Newbie Here, With Several Questions :D

[PioneerUrban]

Hi! I discovered this forum the other day and completely lost myself in all of the topics! GREAT READS AND GREAT INFORMATION!

I took and passed the MSF course and received my MC endorsement in June 05.

I still consider myself a newbie, because I haven't ridden much since then. To be honest, I have forgotten everything that was taught.

I'm a 39 yo male, 5'6", with a short inseam. A Rebel or other small cruiser fits me perfectly. I can flat foot and have a little extra room for standing. I haven't set on a 550cc or larger cruiser, because there are not any in the dealerships in my area. Nor, have I been able to find one in the local classifieds. But, I feel that anything above a 250 cc, at this time would be too much power for me.

I have my own bike, 01 Kawasaki Eliminator 125. While it's a nice looking bike, I just don't feel comfortable going above 30 - 35 mph. I start to wobble and to me the engine does not sound well. This is even after I had the bike professionally serviced. I reckon that I feel like the bike has a serious lack of power. Maybe, that's why I don't want to ride it.

I didn't ride at all last year, mainly because I work alot and could never find the time to ride with consistency to get over my nervousness.

I decided to finally get more serious about learning to ride and I'm hoping that I can get some answers for some of my questions.

Would you keep the Eliminator and ride it?

Would you sell the Eliminator and buy a Rebel, Virago or GZ250?

I went to look at a Kymco Venox. Gorgeous bike! Is it possible to have these lowered, so I can flat foot? I was on the balls of my feet and I didn't feel comfortable in that position. Never know about future road conditions.

How can I get over my nervousness? Is this normal? When I start to wobble, could this be part of my nervousness?

I feel like I should go back and re-take the MSF course. Would you?

I live out in the country, so I can take alot of backroads to pratice on without too much traffic. But, when a car gets behind me, I am nervous and pull over, so that they can pass. Is this normal?

That's all I can think of for now. Thanks in advance for helping out a newbie rider.

[Veda]

I think you really just have to force yourself to get out there and do it. For me it took a week of forcing myself to take my bike to work. After that when I got nervous I would think, "heck, if I can ride through the city in rush hour traffic, everything else should be a piece of cake!"

I don't know anything about the Eliminator but I used to ride a 125cc scooter. If it is mechanically sound then there is no reason it can't easily cruise at 35mph without any wobbles. Buying a different bike seems silly at this point.

It sounds like you know what you need to do... practice makes perfect and all.

[PioneerUrban]

Good point about the practice.

There's a small regional airport nearby. They are closed on the weekends. I wonder if they would mind if I practiced in their parking lot?

I would love to ride to work. The thing is, my work place is 23 miles away and I have to drive on a state highway, 55 - 60 mph.

I'm going to try to post a pic of our bikes. My wife has her own Elimintor as well. Twin bikes!

[tortus]

I'm a newb too, but I can definitely relate to being nervous.

I started out my motorcycle learning at the MSF on a tiny 125cc bike. Then after that I rode my Dad's extra bike: an old BMW cruiser with an 800cc engine. This bike is very much like an older Goldwing. I tell you, riding that big of a bike at that point my in bike career was nerve wracking! Fortunately he lives in Iowa and we could go way out in the country without another sole anywhere around us. So I can relate

It sounds like to me like you just gotta get out there and do it! Mountain bikers say you go where you're focused: if you are too worried about the cliff on the side of the trail or that big rock, that's where you'll end up. If you focus on the trail ahead of you and where you want to go, that's what happens. I think the same applies to motorcycles. Why not go to that airport and just practice till you feel really confident on your bike? That's what I'd do.

[Scoutmedic]

As long as your bike has been checked out by a professional, it should be fine. BUT, they may not have test driven it. If you have any friends that ride, have him/her ride it and see if they experience the same thing.

I'd say keep the ride you have until you're comfortable riding. No sense spending more money on something if you may end up not using it. But, that's no reason not to continue going to the dealerships and trying other bikes on for size.

Definitely do some more practicing. It's well worth the time to ask the manager of the airport about using the parking lot. The worst they can do is say no. You can always use a school or church parking lot as well.

Try covering the speedometer with some tape while you're practicing and just get used to the ride itself. You may be causing your wobble by paying too much attention to the speedometer and not enough attention to your riding.

Guess that's all the advice I have since I'm just in my second year of riding myself.

Good Luck, Have Fun and Stay Safe Out There!

[jstark47]

There is no rule against taking the MSF course again as a refresher / confidence builder. Something you might want to consider.

Have you seen this article comparing the four bikes you mentioned: Motorcycle Cruiser comparo article? Read it and draw your own conclusions about the Eliminator. Personally, I wouldn't ride one, the engines just too small. WMMV.

Your comment about wobbling at 35mph concerns me though. Even an Eliminator should be completely fine at that speed and faster. Perhaps you're confusing wobbling with the "tracking" that occurs from grooves running parallel to the road, or other small road irregularities? Certain tire designs are more prone than others, and smaller bikes do tend to feel "nervous". If you are physically tensing up when tracking occurs, the feeling of instability is magnified, and you'll feel more out of control. With experience comes the confidence to not react to every little movement the bike makes - keeping your upper body loose will enhance your impression of the bike's stability

[ANDS!]

In the words of NIKE. . .just do it.

[NightNurse]

Practice!! I was terrified to go over 25mph . Now I have been riding exactly a month, and yesterday I rode over 100 miles and got up to 75 . It just takes practice! What helped me is following a very experienced rider on some quiet streets, and moving up to busier areas. Do you have anyone you can do that with?


Good luck, have fun, and be safe!

[MrStitch]

Eww... That wobble thing don't sound right. I can personally vouche for riding those bikes when I was much much younger, going WAY faster... with no fear of wobbling.

Is the wobble a consistent, repetitive movement.... or is it completely random?

Consistency would mean something is physically wrong... like your car. If you start losing tread, and the wire is starting show, you'll notice the shakiness the car produces going at higher speeds.

If it's completely random, then I would consider the road conditions. Someone earlier mentioned the type of tire. Either way, if it's random, then maybe you aughta bite the bullet and get a new bike. Cruisers can run like silk with a little, well spent, practice. Just remember.... think "Secluded Areas". You'll be up and kicking butt in no time.

[JCS]

You might want to check the air pressure in the tires. Maybe also check to make sure that the rear wheel is properly aligned. These could be the source of your wobble.