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New Rider Tips

25K views 59 replies 44 participants last post by  JRoberts 
#1 ·
These general tips are pretty much common knowledge among street riders but worth mentioning and can be helpful for beginners. This hardly touches the surface of what a new rider needs to learn, but I thought it may be of some help to get started. Take an MSF course as well.

GEAR
Arguably the most important aspect of riding a bike is how well protected you are while doing it. There's a saying that there are three kinds of riders, those that haven't gone down, those that have and those that are going down again. Covering your skin with the proper gear will allow you a comfortable ride and the opportunity to miss a visit to the hospital.

1. If you don't have leathers, get some. What costs more, a set of leathers or a custom skin graph? You can do the math on that one.

2. A proper set of gloves and boots will do more than protect your hands and feet. A good set of gloves runs around a hundred bucks and some foot protection will set you back around $250. Being able to write or pick your nose along with not having to deal with some titanium being implanted into your body after a bad crash is invaluable.

3. Brain bucket helmets, you know, the half dome ones, may look cool but do a great job of snapping your neck in a crash. Invest in a full face DOT approved helmet. That's just simple logic.

4. If you didn't get the point, protect yourself! No matter how alert you are or how long you've been riding, you never know when that soccer mom in the Suburban is going to get ya. Suit up!


WEATHER

1. Don't ride in the rain, if you can avoid it. Get some time and miles in first.

2. If you do get caught in the rain and/or fog, and condensation is building up on your visor, move your head from side to side while moving and hold it there for a second or two to let the wind take off the droplets. This is better than wiping with your gloves and smearing everything all over the place.

3. Riding in high winds can be a challenge and isn't suggested but if they creep up on you, lean into the gusts. Your bike will literally feel like the forks are made of spaghetti but leaning into the wind will help you ride straight.

4. Cold weather riding can be dangerous only if you're not bundled up correctly. There are a ton of companies that make products that help keep your body heat where it should be so check 'em out. Just make sure your body movements aren't constricted by what you're wearing. A considerable loss of body heat can cause a lapse in concentration along with depleted vision and muscle constriction….not good for riding.

5. Riding in hot weather has all it's own crappy quirks as well. Simply sitting at a stoplight for a cycle or two can cause your bike to overheat and there you are, stuck in traffic. Shutting your bike down won't let it cool off quickly either, the best thing to do is to keep moving. Bikes, even being liquid cooled, need air to cool the liquid that cools the engine and the fans don't do a good enough job. Therefore, you need to be moving in order to not overheat.

6. Wear a clear visor if riding at night. I know this sounds like common sense but again, worth mentioning.


BIKE PERFORMANCE
General rule of thumb, take care of your bike and it will take care of you.

1. Refer to your bike's manual to see when standard maintenance checks should be performed and find yourself a good, trustworthy and certified mechanic to do the work.

2. Tire wear should be monitored. This is easy, just don't ride on bald tires.

3. Keep the oil fresh. Most riders change their oil every 2-3k miles. Some even change it every 1k miles. Always use top of the line synthetic oil and change your filter every time you change the oil. Again, refer to your manual as to what weight oil you should use or consult your mechanic.

4. Keep your tire pressure in check. Most tire manufacturers suggest around 32-36 pounds of pressure for both front and back tires. The proper amount of pressure in your tires maximizes the contact patch of the tire to the road. Too little or too much can cause excessive wear, loss of control, blowouts and bent rims among other dandy little side-effects.

5. Slip-on pipes don't increase your horsepower. They sound cool though. Full exhaust increases horsepower but generally requires a power commander on fuel injected bikes or re-jetting on carbureted engines.

6. Keep a clean air filter. This is simple do and air filters are generally inexpensive. K&N air filters are great and have always been my personal choice.

7. Inspect your chain often and keep it clean and lubed. Motul makes a great, easy to use chain cleaner that works quickly and effectively. Motul also makes a killer chain lube that's easy to put on and doesn't fling all over the place like some of the others out there.

8. Check your fork seals often for any signs of a slow leak or unusual wear and tear. Fork oil on your front rotors will cause your brakes to slip then lock up instantly after the oil has worn off, causing all sorts of mayhem.


CITY RIDING
These tips can help save your skin in most cases.

1. When approaching an intersection, place yourself in the most visible part of the road so that those waiting to turn left can see you, and slow down in order to give yourself more time to react if someone does turn out in front of you.

2. Always remember that most drivers look at motorcyclists as nothing more than a nuisance.

3. Give other drivers the benefit of the doubt that they are utterly brain-dead.

4. Watch your 6 coming to a quick stop. You should try to keep a watch out for people who follow too closely and make the appropriate maneuvers to correct that situation at all times anyway.

5. Paint lines are slippery…so are railroad tracks.

6. Cross railroad tracks at as close of a 90 degree angle that you can. Your tires are small enough to get caught in the ruts between the rails and then it's off the hospital.

7. If turning, left or right, at a stop light and there are other lanes designated for turning in that direction, try to get in the closest lane to the sidewalk as possible. It's more commonplace for idiots to drift outward in a turn than it is for them to cut back into the inside.

8. Use your horn and open up your pipe if you have to. It's better to be heard if nothing at all.

9. If you're turning left and can't see over or around the cars directly across the intersection…don't go. Wait until you can see. What's another 15 seconds going to hurt?

10. If you whitelined to the front of the pack at a light, be ready to get out in front of everyone when the light goes green. As mentioned above, people simply don't care if you're 5 inches away from their car, they're going to go when the light turns green.

11. Don't race on the streets…that's a free ticket to jail. C'mon, who are they joking thinking that they can beat a bike anyway? Just be glad you're not a teenager anymore and not in your mid-life crisis. Hmmm.....might not apply to everyone.

12. If you're not comfortable with first gear going through a turn after a stop light, shift into second. The throttle response is more forgiving and it's easier to complete the turn. If you don't want to shift, pull in the clutch and drift through the turn.

13. Never shift into neutral and coast down a hill. You never know when you may need the power to maneuver around, or out of the way of, something.

Ride Smart and Ride Longer!


Borrowed from VC Riders and edited for content.
 
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#27 ·
ya turning your helmet to the side works great,, i actually put rain-x on my visor before i went to bike week in laconia, nh ,, it always rains at least one day up there, sure enough it poured... but works great
 
#28 ·
I dont recall anyone mentioning this althought someone had mentioned white lines and railroad tracks , but my closest experience of goin down was a manhole cover . Tucked into a turn and didnt have time halfway to swerve and WOBBLE WOBBLE , WHOAAAA, lol was close one.
 
#29 ·
only had my bike for over a year but i went down 3 months ago pretty hard... was on my first group ride second to last in the pack and was riding out of my limits (too fast) when i hit a blind curve and found that the guy in front of me who'd only had a bike for 3 weeks stopped in mid turn so i took the turn wide and met an oncoming truck so i had to straight up dodge a lane of traffic and hit side of the road when the bike did a nose dive and sent me over the handlebars. Expensive/painful lessons learned:

1. RIDE WITHIN YOUR MOTHER*$#* LIMITS - - if working on gettin faster or workin on leans, either do it on a track or on a road you KNOW.

2. Be careful who you ride with

p.s. thank god for gear
 
#32 ·
How does a GXR-600 sound

I was wondering what some of the more experienced riders thought about this. I have been riding motocross for a long time on some pretty powerful bikes, of course long time is relative, Im talking about around 5 years now. Anyway I always wanted a sportbike and am looking into purchasing one. Ive ridden a dualsport on the street that my friend owns numerous times, and ive ridden a classic style standard bike a few times on the street and neither really is what I want. Hence why I want a sportbike. The question is, how do you guys feel about having a GSXR 600 being someones first bike, given that they have a lot of experience riding on dirt and doing some really difficult off road riding / motocross racing? I think it would be an easy switch but what do you guys think?
 
#33 · (Edited)
As an Instructor who has taught dirt bike riders to ride on the street (I have no dirt experience) I'd say it's very different and to start on a more realistic machine. I would not normally say a SV650 is a beginner bike, but it is better than the GIXXER and you do have some experience. You might also want to look at the DL650. Same motor as the SV650 but a broader powerband and more useable power

UpOnOne86 said:
I was wondering what some of the more experienced riders thought about this. I have been riding motocross for a long time on some pretty powerful bikes, of course long time is relative, Im talking about around 5 years now. Anyway I always wanted a sportbike and am looking into purchasing one. Ive ridden a dualsport on the street that my friend owns numerous times, and ive ridden a classic style standard bike a few times on the street and neither really is what I want. Hence why I want a sportbike. The question is, how do you guys feel about having a GSXR 600 being someones first bike, given that they have a lot of experience riding on dirt and doing some really difficult off road riding / motocross racing? I think it would be an easy switch but what do you guys think?
 
#34 · (Edited)
UpOnOne86 said:
I was wondering what some of the more experienced riders thought about this. I have been riding motocross for a long time on some pretty powerful bikes, of course long time is relative, Im talking about around 5 years now. Anyway I always wanted a sportbike and am looking into purchasing one. Ive ridden a dualsport on the street that my friend owns numerous times, and ive ridden a classic style standard bike a few times on the street and neither really is what I want. Hence why I want a sportbike. The question is, how do you guys feel about having a GSXR 600 being someones first bike, given that they have a lot of experience riding on dirt and doing some really difficult off road riding / motocross racing? I think it would be an easy switch but what do you guys think?
I have to agree with Night Wolf, the SV 650, or DL 650 would be better bikes for you. I do have a lot of experience on dirt bikes, and your problem isn't going to be learning how to ride, you are probably already a very good rider.You need to get your mind wrapped around the differences between riding on a track, and riding on the street. This might be hard for you to understand, but trust me, it's true. Things that happen on a track are a lot more predictable, than things that happen on the street. And when you are on the track, you are always on edge, and ready for something to happen. On the street, you are just driving along minding your own business when BAM, right in front of you, a chair falls out of the back of the truck you are following. You need time to learn how to keep thet edge at all times. The other difference, is, on the track, you can do what ever you want, when ever you want. By that I mean you are prety much always playing. On the street there realy isn't anyplace safe to play, but there are places that are less dangerous. You need time to recognize when, and where those places are. You'r a racer, you like to race, that GSXR is a really fast bike. Do yourself a favor, and don't put that power in your hand till you learn the ropes a bit.
There is something about motorcycles that does something to you when you get on them, they change you, they make you want, almost need to ride them to there potential. Besides, if your buddies are on faster bikes, you'l learn better riding skils just to stay with them. If you go with the DL 650 V Strom, you will feel right at home. Handlebar, seat, footpeg, is laid out just like a dirt bike, only with a comfortable seat. Good luck, have fun, and keep the ruber side down.
 
#36 · (Edited)
Counter Steering vs. Leaning???

:mrgreen: I was wondering during my MSF Course one thing I noticed first was we werent allowed to get the bikes up past 25mph. Also we werent allowed to actually ride the motorcycles around the campus we were allowed to ride them to perform there practice assignments and for the actual test but not to get out even on the controlled campus rode and ride. One thing I noticed however when riding around the 15mph-20mph mark the bike was not as giving when it came to actually steering the motorcycle. Also I felt like going to my left was easier than going to my right at speeds again above 15mph does anybody know why? I have read David L. Hough Profiecient motorcycling when they refer to counter steering but can someone break it down in lamens terms. Also when we did this assignment called "Swerve" we had to avoid 3 cones by swerving around them than coming back on track to me that didnt feel like a counter steer nor a lean. My instructor also told me that some bikes dont respond to body actions such as knocking your knees or moving your butt to me he was kinda a confusing instructor but he knew how to ride.
 
#37 ·
We've discussed countersteering in other threads. Check out the search function rather than derailing this thread.
 
#45 ·
Do this as a newb and anytime you get a new bike: tottle down a side street or non-busy road (not the school zone, dummy!) and practice swerving around manhole covers, potholes, whatever. This gets you used to moving the bike quickly in any direction and gives you more confidence in the "feel" of how your bike handles.

Why is this useful?

Because in a panic situation, your body and brain will not be thinking about effective braking, checking your mirrors, weight transfer and downshifting. Doing so will overload your brain and you will simply freeze up and hit something, or lock up the brakes and go down.

No, young newbie, you need your FIRST response to be an automatic, quick, safe swerve out of the way. I know this will elicit some WTFO responses, but that's the fun in having opinions, right?
 
#46 ·
safejohn

This is my first post on this forum. I have attended three of the four classes for the Motorcycle Safety Program (MSP). I have passed the written test and have to take a driving test next week. If I pass the driving test I will have my permit stamped and will eventually receive my "M" endorsement on my drivers license.

I highly recommend that anyone going to drive a motorcycle take thiis course. Remember, the life you save may be your own.

I would like to bring to the attention of every motorcycle driver that their is a big new danger to the motorcycle driver. That danger is teenagers doing text messages as they drive. Last week there two fatel accidents because teenagers were driving and text messaging at the same time.

And you thought cell phones were a problem. Just think about text messaging.while your head is down and driving the car at the same time you have to look at your key board to type the message.

This is a very serious situation to motorcycle drivers. If one of these people plow into us at 60 MPH while text messaging, well, they will probably never find your remains.

I myself am very concerned about this problem. It will certainly get much worse before it even begins to get better.

I guess we have to be even more alert than in the past. A $500 fine would be nice for anyone text messaging while driving, but they won't do that. They will wait until hundreds if not thousands die before they take the necessary steps to stop texting while driving.

Sorry if I seem long winded, but I though this was worth mentioning.
 
#47 ·
12. If you're not comfortable with first gear going through a turn after a stop light, shift into second. The throttle response is more forgiving and it's easier to complete the turn. If you don't want to shift, pull in the clutch and drift through the turn.

I disagree. It is hardly ever a good idea to go through a turn without power going to the wheel, especially for a new rider. It increases the chance of something going wrong in the turn and decreases your chances of getting out of it smoothly if a problem occurs. It is OK to shift in a turn IF you can do it smoothly and you can keep speed and control; newbies ought to be in the right gear before starting the turn.
 
#48 ·
I agree with DaveMc, it can be more dangerous for us newbies to drift thru a turn with the cluth in. I have found myself now practicing to change gears before a turn (into 2nd) or if i can't and have to do it in 1st and i need to bring my revs up then i'll do it. I'm still a little scared of changing gears in the middle of a turn!

Gina
 
#49 ·
Try changing gears hanging off knees on the tarmac.

I am still struggling with it....
 
#50 ·
Wookie ... what kind of technique is that? :shock:

Brake, downshift, then lean ... in that order. Once you're in the turn, you shouldn't be shifting while hanging off (unless you are on the track, in which case you would reverse the gearbox to 1-up 5-down).
 
#55 ·
Yes, you would need to reverse the shifter. There usually is not room to up shift if you don't. I have gotten my foot caught between the shifter and the road a couple of times. I don't track day enough to change it and have to get used to it, so I just either go in a gear higher or just hold the gear until I start to straighten up.
 
#51 ·
yep. on track, sometimes I redline in the middle of a corner and find myself needing to get on a higher gear to go faster.
 
#52 ·
Along the lines of the #3 point about city driving on that first list, a tip my parents gave me when I first started thinking about getting a bike was: "Always ride like you're invisible." It's very easy for a lot of people to not see motorcycles, so pretending that absolutely no one can see you is a good way to prevent a lot of incidents.
 
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