Most Important Things to Know For a Motorcycling n00b.

1. When you see an oncoming bike run wide in their corner and cross into your lane, assume they'll be followed by an equally unskilled riding buddy.

And hearty Fuck You to the dickface and his jackoff pal that demonstrated this for me today...

-AWolff

Once you pack for a long touring trip, through half of it away.

Learn to read a map, your gps may fail.

Leave your phone in the tankbag or topbox, you ride to get away from the world, screw bluetooth!

Listen to that little voice in your head that says "Look arround shit is about to happen"

Today is the best time for a ride, go for it.

Budman I don't agree with your comment about the phone.........
My Policy: If I'm riding alone that phone stays with me. Safely tucked away in a secure pocket ( NOT in a pocket where it might break a rib if I crash). But if I've got a buddy with me, then yes, that phone can go somewhere else on the bike.



Fido

Take a short 2-3 day trip first. Anything you don't use (except for the emergency TP) leave behind. You can always buy stuff on the road if you REALLY need it.

Hi, i've been riding only for 3 years, so i'm no veteran, but here are some tips i gathered so far:

1) Not slow either fast speeds are safe, most important thing is to ride fluently regardless to actual speed. It takes some time to learn how to ride smoothly, but its quite simple - try to use your bike as much as possible. Go that fast til you can mostly slow down to desired speed by downshifting and releasing throttle and use your acceleration to get out of curves.

2) Never trust anybody on the same road, anticipate worst situations and try to adjust your ride like if you were invisible.

3) Learn where your bike (or yours) limits are and always keep some reserve for situations when you really need to go that far.

4) Do not follow every advice others gave you, rely on yourself, follow your own mind and do not push things too hard.

5) Love your bike and treat her like she's living being.

Good luck on your journeys.

Naw, then your heart will get broken if ever have a getoff.

Treat it like it's your favorite toy - 'cuz it is!

if you ever have a self contained getoff its probably because your being stupid or shes mad at you, whenever you have random breakdowns like say your clutch snaps, its because shes mad at you:eek1 then you gotta push her all the way back to the barn. then you learn to take care of her so she doesn't fuck you over all the time........ or maybe just don't ride a 36 year old harley that likes to "protest" at the least convenient time...

My son started riding recently. I wrote up something along the lines of this thread for him.

http://caferacer99.blogspot.com/2011/12/you-want-to-start-riding-motorcycle.html

Many have spoken to almost all the things I could say so allow me to just reflect on two thoughts.
The first was a comment by my driving teacher in High school, I think it was '68 when he said "always look in the direction you are about to go." That has served me well on many occasions for many situations.
The second is something I learned on my own: Stay away from other vehicles. On a bike it can be difficult because people pull up behind you and it can become a game of tag with the idiots but so far I have managed to get away from everyone that has tried to box me in. One time I was in the middle lane passing a truck-trailer combo when a semi changed lanes from my left. I was able to white line it and get by the truck on my right but the drivers jaw was in his lap. People on the road travel in packs, try to stay between the pack.

just my two cents.

That's good stuff right there

When the going gets tight, - Look where you want to go, not at the stuff you want to miss.
When the riding surface offers lower traction - A tire slowing down will grab traction quicker than a tire speeding up.
In general - Quoting 38 Special here - "Hold on loosely, but don't let go!"

Thanks!

This. Like all crashes, my recent state highway get-off was caused by many factors. But just being fully there mentally probably could have saved my R80.

Also, headphones aren't for everyone. Just because all your buddies listen to music, doesn't mean you need to. As much as I love music, it interferes with my focus.

Just assume people in cars are stupid..and be prepared everytime you come up to a crossing even if you have right of way. Some people will even look in your direction, and STILL drive out right on front of you.. probably because they have filtered out motorcycles in their brains when driving around on their sunday tour..and don't se you even if they are looking right at you

My only big get-off was (a) close to home, (b) when it had just started raining, (c) after I'd been riding for six months and was feeling cocky, (d) after I hadn't ridden for a week, (e) going over 30, (f) early in the morning, (g) on a cold bike and road, (h) as I was driving between two metal rails embedded in the road, (i) looking down at a rail and thinking "Hmm, better avoid that". Of course, I steered towards the rail and got a really close look at it.

Afterwards, I remembered someone telling me what Jaz mentioned: most accidents are the result of a combination of factors. So now, as I ride, I try to keep mentally adding up the risks. If my checklist gets to more than one or two long, I assume things are about to get hairy, and I pay extra attention to my riding.

Doing the TAT last year, I was going into a corner and did my quick mental checklist: (a) poor road surface (dirt), (b) Using traction for braking, (c) Using traction for cornering, (d) Low visibility. I didn't get any further. I shifted my weight to the pegs, relaxed my arms, just as I saw a horse and rider... and another. And a third. A posse of pack ponies! I had no choice but to come to a complete halt. On a corner. Going over 30 in dirt. Breaking hard. I skidded. But I stayed on the bike. Riding is never safe. And I'm still a noob. But I'm convinced that developing my little risk checklist saved me on that occasion.

Of course, none of that helped while I was hopping logs in the forest three weeks back. Landed on my *other* shoulder and got another really close inspection of the ground. Note to self: add to risk list (a) approaching a log with moss on the top, (b) not at right angles to log.

As always, I urge you to simplify rules.

There. Simplified, and still works.

There will be no warning of terrain or condition changes.
As a long time off road racer I have been to plenty of per race meetings and explained course markers to plenty of beginners. Three arrows means slow down for something big but markers get knocked down, not everything is marked and the course changes constantly.
Mike

Agreed, the assumption that only cars don't see you is naive. I've seen (and almost been hit by) a few stupid riders as well.

The same stupid people who drive cars are also allowed to ride motorcycles.

And ride bicycles and drive semis and ride skateboards and rollerblades and scooters and delivery trucks and tractors and ATVs and even city lawnmowers....

The morons texting and walking can jack you up too.
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