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Steakandchips posted:my hands actually hurt from how cold they were and I had them basically on top of the radiator to properly thaw them out before getting on One of the great hidden features of little air-cooled bikes is that when your hands get cold you can just reach down and grab the cylinder head and warm them right back up 🌞
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Dec 13, 2020 02:18
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mincedgarlic posted:That was all really good advice and this part ^^^ could probably be a thread title somewhere. Can't recommend the SV though, if you don't have the euro style >20 hours of on road riding lessons. Too powerful. Those CB500 things are just perfect, though. Power is way up high in the rev range, you can do stupid things without crashing. They're cheap and very upgradable if you want better handling. Get one with ABS. I do have to say - my ex-riding school runs 125cc ktm supermotos for the euro a1 (max 11kw) license class. If they still have the ktm supermoto, they must hold up to getting dropped by learners all the time and not cost too much in maintenance. I'll see if they still have them. . I also see tons of new riders ride around on Duke 390s. It's one of the most popular bikes for the 35kw class. Anyway, go try out the bikes you like. That's the only way to find out what's the best bike for you. Test ride. If the duke 390 is anything like the 790 (don't get a 790, way too quick), it's a great, nimble, easy to handle bike. But the seat is super hard and it's easy to bottom out the suspension on a speed bump. One thing that i don't completely agree with, is buying something that's not exactly what you want, with the expectation that you will drop it. When doing the tests and practice at the driving school, you'll definitely drop it a few times but you should do those on the school's bike anyway. But after that, my experience is that you're gonna drop a bike some day, regardless of your level of experience. In my case i dropped my SV when lubing the chain. Sigh... Oh well.
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Dec 13, 2020 02:32
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We don’t really have schools in the US. You go practice in a parking lot over a weekend, take a test at the DMV, and you’re fully licensed. You don’t have lessons and stuff on instructors bikes while you’re stuck with a 125 until you pass more tests. And if you do take additional training, it’s all BYOB that I’ve seen. That’s why it’s the idea to buy a used, inexpensive bike until you’re more experience. If I were buying a bike today I’d probably go for a Ninja 400.
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Dec 13, 2020 03:05
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Toe Rag posted:We don’t really have schools in the US. My dude have you heard of the MSF Courses? Even Harley has training schools. It's nothing like the A1 that other countries use but good lord anyone reading this thread: if you are interested in riding at all PLEASE look up your nearest MSF School to figure out if motorcycles are for you they are
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Dec 13, 2020 04:12
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Slavvy posted:There is no reason on this gay earth to start on anything other than a japanese bike. I feel like you could start out on a Japanese rock candy motorcycle and be happy. 50cc, 650cc, whatever. In reality literally anything with two wheels that makes vibrations is the best thing in the world. In your head it will be a ducati superbike. Unless it's "not a japanese motorcycle". Then it will be nightmare made of metal and oil and broken dreams. You will wish to be riding, but absolutely baffled by the horror you have inherited. You will think "maybe its me and I'm bad at motorcycle", which is partly true. You are bad at motorcycle. It is not you. What you need is a bike that turns on when you press the button, like a car. Then you can go ride and focus on riding it well. Later on you can enjoy the finesse that comes with carbs, and cold days. Now is not that time. Toe Rag posted:Did you read the rest of my post? I did not read any of your post because I am lazy. Just thought you should know. Coydog fucked around with this message at 04:29 on Dec 13, 2020 |
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Dec 13, 2020 04:26
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Did you read the rest of my post? Those are exactly what I am referring to. They’re extremely different from what I understand the rest of the developed world has. They certainly have their value but I am responding to the guy above my post who suggests you do all your gently caress ups at school and buy the bike you want. LimaBiker posted:One thing that i don't completely agree with, is buying something that's not exactly what you want, with the expectation that you will drop it. When doing the tests and practice at the driving school, you'll definitely drop it a few times but you should do those on the school's bike anyway. I won’t poo poo up this thread with a dumb argument though! Buy a bike and have a great time 
Toe Rag fucked around with this message at 04:33 on Dec 13, 2020 |
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Dec 13, 2020 04:26
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I got in to motorcycles purely through financial need, I got a 125 for commuting 32 miles a day for work. Before that I had no real interest in bikes. Stockholm syndrome got hold of me. After 18 months on L plates I thought I’d take the test as it was due to change and become very confusing. If I passed on my 125 before a deadline I would eventually (after 2 years) hold a full licence without doing any further tests. Restricted to 33bhp for the two years after test. So that’s what I did. Took test and waited two years and got a CBR600F as my first big bike. I think the licensing thing now is a mess in the UK but probably safer. Enjoyed having the 125 without L plates as it only felt like a starting point with the L plates on. As soon as you take those off it’s just a normal small motorcycle without the L plate stigma. Like driving a small car ,it’s then just a practical cheap choice. My favourite memories of motorcycling all come from the first few years of progression. First time hitting 90mph down a hill, driving it home at 0 centigrade and having to stop and be sick through pain and stomach bug, trying to bump start it and dropping it in a petrol station. Oibignose fucked around with this message at 08:31 on Dec 13, 2020 |
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Dec 13, 2020 08:24
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Re: riding schools in the USA - i know they don't offer the 20ish hours of horribly expensive on road training you get in western europe, but i was aiming for the MSF courses. Crash their bikes and snap off their clutch levers, not your own  There were quite a few welded back on pieces on the bikes that i rode on, despite the crash bars. The MSF closed course exercises are almost the same as 'vehicle control' in western europe, except they're condensed to a weekend instead of spread out between on-road lessons. Oibignose posted:My favourite memories of motorcycling all come from the first few years of progression. First time hitting 90mph down a hill, driving it home at 0 centigrade and having to stop and be sick through pain and stomach bug, trying to bump start it and dropping it in a petrol station. For me, it includes the first 'oh poo poo i actually fixed my own bike' stuff, like finding naaaasty intermittent short circuit in the wiring loom of my SV. Sometimes i get the impression that the electric system was designed by a guy who was fired by Citroen and then moved to Japan... Also the first rain ride while wearing a rain suit. Riding in the rain sucks if you get wet, but it's actually super calming [if the roads aren't covered in oil slicks] to ride in the rain when lots of people stay home, and hear the gentle patter of the rain on your helmet. E: and the first time getting air. Wheeee [clunk]. Let's not do that again... LimaBiker fucked around with this message at 12:56 on Dec 13, 2020 |
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Dec 13, 2020 12:30
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Look I did two days almost reaching 25mph in a parking lot so now I'm good to ride a supersport on the freeway
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Dec 13, 2020 18:28
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MomJeans420 posted:Look I did two days almost reaching 25mph in a parking lot so now I'm good to ride a supersport on the freeway I can't imagine riding on a highway right now, not to mention southern California highways are some mad max poo poo even if you're in a car. I'm casing parking lots and a few industrial parks nearby. They're like little cities with lots of turns and stops etc. but largely vacant on the weekends. Little time off coming up where I can camp out at the DMV to take my written. I currently lease a Mini Cooper, which I'm turning in tomorrow. I work from home and we don't need two cars. Wife called to take it off the insurance and I slipped in an 'ask' to get a quote on adding motorcycle. 
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Dec 13, 2020 18:44
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I was scared off my tits the first time I pulled out of my driveway and left my neighborhood onto main streets. Five minutes in I felt pretty good but holy poo poo those first few minutes were just all nerves lol E: I mean keep in mind I’m a really anxious person to begin with.
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Dec 13, 2020 18:47
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Oh yeah me too. For the first few days of riding I basically just went around my block and a couple others in my neighborhood. The first time a car got behind me I got freaked out and pulled into a parking lot to let them pass, lol. But it's totally intoxicating (I still clearly remember the warp-drive feeling of the first time I opened the throttle a little bit on a clear road, and that's with a 40-year-old 350) and you will rapidly build confidence as you handle more intersections without stalling and so on. I think it's a good idea to stay off the highways for a while, especially now when everyone on the roads is loving insane. Also avoid dense city cores. Stick to sleepy suburbs and two-lane country roads. As a bonus, when you make an effort to avoid the interstates, you'll discover all kinds of cool new places you didn't know existed. Sagebrush fucked around with this message at 19:39 on Dec 13, 2020 |
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Dec 13, 2020 19:36
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I have a distinct memory of feeling like I must be going so fast and speeding then looking down and realizing I was doing 30mph on a 35mph road, and having to force myself to speed up
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Dec 13, 2020 20:01
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It's a speed limit, not a target!
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Dec 13, 2020 20:25
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Tell that to everyone who parks an Audi five inches from my rear wheel 
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Dec 13, 2020 21:04
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On my second lesson ever, my instructor took me onto the highway. I was scared shitless. We were riding towards an intersection that has an exit towards the highway. I thought 'surely he wouldn't take us there' but he did. A few lessons later i was catapulting myself on onramps
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Dec 13, 2020 22:40
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The first time you get to an intersection, red light or four way intersection when a vehicle is behind you. Riding neighborhood roads etc didn't bother me but intersections were what scared me. Also, taking a bike on a trail for the first time. That was pretty exciting and nerve wracking simultaneously.
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Dec 14, 2020 00:24
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I fondly remember doing fig8s in the car park next to my house for days before hitting the road.
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Dec 14, 2020 00:34
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The first time I stopped at a red light on an incline with a car behind me was pretty  too.It brought back all the memories of when I was learning to drive on a stick and didn't have enough finesse to roll off clutch/brake and onto gas without rolling back or stalling. Surprisingly I can count on one hand the number of times I've stalled since I started riding. Feel like that's the one thing that just fell into place right away.
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Dec 14, 2020 00:36
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Martytoof posted:The first time I stopped at a red light on an incline with a car behind me was pretty I had the exact same experience except I started on an 18,000rpm I4 250 so I stalled many, many times and nearly backflipped the first time I rode a 400 as a result of the launching habits I'd learned.
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Dec 14, 2020 00:41
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I feel like I can lug the twin 250s and 650s at ridiculously low RPMs without stalling so I think that’s a bonus 
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Dec 14, 2020 02:11
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Highways are a weird thing in that I knew, logically, that outside of merging on and off, the chance of getting into an accident on the interstate going 75 is way lower than it would be on the surface streets going 35 and dealing with intersections and stuff, but it was still a huge mental hurdle to get over. Now, I avoid them mostly because they're just....not fun.  On a small and light bike, getting buffeted by the wind, just going straight forever...not optimal.
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Dec 14, 2020 03:05
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Martytoof posted:I feel like I can lug the twin 250s and 650s at ridiculously low RPMs without stalling so I think that’s a bonus Yup. Can confirm, at least for the SV's. It will happily roll up to a que of cars, stay in gear, and gently accelerate away from 1500rpm if you don't ham fist the throttle. If you want, you can keep up with cars in city traffic, while keeping revs below 2500. But in general i keep revs between 2500 and 4000 in the city. It's just a bit smoother that way. The newest SV makes it even easier, it has a low rpm anti stall system that quietly gives a bit of extra throttle if you are close to stalling.
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Dec 14, 2020 16:06
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I recommend every new rider go through the Jim Silly Balls method of bike training. When I was 7 my uncle dropped off a 50cc mini bike that he scavenged from a cabin in the UP that he was helping to clear out after the owner died I guess?  Anyway, my parents didn’t think I was old enough to ride it at the time and told me it didn’t run and my dad would need to rebuild it (in reality it probably needed a carb cleaning and that was it), so I believed them because I was 7 years old But I was so excited to ride that for two entire years I pushed that bike up the hill that our street was on and coasted it down and did it again. And again. And again. And again. I’d take it over the grass and off curbs and use the momentum to get back up our driveway and basically do everything I could do with the momentum I had. By the time I was 9 I had completely mastered riding the bike with no power and one day my dad miraculously “got it running” and the rest is history.
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Dec 14, 2020 16:21
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I’m gonna need a time machine with a LOT of range for that one..
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Dec 14, 2020 16:26
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Jim Silly-Balls posted:I recommend every new rider go through the Jim Silly Balls method of bike training. Supposedly kids can learn to ride bikes really fast if you get one of those single wheel trailer things for your bike to tow them around on. They get used to holding the handlebars and leaning in turns and generally what two-wheeled dynamics feels like, and then when you put them on their own bike they just kind of do it automatically and they're good to go after a couple of hours of practice, no training wheels.
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Dec 14, 2020 17:31
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Sagebrush posted:Supposedly kids can learn to ride bikes really fast if you get one of those single wheel trailer things for your bike to tow them around on. They get used to holding the handlebars and leaning in turns and generally what two-wheeled dynamics feels like, and then when you put them on their own bike they just kind of do it automatically and they're good to go after a couple of hours of practice, no training wheels. Balance bikes with no pedals they have to push with their feet. Get all the balancing physics learned early and then they can progress to pedal bikes with very little effort. My source for this is my own three kids all of them riding pedal bikes around their third birthdays. No training wheels required.
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Dec 14, 2020 18:34
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A childhood full of visits to the science center hosed me up a little. Because they had the demonstration for gyroscopic effect with a spinning bicycle wheel, I thought you had to be going hell of fast (for a 6-year-old) to keep the bike upright The first day my folks took the training wheels off my bike, I took off pedalling madly, wobbled a bit too hard and rode right into the ditch on the side of the park path
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Dec 14, 2020 22:56
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Phy posted:A childhood full of visits to the science center hosed me up a little. Because they had the demonstration for gyroscopic effect with a spinning bicycle wheel, I thought you had to be going hell of fast (for a 6-year-old) to keep the bike upright I remember clearly my first time riding without stabilisers so I must have been 6 or 7. Same sort of thing going far too fast and wobbling everywhere. The balance bikes really are brilliant because the kids don’t have to be told anything it all just comes naturally. If they want to go faster they work out they need to push harder and the balancing just happens. Best thing you can buy a child to get them riding.
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Dec 15, 2020 00:17
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I dont understand what took so long for balance bikes to be the norm because they really are the best way for kids to learn how to ride bikes not to mention they're even simpler of a machine than a traditional bicycle.
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Dec 15, 2020 00:37
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MomJeans420 posted:I have a distinct memory of feeling like I must be going so fast and speeding then looking down and realizing I was doing 30mph on a 35mph road, and having to force myself to speed up Same here. Fastest I’ve ever felt like I’ve gone was the first time I opened up the throttle on the xs400. Oh god, we’ve gone plaid. (Actual speed: ~30) This includes racing on sand at 100. Far less fast than that 30mph the first time.
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Dec 15, 2020 16:59
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The first time I was "scared" by speed was when I was around 14ish. We were up at a relative of a friends cabin where they had a few dirt bikes and quads. After spending the day on the tame TTR125, I got to ride the Banshee (maybe it was a blaster) but we were going down the dirt roads in the upper peninsula of Michigan and I was curious what happened at full throttle. That thing launched like the millennium falcon into warp speed. It just kept going faster and faster and everything in my peripheral was a blur. Also, going really fast on a quad felt really sketchy for some reason. I was probably going 50 but it felt like 150.
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Dec 15, 2020 17:18
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Verman posted:The first time I was "scared" by speed was when I was around 14ish. We were up at a relative of a friends cabin where they had a few dirt bikes and quads. After spending the day on the tame TTR125, I got to ride the Banshee (maybe it was a blaster) but we were going down the dirt roads in the upper peninsula of Michigan and I was curious what happened at full throttle. That thing launched like the millennium falcon into warp speed. It just kept going faster and faster and everything in my peripheral was a blur. Also, going really fast on a quad felt really sketchy for some reason. I was probably going 50 but it felt like 150. It’s because quads are horrible death machines. (I just wanted an excuse to post this again) 
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Dec 15, 2020 17:27
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Verman posted:I dont understand what took so long for balance bikes to be the norm because they really are the best way for kids to learn how to ride bikes not to mention they're even simpler of a machine than a traditional bicycle. "If the bike/whatever doesn't stand up on its own then my kid will fall and hit their head". That's it, that's the whole thought, never mind that kids will always always find a way to stack whatever wheeled thing you give them no matter what. A couple months back my nephew high sided his training-wheeled pushbike while showing me how he does skids, and there's no way he'd have been able to do that without the training wheels, because his technique is "pedal real fast, then turn hard and lean so all the weight goes on the inside training wheel, which has almost no grip". He's pretty good at it. The only reason he stacked it was putting his butt back on the seat too early, causing the bike to flick upright and catapult him off. Apparently he's done this exact thing several times before, but his mum's still convinced that the training wheels are preventing worse things from happening.
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Dec 16, 2020 12:52
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Many thanks for all of the sage-like wisdom dispensed in these pages. I followed all advice save for one tip: buying used. (I know, I know...) I picked up a 2019 GSX250R for $2995. It is so choice. Yes, I should have bought pre-dropped but the price struck me based on copious craigslist / ebay / cycletrader research. I know it's one of 2 color styles for that year but it just grabbed me: I'm having it delivered but did get to take it for a spin after all the ink. Pure awesome. Now to continuing casing the closest parking lots and complete the gear situation.
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Dec 17, 2020 02:40
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That's a really good price and I wouldn't worry about it being new. Nice looking bike!
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Dec 17, 2020 02:51
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Yeah I'm not up on new bike prices but that seems fair for a brand new bike with EFI (and ABS?).
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Dec 17, 2020 03:27
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That's a good deal. I had no idea they were priced so nicely. Great bike, too!
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Dec 17, 2020 04:17
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I bought my first bike 2ish weeks ago and was able to put 100 miles on it over the weekend and am interested in cheating more time on it via commuting to work on the few days its not hazardous to my health in the dmv area before spring. I didn't see a commuting thread so this seemed like the best place to ask, is there a good strategy for wearing gear into the office and changing into your work clothes? Should I wear it on top of and just take it off and put it in a bag or am I going to be better off just changing everything in the least occupied bathroom I can find.
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Dec 17, 2020 07:42
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It really depends on all sorts of factors - your commute, the weather, what you wear at work, the amount of gear you want to wear on the bike, etc. I used to have to wear a suit every day and my work had a culture of people knocking on your door if it was closed, then walking immediately in to talk to you. I'm lucky that they have an old school mentality and I get my own office, but once people learned I was often changing they switched to knocking and waiting for confirmation. Then we moved to business casual and now I can just wear a polo shirt under a bike jacket, or if it's hot outside I bring the shirt with me and wear a t-shirt that will get all sweaty. I am on the freeway a bit but I just wear my regular pants, which isn't ideal but is convenient. I leave my dress shoes at work and then if I take the bike I can swap boots to shoes without having to worry about bringing them with me. Or just get a textile oversuit from someone like Aerostitch. *edit* Also don't be afraid to change in parking lots, it's going to happen
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Dec 17, 2020 08:37
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