- This topic has 35 replies, 13 voices, and was last updated 13 years, 11 months ago by Jeff in Kentucky.
New Rider + Other stuff.
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April 9, 2010 at 2:37 am #25575DinugePampleParticipant
I went to the dealership, they are fantastic! I sat on a 2010 Ninja 250R, LOVED IT! It was perfect. It fit my thighs perfectly, like it was made just for me! I told them I was looking for an older used model, they said they could do that. It’d still be under warranty and everything. They also told me whenever I was ready to buy one, they’d start looking for me. Very friendly and helpful. The guy even held the bike so I could fully sit on it. I’ll have to lower the seat a bit, but not as much as I was thinking.
I tried on the same helmet I was thinking of buying. It was huge, even with a small, and I would need an extra small. So I went over and talked to their helmet specialist. I asked him what he though, he said they were too bulky and hot for him. Which is what I thought. Way too tight and heavy for me. He suggested the HJC FS-15. I tried on a small, thought it moved too much so I’ll be getting an extra small when I go back in Monday to order it.
Overall, a very good day. Super excited. Just gotta figure out how much the bikes gonna cost me!
April 10, 2010 at 3:17 pm #25610owlieParticipantBefore you go and lower the seat, take the MSF class. I sat on several bikes both before and after I took the course. I found that after I took the course, some of the bikes that were “a little too tall” for me fit just fine height wise. I think that I just wasn’t relaxing into the seat, or maybe I was trying to sit too far back on the seats. Either way- after I had half a clue as to what I was looking for, the bikes were more comfortable…
Good luck on both the bike and the helmet!
April 10, 2010 at 3:41 pm #25612TrialsRiderParticipantA brand new rider may have the impression that they need to put both feet flat on the ground to be comfortable, but as you advance in your ability to balance and feel more comfortable on the bike, you will find that just a toe down is adequate to stabilize the bike at a stand still. Riders that put the feet down and ‘peddle walk’ to take off or drag the feet coming to a stop, just don’t get it yet. The best control you can have is with the feet and fingers on the controls.
April 10, 2010 at 4:23 pm #25614DinugePampleParticipantI’ll be sure to do that. Thanks for the advice.
April 10, 2010 at 11:39 pm #25621eternal05Participant…just shows lack of attention watching the very Faster DVD you (Jeff) recommended in another thread. Hopkins has had the worst luck of just about anybody in MotoGP and World SBK and AMA road racing, and frequent brutal crashes have ruined him. He might have landed on his butt in the clip you showed, but you can’t begin to count the number of times he landed on his head, his hands, his chest, his feet, etc. There is no evidence whatsoever that he was employing any technique to land a particular way. Even if it is possible, as you claim, it’s not remotely relevant for new riders who shouldn’t be high-siding to begin with. The on-road high-side is an accident for racers and for people with powerful bikes and no throttle control. Nobody on this forum should fall in either camp when first starting out.
Listen folks, if you’re a beginner, I think these are the three bare minimum things to remember about crashing, things that you actually can think about in the moment:
1) Do your best to practice proper riding techniques and situational awareness so you do not crash. Despite popular “wisdom,” crashing is avoidable.
2) If you do crash, let go of the bike immediately and push it away!
3) If you do crash, don’t try to get up until you’re sure that you’ve stopped. You’d be surprised by how many people think they’re stopped and jump up only to find they’re flying through the air at 30mph.
April 11, 2010 at 12:08 am #25623Jeff in KentuckyParticipantA guy at work is very short and used to race dirt bikes. He had to stand on a milk crate at the start of the races, and if he stopped during the race he was unable to get back on the bike without help. When you step on loose sand or oil, it is much safer and more comfortable to have more than just a toe touching the pavement, but for racing a shorter lowered suspension will often lose. My Honda VLX has one of the lowest seat heights available. Note that the VLX will beat a Yamaha 650 cruiser after its long break-in period, maybe a thousand miles, and a rejet with a Dynojet kit greatly improves the takeoff from a stop:
http://www.motorcyclecruiser.com/roadtests/1999_honda_vlx_600/index.html
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