[Clay Dowling]

To ride it down to TxDOT if you need to take it there for inspection. But it seems like in theory you could register and get plates/tags, then take it in for inspection. Because otherwise you’ve got to ride it without plates and tags to get it there.

[Clay Dowling]

I love the efficiency on that Rebel.

[Clay Dowling]

They might be strict, but that’s close to what I wear when riding anyway. Except I wear a jacket with armor, and it isn’t that bright color. I couldn’t find a combination of bright color and all-weather gear, or I would be wearing it. I might be mistaken for construction equipment, but people don’t usually hit construction equipment either.

[Clay Dowling]

Not a lot, but enough to be certain that I would be able to handle the machine without being too nervous. When I went to buy the bike I was going to take a test run down a country road, but I was too nervous for that. So when I had a friend ride it home for me, I decided I needed to overcome my fear. The bike turned out to be a dream to ride, really easy, had to do something really stupid to stall it (sudden release of the clutch while stopped is really about it).

I did most of my practicing after I took the class though. They have a lot of cool stuff to teach you there that I would have had trouble learning any other way. Swerving was the thing that scared me most, and after the first time through I realized it was one of the most fun things we did.

[Clay Dowling]

Motorcycles excel at tight turns, especially the little 250s. In my BRC the turns we practices in were like a moderately sized sidewalk turn, definitely nothing like a street corner.

But the other posters are definitely right about slowing down early. You don’t want to go along with traffic, you want to control it. Force them to slow down early, make sure everybody is cool with how things are going, and keep a close eye on your rear view. My mirrors and my signal lights are the most important safety gear I have, even more important than my brightly colored full face helmet.

[Clay Dowling]

You sound more like you’re in the ideal size range for the rebel. With your weight I suspect highway speeds aren’t going to be realistic, but for getting around town a rebel is going to be just about right. Also, from experience, highway riding isn’t where the fun is on a motorcycle. The fun is in riding the twisty back roads.

I’m a few inches taller than you, and I ride a Honda Magna. The seating position on a Magna and a Rebel is identical. You won’t feel cramped up. It’s like sitting in an office chair.

The only real beef you’re going to find is that the seat is uncomfortable after a couple of hours. That’s just a Honda feature for their lower end bikes (which the Magna is in terms of comfort features). Chances are you won’t be taking two hour rides for a while, so don’t sweat that.

[Clay Dowling]

I’ve laid mine down too. Same sort of low-speed deal, stalled it trying to pull a u-turn after I’d adjusted the idle down, but before I’d gotten a real feel for the way it handled after the change.

Most people I know have laid a bike down. It’s just something that happens. You learn to deal with it and move on.

Also, word of advice: if it starts to go, let it go. Don’t try to use your arms to stop it, or you’ll injure yourself. Took me three months to get the pain out of my joints, and another two months after that to get the strength back in my arms that I had before the injury. I’m no body builder type, but not having the strength that you used to have is very unpleasant.

[Clay Dowling]

I just got my pair, and owing to it being February here, I’ve only gotten to wear them once. They are definitely awesome though. One of the keys for riding pants is that they need to be easy to put on and take off. Prior to this I’d been making do with a heavy pair of insulated work jeans. A lot tougher than regular pants, but still not likely to provide much protection. The Alter Ego pants are a lot more comfortable and provide a lot more protection. Also, they aren’t buckskin brown, which is a serious concern when you ride 40 miles through the country. I’m pretty paranoid about wearing brown outside in rural areas.

[Clay Dowling]

Unless it’s got mechanical problems, that one will disappear quickly. That’s really low, and as we’ve discussed here and elsewhere, the Rebel is a pretty good bike.

[Clay Dowling]

Because to look at Sidi boots, they scream motorcycle boot. But they don’t in your photos. I’ll take another look at them.

[Clay Dowling]

My picture is the first tip off that I might be biased. It’s true that the bike can generate a lot of horsepower. It’s also true that the power band is pretty linear, and it won’t rocket you off into a wall unless you, for some strange reason, decide that you need to twist the throttle all the way around without stopping in the middle. The bike doesn’t have a sudden spot where it suddenly develops torque.

That said, I have a soft spot for the Rebel. It’s a tried and true starter bike, they’ve got a cool retro style, and they’re good solid machines that hold their value. Wouldn’t mind having one around to play with.

[Clay Dowling]

Saw one at the dealership a couple weeks ago. I deliberately didn’t sit on it, because I can’t buy it. CBRs are available all over the place because a lot of guys buy them and then discover it’s more bike (or more payment) than they can handle. I’ve always heard it’s a good bike, but not for starters. Kind of a suicide machine for new riders, which is why I haven’t sat on them.

[Clay Dowling]

There’s a really good chance that you’ll be on a Rebel in the BRC. With that kind of opportunity to try before you buy, I think buying the Shadow would be a bad bet. Not that it isn’t a good price, especially with an aftermarket seat (that’s a Corbin gunfighter, and it’s worth a couple hundred used). It’s just that if you find yourself really liking the Rebel during class, it would be a shame to already have money down on another bike.

The market is also flooded with Shadows. They’re really popular, and there will be another for sale in March. Possibly this same one. The blacked-out pipes aren’t helping his resale case, unless he happens to have the stocks around still.

Size wise, it isn’t that bad. I’m riding a VF750, which is just slightly bigger. Because the engine is smoother than the single-cylinder Kawasaki Eliminators from BRC, I actually find my bike easier for slow speed maneuvers.

[Clay Dowling]

Glad to hear that you like them. How is the road grip? The tread looked way too delicate for my taste, but my primary concern in street grip, not their appropriateness for hiking.

[Clay Dowling]

The bright colors on gear are to help improve visibility. After a couple of years driving a silver Honda Accord and getting to know my local body shop really well, I’ve learned to appreciate visibility. Red bike, red helmet, red highlights on the jacket. And if I could have found a solid red all-weather jacket I’d own it. Bright colors are no replacement for situational awareness and good reflexes, but they’re a very good supplement to it.

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