Getting that "new" bike home?
Getting that "new" bike home?
Ok so you've taken the MSF course, got your license and are now ready to buy that bike. You find the one you want either brand new or used. My question is how do you get it home so you can start to practice? If you should start by practicing in parking/vacant lots you still need to get it home to get it over to the lot. Do you A)have a friend ride it to your house? B) Put it in a trailer? C) Chance it on the freeway or back roads and hope you have learned enough to not crash on the way home?or D) ask the salesman/owner to ride it to your house?
- Kal
- Site Supporter - Gold
- Posts: 2554
- Joined: Sun Sep 12, 2004 8:08 am
- Real Name: Jade
- Sex: Female
- Years Riding: 14
- My Motorcycle: 1998 Kawasaki GPZ500S
- Location: Nottingham, UK
The correct answer is A) B) or D) however...
I followed a friend the first 20miles out of town before she turned back and did the remaining 40 odd miles on my tod. It was fantastic, exhilerating and contained altogether too many near death experiences in one sitting to be entirely safe.
I followed a friend the first 20miles out of town before she turned back and did the remaining 40 odd miles on my tod. It was fantastic, exhilerating and contained altogether too many near death experiences in one sitting to be entirely safe.

Kal...
Relationship Squid...
GPZ500S, CB250N, GB250Clubman
Relationship Squid...
GPZ500S, CB250N, GB250Clubman
- Mustang
- Legendary 300
- Posts: 378
- Joined: Wed Aug 24, 2005 10:32 am
- Sex: Male
- Location: Fort Lauderdale FL
I went from a buell at the safety course to my Harley. With the encouragement of my friend I rode my new bike around the dealers practice lot to get used to turning the larger bike, gears etc and then took her for a spin around the quiet industrial park cirlce road.
But riding it home in rush hour traffic.....my buddy did that for me. Too many bad drivers in South Florida! My first official ride in traffic was a quiet evening ride along the coast.
But riding it home in rush hour traffic.....my buddy did that for me. Too many bad drivers in South Florida! My first official ride in traffic was a quiet evening ride along the coast.
[b]Other Daily Reads[/b]
[url=http://bikerdiaries.blogspot.com/]Biker Diaries[/url]
[url=http://www.clutchandchrome.com]Clutch and Chrome[/url]
[url=http://totalmotorcycle.com/BBS/index.php]The motorcycle Forum[/url]
[url=http://bikerdiaries.blogspot.com/]Biker Diaries[/url]
[url=http://www.clutchandchrome.com]Clutch and Chrome[/url]
[url=http://totalmotorcycle.com/BBS/index.php]The motorcycle Forum[/url]
- Gadjet
- Site Supporter - Gold
- Posts: 1195
- Joined: Wed Apr 14, 2004 4:01 pm
- Real Name: Owen Clark
- Sex: Male
- Years Riding: 19
- My Motorcycle: 2020 KTM 200 Duke
- Location: Red Deer, Alberta
- Contact:
Mine got carried home in the back of my dad's pickup truck.
Of course, I didn't have my full license yet, nor did I have the bike registered or insured. that got done the next day, and I then proceeded to take short rides around the neighborhood with my dad to get used to it. Then I started riding to and from work (10 miles each way on the highway, plus some city traffic), following or leading my dad.
After two weeks of that, I took my road test and got my license.
That first trip home was the only time my bike didn't move somewhere under it's own power.
Of course, I didn't have my full license yet, nor did I have the bike registered or insured. that got done the next day, and I then proceeded to take short rides around the neighborhood with my dad to get used to it. Then I started riding to and from work (10 miles each way on the highway, plus some city traffic), following or leading my dad.
After two weeks of that, I took my road test and got my license.
That first trip home was the only time my bike didn't move somewhere under it's own power.
1983 Suzuki GS650GL (sold)
2005 Kawasaki KLR 650 (sold)
2020 KTM 200 Duke
IBA#20953
IG: @greenmanwc
2005 Kawasaki KLR 650 (sold)
2020 KTM 200 Duke
IBA#20953
IG: @greenmanwc
- Hammersfan
- Regular
- Posts: 45
- Joined: Sun Jan 01, 2006 3:55 pm
- Sex: Male
- Location: Ajax,Ontario
Picking up the bike
I have my licence but haven't ridden a bike for years, so a buddy is picking it up for me. I don't want to drop a brand new bike the minute I get it out of the show room ! He will take it to a quite place : and then I can get on and practise. 

- storysunfolding
- Moderator
- Posts: 3882
- Joined: Wed Sep 21, 2005 10:20 am
- Sex: Male
- Years Riding: 22
- My Motorcycle: Vstrom 650, S1000RR, XS850, ZX6R
- Location: Reston Virginia
After stalling it twice at the dealers, The dealer told me to practice on the road behind thier shop. There was a Church about a block away, and I drove around thier parking lot for about 10 minutes, then my Wife followed me home in her car. Pulling out on a 4 lane road for the first time is kind of nerve racking.
2006 Yamaha VStar Custom
Green Knights Motorcycle Club
"Freedom Through Service"
Green Knights Motorcycle Club
"Freedom Through Service"