Motorcycle riding... Thinking about getting into it

NGT

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Lol, no. That was 12 years ago and i was riding in the back seat of my friends truck as we went through the intersection, and I'm pretty sure all i was thinking about was getting past the traffic to catch fish. I don't even think a pic from the free with contact flip phone i had then would have been more than a blur when taken through the window of a dirty moving truck. Sorry, haha.
 

MattBlah

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I've been riding motorcycles for about 10 years now. I've never owned a car. I'd recommend not going out and getting something stupidly powerful. I still only ride a 500cc Honda, which goes fast enough for me.

Like NeoSneth said above, on a bike you need to assume no one has seen you. You have to be defensive and aware at all times. If you're not the most alert person then don't get a bike.

I don't get all the fear in this thread. I know a guy who has written off 3 bikes. He really shouldn't be riding a motorcycle, but he is still alive. You're not made of glass and you're not going to live forever. Enjoy yourself, but don't go crazy.
 

wyo

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If lanesplitting was legal in more places in the USA (other than Cali) everybody would experience less traffic and would be safer for riders. But of course the driving masses will lose their minds and complain incessantly because everybody on a bike would get to their destination sooner.

Exactly right. That's one of the main benefits of bike ownership in enlightened areas.
 

sparksterz

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I took the MSF safety course over a weekend. They probably have some courses by you, however in my area there was always quite the wait list...such that I had to wait until the next riding season. As for bikes, I can't really help you in terms of sport bike recommendations. I've only owned 2 cruisers a Honda Shadow and a Kawasaki Vulcan. My only caution is you HAVE to drive defensively nowadays if you have an interest in not dying. Everyone is on their phones lane drifting constantly...you can have good visibility, positioning, louder pipes, it doesn't matter - eventually someone is going to get in your way...
 

yzrider926

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Those weekend courses would be my recommendation. They usually have classroom instruction and a lot of riding and drills. Went from not knowing much other than the controls and what makes them stop and go, to being fairly comfortable on them by the end of the weekend. I did that when I was 17 and very glad I did. I never got into street riding but have been riding dirt bikes for years and still have my 03 yz125r.

As far as accidents and such, of course shit can and will happen. Not saying you'll die of course, but from what I've heard about riding on the roads is be more defensive then offensive. Never ridden street, outside of a neighborhood so can't comment on it much. Motorcycles are a lot of fun, just be smart, and dress for the crash not the ride.
 

norton9478

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I took a weekend course, passed by the skin of my teeth and bought a 2003 Suzuki Volusia 800 when I was like 21. I'm still the only 20 year old I've known who owned a cruiser. It looked somewhat like this, except with whitewall tires:

View attachment 45902

Looking back, I should've started with something a little smaller. But no regrets. Had some awesome rides on that bike. One time took a week off work and rode from Virginia up to Canada by myself.


How much did your mother get when she sold it?
 

norton9478

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As for bike recommendations. Don't buy a brand new bike as your first bike. You will drop it.

I think it was Buell that made a starter bike with golf-ball material bodywork.
 
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Ip Man

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there's too much attention on getting into an accident in this thread. the point is, do you want to ride or don't you. people die in car accidents every day. it's a risk you are taking every time you're on the road no matter what you're riding or driving. you can't let those thoughts stop you from doing some thing you want to do. all we can do is be cautious and nothing more.

saw this poster and it makes a point at this moment.

7cd3f33fd74ee27cda5c6d45d05eb84a--open-roads-heavens.jpg
 

100proof

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Came here for the NGF gay gang pic, left happy.

Also second whoever said not to buy a new bike. You're inevitably gonna dump that fucker a couple of times early on.

Jokes aside, while I totally understand the love for bikes (few things match the thrill and feeling of freedom of being on the open road) and you should do what makes you happy, the horror stories are there for a reason. It doesn't matter how good or responsible a driver you are. All it takes is one dipshit on their cell phone not paying attention and you can be dead or permanently mangled.

My father rode bikes for 40 years and nearly died a few years ago because some asshole stopped short in front of him to avoid hitting a squirrel. Spent a month in intensive care and another six in physical therapy. He now has mild dementia from the brain shear and will never have the range of mobility he had before the accident because of the 40+ broken bones and resulting arthritis. Only reason he's not dead is his helmet. He nearly died two other times but those were his fault when he was a young punk. First one he just ended up with two broken arms receiving his military academy diploma from the Vice President in a double arm sling. Other he just ended up with permanent road rash scarring on his back.

TL;DR: You're a fucking adult and you should do what you want but no amount of "defensive driving" is going to save you if a car does something profoundly stupid.
 
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norton9478

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You don't ride a motorcycle, you operate one.

You ride a horse or the bus.
 

JohnnyFever

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This is a ton of great info. I've found some classes locally, and I'm going to try to get into one soon. I've also been looking at bikes. What's everybody's thoughts on the Triumph Thruxton or Scrambler Street? I love the looks of these bikes, they don't seem terribly overpowered, and they seems to be the kinds of bikes that a new rider could manage. It also looks like they are pretty reasonably priced on the used market.
 

NeoSneth

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This is a ton of great info. I've found some classes locally, and I'm going to try to get into one soon. I've also been looking at bikes. What's everybody's thoughts on the Triumph Thruxton or Scrambler Street? I love the looks of these bikes, they don't seem terribly overpowered, and they seems to be the kinds of bikes that a new rider could manage. It also looks like they are pretty reasonably priced on the used market.


Both of those bikes are great for beginners or experts. They have many parts that are interchangeable among all their modern classic lines. The bonneville is great middle ground. Thruxton has an aggressive cafe seating position. This is perfectly fine for looking cool around town, but i would recommend handlebar risers if you love the cafe racer styling. Their power is good, but you wont be doing power on wheelies.

I'm actually looking into building a scrambler/sport touring hybrid. Plenty of power with more comfortable suspension and classic styling.
 

Ip Man

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This is a ton of great info. I've found some classes locally, and I'm going to try to get into one soon. I've also been looking at bikes. What's everybody's thoughts on the Triumph Thruxton or Scrambler Street? I love the looks of these bikes, they don't seem terribly overpowered, and they seems to be the kinds of bikes that a new rider could manage. It also looks like they are pretty reasonably priced on the used market.

nice bikes. but not what i would have in mind for a first bike/beginner rider. those bikes are over powered and over priced. i would still say to get something around the 400/750cc and a little bit on the "used" side of things. remember, as a new rider, there's a high chance of you dropping the bike. and you don't want to do that to a nice pretty triumph. and triumphs and harleys are also high maintenance.

but then again, you would probably be more careful with a nice bike. and it is important to go with what your heart desires in these matters. at the end of the day, any bike is rideable as long as you know how to ride one. so if you REALLY want a triumph and could afford it, then go ahead.
 

Lets Gekiga In

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If I were going the first bike route I'd get something like the Suzuki DR-Z400.
 

NeoSneth

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nice bikes. but not what i would have in mind for a first bike/beginner rider. those bikes are over powered and over priced. i would still say to get something around the 400/750cc and a little bit on the "used" side of things. remember, as a new rider, there's a high chance of you dropping the bike. and you don't want to do that to a nice pretty triumph. and triumphs and harleys are also high maintenance.

I would disagree with almost all of this.

- The triumph classics are 900cc, but they make less horsepower than the japanese 600cc bikes. The 900cc displacement doesn't represent their power output. The new Thruxton R almost makes 100HP, which is still less than a Suzuki 600

- Having worked on both triumph and Harley engines, i would also disagree they are high maintenance. Harley parts are the cheapest you can get in the US, and there is nothing special about either of these drivetrains. Triumph is more expensive than Harley and Japanese parts, but not by much.
 

NeoSneth

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Here's another lesson. I just took a dive when the front brake on my old bike locked up. I was only going about 20mph, about 3 blocks from my place. I was moving it to storage, so I wasn't all geared up. Protective gear was jeans + helmet+ tshirt. My head hit the ground , so helmet probably saved me a headache or concussion or death. Nasty scrapes on my hands and arms would have been saved if i wore my jacket. They are gonna look real bad tomorrow. Wrist in a brace until i see if something is fractured.

This is the third time I've had a front brake lock up. Second time it's tossed me. I really need to ride these things more often so they dont seize.
 

DangerousK

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MSF used to have free classes. They provided bikes and gear when i took the course.

Look for a used Daytona 675. It's like a Speed Triple, but you can probably handle it.

Here's another lesson. I just took a dive when the front brake on my old bike locked up. I was only going about 20mph, about 3 blocks from my place. I was moving it to storage, so I wasn't all geared up. Protective gear was jeans + helmet+ tshirt. My head hit the ground , so helmet probably saved me a headache or concussion or death. Nasty scrapes on my hands and arms would have been saved if i wore my jacket. They are gonna look real bad tomorrow. Wrist in a brace until i see if something is fractured.

This is the third time I've had a front brake lock up. Second time it's tossed me. I really need to ride these things more often so they dont seize.

:rolleyes:

I like how you recommend the Daytona 675 as a starter bike and then post that you went down after locking up the front.

Moronic advice is putting it kindly.

No beginner should start out on the Daytona, and I don't care about the idiotic anecdotal stories about someone starting out on a supersport and doing okay. For every one person who manages to survive starting out on a supersport class, there are many more who do not.

It is not a beginner bike, and has absolutely no forgiveness if you fuck up.

Always start on a less powerful bike this way when if you panic and grab a handful of throttle you don't get high-sided off the bike. Learning throttle control is far easier on something like a Yamaha R3 or any other smaller class bike. Yes, you may outgrow the bike quickly depending on how much riding you do, but going out on a 600cc supersport that puts down 110RWHP, and runs a 1/4 mile in the 10 second range as a first bike is asking for a Darwin award. You wouldn't give a 10 second 1/4 mile car to someone who just got their driver's license, so the same applies to a bike since far more can go wrong.

Pro tip: If you're locking up your front wheel and going down you should either learn how to brake or stop riding bikes altogether.
 

NeoSneth

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:rolleyes:

I like how you recommend the Daytona 675 as a starter bike and then post that you went down after locking up the front.

Moronic advice is putting it kindly.

No beginner should start out on the Daytona, and I don't care about the idiotic anecdotal stories about someone starting out on a supersport and doing okay. For every one person who manages to survive starting out on a supersport class, there are many more who do not.

It is not a beginner bike, and has absolutely no forgiveness if you fuck up.

Always start on a less powerful bike this way when if you panic and grab a handful of throttle you don't get high-sided off the bike. Learning throttle control is far easier on something like a Yamaha R3 or any other smaller class bike. Yes, you may outgrow the bike quickly depending on how much riding you do, but going out on a 600cc supersport that puts down 110RWHP, and runs a 1/4 mile in the 10 second range as a first bike is asking for a Darwin award. You wouldn't give a 10 second 1/4 mile car to someone who just got their driver's license, so the same applies to a bike since far more can go wrong.

Pro tip: If you're locking up your front wheel and going down you should either learn how to brake or stop riding bikes altogether.

Daytona 675 is the smallest triple Triumph makes. Hence the recommendation. It is often compared to a japanese 600, which is what many people learn on. It probably is more power than anyone needs. The problem is there is not much in between a 250 and a 600, and most people outgrow a 250 in a single season.

Front brake seized. Not a hooligan maneuver. This was on a big slow cruiser, not a sport bike. The brake cylinder clamped down hard, and never let go. I think you are reading into this wrong. I've been casually riding and racing for over 15 years.
 

norton9478

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If it doesn't leak oil, then it isn't a Triumph.
 

not sonic

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I took the weekend course in NJ. It's half written half practical, and pretty good. We used 125cc bikes which are perfect for learning.

I bought a Rebel 250 for my first bike and honestly it's a little small/slow. It's a perfect first bike, but like everyone says you quickly grow out of em. It's totally fine for a commuter bike, but it's too slow for the turnpike/parkway. Still, I've gone as far as Long Island with it.

That said, riding a bike is completely inconvenient in every way imaginable. AGAT/Safety first means pants and long sleeves/jacket regardless of the weather so you're usually too hot or too cold. Communication is annoying if you're riding with other people. You have no room to put shit anywhere. If you stop anywhere you have to be that guy with your cool bike gear on. Also helmet hair.

Basically my bike just sits unused and while it was a great experience and I'm glad to have the skill, logically it was a waste of money.
 
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