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General SportbikesThis area is made for sportbikes in general. Posts that dont really belong anywhere else besides here. Questions can be answered and addressed to fully understand certain aspects. If your question is Manufacturer specific please post it there.
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How many of you started riding before having a license?
Just about one month ago, I picked up a 2005 ninja 250, and I haven't even started it once or ridden it. Now I have no type of formal training in regards to motorcycles. I have a thorough understanding of how they work, and as "naive" as this may sound, I've done a lot of reading and watched a lot of youtube videos on how to ride.
I just wanted to know how many of you guys started riding before taking the MSF and your thoughts on it. MSF does not start until April in New York, and I honestly don't want to wait another three months seeing how the past few days have been 60 degrees.
I rode for several months before taking my MSF, yes...and I also broke the rules of my permit..
CA law is with a moto permit, you can't ride at night/on freeway/with passenger..well, you can't get anywhere without taking the freeway, so I never bothered to worry about that.
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I had a permit before I got my bike, and rode for several months before taking MSF. Like Kalvin, I also broke the night and freeway rules. It's impossible to get around southern CA without getting on the freeway, and sometimes I end up stuck at work late. Never rode without any form of lisence though.
Heh. In 1980, I got busted by a cop for riding around in my town's cemetery.
I told him the truth - I was trying to learn to stop and start smoothly where I wouldn't be in trouble or cause traffic issues, or be laughed at.
He let me go.
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When I was a boy of fourteen, my father was so ignorant I could hardly stand to have the old man around. But when I got to be twenty-one, I was astonished at how much the old man had learned in seven years.
i always wanted a bike,but wanted to do it right,and legal,but never had the time.then one day,i found out i was losing my license for 2years,over something that never happend,and i was never notified about.that day,i traded one of my lowrider trucks for a 95 FZR1000,...not the brightest move ever,but i knew i'd have to get to work,and figured if i had to run,that bike should do the trick. i gotta say,that was the most stressful/paranoid 2 years of my life...needless to say,it all worked out in the end,never got caught/wrecked,and went thru MSF as soon as i got my license back...but really,it's not worth it,as it wont even be fun.you'll just be worried about cops.and if you do wreck,you're f!@#$d! just wait dude.
I started riding with my old Ninja 600r a couple months before the MSF class. Just make sure to get that permit and take things slow. Start in an empty parking lot or in your neighborhood.
I was almost 17 (back in 88) when I got my first streetbike. And being young and dumb (and lazy), I opted to ride it on the country roads illegally until I turned 18 because I didnt want to take the safety course. I bet I put 20,000 miles on that thing in a little over a year. I regret not taking the MSF course sooner, as it was early 07 before I took my first one ever, and that was the advanced course. One thing is for sure, I learned alot by not being around traffic while learning and could concentrate on what me and the bike were doing.
Just about one month ago, I picked up a 2005 ninja 250, and I haven't even started it once or ridden it. Now I have no type of formal training in regards to motorcycles. I have a thorough understanding of how they work, and as "naive" as this may sound, I've done a lot of reading and watched a lot of youtube videos on how to ride.
I just wanted to know how many of you guys started riding before taking the MSF and your thoughts on it. MSF does not start until April in New York, and I honestly don't want to wait another three months seeing how the past few days have been 60 degrees.
I have ridden since i was six, I grew up in a very small ranching town so riding down the trails alongside the road or on the road was not a big deal at all.
There is nothing wrong with being self Taught, Your actually better off than most people taking MSF as that is the only training they will get, your already a huge step ahead of that.
Im sure you have ridden a bicycle, now you have one that you dont have to peddle.
Fear limits us in life. Its something you have to get over, probably the singlebest thing you can do is find someone with a small dirtbike who will let your ride that offroad. Then your golden.
Ohh, and 30 years later, I still dont have a Motorcycle endorsement. Probably will finally take the test this spring.
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Originally Posted by Gaolee
being in the lead wouldn't be as much fun as going hunting
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Originally Posted by Robert_S_Hunter
Have you ever experienced a governmental department that did things in a common sense manner? If you have, that puts you "one up" on the overwhelming majority of the people on this planet
I rode for a full year without my license or the class. I had no choice though since I wasn't of age(almost 15) yet. The day I turned 16 I got my drivers liscense and was in the MSF class 4 days later.
__________________ MSF Grad
44k. miles
02' R6 - Sold
07' 1000 - Totaled
07' 750 - Current
I have the same experience as 636 Blur. I grew up in farm country and I rode solid almost every day from age 12 to 18. I have limited street experience too.
I had my situation planned. I got my bike over the weekend. And had already taken the following Monday off of work to hook up my insurance and registration and then get my permit.
So monday went off without a hitch. I had my insurance, tags and registration by 1pm. I drove over to the DMV to take my written for my permit and when I get there the lady at the counter informs me that they wont have time to work me in before 5pm when the office closes...
I've just started a new job and I only get one day to take off every 2 months. So though I'm fully insured with tags, I don't have my permit.
I took the MFS without ever having been on a bike before, and got my motorcycle endorsement a week later. It took me about 8 months after that before I could afford to buy a bike and ride on the streets.
I learned to ride on a dirtbike. I will not say i was an experienced rider when i got my Ninja in november. I drove around the dealers parking lot for 3 hours. Then I got it trailered home.
I had a buddy drive it to the big parking lot by my house the first time. I put about 50 miles in parking lot driving in it (over the course of a few days) before taking it to the street.
Drove w/ my permit only for a few weeks, and then got my License. So far so good. However, realize that if you total it, or hurt yourself while on it, and don't have a license, your insurance company will not pay you a cent.
However, realize that if you total it, or hurt yourself while on it, and don't have a license, your insurance company will not pay you a cent.
You are assuming that we have insurance. I have liability, but full coverage is a joke. Since I totalled my last bike, my insurance company raised my rates to $2700 a year with a $1000 deductible. That means I am out $2700 a year and $3700 if I have a wreck. I think I am better off banking the $2700 every year and buying a new bike if I crash.
This area is made for sportbikes in general. Posts that dont really belong anywhere else besides here. Questions can be answered and addressed to fully understand certain aspects. If your question is Manufacturer specific please post it there.
How many of you started riding before having a license?
