Sucking at something is the first step to becoming sorta good at something. - Jake the Dog (Adventure Time)
Riding a bike for the first time this Saturday.. advice?
Sucking at something is the first step to becoming sorta good at something. - Jake the Dog (Adventure Time)
conundrum
Well-known member
Crap -- you mean you guys aren't using smoke signals? Guess I might need to pick up a computer but first I need to go get some more firewood...
Kri$han
Well-known member
Wait till your course. If you're gonna drop a bike might as well be the one at rti instead of yours.High of 3 is still freezing for a bike btw
+1
Messy roads, salt/sand everywhere, inexperience and a new bike = recipe for disaster. I know you're getting anxious man, we ALL are!!! Just hang in there.
edit: oh, you did it!! haha As an auto and racing enthusiast, I suspect you'll pick this up quickly; you already understand clutches and their control, as well as shifting your vehicle's weight & traction - two things I think not enough people understand. It's just practice from here on in. TBH, I've never been a big proponent of "parking lot practicing" like most people on here: cars in parking lots move MUCH more slowly, and they get salted/sanded more heavily then roads due to company fears of lawsuits: there's just too much debris to be really confident in a parking lot, unless its the middle of summer.
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Dhruv K
Well-known member
As some of the experienced riders suggested, I'd wait until you complete the course. Else, atleast frame sliders, proper gear ......
Roads are not the best (with cold, reaction time might not help). Wish you all the best.
Feel free to come to meet (kick off for the season in Burlington), will get to meet other riders, make friends and possibly practice with someone...
Roads are not the best (with cold, reaction time might not help). Wish you all the best.
Feel free to come to meet (kick off for the season in Burlington), will get to meet other riders, make friends and possibly practice with someone...
OP, you survived the parking lot. Now park it, clean it, do the RTI course. Don't develop any bad habits before doing the course. The course is very helpful to all students, regardless of experience. You don't have to try and be an A+ student. Take your time, absorb the information you get from the course.
Then you can go out and learn all kinds of bad habits out on the road afterwards!!!!!
See you out there!!!!
Cheers.
Then you can go out and learn all kinds of bad habits out on the road afterwards!!!!!
See you out there!!!!
Cheers.
D
Deleted member 40275
Guest
Thanks guys for all the support and helpful advice - I plan to do another short ride (next weekend when the weather is good and I'm no longer sick) to just get to the gas station and fill the tires up with air properly. Then I have my RTI course in the first week of April.
Looking forward to getting riding with many of you soon!
D
Deleted member 40275
Guest
Just went for my second ride and I was out for 45 mins loving it. Even rode on main streets and in traffic for the first time. Filled air in my tires and practiced a lot of the basics.
Biggest accomplishments: quick shifting and awareness
Oh **** moments: Bike was cold and kept stalling and died but came back to life within a second and since it was in gear and I was stopped, it jerked forward and I had to react fast to keep the bike upright.
Also entering turns too fast is stupid. I need to realize that ripping through gears is all good but to anticipate and prep for turns much sooner.
Going out again tomorrow for a ride and then RTI next weekend. Can't wait.
Saw a lot of other riders out there today as well - ride safe everyone
Biggest accomplishments: quick shifting and awareness
Oh **** moments: Bike was cold and kept stalling and died but came back to life within a second and since it was in gear and I was stopped, it jerked forward and I had to react fast to keep the bike upright.
Also entering turns too fast is stupid. I need to realize that ripping through gears is all good but to anticipate and prep for turns much sooner.
Going out again tomorrow for a ride and then RTI next weekend. Can't wait.
Saw a lot of other riders out there today as well - ride safe everyone
D
Deleted member 40275
Guest
Today was fantastic- went for a 2-3 hour group ride with a bunch of guys and got to really push the bike hard, ripping through the gears and leaning in hard in the corners. Also I learned people with R6's and Gixxers are nice and helpful people contrary to popular opinion!
The Good:
Well I've been riding for a few hours and haven't yet taken my safety course (this weekend at RTI) and I can say that I learned quite quickly. After an hour of riding I was ripping through the gears, rev matching downshifts and riding with better awareness in traffic.
The Bad:
1. Entering corners too fast - corner prep is very important - as Tricky mentioned
2. I almost highsided once locking up the rear from not rev matching my downshift into 1st - that was bad.... as Tricky also mentioned
3. Had a very jerky stop and had to fight the bike from dropping as it came back to life after it died for a second due to cold carbs and in gear.
4.TURNING OFF THE #%&ing TURN SIGNALS!!!!
Thanks to Dan/Calvin for helping me out more than I could help myself. Definitely looking forward to the course this weekend and MORE RIDING!
The most wrecks ive seen were people riding in over their heads. Trying to keep up to people that are going faster than they were, outside their skill level.
Im not saying this to try and be a smart *** or put you down, but i've lost count how many guys i've seen go down when they get into this kind of mode.
Take it easy and work on the basics.
BTW remember one thing, if you're too slow into a corner you can always speed up. If you're too fast its a whole different story. If you know what you're doing you'll lean that mofo like never before and make it or lowside trying. If you don't know what you're doing or are inexperienced you'll hit the brakes, stand the bike up and hit whatever you're trying to avoid.
D
Deleted member 40275
Guest
Paul,
That's some good advice man... thank you. It's definitely not a natural reaction leaning into corners harder when you panic and I guess that's why it's so hard. Hopefully I'll get the instincts down soon.
And pointing out my two previous posts gave me quite the chuckle indeed. I didn't even realize that! It's ridiculous how fast the confidence and cockiness builds up (I've even started scouting Gixxers on Kijiji..)
Will keep everything in mind for the next ride - RTI course this weekend should help out a lot too.
That's some good advice man... thank you. It's definitely not a natural reaction leaning into corners harder when you panic and I guess that's why it's so hard. Hopefully I'll get the instincts down soon.
And pointing out my two previous posts gave me quite the chuckle indeed. I didn't even realize that! It's ridiculous how fast the confidence and cockiness builds up (I've even started scouting Gixxers on Kijiji..)
Will keep everything in mind for the next ride - RTI course this weekend should help out a lot too.
My 2cents, enjoy the 250. Is cheap, is simple, is reliable, is fun. It also helps learn a lot about yourself riding solo and in a group. Learn to brush off stupid comments about the engine size and really concentrate on getting your skills.
Many now a days get tired of the small bike, upgrade due to that same build up confidence and cockiness and then crash or screw up.
I'm not saying don't upgrade, just juice the small bike and enjoy it while learning and sharpening your riding skills
D
Deleted member 40275
Guest
There's nothing to be scared of man. I rode my bike around for a bit with experienced riders before I did my RTI MSF course - just passed the course and got my M2 this weekend and never dropped the bike. You'll be fine... just find some people that can teach/guide you for your first time out.
250's are really nothing to be scared of - they are babies, very forgiving and gentle. A lot of people on here like to get newbies down for whatever reason.. they scare them and make them feel inadequate because of a lack of skill... then there are the other group that look down on them for not riding supersports (600cc +). You have to realize that this forum is not based on expertise.. just because some one has 2800 posts doesn't mean that they know what they're talking about. For all you know they could be living in their parents basement logging in every 15 minutes because the have nothing better to do.. That's the internet for you.
But regardless- take everything you read on here with a grain of salt. It's very easy to manipulate newbies and talk **** on forums. Don't worry and take it easy and learn at your own pace. You'll be fine.
If you're in the Sauga area or North York PM me.
Cheers and remember to RIDE AT YOUR OWN PACE.
motorsiklet
Well-known member
watch the gravel and dirt on the roads guys, its still dirty on the sode roads , also pavement is still cold for tires, just my2cents
master the 250 first while u r on it, its the best beginners bike for many for a reason
master the 250 first while u r on it, its the best beginners bike for many for a reason
250 is a beautiful bike I miss mine.. Its about you being in YOUR comfort zone.. You can get advice from Rossi but it wouldn't Even be worth **** cause its different ppl....all we others can do is share our experience in hopes that newbs can learn from our mistakes instead of learning the hard way.. No guarantee you will make the same mistakes as us but at least you would be aware of some of the things to look out for..
Groups are extremely dangerous with newbs.. That's true.. They are also generally longer distances and need every to be up to a minimum discipline level.. START SMALL maybe with a friend..
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2
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