| Author | Message | ||
     Drkside79 |
So i bought a XB9SX it's also my first bike. I already love it. I am a little nervous i had a rough first day on it. I got it Sat. and practiced in a parking lot for two hours. after that i took it onto residential side streets. All is good for like 30 min till I'm riding along real slow maybe 25 tops and a punk teenager blows a stop sign and makes a left turn right in front of me. I avoided him. Not quite sure how, but down i went with my brand new bike! Anyway I keep getting on it but I'm a little apprehensive while riding. Will this pass? Does anyone have any advice? | ||
| Hootowl |
If you haven't done so already, take an MSF course. I take one every few years as a refresher. I learn something every time. The class will teach you some basic things, things that seasoned riders tend to forget, or forget they knew. You'll come away a better rider, and you'll know exactly how you managed to avoid that teenager. | ||
| Boney95 |
Crash and burn, is the only way to learn! Get back on. | ||
| Fuellintheveins |
+1 Crashing sucks but happens all the time. Riding any motorcycle is a numbers game. They are definitely not in your favor as a biker but the best thing you can do is 1) Educate yourself and take any classes you can because like Hootowl says you learn something new every time. Also read up and familiarize yourself with the techniques necessary to be a safe rider. I recommend books like "Total Control" by Lee Parks. It has exercises to help with controlling your machine and increase your confidence level. 2)ALWAYS WEAR SAFETY GEAR!!! I got bored one day about a month ago and decided to go for a "quick putt" in the canyons by my house. No more than 10 minutes later I was lying on the side of the road pinned under my bike on top of beach ball sized boulders due to some "douche canoe" trying to learn how to drift around a blind hairpin. (who of course left the scene without even getting out to see if I was even still alive, or having the decency to call 911.  ) After a week long stay in the hospital, I luckily walked (limped) away with a blown knee, fractured pelvis, 4 broken ribs, a collapsed and punctured lung, broken collar bone, a metal plate holding my wrist together, broken nose and left orbital, and a good amount of road rash. I am actually embarrassed to say what i was wearing, so I wont, but a huge part of my injuries could have been prevented if I had been wearing my gear. 3) Get back on!!! I am spending these few months it will take me to heal polishing my new (to me) S3 and doing all that i can to make sure that when i am able to ride again, i will be safe and prepared. BTW Dont forget to get your Mccuff if you want to keep that bike looking nice, and keeping the gas off the tank when you fill up!!! www.mccuff.com | ||
| Second_strike |
i learned this from the msf course. look where you want to go not where you dont. your body follows your eyes without realizing it. this works great for offroading too. i took an old pos yamaha with only a front brake down a washed out revine not knowing there is a barbed wire fence at the end. when i saw it all i could do was head for the cliff drop off. luckily i didnt go over, as for the bike... well it still down there, somewhere! | ||
| I_hear_voices |
At 45 I just bought my first bike. XB12SS long. Did the course passed my bike test then got on the bike. WOW quite different to the little 500cc we trained on. Its like braking in a bucking bronco. But what fun. Its awesome. I have just taken it steady and done a mix of open road and town riding. Bit by Bit i feel i am taming the beast but I keep in the back of my mind that its a wild animal and needs treated with respect as such. | ||
| Xodot |
Last year was my first year riding and on the second trip out some idiot did the same to me as you! It hasn't happened since and I attribute the change to the way I ride now which has come from experience. I don't know a lot, but +1 on paying for your training. Nothing hurts as much as not knowing how much you don't know! Ride safe! | ||
| Indybuell |
In addition to the MSF course, I would also suggest picking up the book "Proficient Motorcycling." | ||
| Shadyplace20 |
+1 on "Proficient Motorcycling". | ||
| Diablobrian |
Lee Parks book: Total Control is another book that is on the must have list. And don't forget 25 years of Buell by Court Canfield and Dave Gess.  | ||
| Fast1075 |
Shiny side up, rubber side down. Remember these things. (A) Every cager either is actively trying to kill you, or pays no attention to where they are going...you get death by stupidity. Keep your head on a swivel...pay attention to everything. (B) You are utterly invisible..the government could have saved billions of tax dollars developing stealth technology by simply using motorcycles to deliver bombs. (C) Get professional rider's training...PROFESSIONAL...find a place near by that has track days with serious instructors. (D) Like Fuell said above wear all the gear all the time...don't cheeze out on this...get GOOD gear...and WEAR it...no matter how hot it may get...it kills me to see guys riding in shorts and flip flops without a helmet...stupid is as stupid does. (E) Maintain the bike to perfection, 'specially the tires and brakes...use only the highest quality (read as sticky) tires...a rock hard long wearing tire does little good when you need it most...in heavy braking situations. | ||
| Methed |
I used to train jr. high kids how to ride dirtbikes, and IMO there are two things that are key to safe and alert riding: your bike will follow wherever your eyes are looking (which was mentioned before) and make SIPDE a habit. If you don't know SIPDE, it's the cornerstone for the MSF offroad training (and street as well IIRC). So take a course or at least grab your state's manual and memorize the concept. It might sound pretty rudimentary, but if you can get this one thing wired-up in your head as a constant process the only thing you'll have to worry about is soccer-moms in SUVs. I saw kids with learning diabilities who couldn't read or even ride a bicycle take to the bikes like they'd been riding forever once they got SIPDE running through their noggins. Good luck. | ||
| Xodot |
S—Sweep, Search, and Scan (keep your eyes moving at all times to effectively see imminent danger) I—Identify hazards, Identify what's happening (road-way features) (take notice of things that could cause trouble) P—Predict which hazards could potentially come into conflict with you; predict 2 things 1-worst case scenario and 2-actions D—Decide on a safe action (decide on something to do should the dog run across the road) E—Execute that safe action; use communication | ||
| Methed |
Sorry, I guess I should've elaborated on that. What he said. If you can get your eyes and brain to habitually run through this cycle, you're golden. Welcome aboard the most fun you can have on two wheels (at least, while said wheels are moving). |
