Forum Replies Created
8 Great Beginner Motorcycle Riding Habits
-
AuthorPosts
-
RabParticipant
You should, of course, use BOTH brakes together, applied progressively, with the front providing 75% of your stopping power. This is due to the weight transfer which makes the back wheel light (and more prone to losing traction).
As you slow more and more, use more front brake and less rear to avoid the back end sliding out.
RabParticipantService costs vary by bike, complexity of service (e.g. 600 mile, 4000 mile, etc.) and geographical location.
Here in the San Francisco Bay Area (a very expensive area), you can expect to pay a dealer’s service department ~$110/hour for labour, plus parts (oil, filter, etc.).
In this area, you’d be unlikely to get much change out of $200 for a simple first service (oil and filter change, chain adjustment/lube and general inspection).
RabParticipantBoth myself and the Wife have CL-15s and are happy with them.
I had a more expensive HJC AC-11 before, but although the shell is made from a different material, the CL-15 feels the same to me and is both DoT and Snell certified; just like the AC-11.
I don’t think the venting is that great and HJC helmets are a bit wind-noisy, but great value and as safe as anything else on the market I believe. As I always ride with earplugs, the noise doesn’t bother me much.
RabParticipanthttp://www.motorcycleshippers.com/s_shippingprices.htm
http://www.mts-towing.com/default.asp
If you too are going, you might even want to consider one of these…
I’m not endorsing any of these companies, these are just from my collection of bookmarks.
‘ Won’t do any harm to ask for quotes…
RabParticipantRead through previous threads and you’ll find out everything you need to know. After that, it’s up to you…
Also, remember that your first bike almost certainly won’t be your last.
RabParticipantCheck out http://www.leatherup.com
Lots of buyer reviews and they’ve recently updated their descriptions to included any armour the jackets may or may not have.
On the whole, they seem like solid jackets at great prices.
The Tourmaster Coaster 2 available at loads of places (in perforated and non-perforated versions) looks like a good value too. I tried on the Coaster and it feels much more substantial than it looks in the photos.
BTW: Men’s motorcycle leather jackets are supposed to be relatively tight fitting and are often cut for a young man’s physique. If you’re older and/or have a beer gut (like many of us), you’ll look silly in many of them when you’re in a seated position, like you’ve got breasts; then again, if you’re really overweight, maybe you have
Do an internet search with keywords “leather jacket quality split naked” and you’ll find some guides on leather buying; naked is another name for Full Grain leather BTW
RabParticipantYou guys are trying to understand women? Good Luck on that one
My Wife was also against me getting a motorcycle, but a man’s gotta do what a man’s gotta do.
She came round when she realized that I was serious about it and that this was important to me. She now enjoys coming out pillion with me on the week-ends… so long as I don’t speed or lane-split
Funny that, about your “conversion” later in life; same thing happened to me some years back.
RabParticipantLooks like they’ve added “Hi-Viz” yellow (green) to the line, the “canary yellow” one I was talking about is indeed yellow.
RabParticipantIf you mean the Transition 2, if you unzip the jacket a little, from the bottom up, it won’t get in the way. I never needed to on my last bike (a Bonneville) but haven’t yet worn that jacket on my new bike (GSX650F) which has a wider tank. I’m certain it’ll work though.
I’ve seen these in the store and the yellow is a bright canary yellow (although yes, it does look Hi-Viz green in the thumbnail on that web page). I have the bright red one.
I love the classic (Schott Perfecto) style leather motorcycle jacket. They look totally cool, but they do have their drawbacks in that they usually have no armour and being leather, they’re a real pain in the posterior if they get soaked, no neck wind protection either.
You’ll probably wind up with (at least) two jackets, one (3/4 length) for the winter and one (“shortie” with mesh panels) for the Summer. That’s what works for me and I commute by motorcycle all year (no off-season). For hot weather, you can also buy “cooling vests” that you charge-up with cold water and they’re supposed to cool you on the “wet T-shirt” principle (evaporative cooling). For those, you’re not supposed to wear mesh as the water will evaporate too quickly. I don’t know how well they work, but apparently evaporative cooling won’t work in very humid climates.
‘ Doesn’t get *really* cold here, if it did, I’d use a heated liner vest. I do intend to buy (Tourmaster) heated gloves this Winter though. Last Winter I used “Oxford” heated grip wraps (which are a great comfort) but they left my thumbs freezing out in the breeze, so I’ll try the heated gloves this year.
Another great comfort in the cold is a fleecy neck tube to keep your neck warm. I’d say it’s been one of the best things I’ve bought since I started commuting by motorcycle. Balaclavas and face masks are good too, but the couple I’ve tried, don’t work well with glasses as they cover my nose, forcing my breath upwards thus steaming-up my glasses. Ah! The joys of motorcycle commuting
Anyway, I’ve found Tourmaster/Cortech to be decent gear at a good price
RabParticipantWow! Great price on a decent looking jacket.
RabParticipantThe jacket you’re looking at looks just fine and I like the leather patches. Could maybe use a little more venting though?
Whatever you get, make sure it has CE, removable (for occasional washing) armour, a waterproof membrane (so you don’t have to also carry a PVC rain jacket) if you intend riding in the rain (many people won’t), vents for the Summer, a quilted liner (removable, for the hotter weather) and reflective piping/tape for night-riding (if you must). Hi-Viz colors are good too. Pockets? Yes, but you often can’t fit much in them due to the close fit or the fact that they double as vents. Note: You don’t want loose, baggy motorcycle clothing as it can ride-up in an accident.
The nearest I’ve seen to all weather clothing is the Olympia Motosports “Mesh Tech 3-in-One Systems” gear. It has a CE armoured mesh and cordura outer shell jacket and also a waterproof, “windproof” (not 100% due to mesh outer jacket), quilted liner jacket. You can wear one or both together as the weather dictates. If you’re wearing just the mesh jacket/pants, you need to carry the liner jacket/pants in a backpack though; just in case…
http://olympiamotosports.com/home.html
Don’t agonize over it though (been there, done that), so long as they have a minimum feature set (see above), they’re pretty much all good, so shoot for a good price on last year’s fashions.
RabParticipantI have a Tourmaster Transition 2 which is reasonably priced and works for most weather (waterproof membrane, removable liner and zippered vents). I only wear it in the cooler months though as it’s almost certainly too sweaty for our California summers (80-90+ typical, 100+ sometimes). In the summer I wear an Olympia Motosports Airglide jacket and pants (see my comments on that review on the home page).
The Transition (3/4 length) is comfortable enough and you can unzip it from the bottom if necessary (to accomodate splayed legs). Comes in nice bright (Hi-Visibility) colors too.
Here’s the original Transition for a good price of $134.99
http://www.derbycycles.com/cgi-bin/eShop/index.cgi?pid=3363
and the Transition Series 2 for 152.99 (I paid $172.99 at a local dealer).
Here’s a combo deal on Jacket, Pants and Winter Gloves
Other sites that often have good deals are http://www.ironpony.com and http://www.compacc.com
You can often get really good close-out deals on last years model of clothing, and unless you’ve got to be wearing the latest “fashions”, who cares…
RabParticipantRabParticipantA big part of it is just you getting used to the different sound and feel of the bike at those speeds and freeway riding in general.
Those little 234 c.c. air-cooled Honda engines have been around for a long time and are virtually bullet proof. The Nighthawk *will* comfortably cruise at an indicated 65 m.p.h. all day without coming to any harm; I’ll agree, it does get a little scary at the top-end (~75-80) though Not an ideal bike for the freeway, but absolutely capable of it so long as you stay in the slow lanes. It is happier in town and on the country back-roads though.
Yes, the high revving at speed can be disconcerting at first, and having recently bought my first inline 4 (which red-lines at 12,500 r.p.m.), I can appreciate your concerns. At ~6000 r.p.m. my bike sounds (to me) like it’s revving really high, but it still has plenty of headroom if I want to take it there (which I haven’t yet). Quite a different experience from the much lower revving twin cylinder engines of my previous bikes. Like I said though, the Nighthawk 250 will happily cruise along at 60-65 all day long. Once you’ve done it a few times for, say an hour or two, you’ll settle down to it I’m sure. I had one as my first bike and am still sorry I had to sell it. Beautiful little bikes IMO.
Anyway, for second (or third or fourth, etc.) bikes I’d suggest looking at 500-650 c.c. standard or sport (not super sport) bikes e.g. Suzuki GS500F, SV650, GSX650F, DL650 (V-Strom) or Kawasaki Ninja 500, ER650, Versys or Yamaha FZ6. Other bigger, heavier, fast enough, but not scary fast bikes to consider would be the Triumph Bonneville and Harley-Davidson Sportster 883.
Cruisers? Maybe the Honda 750s, Suzuki C50, Kawasaki Vulcan 500 or 900, Yamaha V-Star 650 (maybe a little under-powered).
That’s just off the top of my head. If I’ve missed anyone’s favorite, I’m sure they’ll be happy to add to the list.
For many, any of the above would be the last “upgrade” they’ll ever need in terms of performance.
My favorite review site is:
http://www.powersportsnetwork.com/enthusiasts/review_list.asp?vehiclecategory=1
RabParticipantElwood1960 says:
“Is that like the stupid guys I see in colorful full armor leathers doing wheelies on the expressway at 105 mph on lime green motorcycles just before they spill under the wheels of an SUV and then ten other cars that hit him before everyone figures out road kill has splattered across the road?”
Yep, sure sounds like the same
-
AuthorPosts