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Thanks Sagebrush, this is a great resource. I've been riding for about a year. In hindsight, I'd probably have made different choices when getting into motorcycling with the benefit of all the info here. While I like my bike, I'd have looked for something cheaper, lighter, and and better suited for learning. For those that are looking to get into riding without prior experience, keep in mind that your tastes might shift once you actually start riding. Better to make a small investment, figure out what you really enjoy, and go from there. You might think you're a cruiser person and then begin wistfully watching videos of supermoto antics, for example. Or realize that curvy roads are great fun and wish for something sportier. Just random examples and certainly not reflective of my own experience, of course. Also, I cannot overstate how valuable the MSF course was for me. It is amazing how much you learn over the course of a few days. I was very apprehensive as I had zero experience, but by the end of the course all I wanted was to get my license and a bike. Hopefully the things I am starting to figure out with the benefit of hindsight (and lots of good advice from folks on the forums) can help others who are just getting started. Everyone in the Layer Dan Slack room has been really helpful and friendly, so check that out too.
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Mar 3, 2017 23:15
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Sort of related to this discussion - when buying pants, do you go a little longer on inseam to make sure they are long enough when your feet are on the pegs? My current riding pants fit fine when standing, but my bike has forward pegs and the pants come up over the top of the boots, below my shin. It gets a bit breezy. Not sure if this is just an issue with the forward position. I don't like having the wind going up my pant legs but I also want to make sure my knee armor is in the right spot.
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Apr 7, 2017 17:54
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Z3n posted:The most dangerous point is in 1-2 years, cause you've got enough skill to ride the bike fast but not enough to not do things that suddenly and dramatically exceed the limits of traction. Sounds like you might hit that point before 1-2 years, but you should still be cautious of it. Try and find a flat track or offroad school to play with if you want to see how the bike feels sliding around. This is very good advice. I am at this point now and reminding myself not to get cocky. On today's ride I made a point of easing back a bit, trying to focus on good form, being patient if stuck behind a slow vehicle, etc. I think it is very easy to forget the good habits you develop as an new and more cautious rider at this point unless you keep practicing them.
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May 28, 2017 22:39
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Capn Jobe posted:I've been doing more freeway riding recently, partially because I've just been using the bike more, but also because I want to get more comfortable with it. One problem I keep having is my throttle hand just goes dead numb after about 20-30 minutes on the freeway. Well, not totally numb, because it also hurts like hell. If I slow down for ~10 seconds to take it off the throttle and wring it a bit, it gets better, but the cycle then repeats after another 20-30 minutes. I have the same bike. I have similar issues when I’m out of practice and grip the throttle too hard, or when my grip is positioned in a way that keeps my wrist bent at cruising speed. Loosening my grip and adjusting its position usually fixes the problem, even though my gloves aren’t great. To adjust my grip, I rotate my hand further forward so that when I roll on the throttle and reach cruising speed, my wrist is at a comfortable position.
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Feb 22, 2018 01:53
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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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