Most Important Things to Know For a Motorcycling n00b.

[blacktruck]

Don't use the excuse that it will save money to buy a bike. Been said before but every vehicle has costs involved . What you may save in fill ups for the cage you will spend on farkles or extra trips or gear for yourself. Buy a bike because you want to ride and enjoy the trips . Be upfront and say that's why you have a bike. If you do save some money along the way, then good for you but you probably didn't offset the cost of replacing the cage yet. My guess is that most here haven't saved that much, we've just had a better time of spending what we have. If you're down to counting the nickels when you fill up, you might want to rethink leaving home.

[Racersteve]

Driving at night is way more dangerous. Watch the light patch underneath the car in front of you to be sure he's not driving over something that will take you down.

[Aussijussi]

I drive on icy roads every day, for six month's of the year, studded tyre's for cars are compulsory here from november to april. Don't actually know what the law is for bike's, studded tyre's or not. Wouldn't make much difference though, you never see anyone riding a motorcycle here during the winter month's, it's just too risky.
What i'm getting at is, don't ride on icy road's if you don't absolutely need to, gettin caught in a snow storm, rather seek shelter if you can, instead of riding thru. Icy road is ten times as slippery as wet clay or grass.
This might be 205, but it could help some noob, who is contemplating a ride in the snow, think again!

[eap]

Originally Posted by dwoodward

TURN YOUR HEAD
A lot of riders- new, old, in between, get lazy with the neck and just track the line with their eyes. If they get distracted, they have to work to reacquire the target. Turn your head so your nose points where you want to go, then if you glance away (was that a deer?) SNIP...

THIS! Keep the neck warm and covered to avoid air leaks when it is chilly so as not to discourage turning the head. Exercise the neck to keep a good rotation - 60 to 80 degrees - that is rotate head from chin pointed straight ahead left or right until chin is almost parralel with shoulder. A chiropractor can help increase your rotation and decrease your pain. A ttube neck gaiter works well - I like a plain Silk/poly neck gaiter.

Use frequent head checks and don't rely solely on your mirrors changing lanes etc....

[easyrider88]

wish somebody would have said youll get addicted to riding so dont start.im 60 years old.its been 43 years and 13 bikes.im a motorcycle addict.i hate driving a car.

[DAKEZ]

^^^ +1 ^^^

[JacqueTanis]

Originally Posted by MotoMusicMark

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)

When you stop make sure to keep your bike on center or it will start to tip and if you are a 59 year old grandma whoes bike weighs much, much more than you ... it will keep tipping until it actually falls over because you will not able to hold it up and once down, you will have to pray there is a strong man behind you who when he get's done laughing will to pick it up and get you back on your way ... or you're pretty much stuck where you landed until one comes along!

[LuciferMutt]

Originally Posted by JacqueTanis

When you stop make sure to keep your bike on center or it will start to tip and if you are a 59 year old grandma whoes bike weighs much, much more than you ... it will keep tipping until it actually falls over because you will not able to hold it up and once down, you will have to pray there is a strong man behind you who when he get's done laughing will to pick it up and get you back on your way ... or you're pretty much stuck where you landed until one comes along!

Thanks for sharing that! Good on you for riding!

[E.O.T.D.]

My 2cents (from about 26 years of riding and years of road racing)
** If i'm repeating anything already said then good. It needs to be repeated.

1. RIDE SMOOTHLY! NEVER NEVER NEVER try to "go fast" or " be fast". You MUST work at being SMOOTH first, and fast will eventually just happen (safely). Smooth is always first. If fast is first you will crash. Anyone can go fast until they crash. Smooth is safe, but will turn into fast. If you can't transition between throttle and brakes, shifts, or even just cornering without being smooth, slow down. It will come.
One of the biggest compliments I have received was during a weekend ride with some good (and pretty fast) friends. My friend (who has hit the ground more than myself) had his girlfriend with him and wanted to get some "fast" time in so she rode with me for a bit. I didn't keep up with him (precious cargo) but was going at a pretty good clip and when she got off she looked at me and said, "Is your bike nicer than his?" I said no and when I asked why she said, "I couldn't feel everything as much as with him, it was a lot smoother and more comfortable!" That made me smile and I said maaaybe she shouldn't mention that to him.

You will probably fall off at some point but why not delay it as long as you can!

2. PLEASE ride in the dirt. Before you spend time on the street if possible. You WILL fall in the dirt, but that is how you learn the bike control that will later save your life on the street when you need it most. There is a difference between how you control the same bike on the tarmac and on the dirt, with experience it will come naturally.
ex... On the street, your braking power is in the front wheel. In the dirt, your braking power is in the rear wheel. Learn to use a combination of the two and when to use each.

3. There is (almost) no such thing as a person with faster than usual reaction time, there IS however people who have learned to have great situational awareness and can THINK WAY AHEAD. They are more than a few steps ahead which frees up brain power in case you do have to react to something. When you do have to "react" quickly it needs to just happen. You don't have time to think. That's where #2 comes into play.

4. Respect the motorcycle. Even a little healthy fear of it is good. There's a reason why I (and seemingly many motorcyclists) get hurt on scooters. When I get on one I will admit to my detriment that I lose all respect for the little machine and flog it until it bites me back. I'm sure many inmates are guilty of this same thing.

5. Learn to communicate with the bike, or at least listen to it. It's not your wife, listen to it carefully. She'll tell you what you really need to know. When your doing it right, it should almost feel as if your dancing with it, not fighting it.

6. practice and have fun.

[BCKRider]

After a 5 day trip from my home in B.C. through Washington, Montana, Idaho and back I could say there wasn't a single scary moment until I hit the road which in two miles would put me in my driveway. The road which had been blacktop in need of repair when I left was now now flatly rolled gravel. No warning signs. I stopped, considered making a 6-8 mile detour which would have kept me on pavement, then thought "hell, the bike is already dirty, so what is a little more dirt?"

I hadn't gone 6 feet on this gravel surface and I knew I was in trouble. The tires immediately dropped in several inches and I knew my only hope of not dropping the bike was keeping the power on in first gear. Somehow I made it through to pavement several hundred yards later; not able to see a thing as my sweat had totally fogged up the face shield!

Of course what I SHOULD HAVE DONE was park the bike and walk a few steps in this gravel. That would have told the tale of just how soft this surface was.

Another time I asked a very experienced riding friend how his right saddle bag got so dinged up. He had ridden into a gravel parking lot, put his right foot down, and his foot just kept sinking into the gravel until he couldn't hold the bike up.

Might be a good idea to park the bike and walk into questionable surfaces. Of course that is only for wimps who don't want to add to these sort of stories.

[framebinder]

Been riding off and on for years and I'm finding lots of useful tips here. Some, though, not so much. Use your head.

Thanks

[Cobain]

Pin it to win it.

[beachmike1]

1. LEARN SMOOTH.
2. RIDE YOUR OWN RIDE.
3. AVOID GROUP RIDES (See 1 and 2).
4. DRESS FOR THE ACCIDENT..(Full Armor "Bounce outfit, Helmet ..full face as i like my full face, Good Armor , Good Riding suit)
5. Raceing is for the racetrack...not the desert, not trails nor the road.
6. Trix is a breafast cereal..not something to do on a motorcycle..
7. Beer does NOT mix with Bikes..of any sort.
8. NOBODY has sympathy for a dmaged motorcyclist...break your leg skiing..the chicks swoon..break your leg riding..you are deemed an idiot.
9. FEW Accidents are accidents..in general thier is a chain of events leading to an "accident" break the chain..the accident does not happen.
10. Do not ride tired cold or hungry...dress right...snooze if you need to..keep a snack in a pocket.
12. DRINK WATER.

[Principiante]

Although I've been riding quite a while, I started late in life. My sign in name "Principiante" means beginner in Italiano. I still approach riding that way.

When you start this sport you realize that it costs a lot of money. That money can go to a lot of places, the bike (which is where we like to place our bucks), gear, travel, or God forbid, the hospital. My advice is to spend at least as much money on lessons from a Pro as you spent for your bike. It's the best insurance you can buy, it's tons of fun and your can learn more in a day than you can learn in a year working on your own.

My recommendation is Yamaha Champions Riding School. I have spent quite a few days with these guys. Just finished two days at Laguna Seca. What a blast. The things you learn will take all the 'scary' out of being a beginner. Google them.

[Craneguy]

Originally Posted by Principiante

My advice is to spend at least as much money on lessons from a Pro as you spent for your bike...

What the heck do you ride, a 10 year old Vespa? Training is good, but I think you're a little off on your economics. Try getting a GSA rider to spend 20k on lessons!