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Kymco Filly 50
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SafetyFirstParticipant
I think the danger of riding is what lures some people to it.
That’s the only way I could explain people riding down the street with sneakers, jeans, a t-shirt and an unhelmeted head. Or even worse, down the interstate! (I actually saw this once… a squid on a CBR)
For me, the danger is what I want less of. I ride with a decent amount of gear (although a Forcefield Pro Sub-4 back protector is in my future) because I know the danger exists. Statistics don’t lie — for the first 6 months, I’m at a higher risk of fatal accidents being a new rider. That’s why I make sure I have good gear. Not as insurance to go nuts in the twisties, or zip around traffic on a city street going over 10 over, but because if the @#@# hits the fan, it’s better to have it, than not.
SafetyFirstParticipantMore stuff I forgot to mention…
Make sure you title and get your bike plated ASAP. I took two business days to do so, and one of my neighbors in my apartment complex who elected themselves as “neighborhood watch” actually called the police thinking my bike was stolen because it didn’t have a plate. The funny thing is, at the time they came, it was titled in my name, just not plated because of the BMV’s hours conflicting with my sleep schedule. I still have the yellow crayon the cop rubbed over the VIN stamped under my handlebar.
Full face helmet or get out. Don’t get a cheap one, but don’t spend more than you can afford. You don’t need an Arai or a Shoei for your first helmet. But, if you have the money to burn, go for it. Scorpion are good (EXO-400 or EXO-700, I have both of), HJC, Not sure about Vega, and I would completely avoid Bell. Icon makes some pretty neat helmet designs, but I’m not sure how they rank in quality. Make sure it fits tight! Not loose! It should be tight. It will break in and feel great after a while. If it feels more like pain than pressure, go to the next size up. If a certain brand doesn’t seem to fit your head, keep trying until you find one that does. In other words, your first helmet fitting should be done in person, not bought online.
I know above I said to ride around in a parking lot. I wouldn’t recommend that until after you took your BRC class. Hide your keys somewhere where you won’t find them and sit on your hands until you’ve taken BRC.
SafetyFirstParticipant1) You and the seller sign the title.
2) Take it to the county clerks office (in Ohio) to get it retitled. Empty out pocket.
3) Take the new title to the BMV (in Ohio) to get it licenses. Empty out pocket again.
4) Order insurance. Progressive Insurance is absolutely awesome for my bike. I pay a year for what I pay on my car every 6 months, except the bike is better insured. LOL
5) Buy a GOOD helmet. Make sure it fits right. Have someone help you at the bike shop who knows what they are doing. Not some high school kid who works there when he gets off school.
6) Ride into a parking lot for the first few days.
7) EnjoyJuly 15, 2009 at 12:53 am in reply to: Why is there a piece of metal sticking out of my rear tire? #20627SafetyFirstParticipantI asked the Honda & Suzuki dealer if they’d do it. They said they wouldn’t do on-bike because they don’t have stands for Kawis. Huh? If I brought in the wheels, it’d be $30 each, more or less after nickel-and-diming for weights. I forgot to ask the Kawi dealer, but it sounds like a better idea, since they can’t use the excuse the other place gave.
I took a look at stands for the bike, but they just seem out of my price range. If worst comes to worst, could I leave the bike on the centerstand without front or rear wheels? Even if it means propping up the front with a milk crate with a pillow on top of it?
July 15, 2009 at 12:48 am in reply to: Blowing Red Lights when the #@#$ing sensor won’t “see” you #20626SafetyFirstParticipantThe trouble is, this wasn’t a major 4-way intersection. It was a side street to apartments on one side, and the closed for the night mall on the other side. If the light would have just cycled at all, I’d have a chance. But, no. It will not trigger at all unless it senses a car.
If I ever get stopped, I think I’ll use the argument that the traffic control device is malfunctioning — it cannot sense my vehicle.
July 15, 2009 at 12:28 am in reply to: Why is there a piece of metal sticking out of my rear tire? #20624SafetyFirstParticipantTires are on order from motorcycle-superstore.com, along with a CoverMax Sportbike Half Cover. I wanted to kick it up to $200 so I could use the $20 off orders over $200 coupon. So, basically, my cover cost about $5. All shipped free.
I figure I might use the CoverMax half-cover more than my basic Covermax. I forget too often to go back outside when the bike has cooled off to put on the cover. Hopefully this will help. I guess it’s like they say about safety gear, it’s useless unless you actually use it.
1 x Sport Demon Sport Touring Front Tire 100/90H-16 — $74.57
1 x Sport Demon Sport Touring Rear Tire 130/90V-16 — $101.85
1 x Covermax Half-Bike cover — $24.55All said and done…
$200.97Can’t wait to get them mounted. Probably figure another $60? for mounting?
SafetyFirstParticipantI don’t see how having two sets of turn signals on the front is contrary to the law.
Cages have turn signals in their mirrors and on the front of the engine compartment.I keep reading that FMVSS and they keep mentioning the term “vertical center-line.” WTF does that mean?
The cops here in Ohio just don’t seem to care about lighting. I’ve seen people ride around on the road with blue underglow, green underglow, blue LEDs on their windshield wiper sprayer nozzle, etc. As long as it doesn’t blink, it’s good. Ohio’s motor vehicle laws are quite lax on lighting.
Anyone know who sells red lenses for the rear stock turn signals on the 250? AsianCycle has clear ones, but that doesn’t do me any good. I want to convert them to red, and strangely enough DOT doesn’t accept a red light bulb. It’s the lens that makes the light red.
July 14, 2009 at 4:05 am in reply to: Why is there a piece of metal sticking out of my rear tire? #20592SafetyFirstParticipantI actually want to do as much maintenance on my bike as I can. I never took shop class in high school, so I’m really all thumbs when it comes to mechanical things. Electrical things… I’m very good at. Probably why all of the mods on my list are electrical things.
Speaking of tools, I picked up one of those Slime digital tire pressure gauges with the little tube for $16 at WalMart tonight. Passed a few guys on sporties in the parking lot chillin’ out… one looked like a Gixxer… one was showing off Kawi green… I was going to stop with my bike, but feeling like such a n00b I was afraid to roll up and ask what’s up. Looked at the odometer when I parked… 4000.4 miles! I’ve put 600 miles on my Ninjette in a month and a half. It seems to like the love.
I need to get some tools. Next thing I want to do is change the oil and oil filter. Thinking of going to synthetic, but I’ll wait till after 6,000 miles. The guy I bought it from said he changed the oil before storing it for the winter. Checking oil with a little window is something new. The window shows nice tan oil, so I believe he did, but I can’t figure out if it’s low or not, depending on if the bike is upright or on the kickstand. I just need to figure out what tools I need to get. I know a lot of the bolts need to be a particular torque value.
I think I put too much chain wax on. A few times riding up and down the main drag I saw some blue smoke coming from under my bike. Pulled into a parking lot to look with the 3W miniMag LED, and couldn’t find a source of it… it stopped smoking. I’m guessing some of it flung up and hit the hot muffler? That reminds me, I need to get those clips for the Mini-Mag to keep it under the seat over the fender.
I’ll call around tomorrow and price them out at the shops around town. All there is for bike shops is a Kawi shop, a Honda&Suzuki shop, and a Harley shop. I doubt the Harley shop would have the tires I’m looking for.
July 14, 2009 at 1:38 am in reply to: Why is there a piece of metal sticking out of my rear tire? #20580SafetyFirstParticipantI’m thinking a set of Pirelli Sport Demon’s are going to be making their way on my Ninja soon. The Ninja 250 guys say they are great.
I bought the bike used. They are the OE Dunlap’s, so I’m guessing they are probably the original 6 year old tires. I think it’s more that the bike spent most of it’s time not being used, than the miles. I’m glad to finally make it happy. I bought it with 3500ish miles on it. I don’t think I’ve even passed 4000 yet. So basically I got the bike pre-broken in for me.
Only thing I’m worried about is how much the Kawi dealer in town is going to try to bend me over for. If it’s anything like the other shops in town, they are generally pretty fair with their prices, mainly because they need the business. I’m talking cheaper labor costs and not greedily overpriced part costs.
SafetyFirstParticipantI know it’s not on the list, but the ninja 250 “F” series is an awesome bike to get on after MSF. I found it much easier than the Nighthawks in the class. I did kinda like the CB125-T’s they had, too. Maybe it was the sporty look of them. Or maybe it was that they were easier to do low-speed stuff with because the twist of the wrist gone wrong didn’t suck so much, because of a smaller engine, LOL.
I’d get a 125 if they were more plentyful than Ninja 250s. Same with a 50 cc Aprilia RS-50. I’d want to try the RS-50 out to see what a 2-cycle is like on the street.
SafetyFirstParticipantI’m still here. Vacation got in the way.
I’m always worrying that someone’s going to pull into my right of way making a left and call it quits for my ride… hard to believe it was almost the other way around.
I’m not doing that twisty county road again at night unless I absolutely need to. Most of the state routes in the country around here are pretty reasonable, assuming you’re going somewhat near the speed limit. I can’t stress enough how over time riding my car and riding my bike, going the speed limit actually makes riding easier.
I love city streets at night because under the street lights I can actually see a reasonable distance. And the speeds are lower. What a match made in heaven.
And maybe the rear fatigue is a good thing to keep me safe. If my rear is tired, my mind probably is fading too, right?
SafetyFirstParticipantI get what you’re saying, E, but don’t suggest to the guy that just because a slick new Gixxer looks good with him on it in the showroom, it’s the best thing to start on. I’d rather someone start on a bike in the class they like with wee bits of power, so curiosity with the throttle doesn’t kill the cat. Not to mention giving up on practising low-speed stuff in a parking lot because it’s a heavy beast.
On the other hand… if one of the modes on the 09 GSX-R600 is labeled as ‘wuss’, I’d gladly consider it maybe next season.
SafetyFirstParticipantI think you guys got the wrong end of what I was sayin’.
I don’t even know anyone, friends or family, who rides. That’s probably what made the decision to ride blew a lot of family and friends minds. So, there’s nobody daring me to take the curve with pegs scraping. And nobody calling me a wuss for having a 250.
And anyone who calls the 250 slow needs to actually ride one. Once you figure out where the powerband is, it’ll keep up with traffic at any legal speed. Unless you have land-speed records to break somewhere, IMHO any sporty over 600 is just overkill.
SafetyFirstParticipantI honestly wonder how many people drop it in the parking lot of the dealer after they get a bike? I bet bike shop employees have war stories to tell in that regard.
That’s why I use the centerstand 99% of the time I’m parked. I honestly would find a bike without a centerstand less desirable.
SafetyFirstParticipantAbout the BRC…
I think you are right to an extent.
The way I see BRC is like the head instructor told everyone being handed out their completion cards (while I got to stand there and wait to get a re-take card.) He said “you’re qualified enough at this level to ride in a parking lot. Don’t think tomorrow you’re just going to get on the interstate.”
He’s right.
I think a lot of it is like Elwood says — it’s muscle memory. I think BRC is great in that it gives you enough to be able to get on your bike and start learning to IT. As opposed to learning how to become proficient on a Honda Nighthawk 250. Every bike has it’s own “feel.” A Nighthawk 250 isn’t going to handle or feel or react the same as a Goldwing as a Harley D as a dual-sport as a Gixxer as a Ninja 250, etc, etc, etc.
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