[owlie]

No worries, and thanks for your thoughts.

I can definitely see the cons, especially after some of the discussions that we have had here on the board.

[owlie]

Congrats on the new ride. It looks like fun.

[owlie]

On a completely different note:

Kudos for your service. It is appreciated.

Good move on planning to start small. Don’t let anyone talk you out of it (though if they try to talk you up from the 125, don’t worry about it- 250s are still very sane for beginners).

Finally, if you want to ride your bike on base when you get back, you will have to take an MSF class, and I think that they make you wear hi-vis vests- so if you are worried about the cruiser image, get over it.

Good luck!

Owlie

[owlie]

Compared to me, you are an old pro. Not to mention the fact that I’m a weekend warrior. About the only riders less experienced than me are the ones just taking their MSF classes.

[owlie]

Tell me about it. It isn’t so bad in the winter when I can see through the trees and headlights bounce off the snow.

In the summer, it is a whole different deal. At least people mostly drive sanely through the neighborhood. There are always alot of people walking around- kids, joggers, dog walkers, etc. during the day and at night you can never be sure if there is a moose around the next corner.

[owlie]

+1 to Munch: The V-Star marketing material is particular leverages the same image.

+1 to Eon: I couldn’t agree more.

For myself: Just because you don’t like cruisers or the cruiser image, it doesn’t mean that it is bad, wrong, or unAmerican. Most of the same arguments can be turned around to other groups in the biking community.

[owlie]

Congrats on your fastest lap time!

And you are going to hurt tomorrow…. err.. today. Take some Advil and take it easy for a day or two.

BTW- good timing on replacing your fairings. Now you get to find a new helmet. Let me guess- it will be black and white?

[owlie]

Hmm… Video recorded on a public street with the video posted to YouTube? He has should have strong 1st amendment defense.

[owlie]

The in-person experience is great too.

[owlie]

Congrats on making it through the MSF class! And kudos on holding off on buying a bike until after the class.

Sit on as many of the bikes as you can before you buy one. Even if you are considering buying used, there is nothing to stop you from going to the dealerships to check out the current models. Let us know how it goes!

[owlie]

Okay, my two cents worth…

I think that the basis has been covered on better bikes to step up to than the CBR600, so I’ll skip that. However–

From what you have written, I am guessing that you haven’t taken an basic rider’s course (MSF or BRC class). If you have, sorry for the bad assumption. If you haven’t, take the class before you upgrade your bike. This is a great way to learn more about riding. Even if you have already taken the class, take it again or take another more advanced class to refresh your skills. You won’t regret it.

[owlie]

Heya, Ben!

I’m glad to hear that you came through it with little more than an adrenaline rush. What a way to start the day! I’m sure you didn’t need that first cuppa coffee when you got into the office.

The one suggestion that I will add- it drives my husband nuts, but I normally slow down as I approach intersections and only start to accelerate through after I can see that it is clear. This gives me a wider margin of error if I need to brake sharply.

[owlie]

You may be able to get into an MSF class sooner if you show up and a spot opens in the class. Sometimes they’ll let people in like that. You might try calling the organizers and see how they handle it.

As for keeping the bike corralled, just sit on it and make vrroomm vrroomm noises. You’ll thank yourself later.

[owlie]

Great thoughts from everyone.

For myself, it isn’t so much when or whether you will crash, but how that possibility affects your riding now and how you will deal with it if you do crash. Just as part of everyday riding, you should do things to minimize your chances of crashing and maximize your ability to survive a crash. Situational awareness, riding skill development, and wearing proper gear all come into that.

On the back end, have you worked to minimize your other risks? Family planning, insurance, a support network, emergency funds? Most of these should be in place just for good practice, not because of riding. But they give me peace of mind when I am riding.

[owlie]

Heya!

I don’t want to confuse things any further, but +1 that most people don’t understand their insurance policies. I wouldn’t trust anything written on the web regarding understanding insurance for a variety of reasons. Find someone local and educated in the insurance to explain it to you.

Eon: Insurance in the US is under state jurisdiction, so it is even more complicated than just US rules vs UK rules. You also have a variety of rules in each of the different states. Thankfully with auto insurance, this does not seem to complicate life nearly as much as with health insurance.

[Author]

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