back on it I felt like it did but I was also a little nervous so that might have had something to do with it haha.
Well, that's all for now. Thanks for readin' guys
That's great...just keep practicing...
That's the whole point of all of the parking lot stuff...practice and get your confidence up before you go out into traffic...
As for the shifting into 1st...I always start my bike out in first gear...but I only slow down using engine braking into 2nd gear...when I feel it is time to shift into first for engine braking, I pull in the clutch and use the brakes only for the last bit...and put it into 1st at around 10kph (5-6mph)...it is always smoother to shift while moving, and you want to be in 1st gear to be able to move out of the way if someone isn't paying attention...you do not want to be the meat in the sandwich...very bad...always check your mirrors when you come to a stop...and keep checking them until you see a vehicle pull up behind you and come to a complete stop...no one else is going to watch you back, so use the mirrors...
And about filling the tank...I hear ya...my bike takes 12-14 liters (3-4gal) and @ $1.28/liter that's $16-18 to fill...much better than the 124.5 liters it took to fill my truck today...$159.25 to fill...and I have to have a truck for work...
Later.
** If you're not having fun, you're doing it WRONG...**
Riding since May 2010...
the freeway
So I have been getting a ton of practice in these last couple of days, riding 2 times a day most days for 2+ hours. One good thing about a military base is there are certain times when there is minimal traffic around but it is still like a small city with stop signs and stop lights, residential places, etc. I am now fairly confident and familiar with the friction zone on my bike. Haven't killed it at a stop sign or stop light since that first ride. I have even took it to a couple hilly areas on base and practiced starting from a stop on a hill, over and over and over. I was even able to find an incline much like the one Capt. Crash demonstrated in during one of his videos (one of those loading zone looking areas that trucks back up into). Now that was a pretty steep incline. I made sure and practiced that over and over as well. If I killed the bike I would practice it 5 times more until I could do five in a row without killing it...then I did 5 more haha. I've basically just been riding all over base, the speed limit on base is 30 but I took it to 50 (made sure it was safe first) so I could get a feel of how the bike accelerates and the feeling of speed..so far i love it :) I spent some more time on the big black top doing turns and trying to practice leaning. I have chalk but I keep forgetting to bring it to mark my tires. I can confidently get up and go from a stop sign and shift up smoothly as I accelerate.
I'm at that point now where I'm kind of bored just riding around on base...I really want to get a taste of the freeway (NO PUN INTENDED!)...what I mean is I want to ride on the freeway and see what it's like. The bird has to leave his nest and fly sometime, right? lol. There is a place about 10 mins down the freeway called National Harbor that me and my buddy want to ride down to (he has been riding for a little over a year now). It's down by the water and it's a little harbor town, has a lot of restaurants, a big fancy schmancy hotel and a lot of nightlife. I figure it would be a good first freeway ride. I know I would be a little nervous before the ride, but it would be during a low traffic time and it's a straight shot down the freeway. The way I'm thinking of it is, I now feel comfortable enough riding with other cars around me on base, I can operate the bike confidently, and I feel like I'm ready for the next step/challenge. I realize I sound like I'm just trying to convince myself lol but what do you guys think?
Also, some other question.
When approaching a stop light/sign, do you brake first and then down shift when you are going slow enough? Or is it ok to pull in the clutch, press the shift peg down, then use the brakes and smoothly release the clutch as you slow down and use the brakes/engine brake...then rinse and repeat as you shift down through the gears. Hopefully you guys know what I mean...
Is it bad/bad for the bike if you come to a stop and you arent in first, but shift down to first while you are stopped? There have been a few times where I kind of forgot which gear I was in or wasn't able to downshift all the way and then came to a stop light/sign and I would be in 2nd, so before I accelerated again I would put the bike back in first while stopped.
Some thoughts...
Riding on a freeway for the first time is daunting, but I think you'll find that it's not that scary once you actually do it. I would suggest that you just go as far as one or two exits to begin with and then ride the scenic route home. Next week, go a little further; maybe both ways. Statistically, freeways are actually safer than regular roads I believe.
It sounds like you're taking this learning process seriously and that's a good thing.
You have to walk before you can jog and jog before you can run. It'll be a few years before you become proficient. Oh yes, you'll be able to control the bike reasonably well long before that, but right now, you don't know what you don't know and after a few years, you won't even be completely sure what you've learned that is making you a better rider, but you'll know you are a better rider by the fact that you begin to have a lot less of those those "ohmigosh I'm gonna die moments".
Get yourself a copy of "Proficient Motorcycling" by David Hough and that will go a long way to help put an old head on young shoulders. I'll warn you though, it's kinda scary in parts and you'll be riding a lot more cautiously for a while after reading it.
Re. the stop sign, it depends how quickly you slow for the stop sign.
If you're slowing down slowly, you can slow the bike using the brakes, changing down gears in the normal way as you go (see note below). Alternatively, if you need to slow quickly, it's okay to brake/pull in the clutch lever and click, click, click your way down to first gear without releasing the clutch until you stop, at which point you either keep the clutch held in or put the bike in neutral and let the clutch out (probably the former for a stop sign). Or, you can use a combination of the two techniqes; the second technique being used towards the end of the slowing down.
No, it's not a problem to put the bike into first when it's stopped because you lost the place, but it's good practice to be in first gear when you stop so that you're ready to go again. You may find sometimes, that the bike doesn't want to change gears when it's stopped if you stopped with the bike in a different gear (or a false neutral). In such cases, if you gently let out the clutch to the beginning of the friction zone while applying pressure to the gear shifter, it will usually help it to shift out of or into the next gear (be very gentle with the clutch though!).
Note: The point of changing down gears (in the normal way) as you slow is (a) so that you don't stall the engine as the bike slows down, and (b) so that you can be in the correct gear to accelerate away if circumstances suddenly change (e.g. the traffic light changes from red to green while you're slowing).
yeee
Just re read the section of this site that lists some good habits beginners should form. I am actually pretty proud of myself because I have been doing all of them with the exception of maybe keeping my heels in.
So lets see...
"loose on top tight on bottom"
This is one I actually check myself on all the time. When riding I have been reminding myself to stay loose and, I'll do a little chicken wing flap with my arms to make sure. I also make sure to grip the tank firmly with my legs...perhaps this has been keeping my heels in all along I just haven't noticed it.
"take turns outside inside outside" along with "look through turns"
The first thing that pops into my head when I even think about turning on a motorcycle is to come from outside, take it on the inside and roll on the throttle as I am leaned over and accelerate though..then of course I TURN MY HEAD and look through the turn to where I want to go. I can definitely see how target fixation is very dangerous
"keep visor closed"
hmm..forgot about that one as well. I do like to ride up until about 20 mph then put my visor down but I see why it is good to have it down at all times when moving...even at 10 mph I bet a bug or small piece of debris would really hurt...and if it got your eye that would be just horrible
"escape plans"
I always try and remind myself to check my mirrors as frequently as possible and keep my SA up at all times.
I just put a post it up of things that I can work on/remember...this way I will see it and remind myself before I ride. :)
omigoshimgonnadie!
lol...that was great. I bet those moments suck. :( ...but then you're happy to be alive hahaha
And yeah I am not taking this whole motorcycle thing lightly...I plan on living lol. After watching youtube videos, reading stories,hearing stories,and watching stories unfold haha like seeing some of my buddies lay down there bikes, and even see my own mom crash on a bike (she was a passenger on a harley, it was a really tight 10mph turn on a back road...there was gravel and the bike slid out and they slid and got trapped under a barrier where a car preceded to almost run them both over. She had no injuries luckily, the pilot however sustained a nice deep gash in his left shin and some road rash. The bike was done-skie. I was a little spooked by motorcycles after all that, but I still wanted one...I mean how could I not, they are damn sexy haha. Now that I finally buckled and got one I want to learn to do it right and as safely as possible...but still have fun ya know :) I realize yeah riding is inherintley dangerous, but so are a lot of other things, like skydiving (an addiction of mine...and it's actually a lot safer than riding a motorcycle!)...it's all about being smrt (simpsons anybody? lol)
Rab, thanks for your thoughts and answering my questions.
im still alive lol
Well I just got back from my first freeway ride and it was great! I had a huge smile on my face the whole time :) (while maintaining my s.a. of course)!
It was about 10 minutes of freeway and 10 minutes of city driving. We started out around 7:30pm and traffic was low. Our destination was a rocky shore down by the water. We got there and it was a great view with the sun setting over the city. Chilled for a couple minutes, took in the view, and joked about popping my freeway cherry (haha). Then we rode back.
Merging on the freeway I was a little nervous, but once I got used to it I relaxed a little bit. First thing I noticed was being pushed around by the wind and other cars a little bit. Other than that I got in my usual rhythm of checking my mirrors and my surrounding regualrly...and watching for pot holes. Reminded myself to stay loose on top, tight on bottom and keep the ankles in. I would say I only got up to about 65mph going there.
Riding back I got up to about 85mph at one point :) My little Ninja 250 was screamin down the freeway haha. I felt out that tuck position and that was pretty cool! I did get a little spooked exiting off of the freeway to base. This exit even makes me nervous when driving my truck. I think I would just confuse you guys trying to explain it so I made a illustration of it...check out my paint skills lol.
So as you can imagine cars merging almost never compltely obey the yield sign, and this is one exit where that can get dangerous. Approaching that exit is also a blind corner, so you really don't see cars that are coming on the freeway until the last second. Often times in my truck a few cars will pop out of nowhere, not yielding of course, and I will have to kind of floor it to over take them and get in my exit lane and then brake hard before that twisty off ramp surrounded by woods and gravel...and is bumpy as shit (as pictured haha). In these situations I find myself braking hard before that twisty off ramp.
Luckily there were no cars this time to spook me even more but I still had to slow down fairly quick and that twisty off ramp spooked me. I ended up coming in a little too hot at like 50mph, had a little "oh shit" moment then I pulled in the clutch, click, click, click, etc etc all the way down from 6th to like 2nd and kept on the brakes as smooth as possible as I went around the twisty exit. I held the clutch in the whole time around the exit. All of this made me forget about my entry point into the turn, I came in too much to the inside so I was all over the place as I was trying to slow down and get back in the middle of the lane and keep up with the turn....I just realized that I was braking during a turn...a big no-no.
Ok so that last part of the ride was a bit bumpy (literally lol) but overall the rest of the ride went very smoothly and I had a great time...I think were going to go out again tomorrow. :)
Thanks for reading...any comments and advice are greatly encouraged/appreciated :)
Congratulations! You did it !
I remember my first time on the freeway being a similar experience to yours, and a major psychological milestone.
Yes, you really have to watch those freeway off-ramps as many of them have a real tight bend, often sloping and with gravel at the sides.
I think your whole problem was due to, as you say, coming into the bend too hot (a very common mistake amongst new riders; and "fast guys"). Pay attention to the speed limit signs on the exit ramps as they often give you a clue as to how tight the off-ramp bend may be.
It's never a good idea to take a bend with the clutch pulled-in. The best thing to do if you find you've gone into a bend too hot (which you can almost always prevent), is to lean more. So long as you don't have a cruiser, the bike will lean a heck of a lot more than you're usually willing to lean it. You lean the bike by counter-steering.
Another strategy to scrub-off some speed in a bend, is to sit the bike upright very briefly and apply both brakes, then ease-off the brakes and go back into the lean. You need to have mastered counter-steering and also have enough space to do this one. If not, you'll run straight off the road. Try to brake OR lean as there's often not enough traction to do both at the same time. When you take your MSF BRC, you'll do lots of braking and swerving exercises, which should help some.
Make no mistake, going into bends too hot is one of the major killers of motorcyclists, so you've been warned.
Always do your braking BEFORE the bend, not in the bend.
Also, as you're aware, it's important to take a good line through the bend so as to straighten out the bend as much as possible and to let you see what's ahead. The slower you go into the bend, the more time you'll have to think about what line you should be taking based on the shape of the bend.
Anyway, you lived to tell the tale, now hopefully, a little wiser.
Oh! One last strategy... Avoid that freeway junction !
I've got a real bad one on my way home from work. Seven very busy lanes of traffic with cars merging off in the same few hundred feet of shared lanes that others are merging on in (criss-cross fashion). It's the most convenient one for me to get off the freeway, but I just refuse to use it when it's raining as it's too busy and dangerous (I came off the bike there once before in the rain).
hmm
Yes, it was a big psychological milestone for me as well. Now I'm not going to want to ride around on base because I'll just be bored haha.
Counter-steering...I've heard that term thrown out a lot on Cpt. Crash's videos but I'm still unsure what it is or how you even do it or how I can practice it. And as for leaning, yeah I should have done that as well. I'm still having issues trusting the bike lol. I need to get out in that parking lot and just focus on leaning. Even though riding there on the freeway there was a point with a pretty good turn and it kind of caught me off guard and I ended up leaning a good bit and it felt pretty cool...idk it just spooks me a little. I'm taking the MSF course next month around this time. Do they teach leaning and counter-steering as well?
And yeah I usually try to avoid that junction. From now on this one will be one I refuse to use while riding a motorcycle.
Thanks for all of the advice!
I gotta tell you your posts
I gotta tell you your posts make for a scary read sometimes! It seems like you are bent on learning to run before you can walk.
Counter-steering is the Only way you can make a motorcycle go around corners once you traveling with any appreciable speed. I won't even attempt describing it in great detail because I'm sure it's been done before, other than to say; when you want to go right you lean into the right bar and when you want to go left you lean into the left bar. This is the opposite of what seems logical to 'steering' around slow turns, but it works because it makes the motorcycle lean and it's the lean that makes it turn corners. If you try and steer around a corner with any speed, it will make the bike stand up and go in a straight line! Yes, this will be covered in the MSF.
Please stay off the highway, I'm pretty sure your license doesn't cover it and the cops are going to spot you a mile away just by the way you are not turning.
This may sound like a dumb question, but have you ever ridden on the back of a motorcycle with a skilled rider at the helm? ...that might be a very valuable experience for you at this point as it would teach you about leaning to turn.
Wait for the Basic Rider Course
Yes, I agree with TrailsRider.
Given where you are in the learning process, you should probably stay within the base until you complete your MSF BRC. Meantime, now's a good chance to read up on some theory.
One step at a time...
ok
What about my posts makes for scary stories and why does it seem that I am bent on learning to run before I can walk? To me that would be like if I had just learned the bare minimums in a parking lot and then decided to go on a freeway... I have just simply been documenting my practice sessions in this thread and trying to critique myself...nothing super scary has really happened(knock on wood) and I have practiced a bunch. First in a small parking lot doing laps in first gear, then on a big black top practicing with my clutch, slow speed maneuvering, turning/cornering and shifting for about a week, then around a couple of large parking lots with stop signs and small intersections for about 2 days. After I felt confident enough I took it out on the road just to get gas and ride back (5 min ride to the gas station with a few stop signs/lights). That built my confidence enough so the next day I rode it around base even more which gave me a lot of practice at stop signs/lights, intersections, shifting and keeping my situational awareness up. I also did a bunch of practice starting on some steep hills. After doing a lot of that for about 3 days I felt confident enough for a short freeway ride. My buddy led the ride and everything went pretty smoothly except the last part which was a minor scare for me. That's how experience is gained though. I feel I have been taking this pretty slow, but if you feel otherwise I would sincerely be interested in why you feel that way.
And as for leaning. I was incorrect in saying that I "should have done that" of course I leaned around that turn, if I hadn't I would have run off the road. What I was really thinking when I wrote that was maybe I should have leaned more to make up for coming in too fast but instead I pulled the clutch and used the brakes (which I now realize is a big no-no). Now that I have that experience I am confident that I will do the correct thing next time.
Anyway...I must have some sense of counter steering because it's not like I haven't turned my bike while at speed. Thinking about it confuses me, but today when I was riding I was thinking about it then at a turn did it and it just felt automatic.
Before I left to go ride (it was a city ride, on my way back to work) I watched this video about 3 times.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oVa2Ax-Dins
It confused me at first but when I did it on the road it made sense. It's a hard concept to actually understand and grasp because it's counter intuitive. However, I am reading that it is automatic for mostly everybody who has been on anything with just 2 wheels. I'll accept it for what it is, even though it may not make any sense at first thought.
Here's another good video I found.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B8IdTq3_3WI
And a wiki article explaining the physics
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Countersteering
To turn right you would need to push the right bar to the left (or pull the left bar right). Then all of these forces happen and cause you and the bike to lean to the right, so you then achieve your right turn...in a simple explanation.
That first you tube video makes a good point about how counter-steering initiates a turn and leaning sustains it.
But perhaps you guys are right about staying off the highway until I am fully licensed. It's probably best...I'll make a promise to myself to stick to base and riding to and from work in the noon time. It is a short 10 min city ride with stop signs/lights and makes for good practice. Plus traffic is low around those times. I take a shuttle in the morning because traffic is bad in the mornings.
Don't get me wrong definitely
Don't get me wrong definitely not trying to criticize, in fact I applaud your ambition and enthusiasm, don't loose it!
The bits that sent out alerts to me; you've already been on the freeway but still haven't nailed down engine braking or counter-steering. "Riding back I got up to about 85mph at one point" ...that equates to 135 kph which is roughly a 300$ speeding fine on the fastest highway in Ontario. "...ended up coming in a little too hot..." etc. that part was scary just reading it, but from reading your latest post I can see that you are catching on very fast.
You need to recognize that I learned on dirt and by the time I first entered a highway I had 6 years riding experience under my belt (and numerous crashes) then it was another 6 years before I owned a bike capable of pulling 140 kph. Not to suggest you need to do the same, but now maybe you can see why I said you're running pretty fast there.
Keep up the good work, I truly envy your newness.
I know you weren't trying to criticize in a rude way
I know, I know, that's why I didn't want to come off as an a-hole in my last post.
Born in dirt, gotcha. ;)
I thank you for the constructive criticism though. You are right, I should stay off the highway until after the BRC at which point I plan to be proficient enough to be safer on the highway. This is good...it will give me another goal to work towards. In the mean time I will keep my riding on base and those short city rides back to work after lunch, when traffic is low. That should give me good practice at a lot of things. Just put up a post-it with big bold letters, "STAY OFF HIGHWAY UNTIL AFTER BRC!" lol. I live my life through post-its now haha.
That's cool.
By the way, Microsoft Outlook reminders can run your life better than Post-It notes.
Little reminders pop-up all day on my computer, telling me what I need to to do next (sad or what!?)
(smiling)
Been a while since I've been
Been a while since I've been on here but I thought I would add my thoughts to this thread.
It's only been 3 years since I started so I can remember what it was like. I did my BRC before hitting the road but the BRC is no magical course. I thought it was very basic and left thinking "is that it?" and as many instructors say as their parting words, "You are now qualified to ride in a parking lot". The great thing about the course is you have experienced eyes looking at your form and can give you instant feedback. Things you would never know you are doing wrong otherwise and it helps to start out doing things correctly rather than learn bad habits which you would try to unlearn later.
jsan, I think you set alarm bells ringing when you talked about going round the corner with the clutch in. That basically means you were completely out of control. Happily nothing bad happened but, in case you didn't realize it already, you messed up big time. Combine that with going in too fast to a blind intersection and it all sounds very scary. I can't emphasize enough the need to slow down before a corner and be gently on the throttle throughout it. It took me the longest time to learn this simple lesson (despite reading it many times) as I was always concerned about how I looked. Eventually after one scare too many I stopped worrying about my speed and tried to get the correct form. I then had my aha moment. Being gently on the throttle the bike will go round the corner as if on rails. It all feels safe and secure and you are completely in control. It will probably also feel slow because you are so in control but trust me, your speed will build as your ability to read corners grows. Your "oh shit" moments will hopefully reduce to very few and riding becomes very much more rewarding.
I also strongly recommend you grab a copy of David Hough's Proficient Motorcycling book. That is a great introduction to all the dangers out there you face that at this point you are unaware of. The best $20 you will ever spend on motorcycling training.
Good luck with everything and keep us posted on your progress
Not sure I totally agree...
eon has been riding a couple of years longer than me (I started in May 2010), so I would listen to him...but I don't think you "messed up big time", I think you gave up a chunk of your control but not all of it...you still had your brakes and steering, but being on the throttle slightly throughout the corner does settle the bike down and it seems to "hook up" when you do it right. Just using your steering and brakes through a corner makes the bike feel a little unsettled with more weight on the front tire...that makes the front pull double duty (kinda) and it doesn't respond to your inputs quite as easily, when you are on the throttle more weight is transfered to the back wheel and leaves a lighter feel to the steering and takes away the wobbly or jello feel (less spooky).
As for the BRC, he is dead on...I remember the same thing, I thought there was more to it...but really, the parking lot stuff is the hard stuff...riding down the road, is the same as driving except you are at a huge safety disadvantage so you need to pay more attention...but the rules of the road are the same, and once underway the bikes are pretty stable (as I'm sure you have noticed by now)...so the hard stuff is the parking lot, or slow stuff...and having the experienced eyes watching you and letting you know when you are not doing something right does really help...they must have told me 50 times to look at the horizon...they never said it, but they were trying to drill into me that I need to be set up for the corner before I got there...if I wasn't set up right, just forget that corner and plan the next one (in the parking lot of course, not on the road...that's why we practice in the parking lot)...if I was trying to steer through the corner while I was in it, I was too late and I was doing it wrong...I know I said that retarded, but hopefully you can understand what I am trying to say...?? Pretty much you should be looking and thinking about the next corner or transition point, where you are at the moment should have been planned already not at the last second...
Anyway, I have babbled enough...just pay attention to what they are trying to teach you during the course...don't over think what they are telling you (especially counter steering...think of it as push steering), just practice and listen...then practice some more...
Good Luck!!
Later.
** If you're not having fun, you're doing it WRONG...**
Riding since May 2010...
Perhaps we are arguing
Perhaps we are arguing semantics here but I still think going round a corner with the clutch in is a bad mistake. To me it means you have lost control of the situation and are dangerously close to a crash. However, this is meant as constructive criticism, not a put down. God knows I made enough mistakes in those early days and you quickly learn from them. Congrats to jsan for posting them on here and getting feedback. It's sure is quicker to learn from other peoples mistakes than your own, and potentially a lot less painful.
As you say, with the clutch in you will get that wobbly/jello feel that saps your confidence and makes the bike hard to control. Being on the gas ever so slightly will settle it down and it will feel planted, inspiring confidence for you to lean over and make the turn. Don't want to get into the physics too much (mainly cause I don't understand it) but I think it has more to do with getting the suspension working in the sweet spot than anything else.
+1 to panic clutching is a nono
...the heavier the bike, the more important it is to keep that engine engaged and in control of the rear wheel braking. If I came into a corner hot with my K100RS and pulled in the clutch to use only brakes to slow down, I'd be into the rhubarb or guardrail for sure! either that or the rear brake would do little at first and then lock up the back wheel uncontrollably. Given a choice between only the engine to brake the rear wheel or only a rear brake, I'll take the engine any day.
I had a complete rear brake failure on a TY175 in the first loop of an event and after a much better rider said "ride without it, you don't need it anyway" I persevered and finished the event with a second place position. He was totally right and I learned from that experience, I had been over using the rear brake all along. The front provides the lion share of the brake force and the rear just needs enough force to hold the rear wheel from passing the front! Using the engine to brake is like having anti-skid rear braking. :(as long as the engine doesn't stall or lock-up completely)
If you are going race speeds,
If you are going race speeds, pulling in the clutch to coast or brake in a corner probably will cause a crash. For normal street speeds, this method is less comfortable, and it is a distant second choice to braking before the corner and using some throttle in the corner. If you are going a little too fast, it is usually best to lean more instead, if the pavement is clean and dry.
Many racers do late braking to pass, going faster than normal into the turn and putting on some back brake and/or engine braking in the turn, and much less likely some front braking before or after the apex (the middle of the turn with the maximum lean angle), but they know they increase their chances of crashing when doing this.
Well, we can all agree on one thing...
That going into that turn with the clutch pulled in was a mistake, if nothing else. lol
So far the little city riding that I have been doing has helped me with cornering, turning and counter steering. I already feel more confident on the bike. Braking before the turn, then rolling on the throttle through the turn, like eon said, definitely inspires confidence between me and the bike. I feel like I can really get a good lean and feel planted. And yes about the suspension, I can really feel it start to "press" down I guess you could say during leaning and its a good confident feeling. Have also been getting good practice starting on hills in real world traffic and remembering following distance. One thing I need to work on are the escape plans. Reflecting on some of the rides I realized there were a couple times I stopped at a stop light and didn't really think about watching my rear...I was just kind of watching the light. A bad habit no doubt developed by driving my truck, where it may be ok, but not on a motorcycle.
Oh and it's gettin' hot here! Those afternoon rides sure do get warm but a little bit of speed + wind gives a good cool down. :) I have a scorpion exo 700 helmet that breathes very well, and keeps my face cool, a shift mesh "backdraft" jacket that also breathes very nicely. As for pants and gloves I got a pair of those shift torque jeans which i love and shift chaos gloves. Shift makes some good stuff! Got a smokin deal for that jacket ($99) and helmet ($125)
I'll have to grab me a copy of that book you guys are talkin' about.
Shift is getting out of the
Shift is getting out of the street gear business and focusing on their dirt gear, so there are a lot of good closeout deals now. I wear one of their kidney belts designed for dirt riding- it makes long street trips less tiring and gives me a little more protection during a crash.
I would like to add the Bohn armored underwear with mesh so it is not as hot, and the Sidi boots with a lot of ankle protection, but I have not spent the money to buy them yet- my wife is not too happy with the $5500 I spent this month for a second bike, and my back tire blew out yesterday (a big bang) from age and being parked on the same tire section for years; luckily it happened at 5 mph near our house- I have another big expense to replace both tires, even though they have less than 500 miles on them during the last 4 years.
This guy below survived because of his safety gear, and he should have added a steering stabilizer for that type of stunt riding that is illegal on the street:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KARjyQVjoi0
Yeah...
I've seen that video a couple of times, it's videos like that which assure myself that I will never get that stupid on a public road.
What are some of the best leathers you can buy as far as brands,quality, and protection? I heard Dainese makes some really good stuff but I really wouldn't know for sure.
Leathers
For the street in the summer, I recommend these because they are not nearly as hot as leather, and you can add dirt bike knee and shin armor and armored underwear underneath them:
http://www.revzilla.com/motorcycle/olympia-recon-3-mesh-pants
In his book, Lee Parks recommends the Aerostitch Roadcrafter textile (nylon) suit for the street, and leather for the track. He recommends leather from Z Custom, Bates, Vanson, and Syed; with Syed having the most protection and Vanson with the best fit and finish. For higher end clothes, getting them custom fit does not usually cost much more than off-the-rack, and is especially important if you do not have a typical body shape.
Which foot down?
Armored underwear? Do you really need that for everyday riding? I didn't know that existed. I'll have to check it out. I could use a pair of summer socks tho, its real hot now and my feet are gettin heated. I just got a pair of tourmaster sc roadboots (low cut) and I love em.
Dang those are some expensive suits/leathers!
Is there a certain foot you should put down when stopped? I put my brake side down and hold the front brake...is that bad?
On stop signs I use engine and both brakes to come to a stop. I scan upcoming intersection, come to complete stop, brake side foot down, scan again, and accelerate. While stopped I hold the front brake.
On hills I put the clutch side down and hold the rear brake because I noticed it was a lot easier to accelerate out of a hill with the rear brake pressed instead of the front. But usually I will come to a stop, use the front brake to hold the bike, then put both feet down and theeen put my brake foot back on the rear brake and release the front brake. I realize it would be easier if I just put clutch side down from the beginning but I'm in the habit of putting my brake side down first.
moving your feet around
I put my shift foot down first, so I can use my back brake longer, then I put both feet down. After a car stops behind me, I shift to neutral and let out the clutch lever. When taking off, I keep my right foot down and shift into first with my left foot. At slow speeds it is best to use just the back brake. At high speeds it is very important to use mostly the front brake- it has most of the stopping power.
The more armor the better, but it does get hot in the summer. I am planning to buy this underwear below eventually, with mesh so it is not as hot:
http://www.bohnarmor.com/catalog/proddetail.php?prod=BGKC
lol, foot down?:|
...oh you mean at a stop light;)
Jeff' method works for me except I don't generally go for neutral unless I need to tie up a boot lace or something, I touch down the left toe only, goes back up on the peg on takeoff.
Right foot seldom leaves a brake ready position!
....makes for a shakey stop if your right foots down before the bike is stoped, even worse when riding 2 up. When I do ride 2 up I put down both toes at the lights, just incase the passenger weight shifts.
It's very confusing if you ever ride older English or Spanish bikes that have the foot controls reversed, I find I need to ride the rear brake a lot, just to remind myself where the brake is!
underwear?:|
I always put my left foot
I always put my left foot down, for the simple reason it's easier to be consistent and you've found out hill starts are easier when you are on the back brake. That and before I come to a complete stop I'm off the front brake and on the back brake only. Kind of hard to put that foot down when you are still using it!
haha
Well looks like I'm goin back to the parking lot for a little bit to break the habit of putting my brake foot down!
armored underwear
I landed hard on my butt during a motorcycle crash in 1984, and during a bicycle crash 2 years ago. The bruises were less painful and healed a lot quicker when I was 25 instead of 50. I was not able to lay down to sleep or able to sit for 3 weeks after the last crash, because I bruised my tailbone and pulled tendons in my back and belly- there was no way to lay down or sit that did not hurt, even with Vicodin. I paced back and forth all night, and took little naps until the pain made me get up again.
The armored underwear looks like a much more useful item, if you ever crash without it like me and wish you had it on.
chainmail underwear
http://www.greyfuzz.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/chainmail.jpg
ouch
Dang, that sounds painful...luckiily I have age on my side (20) lol. I understand why you would want it after that tho.
Obviously the more armor you have on the better during a crash. But it seems it would get to a point where it's just not convenient to wear so much. Especially if you are commuting or getting on/off your bike to run errands/do things a lot. I am sticking to the ATGATT rule. Right now I have a full face helmet (duh) shift torque jeans, a shift mesh/textile jacket, shift gloves, and tourmaster sc boots. That's all I can afford since I'm starting out but I wear all of it whenever I plan to ride. The jacket has good armor in the shoulders and elbows and has a back pad. The gloves arent full gauntlet (not really a fan of the full gauntlet look either) but cover the wrist bone and have hard armor. I couldn't afford armored over pants so I got the jeans. I am thinking that getting a pair of knee/shin guards to go along with the jeans would be the next best thing?
For you guys who have been riding for a little bit I assume you have picked up various pieces of protective gear. What do you guys normally wear if you are commuting? Spirited riding on the highway or backroads? Going down the street real quick? Riding to work/run errands? Cold days? Hot days?
Im trying to get an idea of the gear I might want to pick up on in the future. So far I know I want a pair of armored over pants and a full textile jacket...and eventually I would like to get leathers. Also would like to upgrade my helmet to a nice Shoei in the future. All of this takes time and money tho. Any thoughts?
wow
Ya...now that is one distraction I wouldn't mind crashing over lol (jk/*knocks on wood*) haha
Oilskin
Bought an Outback Oilskin jacket while I was out west recently
http://www.outbacktrading.com/shop/item.aspx?itemid=109
I didn't really purchase it for the bike but I must say it makes a nice riding jacket for not too much money.
...the cape is removable
Around here in the summer, I
Around here in the summer, I see people wearing bathing suits and sandals on motorcycles- they might look like raw hamburger if they crash.
I wear knee and shin armor made for a dirt bike- it has vents to stay cool, under my padded nylon motorcycle pants, and they cost less than $25. Your stronger jeans are a good way to hide armor:
http://www.jakewilson.com/productDetail.do;jsessionid=5CB48EB4991753D6CA...
This guy just went for a short, slow ride around the parking lot:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TFD9az2eAv0
Yup
I really like that video, very informative and definitely serves as a warning. And he was only going 15-20mph.
I actually saw those same shift knee/shin guards last night on motorcyclesuperstore.com...cheap yet effective and they got really good reviews. Since I only have jeans I think I will invest in a pair.
I'm coming up on 3 years
I'm coming up on 3 years riding so I've picked up quite a few bits of gear now. My first outfit probably came in around $700 for boots/pants/jacket/gloves/helmet so it wasn't the best out there. Since then I've been adding to it when I had the money and felt the need for something better. I've managed to survive the past 2 Seattle winters wearing a mesh jacket with an old cycling GoreTex jacket thrown over the top (with lots of layers). This saved me some money as good jackets can be one of the most expensive items you buy. Probably will break down next winter and buy a dedicated winter jacket as I was surviving and not enjoying the cold weather. May even go down the electric route but that's even more money.
Nice helmets can be very nice but be aware they don't necessarily mean better protection. It can mean more plush materials, better paint job etc but it can be the same or worse protection than a $100 helmet. Check out http://sharp.direct.gov.uk/ for a comparison on protective abilities of helmets. Having said all that I LOVE my Arai as it just fits me perfectly. I certainly was not looking to spend $500 on a helmet but once I tried it on there was no going back.
I pretty much wear all my gear all the time. The only concession I make is my 2 mile commute on city streets to work. Then I skip the pants and just wear my jeans but that's a pretty safe bet. The cyclists are passing me more often than not! The most important thing about gear is to buy stuff that you will actually wear. I have a top of the line external back protector but it just got too tedious strapping it on all the time. I now have a very good protector that fits inside my jacket but I know it's not as good as the one lying on my closet floor. But in this case convenience won over protective ability.
Eon, it sounds like that you
Eon, it sounds like that you don't have a cage to drive and only use a motorcycle for transportation?
Nice link, btw. Very useful. I compared my exo-700 with a top of the line shoei. Everything was pretty much the same except the shoei had slightly better left and rear side impact ratings (exo 700 was in the orange, shoei was one up in the yellow) Those shoei paint jobs sure are sweet tho...
I got a pair of those shift knee pads along with some scorpion reflective stickers to put on my helmet, a darker tinted visor for sunny days, and a green mohawk. lol
I know, I know, you either love or hate the mohawk. Personally I have always thought they were pretty cool and kinda funny. They could also help with visibility and other drivers around notice you better...though it may be to notice you and think you are either stupid or cool for sportin' the hawk. But hell I could care less, as long as they see me haha.
Yes, I sold my car when I
Yes, I sold my car when I moved back to Seattle and have been carless ever since (3 years ago). It's not as hardcore as it sounds as I live and work downtown (the 2 mile commute) and we don't really get it that cold up here either but no surprise it does rain a little bit. That's generally not a problem if you have waterproof gear but finding gear that really is waterproof is a challenge. My cycling jacket did really well but it wasn't designed to withstand 60mph onslaughts and it has been leaking recently so the hunt is on for something else. There is a $300 Klim GoreTex jacket that looks nice but it's just a waterproof layer only. Might save up and spring for a real winter jacket. Will cross that bridge when it starts to get cold again.
Oh, I also cheat by having a scooter that gives great protection from the elements. In fact I only got a real motorcycle 4 months ago. I initially wanted to get a Ninja 250 like you have but 3 years ago when gas prices were high you just couldn't get one. So I somehow ended up with a maxi-scoot that has served me well. It still beats a motorcycle hands down when it comes to practicality (but not in the grin factor stakes).
Nice
I still have my truck and I have been thinking of selling her but I don't think I want to be carless. Plus I love that truck...and she comes in so handy. It's kind of become my little beater truck lol. Plus I figured I could use her to transport my bike if I ever needed to. The paint on the roof and hood is all faded and ruined from the elements and the drop in bed liner is all broken off where the liner goes over the side. I had it gorilla taped for a while but one on one side piece flew off going over the coronado bridge one day and then about 1 years later I was going over a bridge here in dc and the other piece on the other side finally broke and flew off haha. So she's not much to look at but I try to take good care of her internals, the things that will keep her running for a long time.
So what kind of real motorcycle do you have?
If you can keep your truck I
If you can keep your truck I would as not having 4 wheels can be a real pain at times. I just can't justify the cost of buying a car that would sit idle 99% of the time. Plus that would eat into my next bike funds!
I have a Kawasaki Versys, which is a 650cc parallel twin. It's kind of a cross between a sport tourer and a dual sport with the emphasis on the sporting side. Closet comparison is probably a VStrom but there still a big difference between the two.
Yup
Actually before I even got my motorcycle a friend and I had just started rebuilding a small block mopar 360 to swap out for the V6. But things got off to a slow start and it would have took all summer. I had big plans for my dakota but I decided to settle on what mods I have on the truck already, focus on preventive maintenance, and try something new. So I decided to put the truck money elsewhere and wahla now I have a motorcycle. I have to say I'm glad I went the motorcycle route...much more fun. :)
Just googled the Versys, I don't think I have ever seen one of those on the road but I have to say it does look damn sexy. ;)
Gorgeous looking bike! I've
Gorgeous looking bike! I've always been a fan of that paint scheme.
Ben
- Best Beginner Motorcycles Admin
Thanks! Hey I have a
Thanks!
Hey I have a question, do you guys use a GPS when riding? I have seen some people ride with a little mounted GPS device. Is it safe? If so what is a good GPS device to look at?
Props
Ben,
Just wanted to add that I think this site is awesome! The site has helped me make many informed decisions from what to look for when buying gear to choosing a good first bike and everything inbetween. BBM has also been one of my main sources of learning, next to actually riding, thanks to the great people who post here. All the info on BBM has been and continues to be invaluable to me
GPS
I use a GPS at work and for our car at home, but not for my motorcycles. You need one that is waterproof and vibration proof and a way to mount it to the bike and ideally a speaker inside your helmet, which add to the price. You can carry a cheaper handheld one in your luggage or in a pocket, but it is more difficult to use, putting in points along the way before the trip. We have the Garmin brand, and many have the TomTom brand.
I have a Garmin 60Cx, which
I have a Garmin 60Cx, which is designed for hikers/cyclists so it's tough and waterproof (it's also very popular with the Dual Sport crowd). It can run on AA batteries for around 18 hours or so (less on rechargeables). The screen is on the small side so it's not great for navigating through major cities but it does me fine out on the open road. It doesn't have any fancy lane info that you would see in car models, another reason navigating major connurbations is problematic. I think it goes for around $200 these days but you will need to add the price of maps to that (around $100). Other units come preloaded with detail maps so it gets difficult to make direct comparisons. Plenty of folks use car models on their bikes but that comes with issues, such as waterproofing, touch screens or power supply. Also I know the Garmin Nuvi line has issues loading preprogramed routes. Most GPS units are designed to get you from A to B in either the shortest time or the most direct route. I use my GPS to follow torturous routes along the smallest, twistiest back roads I can find on the map. So programmed routes are a must for me.
You don't need voice controls (though it might be nice, I don't know). You quickly adapt to glancing at the screen to see when your next turn is coming up. There is no doubt it is distracting at first but once you get the hang of it it makes your life easier. No more slowing down as each side road approaches and trying to read the street sign. I have my unit telling me how many minutes/seconds before the next turn so I can concentrate on the road until that point. For me it is a god send and I couldn't live without it. I'm about to use my basic little model to direct me 3500 miles from North Carolina back to Seattle hitting little back roads along the way. There is just no way I could do that with maps (or at least, not as easily).
Nice!
Do you have in mounted on your bike? If so, how/where? And does it affect the look of the bike? Like Jeff noted, mounting it may be a pain for me. I was trying to find how some people mounted their GPS on their 250 but didn't find much to my liking. I don't think I would want to mount it to the handlebar...it would just ruin the sleek look of the bike. Not sure though.
I have it mounted on my
I have it mounted on my handlebars with a RAM mount. Doesn't ruin the look of my bike but I'm not sure what it would look like on a Ninja. If you have one though you will want it mounted as much in your field of vision as possible. If you have to move your head to look at it it becomes much harder to use.
Don't have any pics online but you can see it in the opening shot of this video and several glimpses throughout.
http://youtu.be/7D51W5B8kec
yo yo
Hey guys, haven't had much time to check in until now, work has been keepin' me on my toes lately. However, I got my class M endorsement and have been riding A LOT! Almost everyday now for the past 3 weeks for 2+ hours. Not to mention a few joy rides on the weekends. 90% of the riding time being on the freeway. I haven't taken the BRC yet but I am signed up for an August 1st class and then on the 4th I am taking the Military Sportbike Rider Class (it's required in the military if you ride a sport type bike). I'm happy to say I'm very comfortable with the bike now and riding in general. Leaning, engine braking, shifting, counter steering, cornering, etc etc. My bike and I are finally operating as one, everything being smooth and confident. :) I have to say, the 09 250R Ninja is one super fun bike! I've had the chance to lean her over pretty good on some twisty highway roads and that is probably the most fun part of riding. I'm trying to find where there are some good twisty back roads around here.
The bike is just about at 1,100 miles now. Last week I changed the oil, cleaned/lubed the chain and gave her a wash and a coat of wax. Yesterday I put the aftermarket seat cowl on the bike and have done a couple other mods. I put a puig dark smoke windscreen on, swingarm spools, tank protector and a two brothers m5 black series slip on exhaust. I have some sweet pro-grip aftermarket grips to put on soon as well. However I read that Kawi uses loc-tite on their barends so unscrewing them was impossible. I think I'll need a small torch to heat the barends to loosen up the loctite.
The 2 Brothers exhaust sound awesome on the bike! It gives the bike a great growl and it is much louder than the stock exhaust. Not to mention the carbon fiber black looks awesome on the bike. I'll have to get some more updated pics of the bike for you all. :)