Any advice for first time riders?
1. Where you look is where you will go. Stare at the ditch...you go in the ditch. Stare (and move your body) toward the inside of the turn and you magically stay on the road.
2. Move around in the seat. In turns, you should be getting ready to kiss the mirror. Imagine steering the bike with just your body.
3. Full Face helmet or don't ride.
4. EAR PLUGS!! EAR PLUGS!!! EAR PLUGS!!!! Cheapo 30db foam plugs are fine or go all out and get custom jobs. Just protect your hearing. (Wind noise)
5. There is no 7th gear
6. For new riders, get all your braking done before you approach a turn. You should be on your throttle throughout the turn.
7. Ride during off peak hours while you are getting used to riding. Saturday afternoon is not off peak. Saturday morning is. Sunday morning is off peak. Sunday morning when church lets out is not off peak.
8. Minimum Gear should comprise of motorcyle gloves (REAL motorcycle specific gloves), boots (REAL motorcycle specific boots), and motorcyle jacket. There are so many sales out there that you can get REALLY good gear for cheap. My Alpine Stars leather jacket cost me $95. MSRP on it is $400. Similar story on my Joe Rocket leather jacket. (I don't do textile. I ride with leather even in high 90's). Riding pants as well.
9. Motorcycles are NOT applicances. Learn how to maintain your motorcycle. Get your hands dirty. Chain maintenances, fluid checks. Cable lubing.
10. You are going to be picking your motorcycle off the ground. Accept this.
11. Knowing that you will be picking up your bike off the ground, decide if you want do this on a bike that you shelled out a lot of cash for or on a bike you bought used.
12. Can Honda polish\paint cleaner is awesome. If that stuff was safe for human skin I'd shower with it.
13. Never ride side by side. Harley parade style formation riding is stupid.
14. If you find yourself distracted while riding. Stop riding. Cop following you? Pull over. Tailgaiter? Pull over and let them pass.
15. Clay, Silt, Sand, pebbles, cobbles, boulders. Learn to despise these things. Always keep an eye out for that in the road. A sandy patch on a bend will ruin your day.
16. Decreasing radius turn. Copy paste that term and search. Learn. Then find one in your area. Practice. YOU NEED TO LEARN HOW TO PROPERLY DEAL WITH UNEXPECTED TURNS!!!
17. Tires. I'd rather great tires on a mediocre bike than mediocre tires on a great bike.
18. Bikes. CBR250rr, Kawisaki Ninja300 or Harley 883. Buy them used. Treat them nicely and then sell them to the next new rider when you are ready for something that makes you all giggly.
I could on but I have to go to the bathroom