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Actually we can not figure out what happend on the second dump. I was turning out of a parking lot into a left hand turn and thought things were going well then like every one says it went to slow, very slow mod and oh look at that curve coming, no there it is! Near as I can figure is that maybe I looked in the direction that I didn't ned to go instead of the direction to go. What I learned is practice more, take my time and look, LOOK in the direction to go. Doing must must better.

I think I just fell over, you just confused me on that one too.
I am glad you are doing much better, you will be amazed at how smooth your riding will become with time.

rvgal wrote:Actually we can not figure out what happend on the second dump. I was turning out of a parking lot into a left hand turn and thought things were going well then like every one says it went to slow, very slow mod and oh look at that curve coming, no there it is! Near as I can figure is that maybe I looked in the direction that I didn't ned to go instead of the direction to go. What I learned is practice more, take my time and look, LOOK in the direction to go. Doing must must better.

I can turn my head in the total opposite direction I am going and still go around a curve without issues. Turning on an intersection I cant do that but normal curves I can.

rvgal wrote:Actually we can not figure out what happend on the second dump. I was turning out of a parking lot into a left hand turn and thought things were going well then like every one says it went to slow, very slow mod and oh look at that curve coming, no there it is! Near as I can figure is that maybe I looked in the direction that I didn't ned to go instead of the direction to go. What I learned is practice more, take my time and look, LOOK in the direction to go. Doing must must better.

Be deliberate in your execution of take offs. Be authoritative in giving it gas and clutch to get out of there. Don't go about it hesitantly or you'll get some squirrelyness from the bike and that leads to trouble.

When I first started I had some roughness getting on a left hand turn and giving it enough uumph to get out of there. If you need to slightly turn the handle bars to the direction you need to turn. Give it enough gas to get out of there. The rest you'll have to feel out as far as counter leaning and all that as you need to turn and accelerate.

I know that I was not giving it enough gas at first at take off. Felt like I was bening to hard and my DH said I should "Ride it like I stole it" so now I have no problems getting out of the hole. These are things that are different to driving a normal vehicle, and of course old habit are hard to break on old dogs!
Thanks for all your information it helps!

Last weekend was the first riding I had done in about 18 years. I have an experienced friend, who has been wonderful. After riding around all day in parking lots and neighborhood, he said the only thing he was concerned with my starting out to slowly. Choking it out during a turn is not a good thing. Hopefully today I can get some practice in. After a not so good "real" ride last Sunday, I am sticking to parking lots until after my safety class.

Wow. I'm sorry you all took spills, but you're making me feel much better about motorcycle riding now. I panicked and took a spill on my mom's Vespa once and now my hubby thinks I'm not fit for riding. But I really would like to try again. Obviously lots of practice and a few classes would be in order to convince him I'll be safe.

lewister wrote:Wow. I'm sorry you all took spills, but you're making me feel much better about motorcycle riding now. I panicked and took a spill on my mom's Vespa once and now my hubby thinks I'm not fit for riding. But I really would like to try again. Obviously lots of practice and a few classes would be in order to convince him I'll be safe.

Vespa's, from my experience, are harder to handle than a normal motorcycle.

Also good to know. It was my first time riding all by myself and I just went right off the road. Sigh. But I picked myself up, got back on and made it the rest of the way back with no trouble. Seriously, if my 68-year-old mother can ride a scooter, I should be able to handle a motorcycle.

I know how you feel. I rode dirt for years and felt pretty confident, but when I moved to the city I gave up riding because the car drivers scared me...Well, I ended up with a bunch of women friends who all have bikes, so I bought a Virago 535 (love the bike), took the MSF class and with in two months had a Dodge truck try and run me over...I locked up the back tire and slid the bike out..Lucky for me the bike landed on my leg so no damage to it ... Just my ego and a nice bone bruise....I got back on this summer and the first few rides didn't have any confidence. I found some quiet roads around town that I could ride until I got my confidence back...Don't give up...