Thanks everyone! Went on a 70 mile ride last night with hubby - back roads and such. I did manage to stall the bike at a stop sign coming out of a gas station - since the wheel was turned....well you guessed it - I met Mr. Pavement . Bike is fine - I am fine. I didn't even realize what had happened until I was already falling over. Hubby had to realign my handle bar - it was a bit "off" from the fall. Nothing was bent - the riser part just got pushed a bit out of the shaft and had to be pushed back in. It didn't scare me either. Obviously I must have let the clutch out too fast without enough throttle - don't plan on doing that again. I would much rather meet Mr. Pavement going that speed (which was basically Zero ) than actually moving down the road.
You are so right passing the MSF course or the Rider's Edge course is NOT an endorsement to "hit the streets". It gives enough basic knowledge in order for a person to go "hit the parking lot and practice".
I spent the better part of the first month just riding around the parking lot. Fortunately for me the MSF class was held at a parking lot right down the street from my house before they moved to their new facility, so I had my own personal training course to use.
But eventually you must venture out in to the real world. This year my husband and I rode all the way to Sturgis and back (total 4500 miles). I was so glad I spent so much time learning and mastering my slow speed skills last year when I took up riding. It paid off enormously when at Sturgis with 400,000 other motorcycles. Keep up the good work and enjoy riding.
I took a 2 1/2 hour ride on Saturday - was very very nice - but also extremely tiring. I got to use my first MSF tactic....swerving around dogs that chased me (at about 55 miles per hour - lovely). I could have killed the guy mowing his lawn that didn't seem to mind his dogs ran out (2 big ones) and tried to take a bite out of me.
Hubby and I are going to start doing the "Ride Like a Pro" exercises - probably on Sunday's in a school parking lot near us. I figure once I get those down (I know it will take lots of training).....I will be ready to upgrade to the bike I really want - a Dyna Low Rider
Dogs are always a hassle. You can also try slowing down until they are very close, and then take off real fast (works best if they're coming from the side). Also, watch out for grass clippings in the road. They can cause you to lose traction very easily, especially if you hit it during a swerve or on acceleration.
People with loose dogs don't seem to have any idea of how their dogs may behave towards the unusual, like a motorcycle. I have found that most dogs will take chase to me on the bike if given the chance.
Good job staying on top of a potentially dangerous situation. It's all good practice!!
Cheers,
Loonette
FIRST RESPONDERS DO IT WITH LIGHTS AND SIRENS!!
Find 'em hot, leave 'em wet...
Yep, I tried to upset their timing - but all I managed to do was time their attack perfectly . I slowed down and then sped up but they were just ready for that. My husband was riding in front of me and they wanted to go after him but he was past them before they really knew what had passed - then they saw poor little me . I swerved to the left because of those grass clippings (thanks for the tip!). I am paranoid about things in the road and avoid loose gravel, grass and anything else that looks like it is going to cause me to loose control.
Okay I rode to work yesterday (45 miles each way). I only managed to kill it once on the way home out of a gas station - but didn't drop it . Was very windy - 30 mph gusts. I was on the interstate for a short bit and was pretty tired by the time I got home. For some reason, I am now having problems on my right hand corners - I am taking them way wide sometimes. I suspect the culprit is not looking through the turn - also for some reason I started letting the clutch out extremely slowly yesterday - I would give it enough gas but was slow to let the clutch out all the way. I did this at about every stop light. I know I will work through these things, I just think it is funny how new "problems" keep popping up that weren't problems before
. Bike is fine - I am fine. I didn't even realize what had happened until I was already falling over. Hubby had to realign my handle bar - it was a bit "off" from the fall. Nothing was bent - the riser part just got pushed a bit out of the shaft and had to be pushed back in. It didn't scare me either. Obviously I must have let the clutch out too fast without enough throttle 
- don't plan on doing that again. I would much rather meet Mr. Pavement going that speed (which was basically Zero 
. "stay calm and breathe" - my mantra 
. I just thought it sounded good 
. Sometimes it sure is easier said than done 
. Was very windy - 30 mph gusts. I was on the interstate for a short bit and was pretty tired by the time I got home. For some reason, I am now having problems on my right hand corners - I am taking them way wide sometimes. I suspect the culprit is not looking through the turn - also for some reason I started letting the clutch out extremely slowly yesterday - I would give it enough gas but was slow to let the clutch out all the way. I did this at about every stop light. I know I will work through these things, I just think it is funny how new "problems" keep popping up that weren't problems before