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i wnat to know is a ninja 250 to weak of a bike to buy even though im a starter? i want to trade it up but right now it is more economical for me to get that than a 500. also how hard is it to learn to ride on your own? i cant take the msf class until feb and i dont want ot wait. i have aschedule problem thats why i cant do it.

Most people will learn how to ride on their own, but you can still take the MSF later. Im sure after you have been riding for a couple of months, the MSF course will still have alot to teach you. Also a Ninja 250 would be ideal to learn on, so its looks like your in good shape.

thanks for the reply. any tips for starting off. amother dumb question about changing gears. you step down to go up a gear and lift up to downshift, is that right? i will be learning on my own so its stupid but i need to know.

amiles wrote:thanks for the reply. any tips for starting off. amother dumb question about changing gears. you step down to go up a gear and lift up to downshift, is that right? i will be learning on my own so its stupid but i need to know.

For your safety you should wait until your schedule allows you to take the MSF course. By teaching yourself you fall into the second most likely to crash category of riders (most likely to crash are those taught by friends, least likely are riders who started at the MSF course. This is in one of Hough's Proficient Motorcycling books).

What was it Mark Twain said?

"There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies, and statistics"

At the same time, if your sources of learning basic information such as shifting is an online forum you're 900% likely to not find accurate information and get thrown off your bike when your shift to second turns into keeping it in first.

Now, we could tell you how to shift, we could tell you how to turn, but like the saying goes “Give a man a fish; you have fed him for today. Teach a man to fish; and you have fed him for a lifetime”

I've heard good things about Proficient Motorcycling, and the MSF online library has some good basic information.

Oh
This is my favorite “Give a man a fish; you have fed him for today. Teach a man to fish; and you have fed him for a lifetime. Teach a man to sell fish and he eats steak.”—

i just picked up proficient motorcycling and am going to read it today. thanks for the tip on the book i have heard from several of you. ill keep you posted.

amiles wrote:thanks for the reply. any tips for starting off. amother dumb question about changing gears. you step down to go up a gear and lift up to downshift, is that right? i will be learning on my own so its stupid but i need to know.

hmmmmmmm that doesnt seem right to me, i seem to think im doing the opposite. . . then again, i have under 10 hours of exp and am not totally sure of anything


JWF

dont take my word for ANY tips on riding. i was merely asking because i didnt know. dont take that as advice.

If you absolutely must start before taking the MSF course, you can download and read the MSF Basic RiderCourse Handbook from their website (msf-usa.org). You don't want to pick up bad habits that you'll have to unlearn when you take the course.

Hough's books are good too; well, the material in the books is good. The binding is shameful. It's the worst bound book I've ever bought, and that's no exaggeration. I had pages falling out of that thing within a few weeks, and I treat my books well.

Oh, and you have the gear shifting reversed. That, and all the other controls, is covered in the MSF BRC Handbook.

You're both sort of wrong gearing is like this
6(if you have it)
5
4
3
2
N
1

So you step down to go from Neutral to 1st, then a full pull up to get to 2nd and up and up and up etc etc etc

It's a 1/2 pull up from 1st to neutral. If you aren't desive in your shift you'll hit neutral and embarass yourself.

Race bikes have this reversed because it provides more clearance when upshifting out of a curve.

Hope this has been at least slightly informative.