New rider need advice

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Dominique012897
Tricycle Squid
Tricycle Squid
Posts: 1
Joined: Mon May 14, 2018 9:42 am
Real Name: Dominique Hernandez
Sex: Female
Years Riding: 0
My Motorcycle: 2018 Harley Davidson 48 special

New rider need advice

#1 Unread post by Dominique012897 »

Hi guys, I’m a female about 5’5 i just bought a forty - eight special from HD. I started taking my two day course today and
It finally ended so i came home and hopped my back and just took it around my neighborhood to practice what i learned but it kept stalling on me. During the class it happened a few times. I dropped my new baby on the floor and she got a stratch and it made me sad. I know i just started but the bikes they teach us on are way different and i just feel confused. I would love some advice on the best way to improve on becoming a better biker. My only issues are the stalling and being able to get into full control of my bike while i drive and hold it up.

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Rubiadiabla
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Posts: 57
Joined: Tue May 01, 2012 6:31 am
Real Name: Carrie
Sex: Female
Years Riding: 25
My Motorcycle: 2014 CTX 1300,2012 Ninja 650

Re: New rider need advice

#2 Unread post by Rubiadiabla »

Hiya Dominique, I apologize about the delayed response. I'm proud of you for taking the beginners riders course, they really give you some good foundation skills to build on. I've answered posts similar to this before and I'm gonna tell you the same thing I tell my boy ( he's 15 and gonna be a licensed driver sooner than I care to think about lol) He wants a suped up race car sooner before later and I'd prefer he learn in an 86 Honda Civic handed down by somebody's grandma, you know the type with rose stickers in the back window? You could make a small investment in an older but reliable inexepensive learning bike, then you won't have to be sad when you take on scuffs and bruises, your Harley will happily await your progress safe in the garage. :) I wouldn't waste time with a 250 because they are hard to sell when you're done with them, but perhaps an older Honda Nighthawk or Suzuki intruder, something like a 650 cruiser won't hurt you on your insurance and will deliver enough power to get you from point a to point b. I'm a firm believer that parking lot practice at slow speeds is crucial to safe riding for every rider, expert or novice. Get you some sidewalk chalk, some rubber duckies and some bottled water and find a lonely church parking lot on a weekday evening. Set you up a slow riding course and practice starting and stopping, practice figure 8's and swerves, quick stops etc just like you did during your riders course use the rubber duckies like road cones and you'll hear them squeek if you hit them. Get ya some level headed riding friends who just wanna go out to have fun who won't encourage you to ride faster than the speed limit. I promise start and stopping practice will remedy the stalling issues. You're only a bit shorter than I, so your height is an advantage. Make sure you have some good comfy riding boots with an acceptable heel , get a thicker sole if you need the height but make sure the extra width doesn't make too tight of a space between your peg and your shifting lever. Once you have a couple thousand or so miles under your belt, I recommend taking an advanced riders course with your own Harley. Please keep us updated with your progress. Have fun with your adventure and ride safe.
'Well behaved women seldom make history.' -Laurel Thatcher Ulrich

barnes34
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Posts: 16
Joined: Tue Jan 23, 2018 7:27 pm
Real Name: James
Sex: Male
Years Riding: 2
My Motorcycle: 2012 Kawasaki Ninja

Re: New rider need advice

#3 Unread post by barnes34 »

Howdy! I hope by now you are very capable rider. I personally took some time to get the control things in my nerve and still in the process of learning after all these years of riding.

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