Any motorcycle riders in here?

[morfiend]

 Nice trike goldwing Fred.

 There 1 around me,the guy lost the use of his legs in a bike accident and now rides a trike goldwing,chair and all!


 Del, the rebel is a great choice for your wife,now just becareful you don't get something that she'll have a hard time keeping up with.A larger bike will be slightly more comfortable and you'll be able to ride longer than her so take your cues from her on the rebel and when she needs a rest you better stop.

 We had his and hers back around 1980,but then kids came and the bikes went!  Have fun and ride safe!

   

[FireDrgn]

Any bike can kill you. Please dont base confidence on engine size.   Any other driver can kill you.     SA is critical.




<S>
 

[Heater]

Just get this...The last bike you'll ever need or ride...I drag race one in 1987...WOW what a bike..Water cooled Shaft drive.

http://www.superstreetbike.com/scenes/0911_sbkp_200_hp_2010_star_vmax/index.html

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How could you Drag race one in 1987 ?
The Bike in this picture was just released this year and is a limited addition.
the Star VMAX an order-only model in Released in 2010.

[L0nGb0w]

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Excellent starter bike for the inexperienced rider.

 
zx-14 > busa for beginners  

As for the OP, I got my first bike ever two summers ago, a 2008 ninja 650r, and in hindsight it was a bit too powerful for a first bike.  My learning curve was steep, scary and dangerous, and I had a few more close calls than I would have liked.

[Jouster]

Some good advice here. so as not to repeat any advice, Ill just add when you go down, you will be shaken. you will question yourself as to your decision to ride a bike. You will have to make that decision then.

gravel hates bikes. so does sand, and water and leaves and grass. Oh yeah and anything loose anywhere you are riding.  someone said theres little or no difference between shorts and jeans when a bike goes down. There is. If you are in a low speed lay down, jeans will keep you from getting burned on the exhaust and other hot parts.

buy or borrow a book called "A Twist of the Wrist" It's written by a motorcycle racer, but it has great advice for the street too.

I have owned two bikes, one a 600 yamaha radian the other a 500 suzuki gs. I recommend getting a bike that has enough power to get you out of trouble. 600cc minimum if you ride highways. Any bike can brake hard, having the juice to out accelerate a sleeping, drunk or moronic driver coming up behind you can be worth its weight in skin grafts.

[Flench]

Being a small guy riding a big bike I learned a trick that mite come in handy for some of you . If you lay your bike down and can't pick it up . Turn your handle bar's to the right and put your back against the bike and pick it up with your leg's . Only way I could get mine off the ground . That make sense ? lol

[bj229r]

Being a small guy riding a big bike I learned a trick that mite come in handy for some of you . If you lay your bike down and can't pick it up . Turn your handle bar's to the right and put your back against the bike and pick it up with your leg's . Only way I could get mine off the ground . That make sense ? lol

Yah, I'm 6 ', 165 soaking wet, and that's how I used to pick up my 650 pound FLT. (Have yet to drop the Pan in 15 years, but it weighs lots less)

[mcboi]

Here's my bike gotta 03 ZX6R did the paint myself 

[mcboi]

oh and btw if you ride and you've had as many close calls as i have with other vehicles on the road this might be a pretty good investment for your life next to your helmet of course. I got mine for $59.99 online and it is rather small but loud. You can hide it easily in the fairings of almost any sportbike, and im sure it would look cool mounted right on any cruiser as well because of the chrome horns.

http://www.kleinn.com/products/6126.htm

[Flench]

Yah, I'm 6 ', 165 soaking wet, and that's how I used to pick up my 650 pound FLT. (Have yet to drop the Pan in 15 years, but it weighs lots less)

Yeah it's a trick to it but it work's .

[shreck]

I agree with you there, to some degree but I'm not sure if they are truly more reckless or we just notice the motorcycle more.

 A week before I started my course, a pack of motorcycles were weaving in and out of traffic a good 30 mph faster than the rest of traffic. I literally had to swerve to the right and brake to avoid one of them that timed his swerve in front of me too early.

About 2 minutes later, I'm getting off my exit and I see one of the bikes on its side, the tank definitely ruptured with gas all over the exit ramp. The poor guy was riding in a t shirt, shorts and was bleeding like a 13 year old girl.

I will share the best advice my Dad gave me, I believe it has kept me alive for many years in many "less than ideal" situations!


      (It is not a matter of IF you crash, It is a matter of WHEN)!

Being able to crash with some sort of control and NOT panicking is as important as doing everything possible not to crash!  IMHO

Good Luck Del, have fun and keep the shiny side up!  But also know when to let it go

[bj229r]

Yeah it's a trick to it but it work's .

Sonofabich...I dropped the frikkin Pan today...1st time ever. Lol...I thought about this thread as I was dragging it back upright. (Was unstrapping it from trailer, failed to take note of which straps were tight....got back from FLA last night) Didnt even scratch it (no plastic in 1962)

[Flench]

Oh man , well at lest you or the bike did not get hurt . Dam wish I still had mt PH but that thing beet me to deaf .

[Tilt]

Some have already said it

If you want some fun and to learn road sense a 2nd hand approx 70BHP "sports" naked for your first bike. Assume that you will put it on its side or in a hedge at some point during the first year. Dress accordingly.

Get some track time in learning best cornering techniques (read twist of the wrist) not to go racing but just how to cope with eventualities. Get some road sense training. In the UK we have a variety of schemes. Indeed the Brit Bike police (Bike safe) teach something called "Swift Passage" which is basically riding at speed when its appropriate.

My son just swopped his starter bike, a 70hp SV650, for a 105hp Street Triple. He had done 43k miles on the SV over 5 years touring Europe with me 3 times. He never really lacked for power except when wanting to do some very rapid overtakes.

I am currently on a 120hp Aprilia Tuono. 32K over 3 years. I started on a 70 HP Guzzi in 2005.

If you just want to cruise around then any old hog will do.............. get something that looks pretty.

[morfiend]

 Del 1 last thing I might point out,it may sound silly but bare with me.

  Hearing protection can be needed if you ride for prolong periods! This would be anything longer than 60 mins as the decible level can be higher than you would be allowed to safely work with.

  85+ decibles of sound with long exposure can and will cause hearing loss,when I first read about this years ago I started wearing earplugs whenever I rode,the wind noise alone ofter exceeds those levels then add in a loud pipe and
you can certainly affect your hearing.

 All those Racers wear them why shouldnt you!!!