Had my first lesson today! Hooked.
Posted: Sat Jul 07, 2007 9:38 am
So, I'm new here and I made a post a few days back about signing up for the the MSF course (BRC). Well, I'm all signed up for the first week in August, and I'm really excited. My buddy has been riding for near 20 years now and is taking an interest in getting me on the bike, comfortable with the controls, and started on the basics. He took me out this morning to a parking lot in the Presidio (San Francisco) and started me off much like the MSF course. Lean the bike, walk it, walk it letting clutch out no throttle, clutch out no throttle feet up, then clutch out feet up, turning, etc, etc. by the end of the lesson I was doing little runs (about 30ft of the parking lot) of up to 20mph (still in first), and MAN is it exhilarating!
Anyway, that was my first time ever on a bike, so I wasn't quite sure if I would like it. Damn right I do! Heh.
Unfortunately, he's got a CBR1000RR, so it's a LOT of bike for me, but he's a very good teacher, starting me off very slowly and making me VERY aware of the power and danger of the bike. I've read the CA DMV motorcycle handbook and the BRC handbook as well. This first lesson did a lot in terms of getting me fairly comfortable with the weight and maneuvering of the bike, and working primarily on clutch control and braking. For our next lesson, he said he's going to try to get ahold of a ninja 250 so A) we can both ride and he can guide me through exercises and B) so I'm not sitting on an instrument of death.
I'm really excited about my next lesson, and in the meantime, I'll read those handbooks again. When the time comes, he's going to help me shop for a bike, too. We'll most likely look for a Ninja 250-500.
We even saw a couple riders en route to our parking lot, and I got to witness firsthand the comradery of bikers on the road. "I alway wave, and they always wave, or nod." I've had the etiquette explained to me, and now I'll be able to not unintentionally give the cold shoulder to a fellow rider.
Anyhow, just wanted to express my excitement! Thanks for listening (reading)!
Anyway, that was my first time ever on a bike, so I wasn't quite sure if I would like it. Damn right I do! Heh.
Unfortunately, he's got a CBR1000RR, so it's a LOT of bike for me, but he's a very good teacher, starting me off very slowly and making me VERY aware of the power and danger of the bike. I've read the CA DMV motorcycle handbook and the BRC handbook as well. This first lesson did a lot in terms of getting me fairly comfortable with the weight and maneuvering of the bike, and working primarily on clutch control and braking. For our next lesson, he said he's going to try to get ahold of a ninja 250 so A) we can both ride and he can guide me through exercises and B) so I'm not sitting on an instrument of death.
I'm really excited about my next lesson, and in the meantime, I'll read those handbooks again. When the time comes, he's going to help me shop for a bike, too. We'll most likely look for a Ninja 250-500.
We even saw a couple riders en route to our parking lot, and I got to witness firsthand the comradery of bikers on the road. "I alway wave, and they always wave, or nod." I've had the etiquette explained to me, and now I'll be able to not unintentionally give the cold shoulder to a fellow rider.
Anyhow, just wanted to express my excitement! Thanks for listening (reading)!