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Well, before I went to take the MSF, a buddy of mine had let me learn a bit on his bike. At the time, I didn't have proper boots and just wore sneakers while practicing in a parking lot. When it came time to take the MSF, I had ordered some boots but didn't get a chance to practice riding with them on just yet. I was unused to how thick they were and couldn't get used to the tactile response I got while shifting gears. This, combined with the worn gearbox on the '90 Rebel I was using made me decide that I should just shift more firmly to ensure that I'm in gear. I guess I used a bit more power than I thought cause the lever snapped clean off, footpeg and arm. Suffice to say, I'm more gentle on the bike I own now.
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Nov 5, 2012 08:16
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Gaddamn, I always mash mine, both ways. I hope that it was more the crappy transmission that did it in 
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Nov 5, 2012 12:38
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AncientTV posted:Gaddamn, I always mash mine, both ways. I hope that it was more the crappy transmission that did it in I have an '87 Rebel and I mash the hell out of my shifter half the time and never have an issue.
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Nov 5, 2012 19:10
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Yeah I stomped the poo poo out of mine too and never had a problem. More than likely that bike already had cracks on the shifter pedal from students dropping it.
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Nov 5, 2012 19:22
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Why all the stomping? If you put a little bit of initial pressure on the shifter before you pull the clutch, then when you do bring the clutch towards the friction zone the transmission will just slip gently between gears with next to no effort. Try it sometime.
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Nov 5, 2012 19:50
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Angryboot posted:Yeah I stomped the poo poo out of mine too and never had a problem. More than likely that bike already had cracks on the shifter pedal from students dropping it. This is my bet. Too much force can definitely cause issues, but too little force can cause issues too, as the bike ends up with missed shifts and between gears. Carry through, shift firmly, and you'll minimize transmission issues. I don't like preloading as a habit because I worry about it causing issues with the transmission eventually jumping out of gear and all, but it can definitely be handy to learn when the bike "wants" to shift.
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Nov 5, 2012 20:10
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AncientTV posted:I wonder for how many people this forum is responsible for getting into motorcycling; I know it would've taken me much longer to get to the MSF, if it weren't for this place. Chalk up another one! My first day of a 3 day MSF course is tomorrow. Unfortunately, classroom only on day 1.
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Nov 5, 2012 20:24
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Pissingintowind posted:Chalk up another one! My first day of a 3 day MSF course is tomorrow. Unfortunately, classroom only on day 1. Good luck on the course, stay loose, hope you have a good time. Z3n posted:I don't like preloading as a habit because I worry about it causing issues with the transmission eventually jumping out of gear and all, but it can definitely be handy to learn when the bike "wants" to shift. There's been a couple of times on older bikes where I had problems going from 1st to 2nd and to get around that, I kept the upward pressure on the shift lever steady then slipped the clutch out to get it to go into 2nd. Does that count as preloading?
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Nov 5, 2012 21:05
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Sort of, yeah. Older bikes tend to get finicky, especially if they've been abused - some people say preloading eventually means that the bike won't comfortably shift unless it's always preloaded. Shifting is like most other things on a bike...you'll get the best results when you commit fully to whatever you're doing.
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Nov 5, 2012 21:40
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Passed my MSF class! So much fun, can't wait to get my first bike  .I found it strange that the instructor told me not to go smaller than 750CC for someone my size (6'2", 200 lbs). I'm assuming I can safely ignore that and go with a SV650/GS500/Ninja 250 (all three of which he called "small")?
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Nov 12, 2012 02:55
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Pissingintowind posted:Passed my MSF class! So much fun, can't wait to get my first bike Any of those will get you about all day. During the course you were most likely on a 200cc or 250cc machine (unless you took Harley's course then you were on one of those infernal Buell blasts). During exercise 8 (shifting from 2nd to 3rd and back) or exercise 11(getting up to speed quickly and counter steering) did you feel any lack of power? The GS500 and Ninja 250/500 are a little more forgiving if you whack the throttle wide open unexpectedly. Though the the SV650 is just fine as well. I spent my first 6 years riding a 1983 GS550 and never felt myself lacking for power to go down the highway. In the twisties is was a lot lighter than everything else and I could carry a bit more corner speed and had no issues keeping up there either (please take it slow as you're just starting out)
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Nov 12, 2012 03:10
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His advice would be right if you're looking at getting a cruiser.
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Nov 12, 2012 03:36
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Can you even buy a new cruiser-style bike under 650cc in the USA, other than the Rebel 250?
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Nov 12, 2012 03:50
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Pissingintowind posted:Passed my MSF class! So much fun, can't wait to get my first bike I'm all of 5'6, and a Ninja 250 fits me like a glove. I can't imagine anyone over 5'9 riding one for more than 20 minutes and being comfortable. 6'2 is circus bear territory on a bike like that. It's already way underpowered, and your big frame is just going to act like an air brake on that bike. 25 hp is fine to toodle around in a parking lot and learn how to not drop the bike, but once you get out in traffic it gets old real quick. Unless you're a 5'1, 115 lb chick or 18 and paying for your own insurance, I'd skip it. The GS500 is similar, it's not a large framed machine, but you'd probably be okay on it, play around on one. Again, not exactly a screamer at ~40-45 hp or so, if you can find one real cheap it might make a good starter bike, otherwise, I'd say look at the SV or other 600-800cc machines. There's tons of good middleweight stuff out there, ranging from japanese to german, to italian. What's your budget?
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Nov 12, 2012 07:22
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ThatCguy posted:I'm all of 5'6, and a Ninja 250 fits me like a glove. I can't imagine anyone over 5'9 riding one for more than 20 minutes and being comfortable. 6'2 is circus bear territory on a bike like that. It's already way underpowered, and your big frame is just going to act like an air brake on that bike. 25 hp is fine to toodle around in a parking lot and learn how to not drop the bike, but once you get out in traffic it gets old real quick. Unless you're a 5'1, 115 lb chick or 18 and paying for your own insurance, I'd skip it. The GS500 is similar, it's not a large framed machine, but you'd probably be okay on it, play around on one. Again, not exactly a screamer at ~40-45 hp or so, if you can find one real cheap it might make a good starter bike, Nope. Nope nope nope nope nope. I'm 6'1", and I started on a 14hp Yamaha built in the 80s. It was a bit slow for the interstate, but it was great around town and on country roads, and it could beat most cars off the line if they didn't know you were racing. I've owned a Ninja 250 and, while it's small, it's light, cheap, and has plenty of power. A six hour ride is a bit unfeasible, but it's a great learner. If you live somewhere where the climate makes sense, buy it now, ride it a bunch, and sell it in April if you're sick of it. You'll break even if not come out slightly ahead. The GS500 is bigger, and I could easily see riding that for a while. It's not going to be a world beater, but it's plenty powerful for a first bike. ThatCguy posted:otherwise, I'd say look at the SV or other 600-800cc machines. There's tons of good middleweight stuff out there, ranging from japanese to german, to italian. What's your budget? This man is literally trying to kill you. (Okay, not really, but bear in mind that there is a huge difference between 600cc supersports, 600cc cruisers, 600cc dualsports, and so forth. A 600cc dualsport (e.g. Kawasaki KLR650) is a really good learner that you could keep a couple of years. A 600cc supersport (e.g. Yamaha R6) is a twitchy race bike that will be terrible to learn on.)
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Nov 12, 2012 12:03
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Safety Dance posted:Nope. Nope nope nope nope nope. Well, no poo poo. The fact that he listed the three blandest "learner" bikes out there, I doubt he's looking at, nor was I recommending a ZX-6R, Gixxer 750, R6, etc. A ninja 650, GSX-F, Monster, F800St, KLR650 like you mentioned, etc are all sane options to anyone over the age of 20 that understands that the clutch and throttle are analog, not digital devices. Not sure why every bike discussion on the internet seems to turn into "Babby's first bike". Obviously a lot of this is based on budget. If it's 4-6k, he's got tons of options. If it's 800 bucks and whatever's left over from his Taco Bell check after rent's due next month, gonna be a lot harder. In which case start scouring CL for 250s. I guess I've just never subscribed to the "YOU MUST START ON A VESPA, THEN A 125, THEN A 250, THEN BUY AND SELL 3 MORE BIKES AT A LOSS TO GET TO WHAT YOU WANT" mentality. Which it sounds like the MSF instructor agrees with me as well. I imagine some is location, but around here to get to any fun roads, you have to do a lot of slab riding, with average traffic speeds of 80-85 mph. In a 25 HP 250, you might as well be on a Vespa at that point.
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Nov 12, 2012 14:33
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A 250 can do about 105mph, so while it might not be the most comfortable at 85mph, it's still fine.
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Nov 12, 2012 16:13
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I'm 6'1" at 210 lbs and I have no problems with zooming up to 85+ on my 250. Sure, acceleration starts slowing down once I get to like 90, but by then I'm already 25 miles over the speed limit around here. Don't get too hung up on the hurr 250 is dinky hurr mentality. (For what it's worth I started on a 900cc sport bike. But then again I was 17 and stupid. And lucky as hell.) EDIT: forgot to mention, at 25 or so hp's, I'm doing plenty of 2-ups with my fiance on the 250 and still don't have any problems going up to 75+. With both of us on it we're at around 330. Angryboot fucked around with this message at 19:05 on Nov 12, 2012 |
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Nov 12, 2012 19:01
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Ugh, seriously? San Francisco DMV doesn't have any open appointments until December 5th. How am I supposed to wait that long!
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Nov 12, 2012 20:44
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You can go to Oakland DMV...they're pretty decent.
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Nov 12, 2012 20:46
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Pissingintowind posted:Ugh, seriously? San Francisco DMV doesn't have any open appointments until December 5th. How am I supposed to wait that long! You can always just go and wait in line. As long as you get there by about 1:30PM you'll probably get dealt with before the close of business. ThatCguy posted:I guess I've just never subscribed to the "YOU MUST START ON A VESPA, THEN A 125, THEN A 250, THEN BUY AND SELL 3 MORE BIKES AT A LOSS TO GET TO WHAT YOU WANT" mentality. Which it sounds like the MSF instructor agrees with me as well. I have a 40 year old 350 that may have had 32 horsepower in brand new factory condition, and today it will lift the front wheel in second gear, hits 90mph two-up and is just getting intro its power band in 5th gear at about 70 miles an hour, ideal for freeway passing. The bike is a bit squirrelly at those speeds, but that's far more related to old suspension designs and skinny tires than having a small engine. If you're spending most of your time on the interstate at high speeds then a larger, heavier bike would be more stable and less buzzy, but don't lie to him and claim that a small bike "might as well be a Vespa". In the majority of the world a 250 is a midsize motorcycle.
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Nov 12, 2012 21:50
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I have a Rebel 250 and don't lack for power and speed when I need it for every day city riding. Out on the forest roads I sometimes wish I had a little bigger, heavier bike. Have yet to hit the interstate.
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Nov 12, 2012 22:44
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IT'S HAPPENING!!! I am SO loving EXCITED
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Nov 17, 2012 07:43
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MSF is the best. 
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Nov 17, 2012 20:06
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When's it starting?
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Nov 18, 2012 01:48
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The classroom part is this wednesday, and the bike part is saturday and sunday.
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Nov 18, 2012 02:23
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The most important thing to learn is the motorcycle is not a toy. If you treat it like a toy, it will treat YOU like a toy. Respect it for what it is, a powerful locomotive machine. Know this, and you will eventually learn to treat it as an extension of your body, not a vehicle. And with this, you will learn the most important aspect; your body cannot withstand a high-speed impact. Don't be afraid to apply the front brake, and don't attempt maneuvers you can't handle. Otherwise, be confident in yourself. The controls of a motorcycle, while they may seem complex, are designed to work in harmony with the Human body. If you treat it well, like another person, you can work together to navigate. I don't mean to wax philosophical, as I passed my first MSF with flying colors. All I really want to say is listen to the lesson material and learn from it. And, good luck!
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Nov 18, 2012 05:14
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I think that's a bit much to think about before starting the class; you're not going to be doing any high-speed impact stuff or maneuvers you can't handle during the course anyway. That talk is better served after she passes and before she gets on the road, and quite honestly the instructors will drill that into her head before the test even starts. Just stay loose, keep your ears and eyeballs open, ask questions if you don't get something. If you drop the bike, oh well, pick it back up and go at it again. Even if you do screw up on the test you still get a second shot at it (repeating the second range day).
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Nov 18, 2012 06:26
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They typically do a loop test, where you drive loops around a parking lot. Generally, they look for confidence in your turning technique, as long as you maintain a constant and controlled speed, they will understand that YOU understand the control of a motorcycle. They say look, push, lean, and roll. You want to look at your destination, push the handlebar in the direction you want to go, and the bike will lean in that direction. Don't fight the lean, it is your friend. You turn in the direction your bike is leaning, and as long as it moves, it will attempt to correct itself. Finally, slightly roll on the throttle. The bike will correct itself automatically. Remember, a big part of riding is Target Fixation. If you look directly at something, you tend to steer towards it. Look at your course, and you will navigate it. Always remember to turn your head towards your target. The instructors are trained to notice, and they will remember. This isn't some kind of warning, they will remind you constantly of this.
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Nov 18, 2012 06:53
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You get two days on a motorcycle for only the price of admission - just do what the instructors say and have a good time! I went into MSF having never even driven a manual car, and now I have a bike and ride to work basically every day. My only big mistake the whole time was being stressed about it. Relax, respect and enjoy. If you don't screw up on the Figure 8 Box I'll buy you a new title (I put a foot down BUT I STAYED INSIDE THE LINES OK  ).
The Royal Nonesuch fucked around with this message at 08:59 on Nov 18, 2012 |
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Nov 18, 2012 08:53
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Thanks for all the advice, peeps! I'm not too worried about it. Worst case scenario, you get a second chance to redo everything for free if you fail. I can't wait. 
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Nov 18, 2012 09:24
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Took my MSF in August and have had a bike for ~4 weeks and 900 miles. I just started venturing onto the highway this past week. Noticed when I get off the freeway I need to come down from an adrenaline rush. My brain is like "whoa" as soon as I hit the exit ramp. I keep it under 75 on my Honda CBR250. (more my comfort level than limit of the machine) I am 99% more likely to ride like a dong for the first 5 minutes I get off the freeway as my brain is still doing 70 but traffic is doing 20. Is this post highway rush something that becomes normal over time?
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Nov 22, 2012 06:54
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Stugazi posted:Is this post highway rush something that becomes normal over time? The highway is somewhere between the two parts of the ride I remember.
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Nov 22, 2012 09:51
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I tend to stay off the interstates on my bike if I can, because it's somehow both extremely stressful and mind-numbingly boring. Even a frontage road is a better choice than the superslab. That said, I definitely do notice that immediately after a long-ish highway run at 7500 RPM (hooray for low gearing and a small engine), the engine sounds and feels too quiet at street speeds, so I definitely shift later and accelerate harder. Lasts for ten minutes or so. I think the same thing happens to me in my car, but it takes longer -- a couple of hours at interstate speeds at least. Incidentally, I also keep it under 75 the vast majority of the time. I usually ride in the slow lane, but I often puzzle about which lane is theoretically the "safest". In the slow lane you have the most reaction time, but it's also often congested with cars merging in and out. In the fast lane, well, you'd better be moving faster than everyone else. The middle lane would seem like a good compromise but then you have people darting across in front of you because they're about to miss their exit. Lots of things to watch for. Part of why it's so much nicer to take the the inevitable state highway 10 minutes away, accept that you'll take 30% longer to get where you're going, but you'll enjoy the ride so much more.
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Nov 22, 2012 11:07
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Stugazi posted:I am 99% more likely to ride like a dong for the first 5 minutes I get off the freeway as my brain is still doing 70 but traffic is doing 20. I do the same thing in a car, I think your mind adjusts to the relative velocities / reaction time and it takes a little bit to clock back down. It's more exaggerated if you drive like a dong on the highway in the first place.
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Nov 22, 2012 14:18
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Sagebrush posted:I tend to stay off the interstates on my bike if I can, because it's somehow both extremely stressful and mind-numbingly boring. Even a frontage road is a better choice than the superslab. That said, I definitely do notice that immediately after a long-ish highway run at 7500 RPM (hooray for low gearing and a small engine), the engine sounds and feels too quiet at street speeds, so I definitely shift later and accelerate harder. Lasts for ten minutes or so. I think the same thing happens to me in my car, but it takes longer -- a couple of hours at interstate speeds at least. why250smakeshittystreetbikes.txt Seriously, that sounds awful. Weren't you giving me poo poo like 6-7 posts ago for saying "eh, I'd start on a middleweight if you gotta play on the highway"? For me? Left lane pretty much as a given, cruise about 80 or so, tuck in behind the windshield pretending you're Mick Doohan or Barry Sheene, have the power on tap to go from 80-100 with the flick of a wrist and clear the idiots & trucks in traffic. Highway driving is pretty much a non-event. Yes, you're invisible, but you're invisible anywhere on a bike, and in anything on the highway besides a semi truck, you're more invisible still. The advantage on a bike is performance, you can swerve, dodge, and most importantly, accelerate the gently caress out of the way. On a tiny little bike that's struggling at 75 mph, you lose that, and at that point, sounds like you're not having any fun at all.
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Nov 22, 2012 16:41
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His bike is probably the equivalent of a modern 125. I stayed off the highway my first season for the most part anyway.
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Nov 22, 2012 18:41
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I'd say that safety in the right lane depends on how many entrance and exit ramps are in the area you're currently at. As the ramps increase, it becomes the least safe in my mind due to the larger speed differentials between vehicles in the lane, vehicles coming on, and vehicles jumping into the lane to exit.
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Nov 22, 2012 18:46
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Displacement lies. Just a reality of how bikes are made...there are 250s that make 15hp and 250s that make 70hp. What is really important is top speed. A ninja 250 can do ~110mph, it's fine for freeway. Your average UJM 250 twin probably tops out at 80 or so, and as a result is unsuitable for faster freeways. The most important thing that keeps riders safe on their bike isnt power but it's rider's ability to predict and avoid putting themselves in risky situations. Z3n fucked around with this message at 19:25 on Nov 22, 2012 |
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Nov 22, 2012 19:23
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ThatCguy posted:why250smakeshittystreetbikes.txt It's a 40-year-old 350. The bike is still pulling at 75mph; like I said, that's about 7500RPM, and the engine power peak is 9500. Sure it's not anything like a modern bike, but I've had it to ~90 two-up (on the salt flats, whee) without a lot of trouble. I said I prefer to stay under 75mph, and that's for two reasons: it has skinnier tires than a modern 250 (80/20 dual sport tires, for that matter) and an ancient suspension design, so it starts to feel pretty squirrely when you really get going, and it has drum brakes front and rear, so stopping distances are...leisurely. I don't require the ability to go 100 miles an hour or pass everyone on the interstate in the blink of an eye to have fun on my motorcycle. Sorry if you do. e: and because it was bugging me, I went back to find what I actually said: quote:If you're spending most of your time on the interstate at high speeds then a larger, heavier bike would be more stable and less buzzy, but don't lie to him and claim that a small bike "might as well be a Vespa". In the majority of the world a 250 is a midsize motorcycle. Which I think is pretty clearly "yep, middleweights are better on the highway, but a 250 is not outright suicidal like you are claiming." nsaP posted:His bike is probably the equivalent of a modern 125. Well, I don't think it's quite THAT bad. Maybe a modern sporty 125 2-stroke. I did manage to lift the front wheel by accident once :iamafag: Sagebrush fucked around with this message at 20:50 on Nov 22, 2012 |
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Nov 22, 2012 20:31
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