Riding before course date (already registered)

[conundrum]

Just a quick question I've been mulling over in my mind...

So my bike will be delivered on March 9th, and I have all gear, M1, and registered with RTI for April 7th/8th (Easter Weekend). What I am still debating is, should I play around with the bike a bit before taking the course, or just wait it out a few more weeks and completely learn on their bikes?

If I did play with mine, it would only be in subdivisions, and would largely be to figure things out at my own pace beforehand. It is a new bike (but will have frame sliders on it before I'd try anything), and although I have no motorcycle experience I've driven manual cars since I learned to drive almost 15 years ago (so 'being smooth', clutch engagement and feel, having to listen to the engine are not new things to me).

[Wasted]

Just a quick question I've been mulling over in my mind...

So my bike will be delivered on March 9th, and I have all gear, M1, and registered with RTI for April 7th/8th (Easter Weekend). What I am still debating is, should I play around with the bike a bit before taking the course, or just wait it out a few more weeks and completely learn on their bikes?

If I did play with mine, it would only be in subdivisions, and would largely be to figure things out at my own pace beforehand. It is a new bike (but will have frame sliders on it before I'd try anything), and although I have no motorcycle experience I've driven manual cars since I learned to drive almost 15 years ago (so 'being smooth', clutch engagement and feel, having to listen to the engine are not new things to me).

Unless you have someone to show you a few basics I'd likely wait. If you bought a 10 year old ninja I'd say go for it, but you just don't want to have scratches on your bike with less than 100kms on it and regret it for the sake of a month. If you can get someone to even give you 20 mins of parking lot work than I say go for a rip tho!

[cknowles]

I agree with Wasted. The first thing I did in the riding course was fall off the bike. Damn embarrassing 'cause I squeezed the front brake while turning slow and simply fell over. Broke the right hand brake lever (school bike) and bruised my ego a bit, however I learned what I did wrong and have never repeated it. I would hate to have done that to my own shiny new bike.

[bikermahn]

April is not that far, who wants to drop a shiny new bike. But if you can't wait, do take it easy watch out for the braking and turns. When I took mine out I had a slight issue and almost ran into the side of a SUV parked in the corner after I took the corner a little wrong. I've since just decided to wait until my RTI course in April (14/15).

[Bweixz]

i would have a buddy push you around on neutral in a parking lot for a few hours so you get used to the bike lmao

[smergy]

I know its hard, but wait. april is not far away. Between the cold temps, cold tires, inexperience, salt, gravel, potholes, etc on the road, its going to be slick out there for a bit. If you do decide to ride anyways, 1.) make sure you understand a crash is entirely possible given the sub-ideal conditions in march and ask yourself, if you do crash, how mad would you be? and 2.) drive like your grandma, pretend the road surface is pure ice, slow, smooth inputs.

[taximan62]

I would advise against it. The worst thing is having a new rider come in already with some bad habits learned and having to break them.

If it is a new bike it needs to be broken in properly and playing around at slow speeds and such will not accomplish that.

[Griffin]

I agree with the suggestions to wait.

Hand controls introduce a completely different set of issues beyond being familiar with manual transmissions. You probably will not get into too much trouble with the CBR250 (like popping the clutch and looping the bike with wide open throttle) but it is not unlikely that you could stall the bike, lurch and fall over - or get caught up in throttle/clutch issues and forget to brake in time to avoid hitting the parked car, etc. See youtube for further examples of things that go wrong for inexperienced riders.

You would probably have no difficulties jumping on and riding from the first go. That's how I started 35 years ago. I just jumped on my cousin's Kawi 175, figured out what lever did what and started riding. But, there is a good risk that you'll fall down or bump into something. If you do, you'll regret not waiting.

BTW the Stig is married to my cousin's roommate's sister's aunt.

[ReaImDown]

I'm waiting, I'm holding off on even buying a bike cause I know I'll hop on it as soon as I get it... 1.5 months!


- Randy

[JonnyWyshbone]

Dude don't do it! It's those times when something crazy happens and u end up kicking urself for not waiting. Same thing happend to me, my wife got me the bike before I even had the license and I sat there every day dribblin' and droolin' over the bike until I got my weekend with RTI at mosport. RTI is awesome and they'll teach u mad stuff u definitely should know before you hop on the first time, but I feel ur pain, man, resist temptation, lol

[matthew]

First price out replacement fairings, then decide if you want to do it.

[JonnyWyshbone]

First price out replacement fairings, then decide if you want to do it.

For real, go to nicecycle.com, I had to get a set from them when I went down in twyn rivers last year, really good job on paint, but I think his secret point just was don't do it, lol

[conundrum]

Wow thanks all for the quick replies -- Ok, I'll likely just wait then although it will be hard lol. Fairings on the CBR250R are fairly cheap (and I'll have sliders), but yeah I'd be kicking myself plus if I ever injured myself pre-course and couldn't take it/complete it I'd be really ****** off.

One other question -- Since there is still salt on the roads and I'll be taking delivery in a week (meaning they'll need to ride the bike a few KMs to properly PDI it), do you think there would be much salt on it and I should wash it right away, or so long as it looks clean and only has a few KM it is ok to just let it sit until I can actually ride the thing post-course?

[JonnyWyshbone]

If u need to wash, use warm to hot water, cold water activates corrosion process if theres any salt on your bike, but we've been pretty lucky lately with not much snow this year. Plus I hear we're gonna get a rain storm today so that may clean the roads off a bit

[Wasted]

Hahaha you know you're going to wash it man. It's going to be sitting there all pretty in your garage and if you can't ride it on a nice day you can absolutely pull it out on the the driveway and wash it. I would.

[JonnyWyshbone]

Ya, it'll start out as a wash on his driveway, then he'll say "u know what the neighbors driveway is more level than mine, I better ride over there" then he's gonna say "Oh you know where's there's a level driveway, in orangeville!" Next thing u know he's halfway across the province with no M2 and a dirty *** bike lmao

[Baggsy]

Worst way to learn would be from a buddy who's big qualification is that they can ride a little.
Ego gets in the way, and you get to learn their bad habits. You're better off on your own, where you can take your time and not try to impress someone.
That being said, you'd be better off in a big empty parking lot than on the road to start.
Learn to squeeze both levers to stop. Keep things slow, you don't need more than 2nd gear to pass the test, unless their using small dirt bikes.

If you learn to shift or stall smoothly going from 1st to 2nd and back, you'll be better able to concentrate on getting your speed up on the required portions of the test. The bikes might be completely different from yours and may take some getting used to. They wll not have ABS, so you could potentially lock the tires on them.

I took the course, but lots of people here have started riding without it.

[AF4iK]

LOL. All good advice. But I know if it were me I wouldn't be able to resist. If you absolutely must play around with it this moment then I'd suggest either getting an experienced friend to show you the basics or reading up online and watching a lot of videos. It's not so much about knowing all the controls as it is getting to know how they all feel. Maybe some friction zone drills would be a good idea.

If you're looking for a deterrent, just youtube "motorcycle fail" for a compilation of noob outtakes.

[JonnyWyshbone]

Speaking of YouTube bike fails, chek out rnickeymouse on YouTube, tons of bike fails and tons of riders doin it proper, too, on the mulholland highway

[ZX600]

I'll bet you won't wait