alright so ive had my bike for about 2 weeks now, and my licence/insurance for 1 week. I commute about 45 miles to work, through windey mountain highway, and high speed busy freeway, so i havent rode to work yet b/c basically its a sketchy commute and i only have about 100 miles down. The only time ive been riding is a few miles around town to run errands for my wife after work.....then it gets dark and i get scared and come home. Last weekend took it on the highway for a short stretch, and went again earlier this week.
So my question to you guys is, am i being a puss, and should i just suck it up and ride to work and get it over with or should i continue to take it slow, get a few miles in after work and a bit more on weekends?
The thing about riding to work i think is that just thinking about it makes me nervouse to my stomach, but i know that its gonna be a scary thought until i just man up and get it over with.....i doubt that if i keep at the pace im going, with just gettin a few miles in here and there, that i will ever feel im ready for this commute.
I got a bad habit of trying to force myself to do things that im scared of, just to get over it and knowing i faced a fear and won, but im not sure this tpe of attitude is sane when it comes to riding a motorcycle.

Do a track day and go from there...In the meantime, take your time...

oh another option i thought of was getting up early (8am) this Sunday, when not too many people are out and ride the same commute i would during the week. Just to get familiar with the turns and stuff w/o all the rush hour traffic. Then ride to work the next day.

Not being a puss bro. Get used to riding and when YOU feel comfortable hit a few short runs on the interstates until you feel you ready for the big run! Many riders just getting their wheels turning fuck up by jumping into the deep end of the pool and we end readiong about some of them in the newspapers.

No offense, but you were asking about smoking and riding, and you're this new of a rider? Sorry, but that would change my answer.

Anyways, I think you'll be OK, so man up and go ahead and try it out. You'll be fine.

track day? for a newb like me? are you being sarcastic or seriouse? honestly i didnt think the track was a place for a newb.....you think of track you think raceing, and that makes you think of people who actually know what theyre doing.

Man up you puss ...J/K...seriously though its fine to take baby steps....

I would do the trip on a non-work day (prob a weekend day) so you don't have to worry about rush hour traffic to deal with or it getting dark. That way you can turn around at anytime if you don't feel comfortable. The more you ride the more you'll be comfortable in situations.

good luck

From what i've read on here, track days can gain you a lot of experience as a rider, so even if you're not that great, you can learn from other riders and you don't have to worry about cagers pulling out in front of you, or the cops.

*sigh* why did everyone that read that thread assume i was asking the question b/c i was planning on takeing up smoking and riding and wanted to get some approval?

I dont think half the people who commented on that thread read my 1st post....the one where i said "i dont smoke" and "its common sense to me that riding a motorcycle while under the influence of anything that alters your mental state is a bad idea"

I'd say your doing awsome. No shame in taking it easy and seeing what you can get away with, growing into it. That's not being a wuss that's being smart. The fastest way to end up in the hospital is to go balls to the walls fast with no experience.

Take it slow, dont rush into things.

My advice would be to do what is in your comfort zone, don't push it. Rome was not built in a day, nor will your riding skills. When you feel confindent and ready u will make that commute. The roads are treacherous out there, most people in cages don't even see you, they are oblivious, as I live in Cali 2, it's wacho on the roads out here. Just my 2 cents

i say do the dry run to work on a weekend as previously mentioned. I know how you feel, I'm the same way man. I'm overcoming some of the fear by going on backroads. Still not ready for the highway though.

alright sweet! thanks guys, this is the best place for advice for me.....the only other source i have for advice is the dude i commute with. He carpools with me a few days a week and rides a few days. Hes been telling me to just ride with him and get that first ride over with and it wont be so bad after.....hes also the one i was talkin about in the smokin weed thread.....so like i said THIS place is a gold mine of knowledge and sound advice.
I think i will try that commute this sunday morning. The biggest thing that gets me nervouse is when im riding on the highway (only twice) cars are passing me and lookin at me like "dude your a motorcycle.....why are us cars passing you?" and i feel like Jim Carey on his little scooter in Dumb and Dumber. I look down at the speedometer and im going 5 over (70mph) and cars are STILL whizin by! Thats when i get nervouse.

That's what makes me nervous too! lol about the Dumb and dumber analogy.

When you do ride to work, riding up with your coworker sounds like a good idea to me. When I first took my bike out on a main road ('bout 2 weeks ago), I had my brother drive ahead of me lol