theory vs. reality: bikes is heavy

[tropicalhotdog]

Just picked up my first REAL bike, a Suzuki C50T, and got the gel seat and light bars put on. Barely slept a wink last night - it was like being a 5 year old waiting for Santa on christmas eve. My expereince to date has been about 600 miles on 150cc Vespa (which I use to commute to work, Brooklyn to Manhattan), and less than 100 miles on a Suzuki DR200 (which I never liked because of the high CG). Since I got my M license on the Vespa, I took the MSF course to properly learn the basics of MC riding (aced it), and then read the the Hough book on Proficient Riding cover to cover. So I felt ready. Nervous, but ready.

Picked up the C50 this afternoon, put it in first, spent a few minutes in the dealrship parking lot finding the friction zone, ten minutes power walking, then went into first gear, put my feet up on the floorboards, got to the end of lot, and hit the brakes WHILE MY WHEEL WAS TURNED. This brings us to the "bikes is heavy" portion of the day. It didn't totally drop, since my leg was holding it up (yes, ouch). After all the practicing on the little 250s at MSF, all the beautifully articulated advice and lessons in Hough's book, nothing moves knowledge from the brain to the body like actually doing, I guess. The fiance helped me free my leg without letting the bike hit gravel, and no one in the dealerhsip saw me, so I got to keep my testes. I practiced on the lot for about another hour, then rode the 15 miles home. And that ride was the best feeling I've had in years and now still haunts me. How will I ever focus on my job now?

[atom]

Congrats, happy bike bay.

good save

[thume]

Happy Bike Day!

How will I ever focus on my job now?

No that is the hard part .

[TorontoBoy]

Yup your C50 is 640 wetlb compared to your 250lb Vespa. There'll be some getting used to there! Good save though.

http://www.motorcyclecruiser.com/roadte ... vard_c50t/

[DivideOverflow]

Yup your C50 is 850lb compared to your 250lb Vespa. There'll be some getting used to there! Good save though.

Actually it is about 580lbs... but who's counting?

Congrats on your purchase! The C50 is a very nice bike. My brother really likes his M50.

[tropicalhotdog]

Took it out this morning to start riding thrugh the break-in period, and it was like a driver's ed training film. Within an hour, had to deal with a car pulling out suddenly from the right hand shoulder to make a u-turn onto the other side of the highway, a soccer mom in a mini van passing me at 70MPH (her speed, not mine), a doe & fawn jumping right in front of me on a bend in the road, and then a sudden downpour. RAWK!

So yes, the extra 300 lbs is taking some getting used to, but here's what I'm liking, as a noob:

1) Ease of shifting, esp. with heel-toe shifter (new to me). Very smooth.
2) How well engine compression slows down the bike when throttling back or down shifting.
3) The f-ing feeling of POWER when giving it some throttle. I mean, damn.
4) The general ergonomics of the bike (my first cruiser).
5) How all the bikers I pass now wave to me (lotsa riders around here, near Woodstock NY).

Question for those of you with windscreens - how high up do you have it positioned relative to your field of vision? If I'm sitting up with good posture, I see comfortably above it; if I'm doing my usual back-destroying slouch, the upper edge is smack in the center of my field, which is distracting; to get positioned with my face fully behind it, I have to duck. I plan on doing quite a bit of interstate highway riding, which is why I got the C50T set-up. Any opinions, or is it wholly personal preference?

Thanks for all the congrats, too.

[flw]

Slow speeds is where weight really can bite you. The slower the more dangerous. After about 15 mph it really lightens up. You learned a lesson in a safe place (not on the road) and won't need to learn it again.

There will be other lessons but since no one knows what you don't realize yet, you can assume there will be some more. Thats why you should always ride below your skill level so you can use that last 20% for a emergency manuver or extra time to think.

[Nibblet99]

Being able to see over the top is no bad thing - bikes have no windscreen wipers - and it'll teach you good posture as you put it

The wind doesn't just get deflected at the screen, but quite a bit above it, as it only starts the creation of a bubble of air around you.

It's personal choice really, but sounds like I'd probably lower it a touch if it was on my bike