Most Important Things to Know For a Motorcycling n00b.

I'm doing some research on what would be more helpful to know at a person’s start in motorcycling versus learning it over years in the "school of hard knocks".

Things like..."Don't transport a bike on the centerstand. It might break the frame". or "Standing up on the pegs or at least putting more pressure on them makes the bike less top heavy and better to control at low speed".

Could you help my research by answering the following question...”What did you wish someone told you about motorcycling when you first started out?”

Thanks. Mark Tillack
Brinkhaven, OH(USA)

Be very careful about overtorquing bolts threaded into aluminum castings on motorcycles. Best to back off a bit from recommended torques a bit. Motorcycle bolts and castings tend to need much lower torques than automotive stuff.

Things like..."Standing up on the pegs or at least putting more pressure on them makes the bike less top heavy and better to control at low speed".

this is simply untrue -- raising up on the pegs will elevated the center of mass of the bike/rider combination.


To add to this thread, "Just because you know HOW to do something, you shouldn't necessarily do it."

This will help you avoid rebuilding carbs at night in the rain in a vain attempt to cure the out of fuel condition in which you find yourself.

I have no answer for you as I do not remember starting. It is like asking me the same about walking.

Who remembers such things?

I know others started later in life so I look forward to see how this thread develops.

Welcome to the asylum n00b.

"It's not the bike, it's the rider"

and "Bigger is not always better"

Too many people think they need a bigger, better faster, etc bike. I started on a small, old bike because I couldn't afford anything more. Eventually, when I could afford it, I got one of the fastest bikes available at the time, a Yamaha FJ1100. It only took a few rides with a bunch of old geezers on their old BMWs to show me that It's not the bike, it's the rider that counts (Yeah, they left me in the dust). When I moved "down" to an EX500, I got a lot faster and had more fun.

I wish someone had told me how addicitive it was.



Wouldn't have changed anything for me, I just could have better prepared others in my life for it.

I'll drink to those 2 up there ^

Plus; Ride your own ride. Never try to keep up with anyone.

Especially relevant to the ATGATT folks; No matter what you wear- you are invisible. Most drivers don't see you and they're happy that way until you scratch their paint. Never expect a car to do the rational or predictable thing. Never never never.

I did hear this one the very first day I rode from my dad who was once a CHP motor officer:

There are old riders and bold riders. There are no old bold riders.

A lot of kids around here need to know that.

The bike is better than you are. When you think you've come into a turn too hot, do not chop the throttle, keep it constant and look through the turn.

You're most dangerous to yourself when you think you've mastered motorcycling. This can lead to complacency and bite you. This is an issue for noobs in the 6-12 monnth experience range. There is always room to improve your riding.

Look through the corners, not right in front of you.

This thread is still young, so this hasn't been said before. If I could do it all over again, I wish someone would say to me:

Learn how to ride in the dirt, not on the street

That one always bothred me. As a person growing up in big cities, I never saw a dirt bike and certainly never heard of anywhere to ride one. Maybe things are different now, but if you live in a city- not everyone can afford a dirt bike AND a pick-up.

Keep clear of the hot exhaust pipes!

I still have vestiges of a scar 42 years later, where my Honda minitrail fell on me.
And of course watch out for sudden stops with stationary objects (big logs, tree stumps).

DONT crash your bike.


It seems stupid but some people specially in cars seems to not care if they risk a turn and crash their vehicle. In a bike it is very important to be extra carefull because any crash could mean a serious injury wether you are wearing gear or not.

If you can do that then everything is fun and games

You go where you look, so look at where you want to go, not at what you want to avoid.


This still catches me out on occasion. Target fixation is powerful.

The last thing my driving instructor told me when he dropped me home after my (car) licence test several decades ago went something along the lines of:

"If you cannot see that it is definitely clear to go, DO NOT GO".

You are not looking to "see if any cars are coming", as we've all heard mothers say to their young children.

You are looking to "make sure that NOTHING is coming".


Also, I have had a single nasty burn to my right arm from every bike I have ever owned except my new Super Sherpa.

I paid someone else to change the oil on the Sherpa - all the others I leant on the exhaust pipe at some time or another when removing the drain plug or filter. None of them ever got me twice.

I burnt my forearm twice when trying to rotate my rear wheel to lube the chain, i still feel like an idiot about that and it may happen again

So another advice is never try to do something in a hurry unless you like scars

Never outride your sight distance; be able to stop on the road you can see, even if you've been on the same road a thousand times.

Never accelerate into a situation that looks out of the ordinary for any reason. As a matter of fact, when approaching a situation that looks strange (car parked on the shoulder, people near the road, etc) it's a damn good idea to drop 10 MPH from your speed if it is safe to do so.

Trust your gut.

Learn how to brake hard and practice it at least once a season, preferably more.

On the subject of braking i found in my experience that if you always use a proper braking technique (i.e. that is effective) it always pay up when you have to actually brake hard in an emergency, i sometimes surprised myself how well i reacted but i know it was because no matter how slight the braking i always press my legs, relax my arms to keep my ability to manouver, dont put to much stress on the brakes, etc.

Million things, well nearly, lot of really good advise in the post's before,staying focused,slow into curve's, fast out, learn to counter steer,if you havent allready,have a few goe's at the local track if possible, i went to a defenssive riding course, which was really worth it. One more thing somebody mentioned before but i'll say it again, dont try to stay with faster more experienced riders, plenty of time for that later, good luck, this is the best pastime in the world, par none,well maybe skiing.