i got 2 miles now!

[VermilionX]

im only practicing inside our gated condo complex.

i bought a 06 GSX-R1000 the red/black color... i was gonna buy another red/black bike but another customer beat me to it.

but it was actually a blessing in disguise since the salesperson gave me great deal on this bike (almost $4000 off) ...w/ this kind of deal, i couldn't refuse.

i know this bike not good for beginners, so im taking things slow and i have no interest in crazy bike stunts.

im having trouble w/ the corners here since there's speed bumps so i use the clutch a lot and my bike's clutch is not easy to squeeze. im sure i'll get used to this after a while.

im gonna try to practice in a parking lot next since i already got my rider's permit from DMV.

i dream of one day making those turns that your knees almost touch the ground. will my light weight be a hindrance to performing this manuever? im only 5'9" 128lbs.

[TechTMW]

Your weight will not hinder performance. Many of the world's top racers have a very light weight.

I CANNOT condone your gsxr-1000 as a smart choice for a first bike. You got a deal and took it, but you should really look at getting something cheap and used to practice on. It's not a matter of whether you can handle a bike normally - It's a matter of whether you can handle the bike in an emergency situation (Which you can't know til you get there)

Sermon aside, You need to ride the bike in the parking lot for at least 50 or so miles to burn off the release compound on the new tires (which makes them slippery.) You need to take the msf course to learn how to handle your new bike. and most of all - you need to trust the bike.

Your local Barnes and Noble or Borders should have a book called "Proficient Motorcycling" By a guy named David Hough. In the book, there is a bit about setting up a parking lot for a practice course. You might want to consider looking at this and mapping out this course in your parking lot - slow speed turns and maneuvers will teach you the confidence you need to ride your bike properly - and it will also teach you how to control your throttle and brakes to the maximum advantage.

That being said - You still need to take the MSF course. There are so many things you need to know that you just can't learn from a book. If you are making some kind of mistake that could be fatal to you, an MSF instructor can point that out for you - A book can't.

[VermilionX]

yeah, i will take an MSF course, they have one open for feb around here, esp since i have no desire in taking my bike to a DMV test so getting the DL389 is important to me.

like you said, i agree that learning emergency situations is must, even more so for the bike that i have.

i'll also check out that book for now.

thanks

[CNF2002]

You havent even taken the MSF? Take it before your 'great deal' becomes a pile of twisted metal

Just kidding, I hope the best for you, and I admit if I found myself at a fantastic deal I would have a hard time passing it up myself. They must have been desperate to get rid of that bike. But, look at your beautiful bike...if you so much as drop it at a standstill, you could have several hundreds of dollars of damages to pay for. Add $500 for every 10mph you are travelling

I'd say get a small bike that you can practice on for a couple thousand (maybe less if you're handy with a wrench) and ride it for at least a few months or at LEAST until you have completed the MSF. I'm sure that dream bike of yours was pricey, so why risk it? We're all unskilled dumblers in the beginning...better to drop a beater than a brand new shiney ride.

[VermilionX]

is my bike's clutch hard to squeeze bec it's a new bike? will it soften up later?

bec i have recently tried an old 250cc cruiser bike and it had soft clutch

does a soft clutch have any disadvantage?

[stock28]

That's about the worst choice you could have made for a first, or second, bike. Something tells me that $4000 dollars saved will soon be spent.

[VermilionX]

thanks for confidence boost



so far, i can handle it normally, but like TechBMW said, i need to be able to handle it in emergency situations, which is why im still here stuck inside until i get very comfortable w/ it, plus, im still shopping for insurance

kinda sucks practicing here since our condo driveway is oval shaped, which is great but there's speed bumps on all 4 curves. so i really need to be very slow on the curves, which is fine by me but it's more tiring on my left hand since im always covering and using the clutch.

also, i can only go up to 2nd gear, since i always allow a lot of space to slow/stop. so i won't be able to practice downshifting from higher gears until i get outside.

[jmillheiser]

The stiff clutch is normal on a literbike. Its a powerful engine and needs a strong clutch to hold that power.

[VermilionX]

thx for the answer regarding the clutch.

im having good practice on clutch around here so that's cool in a way. although the roads that i will take to go work doesn't have speed bumps, i will encounter 2 dips.

i just have to practice more and get used to it since i read it's best to keep your gear on the 1st while stopped so you can easily move if necessary.

too bad it's raining outside, can't practice

[Toyuzu]

My bike is far safer for a beginner than yours, and I'm not going to need it for a couple of months. Would you like to borrow it?