Judge the quality of advice - Rider resumes

[RayOSV]

Please enter your riding resume in a post in this thread. I'll start:

Handle: RayOSV (Ray)

Age: old (with kids older than a lot of you, son with a Suzuki DL-650)

Bikes owned: early 80's moped during gas crisis , '00 sv650, '05 sv1000s

Squidly stuff: learned on a Honda 55 using my older cousin's permit at age 14, HS friend's Honda 250 Scrambler mainly used to "tow" a skateboard on the street (record was 42 mph with no helmet, no shoes, and shorts/t-shirts, no accidents), some track use of a Yamaha 350 2 stroke, some use of a late 60's BSA 650 (college roommate's). All of this was before M licensing and helmet laws.

Licensing/training/experience: private msf-like instruction from an ex-military instructor, current DL with M1 endorsement. 2 track days, over 80k street miles since '00, 2 0-mph drops, one low-speed high-side with minimal damage.

Gear: Zooni 2 piece perfed leather suit, Shoei X-12 helmet, Alpinestars SMX-Plus boots, Helimot gauntlet gloves, various textile and mesh jackets and pants for really hot days.

I don't leave the driveway without proper riding gear.

[woodrow]

Handle: Woodrow(Phil)

Age: 35

Bikes owned: Not including the various dirtbikes/atv's CR 80/125/250 Fourtrax 250's and Bayou 220, 96 ZX6R, 08 ZZR600.

Squidly stuff: I did the normal stupid stuff in my early mid 20's like riding like a dumbass in and out of traffic at high rates of speed. Rode a 45 mile stretch of highway at 150+mph at 3 am in the morning. Since then I have grown up and wised up.

Licensing/training/experience: MSF and M Endorsement.
In 1995 I rode a friends Ninja 250 for 6-7 months and took the MSF course. After wards, I decided to buy a ZX6R after my first riding season. I loved the bike. I have raced at the drag strip and do a lot of street riding. Riding in the Washington DC metro area is a little challenging. Also love riding the twisty back roads in Northern/Western Va. I decided to stay with a 600 and now enjoying my ZZR600. I have wrenched on all my bikes except dyno tuning my Ninja. I have probably ridden 45-50,000 miles over the years. Wife and I ride often and when we can usually consisting of 1-2 hour trips on the back roads plus riding around town to dinner,bike nights,movies,etc.

Gear:
Mine
Scorpion EXO 400
Joe Rocket UFO Solid & Ballistic mesh jackets, Fieldsheer riding jacket
Fieldsheer Mercury 2.0 pants
Alpinestars SMX-6 gloves
Speed And Strength Moment of Truth boot.

Wife's gear
HJC Paradox
Alpine Stars SMX-6 Gloves
Joe Rocket Lotus 2.0 jacket

We always wear a minimum of helmet, jacket, gloves, boots, jeans,etc. If I go on a spirited ride i wear my pants.

[FlatlandBusa]

Handle: FlatlandBusa (John)

Age: 29

Current bikes: '06 EX250, '08 Hayabusa

Past bikes: '79 Honda trail 90, '95 Kawasaki KLR250, '98 GSXR600, '03 Honda CBR954

Squidly stuff: 18,000 miles on gravel roads with a Honda trail 90 between the age of 12 and 15. Way to much time on the front or back wheel of the 954, crashed said 954 on way back to work with no gear (spent 2 months regrowing skin)

Licensing/training/experience: M endorsement; MSF basic riders course; MSF experienced riders course; lots of hours on dirt; 35,000 street miles and counting.


My gear,

Icon main frame or Icon airframe or hjc cl15 helmets
Icon timax or First Gear jacket
Cortech scarab RR gloves
Red wing or Dr Martin over the ankle boots

Wife's gear,

Icon alliance SS or hjc cl15 helmet
Cortech LRX jacket
Icon hooligan gloves (she refuses to wear a cuff glove)
Dr Martin over the ankle boots

[binx_19]

binx_19 (Chris)

Age: 28

Bikes: 2005 ZX6R (track bike), 2008 Ninja 250 (self pleasure), 2009 ZX14 (tour beast)
Started: March 2005
Total Miles: ZX6R 20,937; 250R 3,227; ZX14 2,287
Education: Track Orientation school + 13 Track Days
Gear: Enough to walk away from the most brutal of crashes.
Books (highly recommended):
Total Control
Riding in the Zone
Sport Riding Techniques
Twist of the Wrist 1 and 2
Smooth Riding the Pridmore way.
First Bike: ZX6R, not recommended from experience.
License: Motorcycle Endorsement
Squidly Stuff: Only when I know it is safe. Got the ZX14 up to 149 mph in a secret location. Can you consider taking the 250R to maximum potential on the public roads squidly?

Track Days: 13 total
MAM Round 1: I learned how to ride in the rain, learned the lines in the rain, there was no expectation to push my limits and i enjoyed it a great learning experience, I agree with Jason Pridmore in learning in the rain.

MPH Round 1: Humbling experience I had 2 crashes going into turn 1. Both were from me not being comfortable with other riders around me, and I lost focus of where i was on the track, I have learned the most from those two experiences. When I exceed my limits mentally I target fixate instead of looking through the corner, both crashes were completely avoidable if i would have just looked through the corner.

MAM Round 2: I have now brought to my mind the conscious effort of enjoying the experience of track riding. Both days I went out to enjoy the ride, not wanting to have a repeat of Hastings. I took things slow and before I knew it allowing people in my personal space is no longer an issue.

MPH Round 2: September 18-19 Last track day of the year in Hastings Nebraska and it was a wonderful event, those from that area if you have not rode the bus yet you are completely missing out, the go-karts add-on were wonderful. But back to riding, i brought both bikes with me this weekend.

Ninja 250R, that was really fun to ride this bike on the track, somethings i need to change are the suspension, add clip-ons and rear sets. the straightaway power was very pathetic, but going through corners in 5th gear pinned was a fun task, most of the way around the track i never touched the brakes, but to keep the training going, when it was time to brake i would tap the brake lever with my pointer and middle fingers. the only thing i did was chop the throttle quick to get the front to dip and then roll back on to try to keep the momentum.

ZX-6R after riding the 250, this bike was amazing on the straights, i took things easy to start, knowing that i had just gotten off a bike that required twisting of the throttle to go through corners, now i am on a 636 with a 60 degree throttle(quick turn). i spent 3 sessions toying around and relearning the throttle control, while maintain the high corner speeds I got comfortable with on the 250, my 4th session on the 636 was my "bump" eval, i did not know at the time. the control riders played with me by passing me on practically every turn on the track to see how i would react to traffic. getting comfortable with traffic has been my biggest concern all year, i still hold back occasionally when others are around, but now that i have moved from beginner to intermediate, the "competition" will be at a higher level, therefore i no longer have to let off the throttle when I am behind someone.

Final Thoughts:
There is huge difference to how different driving my car or truck is to riding motorcycles. the amount of attention used on the motorcycle is astonishing, and again tomorrow night when I drive my truck home from work I will be reminded of how safe I feel operating it as opposed to operating one of the bikes.

EDIT:
Are you a new rider? This is what a 250R is capable of:

MAM April 2012 - YouTube

MAM April 2012 - YouTube

[ANORXIC'51]

-Handle: ANORXIC'51 (Christian)

-Age: 31

-First season: May '10-August '10 (Season 1 recap)

-Bikes owned: 2009 Kawasaki Ninja 250R(~1100 mi), 2008 Suzuki GSX-R600(~3400 mi), 2008 Ducati 848(~13,000 mi and counting), 2003 Honda CBR600RR (2 days of track miles @ Barber)

-Squidly stuff: None. Seriously. Everytime I've been on a bike (be it on a friends' bike/my own/MSF course bike/track day instructors' bike) I've been in full gear, eager to learn, and have either had a motorcycle permit or motorcycle endorsement.

-Licensing/training/experience: Currently only about 17,500 miles of street & track miles under my belt. M endorsement, MSF Basic Rider Course (c/o HD Rider's Edge), 2 (1 full and 1/2 day on the 250, 1/2 day on an instructors' CRA race-prepped SV605S) instructional beginner ARCs @ DCTC road course (Rosemount, MN). First was done with less than 400 street miles and the second was done 100 street miles later. My second season I was only able to do 2 ARCs @ DCTC (one on the GSX-R and one on the 848), and did my first trackschool thru ZARS @ Brainerd Int'l Raceway in Brainerd, MN (on the GSX-R) Crash experience is a minor lowside at ~ 35 mph (@ my first trackday due to target fixation), a street accident at ~45 mph (motorcycle vs John Deere) which ended my first riding season, and a 40-50ish mph lowside in T12 @ BIR. Off-season is spent reading/ viewing sport riding technique/ street riding survival books & dvds to increase and refresh knowledge. Attended California Superbike School in April '12 for Levels 1 & 2 at Infineon Raceway in Sonama, CA. full track season aboard the 848 beginning with one day @ BIR, one day @ Road America in Elkhart Lake, WI...followed by a one day, 2day, and a couple more one days back at BIR. My most recent off was at the end of August '12 @ a trackday hosted by Ducati Minneapolis/DOOM @ BIR. Simple and plain target fixation in T7 followed by lowsiding in the dirt/grass at 40mph. Ended up with a concussion. Was on another bike ('03 CBR600RR) a few months later to end my 2012 season on a good note at Barber MSP. Heading back in April '13 on the 848, as I wasn't really used to the Honda enough to get comfortable out there over the 2 days. Probably can attribute riding timid to the accident as well, as iit was my first time back on a bike for more than 10 min since Aug.

+Books+
*MSF Guide to Motorcycling Excellence
*Profiient Motorcycling- David Hough
*More Proficient Motorcycling- David Hough
*Total Control- Lee Parks
*Sport Riding Techniques-Nick Ienatsch
*A Twist of the Wrist- Keith Code
*A Twist of the Wrist II- Keith Code
*MotoGP Riding Techniques
*The Upper Half of the Motorcycle- Bernt Spiegel

+DVDs+
*Knee Dragging 101
*Knee Dragging 201
*MotoGP Riding Secrets
*A Twist of the Wrist II

-Gear:

+Helmets+
*Bell Star (Viper graphic) *retired*, Bell Star (Roland Sands Design 'C-Note'), Shoei X-12 ('BBoz'-Ben Bostrom replica *retired*, Suomy Excel (Wall Street graphic)

+Jackets+
*currently looking for a new one

+Gloves+
*Held Phantoms, Held Titans

+Pants+
*Icon Anthem jeans (Aramid reinforced), Shift Torque jeans (Kevlar reinforced), Sliders Kevlar Cargo 2.0 (Kevlar reinforced)

+Boots+
*Alpinestars SMX-Plus, Sidi Vertigo Corsa Air

+Suits+
*Dianese Laguna Seca Pro perforated

+Armor+
*Bohn Adventure armored shorts, Dainese Shield Air (slip-in back protector), Dainese Wave 11 w/ shoulder blades (strap-on back protector), Dainese Knee V (strap-on knee/shin protectors), Hearos ear plugs, RS Taichi Flex chest protector (4mm)


Closing advice: Try to take the advice found in the sticky threads as best you can. The members with years of experience have basically laid a blueprint out with tools needed to help new prospective riders get into this sport/hobby in the most favorable way. Thier goal is to help new riders become old riders.

Be safe and be attentive.

-Christian

[Justin726]

Handle: Justin726 (Justin)

Age: 35 - Maried with one 16 year old boy

Bikes owned (in order of ownership): 1907 Yamaha RD350, 2000 SV650, 1997 TL1000S, 2002 Honda VTX 1300 (curiser), 2003 Hayabusa, 1989 KX250, 2004 KX250

Squidly stuff: Had a Yamaha 3-wheeler and an early 70's dual sport while I was growing up. Wrecked my TL1000S going over backward durring a wheelie.

Licensing/training/experience: No official training although I know even I could benefit from it. Been street riding since I bought an old RD350 from my father-in-law in 1999, then quickly upgraded to a new 2000 SV650 shortly after I got my motorcycle license. Went through a couple other bikes rather quickly trying to find what I really liked. Ended up buying a brand new Busa in 2003 and have been on that ever since. I'm currently up to around 44-45K miles on the Busa. Started riding dirtbikes 2 years ago and have been racing them for the past year.

Gear: Shoei RF1000 helmet, Alpinestar leather jacket, Joe Rocket gauntlet gloves, rainsuit, and plenty of misc cold weather gear. And a good suply of earplugs which I use durring every ride. Also have a bag full of motocross gear.

[stamford]

EDIT: removed my info for good luck. Long story short I updated this post with current information then proceeded to crash on track the next day.

[HiSpeed48]

Handle: HiSpeed48

Age: young

Bikes Owned: '00 R6 (sold), '89 FZR600 (sold), 2007 CBR600RR (current)

First Started: Spring 2008

Squidly Stuff: Rode dirt bikes for a couple years. First street bike was my R6. I would not recommend starting on a 600cc bike.

Licensing/Training/Experience: took the MSF basic course before I owned a bike, and then got my motorcycle endorsement. I would always recommend that you take the MSF before you start riding. I’ve done 7 trackdays on a couple of different tracks. I was voted the “Smoothest Rider” in my level by the staff at one of the trackdays I attended. I read all the Keith Code books and other similar books. I haven’t had an accident on the street or track (or even a “drop”).

This is my 5th Season on a Sportbike (Updated Spring 2012)

Ride with the mindset that every car is trying to kill you.

[acalliste]

Name: Tammy

Age: see profile

First Street Bike/MC endorsement: 1989

Bikes: Honda CT70, Kaw EN450, '82 Suz GS1100E, '05 GSXR600, '07 GSXR750

Certs/Training: M/C endorsement for the State of Florida since '89, also for State of MS, MSF graduate (FL), XTYLine Motorcycle Road Racing Course.

Early years: My family has always had things with engines around (bikes, fast cars, 4x4s, snowmobiles, boats, 3-wheelers), so I was destined to be a motorhead from the start. As a kid I was exposed to motocross, since I grew up in the town where Redbud Trail is located, but never got into that kind of riding myself. However I did ride the CT70 all over creation, as well as snowmobile & three-wheeler, and drove the boat while fishing with my grandfather every now and then.

Squidly stuff: The usual, when first starting out. Sometimes no jacket, but always a helmet. Lots of back-roads racing around, taking chances and indulging in risky behavior. As I got older I got wiser, and fortunately my luck held out until I learned some sense.

Experience: I began working in the motorcycle industry (dealer parts dept) about a year after I started street riding. I stayed in that business until 1997 when I became fed up with making no money. During that time, I bought my GS1100E in a box and with the help of my then BF, rebuilt it from the frame up. We also rebuilt his Kaw H2 750 triple which I would ride occasionally , and his CR250.

I was bikeless for a few years after I sold the GS, but had the use of a CBR600 for a while when my friend's house burnt down and he had nowhere to keep his bike. (Storage fee = I get to ride the bike). And of course, I get to ride any bike my SO might have.

In late '04 I bought an '05 GSXR600 and a year or so later started doing track days. That became an addiction for several years, and I have done about 25 track days to date. In early '08, traded the gsxr600 for an '07 gsxr750 and as of this writing still have that bike.

It's hard to say how many miles I've logged, but it has to be around 80k. Commuting, road trips, corner store runs, spirited riding (local and mountain/canyon trips), countless rides to bike events in Daytona, track days. Becoming more interested in sport touring now though.

Gear: Minimum is helmet, jacket (with armor), gloves, boots, and either riding pants or if jeans then with knee armor under them. I also will ride in full leathers on the street as well for track days.

My advice is to never stop learning.

[arcticamt6]

Name: Jeff

Age: 22

Bikes owned: 2000 Ninja 250, 2006 Triumph Daytona 675

First started: January 2009

Training: MSF Basic course, Team Pro Motion beginner trackday school

Experience: 20k miles in 2 years, 1 Trackday, one lowside in the rain going sub-20mph

Squidly stuff: Usual stuff. Used to push myself much more before the trackday. Afterwards, I contained it to one or two locations I know very well. Still had the occasional issue of getting too into it and blasting triple digits up the straight hill before the last few bends. Also rode over the summer with just a helmet, gloves, boots and jeans due to the excessive heat. I worked as a delivery driver using the bike and it was too hot.

Gear (minimum): Helmet, Jacket, Gloves, steel toe boots for around town (sub 35mph speed limits). Out of town, all of the above, plus riding boots and riding jeans/textile pants/leather pants depending on situation.

Advice: Always wear your gear. I've had too many friends get beat up from not wearing proper pants, gloves, boots and jackets. One ended up missing a chunk of his knee and had to wear a brace for a while.

[Ishibubu]

Handle: Ishibubu

Age: I like the mystery

Bikes owned: 1996 CBR600, 2006 Kawasaki ZX6R

Squidly stuff: When I first started riding with my permit I forgot how quickly they expire (6 months I believe) and ended up doing most of my miles on my CBR without a valid permit! Man I felt like an idiot when I figured that out (when I went to get my license). Other than that, nothing dangerous- just forgetting to renew my permit.

Licensing/training/experience: M Endorsement, Ed Bargy Race School, ~15,000 street miles, started in Summer of 2008.

Gear: Bell Star, Scorpion EXO 700, Alpinestars SMX gloves, Alpinestars SMX-4 Riding boots, Frank Thomas riding jacket, Newer XTI II Frank Thomas Jacket, Frank Thomas Gauntlet Gloves, Cortech HDX Gloves (no bueno), Frank Thomas XTI One-Piece Suit.

[LessPeople_MoreRobots]

Name: Brandon

Age: 28

6'4" and 230lbs, so the 'but I'm too big for an xyz' argument doesn't work on me.

Bikes owned:
2005 Ninja 250R
2000 R6
2003 CBR600RR
2008 Ninja 250R
2008 Ducati 1098
2005 GSXR600
2009 Kawasaki Versys
2009 Triumph Street Triple
2010 Ducati Streetfighter
2005 Kawasaki ZX6R 636
2010 Yamaha R1

Squidly stuff: I've been known to go place-to-place in jacket, gloves, helmet, shorts, and tennis shoes. I know the risks, but I also know that jeans are as good as tissue paper at speed. If I'm going on a ride for fun, its all leathers though. Never been a single mile without an M endorsement and full coverage insurance.

Experience: Perfect score on MSF in 2005 (SBN member "Moon" was my instructor), roughly ~10k miles per year total across whatever bikes I own at the time, a couple trackdays at JenningsGP, and some very unofficial trackdays at a local gem of a closed course. As admin/founder of our city's local forum, I'm tightly connected to the local 'scene'. Still have never once been down or even dropped a bike.

Gear: As far as protective gear, I'll just say a garage full. Way to much to list every glove or jacket. Besides that I've got a No-Mar tire changer setup, a full set of Pit Bull stands, a bunch of Ducati-proprietary tools, etc.

[not2slow]

I think there was one of these when I first joined back a couple years ago but anyway.

not2slow: Ken

Age:50

Bikes: way to many to list, Current 08 R6

Single, one son that will be 18 in March 2011(he cares not anything about cars or bikes, used to wonder if he was mine, but its been confirmed lol)

Started on a mini bike with a 5 hp Briggs & Stratton when I was 9. The whole neighborhood had those or a go cart, do not see that anymore, damn.

Went on to motocross with a variety of 2 stroke bikes.

First bike I had with a license was a 1975 RD 250/then 350 then 400, before I ever owned a car.

Started roadracing in 1986. After getting my license at the Ed Bargy school at little Tally. I was moved from Novice to Expert by mid year(Mostly because I was doing every endurance race I could and getting boatloads of tracktime)

Track time is the key, just sayin.

One of my biggest thrills was win in 87 Scott Russell was riding for team Solimax at little Tally and was the first to break the under 1:00 mark at that track, that same day I ran a 101.97 on a FZR600.

Had some awesome 5 years traveling with friends racing mostly in the southeast region of WERA with a couple AMA races thrown in(another highlight was the last AMA endurance race put on at the Talledega Speedway WOW just to say the least) and won the southeastern expert C Production class in 1990(I ran this class because I got a free ride from the dealership I worked at the time).

Coming full circle when I hung up the leathers in 92 because of getting married and before mentioned son on the way, I have not seen a track until I did a Nesba demo day last Nov. 7 at Barbers. Now I have signed up with both Nesba and Sportbiketractime and signed up for several trackdays for next season. I am so looking forward to next year!

[Kenneth84]

Name: Kenneth

Age: 26

No kids and a gf who wants to learn to ride

Bikes owned:
2008 R6 (stolen with 15k miles)
2006 R1 (Current, bought with 12k and now over 24k)

Experience:
MSF course, 2 years and 28k miles, 0 track days but Im planning a few next year,

Squidly stuff:
8 years old was my first experience on a bike and I crashed 10 ft from the start and I never touched another bike till I was 24. Bought my 08 R6 with 9 miles on the OD and rode it home. That took me over an hour of going back roads to avoid the highway. Ive done top speed runs on both bikes and I don't need to do any more of those. I am trying to practice parking lot stunts with the R1 but its difficult finding places where cops and people don't mess with you.

Gear:
Scorpion EXO-700
KBC (no idea what kind)
Leather jacket (clearance rack)
Fieldsheer mesh (don't wear so gf wears)
SIDI B-2
random gloves
ICON chest and back protector
ICON elbow pads
ICON knee and shin guards

[tom10167]

Handle: tom10167 (Real name is Rusty Shackleford)

Age: I'll be 25 in March. My info is wrong.

Bikes owned: V-Star 650, V-Star 1300

Squidly stuff: I am a pretty big nit. I have never operated a motorcycle in anything less than full gear. About the closest I get is riding without earplugs on short distances. I love going fast on the highway. I contemplate getting a radar detector just so I can comfortably cruise at 100. Our highway has a seldom-populated HOV lane with a very wide emergency lane so that's how I justify it.

Licensing/training/experience: Took and did very well in the MSF. Have my motorcycle license. Never rode a bike of any kind before taking the MSF. Been riding since Jan 2010, put around 11k miles on the bikes so far.

Gear:Shoei RF-1100, Shift Icon jacket, matching zip-together Shift pants, some Alpinestar walking-friendly boots, Fieldsheer Bullet ii gloves.


I don't claim to be great, just astute and logical.


EDIT: I now ride a BMW Squid-tourer 1200