- This topic has 5 replies, 6 voices, and was last updated 15 years, 9 months ago by Amoryl.
Hi from Honolulu, Hawaii
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July 23, 2008 at 11:20 am #1766SaleenDrivaParticipant
First off, my name is Billy and I’m from Honolulu, Hawaii. I was born and raised in the islands, but I now go to school on the mainland (Up-state New York). I have just recently started getting into motorcycles, due in large part to a change in attitude by my mom! I am 20 years old, and I brought up the fact that I really wanted to have a car at school, but that the cost would be prohibitive. She said I could get a good car pretty cheap, but then we got into the fact that a ‘good car” for me was going to be a Mustang, or nothing at all. I ended the conversation by saying “Maybe I’ll just get a dirt bike for the street, and just use it in the fall”. To my utter surprise, she did not shoot that idea down! She said “I would support that”, and it opened a huge can of worms. All of this happened on vacation, so the first thing I did was to go to a store and buy every single motorcycle magazine they had, and its been down hill since I have since signed up for the local MSF course here on Oahu (will be taking it in a week), and started doing my research. I have discovered I am a sport-bike guy (always liked the look of them), and going fast was always something I’ve loved, so I figure that I would like that style ride. I am a bigger guy at 6-2 and 235, and have settled on the Ninja 500 as a good starting point. I rode dirt bikes as a kid, but I was never great at shifting (Im good with stick in a car, but bikes…we’ll see). Anyways, our local course requires you to have your own riding gear so I went out and got a helmet and gloves today. I got a black Shoei RF-1000 and a extra visor (smoked) and Alpinestars SM-X 2 Carbon gloves. I know the Shoei might be a little over the top, but I come from a motorcycle family, and have seen/heard enough stories and bad things about crashes to figure its a investment in my own safety, so its worth it in my opinion. I am also looking at a couple jackets (A Shift Streetfighter hybrid leather/synthetic jacket, or a Alpinestars Sniper full-mesh most likely). The catch is…Im going to be riding in New York, esp. Up State, so…cold is going to be a factor, so I might hold off on getting a legitimate jacket till I get up there.
Anyways, I have read through pretty much every article on this site and the only thing I have been disappointed abut is that I don’t have any more to read!! I have read numerous other sites, but this one and one other are the only ones that have sucked me in even more.
So…thats my story. I have never been this consumed by anything so entirely (at least not including by a certain girl ), and I am very very VERY excited to get my first bike. The MSF course is also something I am real ready for, as is tryin to pass that DMV written test . No matter, all in due time. If anyone has any real good advice for me, feel free to drop me a line! Im sure Ill be compulsively checking this site for the next three weeks until I get to New York and go get a bike
Aloha,
BillyJuly 23, 2008 at 1:27 pm #9157WeaponZeroParticipantWelcome to the site I’m new myself. Just bought my 2000 Suzuki SV650 a couple weeks ago and have been riding the hell out of it after spending a weekend learning to ride in a parking lot. Still waiting on the MSF course. Big waiting list for it here because its free and only held in the summer/early autumn months.
July 23, 2008 at 2:29 pm #9160BuddParticipantSeems funny that you live in Hawaii and you aren’t going to ride till you get to NY. I know I would rather do it the other way around. The mesh will be good in the summer months and in hawaii year round, but if you are going to be riding in NY in fall/winter/spring, I would go with vented textile/leather with removable liners. Don’t forget boots and a good pair of pants.
“I am the best I am at what I do, and what I do ain’t nice.”-Wolverine
July 23, 2008 at 2:47 pm #9165megaspazParticipantAloha! (-:
I kinda agree with budd there… I would think hawaii would have some seriously nice backroads to ride on. Anyhoo, welcome and have fun in the MSF.
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If there’s anything more important than my ego
around, I want it caught and shot now…July 23, 2008 at 5:19 pm #9181ShannonGParticipantI’m seriously ADD and made it three sentences into your intro. Welcome!
July 24, 2008 at 4:45 pm #9226AmorylParticipantwelcome, and congrats on choosing the ninja 500, most will say that the 250 is better for starting, but I can understand your hight making it slightly uncomfortable, but at least you’re not jumping straight onto the 650 or higher!
I don’t have winter riding experience beyond the several years I only had a bicycle as my mode of transportation down in central IL (yum yum blizzards) and I’ve learned an important lesson, layers layers layers! a few layers of good quality clothing will make the difference between you freezing, and being nice and warm. moreso than having a different jacket for every type of climate. have fun at the MSF. but man, I’d rather go riding through hawaii than new york
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