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Usually added to the comment, "Get whatever bike you want."

Unfortunately, the above statement works fine as far as intent goes. But be sure to add...

"And don't forget to ..."
-make sure you always have proper wrist position and don't add too much throttle inadvertantly at an inopportune time.

-make sure you don't ever let the clutch out too fast for the gear/throttle/situation you are in.

-make sure you don't ever chop the throttle reflexively in a situation where that's exactly the wrong thing to do.

-make sure you don't do anything with that throttle that isn't the right thing to do at the time.



... Beginners make mistakes. Some make more than others. Some get more opportunities to make mistakes than others. Starting out on a forgiving motorcycle is just generally the safest path to good technique and a long riding career.

P

but Pam, aren't each of these riders the most coordinated person any of their friends, family and sometimes history have ever known?

+1 to the intent here. Starting on a powerful bike will most likely have negative consequences from being scared of the bike and not learning correctly to death

I have a fairly large group of bikers in my neighborhood. Most are noobs that have been riding a year or less. Most also have 1st bikes that have in excess of 100 hp (sportsbikes or giant cruisers). There seems to be an attitude in the group that getting any bike with less that 100 hp would be a wimpy thing to do. Oddly enough, these are all guys in their 40s and 50s. You'd think they'd be old enough to know better.

Over time, I've been watching them go down (one by one) to simple loss of control type accidents. Fortunately, aside from expensive repair bills, the worst of it has been broken bones (so far).

As I was riding home last Friday, I passed a neighbors house and saw him hobbling around his bike with crutches. I didn't have to ask what happened, but I did anyway. Seems he misjudged the throttle and clutch at a traffic light, and managed to torque himself right off the back of his Vulcan 2000. In the process, he managed to run over his own ankle.

Gosh, after having been on my v-star 650 for a few months now, it's almost hard to imagine a bike kicking you off from a stand still. Maybe when I end up getting a 2nd bike I'll appreciate these words of wisdom, but to me it just seems like "DUH".

I don't see why people put themselves in situations that end up being uncomfortable. There are enought things to worry about without the bike itself being too much to handle.

Unfortunately, that is where the highest motorcycle accident statistics are right now, too. In that same age bracket AND up.

You have all of us baby boomers, many new riders, having the money and the freedom to go and get that bike they have always wanted OR they rode 40 years ago and want to get a bike again. Problem is, they are not doing the MSF courses and getting hurt/killed because of it.

I am right in the same age bracket, 52 but my husband and I have been riding for years so, it really disappoints me to see this happening. I push it everywhere I go as we have an MSF instructor in our group. Too many times he finally gets the guys/gals (sorry, but it is mostly guys) that come into an intermediate class only to find out that they've been doing a number of things wrong for 40 years and they get real excited to learn something new that actually enhances their riding experience!

Gotta get the word out everywhere we go to not only get to one of these classes, but practice the dad gum techniques!!

Okay, I will get off my band wagon now

muwuahahaha im the best rider you ladies and gents have ever seen muwhahaha.






in reality my 80 year old grandfather can ride a bike better than I can though hes been doing it for 40 years.

ofblong wrote:muwuahahaha im the best rider you ladies and gents have ever seen muwhahaha.

in reality my 80 year old grandfather can ride a bike better than I can though hes been doing it for 40 years.

Glad to hear that!! Hmmm, now I know how to spell "muwhahahaha!"

Are we getting ???

Sorry!

Bluebabe wrote:

ofblong wrote:muwuahahaha im the best rider you ladies and gents have ever seen muwhahaha.

in reality my 80 year old grandfather can ride a bike better than I can though hes been doing it for 40 years.

Glad to hear that!! Hmmm, now I know how to spell "muwhahahaha!"

Are we getting ???

Sorry!

nope I was just reinforcing that usually seasoned riders are better riders compared to those just getting started. I say usually because there are exceptions to every rule. I think my grandfather is getting close to giving it up, however.

Okay, good, I tend to go in different directions at the same time.

Thanks for the reinforcement......I wish him well.....

acritzer wrote:Gosh, after having been on my v-star 650 for a few months now, it's almost hard to imagine a bike kicking you off from a stand still. Maybe when I end up getting a 2nd bike I'll appreciate these words of wisdom, but to me it just seems like "DUH".

It's not that difficult on a bike that has about 3 times the torque that your 650 has. Too much throttle with an abrupt release of the clutch lever, and the bike will jerk forward with enough force to shoot out from under you.

I actually saw this happen in person last year. A noob at an intersection on a VTX1800. He stalled it when the light turned green, then got flustered when the cars behind him started honking their horns. He restarted in a rush. He had a lot of throttle open when he dumped the clutch and the bike shot out from under him and slid through the intersection.

This would be unlikely to happen to you because you've chosen a bike with a reasonable amount of power for your first ride.