Taking my motorcycle class!
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twouvakind
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Appropriate PPE, every ride.
#1 - Never forget that they are teaching you to ride around in a parking lot. It's not real world experience.
#2 - No matter how hard you try, or how good you are, you cannot ride a motorcycle safely. Safe means an absence of risk. Not possible.
#2 - No matter how hard you try, or how good you are, you cannot ride a motorcycle safely. Safe means an absence of risk. Not possible.
My word of advice. Cars are out to kill you! I got my M1 several years ago. I stopped riding on streets soon after. I could not ride 6 miles from home to work without having to take some evasive manuver. Once I got forced out of my lane and into a rose garden.
Had enough of that.
Had enough of that.
Assuming the class is MSF endorsed. Listen, forget what you think you know and most of what’s spouted on the internet....
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What he said!
Like others have said, be careful and wear full leathers all the time, plus the absolute best full face helmet.
Here’s a great book I’d highly recommend, even if you never plan on “performance”, the braking/riding techniques discussed in this book may save your life one day:
Here’s a great book I’d highly recommend, even if you never plan on “performance”, the braking/riding techniques discussed in this book may save your life one day:
Go watch some videos on M/C riding. "MCrider" on YouTube has some pretty good advice for riders, regardless of your skill level.
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCC4gEs8RahtTYiBqsiziudQ
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCC4gEs8RahtTYiBqsiziudQ
every one but the vehicle right in front of you....
don't think they teach this in a motorcycle ride/safety course, but when in traffic on surface streets,
where drivers turning left in front of you is a possibility, position yourself behind a vehicle, tailgate a bit if needed.
This way there's no gap for the turner to cut you off, only the vehicle in front of you, acting like a blocker in football. : )
^You'll spend WAY less time in rehab with this technique^
I use to ride but quit. My last bike was an Aprilia Shiver 750.
I wouldn't start on something slow you will hate after 2 hours of riding experience. Some of the bikes people start on are slow and can't get out of trouble if power is needed.
If I was to start as a new rider today, I would buy a KTM Duke 390.
One thing I hated about riding was the amount of concentration I or any good rider devotes to scenarios.
Stuff you don't think about when on 4 wheels.
Like if you are on the freeway in the lefthand lane and you're about to ride by a vehicle in the righthand lane going slower than you.
You tell yourself, bridge, narrow, no room for me to get over if he jumps into my lane, so you wait to cross the bridge when you have
somewhere you can go if he jumps lanes before riding past him.
My tip is to buy a fun, small fast car instead like a Civic Si, VW GTI.. if you can afford it.
I wouldn't start on something slow you will hate after 2 hours of riding experience. Some of the bikes people start on are slow and can't get out of trouble if power is needed.
If I was to start as a new rider today, I would buy a KTM Duke 390.
One thing I hated about riding was the amount of concentration I or any good rider devotes to scenarios.
Stuff you don't think about when on 4 wheels.
Like if you are on the freeway in the lefthand lane and you're about to ride by a vehicle in the righthand lane going slower than you.
You tell yourself, bridge, narrow, no room for me to get over if he jumps into my lane, so you wait to cross the bridge when you have
somewhere you can go if he jumps lanes before riding past him.
My tip is to buy a fun, small fast car instead like a Civic Si, VW GTI.. if you can afford it.
This.
Also remember, there are two types of riders; those who've fallen and those who will fall.
I took one of the intro MSF classes many years ago. Well worth the time and money involved (if any - at the time Illinois charged a small fee that was more like a deposit and if you completed the course you had the option of getting a refund or donating the money to the MSF fund for future classes). If nothing else, it's a good chance to see if riding is for you, keeping in mind that you're in a controlled environment. I remember at times thinking that this was great and other times thinking that I don't see myself doing this in traffic. And FWIW, a friend who'd been riding for 20 years went to the intro class with a friend who was brand new to riding and didn't want to go to the class by herself. The experienced rider told me that she even picked up some things that she never knew.
Thanks for the tips folks. I always ask riders what their tips are for new riders and it does seem like it's always:
1.) Everybody falls
2.) Ride as if everybody is out to kill you
I had an evo years ago but sold it. As much as I want to get into something like a vette, a bike would be a more economical way to have fun. Funny enough I do plan and anticipate all of those when driving my current car. Watching dash cam videos + driving a slow car makes you realize just how much planning you've missed throughout all the years of driving.
1.) Everybody falls
2.) Ride as if everybody is out to kill you
I had an evo years ago but sold it. As much as I want to get into something like a vette, a bike would be a more economical way to have fun. Funny enough I do plan and anticipate all of those when driving my current car. Watching dash cam videos + driving a slow car makes you realize just how much planning you've missed throughout all the years of driving.
Always look where you want the bike to go.... not at what you want to avoid.
Also, keep you eyes up and looking well ahead.
Also, keep you eyes up and looking well ahead.
If you have never owned a bike before, Here's my advice. Spend as much time as you can getting familiar with the bike your going to ride. Just sit on it and stare at it. Look for where all the controls and buttons are. Where the pedals are, so you can use them without hunting for them while riding. Touch them with your eyes closed , so your muscle memory will kick in when you need it. Spend time getting used to where the clutch starts to grab. Take off and stop multiple times, until you won't have to think about it when riding. Learn where the gears are, and if you need to, remember what gear the bike is in. Some bikes have indicators, some don't. Buy a good helmet, not the best there is. Don't drop it on the sidewalk or road. That ruins them. Never ride in flip flops or shorts, unless you're into road rash . Boots or riding shoes, a jacket and at least jeans, and gloves of some type. Anything you won't mind ruining if you take a slide. Speaking of sliding, always be on the lookout for sand, piled up gravel, wet spots on the road that could be water, diesel fuel, oil, anti freeze, or black ice if it's cold. Never trust that a cars sees you. I've had car drivers make direct eye contact with me, the when I thought it was safe to go, they'd pull out in front of me. Not always a big deal as long as your expecting it to happen.Even tho you have a helmet on, you still can die if you run into a car, bridge, guard rail, tree or a building. Doesn't matter how much you paid for it. If your afraid of getting a little road rash, or scraped up or bumped up,now's the time to rethink your decision.,,,
I strongly disagree
“not the best there is” great for half value brains
loland jeans? Lol
I almost always ride in the center of my lane, it has kept me from getting killed by someone oncoming getting ready to pass . Never put your bike in neutral at a stoplight, check your mirrors constantly . I always wear gloves and a decent 600 denier jacket Along with Kevlar lined jeans. Get a good helmet that fits well, fullfaced would be great, most wrecks your chin hits things first.
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