[JackTrade]

If you go get a carbed bike, just use the warm-up period to check everything over. I do on my bike (Buell Blast)…make sure the lights and signals work, check the clutch, look for oil leaks, ensure my gear is fastened properly, etc.

A veteran racer (I forget who) once wrote in a “why we ride” piece that for him, the equipment (bike+gear) check also serves the purpose of reminding him how serious riding a motorcycle is, and helps put him in the proper frame of mind for a safe ride. I always liked that.

[JackTrade]

…guarantee the MSF course will have a Rebel. I’d be shocked if it didn’t…

Re buying a bike with just a permit, sure…no problems there.

But people here usually advise against it.

Not that there’s anything inherently wrong with owning a bike before you’re trained to ride it, but just that it’ll be hard for you to resist trying it out, and that can lead to, er, bad results.

Plus, you might find through the MSF course that motorcycles aren’t actually for you, and riding’s not really what you thought it was. Doesn’t happen often, but it does (a women in my BRC left halfway through the second day…she was doing kinda okay skillswise, but I think she just decided she didn’t really like it).

I’d say just wait until April (as hard as that is…and if you think that’s bad, just wait until you get your license, are riding, and have to wait until the winter weather clears so you can get out for a ride…I’m going crazy here in D.C., and Elwood’s videos of Miami aren’t helping!), take and pass the course, and then pick up your bike. Rebels are pretty common, so you’ll be able to find one quickly I bet.

[JackTrade]

…experimenting with a very mild “alignment change” in reasonably tight turns, basically moving my head to about even with the inside grip, and shifting my weight slightly inward. (Got this from the MSF “motorcycling excellence” book)

Once I got comfortable moving around the bike at speed (hard for a newbie), I was amazed at how just that tiny bit of “hanging off” (such as it was) decreased the lean angle. And safety aside, I also noticed that the turns became much more fluid…I felt less like I was purposely directing the bike, and more like we were in harmony (kinda like the difference between steering the bike at low speeds vs. countersteering the bike at regular speeds).

[JackTrade]

Motorcyclecloseouts.com is a great place for bargains, if you don’t mind wearing last season’s stuff…

[JackTrade]

…isn’t really about engine size, but mostly about configuration.

“No 600s” really means “no 4 cylinder engines.” Sportbike-style 4 cyl engines have peaky power delivery that requires some skill to handle properly…they’re designed for the high-rpm world of racing.

Twin cylinder engines (as usually found on cruisers) have less power per displacement, but it’s applied in a more linear fashion that’s easier for a beginner to handle.

I’m not a cruiser expert (I’m sure you’ll get better info from Elwood who will recommend an 800cc bike!) but I’d say you’d probably be fine with a 500cc bike, but a 650 wouldn’t be out of the question either.

[JackTrade]

…about practicing the 90-degree turns from a stop. The MSF course (or at least the one I took) didn’t really get into those.

I found when I first started out in the real world (i.e. not the MSF parking lot) that I was swinging WAY wider than I should be on those and it really scared me. But a little practice at a local church’s parking lot did the trick.

And to Eon and others’ point…I too continue to stop by the lot if I happen to be in that area, and spend maybe 5-10 minutes seeing how tight I can circle, how fast I can stop short of lockup etc. Takes only a few mintues in grand scheme of a ride, and seems to be cheap insurance.

I’ve heard stories of people going in the off-hours to the MSF course parking lot at the local community college to practice, only to find local motorcycle cops there…for the same reason. The fact that the pros feel there’s a continuing need to practice this stuff should tell us something.

[JackTrade]

your flasher relay. Since LEDs use much less power than regular bulbs, the flasher thinks they’re burned out bulbs, hence why no blinking.

I think you can purchase a relay specifically designed for LEDs that should do the trick.

[JackTrade]

They’re what, about 4 grand or so, so maybe consider picking one up new?

I know we usually don’t recommend that for a first bike, but you do have some experience, so you’re probably less likely to drop it and cry at the scratches. And you’ll probably be able to off-load it pretty easily should you later decide to upgrade.

[JackTrade]

to find as 2009 was their first year.

Great looking bike…glad to see the Japanese firms are starting to offer “retro” bikes. While they shouldn’t build an entire business on it (cough, Harley), they should definitely look at what Triumph has managed to do with having a mix of old and new bikes.

[JackTrade]

The community college course is about 1/2 the cost of the Rider’s Edge. Downside is that you usually have to wait months to take it, as they fill up FAST.

As for bike choice, you’ll be fine with either I’m sure. Only thing to know with the Blast is that the clutch is Harley-grade…it’s fairly heavy, and the friction zone is tiny. But…the poor bikes at the community colleges are much more abused than the Blasts at an HD dealership, so it’s probably a toss-up.

[JackTrade]

How much more power do 2-strokes put out vs. a regular 4-stroke of the same displacement? What’s the power delivery like? I’m guessing by the fact they’re mostly track-only bikes that they require more finesse and skill to handle than an average 4-stroke, but that’s just a guess.

[JackTrade]

Try motorcyclecloseouts.com too. Pretty much what it sounds like: closeout stuff heavily discounted. I’ve bought a number of things from them, and they’re great.

As SantaCruzRider says, if you’re not particular about colors (i.e. you don’t absolutely HAVE to match your bike’s paint job), you can find some great deals on last season’s stuff.

I personally have been wearing Fieldsheer, which I like as a value-priced brand that provides good quality and protection (nearly all of their jackets have standard CE armor).

[JackTrade]

Seriously, this discussion on many other motorcycle forums would have long ago devolved into a shouting match, complete with vile personal insults and possibly threats.

This is why I stay here…you guys make it so easy to learn.

[JackTrade]

…used to have a slogan “Safety Fast”. While British Leyland didn’t mean it in this way, it can be read to say that in a small, open car, 35 mph feels much faster than it really is…you get the thrill of a sense of tremendous speed w/o the danger of actual tremendous speed.

Know what you (Eon) mean about “connection” to the experience…in many modern cars, you can easily hit near triple digits and not really have any sense of it other than what your speedo tells you.

Don’t knock muscle cars though. They’re in a class of their own, and while it’s true they don’t handle (or brake for that matter!), the power they put out (both stock and when modded) is impressive when you consider the cost.

They’re not really like Harleys…most Harleys are NOT fast (VRSC bikes excepted) in the grand scheme of bikes, but real muscle cars are in the car world. Many of the 40 year old ones of the golden age can easily get down into 13 second ETs in the quarter mile, which is impressive to this day.

I love ’em for their wonderfully American character…born for a country of wide-open spaces and straight roads that in many places come in nicely quarter-mile lengths!

[JackTrade]

You’re right of course…I’d never actually pass up a chance to drive one.

I’ll try to drive anything I can get my hands on in all honesty. I’m the kinda of guy that’s picky about being able to choose exactly what rental car I get, and even if an upgrade may be available, I’ll still stick with my choice if it’s a car I want to drive.

When they first came out, I really liked the Ford Focus (still do, though I miss the first gen one)…every time I had occasion to rent, I tried to reserve one. But invariable when I got to the counter, it was something along these lines:

Counter Guy: “sorry, sir…not seeing one right now, but we’ll upgrade you to a Mustang for free!”
Me: “but I don’t want a Mustang…I want a Focus!”
Counter Guy: “But the Mustang is cooler.”
Me: “I know, but…”

[Author]

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