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Riding Advice

TOYJ

TOYJ

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Hi All,

I'm a new rider and just purchased my first bike two weeks ago, a 2008 Kawasaki Ninja 250r and I got the bike plated and on the road last weekend. So far I've just been riding around my neighbourhood on side streets with very little traffic practicing the things I learned in my riding course. I've only had the bike out 3-4 times and I know I need more seat time.

When I passed the M1 exit course one of the things they told me I needed to work on was picking up the speed as I was riding a bit slow. I find that even now when I am riding on side streets I'm still riding a bit slow. Whenever I feel like I'm riding at a decent speed I look down and I'm almost always doing 40kph. It may be fine for side streets but not once I'm in regular traffic.

Here's the issue, I am a bit anxious to ride in regular traffic but I know I have to eventually because I didn't buy a bike just to ride around the 10 blocks on my neighbourhood. I know I need to speed up to ride with the flow of traffic and I know the only way to get over my anxiousness is to just get out there and ride in traffic. I'm not "afraid" to ride but right now everything is new and there's so much to remember and be aware of that it feels overwhelming at times. I know I need to relax and I'll eventually become more confident but right now it seems like everyone else I see riding is having fun without a care in the world while I'm stressing about getting on the main roads. Any words of wisdom or words of encouragement would be appreciated. Thanks.
 
Just do it =)

Typical first-day-syndrome in any other activity like skydiving, cliff jumping. You just gota go for it.
 
Take your time, ride within your skill level, if you're not ready for the main roads then don't push yourself yet. Try and find a riding buddy who's willing to ride a bit slower with you, it will probably help you immensely and give you a bit of a buffer zone to make some mistakes without having to worry about bunging up traffic.

Eventually you will get to the point where clutching, braking, shifting, stopping, and starting will be automatic... then you can devote more time to paying attention to the road and improving your technique. Until then, just relax and enjoy the ups and downs of learning and don't let it get you down!
 
I got my bike just a few weeks ago and I had the same issue. My first time out on streets, I went out early morning on a saturday. For your first time, i would recommend not going out during work commute hours, just because people have very little patience on the road and it can be a bit overwhelming.

As for the speed issue, my first time out on roads, I was riding feeling like a bad *****, and then I looked down and noticed that i was doing 45 kph. You'll get adjusted to what speed feels like on a motorcycle as you get more seat time. Like whetaus-ts said, Just do it!
 
if u don't feel comfortable then stay on small streets or better yet go out to a huge parking lot and get comfortable with speed, shifting, turning, braking there. Bring some cones along and do it that way. No cars to startle you.
What part of the city you at? If you in the west end i can recommend some nice lots and quit areas you can do your thing
 
I would suggest next time you take the bike out, get it up to 60km/hr. And see how it feels.

What I've found with riding (and driving, and biking, and skateboarding, etc) is that going faster than you started out, feels fast. But once you go that speed, any speed below that feels slow. So once you get up to 60km/hr, if you drop down to 40km/hr it'll feel like you're crawling; once you hit 80, going down to 60 will feel like crawling, etc. At least, that how it feels for me.
Same with going up to 60km/hr from 40km/hr, it'll feel fast at first until you get used to that speed.

and +1 at the parking lot advice; finding a nice big, empty lot is the best thing you can do. Gives you all the space you need to practice (sidestreets are usually not very wide, so things like u turns are harder to practice.) Start wide+slow, and gradually get tighter+faster.
 
I had same feeling when I started riding 3months ago, to make it worst I didn't have a working speedometer. I practice on the side streets for a week, my first ride- went south and east along lakeshore wasn't too busy. The next day I ended up going on the highway, a bit scary at first but you get use to the counter steering, and the wind at high speeds. Watch out for sharp turns, take it slow.

Ride safe
 
Go out with some experienced and patient riders.
Safety and confidence in numbers, plus a few riders will act as a traffic buffer for you, ride in the center of 3-4 bikes an just follow there lead.
Just make sure you are going out with responsible riders and let them know to be patient with you.
Be aware and enjoy the ride man :).
 
I learned downtown... but it was still an alright experience. I started in my parking garage, getting the mechanics down pat. When I stopped stalling the bike, I took it around the block of backstreets behind my building. Then I'd park it.. wait a few hours, and feel like doing it again.

Then I had to get gas... that's how I got out of my "bubble." Every time I'd go out, I'd have my route perfectly mapped out on google maps. That eventually was phased out.

The moral of the story is it's about pushing your boundaries, and getting outside of your bubble, but not going too far too fast
 
just ride what ever you feel like riding, personally i rode around the neighbourhood for 2 days, then got up early for the 3rd day to avoid traffic and drove around the streets, 5th day went on the highway, scared the crap outta me, back to the streets i went for the rest of the week. just do what your comfortable with. no rush
 
My first time on 'real roads' was 6am on a Saturday. Enough cars to be aware of them but not enough to be overwhelmed.
 
I rode around my neighborhood until I got bored. That's when I knew I was ready to get out into traffic. My first time out into "real" traffic was very early on a Saturday morning. A friend rode her bike to my place and she rode behind me until we got to a mall. We spent about 2 hours just practicing every road situation I could think of, then we rode back to my place before traffic got too heavy. The next Saturday, I did the same thing, but this on my own. I did that for a few Saturday's and before I knew it, I was staying out longer and longer. Each time I took the bike up to higher speed, it always felt a bit scary. Won't take long, I promise :)
 
Thanks for the replies and advice. I think you've all said what I already know but I guess I just needed to hear it from others. I'm fortunate in that I live in the Beach and I am about 2 minutes away from the parking lot where I did my riding course so I can practice there. Yesterday I decided to get out of my "bubble" a bit and went to the gas station on Woodbine & Kingston Rd. which is only a block away but it was on a main street and I also went on Coxwell. It was alright and I know confidence will come with more seat time. I plan on riding south on Woodbine to Lakeshore and then work on riding at higher speed in the Cherry Beach area near Sound Academy. There's long straight roads like Commissioners St and Unwin Ave. which don't have a lot of traffic. I appreciate all the comments. :)
 
Where you keep your eyes effects your perception of speed. It could be that you are focusing too close and therefore your perception of speed is faster. Try to look far ahead when you are riding and prepare for whats happening well beyond instead of whats happening close up. This is the same for corners - always look through the corner to the end of it, this will slow down your perception of the speed and make u more comfortable :) Good luck!

It's actually a good thing that you are starting off slow. Mastering control of the bike at slower speeds is a good foundation for good riding.
 
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Dont over think it, ride your own ride, take your time and just do it. Dont think that your gonna be king $%^& in a few years of riding, most people find it overwhelming and just give in and stop riding. Just stick with it and learn a little every day. Some would disagree but find a small group of people at the same level as you and discuss riding with them and help develop skills together. Other would say ride with me experienced people but I dont like to put that on more skilled riders ;P .. I guess i just don't have the patients.
 
TOYJ said:
I plan on riding south on Woodbine to Lakeshore and then work on riding at higher speed in the Cherry Beach area near Sound Academy. There's long straight roads like Commissioners St and Unwin Ave. which don't have a lot of traffic. I appreciate all the comments. :)
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I ride down Commissioners and Unwin all the time, when I don't feel like leaving the city. I dunno why, I just always seem to end up there. Commissioners is especially bumpy and rough. Unwin is OK behind that abandoned factory, but the straight west section is not in good condition either, so keep that in mind
 
Wear earplug as they will reduce the wind noise. Wind noise is distracting and might give you the feeling you're going faster than you are.

Get a windshield to block the wind. Wind noise is pretty loud and the windshield will give you a quiet pocket of air.

Play follow the leader with a buddy.
 
Speed has never been an attraction for me, I guess that's why I drive a lifted Jeep with big mud tires. ;)

I think Sabex makes a good point. I think I need to get the bike up to 50-60kph and get used to it that's why I plan on riding on Commissioners and Unwin. I plan on getting the custom moulded earplugs in the future, 1) because I work in the music industry but 2) my riding instructors told us that wind noise will eventually affect your hearing. I do try to focus well ahead but I think because I am riding on side streets right now I can't look as far ahead as if I were on a main street. I think I know what I need to do, I just need to go out and do it and get more confident riding. Lots of great advice on this forum!
 
I think this has already been mentioned, but if you're feeling a bit overwhelmed with the idea of faster, busier roads, then think of going on one early in the morning on a weekend. There won't be much traffic, but you'll be able to get up to proper speed and at least know what it feels like. I did this the first time I ever got on a highway - Sunday early in the morning, I pre-planned where I'd get on and off the highway, and it went like a charm.

I know some people are telling you to wait until you're ready, but if you don't take at least baby steps towards your goal then you may never get there. You won't progress much if you don't push yourself a little out of your comfort zone. Stay safe, but take small steps to try something different.

P.S. I haven't been down that way for a few years, but keep your eye out on Commissioners and Unwin - I don't remember the quality of the roads being that great.
 
Just continue riding back roads until you're confident. I say confidence is the biggest part of riding. Once you have it, you can hit up the bigger roads and then eventually the 401.

TOok me over 1000 kms to finally be confident to hit up regular roads. First 1000 kms were side/ residential streets and 50 km streets.
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