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Hah, I was gonna say "looks like one of those cheap baby scooter-sportbike knockoffs" but I didn't want to shoot off my mouth and be informed that actually Honda makes a tiny little CBR100 that's only sold in Malaysia or whatever. The backwards wing on the right side of the tank should have been an obvious tipoff; like the American flag, the Honda wing always faces forwards
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Jul 10, 2018 01:54
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I Google'd "150cc scooter that looks like a motorcycle" and it was the first hit. The backwards Honda wing (that was only on one of the bikes), the obviously cheap dash, poor tank/panel fit, and gold anodized "looks like Ohlins" shocks all screamed Chinese scooter
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Jul 10, 2018 02:47
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MomJeans420 posted:There used to be a CA thread on defensive commuting techniques or something like that, but I think it's fallen into the archives. I had learned the SMIDSY weave from seeing other riders, but I didn't know it was A THING either until I heard it talked about on here. At this point for me it's just a habit if there's anyone waiting to turn as I'm approaching, maybe it's dumb but I really think it grabs their attention. I always assume they don't see me and if I can't see the other lane (like if there's someone waiting to turn left on my side) then I assume there's someone there about to pull out. I usually slow down and swing wide in the lane up until the point where I don't feel I could brake and swerve if they pulled out then I crack the throttle a bit and scoot through. Throttle makes me loud as I'm entering the intersection and I get through the "danger zone" as quickly as possible, not dead yet.
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Jul 10, 2018 17:47
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Thanks for the smidsy advice been using that, also I bought this https://www.revzilla.com/motorcycle/oxford-hi-vis-active-bright-vest Hoping this will help brighten me up since I ride in a standard position.
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Jul 10, 2018 21:18
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I got called back to India for another month ugh. Probably wait until spring next year to start so I have more time to practice while the learning is fresh. At least it gives me time to lose a bit more weight!
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Jul 11, 2018 05:54
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i’m glad smidsy is the acronym. i use that technique as a cyclist often because by sliding back and forth not only do i take an entire lane but the visibility increase is great. so i super suggest it
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Jul 11, 2018 07:03
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puberty worked me over fucked around with this message at 07:44 on Jan 4, 2020 |
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Jul 12, 2018 02:17
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EX250 is a really good middle of the road 250 but I thought everyone here already knew that small enduros/motards are literally the best bike you can learn on full stop.
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Jul 12, 2018 05:38
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I'm super close to buying a bike. I am wondering how you guys practiced your riding before getting on the road. I have my license and a bit of experience but I don't know if I want to hit the streets just yet. What's a good strat for building skill/confidence, does going out on the roads at off-peak hours make sense?
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Jul 12, 2018 06:35
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Yes, that's pretty much what I did. Just stick around your neighborhood for a while and gradually push farther as you gain confidence. Loop around your neighborhood and stay on residential streets for a few days while you gain confidence with the vehicle. Also, don't sweat it if you stall at a light or whatever. For whatever reason, I've found drivers to be a lot more forgiving of motorcyclists than they are of other car drivers. Several times I've had my old vintage bike stall, run out of gas, battery crap out, engine just acting bizarre, etc. and had to pull over to mess with things, and I can't even remember a single person ever honking at me. Maybe they can see that something is up, or maybe they're worried that I'm an outlaw biker and if they piss me off I'll get off and slash their tires or blow them away. Either way, I'll take it. IMO just avoid main thoroughfares and main commercial/business districts where the cars drive faster and people are more stressed out, and you should have no problems.
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Jul 12, 2018 06:48
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Yeah, just ride around your neighborhood. I did that in ~40-60 minute sessions pretty much every day when I got my bike. It helped that there there were a few curves, a roundabout and a circular dead end around. Then I started running small errands within a few miles. Finally I went out to nearby twisty roads and took to them very gingerly. I also spent a ton of time practicing u-turns and quick stops.
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Jul 12, 2018 07:31
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eriddy posted:I'm super close to buying a bike. I am wondering how you guys practiced your riding before getting on the road. I have my license and a bit of experience but I don't know if I want to hit the streets just yet. What's a good strat for building skill/confidence, does going out on the roads at off-peak hours make sense? I found that when I was newly licensed my calming time to practice my road skills in peace was 5:30-7:00AM in the summer when it was nice and warm and nobody was even awake yet. Get out of town and find some nice country roads to zip around on in the early AM just after dawn. E: Also the only way to be comfortable riding in traffic is to ride in traffic. You'll just sack up and get it over with one day. Digital_Jesus fucked around with this message at 02:09 on Jul 13, 2018 |
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Jul 13, 2018 02:06
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So I took the MSF last weekend, not sure if riding was for me. Come Monday, I now realize that my one purpose in life right now is to get a motorcycle. I've been looking around on Craigslist. I'm also pretty big (6'7" and 200 lbs), so the problem is I'm not sure what I can fit on. Saw this though that caught my eye: https://charlotte.craigslist.org/mcy/6623657049.html Haven't had a chance yet to drive out there and check it out but I'm pretty wary based on the fact I know little about motorcycles and little about telling if I'm going to get a dud, even with all the guides and whatnot to doing all this nor do I know anyone to go with me. So my dumb newbie questions are: 1. Think I would have a problem fitting on the thing? 2. Does it generally seem like a decent deal? Based on nadaguides it does but I'm not sure how much to trust it.
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Jul 13, 2018 14:02
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Digital_Jesus posted:
I have been riding for a week now everyday commuting to work and back. What makes it stressful for me is some rear end in a top hat riding my rear end, I try and drive in the space with minimal cars in traffic but there is always some rear end in a top hat who rides right behind me and refuses to pass even if I get over. They'll just sit in my blind spot. I try to give ample space in front of me if I got someone on my rear end, but not sure how to make them back off. Don't want to brake check because I'll lose that fight Everytime against a car and it's not safe.. but I also don't want to speed up kind of seems like I just have to deal and hope they don't run me down
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Jul 13, 2018 14:03
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This guy's videos are good and this one (and probably subsequent ones in this new series) is worth watching. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3vyYirtJnDM high six posted:So I took the MSF last weekend, not sure if riding was for me. Come Monday, I now realize that my one purpose in life right now is to get a motorcycle. I've been looking around on Craigslist. I'm also pretty big (6'7" and 200 lbs), so the problem is I'm not sure what I can fit on. What's your budget? Do you have your heart set on that kind of bike? For your height, dual sports are probably going to be more comfortable because the increased suspension travel means that you can move the pegs down more (depending on the bike of course) and they're always the easiest bike to learn on. It's important to remember that you can learn to ride on one bike and then sell it in three or six months after you're more comfortable. It's also important to remember that it's inevitable that you will immediately buy whatever bike you go look at and hey, maybe it won't be perfect and you'll ruin anything but nobody's capable of resisting the sweet, siren call of their first bike. That one looks fine. Slightly high mileage but the cleanliness suggests to me at least that it's been taken care of. Nowhere it's obviously been down. When you go buy it (I mean, try not to if it's terrible, but it really is impossible to stop yourself from buying your first bike), make sure, in order, it starts easily, shifts smoothly up and down through the gears, there isn't anything leaking after you run it for 5-10 minutes. All that said, I still recommend something like a WR250 or a DRZ for learning. Or even just a ninja250 because you're going to drop that bike and it'd be a shame to get it all scratched up. Keegers posted:I have been riding for a week now everyday commuting to work and back. What makes it stressful for me is some rear end in a top hat riding my rear end, I try and drive in the space with minimal cars in traffic but there is always some rear end in a top hat who rides right behind me and refuses to pass even if I get over. They'll just sit in my blind spot. I try to give ample space in front of me if I got someone on my rear end, but not sure how to make them back off. One lane? Just pull over, slow down then pull in behind them? You're absolutely right though that you have to drive around other people because brake checking them is just going to lead to you getting rammed.
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Jul 13, 2018 15:16
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builds character posted:This guy's videos are good and this one (and probably subsequent ones in this new series) is worth watching. I really like the cruiser aesthetic but have never actually been on one. I rode some BWM G-something at the msf course but it was a bit awkward for my legs sometimes. I rode dirt bikes as a kid so if I wanted to ride something that looked like a dirt bike, I'd just ride one of those, if that makes sense. I'd prefer to keep it around $2500 or so max (And I figured I could probably haggle the guy down a bit on this one) for the first one based on as you said the fact I'm going to gently caress this thing up probably. Preferably I'd like one that's semi-easy to work on as I'd like to learn how these things work and maybe do some of my own repairs eventually too. I've been interested in automotives for a while but I'm a bit hesitant to tinker with my only car for obvious reasons. I'll go look into the dual sports and see if I can find one i like though, thanks for the recommendation.
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Jul 13, 2018 15:55
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At 6'7" I would avoid the 250s, just because your knees are going to be folded up to your chest. 200lbs is also fine for one person a 250 but it's gonna be too much if you ever want to ride two-up. I would start with the DR-Z400 if you're looking at dual sports. However, that cruiser also looks fine, and a Shadow 750 is a good starter cruiser for a big guy. You don't need to look at dual sports just because goons on the internet squee over them; as long as it isn't going to kill you (Daytona, Hayabusa), you should get the bike you want to ride. If you've never been on a cruiser, though, it might be worth trying to find some place you can try one out for a few hours. Maybe a buddy who owns a couple of bikes? The seating position is very different from other motorcycles -- the forward controls and rearward lean can put some strain on your back, which I understand can also be a particular point of pain with very tall people -- so you should see if you like the feel before you buy one. Hondas are a good choice in general. Sagebrush fucked around with this message at 17:30 on Jul 13, 2018 |
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Jul 13, 2018 17:21
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builds character posted:It's also important to remember that it's inevitable that you will immediately buy whatever bike you go look at and hey, maybe it won't be perfect and you'll ruin anything but nobody's capable of resisting the sweet, siren call of their first bike. Quoting for truth. I have a friend who is the most level headed, fiscally responsible guy I know, who recently bought his first bike. After agreeing with me that ABS is a must have, he went out and bought the first FZ-07 he saw, even though it didn't have ABS, and they're not exactly hard to find. He had taken the MSF class and gotten his license way before he bought the bike, but once he was in bike buying mode there was just no way to get him to wait a week or two to find a bike that checked all the boxes. It's now been a few months and he was telling that now that he's comfortable on the bike, he's pushing the limits a bit more, and recently got the front and the back end loose (on separate occasions) due to braking too hard. Sagebrush posted:If you've never been on a cruiser, though, it might be worth trying to find some place you can try one out for a few hours. Maybe a buddy who owns a couple of bikes? The seating position is very different from other motorcycles -- the forward controls and rearward lean can put some strain on your back, which I understand can also be a particular point of pain with very tall people -- so you should see if you like the feel before you buy one. My brother and I are roughly the same size (both over 6'), he has a Harley and I have a Daytona. Neither of us can stand the position of the other's bike, and we both find the seating position of the other's bike incredibly awkward and lame. Obviously I'm in the right here, but I guess a big part of it is what you get used to (ignoring the obvious benefits to the sportbike position for turns and higher speeds). Although he is also right that the Daytona isn't exactly comfortable either. MomJeans420 fucked around with this message at 18:15 on Jul 13, 2018 |
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Jul 13, 2018 18:10
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MomJeans420 posted:
What’s the correct thing to do when you feel you’re losing traction?
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Jul 13, 2018 19:47
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Horse Clocks posted:What’s the correct thing to do when you feel you’re losing traction? Ease off of the throttle. Accelerating takes up traction, and you have a finite amount of traction for everything that requires it, including cornering and braking. Get the motorcycle as upright as you can, because that's where the tires will have more contact with the ground, or whatever happens to be on the ground at the moment. In the situation you quoted, the guy getting his front or back tire loose due to braking too hard could have modulated his braking better. This is something that you have to practice for your specific motorcycle (and tires). If you brake too much, it will lock the wheels. He used up all of the traction on braking and then couldn't corner... "cornering" in this case meaning being able to even slightly lean the motorcycle.
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Jul 13, 2018 20:09
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Keegers posted:I have been riding for a week now everyday commuting to work and back. What makes it stressful for me is some rear end in a top hat riding my rear end, I try and drive in the space with minimal cars in traffic but there is always some rear end in a top hat who rides right behind me and refuses to pass even if I get over. They'll just sit in my blind spot. I try to give ample space in front of me if I got someone on my rear end, but not sure how to make them back off. If you're comfortable and its safe, I usually find weaving back and forth in my lane lightly to be a good 'gently caress off' sign, or if that fails you can always do what my buddy does and turn around with the whole 'what' motion back at them, flexible bastard. On the other hand, you're possibly on the fastest vehicle on that section of road..
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Jul 13, 2018 20:10
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Keket posted:On the other hand, you're possibly on the fastest vehicle on that section of road.. Would prefer not to get a speeding ticket, and it's not like I'm holding up traffic I'm going the same speed as the car in front of me.
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Jul 13, 2018 20:14
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Eh more pull away from them a bit, to create a bit of comfortable space, the feeling of getting tailgated will fade though the more you ride though, I find glancing back now and then can also help most drivers get the idea that you don't feel comfortable with them 'that close', it'll also surprise you how much mirrors will make cars feel closer/further away.
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Jul 13, 2018 20:29
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Horse Clocks posted:What’s the correct thing to do when you feel you’re losing traction? How are you losing traction? I think generally what you want to do is gently release the brake as you smoothly roll on the throttle as this video demonstrates. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4mdqrAS2Z3w Or just ease off the brake and then reapply. This situation is exactly why you should go practice panic braking so that you're automatically apply the correct amount of brake.
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Jul 13, 2018 21:00
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I've found a simple "please back off wave" actually works a lot of the time.
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Jul 15, 2018 14:43
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I hit some roadkill this week. It really drove home the idea that you drive where you're looking, a lot more on a motorcycle than a car or bike. I looked at it, registered it, and thought to myself "oh boy I sure don't want to hit that 6" of road steak in this entire lane" and 2 seconds later, Thwap. My bike jumped about 2ft to the right, but I managed to keep control AND bladder function! If you want to proceed, you must look at where you want to go, not at what you fear. Much the same can be said of life. 
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Jul 20, 2018 05:56
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what’s the deal with linked brakes? I did my CBT on a bike without them and it was fine. I could slowly ease in the rear brake when coming to a stop. My new bike, no ABS and Euro4 compliant so it has linked brakes and I just can’t get a smooth stop with the rear. At about 5-10% pressure the 4-piston front comes into play and I stop way too sharp. I can do a lot smoother with just the front lever. Alpha Phoenix posted:It really drove home the idea that you drive where you're looking, a lot more on a motorcycle than a car or bike. I looked at it, registered it, and thought to myself "oh boy I sure don't want to hit that 6" of road steak in this entire lane" and 2 seconds later, Thwap. I often find myself going “poo poo wide gently caress what’s on the opposite kerb?” There’s a car park near me with a tight hairpin to get into it. I’ve taken to driving in and out through it when I go out. Feels like good for looking at the bend not in front of you.
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Jul 20, 2018 07:15
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Horse Clocks posted:what’s the deal with linked brakes? Unfortunately this is just linked brakes and part of the reason lots of people don't like them, luckily they'll soon just be an unfortunate piece of history when everything has ABS. There are many different configurations of linked brake and some are cuntier than others - was your CBT on a honda or something else? As an aside, linked brakes on powerful scooters loving own  Alpha Phoenix posted:I hit some roadkill this week. No. No no no. This is wrong and must be corrected now for your own good in the future. You ride where you're looking.
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Jul 20, 2018 08:51
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Slavvy posted:Unfortunately this is just linked brakes and part of the reason lots of people don't like them, luckily they'll soon just be an unfortunate piece of history when everything has ABS. There are many different configurations of linked brake and some are cuntier than others - was your CBT on a honda or something else?
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Jul 20, 2018 16:29
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Wait Euro 4 regs require linked brakes? Why?
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Jul 20, 2018 18:42
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MomJeans420 posted:Wait Euro 4 regs require linked brakes? Why? I think its only on bieks that don't have ABS.
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Jul 20, 2018 20:19
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how much does ABS matter when buying your first bike? I'm thinking not at all, but it's advertised heavily. Is it a desirable thing? Worth seeking out?
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Jul 21, 2018 02:24
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Opinions differ. I think you want to minimize danger to self, especially when you are a new rider, and there are a lot of unknown unknowns about riding. If you think that your panic stop game is top notch, you don't need ABS. Personally I wouldn't own a (street-only) bike without it.
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Jul 21, 2018 02:46
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Heres a better way to put it: There is absolutely zero reason to NOT have ABS unless the bike you want doesn't have it (Due to being used / model year, whatever). E: Exception being if you're doing something race related and even then unless you're racing in some kind of competition and you're at a level where ABS is going to make or break your lap times, its a non-issue. If you've got a bike and you're using it for street only riding, if ABS is available, get it. Digital_Jesus fucked around with this message at 03:33 on Jul 21, 2018 |
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Jul 21, 2018 03:30
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If I was spending 5k on a used CL bike instead of $1500 when I bought, i ABSOLUTELY would have grabbed one with ABS. I like the idea of 'computer aids' like ABS and TC on 2 wheels much more than I do on four. From what i've learned about motorcycles, we 'peak ride' way closer to traction limits, and even average way closer to them. Bring on the 1's and 0's if you can afford them, i'd say.
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Jul 21, 2018 03:39
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As a new rider I'd argue ABS is excellent because unless you know what wheel lock feels like on a motorcycle (you dont) and know how to deal with it (you dont), you've got like half a second to figure it all out before you crash your poo poo in a panic braking situation. You probably dont want to learn this on the fly headed for the rear end of a dodge ram in the middle of an intersection after that dude in the prius ran the light to make a left hand turn during rush hour. If you want to grab a shitbike and go dump it in a parking lot practicing threshold braking until you're comfortable handling the above scenario, go wild.
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Jul 21, 2018 03:46
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I think if you're gonna be a huge pussy and get ABS on your bike you should be required to wear a helmet like some kind of r-word
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Jul 21, 2018 04:08
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Yeah always get ABS if you can. The only argument against it I've heard is "well then you'll never learn to threshold-brake!" which is stupid as heck because if you want to learn that, just get on the bike and go ride and haul on the brakes until you feel and hear the ABS kick in. There you go, that's your threshold. Practice stopping just a little bit less hard than that. In all other situations, the only thing it does is add safety. Jonny 290 posted:From what i've learned about motorcycles, we 'peak ride' way closer to traction limits, and even average way closer to them. Bring on the 1's and 0's if you can afford them, i'd say. I would say this is generally true -- on a car you have four contact patches the size of a paperback book, while on a motorcycle you have two that are the size of a playing card. There's just less headroom there. Also, your car doesn't fall over when it loses traction. Oh and btw this is why if someone tells you a motorcycle can totally outbrake a car they're full of poo poo. Yes, a bike has much less weight, but the car has more rubber, and that's pretty much the end of the story. Don't tailgate. Sagebrush fucked around with this message at 04:35 on Jul 21, 2018 |
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Jul 21, 2018 04:32
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mewse posted:I think if you're gonna be a huge pussy and get ABS on your bike you should be required to wear a helmet like some kind of r-word now that ive wrecked my bike once i'm running down to Performance Cycle this weekend and buying the important things - most notably, the gold mirror visor for my blue RF-SR
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Jul 21, 2018 04:35
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< And yeah, i ate poo poo. Parallel parker pulled out in my lane. I'm already healed and the bike is back on the road. No head hit, only soft tissue damage. Was fully geared. Bigger post later when i'm less pissed off about it. >
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Jul 21, 2018 04:36
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