First riding season mistakes I made

"But seriously, if I could bring this thread back down to earth here. I'm really concerned that as a newbie, I'm gonna drop my bike at a stoplight. This is now my main concern about riding. I already almost dropped a bike at a dealership-- I sat on it and because only my toes could touch the ground, I almost let it go to the right and knocked over another bike, but I saved myself somehow, I guess just by strongarming it back up, and luckily the dealer was there to help me right it"

At first it's natural for the bike to feel heavy and awkward, plus being nervous doesn't help. But all this will go away sooner than you think. It's about balance so you don't need to super strong to keep it up at a stop.
Btw I have the CAA plus, just let you know CAA policy states it doesn't tow cars/bike that are in "driving" condition. So you gonna have to ride it/ find a way home from the dealership.later
 
marktwothousand said:
LOL, I hate to bring up another Star Trek reference, but those big boots could totally work with a Klingon costume.

But seriously, if I could bring this thread back down to earth here. I'm really concerned that as a newbie, I'm gonna drop my bike at a stoplight. This is now my main concern about riding. I already almost dropped a bike at a dealership-- I sat on it and because only my toes could touch the ground, I almost let it go to the right and knocked over another bike, but I saved myself somehow, I guess just by strongarming it back up, and luckily the dealer was there to help me right it.

But my question is...if I'm really stuck on the road and I damage the bike or simply have no way to pick it up after a fall, I will need a roadside assistance program. Right now, I have Canadian Tire Roadside assistance, but their program does not cover motorcycles. Does anyone know a cheap motorcycle-only plan that anyone has?

CAA has the PLUS membership, but seeing as I already have the CT for my car, I don't wanna be paying for two memberships if I don't have to. CT is non-refundable. In the future, I'll probably just get CAA PLUS, but for now I think a motorcycle-only plan would be more cost effective. Does anyone know if any such plan exists anywhere, how much, and with who?

Thanx!
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If this is really that much of a concern for you then I recommend something like a CBR125 or CBR250 for your first season or two. I know this is a small bike but it would allow you to gain some confidence that you can handle the power and these bikes are really light so you should have some confidence that you can get the bike upright if you were to drop it. I also recommend frame sliders which might protect the bodywork in the event that the bike does tip over.

You could also consider a small cruiser (650cc or less) with a low seat height. The power is not overwhelming and the low seat height should help you with your confidence.
 
justride said:
"But seriously, if I could bring this thread back down to earth here. I'm really concerned that as a newbie, I'm gonna drop my bike at a stoplight. This is now my main concern about riding. I already almost dropped a bike at a dealership-- I sat on it and because only my toes could touch the ground, I almost let it go to the right and knocked over another bike, but I saved myself somehow, I guess just by strongarming it back up, and luckily the dealer was there to help me right it"

At first it's natural for the bike to feel heavy and awkward, plus being nervous doesn't help. But all this will go away sooner than you think. It's about balance so you don't need to super strong to keep it up at a stop.
Btw I have the CAA plus, just let you know CAA policy states it doesn't tow cars/bike that are in "driving" condition. So you gonna have to ride it/ find a way home from the dealership.later
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it's not about the weight (well, not so much), as it is as much about the technique.

there are youtube vids on how to pick up your bike if it falls over.

If you're very concerned about a tip-over damaging the bike, get crash protectors/frame sliders

if you have difficulty putting both feet on the ground, get into the habit of shifting your butt over to one side and just putting one foot on the ground (be careful you don't lean the bike over as you do so or you'll drop the bike sideways)
 
Zoodles95 said:
If this is really that much of a concern for you then I recommend something like a CBR125 or CBR250 for your first season or two. I know this is a small bike but it would allow you to gain some confidence that you can handle the power and these bikes are really light so you should have some confidence that you can get the bike upright if you were to drop it. I also recommend frame sliders which might protect the bodywork in the event that the bike does tip over.

You could also consider a small cruiser (650cc or less) with a low seat height. The power is not overwhelming and the low seat height should help you with your confidence.
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+1 This was the route I took. Last season, I started with a CBR125R, gained some confidence, then moved up to a CBR250RA, and now thinking of getting a small cruiser as a second bike. I too had a fear of dropping the bike and had a couple close calls at a stop sign, but it was only because the road was at a steep angle when I came to a stop. Try to think positive and ride confidently because dropping your bike while stopped should be the least of your worries. And get CAA Plus.
 
man wide turns and pressing front brake too hard are the 2 things i learned i was 0.0001% close to crash so make sure u practice turns at high speed and dont press front brake too much
 
Not using the rear brake enough in slow speed maneuvers. Makes all the difference.
 
One of my biggest mistakes I made as a new rider was going on a group ride too early. I did what everyone says will happen, and that is trying to keep up with much more experienced riders. This led me to make a few mistakes that (thank god I was riding in a very desolate area) I could have avoided that scenario if I had stuck with myself and practiced a little longer.

This is what happened: I entered a turn at a rate of speed that required a much more aggressive lean and turn, and since I was new and inexperienced (scared) I didn't turn the bike as much as I should have. Causing me to get into the oncoming lane for a split second. I ended up leaning harder to get back into my lane, and it all turned out fine, BUT if there was ANY vehicle in that oncoming lane.. well.. the outcome would have been bad. Hone your street riding skills before joining a group of people to ride with.. is my 0.02..
 
If you pick up a new-to-you bike and ride it home, do not pick it up during rush hour. You will be nervous, there will be a lot of traffic, and your day will not go well.

When you go through an intersection on a green, look both ways. Sometimes people go through red lights. This applies to both bikes and cars, but is much more serious on a bike.

Rule of thumb for your first bike: <40hp, <400lb (~500cc cruiser, ~400cc small sport bike, etc)
Rule of thumb for your second bike: Get what you want
 
There is some scary stories here. Want to learn to ride 200 percent better in one day? Take a racer 5 course. It will be worth every penny.
 
Move over in the seat and only plan to put your left foot down. Just like in the motorcycle course... only, instead of doing it just to be safe, you will be doing it because you're physically required to do so.
 
manish said:
man wide turns and pressing front brake too hard are the 2 things i learned i was 0.0001% close to crash so make sure u practice turns at high speed and dont press front brake too much
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Fist riding season mistake: turning at high speed. Are you on a racetrack?
 
Forgot I wasn't riding my 10-speed and tried to put my foot down, just like Fred Flintstone. Realized what I was doing before I hurt myself, then made a point of breaking that habit before it got started.
 
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