Carbie, everyone is right. You MUST get a good jacket. I found a nice First Gear for sale here:...
Shaka and everyone... i hope parts of this thread don't make me seem like i'm trying to be a big shot or a hot head... i really think it's important to know every facet of safety with bikes... i just plum had no idea courses were so cost-effective... WITH a bike, i thought i was looking at a couple of grand...!!! However, the link WHart provided is premo kick ass stuff and i've looked at their schedules and plan to sign up for a course soon... All i need to do is figure out which day is best to take off... i struggled with my first bike, but made it work because no one else was around to help out... i DO firmly believe that safety is the most important thing about riding a motorcycle... Now that i know there's a local, cheap class, i'll take it looooooong before i get the bike... i'm equally appreciative of everyone's concern as i am for everyone's suggestions and advice... Thank you.
NNo- with all due respect, you don't get it. You are supposed to worry about this stuff in advance. I used to get joshed by some of the Harley riders for wearing proper gear, head to toe, when they were riding in Mickey Mouse helmets (we have a helmet requirement in NY, but people skirt it by wearing these things that are the g-string equivalent of head gear), t shirt, jeans and mongo-boots. (The boot part is probably the only safe thing they wear). The fact is, I do dress for a crash, because it's the time i'm not so dressed, and crash, that i might not live to regret it. Safety first. Always.
No 2 ways about it. I was putting around the other day on my enduro thingie (TransAlp), really putting, 35-45 miles per hour looking at the pastures and horses, just cruising around. I had it cranked over mildly in a corner and a rabbit bolted RIGHT in front of my front tire. No time to do ANYTHING. Missed it by a hare ( ). Maybe not so lucky next time. I always wear my Aerostich. Even when putting at 35 MPH. It will happen when you least expect it. this little half grown rabbit was in a front yard that had relatively short grass, maybe 3 inches tall, still did not see him.
Bill, i had every intention of buying all the safety gear when i buy the bike - it's just the course i wasn't gonna do pre-purchase... The gear goes without saying; i've buttered concrete with my face - i know what it feels like...
NNO, glad to hear that you researched the courses, I shall get off my podium now and welcome you formally into the the motorcycleing realm . I hope you have as much fun with it as I have. Now just get through that class and keep the sticky side down!!!! Oh, and since the SV650 hasn't been reccomended enough on this thread, I figured I would post the forum for it http://forum.svrider.com/ in my experience they are very understanding of newer riders and offer fabulous advice. As a side note, anyone else ever notice that the R1/R6 draw the most amount of people riding around with a helmet and a t-shirt on? I really cannot fathom how they do that, I don't care if its 110 degrees out, there is no way I'm going out there without some kangaroo skin covering my behind. I don't even think those "riding jeans" should be allowed, they look like you can slide for about six feet and then some skin is coming off
Thank you, though it was Bill who found the schedule for me... He did all the work, but i'm grateful for your welcome nonetheless... i know, that's so cool, i can't wait to do that...! i'll post pictures...! ...JUST KIDDING...!!! Seriously, thanks everyone, for your advice and your help; i really appreciate it... i just might manage to stay alive on a bike and it's all thanks to you folks... If i die, well... don't blame yourselves, it's destined to happen at some point, anyway...
NNO, any course that will cost you over $1000 will be an extremely high performance school. I took an "Advanced Riders School" done on a racetrack for less than $300 including renting leathers. Best money I ever spent. Easily the most fun you can have on a motorcycle and it made me a better street rider. Just do the MSF course and get a few years under your belt and then take it to the track. Oh yeah as far as the safety gear, I crashed twice,364 days apart and thanks to Dainese, Shark and Teknic I walked away from both.
Glad to hear you are going to take the course Dan I was getting ready to give you some sh*t also. Take the course and get the right gear and you are off to a good start, full face helmet no 'skid lids' or 'brain buckets' no shorts and no short sleeve t-shirts.
No question about it, i'm definitely getting full body gear... i just hope i can get everything in all black...
Hey Carb- Congratulations on making the decision to take the plunge into motorcycle ownership once again. My first bike was a 1997 TL 1000S with Two Brothers slip on pipes. The thing was an absolute torque monster and a hell of a fun hooligan type bike. I was going to get a CBR 600 F3 but the salesman said that I would get bored with it in six months and lose my ass on depreciation. So I bought the 1000 and had someone ride it home for me. I learned by tearing around my sub-division at 9pm when no cars were out. My neighbors hated me because it was so loud! I sold that bike before I moved down to Houston, then I bought another one and had it shipped from Florida. Eventually sold it to a Texas A&M student. Just tried to by my 3rd out of NJ when the jerk sold it out from under me. Anyway, the TL 1000 was the predecessor to the SV 650 that you've been hearing so much about. From a guy who was in your situation about 6-7 years ago: 1. Buy a bigger bike (they typically have bigger brakes for big dudes like you and I.) This will only be a mistake if you don't respect the bike. 2. Respect the bike, the second you don't respect it- it WILL kill you. 3. Read (online or off) a book called TWIST THE WRIST. Excellent instruction. 4. Instructional course? Eh, maybe. I am one of those self-taught types. Typically the person you buy the bike from will give excellent instruction. 5. Buy the bike cash. Insurance is ridiculous for full coverage. 6. Always wear a helmet, leathers and boots that come up to at least your ankle- even the Kenneth Cole variety is better than wearing a pair of Nike running shoes like most of the idiots do where I live. 7. If you are in need of a quarter-length leather trench (XXL) I'll send you mine, if you promise to wear it in good health and use it to pick up chicks. Nick
I have to agree with most of the previously mentioned advice from uber however there is one thing that is a definite. TAKE THE MSF COURSE!! I am a relatively new rider myself. I consider myself to be a more responsible person, especially on a bike. I just took the MSF course this weekend and I have been riding for about a year and a half. This MSF course changed all of my riding habits, I can go into corners soooo much better. While I spent my time there I thought it sucked and was boring and such a stupid way to learn moto technique. ITS WELL WORTH IT. After getting bakc on my bike, I am sooo much improved! Good luck on your purchase!
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Nick, thanks for the advice and the offer, but i'm definitely going with the safety course... i've already done the whole "i can do this myself" routine and even though i'm still alive, i can't reasonably argue that it was a safe strategy... i've already made a promise to someone very close to me that i will take the course, so it's gonna happen no matter what...
How do you REALLY feel Uro? I've never taken a motorcycle safety course, so I have no frame of reference. I never took drivers ed though either, and I am one of the safest, best drivers I know. YMMV. Nick
Hi Carbon .... So did you get a bike? or the momentum just fade away... I'm a HUGE motorbike fan myself. and here's a great advice from a safe rider who never took a course: 1. RIDE AS IF YOU'RE INVISIBLE ( never expect anybody to notice you)
Ahhhhhhh motorcycles.... the most fun I ever had, the most pain I have ever endured. Snapping your femur mid thigh, twisting the break 90 degrees so the broken ends cross and having the jagged end of the broken bone spear through your thigh muscle is pretty interesting. But the real fun starts when that same thigh muscle begins to have violent spasms thus working the sharp end of the bone further through the muscle tissue and eventually out the side of your leg. Yea, I used to love riding a bike better than just about anything else. Now I get the same fix from flogging a fast car around a racetrack. 5 point harnesses and a nice big roll cage are wonderful things.... Be careful. Terry
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A riding school isn't about "racing" a bike, its about handing you the skills to keep you upright on the street. It teaches you about the traction circle, target fixation, steering inputs, throttle control, braking (a biggie there, anyone can go fast, but not many people use 40% of what sportbike brakes have to offer because they're scared of using them). Put $2K aside when you're saving up for your bike, that $2K is for gear. All the gear, all the time. No exceptions, and you might survive this thing. A 600cc sportbike is way more bike than you should have at your level. Stick to something considerably slower. Bill in Brooklyn
