[rb]

I wear all black (helmet, smoke visor, jacket, gloves, pants) and have only had one incident, however, I always position myself where I can be seen especially in intersections.  The one person that did pull out on me simply didn’t look at all.  I could have been driving a dump truck and they still wouldn’t have seen me.

I am of the opinion that the “I didn’t seem them” excuse is complete BS.  It’s an excuse for simply not looking when they should have or not waiting until there was sufficient clearance to pull out or turn.  People turn left/pull out in front of other full sized cars and trucks all of the time and use the same exact excuse.  Then you have the super aggressive drivers that just don’t care.  They will cut you off on purpose just so they can get to work 5 seconds faster.  I believe if people were being completely honest, the reasons for accidents would be more along the lines of “I didn’t look before I pulled out” or “I thought I could squeeze through but didn’t make it” or “I’m attempting a new land speed record from my house to work and really don’t care about anyone else on the road.”     

All of that being said, if you feel safer in fluorescent green and yellow then more power to you.  I have seen many recommendations on this but I have never seen a study that proves wearing brightly colored clothing reduces your risk of an accident.  I have also wondered if individuals that choose to wear brightly colored clothing are generally more safety conscious riders overall and are therefore less likely to be involved in an accident.

Edit: I don’t ride at night so that would be a different story all together and something I didn’t take into account.

[rb]

The Joe Rocket Ballistic 7.0 pants I purchased came with the mating half of the zipper that you can have sewn into your jacket if you wish.  Not as good as standardization but better than nothing.

http://www.newenough.com/protective_apparel/textile_jackets_and_pants/joe_rocket/ballistic_7_textile_motorcycle_pants.html

[rb]

Correct. At least in PA that is how it works. You are given your M class license upon successful completion of the course, however, I’m sure this varies by state.

[rb]

The guages aren’t the best. They are readable at speed, however, it does take more time to read them than it should. I wish they were reversed. A digital speedometer and a analog tach would be a much better setup IMHO. Hopefully they change that in 2010 and make it available as an aftermarket accessory for the 09s.

[rb]

Personally, I would take the BRC immediately before buying a bike. This way everything is fresh and you can practice the concepts and exercises right after completing the course. Otherwise, your memory (and perhaps your confidence) may erode while waiting for spring.

[rb]

On the third day I had my bike, I put a nick in the tank the size of a small nail head. I’m still not sure how I did it but the nick was down to bare metal. I put a protector on (albeit smaller than the one above) so I wouldn’t do it again and as a bonus it also hides the nick. Touch up paint would probably work just as well but using one of these seemed to be the easiest solution at the time.

[rb]

Keep looking. Try to find something that has been maintained well. You don’t want to buy someones else’s problem. If the exterior of the bike is really beat up, odds are the owner didn’t take care of anything else (such as oil changes) either. Now that may not always be the case but I would definitely steer clear of anything that was “knocked down a hill” by a car.

[rb]

It protects the tank from getting scratched by your zipper, belt buckle, etc.

[rb]

+1

Go here to learn more.

[rb]

Yeah, it gets really windy. Up to about 65 it’s not too bad. From 65 to 80 it is somewhat annoying but bearable. At 80 plus you are hanging on for dear life. Also, if it’s a windy day (say 15-20MPH gusts) then you get smacked around a bit even at lower speeds. Fortunately, 98% of my riding is below 65 so it isn’t that big of an issue for me. I only get on the freeway/highway as a last resort. I prefer riding the twisty Southeastern PA/DE country roads. If you have a highway commute or plan on a lot of highway riding then the ER6n is probably not the right choice.

However, I have found that if you crouch down, the headlight and gauge “pod” assembly will block a lot of the wind but then you are riding in a full crouch position which isn’t the most comfortable or safe position to be in. ERMAX has an aftermarket windshield available for it that looks like it would block a lot of the wind to the chest and helmet and it doesn’t take away from the naked look of the bike.

You could also check out the Ninja 650r (ER6f) which is the same exact bike except it has a full fairing and different gauge configuration.

[rb]

I second the 650 but you could say I’m biased:) The only problem you may run into is that the front suspension is not adjustable and is a little soft. I’m only 150 lbs so it’s perfect for me. The rear is adjustable.

Ultimately, you should go to every dealership in your area and sit on as many different bikes as you can. I mean everything. Sports, standards, and cruisers. After sitting on 15-20 bikes you begin to figure out what is going to work for you.

When I was shopping for my first bike I ended up not liking what I thought I would like (sport) because it just wasn’t comfortable for me. I ended up with an ER6n because it was very comfortable and the ergo’s fit my body type perfectly.

[rb]

I am also a MTB’r and I had the same issue with the brake. I would also only use two fingers so the instructors gave me a hard time for that.

Now, everything I have read since taking the MSF course (Sport Riding Techniques and Proficient Motorcycling) says you should always cover the brake with 2 fingers so I wouldn’t worry about it too much. Just make sure you do it the way they teach it during the test. Once you have your license then do it whichever way works best for you.

Personally I always cover the brake with two fingers in busy traffic. It cuts your reaction time down quite a bit as you don’t have to reach for the brake in an emergency stop situation.

[Author]

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