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Location: By the sea, by the sea, by the beautiful sea
68,326 posts, read 54,350,985 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Machinist
As stated above the best thing you could do is take the safety course, you will learn the basics and then some. There are people out there who have been riding for years and still learn something new taking the course.
I've been riding 40 years, when I think I have nothing left to learn I'll stop riding.
Two things I would stress:
Remember that your most important piece of safety gear lies between your ears.....THINK! Plan ahead, always have an out in mind.
The bike will go where you're looking, train yourself to look where you want to go. i.e. If a car cuts in front don't look at the car but the route that let's you avoid the car, sometimes it seems almost magical the way the bike follows your vision.
I've been riding 40 years, when I think I have nothing left to learn I'll stop riding.
Two things I would stress:
Remember that your most important piece of safety gear lies between your ears.....THINK! Plan ahead, always have an out in mind.
The bike will go where you're looking, train yourself to look where you want to go. i.e. If a car cuts in front don't look at the car but the route that let's you avoid the car, sometimes it seems almost magical the way the bike follows your vision.
The bike will go where you're looking Plan ahead, always have an out in mind.
I had guys on my job go through Motor Officer training and I know for a fact that they couldn't stress those two points enough. I've also learned that like you living in New Jersey it has it's "extreme moments" when riding a motorcycle. For example. I have learned that when driving on Route 70 and I am following a vehicle with a driver that has any shade of blue hair, the safest place to be is behind that vehicle. Do not attempt to pass and god forbid don't get in front. I have first hand experience of being driven into the shoulder on more than one occasion on that road!
My complete opinion on this is that I believe a person should start on a small bike, I think a dirt bike is best, then move up after a person has learned the skills, i started on a 70cc bike and stepped up from there, by the time i was on the street I was at least experianced, the streets can be a dangerous place to learn. I have had friends who went straight to a 1200cc bike from the start and did fine but that depends on the person. I also believe in good riding gear and not getting caught up in the looking cool thing, I like what brains i have left and I enjoy wearing skin and not scares, I lookat it like this, if I'm wearing the gear and go down, my chances of riding tomorrow are greater than if I'm wearing a t shirt and a skull cap and I like to ride.
I'll begin by qualifying this with the fact that I'm a female so maybe it is a gender thing but I really don't get why anyone would want to start off with a big bike, especially after reading all the advice given here.
I haven't been riding very long. My bike is small but I can honestly say that in traffic it does just fine. I keep up with everyone else on the road. My top end is higher than the any speed limits so I'm not pressed.
Now I can see if you are touring wanting something more comfortable, but it just seems to make sense to me to get your experience in on something smaller and less expensive first.
I've enjoyed learning from you all, there was a lot of good info here. Just wonder what I am missing...why would anyone want to start on a big bike?
I'll begin by qualifying this with the fact that I'm a female so maybe it is a gender thing but I really don't get why anyone would want to start off with a big bike, especially after reading all the advice given here.
I haven't been riding very long. My bike is small but I can honestly say that in traffic it does just fine. I keep up with everyone else on the road. My top end is higher than the any speed limits so I'm not pressed.
Now I can see if you are touring wanting something more comfortable, but it just seems to make sense to me to get your experience in on something smaller and less expensive first.
I've enjoyed learning from you all, there was a lot of good info here. Just wonder what I am missing...why would anyone want to start on a big bike?
It's a man thing indeed.I'm not trying to compensate from something else,if you know what i mean.Just want the biggest,baddest thing out there beside getting the V4 engine.In my reality the bike will never go over 60mph.Probably will never put it on the expressway.I don't need the touring,but just like the look of it.The bike i will buy must have two tone paint and white walls tire.
It's a man thing indeed.I'm not trying to compensate from something else,if you know what i mean.Just want the biggest,baddest thing out there beside getting the V4 engine.In my reality the bike will never go over 60mph.Probably will never put it on the expressway.I don't need the touring,but just like the look of it.The bike i will buy must have two tone paint and white walls tire.
Your wish has been answered. This is a Boss Hoss motorcycle sporting a 502 cubic inch chevy motor that puts out 502 horsepower. It don't get much bigger or badder. Hope you have deep pockets though. There is a guy who comes to our monthly cruise night here in Freehold NJ from Pennsylvania with a Boss Hoss powered by a 350 Chevy motor that puts out 375 horsepower. He says that he is truely afraid of it. I can just imagine riding the 502 . Enjoy
Everybody has an idea of how they want their bike to look or perform. That's why there are so many different styles of bike out there. It's funny how possesive people can get about it. You aren't a "real biker" if you ever trailer them or ride a specific bike, or have to put on a ton of miles each year. It gets a little comical, but most of the time it is good natured teasing, when it isn't just ignore them.
When I moved up from the 650 to a Heritage I got a little nervous before we went to get it. So I hopped on my husband's full dresser and rode that around the neighborhood a few times! I knew I was good to go then.
I feel I should mention one of the other great dangers of motorcycles:
They can be addictive with no known cure
Thats a fact I've been riding since I was a kid, I tried to stop when we had kids, it wasn't long and I was back like a crack addict.
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