I can't even decribe how happy I am...got my first bike!

bottomdog · 04-20-2007, 12:35 AM

I've never ridden before in my life..just took the MSF written course and signed up for the riding course in august. Went to my local dealer and was gonna make an offer on a 2005 Ninja 250 that was priced at $2886. I offered him 2600 If he threw in a helmet and he said the best he couild do was $2769 without a helmet and I said something obnoxious like "Jeeze just a few hundred more and i could just get a new one" and he was like "GOOD LUCK IF you find one tell me" and i felt kinda awkward and told him I had to think about it and left..

(my limit was 2700 the bike only had 500 miles) so I went back in later that day and he told me he could give me a discount on gear and i figured I would take it because the bike was in Very nice condition and never Has been dropped blah blah my favorite color...anyway I ended up buying it with a fulton(it was something like that dont really remember the brand) helmet which was kinda cheap so I am still looking for one I like but that was the only one that fit me really well. I also got some cheap crappy gloves with "gel protection" so I will probably find some better ones once i get more into biking I was bummed out because There were no boots that fit so I will have to send away for some (I got a leather jacket the other day..no pads or protections but it is thick and leather so I think it will be fine)

...anyway got the bike delivered, sat on it for a little while and showed my family and sat on it a little...Then i realized my pants kept getting caught in the foot peg and couldnt find any tall socks or tall boots besides big rubber boots so I just put a bit a tape around the bottom of my pants so they werent so baggy (Looked crazy dorky but safer) I dressed up in all my gear to go down the driveway and back and everything went fine...very very exciting for me...very scary also...I almost wish i started on a 125cc..I was very hesitant about taking off the first time but ended up doing it and it went good...second time was good also..my third time i was going down the gravel road and decided to try using my back break..you know feel it out..and i started getting a little to close to the road and my dad always told me if i ever panic just squeeze in the clutch so i squeezed in the clutch, not that I was panicing but I figured it would stop the bike..well instead in made it speed up so I slammed on the back brake and between a novice rider and the gravel (I hope it wasnt all me) the back brake locked up(honestly I dont really remember what happened its weird I just blacked it out haha)and slid out..If I used my front brake I think I would have been fine because I wasnt going that fast but since I only had one foot down to prop the bike up quick (the other one was on the back brake) so it fell over on its right I ended up with a small groin pull and a bruise on my shin (would have been prevented if i had riding boots instead of dress shoes..actually i want to say I was a huge retard because i decided since i was just going down my driveway I didnt need any gear..I didnt hurt myself but I am lucky i didnt sprain my ankle or hurt my palms or anything)My bikes right turn signal got demolsihed and the previously "never been laid down" bike had a few scuffs on the side...oh well it was bound to happen..my engine was flooded so i had to push it home..felt like a huge retard and was pissed because i just bought a new bike and now had to fix the lights...

after that i just parked it and started trying to blame my dad for telling me to sqeeze the clutch when i paniced but it was all my fault..so now I am ready to get back on and give it another shot...I am going to try and sign up for another motorcycle class that i can get into earlier so I can get some real hands on teaching.....

I am very very excited though! I realize I have a lot to learn!

also, when I bought my bike i got to spin this big wheel and and won a 25$ gift certificate so that was cool..

God my groin hurts....

UberGoober · 04-20-2007, 12:46 AM

Well, congratulations on the new bike. Also, congratulations on your ability to recognize the fact that this fall over was indeed your fault and not your dads and now that you know that you can work on correcting it.

Hurry up and get into your riders course so you can really start getting some experience under your belt - and be careful riding it around on that big grassy area where you took the picture, it'll be slick.

Shawn3210 · 04-20-2007, 12:46 AM

Congrats on the new bike lol. Get some better gloves and a jacket with better protection. Look on the bright side, at least you didn't lay down a brand new CBR or other bike that cost upwards of 9G, and be glad you don't have any expensive ass fairings to replace.Next time break up your post into little paragraphs so it's easier on the eye

.

RayOSV · 04-20-2007, 12:49 AM

Damn, dude, slow down. That's one rambling story.

Get into an msf course soon and stay off the gravel.

WhoUtink · 04-20-2007, 01:00 AM

Thats a crazy story, very entertaining. Congratulations on the bike. I know how getting that first one feels your the new king of the world.

Put it away and go take the msf before you ride it again. According to statistics you are more likely to die if you were taught by family or friends.

FRONT BRAK, FRONT BRAKE, FRONT BRAKE. Most of your stopping power is in the front because the weight of the bike shifts forward when you apply the brakes. Sounds like you pushed down on the back break like you were in a car, bad idea , but thats the instinctive reaction. Like you learned the hard way its not a good idea and your bike will always slide if you slam the back break, its fun if you do it on purpose though.

Congratul;ations again, take the msf, read all the books, wear all the gear, and have fun.

bottomdog · 04-20-2007, 01:02 AM

Haha sorry for rambling! I will edit it..again haha..not in the right state of mind now ;)

Yes I am glad i didnt buy a new expensive bike but I still wish I bought a old 400 dollar bike or something to learn on.

I have a lot to learn but I am still gonna try to teach myself as much as possbile making sure not to learn any bad habits..until I take a riding course.

I think my jacket is fine..it is your classic pakistan leather jacket with a thinsulate zip inside and a big orange stripe down the arms.. it doesnt have any CE approved plastic but I cant afford a $300 jacket. yeah yeah I know, I cant afford a broken bone but $300 is A LOT of money for a jacket...

bottomdog · 04-20-2007, 01:05 AM

Jeeze this is gonna be really hard for me to put that bike away until I take an MSF but there is no way in hell I am getting on the roads without doin it...I better start sitting outside classes trying to get in if someone doesnt show..

Shawn3210 · 04-20-2007, 01:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bottomdog

I think my jacket is fine..it is your classic pakistan leather jacket with a thinsulate zip inside and a big orange stripe down the arms.. it doesnt have any CE approved plastic but I cant afford a $300 jacket. yeah yeah I know, I cant afford a broken bone but $300 is A LOT of money for a jacket...

Better than nothing I suppose, put some money aside and look for closeouts. You can get a very nice leather jacket with CE armor for around 150 bucks. Checkout newenough.com for their closeout section. Denniskirk.com is also very good.

lilcurverider · 04-20-2007, 04:11 AM

Big Congrads! You have a very well established lead over many, many, many other newbi's and that Is that you take responsibilty for YOUR actions. You ate gravel cause you are learning not because your bike is defective. And trust me the excuses that are out there (like my bike is defective or broken)to explain away a wreck or a dump or and mistake are endless and a huge waste of my time ro listen to.......but It could all be avoided if someone would have said......."it was my fault"
HAve BIG fun and be careful.

RayOSV · 04-20-2007, 12:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bottomdog

I have a lot to learn but I am still gonna try to teach myself as much as possbile making sure not to learn any bad habits..until I take a riding course.

This can be dangerous. Riders who are self-taught or taught only by well-meaning friends or relatives are much more likely to go down than those who start with the msf course. How will you know if something will become a bad habit or is an appropriate control input?

Your idea about showing up early to the first day of msf classes before yours starts is a good one. There are often no-shows and they fill the class with those "standing by". Good luck!!

I'm afraid to ask the meaning of "bottomdog". Hopefully you're just modest.

harleyxlc · 04-20-2007, 12:19 PM

Trust me, dropping a $10k new bike is much more painful than your groin

Congrats on the bike and let the msf folks teach you.

VermillionX · 04-20-2007, 12:32 PM

I said the same thing when I sat on a 250. Congrats on the bike. Take the MSF and have fun. Oh and Welcome to the addiciton.

bottomdog · 04-20-2007, 12:38 PM

Thanks everyone! I will deff. look into the $150 jackets, thankyou!

yeah I'm not to broken up about my bike just it made me realized how easy it is to fall. You guys make it look so easy.

bottomdog is to hard to explain...my dog thinks she is better than me..but she is fine with the rest of the family..I think because she grew up with me or somethin..being the youngest I guess...I heard how there was always a runt sorta wolf in packs and they called it the bottomdog..thought it sounded cool

I hope it doesnt mean somethin dirty....

Bobarino · 04-20-2007, 12:43 PM

you don't have to spend $300 on a jacket right now. check out newenough.com and look in the closeouts. also check the vendors that advertise up there ^ and www.motorcyclesuperstore.com (my fav) i got my Cortech Sport jacket for $135 shipped and its loaded with armor, vents, the works. i love it. you need impact protection as well as abrasion protection. concrete is hard. also, at least find yourself some high top boots of some sort that cover your ankle bone. i'm guessing the helmet is a Fulmer and the gloves are Olympia if they're "gel". they're both fine.

congrats on the new bike and if you're going to ride it before MSF, at least do it on pavement. either truck it to, or have someone ride it to a big empty parking lot and practice there for a while. no street bike experience + gravel = fall down go boom. for now, don't even touch the rear brake. durring your parking lot practice, forget its even there.

i understand that August is a long time to wait when you have a bike in the garage beckoning you, but had you waited until you took it, you wouldn't have used the rear brake, thus dropping the bike. the danger in teaching yourself or being taught by a friend is that you develop bad habits which then must be broken by the MSF instructors making their job twice as hard. not that i have a lot of room to talk. i didn't take MSF and am self/friend taught but i know it would have been a lot easier and quicker learning curve had i sought professional instruction. and no offense to dad, but it sounds like you shouldn't take his riding advice.

good luck with the bike, she's a beaut. be safe and have fun.

Bobby

67727 · 04-20-2007, 01:17 PM

by theory, since you've taken the written test, you should know that if you lock the rear wheel it's best to keep it locked until you get into a full stop, otherwise you have a high chance of rolling the bike over.
But anyway if you're not comfortable with the bike have a friend push you around with the engine off so you can get used to the handling of the bike. Once that is out of the way, than just practice clutch control then hit the parking lots.
-Looks to me it would of been better if you bought a dirt bike lol
Congrats and be safe