Beginners Guide to Motorcycling - Beginner's Guide to Motorcycling

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Beginner's Guide to Motorcycling

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Welcome to the Beginner's Guide to Motorcycling section of the website. This section is dedicated to those who are new (or newly) into motorcycling. It is my hope that the information provided will enhance your motorcycling career.

Like to add to this section? E-Mail and I'll include it for others to read.

Have fun out there, enjoy the ride and be safe. - Mike Le Pard (webmaster)

Contents

Main Sections:

Section One: The First Steps.

Section One 1/2: Insurance

Section Two: Choosing Your Ride and not someone else's.

Section Two 1/2: Motorcycle Seat Heights

Section Three: The Basic styles of Motorcycles.

Section Four: Motorcycle Gear, Gearing Up

Section Five: Routes and Lessons - Learning to Ride

Section Five 1/2: Counter Steering & Push Steering

Section Six: The Soul of a Bike - The Engine

Section Six 1/2: The Engine Wars: Single vs. V-Twin vs. In-line Four

Section Six 3/4: How loud do you want it?

Section Seven: Motorcycle Tests and Quizes

Section Eight: Motorcycle Maintenance, more than kicking tires.

Section Nine: Survivability - Cars Versus Motorcycles

Appendixes:

Appendix One: Lessons I've learned, the hard way.

Appendix Two: First ride stories.

Appendix Three: The Future of Motorcycling

Advice:

Total Motorcycle Forums

Total Motorcycle New Bikers Forum

Total Motorcycle Motorcycle Safety, Security & Rider Tips Forum

Total Motorcycle Shop

Riders Writes: Andrew Durling

As a motorcyclist myself, trying to come up with a description for what motorcycling means to me and others is difficult to get across in words alone. The best description I can think of is: Motorcycling isn't about transportation alone, more than just a lifestyle, it is a life changing event; period.

If you have never rode a motorcycle before this can be difficult to understand what I'm trying to get across. You may be thinking its all about the clothing, merchandise, music, engine size, bike style, manufacturer or lingo. I won't lie to you, a small part of it is. For me, it is about the feeling you get when you ride. You fill all of your senses with that feeling.

Imagine this: Your riding down a clear road, tank full of gas, no where in particular to go with the whole day ahead of you, you smell the countryside/mountains/fresh rain/forest/ocean/hay as you pass, the sun shining down with the wind at your back. You can choose to go down any road that you want, hit the twisties, cruise the super-slab or explore that small town ahead... That feeling is the of freedom, and it is extremely addictive.

Motorcycling and the Senses:

You will find that motorcycling will fill the needs of all your senses:

Sight: The roads, the scenery, the horizon stretching in front of you...
Smell: The countryside, mountains, fresh rain, forest, ocean, hay...
Sound: The rumble of the engine, the wind whizzing by, nature...
Touch: The control of the machine, the feel of being part of everything around you and not just driving though...
Taste: The dust in the air, the sweetness of fresh rain...

Don't forgot the other senses as well.

The sense of belonging to something bigger than you've known before: The community, a brotherhood/club of bikers, good times and good friends.
The sense of accomplishment: Riding further, visiting new places, trying new roads, improving your skills and more....

While you can do all that in a car, it isn't even close to that feeling. Trust Us. :)

Websites:

Short Biker List - Great list matching shorter riders height to motorcycles that fit them.
TrackDoD Novice Group Orientation - Go Fast. Safely. EXCELLENT READ.

Riding Schools:

Too Cool Motorcycle School - Calgary's Premiere Training Center! New motorcycles (2002 ZX250 Ninja, Suzuki GS500E, Honda Rebel, Suzuki Marauder) to learn on. Even better are the instrustors who care about giving your the BEST MSF training possible. Check them out today! -Highly Recommended

Riding Tips:

Motorcycle Racing School Riding Tips - Braking, Downshifting, Countersteering, Control, Look Where You’re Going, Don’t PANIC!, Group Riding, Cornering, The Pace

Personal Tips and Techniques - Braking, Counter-steering, Curves and Cornering, Drag Racing Techniques, Error Margins, First Bike, Hearing Protection, Straightening out, Lean Angles, Metacognition failures in the unskilled, Proper Training, The Pace, Rain, Road Hazards, Tires, Vanishing Point, Visibility Myth, Wheelies, Winter Storage, Miscellaneous

Motorcycle Rider Skills - Rider safety and protection, Carrying a pillion passenger,
Born again bikers, Dealing with Risks, Observation and hazard recognition , Overtaking and dealing with traffic. Motorcycle Control, Learn about positioning,
Improve your cornering, Touring, Group Riding without getting lost, Touring, Riding on motorways, Riding in the rain.

Tips for Traveling Long Distances on a Motorcycle

Tips for Riding in the Mountains

Motorcycle Riding Tips - From Warwick Schuberg Stay Upright Director. Confidence - Having a System, Often Asked, "What To Do" and "How" Questions, Managing Risk. What Is It?, Riding with Pillions, Carrying Loads. Riding Strategies for the Public Street, "Where Did It Go Wrong?" Crash Scenarios.

Riding Tips & Advice - Buying Advice Riding Gear, Riding Techniques, Workshop Tips, Bike Setup.

Iron Butt Association Riding Tips - Know your limits, Forget high speeds, No caffeine, Prepare your bike, Maintenance & Accessories, Electric clothing, Pack wisely, Prepare yourself, Avoid boredom, Towing service, Stop to go Faster, Know when to stop!, Positive mental attitude, Eat healthy foods, Eating times, Separate your stops, Obtain fuel early, Wet weather riding, + more.

Safety Tips:

Welcome to Riding 101 - Discover Today's Motorcycling, Analyze Your Desire to Ride, Choose a Motorcycle Style, Get Certified Rider Training, Find Protective Riding Gear, Join the AMA.

Bikesafe UK - Bikesafe 2000, Riding in Groups, Defensive riding tips.

General Information:

The Motorcycle - Selecting the right Motorcycle to suit your needs, lifestyle and expectations.

The Motorcycle - motorbike tyres ( tires - USA )

Discover Today's Motorcycling. - Discover Today’s Motorcycling (DTM), the communications and media service bureau of the Motorcycle Industry Council, provides information about the world of motorcycling to the media and the general public.

Throughout the Journey to Adventure - 10 Step Guide to Motorcycling, you will find steps to help you through the process of buying a motorcycle, preparing to ride, and even a section covering just a few of the fun things to do once you begin to ride. 20 Pages, really nice read!

Used Motorcycle Evaluation Guide - last updated 5/6/02 -- now 26 pages (125k) of quasi-nutritious moto-info!

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