LADIES - Yet another newbie! Riding advice please!

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deedee1
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#11 Unread post by deedee1 »

I am not sure how much they are or if they are expensive. i know hubby wants to join one here for the yamaha road stars and vstars and stuff like that after i get my vstar so.... That will be awhile though i have to learn to ride better first. LOl

RozStar
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#12 Unread post by RozStar »

Me too, Deedee. Unless they don't mind me trailing at 30 mph with training wheels on the back! :laughing:

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deedee1
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#13 Unread post by deedee1 »

LOL Yeah I know how that goes. At least ya wouldn't be alone me and my training wheels are right behind ya. :laughing:

Deedee

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#14 Unread post by Raindog1217 »

Welcome! I consider myself new to riding as I took a couple of years off and now am back. The best advice I can offer is just what everyone else said...Practice! Also, I purchase the "Ride Like a Pro" DVD and I cannot say enough about it. It is an awesome resource. You will be amazed at what you will be able to do after an hour of doing the drills. I tool the BRC and it is essential however, that supplemented with this DVD will raise skill 100%. And on of the best practicing tips I've gotten was to cut tennis balls in half and use them instead of cones. Run 'em over and its no big deal.
Again, welcome, enjoy, and be safe. We gals gotta stick together!!
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NJ-Pinay
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#15 Unread post by NJ-Pinay »

I practiced every weekend weather permitting with my husband supervising. But I have gone solo a handful of times. Keep practicing in the parking lots, then the neighborhood street(s) then gradually to the busy streets.

For those of you familiar w/ NJ, I've been on the major routes, back roads, etc., but am not comfortable yet to ride on the Garden State Parkway and NJ Turnpike. I think by the middle of next summer, I'll be ready.
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maggy
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#16 Unread post by maggy »

Like all the good advise I have to agree. Practice, Practice in the parking lot and neighbor hood. map out a route in neighborhood for right turns and left turns . Then try some u turns and so forth.
I would suggest staying out of traffic till more time in the saddle.
I been practicing for 7 months and still don't ride in traffic much , but that is me and I am practicing on my little 50 cc. On my shadow there is a great neighbor hood street I practice on also with a curve so that is alot helpful to me. Drive around and map out some streets for practice where there is not much traffic. On this site there is alot of good advise for beginners. It was great and Ihave used it to improve my riding skills.
Good luck and have fun. Once you get enough practice in you will just know you are ready for bigger streets. And then on to the freeways you go. grins
Maggy
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allihay
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#17 Unread post by allihay »

Hey RozStar, how's it going out there?

I am pretty new. I passed the BRC, I have my license, and my bike (Ninja 250). I only ride in my neighborhood. Lot's of starting, stopping, turns, 1 steep hill, a good place to practice U-turns, and I ride probably every other day.

Problem is, I haven't gone over about 20mph, as it is a residential area. I have gone up to 4th gear. My husband thinks I am ready to take it out of the neighborhood around a big "Block" that is probably 4 miles, total. 3-lane and 2-lane roads, and a one lane "mini-twisty" that is max 40-45 mph.

I am nervous about having to go so much faster.

Has anyone dealt with this recently? Should I just wait and listen to my gut about when to get out there, or should I just go for it some weekday morning when traffic is really light?

Thanks for any replies....

Allison
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shalihe74
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#18 Unread post by shalihe74 »

Well, I'm a big fan of not operating outside of your comfort zone so I'm apt to say go with your gut and progress when you're ready.

I'm going to bet that the jump from 20 to 40-45 is going to be less of a shock than the jump from quiet residential streets to trafficked streets.

In that vein, your idea of hopping on the street when it has very little traffic sounds like a good one. That way you are separating out the two new experiences and can (hopefully) become acclimated to each individually before having to tackle them together.

I think you'll find that the increase in speed isn't that big of a deal - especially if you don't concentrate on it. Just accelerate, don't stare at the speedometer, and you'll probably find that you're very comfortable going faster on a road that is built for the higher speed.

And, if you do encounter any traffic... don't let them stress you. I recall stalling a lot at lights when I first started riding and people behind me would (understandably) get frustrated. But, just because the people behind you are impatient, don't try to rush yourself or do something you're not ready for just to make them happy. They can suck it up.

Hope this helps... ? :)
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allihay
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#19 Unread post by allihay »

Hi Shalihe74 -
Thanks for the reply, and yes, your advice did help. I think I am going to listen to my gut and stay in my neighborhood for now. I will get out there when I feel it is right. I wish I had someone to ride with, but we only have 1 bike!! We have friends in the neighborhood that have a dual-sport, they said my hubby could borrow it, but I don't know how serious they were. I don't think I'd want to loan out my bike. My husband went down in a gravel patch in a parking lot and put a nice crack in the plastic under the seat. I'm pretty peeved about it. I wanted all the dings and scratches to be my own! I'm thinking about taking off the factory decals and replacing them with sparkles. Then he won't want to ride it so much!
Allison

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#20 Unread post by Loonette »

allihay wrote:I wanted all the dings and scratches to be my own! I'm thinking about taking off the factory decals and replacing them with sparkles. Then he won't want to ride it so much!
That's too funny!! I feel the same way about my bike.

The advice "Shalihe74" offered is great. I would also add that building confidence comes from pushing a bit out of our comfort zones. So try to not wait too long to venture out - you might develop a sort of mental atrophy.

A nice quiet morning is a great time to get to know your bike better. Listen to and feel the engine instead of focusing on the speedometer - it's a great way to learn when to shift without staring down. This will help you later when you're in heavy traffic.

When I was new, I did most of my practicing out in the country. That way I could focus on my riding skills without having to worry about everyone else in the world. Find some quiet roads that have curves, hills (especially ones where you can practice starting-off on an incline), 90-degree turns, blind turns, etc... Remember the skills you learned in class, like accelerating through your turns. Practice fast braking when it's safe to do so. Find something - anything - in the road and swerve around it.

You'll do fine with practice. Before you know it so much will feel like second (even first) nature. Keep us posted!

Cheers,
Loonette
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