- This topic has 5 replies, 5 voices, and was last updated 14 years, 7 months ago by okcpony.
In hot OK but cold from BRC
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August 17, 2009 at 8:31 pm #3312mystery_meetParticipant
Greetings,
I am about 5’11” and light build (~150lbs) and am currently doing the research for my 1st bike and corresponding gear. I have had a bunch of riders in my family (the most recent being my near 60 yr old aunt) and decided to take the plunge myself. I took and passed the BRC last summer barely. I was advised to practice ALOT which I was planning to do anyway.
My plan: to get a good reliable used 1st bike (currently leaning toward the 250cc Ninja) get full gear (helmet, jacket, pants, gloves and boots) and wear out the local parking lot when its empty while working on skills. I will likely also take the BRC again as a refresher before even thinking about the ERC.
I want to get to the point where I can road trip from here (Oklahoma) to the mid atlantic area (nj, ny, md, de) where there are lots of old friends and family. I figure to do that on my 2nd or 3rd bike in a couple of years.
My biggest questions are:
– What locations are good ideas to practice riding skills (empty parking lots, empty streets @ odd hours, etc)?
– Good ways to secure your bike outside (I have a driveway with a carport) from theft
– Riding progression? (parking lots > empty streets > streets in the middle of day > faster roads (35-50mph) > highways)
– Figuring out riding style? (I like both sport bikes and cruisers) Standards are interesting tooThanks,
Mr. Meet
August 17, 2009 at 9:04 pm #21733JackTradeParticipantYour plan sounds pretty much like mine when I first started riding. I had most of my gear before I found my starter bike, and when I did get it, I practiced “the box” endlessly in various parking lots.
I like church parking lots for my practice…often deserted, except for some pretty obvious times. I stop in when I’m out and do a bunch of low speed stuff, just to keep my skills up. The parking lines can be used as u-turn boxes, and there’s usually enough room to get up to speed for emergency stop practice.
When I first started “real world” riding, I did quiet neighborhood streets, then main thoroughfares, then highways, then expressways. You’ll definitely feel when you’re ready to move up to the next level.
Standards rule. But then that’s just me and the other like 5 of us in the country who like them. Seriously, they’re great for beginners as there’s little to break in a tip over and with the lack of fairings, you feel like you’re going a lot faster than you are. They split the difference between the crusier lay back and the sportbike crouch, and you can easily adjust as needed from comfortably upright to tucked in as the situation warrants.
I’ve got a Buell Blast, which I really like as a first bike, though it is admittedly primitive compared to a Ninja 250 or pretty much any other comparable bike. Does have great torque though which is great for city riding, and looks like a miniature Ducati Monster (or for those who know Buells, an older M2 Cyclone).
August 18, 2009 at 2:21 am #21742owlieParticipantWelcome to the forum!
Good to see another Okie (even if I am far from my roots).
As for what kind of bike, go to the dealerships and sit on a few. The difference between the bikes can be eye-opening.
August 18, 2009 at 10:40 pm #21771mystery_meetParticipantI visited one motorcycle repair shop that had a few bikes for sell, a local aprilla/moto guzzi dealership (which also had a decent amount of used bikes) and two places that sold gear. The shop had a Honda Rebel with a windscreen (?) and soft panniers (??). The question marks were because I have never seen a Rebel or other 250 standard with so much equipment installed on it before.
I am also concerned about taking the Rebel (or anything similar like a Nighthawk or GZ250) on roads with speeds past 45mph. Its why i considered the 250 Ninja as reading here it doesnt have that prob.
The aprilla/moto guzzi dealership had bikes that were too large (R1, R6, GSXR, M109R, zx-10) in regards to power. They also had some bikes from some customizer named Johnny Pag that had a displacement of 300cc. I didnt sit on any of the Pags since I figure parts would be hard to find. Also, I havent yet sat on a 250 Ninja so I am curious to see how that would be.
Tried on some gear as well. I havent read much about gear so i will combine my store experiences with what I read to find what will work for me.
August 24, 2009 at 2:47 am #21897Member548ParticipantI’m looking to take up street bikes my self pretty soon.
I’m under the impression that Hallett Motor Speedway has open track days and there is time even for slower new people.
If you aren’t familiar with Hallet it is between Stillwater and Tulsa on 412 / Cimarron turnpike
I’ll dig into it more once I have a bike, but it’s something to keep in mind since it’d be a good place to push limits in a more controlled environment and be around skilled riders that will likely be helpful.
August 26, 2009 at 12:47 am #21926okcponyParticipantHello Mr. Meet!
When you feel ready to get off the parking lot circuit, have a look at the smaller and less congested state highways, of which Oklahoma has a great deal of. There are plenty of small towns sprinkled here and there, giving you ample places to stop and stretch or grab a soda. I am a relatively new rider myself (just over 1000 miles since March when my hubby & I took the BRC) and I can tell you the state highways have been fun to get out on. I actually started out on a Rebel, but have moved up to a V-Star 650 now. Yeah, there are folks out here who deck their Rebels out fully! Nice bike to start on, pretty predictable and light enough to build up confidence on when you’re new. You will notice those Oklahoma winds will blow you around on a bike that light, however. I think it’s helpful to attempt to get even small rides in as frequently as possible, and this will help get you acclimated to traffic situations. Forget rush hour and stay away from high schools during before/after/lunch periods, as those teenage drivers drive way too fast for their own good.
Good luck and keep us posted!
Lynn in OKC -
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