Motorcycles, a newbies guide.

[Zansho]

I second getting a GOOD helmet, and at least something that has the ability to get a visor on it if you're not using a windshield. Super last thing you want it is a fucking bug getting permalodged in your eye at 40+MPH. If you wanna ride without a windshield, and no helmet and only sunglasses and only a t-shirt/shorts, to me, that's begging for bruises at best, and at the worst, scraping off your entire skin in a crash. Please wear proper clothing, get good gloves, a good helmet, and good shoes/boots. Get a jacket that makes you visible as fuck from anywhere - it doesn't have to be yellow or anything, but make it bright red, orange, green, blue, whatever. Anything that makes you stand out - mine is Orange, with black accents that goes with my Orange and black S40. It even has vents in it with some plates along the sleeves/chest/back to help me breathe better in the summer, and protect me in case I fall/have to lay the bike down.

Sunglasses - get the kind that are made from Polycarbonate or Trivex. Anything else is just asking for a bug to shatter your lenses and get lodged in your eye if you ride visor less.

Also, agree with FNH about Scorpion brand helmets - I have one, and it's absolutely great. This one is the one I have: http://shopping.scorpionusa.com/C55D...E15FF78D404FA1

[Obiron]

Another thought if you ride without a visor, and don't like the wind directly in your eyes, something like this is great! I don't see my exact pair (probably because they're about 3 years old now), but these are very similar. The foam padding around the eyes is great at blocking wind, vented so they're fine in the heat, and it doesn't interfere with your vision if you get a good pair.

[Penthesilea]

tyche, or anyone else, i'm looking to sell my MX-1 for cheaps. We can work on a price cause it's an expensive Jacket, but I'd be looking for 200$ plus shipping

http://images.motorcycle-superstore....acket_Blue.jpg

It's never been down, still in really good condition. I'll have to double check but I believe its a size 48 (38" chest). I can post pictures, but the stock one above is what it is.

[bluefan]

New helmet should be a little snug. Not a lot but not to the point where you can shake your head and it moves.

I think you mean it doesn't move

[jlee303]

I want a ninja , r6 or something. Thinking about buying sports bike this summer.

[bluefan]

http://images.canadianlisted.com/nla...te_5233018.jpg

Just a google pic, but that's the exact same model and colour of the one I got today. She rides much more smoother than my EX500. Guess that's the fuel injectors and V-twin working.

Going to get it painted to a black/white theme ASAP (friends fathers owns a shop that specializes in painting motorcycles), remove the plastic parts (useless), change the headlight to a round style roadster with a HID bulb, replace stock mirrors with handle end round mirrors, get a rear tire wheel cover, install a slight tinted windshield and get an upholster to beef up the seat a bit.

This summers going to be fun.

[shaddix]

I recently started riding. Took msf etc. I purchased an 09 suzuki DR650. I have dropped in 9? times in the last month and a half. Dented the tank, broke the clutch lever, broke the left rear turn signal off many times. Scratched the crank case and bent the shift pedal in a low speed lowside. Total cost of all repairs so far: $50 (minus the crank case scratch)

Bike gets 50mpg, has long travel suspension for rough roads, I can ride off into the grass if a cager tries to kill me. I do not think it suited to freeway though just for comfort reasons. I paid 100 bucks for a set of tires and the oil change interval is 4000 miles(I do at 3k). About 36rwhp, 360lbs?, fast enough to be more fun than a geo metro but not so much to get you into trouble. So that's my suggestion, a thumper.

My falls thus far:
1) Day after I bought it, too much throttle on wet grass, landed flat on my face.
2) Pulling up to gas pump, nearly ran it into the pump and grabbed the front brake, slowly fell over to the left
3) Practicing tight low speed turns in parking lot
4) Practicing tight low speed turns in parking lot
5) Practicing tight low speed turns in parking lot
6) U-turn on deserted road, ran off the road and tires slid out
7) Practicing tight low speed turns in parking lot
8) Turned into a deep loose gravel parking lot to turn around and tried to turn the front tire
9) Low sided experimenting with lean angles at around 20mph in a parking lot

[FNH]

good choice. don't worry how many times you drop it, each one is a good lesson lol just don't get into the habit of grabbing too much throttle. Also, rely less on the front brake and add rear braking to balance it out.

[Zansho]

good choice. don't worry how many times you drop it, each one is a good lesson lol just don't get into the habit of grabbing too much throttle. Also, rely less on the front brake and add rear braking to balance it out.

This man has words of wisdom. Smart advice.

[Zansho]

http://images.canadianlisted.com/nla...te_5233018.jpg

Just a google pic, but that's the exact same model and colour of the one I got today. She rides much more smoother than my EX500. Guess that's the fuel injectors and V-twin working.

Going to get it painted to a black/white theme ASAP (friends fathers owns a shop that specializes in painting motorcycles), remove the plastic parts (useless), change the headlight to a round style roadster with a HID bulb, replace stock mirrors with handle end round mirrors, get a rear tire wheel cover, install a slight tinted windshield and get an upholster to beef up the seat a bit.

This summers going to be fun.

That's one hot bike. Looks good!

[Boyiee]

I recently started riding. Took msf etc. I purchased an 09 suzuki DR650. I have dropped in 9? times in the last month and a half. Dented the tank, broke the clutch lever, broke the left rear turn signal off many times. Scratched the crank case and bent the shift pedal in a low speed lowside. Total cost of all repairs so far: $50 (minus the crank case scratch)

Bike gets 50mpg, has long travel suspension for rough roads, I can ride off into the grass if a cager tries to kill me. I do not think it suited to freeway though just for comfort reasons. I paid 100 bucks for a set of tires and the oil change interval is 4000 miles(I do at 3k). About 36rwhp, 360lbs?, fast enough to be more fun than a geo metro but not so much to get you into trouble. So that's my suggestion, a thumper.

My falls thus far:
1) Day after I bought it, too much throttle on wet grass, landed flat on my face.
2) Pulling up to gas pump, nearly ran it into the pump and grabbed the front brake, slowly fell over to the left
3) Practicing tight low speed turns in parking lot
4) Practicing tight low speed turns in parking lot
5) Practicing tight low speed turns in parking lot
6) U-turn on deserted road, ran off the road and tires slid out
7) Practicing tight low speed turns in parking lot
8) Turned into a deep loose gravel parking lot to turn around and tried to turn the front tire
9) Low sided experimenting with lean angles at around 20mph in a parking lot

good choice. don't worry how many times you drop it, each one is a good lesson lol just don't get into the habit of grabbing too much throttle. Also, rely less on the front brake and add rear braking to balance it out.

I've never met anyone thats dropped their bike 9 times... by msf do you mean the motorcycle safety course like what harley offers? If not, you really really need to take one. Maybe that bike is just a little too much for you. The only time I've ever "dropped" my bike was during my first road test on it, it was impossible to make the turn on the bike (which we proved) and I caught the bike before it hit the ground, but I still leaned it over. No scratches at least. That was my first bike too. Obviously failed the road test, and I told the guy the turn wasn't possible on a sport bike and hes like "WE HAVE GUYS THAT DO THIS ON HARLEYS" so I had to prove it to him, idiot obviously doesn't know the difference in turning radius between a cruiser and crotch rocket. Good thing for scooter rentals.

[FNH]

I've never met anyone thats dropped their bike 9 times... by msf do you mean the motorcycle safety course like what harley offers? If not, you really really need to take one.

MSF is the motorcycle safety foundation learners course. Not everyone walks away from it an expert since it cannot cover everything, especially 1,8,9. I've actually heard of worse. most of shaddix's problems seem to be low speed turns and terrain issues, they aren't big issues. If he had wrecked 9 times at 40+ mph I'd probably recommend hanging it up, but this low speed parking lot stuff is just getting to know the lower limits of the bike. I've known people to stay in a parking lot for weeks practicing this kind of thing before they hit the road and they were much better for it.

[jmc]

MSF is the motorcycle safety foundation learners course. Not everyone walks away from it an expert since it cannot cover everything, especially 1,8,9. I've actually heard of worse. most of shaddix's problems seem to be low speed turns and terrain issues, they aren't big issues. If he had wrecked 9 times at 40+ mph I'd probably recommend hanging it up, but this low speed parking lot stuff is just getting to know the lower limits of the bike. I've known people to stay in a parking lot for weeks practicing this kind of thing before they hit the road and they were much better for it.

Like the fucking figure 8's in the box during the training course.

Hated those with a passion years ago, still hate them now.

[shaddix]

I've never met anyone thats dropped their bike 9 times... by msf do you mean the motorcycle safety course like what harley offers? If not, you really really need to take one. Maybe that bike is just a little too much for you. The only time I've ever "dropped" my bike was during my first road test on it, it was impossible to make the turn on the bike (which we proved) and I caught the bike before it hit the ground, but I still leaned it over. No scratches at least. That was my first bike too. Obviously failed the road test, and I told the guy the turn wasn't possible on a sport bike and hes like "WE HAVE GUYS THAT DO THIS ON HARLEYS" so I had to prove it to him, idiot obviously doesn't know the difference in turning radius between a cruiser and crotch rocket. Good thing for scooter rentals.

MSF is the motorcycle safety foundation learners course. Not everyone walks away from it an expert since it cannot cover everything, especially 1,8,9. I've actually heard of worse. most of shaddix's problems seem to be low speed turns and terrain issues, they aren't big issues. If he had wrecked 9 times at 40+ mph I'd probably recommend hanging it up, but this low speed parking lot stuff is just getting to know the lower limits of the bike. I've known people to stay in a parking lot for weeks practicing this kind of thing before they hit the road and they were much better for it.

Ya this is correct, the classroom bike was the first time I had ever sat on a motorcycle
All the parking lot low speed falls were from failure to correctly utilize throttle+clutch+rear brake simultaneously. Sometimes I would have too much brake and let the clutch out too far and the engine stalled and down I went. These are all nearly full lock turns at <5mph

Like the fucking figure 8's in the box during the training course.

Hated those with a passion years ago, still hate them now.

Yeah this is terribly difficult for me to do with smoothness and consistency on the street. I can make a u-turn in less than the width of two parking spaces, about 15feet, fairly easily in a parking lot. But whenever I try to do a U-turn on a narrow 2 lane road, I almost always go wide and have to jerk the bars around to keep from going onto the shoulder. This happens even with my head turned all the way back over my shoulder, I need to do more practice.

[Omniyoji]

It's only been like a week and a half but I wonder if Tyche has decided on something...

[Tyche]

No, I'm taking my time and waiting for a good deal. Also, the next class is next month, so I'm in no hurry.

[Boyiee]

No, I'm taking my time and waiting for a good deal. Also, the next class is next month, so I'm in no hurry.

If you want a deal, buy bikes in colder months.

[Boyiee]

Welp, my bike finally made contact with the ground - hope you like stories, its a good one.

So my dad is riding up to visit my grandmas grave (his mother) on mothers day, its about a 45minute ride. He is on this road up north and this guy is tailgating him really bad for a few minutes, like almost pushing him at 40+mph. There are cars in front of my dad, nowhere to go, everyone is doing the speed limit, but this guy will not stop trying to push him. He taps his brakes, looks back at him, the guy knows hes doing it. My dad has over a car length in front of him and coming up to a light this guy veers around him on the right shoulder and cuts in front of him nearly sideswiping him and slams on his brakes (since there was a car there and its a red light). My dad swerves to the left nearly clipping the guys bumper and ends up alongside this guys drivers door, still on his bike. The guy starts screaming at my dad and hes like, woah wtf dude, while the guy starts trying to open his drivers door but cant since my dad is there on the bike. My dad keeps saying "stay in your car" when eventually the guy just throws his door open knocking the bike to the ground. My dad says "you're paying for this" and the guy tries to drive away, so my dad gets in front of his car to take his plate number. The guy gets out of the car, big guy, walks up to my dad and throws him to the ground and drives away. Several witnesses saw everything and got the plate number etc. Cops came and originally filed a report for criminal mischief, but my dad is also going to press assault charges. He hurt his knee when he went to the ground, but felt it was just a bruise and cut so no big deal - today he had to come home from work early cause his knee in so much pain. Being a firemen there is a lot of high steps and patient care, knee is one of the worst things to injure. The bike has roughly $1000 worth of damage from being pushed over the way it was by the dude. Hopefully collision covers it cause the car door is what made contact with the bike, and hopefully this guy gets whats coming to him for having road rage.

[bluefan]

That sucks.

Let us know how it goes. Fucking cagers. I swear to God.

[Nemesio]

If you want a deal, buy bikes in colder months.

Exactly what I did. Got my 2004 R1 for 4000. Seemed like a good deal to me.