First Bike

[sourceninja]

My wife and I want to get into riding. We are signing up to take the state approved class to learn how to ride. Neither of us have ever owned a bike before and have really no clue what we are doing.

Any advice for first time riders? What kind of bikes should we be looking for? Our plan is to take short trips (as far as maybe 100 miles each way) and mostly just cruise around the city while the warm weather lasts.

 

[pauldun170]

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

 

[tortoise]

take short trips (as far as maybe 100 miles each way) and mostly just cruise around the city

Location? Sure hope you are not in denial about the potential risks. Include the Sym 200 scooters in your research. A flat-floorboard design offers enhanced transport utility.

 

[papadage]

Are you each going to ride, or are you getting only one bike, and the other will be a passenger?

I would not try taking each other on the back until you have several thousand solo miles under your belt.

 

[sourceninja]

Are you each going to ride, or are you getting only one bike, and the other will be a passenger?

I would not try taking each other on the back until you have several thousand solo miles under your belt.

Our plan is to both get bikes (providing we still want to do this after the class). We live in a semi-rural area so there are lots of quiet roads to go riding on. We probably won't get to ride much this year as the classes are booked until July and by the end of September it's usually in the low 30's. I'm still excited though and living vicariously though the internet.

I'm not sure what changed in me. Until the last year or so I really did not enjoy the outdoors. Now suddenly this year I'm pushing my wife for a island vacation, hiking, and now riding. She's always been a fan of the outdoors so she's really excited.

 

[papadage]

I can understand. I started riding four years ago at 41, and in the last two years have done multi-thousand mile trips. Sometimes the bug bites and you want to extend yourself a bit, and see what you're made of.

Good luck..

Oh, for good starter bikes.. Ninja 300 and the CBR500RR. The latter has enough power to do well on a fast interstate and to climb decent slopes.

Buy used for your first bike.

 

[JulesMaximus]

Location? Sure hope you are not in denial about the potential risks. Include the Sym 200 scooters in your research. A flat-floorboard design offers enhanced transport utility.

That works great if you have no legs.

 

[JulesMaximus]

Our plan is to both get bikes (providing we still want to do this after the class). We live in a semi-rural area so there are lots of quiet roads to go riding on. We probably won't get to ride much this year as the classes are booked until July and by the end of September it's usually in the low 30's. I'm still excited though and living vicariously though the internet.

I'm not sure what changed in me. Until the last year or so I really did not enjoy the outdoors. Now suddenly this year I'm pushing my wife for a island vacation, hiking, and now riding. She's always been a fan of the outdoors so she's really excited.

One word of caution with rural riding. People often don't even see motorcycles so be aware of any side roads and cars potentially turning left or pulling out in front of you. If you are coming up on a side road or gas station or store to your right and a car is approaching from the opposite direction, and they appear to be slowing, expect them to turn in front of you even if they are not signaling. If a car is looking to pull out from a side street, expect them to pull out right in front of you.

You need to expect this and not rely on others to see you. Start slowing in anticipation of a collision and plan an escape route. I can't stress to you how important it is to do this. I know guys who don't seem to get this, they seem to think that because they have the right of way that it somehow isn't their problem. Dead guys think like that.

Also, when riding with others, make sure they keep a safe distance behind you and ride in a staggered formation (you keep to the left side of the lane and they stay to the right). That way if you have to stop suddenly they have time to react and they aren't plowing into the back of you.

 

[senseamp]

Get a road bicycle, and combine exercise and touring.

 

[papadage]

One word of caution with rural riding. People often don't even see motorcycles so be aware of any side roads and cars potentially turning left or pulling out in front of you. If you are coming up on a side road or gas station or store to your right and a car is approaching from the opposite direction, and they appear to be slowing, expect them to turn in front of you even if they are not signaling. If a car is looking to pull out from a side street, expect them to pull out right in front of you.

You need to expect this and not rely on others to see you. Start slowing in anticipation of a collision and plan an escape route. I can't stress to you how important it is to do this. I know guys who don't seem to get this, they seem to think that because they have the right of way that it somehow isn't their problem. Dead guys think like that.

Also, when riding with others, make sure they keep a safe distance behind you and ride in a staggered formation (you keep to the left side of the lane and they stay to the right). That way if you have to stop suddenly they have time to react and they aren't plowing into the back of you.

Assume the cars are trying to kill you, because at least a small percentage are indifferent to your safety.

 

[dbcooper1]

Something with a low center of gravity is more maneuverable and easier to handle when new to riding especially at low speed, when many incidents happen- parking lots, driveways etc.

 

[calvie]

My first bike (CBR250R ABS). Get ABS, it might save your ass someday.
My Msf class is 3 weeks away. Just riding it around the block for now. It's an awesome feeling riding a motorcycle.

 

[Fenixgoon]

get something 500cc or less, IMO.

GEAR - it will save you. boots, helmet (full face), jacket, gloves, pants. the nice stuff is expensive, but well worth it. i crashed at the track this weekend - walked away because of my helmet and race suit.

everything else has been covered, i think.

 

[sourceninja]

Just passed the class this weekend. I've got my endorsement, now to buy a bike.

 

[twinrider1]

If I were you, I'd source a Ninja.

Congrats on taking the safety course. As for a bike, what style of bike gets your nether region all tingly? If you aren't excited to see your bike, you won't much enjoy riding it. I could recommend a great starter sport bike, but if you're a cruiser guy it would be of no help. In general, a mildly tuned 500cc bike is great for first bike. Small enough to learn, but not so small that you outgrow it in a season.

 

[DaTT]

Just passed the class this weekend. I've got my endorsement, now to buy a bike.

Congrats on doing something I have always wanted to do but just never "found the time"

 

[_Rick_]

Before buying a bike, figure out what kind of riding you want to do.
A commuter bike is different from a canyon carver, is different from a day-trip cruiser. Geometry should be your first consideration.
Once you settled on a geometry, figure out the engine. Specifically look at the torque curve, and the noise signature. A beginner bike should have a relatively flat torque curve, and a linear power curve. Yo can have that with any kind of engine layout. But the less cylinders, the less can go wrong. You should aim for a displacement between 250 and 700cc.
If you want ABS (which can defuse a lot of bad situations), you'll be looking at a new bike, most likely. If you want to start with a used bike, make sure you know what to look for when buying. Consumables on a bike are relatively expensive, so if you don't ride much their state on the bike you buy matters. If you'll be putting 10k miles on the bike per year, it'll matter less, because you'll be regularly swapping tires and brakes anyway.

The ABS-CBR250R above looks like a good starting bike, if you're into bikes with fairings and the geometry.

Look at the weight of the bike you're planning to buy. Light bikes are more agile and fun and easier to stop, and should overall be safer. Not to mention easier to lift off the ground

 

[SpacemanSpiff46]

Ah, I remember that msf course. I did it the day I turned 16 with my dad. So much fun. I got a used R6 (600cc) as my first bike and let me tell you those are plenty fast. I would not start with something over 600 as a first and I weigh 215lbs.

The lighter the bike, the more fun it is! Although I did grab up a used R1 a few years ago. The speed man.....the speed.....unreal.

 

[sourceninja]

After a lot of shopping I'm starting to really like both the CTX700 and the CB500F. I'm not 100% sold on the forward pegs of the CTX though. I'm leaning to the CB500F simply because of the riding position.

 

[twinrider1]

That CB500F looks like a FANTASTIC starter bike.
I have forever been a fan of Kawasaki's EX500/Ninja 500R/GPZ500S, but they stopped making it in 2009. Same layout, 500cc vertical twin, sporty but upright riding position. If you can find a clean Ninja 500 (or 2), you'll save a lot of money. If budget isn't a factor, or you just want the piece of mind of a new bike with a warranty, that CB500F would be perfect.

And your comment on riding position is a perfect example of why you have to know what type of bike you like before you buy. A friend bought his first bike and I rode it home for him (2 hour freeway ride). It had forward controls and my weight was leaning back on my tail bone. Drove me crazy not being able to stand up and adjust once in a while. I could never own a bike like that.

 

[sourceninja]

Well, emotion got the better of me. Last night we stopped by a HD dealer and I looked at the Street 750. I really like this bike.

So I bought one. I'm going to pick it up tonight (I didn't have my gear with me). It's a long ride home, but mostly country roads.

 

[Greenman]

Well, emotion got the better of me. Last night we stopped by a HD dealer and I looked at the Street 750. I really like this bike.

So I bought one. I'm going to pick it up tonight (I didn't have my gear with me). It's a long ride home, but mostly country roads.

Let us know what you think after riding it a bit. There's a lot of buzz about those bikes right now, and not many of them on the street. A couple pics would be nice as well.

 

[halik]

no turbo busa?

 

[sourceninja]

I'll post some pics tomorrow after work. I'm a bit nervous about the 60 mile ride home, but I've talked a friend of mine with a lot of exp to ride with me. I asked him to ride the back for me but he was adamant that I ride it back.

 

[JulesMaximus]

I'll post some pics tomorrow after work. I'm a bit nervous about the 60 mile ride home, but I've talked a friend of mine with a lot of exp to ride with me. I asked him to ride the back for me but he was adamant that I ride it back.

Have you taken the MSF course and gotten your motorcycle endorsement yet? Or at least your permit?