[alanheng]

First Post, Mother F!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

What would make for some great articles? Anyone remember that website "Interactive Motorcyclist (www.activebike.com)" ?

They had tons of great articles, anecdotes, and stories that have shaped my philosophy of riding. They're gone now, but I think the CD can be had for $15.

First and foremost, express the importance of PROPER training.

Secondly, come up with a list of gear.... gear that fits different price brackets. For example, you could say "For $500, you can get this, this, and that. For $1,000 you can get this, that, and her".

Third, Although it is controversial, make sure it is known that many experienced riders advocate starting on small-horsepower biles. I really haven't met any legitimate rider who regrets starting on a small bike; and more often then not those who start on small bikes or on dirt bikes have a much faster learning curve to good riding than those who don't.

Fourth, let it be known that it's vital that new riders pick their riding mates carefully. New riders mixed in with dangerous crowds may not last long.

Fifth, further promote continual rider training, and track time.

And since I'm experiencing a brain fart:

"It's not the bike that will let you go fast, it's the skills of the rider".

and

"It's a lot more fun to go fast on a slow bike than to go slow on a fast bike"

and

"MO needs some hot nudie chicks to pose for an MO calendar (that features and SV650 on the cover)"

I LOVE M.O.

 

[alanheng]

Ear plugs

Oh yeah, advocate that they wear earplugs for any ride longer than 10 minutes at over 40 mph.

 

[badsac]

The three most valuable things that come to mind from when I first started out riding was;



1) Buy a cheap dirt bike, get out on the dirt and ride too fast. You soon learn bike control and how much crashing hurts. Better learn this on the dirt than on the road. Then when you first start on the road, ride your dirt bike for a while until you learn what's going on. The dirt bikes already half trashed anyway so you don't mind so much when you lay it over the first day you go riding in the rain because you never realised pavement could be so slippery when wet.



2) Go riding with fool mates and watch them ride up the main street with their head up their ars waving at all the chicks until they go over the roof of that car that U-turns in front of them. See how scary that is then know you'll never do anything so dumb.



3) As soon after you buy your first road bike as you can manage, take it to the track. Either rider/race training or just a track day, you'll end up a much better rider of this strange feeling new bike at the end of that day. Much safer being away from real world obstacles and gives you a chance to catch up with the capabilities of the bike. Track surfaces are always much grippier than the road (at least around here) so your new crotch rocket's going to be capable of going much faster than you are at that point anyway.



They were my experinces starting out on bikes, and they've left me in very good stead. How to make these pieces of information into and article though?

 

[33903]

I have been asked to advice a (girl)freind, who is starting out, and found that I had to explain a lot about what engine charateristics mean, why hp is not the only thing to look at, but also when they appear etc. So maybe an article that expalined a bit about the technical terms would be good, and a review of the different bikes in the "small to medium" sizes, types, and weather they can endure every day use, or are simply meant as "recreational" toys...(and this is my favorite "non-porn" stop!)

 

[32664]

Great idea. I'm a new rider myself. Actually I am expecting my new CBR600 by the end of the month. I got my sybscription to MO largely becase I needed all the information I could get. I was set on a CBR because I have a thing for Hondas (I love the understatement that they are) and the articles in MO helped me see that for a novice like me it was a sensible(?) choice. But they also told me that A VFR may have been a choice or a Kawasaki ZX6R may also have been a choice.



Mind you I had to read a lot of stuff. Not only article but lots and lots of comments from fellow subscribers. Lots of info but not much for what I needed.





Here's my 5 cents.

1. A guide line maybe for buying a new bike.

2. A section for maintainance tipe.

3. What to check if you are buying a used bike. 4. Riding tips.

5. Most important. RIDING HAZARDS!!!



A friend of mine was killed because what he thught of as an innocent puddle turned out to be a ditch. He died of massive internal bleeding the same night... Just to show how easily ignorance can kill.



Hope you get on with it soon

 

[luvmyvfr]

How 'bout something like a new racers/rebuilders section too? You could have articles on how/where to buy a fairly new wrecked bike, where to get the frame striaghtened, to buy cheap plastics for it, slap some tires on it, have it inspected by the state patrol for a title, etc. I've been looking around for months and months for info on this, and finding out where and how to do all this has taken longer than I think doing it would. Just an idea.



I think many of the people who post here at MO have great advice for new riders. I read MO for a year before I bought my first street bike, and that helped me formulate many opinions about what kind of rider I am. What kind of riding I enjoy, what kind of bike I have, what kind of gear I wear, what kind of tires I use etc. etc.



For me, buying a streetbike wasn't a spur of the moment decision (probably would have been, were it not for the wife), and I did much research before buying. I still feel like I got screwed from the stealership, so like someone else mentioned, tips on how to get a good deal from the stealership would have been very helpful, and where to shop for gear (don't necessarily buy it from the shop you bought your bike, and if you did, don't go checking prices elsewhere later, or you'll hate them and yourself for it)



luvmyvfr

 

[flatass]

Hey I am 52 and started riding a 550 triple back in 72. Have had 5 bikes since and have yet to settle into a rocking chair "crusier". New riders need to understand most people will run over you and never put down the phone. It hurts to get run over no *****. Dress for riding with full leathers ect. Good outfits are $1000 for helmet,boots,gloves,jacket minimum. Be prepared to cough up for the riding gear.Ease yourself into heavy traffic. Build up experience on backroads and lite traffic areas BEFORE you hop onto I-40 at 8a.m.Three months minimum lite traffic riding.Take a safety course on riding and pay attention, I know that is a challenge for all you ADDs out there but remember it is hard to attract babes (old expression) from a wheelchair and even tougher if you are dead.Very few babes want to hang out with dead guys. Finally understand that just because you ride your bike fast and act like an ******* being a newbie does not mean you have a big **** it just means you are an idiot.

 

[jodiesel]

I learned to ride on a Vmax. Every first timer should start out on a large, heavy bike with lots of horsepower. It will make them learn quicker what not to do.......

 

[jstoker_1]

In the US, at least, the best advice I have heard or could give is "Motorcycle Safety Foundation". Their basic and advanced courses are, I believe, invaluable when it comes to safety, fun, and cheap. Hard to beat.

 

[pplassm]

The thing you mention are doable, but the hardest, most frustrating part of any restoration is re-establishing a title. Local DMV's are not very helpful, and the only non-title state I know of (Maine) has raised the registration rates to control the influx of title re-establishers.



If there was an easy cheap way to do this in any state, I'd pay to know about it.



Pete P.

 

[pplassm]

I'd like to second the call for dirt riding as the best way to learn how to ride. It's much easier to find your limits, and the bikes limits away from the hard asphalt and killer cars.



You may end up riding more in the dirt than the street, like me.



Pete P.

 

[jmeyn]

What a responsible, serious bunch of responses. Great! A few more observations:

1) Don't pick a bike unless you can ride it at a smooth 10 mph without slipping the clutch. You need to practice at low speeds so buy a bike that makes it possible.

2) Learn how to turn quickly, both righ and left, before you ride faster than 20 mph. That means counter-steering. Practice till it's automatic before you ride the freeways; Without this skill, at those speeds, avoidance maneuvers are impossible.

2a) Learn how to use your front brakes before you exceed 15 mph! Learn when to use your rears.

3) Unless you have an experienced friend/mentor/teacher or two, find a good weekend school. There are lots of free ones around the cities. If you have to learn by yourself, go slowly and be patient; motorcycles are way different from bicycles and mistakes hurt unless you die quickly.

4) The most dangerous time is when you decide... I've got it! I've really got it!. That's when the guy whose bumper you're riding hits the brake... and you freeze.

I envy you (sniff, sniff. Live and prosper.

 

[jamesohoh7]

I will 'third' the suggestion for dirt-riding first. My first 'full-sized' bike was an '88 KX250... still have it, just rebuilt it actually. My first day riding it, I got about 50 yards before I looped it out and ate dirt. Hurt lots, but I learned immediately that the loud-handle is to be respected!.. not to mention that it was a good idea to be wearing a helmet.



Ride woods on your new dirt-bike. The pace is a lot slower than a motocross track and you won't kill or maim yourself trying that big double.



Woods riding puts a premium on throttle control and balance and using the brakes. These are the most important things you can learn starting out.

As well, it's a hell of a work-out!



-James

 

[NoKneeDown]

Hows about a section explaining the actual parts that make up a motorcycle and their function as well. I don't know how many issues of Motorcyclist I read when I started getting into bikes more before I figured out what the hell a swingarm was. It took me about three years of constant reading and researching to figure out what I know, and that ain't a lot. For those just starting out, it is important to know what a carburator is and it's function in a motorcycle. Knowing how a machine works is the first step to being able to control it.

--Also, I'm interested in the dirt riding experience and it's help on the road. Since I'm 21 I think I've outgrown my Honda MiniTrail 50cc. Does anybody know of any organizations or schools for dirt riding education? Websites??

 

[NoKneeDown]

Also, explain to me how to spell "carburetor".

Thanks.

 

[Grappelli]

Suggestions for first bikes would be very useful, including bikes NOT to get. I have anumber of frieds who have started biking, and they all want R6's or even R1's to start on. It takes forever to persuade them not to get one of these. (In fact I had to threaten one of them, that if he bought a R1, I'd lift him off it and take it back to the dealership myself)

 

[8914]

1) Training. Maybe a section that explains how important it is to get into a MSF class or track school and include numbers and web sites for both. A riding tip section ala Sport Rider would be good and could use video clips to demonstrate.



2) Gear. I just got back from Daytona and drove past 4 or 5 serious/fatal accident scenes. There wasn't a helmet or jacket to be found. An explanation of where money is best spent for those who are trying to ride on a budget would be helpful. For instance, race rep helmets don't protect your head better than a white X-9 on closeout for $180.



3) Risk Factors



This is a tough one to cover comprehensively but maybe a link to some safety studies and other research (hurt report, etc.) New riders should know that unlicensed and drunk riders die much more often and cars making bonehead left turns in front of you are also quite common. Maybe a "Riding Tips" section with editor and reader contributions would be nice.



4) Bike buying guide. An overview of good entry-level bikes from the past 10-15 years would be a great resource for new bike shoppers. I also agree that discouraging newbies from hopping on a Hayabusa straightaway would probably extend their involvement in our sport.



I think a New Riders section is a nice addition to the site and look forward to seeing it.



Dennis

 

[19332]

1 Defensive riding tricks, those who come to our sport as car drivers have no clue about the lack of respect MCs are given by cages, especially wobbly rookies in the slow lane.



2 Re the above, two wheel challeges such as reading road surfaces, how to ride on gravel, avoiding potholes, crossing RR tracks, what to do when dogs chase your bike, sandy or icy corners, rain, windchill (hypothermia), passengers who lean the other way in corners, flat tire or blowout while rding etc.

 

[SeanAlexander]

Why MO NEEDS a New Rider section.

This is not intended to be insulting to this poster. There is NO offense intended, BUT...

This is EXACTLY why MO should have a New Riders section.

After much careful consideration this new rider narrows it down to two motorcycles. One has 100 H.P. and weighs 470 Lbs, and one has 100 H.P. and weighs 370 Lbs. These are NOT "new rider" bikes. It seems that because 600s are the smallest displacement U.S. market super sports, people think that they are appropriate for beginners. Folks this is like giving your 16yr old high school student a Corvette Z06 as a first car. Sure it can change direction and stop quicker than most cars. However, it ALSO achieves much higher speeds in much shorter distances (like between corners) enabling it to get into more trouble on a more frequent basis than your average car. A modern 600 supersport is much the same, serious overkill for a new rider on public roads. This person should be looking at an EX 250 or good street single (CCM, Muz etc...) or at most an EX 500 Ninja if they want a "sport" bike as a first bike. Then they should ride it as much as possible, without the peer pressure of group rides etc, for the first few thousand miles. A modern 600 is deceptively fast. When that itch to pass in an inappropriate spot, or open it up just for the hell of it strikes (and it WILL strike), this new rider will find themselves going MUCH faster than they expected and arriving at the next car/obstacle/corner MUCH quicker than they expected or wanted. Luck will play just as much of a role in his/her next 6 months as skill or training will.

 

[SeanAlexander]

Sure Thing! and every small child should be given a nice, loaded, ****ed, semi-automatic pistol and allowed to "play" so that they can better learn what NOT to do.







p.s. that was sarcasm