Beginner's Advice Pt. II

[Phenix_Rider]

Apparently, I've been spending too much time on riderforums, and all the other noob/squid hangouts on teh netz. The rash of morons trading up after a few thousand miles of stupid posts and blowing half again what the bike is worth in mods is wearing extremely thin. Maybe someone would like to sticky this over here, if so, great.


Too many people are pissing around with pretty mods (stickers, paint, cowls, fat tires, deleting fenders, lights, custom fairings) and silly "power" mods (exhaust, PCIII, clutch and lighter chain) instead of learning not to drop it in the driveway.

I realize this isn't a popular position, but get out and ride the damn thing! Put as many miles on as you can instead of washing it and posing and doing burnouts. Get some sticky tires and race plastics and hit the track so you can learn what it will really do, instead of worrying about some car passing you on the interstate, or a cruiser with monster pistons beating you off a light. Find some empty backroads if you can't go to the track. Don't get pissed when you get a ticket though. Cops are only doing their job- your attitude makes things harder on you.

If you're making payments on a bike, at least wait till it's paid off to think about getting a bigger, faster one!

No you have not reached the limits of the bike in 5,000 miles and a (whole entire) year of riding on the street, I don't care if you're 18 or 80. Not unless you race every weekend are you going to plumb the limits of a 650's power or handling. The software -YOU, the rider- needs upgraded long before the hardware (the bike, it's engine, suspension, brakes, etc.) Books will go a long way in building your personal database, but there's no replacement for experience. NO, watching Biker Boyz, Torque, and stunt videos will not make you a better rider. Neither will scuffing your kneepucks to look good in the bike hangout. You know what? Try avoiding the hangout! Some schmuck bragging about his scars doesn't give you anything useful. A garage party doing suspension or valve adjustments is a lot more fruitful.

Your gear is the second most important thing you can spend money on. The first is rider training. An MSF or equivalent course will instruct you on basic low speed handling and traffic positioning- ensuring that you don't get hit because you were riding in a cage's blindspot, or drop your bike in a parking lot or intersection and look like a fool. A dozen tankfuls of fuel will make you a hundred times faster and smoother than new levers, stainless brake lines, or a louder exhaust. Gear keeps you from becoming an asphalt crayon when you dick up- and you will. Motorcycles tend to let you know when you make a bad input. How hard you hit, and how much skin you lose is really the only thing that changes.

Ride everything you can. You'll probably decide your bike is perfect for you. If not, you'll eventually find one that is. That's what demo days are for. There's nothing like putting hundreds of miles on someone else's bikes. You find what you like in an engine style and displacement, and what makes a bike unrideable- for you- others may love it. Talk to everyone you can at the demo- they will have ridden bikes you haven't. They will also have different impressions of bikes you just rode.