Total Motorcycle Community Forums

Tomorrow I am going to pick up my very first bike.(Suzuki GS500) I have only ridden dirt bikes, and have no experience on the pavement. Well here's my delima, the dealership i am picking it up at tomorrow is in another town, and I have to ride it all the way back to my house, about 30 miles. This is going to be my first ride, and I am quite nervious about it. Any pointers on what to do to make it home safe would be greatly appreciated.

if your that unsure of yourself, find a friend with a flatbed truck. insicurities on the road are amoast as dangerous as a cager with a bottle of vodca half way down the pipe.

otherwise, you should be fine. make sure you ride during the daylight hours,use your protecive gear, and your wits, and you should be fine.

best of luck

See if they will deliver it or have a friend with a truck go with you to pick it up. Riding it home is not a good idea, especialy for your first bike. I'd hate to see you damage it before it even makes it to your house.

Ya so would i. i have a full size pickup, I just dont know how i'd get it up into the bed?

hmm... the dealer might be able to help you, otherwise, have a friend come along, get some slats of good sturdywood boards, and roll it on up there, maybe some cement blocks to act as a doorstop for the wood on the ground.

use some enginuity, but leave the pullies out of it those hurt when they fall

It ain't much of a dealership if they don't have a ramp. Definitely don't ride that bike home yet! You can haul that bike in just about any pickup - even small ones - you might have to leave the tailgate down, but that's no big deal. Get some nylon straps with hooks - they sell them at any cycle shop and you'll eventually need them again. And get some help loading and unloading - you wouldn't be the first guy to drop his new bike while unloading it but it gtes easier after you've done it a time or two. Good luck!

Chris bought his cbr from a guy who drove it up to us in a pickup. He backed up to a steep bank, well, not that steep. We rolled it back off the truck. the drop was about 8 inches. back wheel first, then two of us lowered the front wheel carefull as the third guy pulled it backwards out of the truck. The guy on the right put the front brake on immedeiatedly, boarded the bike, and the truck was moved out of the way. Gravity did the rest. We don't know how he loaded it, probably the same way in reverse, maybe even scarier .

Thanks, I'll probably heed your advice and do just that.

What I did is had someone drive me to pick it up, then follow me home and ensure I didn't get tailgated. This allowed me to take it at my own pace without pressure from other drivers.

I just had my cousin follow me in my car, since I had no plate, no insurance, and no license.