i got 2 miles now!

[Mustang]

............you should be able to U-Turn without ever putting a foot down. ...

Agree with this and read you mentioned having problems with this manuever. The answers been touched on in a few ways for you. How the MSF course lays it out so clearly (obviously a theme through all the replies) is using the throttle will keep your bike up (if you have no movement its hard to have balance) and when doing any kind of turn look as far into the turn (where you're going) as you safely can. I add this last piece since you're on a Sportbike and I ride a cruiser. Don't look at the road immediately in front of you, it'll cause you to go wide and slower.

Its not easy since we're taught to look straight ahead with a car, but once you've practiced enough you'll naturally look 'ahead' into your turn, resulting in smooth and more importantly, tight, turns.

[sapaul]

You mentioned your hands hurt, you are going to have to put up with this as the ergos of a sportbike will allow windflow to pick you up a bit as you ride faster. As you are not doing this all of the weight will be on your arms and elbows. As you get quicker you can relax the wrists and elbows and it will not hurt as much.

[DivideOverflow]

about not being able to ride this bike to its full potential for a very long time or not at all. my goals are not that big. like i said on my 1st post, i just want to be some day good enough to make those turns that your knees almost touch the ground. i have no interest in bike stunts.

What you want is irrelevent. If you are not able to handle the bike's potential, when the time comes that the bike decides to force you into using it, you will have problems. You don't want to be suprised by the reaction of your bike in an emergency situation because you didn't want to use it up to its potential... If there is a situation where you have to react quickly, you will have to worry about what the bike can and can't do... and it will let you know what you can and can't do as a driver.

[stock28]

Just curious, did the salesman know this was your first bike and you had no experience? If so, did he try to talk you out of it or did he tell you it was a good choice?

[Kal]

The main company that seems to be dealing in them in the UK is FI International.

http://www.fiinternational.com/Restrictors.asp#

A kit usually seems to run about the £150 - roughly the $280 mark, and yes they do a model that fits 2001 onwards GSX-R1000's.

Try finding an underused carpark near you, put out two markers, (a couple of the longtimers suggest a brightly coloured tennisball cut in half) start with them about 40 or 50 feet apart and run the bike round them in figure of eights. As you get it down and get more comfortable with it move the markers closer and closer together. The idea is to get the bike as close as you can to the markers without running wide until you are performing nice, tight turns.

Really its an exercise we should all do from time to time.

The temptation manevouring at slow speeds is to moderate your speed with your throttle. As long as you have revs on it really dosnt matter how hard you are tisting the throttle. At low speeds all the speed comes from your left hand - the clutch.

The technique is often called feathering, moving in and out of the bikes friction zone to control its speed.

For me it felt couter-intuitive to begin with, but after some practise it became second nature.

[Relsek]

I just read through all these posts and have this to add.

First, get some frame sliders on that bike if you don't have them already. They are inexpensive and easy to install and will save you hundreds if the bike ever goes down.

Second, you'll get used to the cluth and the riding position in no time. I had similar issues with sore neck and wrists when I first got my bike but soon became comfortable on it. The clutch was also much more difficult to squeeze than my old bike but I had forgotten all about it until I read the posts.

Keep up the practice and have fun.

Kevin

[VermilionX]

i already registered for an MSF course, but it's not due until feb 18. so i have a lot of time before then.

...yeah, i only adjust my clutch on slow speeds and when im practicing swerving imaginary cones. my bike already moves 8mph on 1st gear w/o throttle and i need to go slower than 8mph.

...i do know of a under-used parking lot around here. it's not far, so i can drive slow to get there.

...my main problem is my left hand. it gets tired fast from all the clutch usage bec of the 4 speed bumps around the corners over here. but i know i'll get used to it soon enough.

...the salesman never let me go. i said no a couple of times but he kept lowering and lowering the price. i was about to leave but then he called me again and said "you're gonna love this" so that's how i got the bike. he didn't care that it was my 1st bike, he just wanted me be to buy it.

if i remeber correctly, in the tag for the bike, it was supposed to be $11,000 for the bike + $1,500 for freight fee and another $1,900 for handling fee, plus other fees like license and registration etc. it would have been $15,500 or something all in all.

but instead, he sold it to me for $10,600 + tax. i also paid for 5 year warranty and GAP insurance. so it came up to about $13,000 total. oh and they will make another $2,900 in interest for the 6yrs that i will pay for this bike.

i already put frame sliders on it. i have no intention of selling this bike.

i have to research that restrictor kit more before i decide to get one if they do sell it here in the US.

i really appreciate the help. thanks a lot and be safe

[VermilionX]

about the 160HP thing

how did you guys know this? is that how these things translate?

Engine: 998.6cc, 4-stroke, four-cylinder, liquid-cooled, DOHC, 16-valve, TSCC®
Bore Stroke: 73.4 x 59.0mm
Compression Ratio: 12.5:1

that's all i saw on the suzuki website

my bike also weighs even less than the GS500 when i checked

my bike weighs 365lbs and probably 395lbs w/ a full tank. im only 5'9" 128lbs so i like this lightweight.

[DivideOverflow]

they know this from dyno tests and reviews.

When you have that much power, light weight just makes you faster.... Plus, the GS500 has a more upright seating position, and would be easier to control at low speeds.

[Kal]

Some Bike magazines like Bike, Ride and TwoWheelsOnly publish the league tables for current production bikes in the New Bikes sections.

There are also any number of websites devoted to motorbikes that publish the BHp - I often find what I need through a combination of Wikipedia and Google, Pretty much all the offical Bike manufacturers sites that I have looked at manage to leave BHp off of thier Bikes statistics.

And finally, stop worrying about your weight - I know people lighter than you handling much heavier Bikes - the only time it really becomes an issue is when you are maneavouring very slowly or holding it at a standstill.

Personally I'd hate to ride a RocketIII because I'd probably drop it at the lights and need a forklift to get it upright again!