[owlie]

Sounds like a good ride.  I do miss those Oklahoma highways.

I was talking to my Mom this afternoon and she said there has been a real pickup in the number of bikes on the road due to the good weather.  Are you guys seeing that?

[owlie]

Welcome to the forums.

In all cases (family included), you would do well to consider a smaller bike for a season or so (maybe the Vulcan 500?).  The problem with the big bikes isn’t just the weight, it is also getting comfortable with the power and controlling the bike using the clutch, brakes and throttle.  Those three don’t need strength (though they will give your hands one heck of a workout).  They need fine control and repetitive practice.  The smaller bikes have less power and are generally more forgiving for the types of mistakes inexperienced riders make. 

Maybe you three can chip in together for a bike to share for the summer while you each get comfortable with riding?  It isn’t really considered the wisest choice in the world to start off with long group rides with a bunch of inexperienced riders anyway… 

Just my two cents.  Anyone need some kindling?  That darn soapbox keeps popping up…

[owlie]

No worries.   

I think every bike has its quirks.  For example, one of the things that I have read about the Buell Blast is that new riders find lots of false neutrals between the gears.  In the end, it all just seems to come down to riding the bike and learning from experience.

[owlie]

Thanks for the picture.

I’m a little concerned that it is going to snow on my before I’m able to get my bike back over for its 500 mile service.  I’ll have to show this to my sweetie and see what we can work out since neither one of us really wants to buy a trailer right now…

Are you just strapping it at the front forks or do you strap it at the back too?  Do you use wheel chalks?  Also, I read somewhere where someone puts boards on either side of the tire parallel to the tires to keep the bike from turning.  Any opinions?

I guess those questions apply to using a trailer too. 

[owlie]

I think that you are thinking of Bob Harley, another member.  That kind of thing just isn’t for me, though as my husband would happily quote (from Airplane I think) “It isn’t another woman is it?  I just couldn’t compete with that.”

However, I have to agree with you otherwise.  One of the things that I’ve noticed is that when I shift down into first through neutral (as a single action), there is frequently a double click.

[owlie]

Jon’s suggestion to start with a larger bike is not necessarily bad, but I will point out two things:

1)  beginner bikes that are bought used typically retain their resale value fairly well.  So if you choose to upgrade in a year or so, you shouldn’t be out too much.  Around here, you can find recent models (last 3-4 years) for between 3K and 4K. 

2)  I did start with an S40.  While it has a larger engine, it is lighter and has less power than the Vulcan 500 due to being a single cylinder.  That said, it is still alot of bike and learning to ride it has been a challenge.  I don’t know that I would get it as my first bike if I was to do it over again. 

Whatever bike you get, you need to take the time to learn how to ride it correctly.  With larger bikes, it is especially important that you learn where the friction zone is and how to use it. 

In the end, after you take the MSF class and sit on some bikes, you will have a better understanding of what you are comfortable with, both risk wise and ergonomically.

[owlie]

At the very least, you can cut the D-rings and strap off. 

However, I took a pick-ax to my last helmet, in addition to cutting the rings off. 

[owlie]

Have you sat on any of the bikes or taken the MSF class?

Be sure to do both before you make a decision. A little time riding will make a more educated decision about which bike is appropriate for you, from a personal fit standpoint. Also, the skills taught in the MSF class are invaluable when you get your first bike.

Unless you really know the difference, I don’t think that you’ll notice the lack of maneuverability from the longer wheel base in the Vulcan 500.

Also, you might get some feed back from people who own the smaller bikes and haven’t found excuses to move to something larger. The Rebel in particular has a loyal following and I think that they might argue about the bikes being “very unstable” at highway speeds.

[owlie]

Drives the IT guys at work nuts.

That is a pretty cool function. For the people who are just casually perusing the site, it isn’t a big deal if they can’t see the latest post. For the rest of us, just log in like always to get our fix.

Thanks for all your work, Ben. This is a great community that you are building.

[owlie]

Hello!

I just started seeing this last night and I’m not sure if it is on your end or my ISP’s. When I first get to the forums front page, the last post shown hasn’t updated since what I posted last night, but as soon as I log in, I can see that there are new posts in a couple of the forums.

I took a couple screen shots, but I don’t have time to upload them right now. If you want me to email them to you this evening, drop me a line.

Thanks,
Owlie

[owlie]

Great video. I like how you show both the map and then the drive-through. One of the things that really surprised me the first couple of turns like that was how setting the lines straightened out both curves.

Thanks for another good snipet!

[owlie]

Actually, I miss shifts sometimes downshifting from 2 to 1. Not sure what the deal is; I haven’t figured it out yet.

[owlie]

I’m so glad to have another gregarious person on the forum. Now I don’t feel so bad posting my short dissertations on my experiences with my own S40.

Welcome to the group!

[owlie]

I have a friend who has had some luck with getting paid for repairs his custom graphics job when his car got hit because he had the paperwork & receipts on the job. But as Munch says, good luck if it is a DIY kind of thing or you don’t have a paper trail.

[owlie]

Welcome, Sheri and AG.

AG – I think that the S40 is just under appreciated in general. I will say that it is probably on the outside of what should be considered beginner, and having started with one myself, I would probably go smaller if I were to do it all over again. I think that it gets a short shrift because it is a little too large to be a first suggestion for a beginner bike and too small for people who are “looking to move up.”

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