Tips for first time rider?

Posted: Sun Apr 11, 2004 5:58 pm

I've never been on a bike. I should be getting a new battery today, and finish the brakes today too. Got my permit last week, and gonna get it registered this week.
Anyone have some tips? I have a good size drive way to get used to the brakes and clutch, and a little turning.
Thanks!
Nick

Posted: Sun Apr 11, 2004 6:08 pm

Unsure of your details but I would at least do the following.
Enroll in a Rider Saftey Class, get a small beater bike to learn on, go slow and take your time.

Posted: Sun Apr 11, 2004 6:11 pm

Get a dirt bike Shocked

and spend this year riding in the woods ( not kidding ) you will learn so much more about riding this way with less chance of having anything bad happen to you. Cool

It will make you a much better rider, and you'll be glad you did. Wink

Posted: Sun Apr 11, 2004 6:58 pm

Thats how I learned. A 125 honda and a wooded trail. If you can master that you can ride the roads.

Posted: Sun Apr 11, 2004 9:01 pm

Yeah I second the dirt bike thing, I learned on a 100 dirt bike at 20 yrs old and then got a 175 enduro to practice on the roads/trails with. Its a scary place on the roads sometimes.

Where is Phil Ochs when we need him?

Posted: Sun Apr 11, 2004 9:54 pm

http://www.totalmotorcycle.com/school.htm

Make sure you scroll down to the "Riding Tips" section.

Guder

Posted: Mon Apr 12, 2004 12:57 am

well... already have the 750F, and don't have time, nor care to spend the cash on a dirtbike. I'll prolly be taking the bike out this weekend...
-Nick

Posted: Mon Apr 12, 2004 1:58 am

Have fun riding. Motorcycling is very enjoyable.

Oh buy the way. You will crash someday. Everyone does. That

Posted: Mon Apr 12, 2004 3:05 am

You can lead a thirsty horse to water, but you can not make him drink....

You can lead a newbie down the path of experience, but you can not make him listen or absorb what's being said; for his benefit.

I wish you many happy hours of cycling - I hope you never know what it is to experience an emergency situation based on your "beginner" level of experience and more than that, I hope you figure out before it's too late what some very knowledgeable people tried to share with you - before you took to the street.

Reality can be a harsh teacher that sometimes doesn't give second chances. Think about it.

Posted: Mon Apr 12, 2004 3:11 am

Not being on a bike before you should be scared. These thing can hurt. Make sure you have boots, riding jacket and a good helmet .

Kelvin

Posted: Mon Apr 12, 2004 3:15 am

Definitely take the Motorcycle Safety Foundation Course. Do a Google search and find one that is near you. They provide the bikes and you learn a lot of basics that will indeed save your life someday. My wife just took the course last weekend. I sat in and listened to the Instructors and was surprised how much I now have as a reflex action without knowing it. That takes time. It is best to learn the right habits right away before you learn the bad. What everyone here says is true. There are two types of riders. Those that have crashed and those that are going to. Basically you are but a target on the roads. Cars think you can stop on a dime and do not need a lot of space. I can safely say that I expect to have a car come over on me or get cut off almost every time I go out.

Posted: Mon Apr 12, 2004 3:26 am

What I find to be disturbing about this is, not only the damage that will/could result to rider and bike, but the potential risk this will impose on the unsuspecting public.

They don't call them bullet bikes for nothing. There is a photo online of what a bike does to a car when they colide at high speed, not pretty. I think 72skylark should see that photo. If I can find it I will post it here.

Paying for a dirt bike is much more affordable then trying to pay for a victims life. Idea

Posted: Mon Apr 12, 2004 3:42 am

I'll disagree with you all on this one. Riding a dirt bike "down a wooded trail" is required training? Pleeeeze.

Do you watch for moose who don't use their signal lights?

A safety course is a fine idea. But in the end, there are people who crash bikes and people who don't. Its part of your personality.

Most people who have been down will be down again and again, and others will retire without ever having a problem.

Drozman

Posted: Mon Apr 12, 2004 4:36 am

I think the main idea of the dirt bike was less power to kill yourself with, not the ability to ride dirt.

Seems logical to me.
Say, you accidently slip and accellerate when not prepaired (common for a 1st timer ride). If your on an 1000cc bike and you slip the throttle a little you could be traveling at 40 MPH + in an instant. Do the same thing on a 100cc bike and you may actually have a chance of surviving to learn more.

I am sure you could learn to fly a helecopter without taking lessons but does that mean it would be safe and practicle for everyone to do? You can't learn much if your dead.

Besides if he has no time on a bike, how would he know if he is "one of the riders that crashes or dosen't"? I'd rather find out some place other then a busy intersection.

Posted: Mon Apr 12, 2004 5:08 am

Never said it was required.....just a GOOD idea. Very Happy

Tell me you've never had the joy of riding natures trails? Sad

Posted: Mon Apr 12, 2004 5:29 am

Drozman,

I assume you have never had to lay a bike down?

I have ridden motorcycles over 250K miles on the street over the last 30 years and have wrecked only once on the street. Not twice, not all the time, just once, and I walked away from it. No one wants to lay a bike down, but if you have to wreck, you better do it right. You will have nothing but instinct, because it will happen that quickly, and if you think too much...well it may be too late.

You can learn to ride on street but it will take some time and the lessons will be more painful (if you are lucky). Riding in the dirt for an hour will cause you to use the foot and hand controls hundreds of times more than you will riding a bike on the street all day. Mostly, on the dirt, you will learn how to wreck without getting too hurt. I do not recommend learning how to wreck on the street! The key is to maintain as much control as possible even during a crash. If you wait too long to lay your bike down, you might loose this critical control. Of course, you might get lucky.

I know dozens of excellent riders who have had to crash on the street. It is true that some people crash more than than others and you wonder if they should take up another hobby. In any case, there is one trait I have noticed about these riders who have crashed. Of the ones who are still alive, most learned to ride in the dirt.

However, it is very true that there are many, many critical things to learn on the street that you will never learn in the dirt. Like noticing pickups with no tailgates and loose cinderblocks in the bed

Posted: Mon Apr 12, 2004 1:37 pm

Don't even start the bike until you've taken the Basic Rider Course. Also don't wait a long time between taking the course and starting to ride your bike.

Both from experience.

MB-5 Joined: Apr 02, 2004 Posts: 16 Location: Milford, MA

Take the ridership course. In MA, if you have your permit and pass the class, you get your license, don't know about where you are from. They also teach you the right things up front. I suggest you take one ASAP, before you have bad habits to UNLEARN. The folks that did the best in my class had never ridden before. I got an 84 and had ridden for 2 years, a guy that had ridden for 4-5 years on a crotch rocket squeaked by with an 80.

In any case a few things: take it to a parking lot and practice slow circles and figure eights. As tight as you can make them. Being able to do maneuvers without thinking will help. NEVER try to use your foot for anything except holding you up when you stop. Lock the back brake a few times in a straight line to learn when it happens, then NEVER do it again. Front brakes, never hop on them, but you can continue to add pressure evenly for increased braking. Stay in a lower gear in traffic, engine braking, plus quick get up and go will both serve you.

And last, but most important, assume every cager is out to kill you. They do not see you, even if they look right in your eyes. They will steal your lane, they will turn left in front of you, etc. Leave lots of space so you can correct for their mistakes. Be aware!

CB1100F Joined: Mar 03, 2004 Posts: 3278 Location: Seattle

EVERY Professional motorcycle racer has started out on the dirt. Dirt is more forgiving. You will learn to feel comfortable with the back tire sliding out....You will learn counter-steering. You will learn to inspect your bike before EVERY ride. You will learn what happens when the chain snaps. Ever get a flat on the rear tire while going 60 mph on pavement? I HAVE. Riding in the dirt will teach you to instinctively move onto the gas tank to keep weight of the back while you feather the front brake in a valiant effort to slow yourself down before you become a road side ornament.

Ive been riding for 35 years with some limited dirt experience. Ive been down my fair share. Ive thrown bikes off of cliffs. Martin has had extensive dirt experience. In the 20+ years we have been riding together Ive NEVER known him to lay a bike down. Maybe he is good at covering it up, but I seriously doubt it.

learn to dirt ride &/or take a safety riding course....your life will thank you for it....

Twinstar Joined: Dec 18, 2003 Posts: 30 Location: Seattle

I agree with the idea of learning to ride a dirt bike first (thats where I learned to crash). But if you dont have the money for one at least take the MSF course. All motorcyclists have scars some just havent developed yet.

Posted: Wed Apr 14, 2004 1:15 pm

My Dear Departed Granny used to say there are only two kinds of motorcycle riders, them thats been down and them thats goin down.

Gord

That said, in 40 years I've only been down once, knocked off from behind while sitting in a line of traffic waiting for a light to change! Confused

I'm hoping that counts for 'Been Down'. Shocked

Gord

Posted: Thu Apr 15, 2004 4:13 am

Take a MSF course. Like someone else said, if you can not afford a dirt bike, oh well. Take the course.

I do not know about in the states, but here in BC, if you have not taken the course from the Canadian Safety Council, you do not have much chance of passing your license. You see the examiners are looking for things that the average joe learning from his buddy is not going to even know to learn.

I am talking about lane dominance, proper shoulder checking, riding in emergency situations.

When I took the course, they too said, there are two types of riders: The kind who has laid there bike down, and the kind that is going to.

I did it at the Safety council. Front wheel touched a cone, during learning how to push steer. Damned embarassing on a CB125. Would have been very painful, if not fatal, on a 900F.

Listen to the people on this board, Take the course at the least.
If you do not, we will not mourn your passing, we will mourn for whoever you take with you however.

Posted: Thu Apr 15, 2004 2:33 pm

A motorcycle will LET you ride it 1000 times,so it can ride you ONCE.

If you ride a motorcycle you WILL fall off it. The only thing is where and how fast you will be going when it happens. It may be a slippery spot at a stop sign and the crash is like "laugh-in",it may be worse.

Always wear a helmet,gloves,leather jacket,and good shoes,even on a hot day.

Posted: Thu Apr 15, 2004 3:41 pm

sonicrete wrote:

Always wear a helmet,gloves,leather jacket,and good shoes,even on a hot day.

I second that one. Always ride for a fall.

MB-5 Joined: Feb 10, 2004 Posts: 22 Location: NYC

No need to ride through the woods on a dirtbike and kill yourself by hitting a tree....

Have fun

Posted: Sat Apr 17, 2004 2:48 am

take a course, practice riding in a parking lot, even if you have to trailer it there, get a dirt or dual purpose bike, wear all the gear. your bike will fall over & you will fall off.
take the course!!!!.. Listen to the instructors, find one who you "click" with and LISTEN.

Posted: Sat Apr 17, 2004 3:50 am

DON'T GET COCKY.
ALSO:

ALWAYS wear a helmet. I've been down three times on the street and a number of times racing. Never so much as scratched my helmet. BUT, other buds have been down in only moderate crashes and totally destroyed their helmets. But for the helmets, they would either be gone, or they'd be living with an asphalt modified face.

If you must go fast, go to a track day or race WERA or some such. You will never go fast on the STREET again.

Enjoy the smells, the cool air in the low spots on the highway and the view!

Tyson

Posted: Sat Apr 17, 2004 5:04 am

Quote:

I do not know about in the states, but here in BC, if you have not taken the course from the Canadian Safety Council, you do not have much chance of passing your license. You see the examiners are looking for things that the average joe learning from his buddy is not going to even know to learn.

You have to be kidding! I do the final part of the test on Tuesday and do not really expect any problems. You read the motorcycle driver guide and go from there. For the novice test I did about an hour of cone practise, when I went for the test it was easier than my practise set up! A friend here is a retired BC examiner, he says yes maintaining lane dominance, also watch for reduced school zone speed limits, auto fail if ya bust one of them, and lots of head turning, they want to see you looking everywhere, so basically even if ya aren't looking, turn your head lots!

Anything I needed to know prior to testing has been in the guide, and its not rocket science unless ya can't read. A course is a good idea if you have time and are completely new to bikes for sure, but not being able to pass the BC test unless you do the course..........load of BS BTW a 16 year old kid did his test prior to me doing mine, same thing no course and did just fine, maybe us country folks just drive better than you city lads Laughing

Posted: Sat Apr 17, 2004 11:11 am

I don't know much about the testing in BC, but I do know the testing in Alberta varies hugly from place to place... and from rural to urban. Most cases I've heard about the testing in the cities was MUCH harder than the testing outside of the cities,,, I know what your thinking, but most "country" places will only test you if your address is fom there. BUT all that said, I believe your still way safer after a skills and attitude course.

Posted: Sat Apr 17, 2004 3:07 pm

I agree you are safer after the course, our testing is the same everywhere, and actually testing here is in a small city of 10,000. My point is in reference to the comment that you have a slim chance of passing without the course, thats just a crock.........if anything I expect the examiners in smaller places to be even more critical as you are dealing with less traffic.