First Ride

Well, I finished my first day of the MSF Basic Rider course. So far VERY happy, having a ton of fun. Learning some good skills and habits. Happy to see some good habits from driving transferring over (I think I look around more and spot farther ahead than most people in the class). Also quickly correcting a few basic mistakes (not keeping my right fingers on the front brake when cruising, which changes how I use the throttle a bit... being less abrupt with my 1-2 upshift). Weaving is fun.

Really looking forward to tomorrow.

I am getting addicted, I'm already fantasizing about what bike I would want to get once I've outgrown the 250 (Triumphs get me excited; I like the style of the Street and Speed Triple or maybe Thruxton).

Yup. There's a reason it 6 degrees here and all I'm thinking about is riding.

It's really remarkable how a few hours of coached riding improves you. It continues for as long as you ride. Very worthwhile even years from now when you're very experienced. And especially when you get a new to you bike.

Congrats on being man enough to take the course, and for learning and enjoying it.

hey im taking the course next weekend im so stoked and i should be picking up an 81 kawi 550 ltd. i cant wait till i start riding

Glad to hear you're having fun.

Appleseed wrote: Yup. There's a reason it 6 degrees here and all I'm thinking about is riding.

It's 10 degrees here, and I'm suffering from PMS, too.

foxtrapper wrote: It's really remarkable how a few hours of coached riding improves you. It continues for as long as you ride. Very worthwhile even years from now when you're very experienced. And especially when you get a new to you bike. Congrats on being man enough to take the course, and for learning and enjoying it.

Oh yes. Definitely great. I did well in the class and the evaluations too. Although I would have done better on the riding test if I'd taken it a bit earlier. I think I was getting fatigued. We were practicing the the U-Turn exercise, and after I had been getting it right a bunch of times, I started screwing it up and completely blew the second half on the eval. That's the only thing I messed up on.

I definitely want to put the skills into practice on the street for a while. I would be interested in the Advanced Rider Course in another year or two.

Riding a bike makes you a much better driver as well. I scan more and notice much more than I did before I was a biker.

In reply to pinchvalve:

I've noticed that, too.

Even by blowing part of the course, you learned something: don't ride tired.

Appleseed wrote: Even by blowing part of the course, you learned something: don't ride tired.

Yup. When you start making mistakes on things that were cimfortable before, it is time to take a break. Also if you start getting too warm, shed layers.

Class Pic of Beer Baron!

In reply to foxtrapper:

Dude, I wish I had a suit was that nice!

I wish that I could still bend like that!

I've been poking my head in the couple bike shops in this tiny town. One focuses on off-road stuff, the other is a nice custom Harley place. Owner of the later was really nice and informed me that he teaches people how to ride. He's big on learning how to brake. Said he'd be happy to teach me and to stop in more later.

He seems convinced that he'll be able to convert me to wanting to ride a Harley Sportster. I suspect it won't be quite my style of choice, but welcome the opportunity to try out as many different bikes and configurations as I can.

Not all Harley guys are jerks. If he's willing to help you learn to ride better, take advantage of it.

Harley does make various types of bikes. From the Vrod to the soft-tails, Sportsters to the big glides.

foxtrapper wrote: Not all Harley guys are jerks. If he's willing to help you learn to ride better, take advantage of it. Harley does make various types of bikes. From the Vrod to the soft-tails, Sportsters to the big glides.

And they used to assist some really cool Buells and Agustas

On summers days I love to get up with the sun and ride into the country. I love the smell of fresh dew and being alone out in the middle of nowhere - plus the cagers won't start trying to kill you for atleast an hour. It is just the hungover roughnecks heading to the drill sites in massive diesel trucks at 2x the posted limit you have to dodge around here.

That 250 will seem dangerously slow once you get used to the sensation of speed and "nakedness". I like to be able to GTFO of situations in double express time and sometimes blasting thru a problem is safer than trying to stop in front of it.

Do take an MSF and watch those LEFT TURNS. My number one "Keep alive" is to use cars as shields. Whenever possible tuck in behind the driver's quarter panel of a car turning left. If you have to be exposed, be quick about it. When stopping for a light or stop sign slide up next to them or put yourself in a position to do so instantly such that the guy who does not stop hits them instead of you. Again, if you are naked there, get on with it. Angle yourself slightly so you can throttle to the side exit if you see danger approaching from the rear. Make sure you didn't stop on the oil that collects in front of any place cars stop. Anticipation is your friend. Just like when racing a car... all the scenarios need to play out in your head in realtime.

Giant Purple Snorklewacker wrote: Whenever possible tuck in behind the driver's quarter panel of a car turning left.

If I'm understanding you correctly, I've had two friends die from that thinking, when the car suddenly turned the other way instead.

Cars can be a semi-usefull shield, of that I'll agree. But you don't control them, and they do some strange things sometimes. They also block your view and ability to manuever. Riding tight behind a shield you don't controll will lead to interesting events.

As for a 250 becoming dangerously slow, that depends on the situation. Not my choice for cruising the interstate, true. But more than big enough for back roads and trails and such. Far more maneuverable on those little roads than a bigger bike.

foxtrapper wrote:

Giant Purple Snorklewacker wrote: Whenever possible tuck in behind the driver's quarter panel of a car turning left.

If I'm understanding you correctly, I've had two friends die from that thinking, when the car suddenly turned the other way instead.

I don;t think you are understanding me correctly. One, I'm not turning based on the decision the driver in the car makes - I'm just tucking in if our decisions happen to coincide. If he is in the middle of a left and suddenly makes a right - I'm not going to die, I'm going to make a left turn across traffic without a shield but... I wouldn't me making the turn unless I was already going, with or without the car. He is a safety net for me if someone runs a light or something like that.

I've been lucky enough to have never had an accident on a motorcycle in 20yrs of riding that was more serious than tipping over on wet grass. I'd like to think it isn't all luck and that some of it is attributable to skills I've been taught (that is one of them), staying alert, looking for escape routes, etc but... I do know that could all be bullE36 M3 and I just haven't run out of luck yet.

foxtrapper wrote: Not all Harley guys are jerks. If he's willing to help you learn to ride better, take advantage of it. Harley does make various types of bikes. From the Vrod to the soft-tails, Sportsters to the big glides.

I don't think of Harley riders as jerks. I think of them as 50y.o. dentists.

Seriously, the guy was very cool. Really seems to know his stuff. He used to drag race and I believe his daughter races as well. I absolutely plan to take him up on his offer to teach me some of what he knows.

I did take the MSF basic rider course two weeks ago. Got a lot from that. I'm doing a write up that I'm revising now.

I think I probably will want to step up to a different bike before too much longer, if for no other reason than to pass the Ninja 250 on to the fiance so that we can go on rides together. Probably won't be a Harley, just because they don't ring my chimes the way other bikes do. The current leading contender is the Triumph Street Triple or something else in the mid-weight standard/naked class.

Good for you for not dismissing a whole brand and/or style of bike. I wish I could say the same.

Appleseed wrote: Good for you for not dismissing a whole brand and/or style of bike. I wish I could say the same.

I think of it in the sportscar equivalent. I'm pretty sure I'd prefer an M3 over a Mustang. If a Mustang purist wants to try to convert me by giving me the opportunity to drive one of his cars in anger, I will very happily take him up on the offer. I want the chance to drive a Mustang in anger, I just don't think I'd enjoy living with one every day as much as I would a BMW.

In reply to Beer Baron:

I would hesitate to suggest a Speed Triple; remember that it is 1050 cc and 3 - 4x as powerful as the Ninja 250. That's a big jump.

In reply to Mitchell:

I meant the Street Tripple. 696cc and about twice as powerful. Slightly more upright riding position too.

SV650 gets a big thumbs up from me. Its easy to drool over new bikes. But used bikes dont hurt your bank account when you wad it..... dont hurt as much anyway