[DrBob]

I learned, or rather was reminded, that most motorcycle accidents occur within the first 500 miles of buying a new bike. I passed a brand-new BMW, still with the temp tag, smashed into a cliff face up in the Georgia mountains. The rider was coming down too fast, miss-judged a hairpin turn posted 20 MPH, crossed the oncoming travel lane and hit the wall on the other side. He was not too seriously hurt, but the bike was a wreck, and he would have been dead if there had been oncoming traffic. For that matter, had he missed an outside turn instead of an inside one, he would have gone over the cliff and been killed. I’m betting his previous bike was a lot lighter and would have made the turn with the same amount of countersteer.
So if you buy a new, more powerful, heavier, or just plain different bike, work your way up to the challenging mountain roads, and take it slow until you get the feel for your new ride.

 

[Uncle Bob]

You basically have to relearn to ride your bike after any lay off.

Haven't been on the bike in two weeks is enough to reduce the sharpness of your reaction time. Put your bike away for the winter you'll have to rebuild your abilities in the spring. Oh sure you'll get on and feel at home and probably will have retained 90-95% of your skills but the mising 5-10% can get you hurt or killed.

Same goes for riding another bike for the first time, the feel of the controls will be different, the bike may react differently to your inputs either reacting more or less than your previous bike.

Same goes if you mod your bike, you may change the way it reacts so always take time to learn the particularities of the bike at conservative speeds before seeing what it can do.

 

[md2lgyk]

I couldn't agree more. I just bought a Marauder after 7 or 8 years of not owning or riding a bike. First thing I did was to take the MSF course again. I was amazed at what I'd forgotten.

 

[98G]

I couldn't agree more. I just bought a Marauder after 7 or 8 years of not owning or riding a bike. First thing I did was to take the MSF course again. I was amazed at what I'd forgotten.

//I'm going to have my girlfriend take the MSF course. I may go through it with her. At best I'll learn something. At worst, I'll be able to comment on how/what they are teaching her (later. away from the class of course)

98G

 

[tlwisner]

I’m betting his previous bike was a lot lighter and would have made the turn with the same amount of countersteer.
So if you buy a new, more powerful, heavier, or just plain different bike, work your way up to the challenging mountain roads, and take it slow until you get the feel for your new ride.

Usually the bike will turn better than the rider will, which makes your advice all the more valuable. 8)

 

[TL chris]

new bike

when riding a brand new bike, even if you owned a similar one, make sure you scuff the tires real good before doing any hard riding. Many wrecks have happened cuz the tires are too new and some idiot took a corner too hard, only to have the bike slide out from underneath him.