Just another wobbling psycho

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Veda
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#21 Unread post by Veda »

Added a second video from yesterday's ride if anyone is interested:

http://www.blip.tv/file/127880/

blues2cruise
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#22 Unread post by blues2cruise »

Nice countryside. Our roads had leftover ice and snow on them yesterday. You are forunate to have it so nice right now.

Ummmm. about that stop sign..... :shock:

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Veda
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#23 Unread post by Veda »

Last weekend we went to a motorcycle show at the Bayside expo center. It really wasn't what I was expecting. I expected it to be a lot of motorcycle and motorcycle gear manufacturers showcasing their shiny things. In reality, it was like a big leather flea market. Lots of booths selling t-shirts and fashion leather apparel. Really not even any motorcycle gear to speak of. There were people everywhere, my favorite scenario, and they were all drinking beer from aluminum bottles. There were a few dealerships there with bikes for sale that people could sit on. The result? People sitting on bikes holding beer bottles and little kids running around and leaping on these bikes that were balanced precariously on their kick stands. It was a mess waiting to happen.

I did get to sit on a few bikes, which I was happy about. Since there were so many people running around there really were no bothering sales guys trying to chat you up. I sat on one of the Ducati Monsters (too tall and top heavy), a Honda Rebel (too small and low to the ground), and a Honda Shadow (also too low, kind of heavy and not very exciting). I also sat on a Ninja 250, which was a perfect size. It felt like it was made for my body. Perfect height, perfect weight, perfect width, very comfortable compared to anything else I have sat on. (perfect price tag).

In the days following the show I kept thinking about the baby Ninja and how I just wanted to cuddle it a little bit. For the past year whenever anyone suggested that bike to me I said it was too ugly, and I had no interest. Now I do.

I decided to sign up for the MSF and see what this whole riding a big thing with a clutch is all about. My class will be in the middle of March, hopefully it won't be too cold. If nothing else it should quiet the ongoing debate in the back of head about motorcycle vs. scooter for me.

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Locopez
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#24 Unread post by Locopez »

should be no debate...keep the scooter and get a motorcycle....if you can!!! :lol:
07 Suzuki DR650SE & 03 HD FLHT Elctra Glide

Rubber side down....shinny side up!

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#25 Unread post by Shorts »

Ahh got the bug for a Ninja! :D I say keep the scoot, buy the bike. If you really must make a choice, try to do it after you've had the bike.

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Veda
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#26 Unread post by Veda »

I finished my classroom and first day of the MSF. Day 2 is today. (35 degrees, brrr). The classroom was no big deal, although a little boring. After spending the past year reading all the books and forums out there on motorcycling I expected to be a bit ahead of the curve. I got 100% on my written test. I was surprised by the make up of my class... everyone else has said it's usually a 50/50 mix of men and women and mostly people who had never ridden. My class was all teenage boys and myself. And they all currently ride 600/litre sport bikes. I guess all the local dealerships did a promo over the winter where they would pay for the msf if you bought a supersport. There was so much testosterone in the room I had to go home and shower!

My first range day, yesterday, was a mostly different group. There was one other women and two people who had never ridden. The rest of the group had some experience though. I obviously have experience from riding my scooter, but I have no experience with a clutch. I've ridden a stick shift car once on the road around the block and hated it. So I was nervous about it on the bike. Fortunately, I seemed to take to it pretty well and was zipping back and forth on the course. It wasn't until later in the afternoon that I started to have problems stalling as I was taking off. The instructor suggested it might have just been the bike and the cold temperatures though.

I am really glad I came into the course with some riding experience as the level seemed to be beginner plus. Remembering how scared and confused I was the first few times I took the scooter out there is no way I could have worked through that and used the clutch. I'm pretty sure if I were a complete noob I would have been one of those people who leave the range in tears the first day.

The format of the course was not really what I was expecting. I was expecting it to be more like "lessons" and it's really not. It was more of a tough love, just figure it out and do it thing. Not really my preferred learning style. I was really hoping to have someone talk me through shifting and tell me when to shift, and when to clutch etc. But it worked out okay. I completed all the activities well enough. I'm also greatful to have had the opportunity to spend a few hours messing around with the clutch and shifting on their bikes. If nothing else that is probably worth the 300 bucks.

Oh. And I was the only dropped bike of the day. Fortunately, I was not on the bike at the time but had not put the kickstand down all the way and it fell after I had walked away. Oddly enough, my clutch was a bit easier to use after it was bent.

Well now it is time to bundle up in the winter gear and take day two and possibly put a deposit down on a ninja 250. (yes, we will likely have two bright blue shiny ninjas in our garage. A big ninja and a baby ninja.)

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#27 Unread post by Veda »

Picked up a little Ninja last week. I reluctantly traded my scooter in for the bike. Right now I'm a little frustrated because I am so used to having the scooter, which I could hop on and run all over town and rule the roads. I'm not very comfortable on the ninja yet. I rode it home from the dealership (5 miles in city traffic) and didn't die or fall - that's about all I can say about that ride. I may have given my poor salesguy a heart attack as I dumped the clutch, launching myself into traffic in front of the shop. I then proceeded to jerk into 2nd and 3rd gears almost wheelie-ing down the road. Now I completely understand why newbies should not ride 600cc sport bikes. On a less forgiving bike, I would have been dead in my first mile.

Things went a little smoother after that. Today I went out and practiced in the parking lot down the street for about 20 minutes. Start off, shift to second, stop... start, 2nd, stop, repeat, repeat. Then I found an incline road and did the same. Wonder if the residents on that street thought I was crazy. I feel a bit better, but I'm really not sure I'm safe to ride in traffic yet. There are so many more moving parts on the motorcycle compared to the scooter. I am afraid I will get hung up on what to pull and what to press and not be paying attention to traffic or panic in an emergency. I also keep forgetting about that pesky rear brake being under my foot, used to the scooter having hand brakes. I am hoping, with a bit more practice it will become second nature and I can go back to tearing it up like I did on the scooter.

I am very very very glad I started on the scooter. I'm sure some people will think buying a scooter, riding it for 6 months and trading it in for 2/3 what I paid is a dumb financial move. But honestly had I started on the ninja or gone to the MSF never having ridden I would have given up. The first few times I rode the scooter I was so scared to just balance myself and move more than 15 mph - then try and turn and not target fixate? There is no way I could have done that and concentrate on using the clutch and shifting. The only thing that got me through the MSF and home from the dealership the other night was the fact that I already knew how to ride, I just needed to pay attention to the clutch action and shifting.

I would totally recommend a scooter as a starter for anyone who is intimidated or worried about riding a motorcycle but wants to try.

Image

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#28 Unread post by Apollofrost »

Pretty spiffy, looks great.
I'm starting a petition to cull narrowminded dull people - be afraid Peter, be very afraid....
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#29 Unread post by jstark47 »

Veda wrote:I feel a bit better, but I'm really not sure I'm safe to ride in traffic yet. There are so many more moving parts on the motorcycle compared to the scooter. I am afraid I will get hung up on what to pull and what to press and not be paying attention to traffic or panic in an emergency...........I am hoping, with a bit more practice it will become second nature and I can go back to tearing it up like I did on the scooter.
It will very quickly (a few weeks) become second nature. Keep reading and you'll see why I say this.
Veda wrote:I also keep forgetting about that pesky rear brake being under my foot, used to the scooter having hand brakes.
You forget to use the rear brake, or you hit it when you didn't intend to?
Veda wrote: I am very very very glad I started on the scooter.....had I started on the ninja or gone to the MSF never having ridden I would have given up. The first few times I rode the scooter I was so scared to just balance myself and move more than 15 mph - then try and turn and not target fixate? There is no way I could have done that and concentrate on using the clutch and shifting. The only thing that got me through the MSF and home from the dealership the other night was the fact that I already knew how to ride, I just needed to pay attention to the clutch action and shifting.

I would totally recommend a scooter as a starter for anyone who is intimidated or worried about riding a motorcycle but wants to try.
My wife and I both went this route, we started on a Honda Reflex. She went from there to a Marauder 800 then a Triumph Trophy 1200, I went to a Bonneville then added a V-strom 1000. When I took the MSF I had 9 months of scooter road experience and had all the fundamentals down except clutch & shifting. When I did the cone weaves, the instructor said, "you've done this before, haven't you?" A month after I got the Bonneville I was commuting through morning rush hour traffic (including the 14 mile stretch on I-295 at 80mph :shock: ); two months later I did a 250 mile trip.

You'll do fine. Have fun with the Ninja!
2003 Triumph Trophy 1200
2009 BMW F650GS (wife's)
2012 Triumph Tiger 800
2018 Yamaha XT250 (wife's)
2013 Kawasaki KLX250S

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#30 Unread post by Shorts »

Veda, congrats on the bike! :bliss: It's gorgeous!

I love reading your updates.
I may have given my poor salesguy a heart attack as I dumped the clutch, launching myself into traffic in front of the shop. I then proceeded to jerk into 2nd and 3rd gears almost wheelie-ing down the road.


This was awesome to picture :laugh5:


You'll get the smooth hang of it soon. Like you said, you know how to ride two-powered wheels, now you just added in the element of shifting. Since you're feeling a little tied up about not being able to easily take off like on your scooter, the urge to ride will get you out there quick.

Have fun! 8)

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