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Screw that…I’ll buy YOU a drink, how about? I’m the one celebrating after all

Congrats on becoming a CFA, btw!

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If you don’t have your own web server (most of us don’t), that probably means uploading your photo to Photobucket or something, then linking it from here.

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Welcome, and by all means tell us your secrets! Speaking of which, how did you get into trials riding?

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That’s definitely something I’d forgotten about, and was a source of stress when I first started. Gary’s tip (rock the bike a bit while trying to get into gear) is a good one to remember, but if that doesn’t work (on a hill with a car right behind you, for instance), another good trick is to drop the clutch into the friction zone and then try to click into 1st.

Another thing: I watch the opposing lights when I’m at an intersection and, when they turn yellow, I get ready to go if I wasn’t already in gear, on the rear brake, etc.. That way you’re not fumbling to get into first in a panic with a green light ahead and honking cars behind.

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Check out the Kawasaki Vulcan 500 and some of the Yamaha V-Stars (older ones will be called “Virago” instead of “V-Star”). They make some great beginner/intermediate cruisers, though they’re popular and may be harder to find used.

Three things:

1) A 500cc can haul your ass up a mountain just fine. Weight doesn’t bog down an engine nearly at all. You’d lose a second on your laptimes at Laguna Seca thanks to weight, but your motorcycle won’t even hesitate before conquering hills. Not an issue.

2) As I think somebody told you elsewhere, Ben (site creator) was referring to 600cc supersport bikes when he said “no 600cc beginner bikes.” The concern is power-to-weight ratio, ergonomics, and road manners. With bigger-displacement cruisers, the big problem is bike weight (hard to handle) and not as much the power, though it’s always wiser to bite off less than you can chew.

3) I really hope somewhere in your budget you’re including insurance and gear. That stuff doesn’t run cheap!

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Don’t shift down to neutral; shift to first gear. Stay in first until there is a car stopped behind you just in case you have to book it to avoid getting smashed from behind.

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By no means am I saying we shouldn’t debate things…or I’d be a huge hypocrite. I’m just saying, tire pressure is one of those super annoying debates because almost nobody knows what they’re talking about (I certainly don’t), having gotten all their information from their peers, who also don’t know what they’re talking about.

Everybody seems to have an opinion. On the one hand, some people insist that having the wrong tire pressure by 1-2 psi is terrible, and others argue that there’s a big range where it’s just a matter of personal preference. But NOBODY agrees! Unlike other discussions, non-experts (most of us, except for Mr. Bridgestone employee over there ) almost never have any concrete evidence for their positions. It’s just vanilla vs. chocolate, cruiser vs. sportbike, Fender vs. Gibson, etc. with one major difference: one of the sides IS right, but nobody knows enough to figure it out.

That’s why I just tell people to use the manufacturer’s suggestion

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The first posts in this thread had all the information he needed: check with the manufacturer.

He specifically said that his tires are listed as having maximum pressures of 32/36 psi front/rear, so why on earth would you suggest he run 33/36 psi? Your Yamaha (if stock) runs a 160mm rear. The 250R runs a mere 120mm rear. Different profile, different tire style, etc.

Here it is, handed down from the Gods themselves (i.e., Ninja 250R manual):

Recommended COLD tire pressures (front/rear): 28/32 psi

Paul, if you’re running tires other than the stock tires, or if you have an older gen Ninja, you’re going to have to check with the source. Otherwise, there’s your answer.

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I completely ignored the possibility that he’s not runnin’ the stock rubber. Nice catch Munch!

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You don’t want to use maximum tire pressure. You want to consult the recommended single/double passenger ride pressures listed in the manual (and under the removable pillion seat in ’08+ models). The Ninja is a light bike. 32/36 front/rear is way too high.

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I’m 6’4″, and like CBBaron, I had issues with the tank pinching me in the side of the knee. The answer comes in the form of ~$120 adjustable footpegs. Move the pegs down and voila! Problem solved.

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I’ve been looking forward to the coming riding season with particular zeal myself. I shouldn’t be complaining next to you (and I’m not); after all, we in Seattle can pretty much ride year-round. It’s not that I haven’t been riding, but there’s something I haven’t been able to do since the end of summer, and that’s hit the track.

I am super stoked for track season this year. This is the first year that, thanks to my finishing school (forever…maybe) in the next five weeks, I’ll have nothing to get in the way of going to every track day I can get my hands on.

But yeah, I definitely know what you mean in terms of eating up everything that gives you a glimpse of the riding experience. Like you, I read about the stuff I can’t do at the moment…again, and again, and again… For me, though, my pre-season oggling also includes a lot of watching random motorcycle videos. I swear, YouTube will be the death of me.

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Keep on trucking, and I’m glad you’re getting so much fun out of your bike

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And they’re not much more expensive than tennis balls. You can get 100 for about $38, so they work out to $0.38 per cone instead of ~$0.20 per half tennis ball, but:

– they store more easily (they stack in a neat pile)
– they don’t upset the bike should you ride over them
– I find them to be easier to work with
– you don’t have to cut up tennis balls

http://www.amazon.com/World-Sport-Disc-Cone-Sets/dp/B002HTOIUK/

You can also buy them in smaller quantities (e.g. 25), but the unit cost goes up a bit (up to a whopping $0.12 per cone).

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Finding an ideal tire pressure is a VERY complicated business, and differs from brand to brand, and from tire to tire. Trust me on this one: don’t mess with tire pressure unless somebody that knows what they’re talking about has told you otherwise. By “somebody that knows what they’re talking about,” I really mean “tire company representative,” or maybe the occasional dealer.

The recommended tire pressure is the COLD tire pressure. If you’ve ridden at all, especially in warm-ish weather, the tire pressure you read will not be helpful at all. You need to let your bike cool down for a while before taking a reading. The weather you describe is not particularly hot, and I honestly don’t think it warrants any change in tire pressure.

The only situation in which I’ve ever actively modified my tire pressure is at the track, where it’s absolutely necessary for safety and ideal performance. In that case, manufacturers provide well-researched tire pressures for track use…it’s not simply a matter of letting arbitrary amounts of pressure out of your tires.

Ok, blah blah blah, I’ve rambled enough. In summary: just use the recommended tire pressure.

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