Just get it delivered to your place so you can practice on roads you know close to home first. get back in touch with Kahuna and get them to do it seeing as how you bought it from them.
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Drive home from dealership or get it trailered? how fast of a learning curve?
- Thread starter ice05
- Start date
I would trailer it, or second choice have someone ride it (I'd rather be the first if it were me!). Then ride around the roads at home, out of traffic. Better to make some mistakes there than on a major road like Steeles.
My first bike I used my brother's pickup to bring it home, then got on and rode it - March 12/94! Couldn't wait to get on it, but it had been a while since I'd been on a bike and I didn't want to contend with traffic while I learned the bike. I started mainly residential roads around home, and found it was about 500 km before I started feeling comfortable (one with the bike?). Second bike was the Trophy, and I rode it home. Still found about 500 km to get used to it - more power and weight, as well as more top heavy. Baby bike got trailered for convenience - the dealer was by work, and work is 30 min. from home. It took a bit of getting used to as well, since the turn in is so quick compared to anything else I've ridden. And I had to make adjustments to the bike right after the first ride to get it to fit me properly. The Ducati is the only bike I felt right at home riding out of the parking lot.
My first bike I used my brother's pickup to bring it home, then got on and rode it - March 12/94! Couldn't wait to get on it, but it had been a while since I'd been on a bike and I didn't want to contend with traffic while I learned the bike. I started mainly residential roads around home, and found it was about 500 km before I started feeling comfortable (one with the bike?). Second bike was the Trophy, and I rode it home. Still found about 500 km to get used to it - more power and weight, as well as more top heavy. Baby bike got trailered for convenience - the dealer was by work, and work is 30 min. from home. It took a bit of getting used to as well, since the turn in is so quick compared to anything else I've ridden. And I had to make adjustments to the bike right after the first ride to get it to fit me properly. The Ducati is the only bike I felt right at home riding out of the parking lot.
Grats on the new bike. Nice to see another fellow ninja 250 on the road.
I rode mine home with a buddy in cage blocking for me at the back. I felt so good arriving home and it sure was a confident booster.
Don't be afraid to ride it home. Just take it easy with the throttle and the brakes with the tires being new. Relax and enjoy. If you are leaving from kahuna, there are some long side streets around where you can practice a bit before heading home. Caution on picking up mid-week is that there's no real downtime with traffic on Steeles.
I got mine in April. Put on 3800km since then, with the first 2000 or so strictly city riding (no highway). The bad thing is it's a lot of clutch work riding with downtown traffic. The good news is it forces me to get comfy with shifting, riding friction zone and controlling throttle. I am taking some extra caution, some may say i'm over-doing it. But at the end, it is what I feel comfortable and it's me that's riding to my limit. My first highway experience (including country roads) was 3 weekends ago when me and my buddy got lost up north east in between Lake Scugog and Kawartha Lakes. Ran out of time and had to get home quick, so we took highway 35 south then 401 west and exited around Morningside. It was easier than I envisioned. All your training will come into play such as shoulder checks and being aware of what's around you. This morning (around 6am) I finally mustered up enough courage to take on the Gardiner and DVP. It's a breeze when there's almost no traffic
I'm glad I had to break-in the engine, and that time period kept me honest and allowed me to practice shifting all my gears. The 250 is really nimble. It'll treat you well as long as you treat it well. Ride your limit, not others.
p.s. Did you get frame sliders on the bike?
Have fun with your new toy and ride safe.
um im a complete newb...I dont even know what those are LOL.
I got one of my friends to get her boyfriend to agree to drive her van, rented a uhaul motorcycle trailer (hopefully it comes with tie downs but im also borrowing a "canyon dancer" harness (i have no clue he said its a good thing to use and I trust him lol)
I was gonna brave it out and attempt it but seeing a few posts saying they laid down the bike near steeles and sauga and misc areas id have to pass I chickened out.
Plus supposed to rain on wed
Hi unl33t,
I did take the course before getting my M2...I took it at sheridan 3 yrs ago. I still wouldnt feel comfortable driving it back in all actuality though
Oh I see. Yeah I was nervous, too. I would've made it home on my first day had I gone straight there. But I rode from Orangeville to Ajax and then was about to head back to Guelph when I smoked a curb.
IMO, since hindsight is 20/20 as the saying goes, starting on a cheap, used bike that doesn't cost you much when you drop it would be a good idea. But it's too late for that now anyway.
Yup. I tried to find somethin reasonable in the used section here, in Kijiji, Autotrader and craigslist as well as FB. lol everyone was asking ridiculous amounts for used + high mileage/ or dropped... for an extra 500 at least I know if I screw up what screwed up...though I am crossing my fingers that will not happen.
some practice laps around a parking lot then residential roads, before hitting main streets lol
LOL im riding it back (depending on the rain on wed) from the uhaul place Im picking up the trailer at to my dad's house... so if you see an incredibly slow rider on a 250...in the mississauga winston churchill and royal windsor area...sorry :S
Araqiels
Well-known member
Youre going to ride it eventually, right? Why wouldn't you just make a day of it, and ride it very slowly, you'll adapt to it before you got home.
I did that with my first bike, after having no riding experience other than my training course. I just took my time, rode it in the right lane at the speed limit, and I was fine. Why trailer it for a $100? You're going to have to learn to ride it at some point. Your driveway isn't exactly real world experience.
I did that with my first bike, after having no riding experience other than my training course. I just took my time, rode it in the right lane at the speed limit, and I was fine. Why trailer it for a $100? You're going to have to learn to ride it at some point. Your driveway isn't exactly real world experience.
Oh im not paying $100. trailer rental was $15 bucks lol. for that price, at least im not riding in the rain for the first time...that and steeles is a pretty brutal street to try and learn on.
Im going to start slow as I havent actually ridden outside of the motorcycle course. It might be a bit overly cautious but id rather that than injure myself or the bike
Araqiels
Well-known member
Makes sense. If it's that cheap to rent the trailer, and you don't feel good about riding it home, then do it up.
As for me, I was excited and couldn't wait till my bike was ready to pickup and I could ride it home. I took the longest route I could, and enjoyed every moment of it, even as insecure as I was about my ability to ride.
1. Rider-dependent. Some pick it up easy, some never do. What did you use to get your M2, and how did you find up- and down-shifting on that? That will give you a hint, but the rest depends on how much you remember from 2008.
2. What kind of highway? 401/427/403/QEW at rush hour or in heavy traffic? You might want to wait a bit until you have more seat time. Two-lane with gentle curves will be a lot easier than riding in town, so go do it right away.
3. See above. It doesn't sound like you have a lot of confidence. Kahuna to Mississauga could mean heavy surface street traffic or alternately, heavy expressway traffic, and both of them stop-and-go depending on time of day. If you have to go through heavy traffic or on busy 400-series highways, play it safe and trailer it until you have a better handle on your capabilities.
Sooo bike is now safe and sound at home! trailered it with friend's bf driving her van...thanks a lot to Rod from Kahuna for strapping my bike in for me...I know it wasnt part of his job but it was really nice...and the bike did not move AT ALL! which was a big sigh of relief!
All in all much cheaper to rent the $15 trailer and a thank you lunch to my friend and her BF lol.Pic below of my new ride...hopefully I wont abuse her too much LOL.
I am VERY glad I decided not to ride it home, to each their own and in terms of my confidence and skill level I dont think It would have been sufficient to drive home without damaging the bike! View attachment 25080
All in all much cheaper to rent the $15 trailer and a thank you lunch to my friend and her BF lol.Pic below of my new ride...hopefully I wont abuse her too much LOL.
I am VERY glad I decided not to ride it home, to each their own and in terms of my confidence and skill level I dont think It would have been sufficient to drive home without damaging the bike! View attachment 25080
That's what I did paid 100 to get it from kahuna to my house... I stalled my first bike easily and I got it after 2 weeks from the trainin course... Trust me u don't want to stall on the road when you're new... Talk about nerves
Glad to hear your bike got home safe and sound. Love that Kawi blue.
Don't forget to make sure that everything is tightened down. Some of the dealerships get in a rush and forget things. Nothing like having parts fall off on your first ride.
I've never had it happen, but better safe than sorry. Actually, I did have a shop forget to hook up the front brake to the brake light once.
I've never had it happen, but better safe than sorry. Actually, I did have a shop forget to hook up the front brake to the brake light once.
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