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I change when I get to work, but I wear jeans and a t-shirt and wear t-shirts that don't wrinkle after being in my backpack. In the past I used to wear my shirt under my leather jacket and jeans, but since I've gone to full leathers I've stopped that.
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Mar 16, 2018 09:37
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Buy some extra large commuter gear and keep a suit jacket as well as work shoes at work (if you wear a suit. I ride to work every day in a pressed shirt/pants, and noone would suspect it because i look like a dorky commuter rider. ) You can also buy those roll up suit bags made specifically for making pressed suits transportable on a bike.
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Mar 16, 2018 14:01
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I also just wear a jacket and riding pants over my clothes, which are business casuals aka dress slacks and button down shirt. I keep the dress shoes at work. The biggest issue I've found is that "good enough" rain protection changes when you're riding to work compared to around town/for pleasure. Edit- oh, and that high vis old man body suit is especially designed to not wrinkle a suit. What are they called? Aerostitch roadcrafters?
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Mar 16, 2018 15:32
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Something I learned when I once picked up an old Buick as a winter car is that old men know what's up, comfort owns. Thanks for the responses to my earlier question regarding starting bikes, I've done some more reading and YouTube watching and I'm sold on a dual sport as a first bike. Both the DR650 and DRZ400 mentioned here look good but finding cheap used bikes up here in BC is hard. There's basically nothing on the island where I live and not much elsewhere, and most of what's out there is crazy expensive. I found one DR650 for $2000 but it's hundreds of km away. That brings me back to new bikes, because I'm not going to spend almost as much on a ten year old bike as a brand new one costs. I also don't really like the idea of spending $7000 on a bike engineered last century, but maybe that's just something I need to get over. If I can't find a decent used deal, I was thinking WR250R as it's the most modern bike in the class and apparently has the best chassis/suspension of the Japanese dual sports. Is that a fair assessment, and with a larger rear sprocket would it be able to haul my fat goon rear end around acceptably? I am losing weight so that'll help but for now idk I wish I had unfettered access to America's used vehicle market
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Mar 16, 2018 17:39
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Wheeee posted:Something I learned when I once picked up an old Buick as a winter car is that old men know what's up, comfort owns. How far from the US are you? Is it worth it to buy over the border? If you're committed to buying in BC, you probably ought to go new. Even an older bike in good shape is going to cost you an oil change, tires, brake pads and fluid, and other odds and ends before too long and when you're starting out near the cost of a new bike, you'll be paying the same within a couple years probably.
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Mar 16, 2018 19:16
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I live on Vancouver Island so the US is a short ferry ride away, but importing a vehicle is either a tremendous time wasting pain in the rear end or expensive if you pay a company to do it for you. It can be worth it on more expensive cars and such but I'd have to do some research to see if it's worthwhile on cheap motorcycles.
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Mar 16, 2018 20:38
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Well, I'm off to take the MSF BRC on Monday, wish me luck. I've been riding since 2003 and took the BRC then, and the ARC in 2006. However, the military lost all records of that, so I get to take the Basic again (on their dime). I will actively try to stay engaged with the course, yet I secretly feel I'll be bored to tears. Here's hoping I can get one of the loaner bikes; I always like trying out new things (plus the GoldWing is acting up).
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Mar 17, 2018 17:29
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Pulled the trigger on the R3, Vivid White ABS model. Need a helmet now, after finding out most of the more basic models sold locally (Bell Qualifier, HJC CS-R3 / CL-17 / IS-17) don’t fit at all (well the IS “fit” but had two hotspots above the brow that near immediately started triggering a headache, so nope), and the only other options that weren’t glorified novelty hats were Shoeis and Schuberths well out of budget. Ended up going back to the Guzzi shop and found out the AGV K3 SV fit pretty decently, and I guess is a pretty well featured helmet for its $250 price point? So will be darkening their door for one of those once bills get sorted, unless someone reveals it drills holes in your skull or melts in the sun or something.
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Mar 19, 2018 02:38
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K3 is a good helmet at a good price, bonus if you get one of the newer versions with the drop down sun visor.
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Mar 19, 2018 02:43
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Can also vouch for the K3 SV. I got it because not only does it work well with my glasses, but the drop-down sunshade also works with glasses. I really wanted a helmet with a sunshade, but did not expect to find one that I could use.
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Mar 19, 2018 03:29
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Yeah the sunshade was a boon for me too, it gets pretty blinding in Houston in general, and out in the northern exburbs where I am it’s even worse since the copious tree cover sets up a lot of spots for Mr. Sun to laserbeam you right in the eyeballs because an errant breeze moved a tree limb just right. Good to hear it’s a good lid in general, I’m probably going to go for the Scudetto graphic, which I like because it hits that plain-but-not-too-plain sweet spot. They had the Simoncelli graphic on good closeout but I’d rather spend the extra money to not have every red light feature some slackass in a brodozer asking if I really like Thundercats (I’d also rather not invoke the specter of death by having to explain who Simoncelli was to the nice elderly people that would inevitably inquire about the look). ess-vid fucked around with this message at 04:30 on Mar 19, 2018 |
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Mar 19, 2018 04:19
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Day one of MSF BRC. It's a good time. We did the motorcycle skills first, since it's supposed to be raining all day tomorrow. We had me (rider since ~2003), a gixxerbro who's been riding six months, and a guy who "rode dirtbikes when [he] was a kid, but I wanna buy one." The newbie did really well. He picked up the skills as taught, and the practice helped a lot. Passed with a few points to spare. I also passed the skills eval. I did one event perfectly in practice every single time and just absolutely screwed the pooch on the test. Oh well. Note: When your instructor/evaluator says "you have -16 points right now, if you get -5 points, you fail. Do you remember doing <x> on <event>?" The answer is absolutely "NO." Attached are our rides. 2013 Yamaha Star 250s. Instructor got the Ninja 300.
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Mar 19, 2018 22:12
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Am I reading that right that you didn't pass the practical test at first? What happened?? I had to do some fast talking getting my licence because, after doing everything right, I re-entered the DMV parking lot from the one way exit, bleh.
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Mar 19, 2018 22:37
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On my driving test I turned left when I should have turned right and I stalled the car parking on a hill. I was sure I was going to fail but instead I just got two minor demerits, for "improper turn procedure" and "improper gear selection." You can make three mistakes in each of those categories before you fail on the fourth. Got 100% on my motorcycle test, both written and practical, though  (I was doing really shity in the run-up to the practical test, and then I went to the bathroom and came back and aced everything because I was no longer concentrating on not pissing my pants)
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Mar 19, 2018 22:46
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I failed my written test for bikes twice because for some reason we have questions like 'what is the maximum speed you're allowed to travel on a bike if you're towing more than 50% of the bikes weight' and 'you see an object in the road and there is no time to swerve, what do you do' and all four of the multiple choices are wrong IRL cause the test was written in the 80's by sometime who's never ridden a bike.
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Mar 19, 2018 22:58
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Jack B Nimble posted:Am I reading that right that you didn't pass the practical test at first? What happened?? Of course not! There are no re-takes for the practical. Any failure is immediate dismissal from the class. There were some honest questions asked and some honest answers given, and everyone passed.
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Mar 19, 2018 23:01
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Nice, sounds like a cool instructor. Edit - Slavvy what is the answer to #2? Is it not "brake?". And I mean based in what the question allows, try that little trick where you deload the front tire with a throttle blip? It didn't say poo poo like that at all, did it. Jack B Nimble fucked around with this message at 23:11 on Mar 19, 2018 |
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Mar 19, 2018 23:09
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Slavvy posted:I failed my written test for bikes twice because for some reason we have questions like 'what is the maximum speed you're allowed to travel on a bike if you're towing more than 50% of the bikes weight' and 'you see an object in the road and there is no time to swerve, what do you do' and all four of the multiple choices are wrong IRL cause the test was written in the 80's by sometime who's never ridden a bike. Yeah, when I went to convert my Canadian licenses to American ones, I got only one question wrong on the car part (it was about dust storms, which don't happen in Canada) but three wrong on the motorcycle test, all of which were about lane positioning. I based my answers on the theory that you should be riding in the tire track and keeping a blocking position to prevent people from sharing your lane, which is how it's taught in Canada. Whoever wrote the California test basically thought you should always ride in the center of the lane no matter what. Dumb
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Mar 20, 2018 02:21
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Jack B Nimble posted:Nice, sounds like a cool instructor. So it looks like they've changed a bit since I did my license but here's some good ones: What will holding your knees against the petrol tank help you do most? A build muscles that help you control the bike B go faster C be more fuel efficient D balance answer: D You are riding on a suburban street and a large piece of timber is immediately in front of you and there is no alternative but to ride over it. To keep control, what should you do? A put your weight on the front wheel so that it goes over the obstacle B straighten up the bike and rise slightly in your seat C apply the rear brake heavily to shift the weight to the rear D hold the hand grips loosely to absorb any shock answer: B
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Mar 20, 2018 02:57
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This thread has been very helpful; I am now fully geared out (and everything is a perfect fit), scheduled to take my motorcycle theory exam next week and start the 36-hour motorcycle course in April. Thanks, OP! For the past month or so, I was checking Kijiji for used bikes to get an idea of what the Montreal vehicle market is like. There are the expected 2008/2009 Honda Shadows, Suzuki Boulevards and Kawasaki Ninjas 250 for $2,000 CAD (so about $1,500 USD). Basically I was wondering if it would make sense to get a BMW G310R, which is sold for $5,250 CAD (so $4,000 USD) here, comes with BMW's 3-year / 36,000 km warranty and a bunch of freebies. From what I've read/seen so far, it has a comfortable riding position, helpful dashboard and the 300cc engine is newbie-friendly. The inclusion of ABS brakes is also a big deal, since many companies will charge up to $850 CAD for that. Has anyone here tried the G310R?
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Mar 24, 2018 17:13
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I've never ridden one (or even seen one; looks like it's brand new) but from the specs that seems like an ideal learner's bike. 34 horsepower thumper, <350lb, ABS brakes. It's nice to have something used that already has some scratches for when you drop it in your driveway, and you can certainly spend less than what that bike costs. e.g. you can probably get a two or three year old Ninja 300 in good shape for like $4000 CAD. But if those aren't critical factors to you, then yeah, looks good. Oh, and you're normal weight, right? I would recommend that bike up to about 190, 200lb. Above that I think you'd want something a little beefier just so you don't have to immediately replace the springs. e: if you're in Canada, buy before the snow all melts! Prices will shoot up when everyone starts getting out on the road. But don't buy a bike before you've taken any safety courses, because you'll be tempted to ride it. Hmm. Sagebrush fucked around with this message at 17:32 on Mar 24, 2018 |
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Mar 24, 2018 17:30
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I did my full license (British thing) a few years ago. Part of the test was the emergency stop, and I noted that there was quite a bit of sand/grit in the car park. Skidding the back wheel was an automatic fail; failing is not only time consuming but expensive, so I actually stopped a bit more gently than I ordinarily would have. The tester pulled me up on it, and stated if I had dropped points in any other part of the test, I'd have failed the whole thing. I said specifically that I didn't want to skid, and they said that was highly unlikely. Next guy in my group immediately failed because he locked up the back wheel and skidded to a stop. Weirdly the tester refrained from commenting afterwards?
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Mar 24, 2018 17:59
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When I was learning to drive, two of my friends at school both failed their tests for a similar sort of reason: in Ontario, at that time at least, it was an automatic fail if you entered an intersection while the light was yellow. If your wheels were over the line when it turned yellow, you were fine so long as you had fully exited by the time the light went red. (Being in the intersection at all when it was red was also an automatic fail, so good luck if you were making a left turn and the oncoming cars were in a hurry). So the result was that you had to predict when the light was about to turn yellow, treating the intersection as if there was no yellow phase at all, basically, and it had just flipped straight to red. If you mispredicted it and the light changed 0.5 seconds before you crossed the line, nope, fail. The examiner would note that you were "driving too fast for conditions" because you couldn't stop in time. Dumb as poo poo. Don't know if it still works that way.
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Mar 24, 2018 18:14
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Sagebrush posted:Oh, and you're normal weight, right? I would recommend that bike up to about 190, 200lb. Above that I think you'd want something a little beefier just so you don't have to immediately replace the springs. Thanks, Sagebrush! Yeah, I'm standard weight for my 5'8" so it should be fine. As for buying new vs. buying used, I'm really tempted by the warranties offered by some manufacturers. Since BMW Canada offers roadside assistance with the warranty, I can probably save on my insurance package for the first 3 years. Also it appears that the BMW dealership in my area gives a $1,500 voucher for motorcycle gear with the purchase of a new bike so it's a really attractive offer. But yeah, I'm totally going to drop this bike, scratch the shiny blue paint and feel bad for the rest of the riding season. 
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Mar 24, 2018 20:29
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Dropping the bike isn't necessarily inevitable, and you can get sliders/protectors to minimize damage in a low speed drop. Unless you're clumsy then yea worry about that I guess. I'm still just beginning to get into motorcycles myself so I don't know poo poo about the BMW or any other bike in particular from experience and can't offer biek-specific advice, but when it comes to the financial decision keep in mind that motorcycles (At least here in  ) appear to hold their value pretty well and this is, ultimately, not nearly the major financial decision that a car is. Buying a $2-3000 used bike will save you money up front, expose you to considerably less depreciation, and make you feel slightly less bad if you ever scratch the plastic. It will also offer you increased servicing costs and unless it has been recently gone over it'll need new tires, brakes, and other consumables much sooner than the new bike. The used bike will also not have a warranty, putting you on the hook for any problem that may arise, and it will not come with a $1500 voucher for gear which you will end up spending at some point regardless. More importantly, you're probably exploring this option because you want something new, modern, with ABS, and which only you have ever owned. Motorcycles are not practical purchases, they are toys, so which bike is going to make you happy to look back at in the parking lot?The total cost of ownership between a new G310R and an old bike will be closer than the initial purchase prices reflect, and that extra couple thousand bucks spread over the next X years of ownership will have paid for some considerable perks. Oh, and you can more easily finance the new bike to amortize the cost over a few years as well.
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Mar 24, 2018 20:43
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How about this: your first bike isn't your last bike. ABS is an extremely good and worthy thing to aim for, don't get me wrong, but the rest of the bike is neither here nor there; it's not like you'll be able to tell it has premium suspension or whatever. IMO financing anything that is likely to fall over and depreciate like a rock because of learner foolishness is a bad idea. Getting something you love too look at or whatever is cool at first but getting up from a crash and going "wow glad that was just a lovely ninja 300 or I'd be DEVASTATED" is a lot cooler.
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Mar 24, 2018 21:03
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Kryopsis posted:But yeah, I'm totally going to drop this bike, scratch the shiny blue paint and feel bad for the rest of the riding season. Take the keys from the dealership person, then just kick it over. Then you don't have to worry about the sense of dread for 'when/if' knowing it's already done. Having a warranty and a known history for a new rider is also really good. And that gear voucher will pretty much set you up with everything. Helmet, jacket, gloves, boots (Forma Adventure lows, trust us) pants.
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Mar 25, 2018 00:25
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Keket posted:Having a warranty and a known history for a new rider is also really good. And that gear voucher will pretty much set you up with everything. Helmet, jacket, gloves, boots (Forma Adventure lows, trust us) pants. Actually I already got my gear, since I'm getting ready for my mandatory motorcycle course. I found the Icon Raiden DKR and the Alpinestars Tech 3 boots at 50% off closeout sales from two motorcycle dealerships I visited. For the helmet I just went with whatever fit my melon best and was Snell-certified (which happened to be a humble HJC FG-17). Then I finished the kit with a pair of gloves (non-perforated Icon Pursuit) and pants with SAS-TEC knees. Maybe the adventure jacket and motocross boots are overkill and I'll hate my life in the late summer but, being 30 with a full-time job, I'd rather just sweat than break some of my favourite bodyparts. Really appreciate all the input in this thread with regards to babby's first motorcycle. All of the advice I've read so far is sound, so seems like it's a compromise between how much I'm willing to spend, how safe I want to be and how cool I want to look. As the gear selection suggests, I'd rather prioritise safety even if it means looking like a dork on an Indian (that is, made-in-India, as opposed to the Indian Motorcle Company) 300cc. My new job is across the street from a Triumph dealership though. 
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Mar 25, 2018 00:50
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Raiden jacket is awesome. Please tell me you picked the correct color scheme. I am not sure I would trust those gloves though.
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Mar 26, 2018 23:17
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pokie posted:Please tell me you picked the correct color scheme. Nope. I'll buy a hi-vis vest before my course finishes. Incidentally I passed the province-mandated theory exam so I have a learner's permit now and expect to buy my first motorcycle at the end of April. Does anyone have any experience with the Kawasaki Vulcan S bikes? Seems like it's also an option if I want fuel injection, liquid cooling and ABS on an [air quotes]entry level[/air quotes] motorcycle. There's a variant available for around $7,200 CAD from a nearby dealership (and there was a 2014 model on Kijiji for about $5,000 last week) but I'm concerned by the fact that it's literally a Ninja 650 engine jammed into a cruiser-style body. While YouTube is full of love-letters to that motorcycle, the acceleration seems quite substantial, possibly too much for a beginner rider.
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Apr 1, 2018 04:14
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It's actually not that bad. Though a 650, it's a parallel twin, more than enough power to get you there at decent speed, but the power delivery is very linear and not nearly as peaky as an i-4. Also being 70 pounds heavier than the Ninja, and they have a "cruiser" fueling map on it helps. Final verdict from me would be, just a bit more power than you need at this point, but you can certainly "grow into it" without feeling like you're missing out either. If you can, check out the used one, no one wants to drop a new bike, and as a new rider that's a more likely possibility.
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Apr 1, 2018 04:42
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Kryopsis posted:Nope. I'll buy a hi-vis vest before my course finishes. Incidentally I passed the province-mandated theory exam so I have a learner's permit now and expect to buy my first motorcycle at the end of April. I have one, and it is my first bike. If I had to do it again, I would take the advice in this thread and get a used Ninja 250/300 or something similar. While I like my bike and I think it’s a good metric cruiser, and has nice features for the price, it’s relatively heavy and it took awhile to get comfortable with handling, especially low-speed maneuvers. And even though I’m comfortable on it now, I wish it had more agile handling on twisty roads.
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Apr 1, 2018 05:21
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Had my first time almost losing control of the bike and coming off it yesterday. I was riding to work and when I entered a 60mph zone, my left mirror came loose as stupid me hadn't tightened the bolt enough when I put new ones on at the weekend and this was my first time riding since I should have pulled over and adjusted it straight away but I didn't, when I got into a 30mph zone I took my hand off the clutch and tried tightening the bolt to at least stop it waving around while I'm riding, I figured I could fix it properly when I arrived at work literally three minutes away. I don't know what happened next, I think I must have gone over a pot hole and with only one hand on the handlebars I didn't have enough control to go over it smoothly and the entire bike nearly gave way beneath me. I was able to right myself and get control again but I needed to pull over and compose myself (and attempt to fix the mirror properly) . What scared me mostly was the fact I was going at such a "low" speed and how simple it would have been to crash the bike. Yes, I know I'm an utter dumbass for loving about with my mirrors while riding.
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Apr 6, 2018 12:28
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You may have also been overcompensating with your right hand on the bars and stiffarming/gripping it too tightly, and as a result, jerking when you hit whatever it was.
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Apr 6, 2018 16:17
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Yeah, errbody rides one-handed; you just have to get used to it. I seen a dude riding down the street no-handed once, which was a bit surprising.
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Apr 6, 2018 17:41
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go to cornerspin and you'll never have issues riding one handed again
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Apr 6, 2018 21:04
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Kryopsis posted:Nope. I'll buy a hi-vis vest before my course finishes. Incidentally I passed the province-mandated theory exam so I have a learner's permit now and expect to buy my first motorcycle at the end of April. Blue and gold one rules. I have ridden mentalcontempt's Vulcan. It's got decent and easily manageable power. I didn't like the ergos all that much. Cruiser foot positioning kinda sucks, and I think the bars felt a bit high. The brakes weren't great, and it was much harder to get a feel for where the road was as compared to a standard bike like ninja 300 or my stupid brutale. All that said, it was a reasonable bike and fun to ride. I don't think it would be a bad choice if you want a cruised specifically.
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Apr 6, 2018 21:43
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Breitbart Is Rightbart posted:Yes, I know I'm an utter dumbass for loving about with my mirrors while riding. Like others insinuated, it was probably mostly due to your attention being divided as opposed to taking a hand off the bar. Just let it be a lesson in pulling over whenever you need to adjust anything requiring fine dexterity. Also, the lower your speed the more of an effect something like a pothole would have on you. Had you been going 60+, you would have hardly noticed the thing, most likely.
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Apr 6, 2018 21:46
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Kryopsis posted:Nope. I'll buy a hi-vis vest before my course finishes. Incidentally I passed the province-mandated theory exam so I have a learner's permit now and expect to buy my first motorcycle at the end of April. I have a Vulcan S, and went with it for many of the same reasons you're considering it (FI, liquid cooling, ABS, affordable). I couldn't decide between a cruiser and a standard, and this felt like a good middle ground between the two. That is also kind of its downside, as it will never handle as well as a standard/sport or be as a smooth as a bigger cruiser. But, as cruisers go, it's very lightweight and easy to handle. Naturally this is a relative term, as it weighs about 500lb wet, which is feather-light for a cruiser but pretty hefty for most other types of bike. Power-wise, I've found it to be very predictable; it's got a good amount of oomph for a first bike but the weight and engine tune make it manageable. For a new rider, I'd say the weight would be harder to get used to than the power (still not likely a big deal though). The adjustable ergos are a huge deal for some people, too. I'm kind of in the sweetspot, sizewise (5'10'', 160lb) where I can ride most bikes comfortably, but I have a friend who is 5'3" and was super attracted to the Vulcan S because it could fit him. He ended up getting a Ducati, for other reasons. Frankly I adore it; it handles the twisties surprisingly well (again, this is by cruiser standards), but is nice on the highway as well. It is kind of a compromise though, so I could see that someone dead-set on either a standard or a cruiser would have a hard time with it. For someone indecisive like me, it's perfect. Capn Jobe fucked around with this message at 22:47 on Apr 6, 2018 |
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Apr 6, 2018 22:44
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Heavy bikes suck, because the weight is the one aspect that you have to deal with at all times you're not going faster than 15 mph, including shifting it around as you wiggle it into a parking space. I have a GN125 and it weighs about 230 lbs. I have been loathe to get rid of it for mostly this reason. It's a bicycle that can go 60 mph. Even my other bike, a Ninja 250, is ungainly compared to this thing. (The turning circle is also better than the Ninja's.) Dual sports are the only other bike I've seen that can approach this weight and have an engine size over 125ccs.
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Apr 7, 2018 21:27
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