You're going to crash.
It WILL happen.
So keeping that in mind - dress appropriately, and ride defensively.
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Any Motorcycle Riders? Advice for a Newbie?
- Thread starter greekorican
- Start date
You're going to crash.
It WILL happen.
So keeping that in mind - dress appropriately, and ride defensively.
This is true. Everybody who rides goes down. If they tell you otherwise they either don't ride or are lying.
A good friend of mine who's been riding for over 50 years, just dropped his big Honda on his deep sandy road a few nights ago. He was only going about 10 MPH but still managed to rack himself up pretty good. Everytime I ride down that road it's a challenge just to stay up. Maybe now he'll get the damn thing paved
I wear a full face helmet but I also wear a half helmet during the really hot months here in Florida. Our police riders have weathered the half helmets rather well over the years. Are they as good as a full face, no. Wearing a full face, in the summer months here on an air cooled bike is not and option
Then you need a full face with better ventilation. I'm riding in the Texas heat with a full face and have absolutely no problem, also on an air cooled bike.
My helmet choices are limited as I wear a 3XL. Even some that are marked 3XL are too small. I look at helmets often trying to find a better, more ventilated one. I'd spend a thousand dollars if I could find one. If I had a head the size of an Italian MotoGP rider on my shoulders, it would look funny
My helmet choices are limited as I wear a 3XL. Even some that are marked 3XL are too small. I look at helmets often trying to find a better, more ventilated one. I'd spend a thousand dollars if I could find one. If I had a head the size of an Italian MotoGP rider on my shoulders, it would look funny
That's a big head you got there. I wear an XL in Shoei's sizes, but you're right, helmets that size are rather limited. Shoei and Arai make up to a 2XL and the good thing is all the cushions inside the helmet are replaceable with thinner ones to provide a better fit. Have you looked into maybe the Arai Corsair, if money isn't a problem?
I've never been able to fit into any Arai models in 2X
AGV had a new large one out now. I'll have to check them out. No matter how good the ventilation is, the inside is going to be constantly sweaty and nasty during the hot months. If I buy one, I'll be buying several sets of pads at the same time.Invalid Link Removed
Yeah, I'm a fair weather rider, but comfort is only part of the reason. The other part? I hate cleaning my bike.
+1 on classes
+1 on full gear (qualifier to follow)
-1 on expensive
So on the full helmet thing, it is by FAR the best idea. Talking to EMTs, if you go over the front which is not uncommon, your chin is likely to be the first thing hitting the grown. I could go on, but if you have an imagination... That being said, full face helmets DO rob a lot of the fun of riding. They become a "cage" of their own if you will. So I do have a 3/4 helmet that I use if I'm not going on the interstate, (Bugs, rocks, and gravel at 80mph do not feel good.) and its one of those days I just can't bring myself to wear the cage. My reasoning is it is STILL way better than wearing no helmet which is a legal option in Colorado.
Now on to expense especially when it comes to helmets. Totally disagree. Once you get DOT safety approval which can include some very inexpensive helmets, its all about fit and comfort, fit being tantamount. Heads come in different shapes. Helmets come in different shapes. You need the shapes to match. I can't wear a $500 Arai helmet because they are simply the wrong shape for me. On the other hand, sub $100 HJC helmets fit me wonderfully. Same thing with leathers. Its the thickness of the leather particularly in places like elbows that are important. You can find inexpensive but thick leather jackets, etc. and expensive thin ones.
Finally, for a bass player, hands are awfully important. Just saying. In terms of boots, you should at least cover your ankles but longer boots do save your legs from burns as my son figure out just recently.
+1 on full gear (qualifier to follow)
-1 on expensive
So on the full helmet thing, it is by FAR the best idea. Talking to EMTs, if you go over the front which is not uncommon, your chin is likely to be the first thing hitting the grown. I could go on, but if you have an imagination... That being said, full face helmets DO rob a lot of the fun of riding. They become a "cage" of their own if you will. So I do have a 3/4 helmet that I use if I'm not going on the interstate, (Bugs, rocks, and gravel at 80mph do not feel good.) and its one of those days I just can't bring myself to wear the cage. My reasoning is it is STILL way better than wearing no helmet which is a legal option in Colorado.
Now on to expense especially when it comes to helmets. Totally disagree. Once you get DOT safety approval which can include some very inexpensive helmets, its all about fit and comfort, fit being tantamount. Heads come in different shapes. Helmets come in different shapes. You need the shapes to match. I can't wear a $500 Arai helmet because they are simply the wrong shape for me. On the other hand, sub $100 HJC helmets fit me wonderfully. Same thing with leathers. Its the thickness of the leather particularly in places like elbows that are important. You can find inexpensive but thick leather jackets, etc. and expensive thin ones.
Finally, for a bass player, hands are awfully important. Just saying. In terms of boots, you should at least cover your ankles but longer boots do save your legs from burns as my son figure out just recently.
The MSF courses are great for awareness of road dangers, and a basic introduction to riding. However, if you really want to learn how to be in control under any circumstance, the best possible experience you can get is by riding off-road. If you can afford it, American Supercamp is a great place to try this out.
The posters above have pounded pretty heavily on the dangers presented by other car drivers, which is a legitimate danger. Some statistical reports like the Hurt report suggest that this is the largest danger that road riders face. Unfortunately, that doesn't reflect reality. I worked in the motorcycle industry for 12 years, and by a very large margin, the most common cause of road crashes is rider error. Many riders don't want to admit this, but it is an ironclad fact. Proper training, and simply paying attention to what you are doing will prevent many mishaps.
Learn to use the front brake properly - it is the source of 75%+ of your stopping power. It can be your best friend or your worst enemy, and which one of those it is is entirely up to your skill level.
+1 to all the comments about full-face helmets. One other thing to look for in your non-helmet gear is proper armor, preferably CE approved or equivalent. Impact injuries are just as common, and much more serious than road rash. Leather by itself does nothing to protect from impact injuries.
Be wary of group riding and the dangers it presents. Putting riders with vastly different skill levels together in a potentially competitive environment can be very dangerous.
If you really care for your bike, don't let just anyone else ride it. I have heard an incalculable number of sob stories that start with "my buddy was over, and asked me if he could ride my bike..."
The posters above have pounded pretty heavily on the dangers presented by other car drivers, which is a legitimate danger. Some statistical reports like the Hurt report suggest that this is the largest danger that road riders face. Unfortunately, that doesn't reflect reality. I worked in the motorcycle industry for 12 years, and by a very large margin, the most common cause of road crashes is rider error. Many riders don't want to admit this, but it is an ironclad fact. Proper training, and simply paying attention to what you are doing will prevent many mishaps.
Learn to use the front brake properly - it is the source of 75%+ of your stopping power. It can be your best friend or your worst enemy, and which one of those it is is entirely up to your skill level.
+1 to all the comments about full-face helmets. One other thing to look for in your non-helmet gear is proper armor, preferably CE approved or equivalent. Impact injuries are just as common, and much more serious than road rash. Leather by itself does nothing to protect from impact injuries.
Be wary of group riding and the dangers it presents. Putting riders with vastly different skill levels together in a potentially competitive environment can be very dangerous.
If you really care for your bike, don't let just anyone else ride it. I have heard an incalculable number of sob stories that start with "my buddy was over, and asked me if he could ride my bike..."
I'll chip in again now that other folks have added some great advice.
+1 on learning to use the front brake properly
In the UK, the biggest cause of major injury or fatality due to rider error is running wide on a left hand curve into the path of other traffic (this will translate into right hand turns for those of you who drive on the wrong side of the road). There are a few ways to minimise the chances of this.
1) Don't 'charge' at corners. Aim to arrive at the turn in point at the right speed - having done all your braking and gearchanging in a straight line while the bike is still upright. Remember that the bike won't turn as easily while you are still on the brakes and although trail braking up to the apex of the turn is a technique that racers use, they're generally riding gods and the likes of you and me will more likely just wash the front wheel out from underneath us.
2) Slow in, Fast(er) out. Closely related to the above it's better to enter a turn relatively slowly and, from the moment you've started the turn, start to apply the gas gently and progressively to accelerate through the turn. Difficult to explain in a sentence but doing this properly will make the bike much more stable in the turn - caveat: this does not mean grabbing a big handful of gas, just progressive application will do.
3) You go where you look. Despite both of the above, even the most experienced ride may find themselves fooled by a turn that is decreasing radius and tightens up. We'll all find ourselves going in a bit too hot from time to time. Target fixation is your enemy here. It's all too easy to feel that you're running out of road and fixate on the rapidly diminishing space on the outside of the turn and as if by magic you will go there. Fortunately the same is true if you keep looking firmly at the exit of the turn, you will go there as if by magic.
4) The bike is better than you are. Closely related to the above, if you do go into a turn too hot, it's easy to get into the 'OMG I'll never make the turn' mode of thinking. In a panic, the rider sits the bike up and spears straight on in a self fulfilling prophecy kind of way (complete with whoosh lines). Better to give it a go - look where you want to go, crank the bike over harder than you thought you could and it's almost certain that the bike will go round. Almost all modern bikes on modern rubber will corner faster than even the most foolhardy rider think it can - the worst that could happen is that the bike may loose traction and dump you on the wrong side of the road, but this is far less likely than the certainty of this happening if the rider decides to bail out of the turn and run wide.
+1 on learning to use the front brake properly
In the UK, the biggest cause of major injury or fatality due to rider error is running wide on a left hand curve into the path of other traffic (this will translate into right hand turns for those of you who drive on the wrong side of the road). There are a few ways to minimise the chances of this.
1) Don't 'charge' at corners. Aim to arrive at the turn in point at the right speed - having done all your braking and gearchanging in a straight line while the bike is still upright. Remember that the bike won't turn as easily while you are still on the brakes and although trail braking up to the apex of the turn is a technique that racers use, they're generally riding gods and the likes of you and me will more likely just wash the front wheel out from underneath us.
2) Slow in, Fast(er) out. Closely related to the above it's better to enter a turn relatively slowly and, from the moment you've started the turn, start to apply the gas gently and progressively to accelerate through the turn. Difficult to explain in a sentence but doing this properly will make the bike much more stable in the turn - caveat: this does not mean grabbing a big handful of gas, just progressive application will do.
3) You go where you look. Despite both of the above, even the most experienced ride may find themselves fooled by a turn that is decreasing radius and tightens up. We'll all find ourselves going in a bit too hot from time to time. Target fixation is your enemy here. It's all too easy to feel that you're running out of road and fixate on the rapidly diminishing space on the outside of the turn and as if by magic you will go there. Fortunately the same is true if you keep looking firmly at the exit of the turn, you will go there as if by magic.
4) The bike is better than you are. Closely related to the above, if you do go into a turn too hot, it's easy to get into the 'OMG I'll never make the turn' mode of thinking. In a panic, the rider sits the bike up and spears straight on in a self fulfilling prophecy kind of way (complete with whoosh lines). Better to give it a go - look where you want to go, crank the bike over harder than you thought you could and it's almost certain that the bike will go round. Almost all modern bikes on modern rubber will corner faster than even the most foolhardy rider think it can - the worst that could happen is that the bike may loose traction and dump you on the wrong side of the road, but this is far less likely than the certainty of this happening if the rider decides to bail out of the turn and run wide.
I haven't read all the posts so this may be a repeat BUT...
The most important advice I can give you is : LEARN COUNTERSTEERING!!! The only way to get out of the way of anything IN A HURRY is to get the bike leaning over - QUICKLY. Thats What My advice is all about. It may save your ass !
B.
The most important advice I can give you is : LEARN COUNTERSTEERING!!! The only way to get out of the way of anything IN A HURRY is to get the bike leaning over - QUICKLY. Thats What My advice is all about. It may save your ass !
B.
I have only been riding in a straight line, getting used to the clutch, shifting, braking, etc. I did get on my bicycle and try to break down countersteering. I think it is mostly instinctual, but I can't seem to get the bicycle to lean over very far. I've heard that you can't be afraid to lean the bike over, so thats something I've gotta practice.
I find whats really giving me trouble is the clutch, mostly when taking off. Shifting to 2nd was easy, though it could be smoother. I really wish I had learned to drive a stick shift before this. I'm going to try to get my friend to teach me in his car. The lurching is what really makes me uncomfortable, and I think a car is a much more comfortable environment to learn the manual transmission.
Glad to hear you take the countersteering seriously. It really could be a life saver! I wish I could say that I'm not trying to scare you - but I AM ! This is very serious stuff. I'm talking from experience. Bikes are such a rush that it's easy to lose your head when riding. (figuratively & literally). You are absolutely right - it's scary to push left when you want to go right. The bike weighs so much that it's not easy to throw around & leaning that sucker over quickly is scary stuff, especially at higher speed. A little goes a long way w/ this maneuver. Keep in mind that once the bike starts to fall over you gotta get it back up & going opposite all in the same split second. The LAST thing you wanna do at HIGH speed is turn the handle bar, so pay attention to the road at all times. Take it SLOW & GRADUAL. IT'll get better I promise you. A bicycle won't REACT like a motorcycle even though the principle is the same. If you can borrow a dirt bike & practice off road, it'll take some of the fear factor out of it for you.
Re. clutch engagement : Don't sweat it bro - pretty soon you'll wonder what all the fuss was about.
B.
PS: If you stay aware & give yourself plenty of room in front of you on the road, you'll take the enjoyment of motorcycle riding to a new level. ENJOY !
I've been meaning to post my $0.02.
1. Use the horn liberally. If you think someone is unaware of where you are honk and wave. You've got helmet on and they'll think should know you. Now you've got their attention.
2. Lights where you have the green and no one is stopped at the cross light. Much easier for someone pre-occupied to run a red light when there's no one stopped in front of them.
3. As you become a better rider remember the throttle is your friend. When in doubt roll on the gas. The bike is more stable when on the gas than when on the brakes.
ymmv not valid in California.
1. Use the horn liberally. If you think someone is unaware of where you are honk and wave. You've got helmet on and they'll think should know you. Now you've got their attention.
2. Lights where you have the green and no one is stopped at the cross light. Much easier for someone pre-occupied to run a red light when there's no one stopped in front of them.
3. As you become a better rider remember the throttle is your friend. When in doubt roll on the gas. The bike is more stable when on the gas than when on the brakes.
ymmv not valid in California.
without knowing how old you are and where you are, it's hard to give any practical advice. Everything so far has been very good.
Blanket advice for all young beginners is to get a small dual sport and crash a lot on the nice soft ground and get it out of your system before you crash on the very hard pavement.
Better to go a little too fast on the dirt and crack a rib or break an ankle and finally learn your limitations, than snap your spine on the pave or T-bone into some granny.
Blanket advice for all young beginners is to get a small dual sport and crash a lot on the nice soft ground and get it out of your system before you crash on the very hard pavement.
Better to go a little too fast on the dirt and crack a rib or break an ankle and finally learn your limitations, than snap your spine on the pave or T-bone into some granny.
In your flat driveway or parking lot you can practice this.....with the engine running,(do not use the throttle),keeping your feet planted firmly on the ground, let the clutch out VERY slow.do not use the throttle..when you feel it "grab" and the bike moves forward,squeez it back in....to create a rocking motion back and forth..you should only be moving a few inches forward( 6-8 in. at most)...repeat this process over and over and over and over..rocking forward and back.....its called finding the "friction zone"...do not use the throttle...don't worry about stalling the engine you can re-start it..(although it should'nt stall)...once you are comfortable with the friction zone,try going in a straight line by finding the "zone" and applying a LITTLE BIT of throttle when the clutch starts to grab...always take off in a straight line(even if its just a few feet)then make your turn,keeping your head up,looking where you want to go..DON'T LOOK DOWN..you steer the bike as much with your head and eyes as you do with your hands. if you look down,I think you know where you're gonna go
.....this little piece of info is just one of the many things you will learn at the MSF class.(along with proper steering tecnique)...TAKE THE MSF CLASS !!!!..I'm sure your parents wont mind paying the fee to keep their kid safe(if your a minor)
...taking the class not only gives YOU the skills to ride safe but,it will help to keep EVERYONE ELSE on the road a little safer too...sorry if I sound like I'm lecturing you but,this should be taken seriously...don't become a statistic,we do not want to read about you in the newspaper.......now comes the slap on the butt...have fun...
