Total Motorcycle Community Forums

First off, welcome!

Second, I'm glad you decided to give it another try. I guarantee you'd regret it if you sold the bike without proving to yourself that you can ride it and overcome the jitters.
Worst case, if you can, find a friend or someone with a smaller lighter bike and try that first, working your way back up to your sv650. BTW, that probably wasnt the best choice for a first bike, but people have picked much worse.

Third, why the heck is your riding season over in September? Please don't say because of weather...

Anything, once again, welcome! And get back on that thing..

Congrats and getting yourself back out there.

If you feel unsure of yourself on the bike, it might not be a bad idea to think about a smaller one like a ninja 250. But, that bike isn't a horrible choice either.

Get out there and do your MSF course exercises again in parking lot. Slow speed is some of the toughest stuff when you're new, and getting out there and doing it is the only way to really overcome that.

Try not to overthink things or dwell on your crash, either. It's in the past, over a year ago, and you can't change that now. Remember to look through your turns..chances are you target fixated at something when you crashed which made you ride toward it. Remember to always look where you want to go (and not where you immediately want to go - a few seconds out). That will help a lot!

1) That SV650 probably has bad associations for you. Sell it, sideline it, whatever. Get something smaller - Nalian suggested a Ninja 250, that's a good choice. A Buell Blast is about the same weight as your SV650, but significantly lower seat height- what's your inseam? Or, one of the 250cc cruisers like a Honda Rebel might be easier to handle.

2) You're not the first person to drop a bike (granted, most of us don't drop one three times in a row, but hey! you've got style!!!! )

3) I'm in NJ and north of you, and we ride pretty much year-round. Unless you're up in the mountains in western MD, you shouldn't have to stop after September unless you want to.

4) That your wedding pic in your avatar? Great pic!

Tuesday, July 24, 2007


Thank you Jstark, Nalian, and Holiday. Good news is you have inspired me - I really am going to get out there tomorrow. Bad news was I chickened out today. I went outside, got the gear on and everything... and just stared at the bike. I just kept thinking... "what if I drop it? I'll never get it up again".

Sad thing is my husband has offered to follow me in the car, follow me with his bike, etc. and that just makes me MORE nervous.

But, I will get out there tomorrow. The weather here is beautiful right now (low humidity and low 80s).

Jstark, Nalian, and Holiday - I think your right about the SV. I should have gotten a smaller bike and now the SV probably has bad associations... but I just would hate to sell it. But maybe in the end I will have to do it.

And yes - that is me at our wedding. My husband told me to "try and look virginal" and the photographer caught my response.

I will get up the nerve to get on the bike tomorrow and will post a ride report! I need to stop whining and just do it...

So I take my 125lb self and actually managed to dead lift the bike up by myself. And you guessed it -...with me crying "no no no no!..." and scrambling it falls over in the other direction and crashes onto the street.

So I laughed so hard at the image of this I woke my dog up downstairs



First thing, welcome to the forum. Congrats on the wedding and passing MSF. Don't worry about the rough go the first time around, it happens (really, do a search for the post where members own up to not passing on their first try - makes it all real, makes everyone human).

For the jitters, well I'm thinking the same with Nalian and jstark about maybe selling the SV and picking up a Ninja 250 (or lower seated/lighter bike). Something that'd offer a fresh perspective and a bit of an easier start than the SV650 <-- While a very good bike, it's considered a "grey area" beginner's bike, meaning, there are better 1st bikes for the sake of getting some skills down.

Welcome to the community. I look forward to reading more about your adventures.

Maybe it would make more sense for your husband to ride your bike to an empty parking lot and you follow in the car. Motorcycling is a practice makes perfect sport. I don't think I felt comfortable going out on my own until I had at least 500 miles under my belt. Probably more. You'll meet a lot of people out there who just hopped on a bike one day and never looked back. But not everyone has that innate skill and that's okay. It doesn't mean you can't become a skilled rider with practice.

I agree with Holiday, if you give up now you're probably always going to wonder "what if?"

It's hard getting over jitters. I'm a tripple check everything kind of guy so I get where you're coming from but the only real way to get over a bad experience is to associate it with something else. Right now you think of your accident when you get on a bike but as you ride and regain your confidence you won't be thinking about your accident, you'll be thinking about where you want to go.

Thursday, July 26, 2007


I got my butt out there!

I finally got the nerve to get my butt out there this morning. I told myself I was either going to ride that bike today or I was going to sell it.

And with my heart pounding, sweaty hands, and my stomach balled up in a knot (and no I"m not being dramatic)... I got back out there.

I told the hubby I was going out - to please keep his phone around - packed up a backpack with my keys, some cut up tennis balls (to practice slow speed exercises with), water, and my phone... and out I went.

And you know what? After the first five minutes and first few slow speed turns... I got my confidence back. I think I was so frightened of turning. After my little accident I really felt like I just did not know how to turn...despite taking the BRC and knowing the logical steps.

I road around for about an hour - just around the neighborhood. I did ride on a couple double yellows in my neighborhood. I practiced a few things (swerves, braking) in a parking lot and then came home. It was so... great. It was fun to ride (even if it was getting hot going that slow haha) and it was also so great to just get past this fear I've had going on for over a year now!!!

I can't wait to get out there - going back out later today - going to try a few more double yellows and practice my shifting - I'm not even NEAR smooth. No stalling though! And I did alot of different turns...slow sharp, slow wide, right, lefts, etc. and proved to myself I could do it! Maybe I'll even try going over 35mph (not in turns though!).

Will update tonight!

Way to go Crispy! Keep getting out there. That's awesome you took a first big step. Don't worry about sounding dramatic, I think everyone has felt that way at some point or another in their riding