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NEW RIDERS/refresher

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New Riders tips-Buying/Insurance/Gear/Riding

*****I will hope the mods keep this thread tidy as to keep the valid information at the top and easier for people to read. This post is not for debating but feel free to make it better.*****

After reading the posts and remembering some of last years posts as well as people I run into, a few things occurred so I thought I would post up to help out the new people and perhaps some of the other smarter members will add their 2 cents also.

Insurance:

1.Make sure you have the proper coverage and you understand what you are getting, remember the agents/brokers make a commission from you so they can oversell you things you do not need.

2. Move your deductibles to $1000 to reduce your premiums. It's not in your interest anyways to claim anything under $1000 so why pay for something you will not use.
(this is just a suggestion if it makes sense for you to do)

3. Drop collision on a bike that is worth less than $2500…if it makes sense for you and you can afford it.

4. Make sure you got all of your legal paperwork, the penalties are more severe now.


Gear:

1. YES! You NEED it. There is a saying that it’s better to sweat than bleed.

2. Think of your gear as an investment into YOUR protection. Did you do your best to protect yourself with the money you had at the time? So you have more money now, did you update or add to your protection.

3. If you don’t feel that the person selling you stuff is knowledgeable or just wants your money, WALK AWAY. Everything should fit you properly. Snug is the word, keep in mind that new items i.e. helmets and leather jackets do break in and will get “bigger”.

4. So you got your helmet, jacket, and gloves…WHAT ABOUT your boots, back protector, and knee armor?

5. Spend more money on your gear vs. getting the “right” bike.

6. Tires and steering dampers count as proper gear also.

BIKE:

1. Get a bike that you are comfortable on, not what your friends think looks cool. Hell, I ride a scooter, so who cares what others think. It’s about what you want.
It’s your first bike, you will get another. You are new and you are LEARNING.

2. I have helped a lot of people with this part and it can be overwhelming or fun.
Do not buy a bike alone if you are not comfortable with what you are doing.
If you are buying new from a dealership it’s easier. If you are buying used, GET someone who is KNOWLEDGABLE and has had a few bikes. You can also pay a reputable shop to INSPECT (not just certify) the bike. If the seller has issues with that suggestion then WALK AWAY. The more information you have the better. If you get a “weird vibe” from the seller…WALK AWAY.



2. Got the bike and ready to ride- NO you may NOT be ready. It’s a new machine and you do not know how it handles etc… practice in a parking lot for an hour and take a break for the day, then practice again the next day for another hour. You should notice improvements. Do not hit the streets until you are 99.99% comfortable. MAKE SURE that you have ANOTHER person watching you as you practice in the parking lot. When you are ready to hit the road, try to get your friend to drive their car/bike in front of you (debatable front or back, get one for front and back even better).

3. DO NOT tense up, relax and STAY ALERT. Enjoy the experience of learning. You WILL probably make mistakes like the rest of us. Learn from it, and keep on going. If you fall, step back for a minute and realize why you fell and get back on and ride assuming you are not hurt.

4. Get to know the bike you are on. How fast does it accelerate? How fast can it brake? How does it corner?

5. One of the BIGGEST little things people do not do, GET the suspension setup for your weight and riding style. Educate yourself as to how suspension works. Lots of good articles online. You do not need to become an expert but by knowing the basics of how each part works you can identify the “problem” areas and adjust them. People buy used bikes that were setup for the previous owner and they do not realize HOW MUCH of a difference their bike can handle if it was setup for them. Shops like Pro6 and Riders Choice offer such a service BUT make sure YOU TELL them what how long you have been riding and what type of rider you are now.

6. If a car cuts you off or does something illegal/not right. Let the car be “right” even though you are right on the roads. Better to be alive than right.

7. RIDE AT YOUR PACE it's NOT a race- If you join a group that’s too fast. Go back. Remember to look ahead and prepare and don’t hit the brake in the corner. LOOK, LEAN, LOOK, LEAN, keep LOOKing.
Your weight should be shifted on the side that you are turning. The ball of your foot should be on the peg pressing down as you corner...try steering your bike in a parking lot with just your feet on the pegs and shifting your weight to that side (holding on to your bars of course).

8. Signup for Fastridingschool.com or something similar. It’s not about speed as you may think, it’s about technique. Technique makes you faster and “safer”.

If you have any questions, post up or pm me. If you got something good to add please do and I will try to add it to this list. It’s not a race but instead an adventure. I think this might be the only hobby (maybe skydiving…lol) where the destination is not as important as much as the journey to get there is. Stay Safe and have fun.

D.
(Scootah Nation)...stop laughing you ;)
 
Last edited by a moderator:
For the sake of new riders how about giving yourself a check (just as you would your bike) before you go out for any sort of distance.

Are you angry at your girlfriend/boyfriend? Bad day at work? Need to let off some steam? Don't get on the bike if you aren't in a good mood. Get enough sleep and keep your body hydrated. Your brain won't work properly if its been fed Mcdonalds, 3.5hrs sleep, and a big fight with somebody.

Get a good nights sleep, healthy breakfast, lots of water. Stretch before you go to sleep, stretch before you go riding. And most important of all.. MAKE THE TURN!!
 
Last edited by a moderator:
RE:Suspension.....Unless you are majorly underweight or overweight you are not going to benfit well enough from a suspension alteration to even bother. Unless of course you are an expert rider and are seeking more performance from your bike. The R&D that goes into all these current motorcycles makes them suitable for any rider from the get go, barring the above mentioned few. Leave the suspension alone, if you can't ride like Nickey Haden, stock settings and other performance will do fine.
 
suspension alteration is set to the specific ridder. they say u should always have it adjusted accordingly
 
RE:Suspension.....Unless you are majorly underweight or overweight you are not going to benfit well enough from a suspension alteration to even bother. Unless of course you are an expert rider and are seeking more performance from your bike. The R&D that goes into all these current motorcycles makes them suitable for any rider from the get go, barring the above mentioned few. Leave the suspension alone, if you can't ride like Nickey Haden, stock settings and other performance will do fine.

My advice:

The sag should be set to the rider's specific weight. This will allow the suspension to work in it's optimum operating range, (adjustability is usually also a factor of how good the suspension components are, ie. damper-rod fork vs. cartridge-fork). Even a new rider can benefit from proper sag/suspension set-up.

Also, loading the pegs for corning is all fine & dandy, but to steer a motorcycle you turn the bars. Learn the art of counter-steering and pick up some good books: Nick Ienatsch's "Sport Riding Techniques," and Keith Code's "Twist of the Wrist II."
 
*****I will hope the mods keep this thread tidy as to keep the valid information at the top and easier for people to read. This post is not for debating but feel free to make it better.*****

After reading the posts and remembering some of last years posts as well as people I run into, a few things occurred so I thought I would post up to help out the new people and perhaps some of the other smarter members will add their 2 cents also.

Insurance:

1.Make sure you have the proper coverage and you understand what you are getting, remember the agents/brokers make a commission from you so they can oversell you things you do not need.

2. Move your deductibles to $1000 to reduce your premiums. It's not in your interest anyways to claim anything under $1000 so why pay for something you will not use.
(this is just a suggestion if it makes sense for you to do)

3. Drop collision on a bike that is worth less than $2500…if it makes sense for you and you can afford it.

4. Make sure you got all of your legal paperwork, the penalties are more severe now.


Gear:

1. YES! You NEED it. There is a saying that it’s better to sweat than bleed.

2. Think of your gear as an investment into YOUR protection. Did you do your best to protect yourself with the money you had at the time? So you have more money now, did you update or add to your protection.

3. If you don’t feel that the person selling you stuff is knowledgeable or just wants your money, WALK AWAY. Everything should fit you properly. Snug is the word, keep in mind that new items i.e. helmets and leather jackets do break in and will get “bigger”.

4. So you got your helmet, jacket, and gloves…WHAT ABOUT your boots, back protector, and knee armor?

5. Spend more money on your gear vs. getting the “right” bike.

6. Tires and steering dampers count as proper gear also.

BIKE:

1. Get a bike that you are comfortable on, not what your friends think looks cool. Hell, I ride a scooter, so who cares what others think. It’s about what you want.
It’s your first bike, you will get another. You are new and you are LEARNING.

2. I have helped a lot of people with this part and it can be overwhelming or fun.
Do not buy a bike alone if you are not comfortable with what you are doing.
If you are buying new from a dealership it’s easier. If you are buying used, GET someone who is KNOWLEDGABLE and has had a few bikes. You can also pay a reputable shop to INSPECT (not just certify) the bike. If the seller has issues with that suggestion then WALK AWAY. The more information you have the better. If you get a “weird vibe” from the seller…WALK AWAY.



2. Got the bike and ready to ride- NO you may NOT be ready. It’s a new machine and you do not know how it handles etc… practice in a parking lot for an hour and take a break for the day, then practice again the next day for another hour. You should notice improvements. Do not hit the streets until you are 99.99% comfortable. MAKE SURE that you have ANOTHER person watching you as you practice in the parking lot. When you are ready to hit the road, try to get your friend to drive their car/bike in front of you (debatable front or back, get one for front and back even better).

3. DO NOT tense up, relax and STAY ALERT. Enjoy the experience of learning. You WILL probably make mistakes like the rest of us. Learn from it, and keep on going. If you fall, step back for a minute and realize why you fell and get back on and ride assuming you are not hurt.

4. Get to know the bike you are on. How fast does it accelerate? How fast can it brake? How does it corner?

5. One of the BIGGEST little things people do not do, GET the suspension setup for your weight and riding style. Educate yourself as to how suspension works. Lots of good articles online. You do not need to become an expert but by knowing the basics of how each part works you can identify the “problem” areas and adjust them. People buy used bikes that were setup for the previous owner and they do not realize HOW MUCH of a difference their bike can handle if it was setup for them. Shops like Pro6 and Riders Choice offer such a service BUT make sure YOU TELL them what how long you have been riding and what type of rider you are now.

6. If a car cuts you off or does something illegal/not right. Let the car be “right” even though you are right on the roads. Better to be alive than right.

7. RIDE AT YOUR PACE it's NOT a race- If you join a group that’s too fast. Go back. Remember to look ahead and prepare and don’t hit the brake in the corner. LOOK, LEAN, LOOK, LEAN, keep LOOKing.
Your weight should be shifted on the side that you are turning. The ball of your foot should be on the peg pressing down as you corner...try steering your bike in a parking lot with just your feet on the pegs and shifting your weight to that side (holding on to your bars of course).

8. Signup for Fastridingschool.com or something similar. It’s not about speed as you may think, it’s about technique. Technique makes you faster and “safer”.

If you have any questions, post up or pm me. If you got something good to add please do and I will try to add it to this list. It’s not a race but instead an adventure. I think this might be the only hobby (maybe skydiving…lol) where the destination is not as important as much as the journey to get there is. Stay Safe and have fun.

D.
(Scootah Nation)...stop laughing you ;)

There's an argument about number 3. Dropping collision on your bike if its under 2500. If you have the maturity and dicipline, and the bike is PAID for (at any cost), don't carry collision. I've always paid cash for my bikes (all Ducati's) and am of the opinion that if I do something stupid to cause a write off, then I take it on the chin; if someone else does it to me, then their liability coverage, or my non-insured coverage covers it. I've done this long enough that I could easily cover the replacement value of a 1098 were I to completely bin it. For me, Liability only on my 749 is $784;with collision, it is $4300. As I've used this philosophy for years. I figure I've saved at least that each year. Again, that pays for a new bike, should the worst happen. Just my thoughts.

Tonto
 
There's an argument about number 3. Dropping collision on your bike if its under 2500. If you have the maturity and dicipline, and the bike is PAID for (at any cost), don't carry collision. I've always paid cash for my bikes (all Ducati's) and am of the opinion that if I do something stupid to cause a write off, then I take it on the chin; if someone else does it to me, then their liability coverage, or my non-insured coverage covers it. I've done this long enough that I could easily cover the replacement value of a 1098 were I to completely bin it. For me, Liability only on my 749 is $784;with collision, it is $4300. As I've used this philosophy for years. I figure I've saved at least that each year. Again, that pays for a new bike, should the worst happen. Just my thoughts.

Tonto

$4300.00 is criminal. You should switch insurance companies!
 
great info here.

I am a newbie and wanted to know how do I check what size of helmet would I fit in? I mean is there a way to measure around my head or do i really have to try it on (do they have different helmet sizes that you can try on before purchasing? :confused: )
 
raj - try them on - only way. You could measure and get the size but it's the shape of your noggin that is a PITA to fit. Oval peg in a round hole will sometimes fit, but not well.
 
yeah they let you try on the helmets and wear them for a while in the store before you buy... also remember that the helmet loosens up a bit after some time wearing it, not a lot but a bit.
 
thank for responding. If I understand you right the helmet should be a tight fit when i buy and will loosen up after a while.
 
I like what you have said here, however it doesn't help those who have been in an accident were they have suffered some kind of head trauma.

Sasha who use to work for Parker Brothers offered a course for such people to help them decide if getting back in the saddle was or wasn't for them anymore which is a good thing because I know if I would want to spend all the extra money in gear, a bike and insurance to find out it's not for me anymore, would you?

Leathal
 
I like what you have said here, however it doesn't help those who have been in an accident were they have suffered some kind of head trauma.

Sasha who use to work for Parker Brothers offered a course for such people to help them decide if getting back in the saddle was or wasn't for them anymore which is a good thing because I know if I would want to spend all the extra money in gear, a bike and insurance to find out it's not for me anymore, would you?

Leathal

Gear is the ONLY thing that protects you.PERIOD.
So why would you not INVEST in yourself.
Money comes and money will go BUT your body part can only go ;)
 
Gear is the ONLY thing that protects you.PERIOD.
So why would you not INVEST in yourself.
Money comes and money will go BUT your body part can only go ;)

What about that dude who had his peepee cut off and sewn back on??????:(
 
What about that dude who had his peepee cut off and sewn back on??????:(

It no work so well now only pee pee no more mr happy times
 
Hello everyone!
Well I'm a new rider, 20 years old, just got my M2 a week ago and my first bike yesterday(Kawasaki GTS550 1982). I would really appreciate if you answer some of my "newbie" questions :)
So right now the bike is in my garage with no insurance or licence plates. Can anyone please explain what is a step-by-step process to make it street legal so I'll be able to ride it in what time is left of this season. I know i have to get it registered, certified, insured etc. But in which order? Also if let's say I ride the bike to mechanic to get it certified and cops pull me over what happens? (i have no insurance) Would they understand that I'm only taking it to mechanic and not really riding or they'd still fine me?
 
step 1. safety(search rosy toes does house calls)
step 2. insurance(see insurance forum)
step 3. plate(mto)
edit take courses to get m2 then start at step 1
 

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