[Munch]

The 250’s everyone refers to or even under 500cc’s as a beginner bike really leans more towards the sport bike “types”. They are geared differently then cruisers. Having the 750 cruiser is not anywhere close to the 750 sport bike. Like comparing a Buick to a Miata.
I have the Vulcan 500… I can get it to 90+ easily and for a cruiser she is nimble. I ride 45 mins every day to work and again back…90% at 75+mph. If you let yourself you can get overly comfortable. When I feel I am getting that way I start looking at the vehicles around me. … now heres where my profession and your hobby kicks in. Assuming you are aware for mechanics of cars you will know what I mean when I say that at any point an axle nut can come loose…. lets give the for Focus as example… 1 nut per hub in the rear at about 70 ft lbs holding the nut….. stretch the threads from one too many brake checks and a good pothole…BAM!…. shes in your lane. Do you have kids? Ever try to get out of the lazy boy quick enough to go after one of them when they sassed ya? Not to quick was it? Same thing on the bike… yea you may have the handling down… the dynamics and all down. Some of the scare moments aren’t in the skill or the hobby…. just the mere idea that at a moments notice something can happen and a split second of indecision can end it quickly.
Deer, poor maintained vehicle, pot holes, flat tire on your bike, sudden engine choke out. The danger is not in what you do know its what you don’t know. That empty curve can be quickly taken up by a random dog or similar animal. That acceleration point could start at a time where theres loose sand in the road.
I see the racer types all the time in my shop..everywhere from the “Fast and Furious” wannabe’s to the seasoned ones that don’t talk about it but hand you specs to set the alignment to. The vets will be the first to tell you that at any time you are pushing the limit of the vehicle you operate…. you ceased operating it safely. I also know that as we all type some of these things you are on the defensive and likely ( not saying difinitvely that you are) to be on a slight defensive stance and are thinking of more way to defend your PoV rather then understanding others.

Heck I will put a personal experience to light…. I used to drive a Nissan P/U….. I had a Z3 try and out run me to the end of an on ramp just so he could stay that 7 feet closer to his destination….. after he lost the race ( I am experienced myself :^P) The driver kept trying to hassel me with speeding up to my tailgate …riding it then backing off….. problem was..he developed a pattern. After I had enough , I figure when he hit the throttle …I would brake check him…. an hour later test driving a customers car there was a tow truck getting that very Z3 out of the ditch.
I know I know….but he wasn’t safe and you are and you wouldn’t ever do that…. not my point. My point is that the driver didn’t know ME. Or the fact that I am crazy enough to check him up without notice.

Yesterday is a memory, tomorrow is a prediction, but today…… is a Bi**h

[Munch]

Yesterday is a memory, tomorrow is a prediction, but today…… is a Bi**h

[Munch]

Seeing how my bike was under 10K (they concider it a credit card “luxury item”) and I am not required to have full coverage…. $75 a year. Not to mention under 900 cc’s.
The way I see it… I ride interstate 90% of the time…. if I lay her down (knock on wood it don’t happen) the bike is gone and I will be more concerned about getting out of traction.
I got enough to cover damages on the person or persons in my travel path…. but thats prettty much it.
I live back in the sticks and I work at an auto shop with the bike parked beside my 2 work bays….so theft is no worry. Sometimes it pays to be country :^) .

Yesterday is a memory, tomorrow is a prediction, but today…… is a Bi**h

[Munch]

Gorgeous….even for a sport bike :^P . Just kidding. She is purdy though.

Yesterday is a memory, tomorrow is a prediction, but today…… is a Bi**h

[Munch]

OK…this kind of post is all too common. It should be almost a guarantee that people around you are gonna try to push you bigger, and dealers most certainly since they get commission. Why is this ever a surprise. Why is it that people tend to forget that THEY (you or the next person) ARE THE ONES IN CONTROL!
If they fuss and gripe or pick and whatever else they can think of …treat em like a fussy ex-wife and tone em out. Or a husband talking about sports.
Fact of the matter is ..its your health , your money , YOUR LIFE. Why be concerned for POV’s given by people you know are bogus?
If the Versys fits you …get it… plain and simple. If you take the MSF and don’t like it…don’t get the Versys…. if you fail…. cowboy up and try again. MSF is not the end all to wether you ride or not. Its not a requirement ….but very highly suggested.
Man up! (or Woman up) … quit letting others influence you one way or another…. more especially the ones you know are feeding you bad info.
If you can’t fly solo in your own world…..maybe your better for the side cart then the saddle.

side bar : “you” is a broad stroke remark.

Yesterday is a memory, tomorrow is a prediction, but today…… is a Bi**h

[Munch]

Your MOM should be able to better help. One is putting Stabil or SeaFoam gas treatment in your tank. Getting a trickle down charger or the likes for your battery….. ummmmm… is all I got…. I am intending on riding mine til it gets to the freezing mark. So hopefully here in NC my bike won’t be sitting for more then a few days at a time.

Yesterday is a memory, tomorrow is a prediction, but today…… is a Bi**h

[Munch]

Even if all drivers were guaranteed to see you , your skill is still just as much as a liability. You will find yourself fixating on everything, or worse getting distracted by everything. Your brain needs to get a handle on multitasking… Playstation don’t help and neither does texting under the desk as your teacher walks by and you anwer her question.
You need to minimally be able to get driving a manual shift car for atleast a year ,so you can get your brain and body to shift gears without concentrating directly on the process and being able to focus more on the road ahead and drivers and signs around. Get your reflexes set up for emergency decisions such as rampant deer. or grey hairs that suddenly decide that they need to make that 4 lane jaunt to make the intersection for the drug store.
As a rookie driver… cages are enough to handle and give you a decent amount of protection for the Oh S#!t moments.
Not sure if I’d go as far as saying “away from the brainless soccer mom’s in their SUV’s who’re out to kill you” . Though out there it can seem like it at times, but it does strike home that you are rarely seen and you have to LOOK FOR THEM.
Gonna be hard to do when your head is filled with… “Clutch….. roll throttle……oh crap shift up….now roll throttle…SLOWLY SLOWLY…. whew ok now we are really rollin…. ut oh curve……… what was that thing again… look ….press and lean or roll?”

Trust us… we are still new and remember what its like…. we sometimes get reminded very quickly.

Yesterday is a memory, tomorrow is a prediction, but today…… is a Bi**h

[Munch]

Welcome!!!

Yesterday is a memory, tomorrow is a prediction, but today…… is a Bi**h

[Munch]

That sucks to happen to anyone. My heart goes out to the family… though you have probly lived their in Houston long enough to know that the paper is not exactly something filledwith good news. Stick to the Humble local…. might have a chance of some good news like a biker saving a kitten and marrying the owner. They still have warning signs out around 5th Ward?

Yesterday is a memory, tomorrow is a prediction, but today…… is a Bi**h

[Munch]

no laughs…. I actually appreciate people who try to learn but are careful in their learning process. Still concerned about the two tone oil.

Yesterday is a memory, tomorrow is a prediction, but today…… is a Bi**h

[Munch]

Take your time!!!! Stay safe and ride your own ride.
Responses to the predicament are in your General Forum posting.

Yesterday is a memory, tomorrow is a prediction, but today…… is a Bi**h

[Munch]

Yesterday is a memory, tomorrow is a prediction, but today…… is a Bi**h

[Munch]

Start SLOW… don’t worry about stalling it…. its not gonna hurt it….and best of all it won’t hurt you. I would SEVERELY suggest taking the Beginners Riders Course. In the mean time… learn your friction point before even trying to get the bike moving.
Start up in neutral…… Squeeze clutch in full …drop it into first….. SLOWLY release clutch until you can feel the pull of the bike… squeeze clutch again, repeat process… This will give your hand and brain an idea and memory of where the “friction” zone is. Once you have that comfortably in your grasp move to another step.
Lets see…. whats it called… the slow race? Elwood seems to be fond of that one… I will let him type it to ya… wouldn’t want to steel the fun.
When not on the bike… just practice with your clutch hand every moment you get.. Count out how slow you need to release your grip on the clutch for it to engage… squeeze and repeat.
Once you get comfortable with the slow race …work yourself up through one gear at a time in a controlled enviroment… parking lots are good, preferrably with no cars.
Get used to turns, ABOVE ALL, in any turn make sure your throttle hand is controlled and relaxed, con’t let your first left hand turn be a bad example of why this is important.
TAKE IT SLOW!!!!!! There is no one timing you or pushing you but YOU (atleast that matters enough to risk your safety and the latter will even have to learn to deal).

OH YEA… remember the exagerrated hand movements everyone demonstrates while explaining their stories…. forget about it. …. get to know the sensitivity of your throttle.

Yesterday is a memory, tomorrow is a prediction, but today…… is a Bi**h

[Munch]

definitely need to get the oil out and take a gander at it. I am unsure about bikes but I do know in the auto industry when we face that we take a screwdriver and carefully push through the oil drain. Sometimes “gunk” likes to settle there and act like a plug. It would be a step I would take on my own, the risk is yours however. The clear then black then back to clear puzles me and worries me a bit. How old is the bike? Did you have any gasket problems?
Ever get an explanation of why it died on you?

Yesterday is a memory, tomorrow is a prediction, but today…… is a Bi**h

[Munch]

I have gotten these:
http://www.cyclegear.com/spgm.cfm?L1=3&L2=15&L3=&L4=&item=PAR_3310-0007_G&tier2=24
They are a bit ….cumbersome for lack of better word. It just takes a lil to get used to after wearing the thinner summer gloves. Water proof, windproof and very warm.
For my neck though I got the turtle fur baclava:
http://www.cyclegear.com/spgm.cfm?L1=3&L2=14&L3=&L4=&item=TFC_13201&tier2=103
Though about the time I bought it the mornins got back up to 50+ degrees farenheit. Next week its supposed ot be colder though… high 30’s low 40s in the morning… Will see then how well they work.

Yesterday is a memory, tomorrow is a prediction, but today…… is a Bi**h

[Author]

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