Things I've Learned Since Joining Here
I had a couple members here e-mail and ask if I would post what I've learned as a new sport bike rider in the short time I've been here so other new sport bike riders can relate and take some advice from another new rider. I guess maybe some of my replies have gotten some attention from the higher ups here so I agreed to share.
First of all, I haven't been on a bike since I was in my teens, over 20 years ago. I used to own two bikes, a Suzuki RM250 and a Yamaha YZ250. I have never ridden a bike on the street, so this is totally new to me. I also do not have the "I've ridden a bike before so I know it all" mentality. If anything, I have just the opposite mentality.
So with that being said, here is what I've learned in the first couple of weeks since being a member, and also the month or so that I was just a visitor here picking up all the info I could.
1. Street bike riding is nothing like riding a dirt bike, no matter what anyone says. Weight, handling and just about every aspect of a street bike is totally different than a dirt bike. While you may have the basic fundamentals down, there is still a world of difference between the two styles of bikes.
2. For the other new members here, PAY ATTENTION to the people who have been here for awhile and have experience with these machines. I have learned so much from these guys and gals and I have a notebook full of notes and ideas I've gotten from those who have been polite enough to reply to my questions as well as the questions of others.
3. Take the time to actually read the topics posted here. There is so much information on this site it's mind boggling. I learn something new everytime I come here, even if I'm just surfing to see what new pics of bikes have been posted and so forth.
4. I lurked here for over a month before joining and I learned the whole time I lurked inconspicuously. One of my favorite quotes goes something like this, "Better to keep your mouth shut and let others guess about your level of ignorance, rather than opening it and removing all doubt." There's alot to be said for that saying. I tend to remain quiet and learn what I can from those more experienced here rather than open my mouth and sound foolish or idiotic.
5. I am not even thinking about climbing onto a bike until I complete the MSF Course, plain and simple. If any other new rider has other ideas, you'd do good to re-think things a bit. The most I have done so far is going to the cycle shop and learning to balance myself on the bike by being pushed around the parking lot on it with either my wife or a friend pushing me. I know it sounds stupid, but it works. You learn to handle the weight of the bike at low speeds and can actually get a feel for what the bike might do at higher speeds. Sure, it looks stupid being pushed around a parking lot, but it sure beats looking even more foolish laying in the middle of the road after laying your bike down when you could have avoided a bad situation by knowing your ability and the characteristics of your bike.
6. When searching for your first street bike, don't even think of looking for anything bigger than a 500cc bike. Anything larger and you're just asking for trouble as the power curve and handling of the larger bikes are totally different that the smaller ones, thus making it even harder to learn how to be a responsible rider.
7. Read all the books you can and gather all the info you can from magazines and such. Alot of useful info can be found in magazines and in books dedicated to responsible motorcycling. I purchased the book, "The Motorcycle Safety Foundation's Guide to Motorcycling Excellence." The book was a little shy of $30 at Barnes & Noble but the info in this book is priceless, period. It gives you the headstart knowledge you'll need when you take the MSF course and gives you the basics in principle to master the basic riding skills necessary to be a responsible rider. It's the best money I've spent so far in my preperation for learning to ride a sport bike.
I hope some of what I posted in this thread makes sense to other new riders and I hope I didn't step on any toes posting these few ideas. I just want to be a responsible contributor to this site and if I can help other new riders, or potential new riders here, then it's worth it. I know alot of times people get the idea that the more experienced riders "forgot" what it was like to start riding street bikes. Well, I haven't because I'm there right now. the wealth of knowledge from other riders here simply cannot be measured. Listen to what these people have to say fellow Newbies, for your own sake and those that you will be sharing the road with. You'll be glad you did in the end.
I just hope this post helps others like me who want to ride!
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