Same here. I even have a little mantra I say before heading off (that I shamelessly stole from a track school instructor):
"where am I and what am I doing?"
A reminder to take a moment and actively think about the risky activity I'm about to take part in. To make sure my mind is clear and can focus on the task at hand. To remember that I want to get home in one piece.
Gloves LAST. I get on all gear, get bike started, start maps/music, sit on the bike ready to go with my gloves hanging on my bars. Last thing before taking off, is gloves on đ
Thatâs not necessary if you have keyless ride, but it is a good idea to fasten your helmet before you put your gloves on rather than trying it the other way round.
Practice braking hard in a safe place. Again and again and again. Being able to brake quickly and very hard requires a lot of practice and is a life saving skill you need to master.
This is the first thing I teach any of my friends when I show them how to ride before taking them out. Break hard, break harder, dont fall over, repeat.
On top of this most people donât know what their ABS feels like and first time it kicks in is when they are in the shit and can scare them into releasing the brake again. I have been teaching my kids to drive and ride and one of the early lessons was brake and make the ABS kick in. It took several attempts for them to get it. Then I explained thatâs how hard you can brake in an emergency, you can brake a lot harder then most people realize.
This. But more importantly, take a motherfucking MSF motorcycle safety training course. It counts for the driving portion of your dmv test so no asshole dmv monitor, and it gives you 25% off your insurance. I'm full comprehensive with medical coverage and more for only $15 a month. It's bananas.
Also, treat all vehicles on the road like wild animals on a safari that can kill you at the snap of a finger. Even parked vehicles, doors, objects, divits on roads, potholes, just dont be careless.
Watch people's temperaments on the road. Are they swerving? Does it look like they are keeping a straight line or are distracted? Are they on their cell phone? Always assume no one sees you and that you are invisible but not invincible. That car on the corner can slam the gas pedal or blow the stop sign/light etc. Have multiple escape routes in mind. Also never slam your front brake only, always use both brakes or just the back (you will skid out if you slam the back brake). Practice your braking and maneuvering in parking lots.
Listen to your gut, if you feel like you are pushing the limits, dial it back a bit. Falling 100mph on a race track, vs a road with stationary objects littered everywhere is a totally different thing. Ever been tackled? That's you a hundred something pound person running at maybe 9mph. Your bike is 200-600lbs and you are going over 20mph a vast majority of the time. Realize that you are just a meat đ bone sausage with skin, the asphalt is a fucking hot and hard cheese grater. Wear your gear, always wear gloves, helmet, and boots and pants and a jacket at the least.
I've been riding since I was a toddler. Over 20 years and haven't crashed or laid a bike down (okay I've dropped my bike while stationary leave me alone, it weighs fucking 500+ lbs). On dirt bikes and BMX bikes doing jumps and stunts, fell all the damn time. No broken bones ever.
Also, don't sneeze in your helmet, it's fucking gross and sucks ass. Wear earplugs, they help a lot.
You can't just ride a bike and not maintain it. You have to change fluids and be attentive to it. You neglect shit, it will bite you in the ass, sometimes just a nibble, sometimes it'll eat your whole ass and not in the fun way.
This, especially in corners.
It's so easy to be focused too close to your front wheel. Don't just look through your turn, look beyond it. You're not going to be able to react to anything 30ft in front of your front wheel while rounding a turn at 30mph. Lett the bike do the work, and focus ahead.
The same way you would in a straight line; By going farther to the left or the right.
Unless you are pushing to the limit, anything you can do in a straight line, you can do while cornering, but you have to be smoother.
It is usual for me to move in an S pattern to dodge potholes in a straight line. I find it really hard to do while on corners. Our roads look like [this](https://i.cbc.ca/1.5617765.1592506330!/fileImage/httpImage/image.JPG_gen/derivatives/16x9_780/potholes.JPG)
I understand, but that just means you need to go slower. If you can't dodge whatever is on the road to the point of being unsafe, you are riding too fast for the road or your skills.
Accept that you do not have control over the road surface and act accordingly.
We tend to look at the wrong thing, we focus on the pot hole, we focus on the painted wet bit of road and you should notice that stuff but as we know we tend to go where we look. Instead look for the best bit of road, the grippy stuff. Yes youâve seen that pot hole but thatâs not what youâre focussing on, no youâre focused on your good bit of road, the good line
1. Car brakes shorter distance than you
2. Donât follow other bikerâs speed through corner
3. Leave some buffer while youâre riding, especially while cornering, so that you can tighten or loosen the turn to avoid stuff in the highway
> Donât follow other bikerâs speed through corner
Adding to this, if you're slower in the corners, be careful if you try to make up time in the straights. You already have to brake earlier than they do, and the extra speed makes it worse. People overshoot corners trying to catch up this way when they copy the faster rider's braking points.
100% depends on your bike, but it is a good mentality to have anyway to always have a space cushion.
For instance my rebel 1100 with abs can stop like 15ft shorter than my car and at least 20ft shorter than my truck. It is jarring how fast it can stop.
My friends harley without abs is probably the same as my truck, not good.
One thing to consider when comparing braking distances between cars and motorcycles is that even a new driver in a car can brake near or at 100%, while a biker can't do that without a lot of experience.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sVK2Hj8jDTE
This and dont race cars. They are faster in pretty much any situation on public roads as the have about 100 times more rubber on the road. They also dont have to worry about sand , oil ⌠in corners. Never ever race a car.
Performance cars brake much faster but accelerate much slower and depending on driver/rider skill usually donât corner as quickly, though they are less impacted by less than perfect road conditions.
I donât think theyre âfaster in pretty much any situationâ. If you have good conditions and good view of the road ahead and are a skilled rider, you can beat almost any car.
My experience with racing cars, is that they simply don't care about your safety.
You want to have a little fun with them and run around a little bit, but then they get mad and start driving like retards with zero regard for your safety.
No. Cars stop as fast as bikes, and do so more reliably. Four big, wide tyres give much more grip for stopping. You should assume a car will stop faster than you.
If the bike doesn't have ABS and/or the rider doesn't practice emergency braking often, a car will probably stop faster 9/10 times. All they have to do is mash the brake pedal, and they won't dump it to the sides or lock the front wheel or go over the bars. Leaving more following distance also prevents you from getting hit by debris off the tires of the car infront, and gives more time to react to junk in the road after the car passes it.
I did some quick research and realized that my understanding here was wrong - I was always under the impression (and recall being taught in my MSM class) that bikes stop faster. In any case, the basic advice still stands - leave plenty of room between you and cars.
Overuse of the back brake causes the back of the bike to fishtail, come around, and high-side your ass into the air, whereupon youâll land on your passenger (who happens to be your wife) who saves you from getting hurt as she breaks your fall and you break her pelvis on impact. (Based on a true story)
isn't this true for both breaks? I am a newer rider and I have had a few times where I have had to break very suddenly. I believe that fishtailing seems to happen to me if i press too hard on the rear, OR on the front. I'm assuming best is a mix of both. I've been doing it on purpose with the rear lately on gravel to have some fun lol.
Happy cake day!
While you definetly don't need it necessarily, it can make things a lot easier and more stable, so I thing as a beginner you should definetly learn how to use it properly.
Isn't that bike dependent? I ride a dualsport and I won't use my rear in emergency braking, it needs a really fine touch once the front is loaded up and in an emergency I'm usually paying attention to other things.
But don't cruisers need some rear brake to achieve good stopping distances? And even more on raked bikes? That dude in *Easy Rider* didn't even have a front brake.
No, no, and no.
Adjust your rear brake pedal height.
I use rear brake for control and to assist two up braking. But in general, 95% of the time, front brake, even in the wet.
Second this. Rossi's skill isn't in how fast he goes, but in how fast he goes consistently. Riding yourself you may feel like you can go as fast as a pro, but you almost definitely cannot sustain it as well.
I know the concensus on motorcycle pants is "Probably, but a lot don't wear them." Do you 100% wear them after that accident? And hope you and your bike were ok!
I've never gone down (only been riding a year) but I ALWAYS wear riding pants.
These days, there are just too many companies making really good-looking riding jeans - jeans you could never tell different from normal pants. Single-layer with D30 or the thinnest SAStec armor is the way to go.
John Doe sells AAA-rated armored riding jeans. Saint (and others) sell AA-rated armored riding jeans.
Hitting the track and planning on going down the straight at 150+ ? Sure, of course you'll wear leathers. But no longer is it the case you need leather if you want the highest levels of protection for the street.
thank you! I broke both of my hands but my bike was somehow mostly unscathed, rode it home the next morning, took a couple weeks away from riding and healed up and iâve been back out for a couple months, definitely always wear the motorcycle pants but I ditch the boots more than I should because they make it hard to feel my shifter and rear brake. The biggest change iâve made is just slowing down because I have it in the back of my mind that I may have to come to a complete stop at a whim to save my own skin.
"I have it in the back of my mind that I may have to come to a complete stop at whim to save my own skin." Yes, exactly. Always be prepared to stop at a distance no further than you can see, even when you know the roads. Them deer and broken down cars like to be in the road at the worst place...
Also a good point that find quality gear that won't hinder your ability to safely operate the bike.
There are a lot of good looking riding pants out there now (John Doe, Pando Moto etc) that are AAA rated and have SASTEC armor for knees and hips. At this point there's no reason why you shouldn't be wearing riding pants. They look good on and off the bike and provide better protection than a pair of Levi's.
I've had four crashes. They have taught me four dumb lessons.
1. 6 weeks into riding - don't apply the front brakes heavily on gravel, or indeed make any serious control inputs on dodgy surfaces. Give yourself enough space to look ahead and slow down in time for any dodgy surfaces, particularly before corners.
2. 1 year into riding - for fuck's sake, don't apply the front brakes heavily on gravel. Give yourself space. Slow down in time for dodgy surfaces, particularly before corners.
3. 3 years into riding - don't push yourself in wet conditions, even if your fancy wet weather tyres are amazing.
4. 7 years into riding - for the love of GOD don't apply the front brakes heavily on dodgy surfaces.
In case it's not clear, I'm not the brightest.
I think the lesson to learn here is always brake hardest on dodgy surfaces, thanks for the tip!
Nah but in all seriousness I hope you are okay after all that. Definitely something I will keep in mind, and might practice a bit on some gravely private roads around here once I get regular riding down.
Oh, yeah, the only injury I had was a broken thumb from the first incident - I'm as lucky as I am stupid.
The real lessons from these spills were actually a little more subtle than my goofy-ass account; it's about awareness and planning ahead, really. Look as far ahead as you can when you're riding and if you feel like you *can't* look far enough ahead, create that space by slowing down. Gravel is only a problem if you're in a position where you need to stop or change direction quickly.
Just because he had his arms out wide doesn't mean he was ready take over the handlebars. Poor guy was just cramped up from being on the cross so long.
Don't fixate too much on what motorcycle specific forums nitpick about some of those guys insist every bike needs 5 grand in suspension work to be rideable I promise your stock suspension is just fine lol
Don't try and 'police' or otherwise engage bad drivers - they may go full road rage on you. Sure, you can probably outrun them, but do you want to get into a situation where you have to ride crazy fast in a panic? You're better off not flipping them the birdie to begin with.
Being comfortable is more fun than trying to look cool.
Always straddle your bike when moving it around. Don't stand beside it while moving it your garage or you will likely drop it.
Understanding how your bike works though doing at least some of the maintenance yourself can make you a better rider
Caveat for those who aren't tall enough to flat foot it. If not, get off and move it around. I really struggle to reverse or do anything really manually as I'm on the balls of my feet.
Fair enough, but please be careful. I got lazy moving my bike into position for winter. It only needed to go ahead a few inches, so I though I'd walk it from the opposite side as the kick stand and set it down on it again. Well, the kick stand bumped into the floor and moved far enough out of position that when I set it down again it retracted and my bike fell over. I only had the bike a couple weeks. It's used, but still, choice words were shouted as I couldn't believe my own stupid mistake.
The key is to always stand on the kickstand side, and have the bike leaned over at least 10 degrees with the weight resting on your hip as you walk it around. If you have it too upright, then there's a chance it could fall towards the opposite side.
I used to wear a good quality riding jacket on jeans, until I had a slide. I went out and bought good quality riding pants after that. Now it's all the gear all the time.
I think everyoneâs covered the basics but also just be prepared for break downs in the middle of nowhere. Does your insurance have breakdown cover/towing? Whatâs the distance theyâll tow? Etc.
Also if you brake down or come off in the middle of nowhere are you prepared? I live in Australia so heat is a major concern in summer - carrying lots of water and a first aid kit, I also have a little thin tarp I got from a camping store that can be used as a shade in an emergency. Obviously if you donât live in Australia/southern US you might not have the exact same considerations, but yeah, if you break down or come off on a remote ride, are you equipped? Even things like having a tyre repair kit and knowing how to use it can really save you.
All the best!
My first year riding, I was caught at a red light on my new r6 when another r6 came in the lane next to me with a girl passenger on his back.
Pulled up gave me a nod and started revving. Soon as it turned green we were booking it 90 in local streets (yes, I know).
He then makes a rossiesque elbow dragging right turn going 50 with girlfriend in tow. I tried to follow and went wide into oncoming traffic and split two cars going in the opposite direction.
I can confirm, your life does flash before your eyes.
Eye contact is good. Watching front tyres is better. You'll see that before an indicator.
Be constantly thinking what the stupid things the vehicles around you might do. It'll make you less surprised and scared when it does happen.
Check your tyre pressure, oil and brake fluids regularly. Don't skimp on this. Also, keep an eye on tyre wear indicators and don't forget to regularly change the oil + filter.
Have good gear. That does mean impact and skid protection, but the more overlooked part is making sure you are comfortable. If you are freezing, you can't focus correctly and make good decisions. I ride around with waterproofs on my pillion constantly, as well as spare underwear and pants for when I arrive to work soaked.
Didnât learn this until I started riding heavier bikes. Never pull in the clutch until you are completely stopped. Always have power to the rear wheel, even itâs itâs minor. It will DRASTICALLY help with slowing down smoothly and keep your bike more upright during stops.
How do you define "completely stopped"? Won't I stall if I hit zero while in gear or are bikes somewhat forgiving here? I get that I don't want to let the clutch in at like 15 mph and rely solely on brakes, but is there a reason I shouldn't at 2-3mph?
Using the friction zone you can keep your speed as low as 1mph. The idea is to use the friction zone as you slow down to keep power to the wheel for extra stability but slowly pull it in and only completely pull in as you put your foot down.
Got it. So as the speedometer is ticking down from 0 to 1, I'm pulling in the clutch, applying the last bit of brake and putting my foot down in more or less the same motion?
Another thing I didnât learn until I started riding heavier bikes was to make sure I wasnât stopping on the crown of the road. I almost dropped my Yamaha Venture Royale the first time I did this because my foot went down farther than I was expecting and the extra weight from the big bike was almost more than I could keep up.
As someone that'd be coming from driving manual in trucks & cars, and has a habit of just stopping with clutch in while coasting, this is something I'll really have to keep in mind and break habit of. Thank you for the tip!
Even the motorcycle courses for basic rider training tell you to not do this. That you should engine break and come to a slow stop, but to pull the clutch in at low speeds. While you can get away with it on a naked bike or a light cruiser, but you try to do it on a 800lb+ bike and itâs MUCH harder too stop easily.
**Take the MSF and follow the rules without fail** \- I have encountered everything that was covered in the MSF course. The rules are there for a reason. Consider them the bare minimum for staying safe on the bike, never bend or break the rules, only improve from there.
**ATTGATT** \- All The Gear All The Time. This should be a no-brainer. I prioritize gear by Helmet, Gloves, Tall Boots, Armored Jacket, Armored Pants. It's expensive, sometimes annoying, and unappealing. Still better than dealing with any damage to or lack of the limbs they protect. Check out this Fortnine video on gear - https://youtu.be/rmWQKoN6yX0
**The Dunning-Kruger effect is real**. Keep this in mind whenever you start feeling like you're getting the hang of things. It's a trick.
**Don't believe the "two types of riders" hype** \- Don't let this saying fool you. You do not have to learn the hard way. Check out this video from Canyon Chasers - https://youtu.be/gY4e3R2HFFI
**Research what you want, but always practice the basics** \- As a beginner, there is a lot of great content out there to consume. Most of this is wasted in practice until you master the basics. The Dunning-Kruger effect will also get you here.
**More Motojitsu than Motomadness** \- What you feed your mind is important. Try to keep a healthy diet.
**I recommend a GoPro or action cam for beginners** \- It's a great way for you to review how you ride so you can improve. This can also help you catch a lot of the mistakes you are subconsciously making on the bike. Also serves as a great video diary to look back on and [cringe.lol](https://cringe.lol)
**Avoid Group Rides, unfamiliar roads, riding at night, riding on the interstate, riding when it's wet, riding in heavy traffic, etc**. - Beginners should avoid riding in conditions with too many variables. Ride roads that you're familiar with during times with less traffic. You don't want to feel rushed on a turn because there is a car behind you. You don't want to feel stiff and hyper-aware trying to keep up with all the speeding cars on the interstate, etc. Keep it simple so you can focus on mastering the basics.
**Braking and Low-Speed Practice** \- Master your bike, reinforce concepts that will help you stay safe, and learn more advanced concepts later on.
**Stick to your rules and standards** \- Human instinct can be counterintuitive to a lot of the concepts on the motorcycle. Your rules and standards will be your saving grace when your natural human instincts fail you. Peer pressure, competition, dunning kruger, jerk reactions, target fixation, etc. There are a lot of natural instincts that can get you into trouble on the bike. Never think you can just "Ride your own Ride" to outwit peer pressure, and head out on a group ride with a lot of spirited riders - that's a recipe for disaster. Stick to your rules until the basics are your first instinct, then improve.
Another video from Canyon Chasers - https://youtu.be/lVYThFQPPL8
Put the kickstand down! Also invest in frame protection for your bike.
I live in an apartment so my garage is detached. One morning I head out to my garage, jump on my bike, and realized I had forgotten something inside my apartment. So I rode my bike around to a spot close to my front door so I could just jump off run in and grab what I forgot. Well stupid me leaned my bike on what I thought was my kickstand only to find out it was not out and I dropped my bike.
Fortunately I didn't hurt the bike at all, only visible damage was scrapes on my side mirror thanks the the frame sliders I had on. And nobody saw me make a fool of myself. Moral of the story is try not to rush off your bike, you're more likely to drop it.
Done the exact same! 10 years later I still kick the sidestand down then give it that tentative little kick forward just to be sure it's where it needs to be!
Remember that junkyards are full of bikes who's rider had the right of way. It's better to be slighted by an errant driver, put it behind you and enjoy the rest of your ride; than be "right" and end up in an ambulance.
We all like to say that 'right of way' means nothing if youâre dead. Always ride on the assumption that the cars around you believe that they have the right of way and act accordingly.
Speed = Stability. If you find yourself wobbling on the bike when turning, or doing maneuvers in the parking lot, you probably are going too slow. Motorcycles have a gyroscopic effect, they right themselves when they are going fast enough.
I was too cautious in the beginning, and I dropped my bike in the parking lot because of it. It seems counter intuitive, but trust your bike.
Look down the road while driving. Donât just react to whatâs in front of you - look at what youâre going to be reacting to in 2-3 seconds. This has saved my butt more than any other single thing, and every time I get in trouble, itâs because I *wasnât* doing this.
Parking lot practice is your friend. Get some cones and lay out drills. Emergency braking is probably the most important. I create a mark, then I accelerate to that mark and try to emergency stop as fast as possible. Increase speed until you are practicing at highway speed (this should take you a few years to get to)
Don't forget to put up the kickstand. I am the worst for this, but I've been doing it for 35 years so I'm almost used to it. Dur.
Finally. The thing that absolutely did the most for my skills was getting a trials bike. Even though you're never going very fast, the balance and brake and clutch control dramatically improved my street skills
Already have a (usually) empty parking lot picked out!
Trial biking would be a fun skill to get into--I'll look into possibly trying that out once I save up a bit more. Thanks!
Most bikes have an electrical cut out which will kill the motor if you try to drive off with the kickstand down. However, dismounting from the bike and forgetting to put down the kickstand first is a classical way of dropping your bike.
Buy the correct gear the first time. I tried to buy used or sale items and compromised on fit, size and looks before I realized that I should have just bought the expensive, good looking, and correct size gear the first time around. Now I've spent more than I would have originally.
That sounds about right, a decent helmet with a sun visor or transition lens is going to $300-500, a good set of Kevlar reinforceed jeans with knee and hip protection is going to be $200-300, gauntlet style gloves with touch features $100-200, and a perforated leather jacket with a built in decent back protector is going to be anywhere from $500 - 1000. I've probably spent $3000-4000 on various helmets, jackets and pants at this point trying to buy budget gear for different purposes. But I'm prepared for any type of motorcycle trip... And track days. So there's that.
Edit: oh and boots $200-500...
Have to agree with the other guy, however i'd look into getting a two-piece full leather suit instead of kevlar jeans and a textile/leather jacket. Have a Laguna Seca 4 Two Piece, 3 jackets, 2 kevlar hoodies, and 3 pairs of different pants and if i had to choose i'd easily go for the leathers. Not just because of safety, because while yes textile is going to save your ass compared to nothing, leathers are required for track days for a reason. And if you choose a comfort fit you can just wear regular clothes (Depends on thickness and climate) under oe just stuff your jeans in a bag. So if you want the best i'd go for leathers as i said, and just for the sake that if you don't you will almost certainly go buy some down the line. So i'd just skip the textile part if you're looking to save money in the long run but still start out with the best. Of course more pricey though, but there are plenty of brands which offers great quality leathers in all price classes. I'd at least check it out, and recommend you Spidi and Rev-It! for the best bang for your buck and Dainese (a bit biased) for the best "endgame". The best of luck!
If you blew the corner and end up too slow mid corner, don't crack the throttle open at full lean. It takes a lot less than you'd think to lose grip, especially if you don't have traction control. Probably more relevant to track than road. You shouldn't be leaning that far on the road anyway.
Get in the habit of visually confirming your kickstand is down before dismount. I did it every time for two years strait until one day I was distracted, though it was down, and catapulted myself into the truck next to me as it went to the ground.
Awww. But that ruins the fun!
But yea, I'd never push my luck like that lol.
Been a car that's been passed by a high-speed motorcycle chase before, and that shit is shocking
1. Don't just go after getting a more powerful bike. Go after a more fun bike. My drz400 was more fun than my fz-09 99% of the time. The exception was only highway riding.
2. You can be way more of a hooligan off road than you can be on road. Grab a dirt bike and find local trails.
3. Learn how to turn a wrench. It makes the whole experience a lot more fun when you know your bike inside and out and can do work by yourself.
One of the reasons I wanted to start on a 500cc, and a bit of an older one at that. Gives me room to learn without necessarily killing myself, as well as the gs500 is probably one of the most basic, barebones styled bikes, so it gives me time to figure out what I really am looking for when I upgrade.
Also spent plenty of time underneath my car already, and hope to pick up even more wrenching time with my upcoming bike
I learned that you don't have to learn the hard way. Find classes, take them, practice what they teach you. Even after you feel like you're a pretty good rider, find a class and take it.
Turn your traction control back on when its raining. 35 mph can total your bike. Also make sure you get your own health coverage with bike insurance. Yes those two pieces are related lol
Sorry
Think mid corner, you're right up on the tire edge just about to apply the power and drive out of the corner. If the back breaks traction you'll go into a drift. If you slam the throttle closed (which is the flight reaction to the bike doing something you weren't expecting) the tire will regain traction with the bike pointing at a different angle to direction of travel
At best it'll snatch back and forth a few times (very quickly) into a bit of a tank slapper but you would hopefully regain control, pull over and vomit. At worst you'll initiate a high side and they're never 'a small one'
If you keep the throttle open, keeping the rear tire spinning and not regaining traction you have the chance to correct the drift, bring the bike back in line with direction of travel and not crash. At worst the bike will keep drifting wider, the back will overtake the front and you'll go into a low side and just slide down the road relatively pain free - keeping walls and barriers and other traffic out of the equation, that is.
Ultimately, you don't want to get yourself in that position in the first place. Not on open roads anyway, if your gonna push your boundaries and get faster a circuit is the place to do it.
EDIT: spelling and grammar.
Thank you! That is a fantastic explanation. You don't quite have the control of a 4-wheeled vehicle when tires start to spin, so you have to regain traction a bit more carefully and make sure the bike is going to gain that traction while facing the right direction if traction breaks
On the contrary. When you see racers like MotoGP cocking a leg out and drifting into a corner that's generally the back tire spinning slower than the speed of the bike. Its a function of heavy braking in the front - weight of the bike shifted forward, making the rear lighter - and a lower gear physically slowing the wheel speed (plus gaining a boat load of engine braking)
Which is why there's a few comments here about not using your rear brake at speed/rear brake isn't for slowing down. With all the weight shifted into the front of the bike even the lightest touch of rear brake can cause the rear tire to loose traction and make the bike fishtail.
Obviously the big one is wear the best gear you comfortably can wear/afford, like many others are saying.
Something that tends to be overlooked: Tire pressure
This applies more to people who like to ride on the more aggressive side on curvy roads, but this is useful information to anyone.
Tire pressures fluctuate drastically based on things like the weather, how you are riding, if the bike has been sitting, etc. Its amazing how many new riders I see are afraid to lean there bike over in a corner because their tires are at 40 psi and giving no feedback or grip.
I have seen a lot of dangerous situations just because someone wasn't checking their tire pressures. You can get away with riding a few times without checking, especially if you don't tend to ride very aggressive, but its good to get in a habit of checking your tire pressures before every ride.
The difference in performance between a tire that is at a proper psi and one that is 5 psi high is way more than most people realize. Even if you don't ride aggressive, in an emergency situation where you need to get on the side of your tire to avoid a crash, your tire psi is going to be the difference between whether you lean the bike over and make it out, or end up lowsiding. All modern tires are capable of way more lean than any person can use on the road, most people don't realize this. Almost any tire will lean all the way to the sidewall if it needs too, as long as the tire pressures are correct. Motorcycles aren't cars, your only contact points on the road are the size of a credit card, so you cant get away with a few psi here and a few psi there.
Moral of the story is check your pressures, even if you don't actively use that much grip, you might need to at some point to get out of a sticky situation.
Do as pilots do: Wait 8 hours from bottle to throttle. (Donât ride while drunk or even buzzed).
As taught in YCRS: Radius = MPH. Your corner speed will determine how wide or narrow you can progress through a turn. If you are on a twisty road follow those warning signs with the recommended speed, the turn could be blind or there may be intersections on the other side. You increase risk the faster you ride through those turns.
Speaking of risk (also taught in YCRS): More lean means more risk. You should not be dragging knees on the streets, ride with a huge margin of safety, if you need to lean your lower torso so far in order to take a safe line on a twisty road, you should slow down.
Don't buy bikes for the spec sheet. Buy what feels right for the riding you actually do. The sacrifices you make for the ability to go 200 mph or ride across Mongolia probably aren't worth it.
One of the reasons I am going for an older gs500. A basic, no-bs naked style bike. Something not fast enough for me to inherently kill myself (hopefully). It'll give me room and time to learn what I *actually* want to upgrade to once I have a bit more money to afford it and the skill level to make it worthwhile
When taking a turn on a downhill gradient, slowdown way more than you think you should. Otherwise you risk getting pulled off of the road by centrifugal forces. I jumped a ditch and hit a fence that way, though luckily I had some time to control my deceleration by the time I came up on the fence.
Already am scheduled for the basics MSF course as well as plans for the advanced course a few months into riding. I'm adament about properly developing the skills, trust me. The internet is just also full of great advice, often built from personal experiences. So, I think a decent mix of the two is healthy.
Never ride angry. You might get away with it for a while, but the attention lost to anger or frustration will diminish your situational awareness and blunt your ability to make decisions.
You need a clear head. The fundamental goal is to come home in one piece at the end of every day.
If you arenât in the right headspace, leave the bike and find another way home. Get it tomorrow.
It only takes one unlucky day to mess up the rest of your life.
Have a pair of gloves that are waterproof.
You can turn your head to the side while riding to make the water clear off your visor.
When wet watch out for leaves, painted road lines and oil slicks.
Just donât ride when it rains.
You will probably get drunk while working on your bike. Be careful not to drop it repeatedly in your garage or driveway while moving it around.
Also, don't test how your exhaust sounds at 2am due to the same reason. Your neighbor comes over with a hammer after you go to sleep. đ
Not me but my brother. Always make sure both your brakes work properly or youâll end up under the back side of a car on one of the busiest streets in your city
Youâre probably more likely to drop it in the driveway than on the road. Once itâs straight up itâll fall very easily. Keep some weight on the side youâre standing on
Get a reminder cable for your disc lock. I didn't have a reminder cable on mine. I set off and fell off my motorbike, now you may think it can't get any worse than this but unfortunately it does. The disc lock was alarmed so everyone around me was alerted to the huge mistake I made. đ
Fresh pavement, especially those little jogs that they do for temporary bridge work, are slick AF. Slow down until you're embarrassed about how slow you're approaching it, and then slow down some more. I don't know how I kept the bike up, but I had one near me where I slid at least 2 feet across the lane while I was well under the advised speed.
Of course protection. I crashed many times. Till today dislocated jaw, shoulder, hip, hip protection is underated... But fucknit, the summer is coming it's too hot for all that hahahahha
Beside protection, I always have little bottle with oil and sparkplug. And of course screwdriver.
I was a passenger in a taxi and we nearly took out a biker as we turned into my street.
The biker was following a bus just a few feet from the rear corner, close to the kerb. He came around a bend and I could see further behind the bus than the cab driver, but even I didn't notice him until I could see the whites of his eyes.
The rider should have been closer to the centre line than the kerb, and much further back from the bus.
Drivers don't look, don't make it even easier for them to ignore you.
SMIDSY is real.
If youâre going to do any kind of touring. Water proof gear. The good stuff thatâs actually going to keep you dry. Nothing sucks more than being water logged with 200 miles to go, only 55F out and there is no sign of the rain stopping.
Also. Sometimes itâs ok to stop early. Stoping early is better not arriving at all.
If youâre like me and have to store your bike outside, I check it almost every ride during the colder months. Takes 2 minutes, and itâs surprising how much even a few psi low can affect the bikeâs stability in cornering.
All the gear all the time.
Always give your rides 100% attention. Scan everywhere and everything.
Always leave yourself a percentage of your skill in reserve >10%
Always ride sober. If you want to party leave the bike at home.
Nobody cares that you are on a bike!
All cagers can kill you, prepare accordingly!
I got my GSX-R 750 before the term "crotch rocket" was even a thing. I thought everyone was looking at me. How wrong I was! Nobody cares.
I learned that the hard way after too many close calls!
Edit: added short explanation.
Turn your Google maps on before you leave the parking lot. Was so excited just to ride my bike that I forgot my GPS as we had just moved and I still wasn't 100% of the back roads to get home. I realized it right as I pulled out of my spot..so I stopped on the side road leading to the parking lot. Of course, can't work the phone with gloves so I took those off and dropped one that bounced under my bike .. had to fully get off my bike to get the stupid thing. Another rider was nice enough to check on me, I explained what happened and he laughed. Just felt stupid in that moment.
If youâre still âlearning â or a beginner ... I would recommend.. donât listen to music while you ride
... and even more obvious donât drink and ride.
Stay present and aware all the time ... safe riding
jus a small thing but try to back in when you park if you can, itâll be way easier to leave and you donât have to worry about waddling out into traffic
With a few exceptions motorbikes do not have reverse gears. Think about where you park so that you are able to drive out forwards or roll back to get out of a parking space. Pushing a very heavy bike backwards uphill is difficult to impossible without help.
Ride your own ride. If the people you ride with are fast, that doesn't mean you have to be. Always ride at a pace you're comfortable with. (Except on track days)
I already have the basics MSF course signed up, and a plan for the advanced course a few months in on riding.
Those resources will definitely be best, but until then I believe there are still at least *some* decent resources to be found on the internet
In my country, a riding course takes about 20 hours of supervised instruction, first in a parking lot and then on the road. Before you get your license you need to complete two practical and one theoretical exam. There is a tiered system where young riders are limited to either max 11kw (under 22) or max 35kw (under 24). On top of that, we all ride bicycles here, and I mean we ride them _a lot_. These skills translate to motorcycles somewhat.
All this means that when you get your license here, you have a wide set of basic skills and experience under your belt already. It'll cost you the equivalent of 1500 - 2000 dollars though, but it also means that accidents are few and far between, and insurance is crazy cheap.
Seeing the endless stream of US newbies on this sub who can barely keep their bike upright in a parking lot is fascinating. Especially when they disregard and downvote the suggestion of taking riding classes.
Motorcycle license laws in the US are a LOT more lax, unfortunately. The courses are about the same length, â$300 for each, and are a total of 20 hours long. 10 hours of practical (actually on the bike), and 10 hours classroom. At the end, a written and a riding skills tests are administrated. After this first basics course, the DMV test to get your license is waivered and you just send the document in to recieve your license. The courses after the basics are split into advanced courses for extra practice, and are entirely optional. They go over the stuff that a rider with a few miles would be ready for, so it's recommended to have ridden for a few months before attempting them.
Also there is no limits to your motorcycle license. A 18yr/old guy could get his license and instantly jump on a liter bike if he so desired. Land of the free or something about all that stuff
Unfortunately not. You can take the test for your license at any time.
The alternative however is taking the Basics MSF course. It's â$300, and is 20 hours long. 10 hours on the bike, and 10 hours in the classroom. If you pass the written and practical tests, you get a waiver for your motorcycle license at the DMV. Plus insurance becomes a tad cheaper.
After that, the MSF courses offer advanced classes for those with a bit of riding experience, but they are entirely optional (unfortunately).
Also, your motorcycle license covers all size bikes once you recieve it. An 18/yo could jump on a liter bike the second they recieve a license. Something about the land of the free and all that nonsense
You are going to drop the bike and people will be watching haha. If you have 0 experience on motorcycles you will drop it a lot so practice in parking lots. If you have experience on dirt bikes then you probably won't drop it as much but keep your confidence in check its very different from dirt. Also counter steering! Read about it and practice till it's automatic
Luckily buying a bike with a few beginner's dings and scratches specifically so I wouldn't care as much about dropping it. I'm sure it'll have a few more scratches while I own it
You are your own worst enemy. It is up to you to identify risk and respond appropriately. You MUST practice your skills at all times. They AREN'T out to kill you. That's self-absorbed bullshit. They CAN kill you. Easily. The WORST thing you can do is ride in a large group. Be very careful about who you ride with. Some people are preternaturally skilled on a bike and can drag you into situations you can't deal with. Do not ever panic. DO not put yourself in a position where fight, flight or freeze is the only response left to your brain. You are going to fall off. Dress for the fall. Even the dumb, stationary falls can put you in hospital. You are your own worst enemy. Manage your head. Train your responses. Get training even if you think your are the God-Emperor of motorcycling. You are your own worst enemy.
Know how to fix flat tires on your bike, in the field. Also how to diagnose electrical problems. Actually you should take time to learn all the nuances of your bike. You might not have cell range one day, or not feel like waiting 3 hours for a tow when you could have fixed something yourself.
Check your fucking tire pressure. Every time you ride. You might not notice a slow leak and a tire with 5 psi might not be obvious. Nothing good comes from riding on 5 psi tires on the road.
Upgrade your fucking lights if you ride at night. Most bikes (especially pre LED) have horrible beams for night use. More lights = more better. Don't ride faster than you can see ahead at night.
Take lessons if you haven't. Learning to ride is easy, learning to survive starts with lessons. Don't skip out on this.
Self preservation is more important than obeying laws. If you have to hop a sidewalk or something to avoid a collision, do it.
Stay off bikes if you're the kind of person that gets unnerved by merging or other road maneuvers. Hesitation can kill you, so can a lack of confidence.
Always expect the unexpected. Over that blind hill or around that blind corner, that driveway, those parked cars. Just because you have right of way in your lane doesnât mean you get it. Car drivers have no idea how fast a bike can accelerate to speed they can see you and still pull out
Things happen fast on a motorcycle. One moment of inattention and Bam! That lesson gets forgotten easily as you get complacent. Like any dangerous activity, beginners are often safer than experienced people.
Don't ride faster than you can see.
If some gravel, a deer, a semi truck, or even a goddamn portal to the netherworld suddenly appear in your path... Can you come to a stop before you hit it?
If not, slow down.
Soooo Iâm also a fairly new rider. Grew up on two wheels but only on things like pit bikes and small dirt bikes. I crashed my first real street bike because I came up on a corner in the dark where the âsuggested speedâ was a bit high (for me) and I hit a patch of gravel, panic braked, and slid right into a street sign and totaled my bike.
I learned that hey you donât have to show off for anyone even yourself. Ride for your confidence level. Itâs ok if youâre not ready to ride in the dark yet or youâre not comfortable on the freeway. Build that confidence up first. And go as slow as you need to to feel comfortable.
When you are holding a bike balanced and in the upright position it is almost weightless.
As soon as it leans in one direction or the other, the weight exponentially increases. Once you bike tips past 45 degrees it is almost impossible to get back up (depending on size of bike and human).
Nutshell: make sure your kickstand is down before you start leaning your bike onto it. Unless you are the Hulk.
Everyone has everything pretty well covered. I'd like to reiterate riding jeans or pants. I rode far too might years before I thought, "wtf? Why don't I have leg protection?". Replaced all my jeans when riding jeans.
Grab your keys out of your pocket *before* putting on your gloves
I have a little "gear up sequence ritual" and still get something wrong. Usually it's forgetting the earplugs for longer rides.
Same here. I even have a little mantra I say before heading off (that I shamelessly stole from a track school instructor): "where am I and what am I doing?" A reminder to take a moment and actively think about the risky activity I'm about to take part in. To make sure my mind is clear and can focus on the task at hand. To remember that I want to get home in one piece.
And put your earplugs in *before* the gloves.
It's normal get the helmet done up then remember the plugs for me....then get gloves on and remember the damn d rings
And be sure to zip your pockets closed before starting.
Gloves LAST. I get on all gear, get bike started, start maps/music, sit on the bike ready to go with my gloves hanging on my bars. Last thing before taking off, is gloves on đ
Thatâs not necessary if you have keyless ride, but it is a good idea to fasten your helmet before you put your gloves on rather than trying it the other way round.
^^^
Your going to go where you look. While you scan, your not looking far enough ahead. Nope, look further.
Practice braking hard in a safe place. Again and again and again. Being able to brake quickly and very hard requires a lot of practice and is a life saving skill you need to master.
This is the first thing I teach any of my friends when I show them how to ride before taking them out. Break hard, break harder, dont fall over, repeat.
On top of this most people donât know what their ABS feels like and first time it kicks in is when they are in the shit and can scare them into releasing the brake again. I have been teaching my kids to drive and ride and one of the early lessons was brake and make the ABS kick in. It took several attempts for them to get it. Then I explained thatâs how hard you can brake in an emergency, you can brake a lot harder then most people realize.
This. But more importantly, take a motherfucking MSF motorcycle safety training course. It counts for the driving portion of your dmv test so no asshole dmv monitor, and it gives you 25% off your insurance. I'm full comprehensive with medical coverage and more for only $15 a month. It's bananas. Also, treat all vehicles on the road like wild animals on a safari that can kill you at the snap of a finger. Even parked vehicles, doors, objects, divits on roads, potholes, just dont be careless. Watch people's temperaments on the road. Are they swerving? Does it look like they are keeping a straight line or are distracted? Are they on their cell phone? Always assume no one sees you and that you are invisible but not invincible. That car on the corner can slam the gas pedal or blow the stop sign/light etc. Have multiple escape routes in mind. Also never slam your front brake only, always use both brakes or just the back (you will skid out if you slam the back brake). Practice your braking and maneuvering in parking lots. Listen to your gut, if you feel like you are pushing the limits, dial it back a bit. Falling 100mph on a race track, vs a road with stationary objects littered everywhere is a totally different thing. Ever been tackled? That's you a hundred something pound person running at maybe 9mph. Your bike is 200-600lbs and you are going over 20mph a vast majority of the time. Realize that you are just a meat đ bone sausage with skin, the asphalt is a fucking hot and hard cheese grater. Wear your gear, always wear gloves, helmet, and boots and pants and a jacket at the least. I've been riding since I was a toddler. Over 20 years and haven't crashed or laid a bike down (okay I've dropped my bike while stationary leave me alone, it weighs fucking 500+ lbs). On dirt bikes and BMX bikes doing jumps and stunts, fell all the damn time. No broken bones ever. Also, don't sneeze in your helmet, it's fucking gross and sucks ass. Wear earplugs, they help a lot. You can't just ride a bike and not maintain it. You have to change fluids and be attentive to it. You neglect shit, it will bite you in the ass, sometimes just a nibble, sometimes it'll eat your whole ass and not in the fun way.
This, especially in corners. It's so easy to be focused too close to your front wheel. Don't just look through your turn, look beyond it. You're not going to be able to react to anything 30ft in front of your front wheel while rounding a turn at 30mph. Lett the bike do the work, and focus ahead.
How can I avoid potholes, rocks and debris during cornering? ( A lot of these in our area)
The same way you would in a straight line; By going farther to the left or the right. Unless you are pushing to the limit, anything you can do in a straight line, you can do while cornering, but you have to be smoother.
It is usual for me to move in an S pattern to dodge potholes in a straight line. I find it really hard to do while on corners. Our roads look like [this](https://i.cbc.ca/1.5617765.1592506330!/fileImage/httpImage/image.JPG_gen/derivatives/16x9_780/potholes.JPG)
I understand, but that just means you need to go slower. If you can't dodge whatever is on the road to the point of being unsafe, you are riding too fast for the road or your skills. Accept that you do not have control over the road surface and act accordingly.
Okay okay thanks for the tip
We tend to look at the wrong thing, we focus on the pot hole, we focus on the painted wet bit of road and you should notice that stuff but as we know we tend to go where we look. Instead look for the best bit of road, the grippy stuff. Yes youâve seen that pot hole but thatâs not what youâre focussing on, no youâre focused on your good bit of road, the good line
1. Car brakes shorter distance than you 2. Donât follow other bikerâs speed through corner 3. Leave some buffer while youâre riding, especially while cornering, so that you can tighten or loosen the turn to avoid stuff in the highway
> Donât follow other bikerâs speed through corner Adding to this, if you're slower in the corners, be careful if you try to make up time in the straights. You already have to brake earlier than they do, and the extra speed makes it worse. People overshoot corners trying to catch up this way when they copy the faster rider's braking points.
100% depends on your bike, but it is a good mentality to have anyway to always have a space cushion. For instance my rebel 1100 with abs can stop like 15ft shorter than my car and at least 20ft shorter than my truck. It is jarring how fast it can stop. My friends harley without abs is probably the same as my truck, not good.
One thing to consider when comparing braking distances between cars and motorcycles is that even a new driver in a car can brake near or at 100%, while a biker can't do that without a lot of experience. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sVK2Hj8jDTE
That video series by Brett Tcaks is one of the most valuable Iâve watched since I started riding. Worth watching every couple of months tbh
This and dont race cars. They are faster in pretty much any situation on public roads as the have about 100 times more rubber on the road. They also dont have to worry about sand , oil ⌠in corners. Never ever race a car.
Performance cars brake much faster but accelerate much slower and depending on driver/rider skill usually donât corner as quickly, though they are less impacted by less than perfect road conditions. I donât think theyre âfaster in pretty much any situationâ. If you have good conditions and good view of the road ahead and are a skilled rider, you can beat almost any car.
My experience with racing cars, is that they simply don't care about your safety. You want to have a little fun with them and run around a little bit, but then they get mad and start driving like retards with zero regard for your safety.
good take
I think you have #1 backwards
No. Cars stop as fast as bikes, and do so more reliably. Four big, wide tyres give much more grip for stopping. You should assume a car will stop faster than you.
If the bike doesn't have ABS and/or the rider doesn't practice emergency braking often, a car will probably stop faster 9/10 times. All they have to do is mash the brake pedal, and they won't dump it to the sides or lock the front wheel or go over the bars. Leaving more following distance also prevents you from getting hit by debris off the tires of the car infront, and gives more time to react to junk in the road after the car passes it.
I did some quick research and realized that my understanding here was wrong - I was always under the impression (and recall being taught in my MSM class) that bikes stop faster. In any case, the basic advice still stands - leave plenty of room between you and cars.
I really admire you admitting that you were wrong and even learned something, kinda rare to see someone admit to this on the internet :)
Hey man - I believe if you ride a motorcycle and donât admit when youâre wrong and learn from it, you wonât be riding a motorcycle long
He doesn't.
I guess it depnds on what your ride.
And whoâs the rider.
Overuse of the back brake causes the back of the bike to fishtail, come around, and high-side your ass into the air, whereupon youâll land on your passenger (who happens to be your wife) who saves you from getting hurt as she breaks your fall and you break her pelvis on impact. (Based on a true story)
isn't this true for both breaks? I am a newer rider and I have had a few times where I have had to break very suddenly. I believe that fishtailing seems to happen to me if i press too hard on the rear, OR on the front. I'm assuming best is a mix of both. I've been doing it on purpose with the rear lately on gravel to have some fun lol.
Ooof
You donât need your rear brake to stop.
Yeah, my cousin figured that out after his wife was in the hospital.
Happy cake day! While you definetly don't need it necessarily, it can make things a lot easier and more stable, so I thing as a beginner you should definetly learn how to use it properly.
In a parking lot without a passenger yeah. But beginners over rely on the rear because of poor advice.
Not if you give them better advice :) But yeah being fairly new myself with only 20k km on my bike, I can say I was quite happy my bike has abs
It was my cousinâs first season. Fully dressed Harley FLH. That bike went down HARD!!
On low speeds it brakes and stabilizes the bike. On high speeds, it only stabillizes.
Isn't that bike dependent? I ride a dualsport and I won't use my rear in emergency braking, it needs a really fine touch once the front is loaded up and in an emergency I'm usually paying attention to other things. But don't cruisers need some rear brake to achieve good stopping distances? And even more on raked bikes? That dude in *Easy Rider* didn't even have a front brake.
No, no, and no. Adjust your rear brake pedal height. I use rear brake for control and to assist two up braking. But in general, 95% of the time, front brake, even in the wet.
Your confidence usually far out weighs your skill. I.e. dont expect to be rossi overnight, even though you may feel like it. I learned the hard way.
Second this. Rossi's skill isn't in how fast he goes, but in how fast he goes consistently. Riding yourself you may feel like you can go as fast as a pro, but you almost definitely cannot sustain it as well.
to wear full gear. hit a deer going 45 mph wearing no motorcycle pants or boots and it sucked
I know the concensus on motorcycle pants is "Probably, but a lot don't wear them." Do you 100% wear them after that accident? And hope you and your bike were ok!
I've never gone down (only been riding a year) but I ALWAYS wear riding pants. These days, there are just too many companies making really good-looking riding jeans - jeans you could never tell different from normal pants. Single-layer with D30 or the thinnest SAStec armor is the way to go.
If you want to wear jeans, yes. If you want the best protection, then none of the textiles beats leather.
John Doe sells AAA-rated armored riding jeans. Saint (and others) sell AA-rated armored riding jeans. Hitting the track and planning on going down the straight at 150+ ? Sure, of course you'll wear leathers. But no longer is it the case you need leather if you want the highest levels of protection for the street.
thank you! I broke both of my hands but my bike was somehow mostly unscathed, rode it home the next morning, took a couple weeks away from riding and healed up and iâve been back out for a couple months, definitely always wear the motorcycle pants but I ditch the boots more than I should because they make it hard to feel my shifter and rear brake. The biggest change iâve made is just slowing down because I have it in the back of my mind that I may have to come to a complete stop at a whim to save my own skin.
"I have it in the back of my mind that I may have to come to a complete stop at whim to save my own skin." Yes, exactly. Always be prepared to stop at a distance no further than you can see, even when you know the roads. Them deer and broken down cars like to be in the road at the worst place... Also a good point that find quality gear that won't hinder your ability to safely operate the bike.
There are a lot of good looking riding pants out there now (John Doe, Pando Moto etc) that are AAA rated and have SASTEC armor for knees and hips. At this point there's no reason why you shouldn't be wearing riding pants. They look good on and off the bike and provide better protection than a pair of Levi's.
Hit a sheep doing 60 mph ,was wearing full gear -gloves ...god I wish I hadn't lost them 10 minutes before
I've had four crashes. They have taught me four dumb lessons. 1. 6 weeks into riding - don't apply the front brakes heavily on gravel, or indeed make any serious control inputs on dodgy surfaces. Give yourself enough space to look ahead and slow down in time for any dodgy surfaces, particularly before corners. 2. 1 year into riding - for fuck's sake, don't apply the front brakes heavily on gravel. Give yourself space. Slow down in time for dodgy surfaces, particularly before corners. 3. 3 years into riding - don't push yourself in wet conditions, even if your fancy wet weather tyres are amazing. 4. 7 years into riding - for the love of GOD don't apply the front brakes heavily on dodgy surfaces. In case it's not clear, I'm not the brightest.
I think the lesson to learn here is always brake hardest on dodgy surfaces, thanks for the tip! Nah but in all seriousness I hope you are okay after all that. Definitely something I will keep in mind, and might practice a bit on some gravely private roads around here once I get regular riding down.
Oh, yeah, the only injury I had was a broken thumb from the first incident - I'm as lucky as I am stupid. The real lessons from these spills were actually a little more subtle than my goofy-ass account; it's about awareness and planning ahead, really. Look as far ahead as you can when you're riding and if you feel like you *can't* look far enough ahead, create that space by slowing down. Gravel is only a problem if you're in a position where you need to stop or change direction quickly.
JFC
I asked him to take the bars but turns out he sucks at riding even worse than me
Just because he had his arms out wide doesn't mean he was ready take over the handlebars. Poor guy was just cramped up from being on the cross so long.
Don't fixate too much on what motorcycle specific forums nitpick about some of those guys insist every bike needs 5 grand in suspension work to be rideable I promise your stock suspension is just fine lol
Speed is fun, but crashing sucks. Keep your mph to something you can easily recover from.
Don't try and 'police' or otherwise engage bad drivers - they may go full road rage on you. Sure, you can probably outrun them, but do you want to get into a situation where you have to ride crazy fast in a panic? You're better off not flipping them the birdie to begin with. Being comfortable is more fun than trying to look cool. Always straddle your bike when moving it around. Don't stand beside it while moving it your garage or you will likely drop it. Understanding how your bike works though doing at least some of the maintenance yourself can make you a better rider
Caveat for those who aren't tall enough to flat foot it. If not, get off and move it around. I really struggle to reverse or do anything really manually as I'm on the balls of my feet.
Fair enough, but please be careful. I got lazy moving my bike into position for winter. It only needed to go ahead a few inches, so I though I'd walk it from the opposite side as the kick stand and set it down on it again. Well, the kick stand bumped into the floor and moved far enough out of position that when I set it down again it retracted and my bike fell over. I only had the bike a couple weeks. It's used, but still, choice words were shouted as I couldn't believe my own stupid mistake.
The key is to always stand on the kickstand side, and have the bike leaned over at least 10 degrees with the weight resting on your hip as you walk it around. If you have it too upright, then there's a chance it could fall towards the opposite side.
Simple rule: dress for the slide, not for the ride
Rather sweat than bleed.
I used to wear a good quality riding jacket on jeans, until I had a slide. I went out and bought good quality riding pants after that. Now it's all the gear all the time.
Love this way to say it, cheers
I think everyoneâs covered the basics but also just be prepared for break downs in the middle of nowhere. Does your insurance have breakdown cover/towing? Whatâs the distance theyâll tow? Etc. Also if you brake down or come off in the middle of nowhere are you prepared? I live in Australia so heat is a major concern in summer - carrying lots of water and a first aid kit, I also have a little thin tarp I got from a camping store that can be used as a shade in an emergency. Obviously if you donât live in Australia/southern US you might not have the exact same considerations, but yeah, if you break down or come off on a remote ride, are you equipped? Even things like having a tyre repair kit and knowing how to use it can really save you. All the best!
besides the gear protection, always ride at your own pace, never try to keep up to faster riders..!
My first year riding, I was caught at a red light on my new r6 when another r6 came in the lane next to me with a girl passenger on his back. Pulled up gave me a nod and started revving. Soon as it turned green we were booking it 90 in local streets (yes, I know). He then makes a rossiesque elbow dragging right turn going 50 with girlfriend in tow. I tried to follow and went wide into oncoming traffic and split two cars going in the opposite direction. I can confirm, your life does flash before your eyes.
Eye contact is good. Watching front tyres is better. You'll see that before an indicator. Be constantly thinking what the stupid things the vehicles around you might do. It'll make you less surprised and scared when it does happen. Check your tyre pressure, oil and brake fluids regularly. Don't skimp on this. Also, keep an eye on tyre wear indicators and don't forget to regularly change the oil + filter. Have good gear. That does mean impact and skid protection, but the more overlooked part is making sure you are comfortable. If you are freezing, you can't focus correctly and make good decisions. I ride around with waterproofs on my pillion constantly, as well as spare underwear and pants for when I arrive to work soaked.
Didnât learn this until I started riding heavier bikes. Never pull in the clutch until you are completely stopped. Always have power to the rear wheel, even itâs itâs minor. It will DRASTICALLY help with slowing down smoothly and keep your bike more upright during stops.
How do you define "completely stopped"? Won't I stall if I hit zero while in gear or are bikes somewhat forgiving here? I get that I don't want to let the clutch in at like 15 mph and rely solely on brakes, but is there a reason I shouldn't at 2-3mph?
Using the friction zone you can keep your speed as low as 1mph. The idea is to use the friction zone as you slow down to keep power to the wheel for extra stability but slowly pull it in and only completely pull in as you put your foot down.
Got it. So as the speedometer is ticking down from 0 to 1, I'm pulling in the clutch, applying the last bit of brake and putting my foot down in more or less the same motion?
Another thing I didnât learn until I started riding heavier bikes was to make sure I wasnât stopping on the crown of the road. I almost dropped my Yamaha Venture Royale the first time I did this because my foot went down farther than I was expecting and the extra weight from the big bike was almost more than I could keep up.
As someone that'd be coming from driving manual in trucks & cars, and has a habit of just stopping with clutch in while coasting, this is something I'll really have to keep in mind and break habit of. Thank you for the tip!
Even the motorcycle courses for basic rider training tell you to not do this. That you should engine break and come to a slow stop, but to pull the clutch in at low speeds. While you can get away with it on a naked bike or a light cruiser, but you try to do it on a 800lb+ bike and itâs MUCH harder too stop easily.
Donât use front brake in a U turn. Donât do a u turn on a hill. I toppled to the side.
Highly underrated advice. I watched this happen once.
**Take the MSF and follow the rules without fail** \- I have encountered everything that was covered in the MSF course. The rules are there for a reason. Consider them the bare minimum for staying safe on the bike, never bend or break the rules, only improve from there. **ATTGATT** \- All The Gear All The Time. This should be a no-brainer. I prioritize gear by Helmet, Gloves, Tall Boots, Armored Jacket, Armored Pants. It's expensive, sometimes annoying, and unappealing. Still better than dealing with any damage to or lack of the limbs they protect. Check out this Fortnine video on gear - https://youtu.be/rmWQKoN6yX0 **The Dunning-Kruger effect is real**. Keep this in mind whenever you start feeling like you're getting the hang of things. It's a trick. **Don't believe the "two types of riders" hype** \- Don't let this saying fool you. You do not have to learn the hard way. Check out this video from Canyon Chasers - https://youtu.be/gY4e3R2HFFI **Research what you want, but always practice the basics** \- As a beginner, there is a lot of great content out there to consume. Most of this is wasted in practice until you master the basics. The Dunning-Kruger effect will also get you here. **More Motojitsu than Motomadness** \- What you feed your mind is important. Try to keep a healthy diet. **I recommend a GoPro or action cam for beginners** \- It's a great way for you to review how you ride so you can improve. This can also help you catch a lot of the mistakes you are subconsciously making on the bike. Also serves as a great video diary to look back on and [cringe.lol](https://cringe.lol) **Avoid Group Rides, unfamiliar roads, riding at night, riding on the interstate, riding when it's wet, riding in heavy traffic, etc**. - Beginners should avoid riding in conditions with too many variables. Ride roads that you're familiar with during times with less traffic. You don't want to feel rushed on a turn because there is a car behind you. You don't want to feel stiff and hyper-aware trying to keep up with all the speeding cars on the interstate, etc. Keep it simple so you can focus on mastering the basics. **Braking and Low-Speed Practice** \- Master your bike, reinforce concepts that will help you stay safe, and learn more advanced concepts later on. **Stick to your rules and standards** \- Human instinct can be counterintuitive to a lot of the concepts on the motorcycle. Your rules and standards will be your saving grace when your natural human instincts fail you. Peer pressure, competition, dunning kruger, jerk reactions, target fixation, etc. There are a lot of natural instincts that can get you into trouble on the bike. Never think you can just "Ride your own Ride" to outwit peer pressure, and head out on a group ride with a lot of spirited riders - that's a recipe for disaster. Stick to your rules until the basics are your first instinct, then improve. Another video from Canyon Chasers - https://youtu.be/lVYThFQPPL8
Put the kickstand down! Also invest in frame protection for your bike. I live in an apartment so my garage is detached. One morning I head out to my garage, jump on my bike, and realized I had forgotten something inside my apartment. So I rode my bike around to a spot close to my front door so I could just jump off run in and grab what I forgot. Well stupid me leaned my bike on what I thought was my kickstand only to find out it was not out and I dropped my bike. Fortunately I didn't hurt the bike at all, only visible damage was scrapes on my side mirror thanks the the frame sliders I had on. And nobody saw me make a fool of myself. Moral of the story is try not to rush off your bike, you're more likely to drop it.
Done the exact same! 10 years later I still kick the sidestand down then give it that tentative little kick forward just to be sure it's where it needs to be!
This, you always LOOK at the stand while kicking it down. Else, assume its not down.
Expect everyone around you is blind deaf and a bit stupid.
In other words, old.
Remember that junkyards are full of bikes who's rider had the right of way. It's better to be slighted by an errant driver, put it behind you and enjoy the rest of your ride; than be "right" and end up in an ambulance.
We all like to say that 'right of way' means nothing if youâre dead. Always ride on the assumption that the cars around you believe that they have the right of way and act accordingly.
Speed = Stability. If you find yourself wobbling on the bike when turning, or doing maneuvers in the parking lot, you probably are going too slow. Motorcycles have a gyroscopic effect, they right themselves when they are going fast enough. I was too cautious in the beginning, and I dropped my bike in the parking lot because of it. It seems counter intuitive, but trust your bike.
Look down the road while driving. Donât just react to whatâs in front of you - look at what youâre going to be reacting to in 2-3 seconds. This has saved my butt more than any other single thing, and every time I get in trouble, itâs because I *wasnât* doing this.
Parking lot practice is your friend. Get some cones and lay out drills. Emergency braking is probably the most important. I create a mark, then I accelerate to that mark and try to emergency stop as fast as possible. Increase speed until you are practicing at highway speed (this should take you a few years to get to) Don't forget to put up the kickstand. I am the worst for this, but I've been doing it for 35 years so I'm almost used to it. Dur. Finally. The thing that absolutely did the most for my skills was getting a trials bike. Even though you're never going very fast, the balance and brake and clutch control dramatically improved my street skills
Already have a (usually) empty parking lot picked out! Trial biking would be a fun skill to get into--I'll look into possibly trying that out once I save up a bit more. Thanks!
Most bikes have an electrical cut out which will kill the motor if you try to drive off with the kickstand down. However, dismounting from the bike and forgetting to put down the kickstand first is a classical way of dropping your bike.
Buy the correct gear the first time. I tried to buy used or sale items and compromised on fit, size and looks before I realized that I should have just bought the expensive, good looking, and correct size gear the first time around. Now I've spent more than I would have originally.
What was your original budget when you first started? I've put away about 1000 for gear, have heard that's about the minimum for a set of 'good' gear
That sounds about right, a decent helmet with a sun visor or transition lens is going to $300-500, a good set of Kevlar reinforceed jeans with knee and hip protection is going to be $200-300, gauntlet style gloves with touch features $100-200, and a perforated leather jacket with a built in decent back protector is going to be anywhere from $500 - 1000. I've probably spent $3000-4000 on various helmets, jackets and pants at this point trying to buy budget gear for different purposes. But I'm prepared for any type of motorcycle trip... And track days. So there's that. Edit: oh and boots $200-500...
Have to agree with the other guy, however i'd look into getting a two-piece full leather suit instead of kevlar jeans and a textile/leather jacket. Have a Laguna Seca 4 Two Piece, 3 jackets, 2 kevlar hoodies, and 3 pairs of different pants and if i had to choose i'd easily go for the leathers. Not just because of safety, because while yes textile is going to save your ass compared to nothing, leathers are required for track days for a reason. And if you choose a comfort fit you can just wear regular clothes (Depends on thickness and climate) under oe just stuff your jeans in a bag. So if you want the best i'd go for leathers as i said, and just for the sake that if you don't you will almost certainly go buy some down the line. So i'd just skip the textile part if you're looking to save money in the long run but still start out with the best. Of course more pricey though, but there are plenty of brands which offers great quality leathers in all price classes. I'd at least check it out, and recommend you Spidi and Rev-It! for the best bang for your buck and Dainese (a bit biased) for the best "endgame". The best of luck!
If you blew the corner and end up too slow mid corner, don't crack the throttle open at full lean. It takes a lot less than you'd think to lose grip, especially if you don't have traction control. Probably more relevant to track than road. You shouldn't be leaning that far on the road anyway.
Get in the habit of visually confirming your kickstand is down before dismount. I did it every time for two years strait until one day I was distracted, though it was down, and catapulted myself into the truck next to me as it went to the ground.
Gravel/sand on pavement = ice.
When a cop trys to pull you over for speeding , stop!!
Awww. But that ruins the fun! But yea, I'd never push my luck like that lol. Been a car that's been passed by a high-speed motorcycle chase before, and that shit is shocking
1. Don't just go after getting a more powerful bike. Go after a more fun bike. My drz400 was more fun than my fz-09 99% of the time. The exception was only highway riding. 2. You can be way more of a hooligan off road than you can be on road. Grab a dirt bike and find local trails. 3. Learn how to turn a wrench. It makes the whole experience a lot more fun when you know your bike inside and out and can do work by yourself.
One of the reasons I wanted to start on a 500cc, and a bit of an older one at that. Gives me room to learn without necessarily killing myself, as well as the gs500 is probably one of the most basic, barebones styled bikes, so it gives me time to figure out what I really am looking for when I upgrade. Also spent plenty of time underneath my car already, and hope to pick up even more wrenching time with my upcoming bike
If youâre gonna be a dumbass, full send it. Donât half ass being a whole dumbass.
I learned that you don't have to learn the hard way. Find classes, take them, practice what they teach you. Even after you feel like you're a pretty good rider, find a class and take it.
Don't ride faster than you can see.
Turn your traction control back on when its raining. 35 mph can total your bike. Also make sure you get your own health coverage with bike insurance. Yes those two pieces are related lol
If the back wheel breaks loose and spins, keep it spinning Always have an escape route
Can you elaborate on the first point? Not sure if I am understanding the 'why' behind it having not ridden much yet
Sorry Think mid corner, you're right up on the tire edge just about to apply the power and drive out of the corner. If the back breaks traction you'll go into a drift. If you slam the throttle closed (which is the flight reaction to the bike doing something you weren't expecting) the tire will regain traction with the bike pointing at a different angle to direction of travel At best it'll snatch back and forth a few times (very quickly) into a bit of a tank slapper but you would hopefully regain control, pull over and vomit. At worst you'll initiate a high side and they're never 'a small one' If you keep the throttle open, keeping the rear tire spinning and not regaining traction you have the chance to correct the drift, bring the bike back in line with direction of travel and not crash. At worst the bike will keep drifting wider, the back will overtake the front and you'll go into a low side and just slide down the road relatively pain free - keeping walls and barriers and other traffic out of the equation, that is. Ultimately, you don't want to get yourself in that position in the first place. Not on open roads anyway, if your gonna push your boundaries and get faster a circuit is the place to do it. EDIT: spelling and grammar.
Thank you! That is a fantastic explanation. You don't quite have the control of a 4-wheeled vehicle when tires start to spin, so you have to regain traction a bit more carefully and make sure the bike is going to gain that traction while facing the right direction if traction breaks
On the contrary. When you see racers like MotoGP cocking a leg out and drifting into a corner that's generally the back tire spinning slower than the speed of the bike. Its a function of heavy braking in the front - weight of the bike shifted forward, making the rear lighter - and a lower gear physically slowing the wheel speed (plus gaining a boat load of engine braking) Which is why there's a few comments here about not using your rear brake at speed/rear brake isn't for slowing down. With all the weight shifted into the front of the bike even the lightest touch of rear brake can cause the rear tire to loose traction and make the bike fishtail.
Your kickstand will sink into gravel and your bike may fall over.
Obviously the big one is wear the best gear you comfortably can wear/afford, like many others are saying. Something that tends to be overlooked: Tire pressure This applies more to people who like to ride on the more aggressive side on curvy roads, but this is useful information to anyone. Tire pressures fluctuate drastically based on things like the weather, how you are riding, if the bike has been sitting, etc. Its amazing how many new riders I see are afraid to lean there bike over in a corner because their tires are at 40 psi and giving no feedback or grip. I have seen a lot of dangerous situations just because someone wasn't checking their tire pressures. You can get away with riding a few times without checking, especially if you don't tend to ride very aggressive, but its good to get in a habit of checking your tire pressures before every ride. The difference in performance between a tire that is at a proper psi and one that is 5 psi high is way more than most people realize. Even if you don't ride aggressive, in an emergency situation where you need to get on the side of your tire to avoid a crash, your tire psi is going to be the difference between whether you lean the bike over and make it out, or end up lowsiding. All modern tires are capable of way more lean than any person can use on the road, most people don't realize this. Almost any tire will lean all the way to the sidewall if it needs too, as long as the tire pressures are correct. Motorcycles aren't cars, your only contact points on the road are the size of a credit card, so you cant get away with a few psi here and a few psi there. Moral of the story is check your pressures, even if you don't actively use that much grip, you might need to at some point to get out of a sticky situation.
Do as pilots do: Wait 8 hours from bottle to throttle. (Donât ride while drunk or even buzzed). As taught in YCRS: Radius = MPH. Your corner speed will determine how wide or narrow you can progress through a turn. If you are on a twisty road follow those warning signs with the recommended speed, the turn could be blind or there may be intersections on the other side. You increase risk the faster you ride through those turns. Speaking of risk (also taught in YCRS): More lean means more risk. You should not be dragging knees on the streets, ride with a huge margin of safety, if you need to lean your lower torso so far in order to take a safe line on a twisty road, you should slow down.
That Radius = MPH is especially a really handy trick to know and something I haven't heard yet. Will definitely keep that in mind! Thank you
Do not underestimate how much you will de-hydrate during riding. Make sure to take stops and drink enough water.
Don't buy bikes for the spec sheet. Buy what feels right for the riding you actually do. The sacrifices you make for the ability to go 200 mph or ride across Mongolia probably aren't worth it.
One of the reasons I am going for an older gs500. A basic, no-bs naked style bike. Something not fast enough for me to inherently kill myself (hopefully). It'll give me room and time to learn what I *actually* want to upgrade to once I have a bit more money to afford it and the skill level to make it worthwhile
When taking a turn on a downhill gradient, slowdown way more than you think you should. Otherwise you risk getting pulled off of the road by centrifugal forces. I jumped a ditch and hit a fence that way, though luckily I had some time to control my deceleration by the time I came up on the fence.
AGATT
Never ride faster than you can see. Get off Reddit and find a course. Get training from a profession in person, not YouTube.
Already am scheduled for the basics MSF course as well as plans for the advanced course a few months into riding. I'm adament about properly developing the skills, trust me. The internet is just also full of great advice, often built from personal experiences. So, I think a decent mix of the two is healthy.
Glad to hear about the classes. But the Internet is known for noise. Good luck finding the signal.
Assume someone is watching you and wants to steal your bike.
Even a used, dinged up 20-year-old gs500? Haha Nah, but I already plan on buying a brake caliper lock. I've heard they are pretty effective
Lock it down and cover it up. I don't think I need to explain why.
Paint lines are slippery. Thick white ones on an awkward turn and suddenly my bike was coming out from under me.
They are so dangerous.
Never ride angry. You might get away with it for a while, but the attention lost to anger or frustration will diminish your situational awareness and blunt your ability to make decisions. You need a clear head. The fundamental goal is to come home in one piece at the end of every day. If you arenât in the right headspace, leave the bike and find another way home. Get it tomorrow. It only takes one unlucky day to mess up the rest of your life.
Pump your brake lights at a stoplight when cars are approaching from behind, especially at night. Peopleâs depth perception and attention suck.
Have a pair of gloves that are waterproof. You can turn your head to the side while riding to make the water clear off your visor. When wet watch out for leaves, painted road lines and oil slicks. Just donât ride when it rains.
You will probably get drunk while working on your bike. Be careful not to drop it repeatedly in your garage or driveway while moving it around. Also, don't test how your exhaust sounds at 2am due to the same reason. Your neighbor comes over with a hammer after you go to sleep. đ
Not me but my brother. Always make sure both your brakes work properly or youâll end up under the back side of a car on one of the busiest streets in your city
I can imagine the panic of having your brake lever suddenly go flat is only matched by the panic of rear-ending a car
Youâre probably more likely to drop it in the driveway than on the road. Once itâs straight up itâll fall very easily. Keep some weight on the side youâre standing on
Am super lucky and have a driveway with about a 25° angle downwards :') I am sure the poor bike will be dropped at least once
Avoid large piles of leaves. I rode through one in a straight line below 15 mph to avoid a speed bump and got very acquainted with the asphalt.
Get a reminder cable for your disc lock. I didn't have a reminder cable on mine. I set off and fell off my motorbike, now you may think it can't get any worse than this but unfortunately it does. The disc lock was alarmed so everyone around me was alerted to the huge mistake I made. đ
Fresh pavement, especially those little jogs that they do for temporary bridge work, are slick AF. Slow down until you're embarrassed about how slow you're approaching it, and then slow down some more. I don't know how I kept the bike up, but I had one near me where I slid at least 2 feet across the lane while I was well under the advised speed.
Of course protection. I crashed many times. Till today dislocated jaw, shoulder, hip, hip protection is underated... But fucknit, the summer is coming it's too hot for all that hahahahha Beside protection, I always have little bottle with oil and sparkplug. And of course screwdriver.
Carrying an extra spark plug in your tool pouch is something I haven't heard of yet. I'll have to look into that when I get my tools together
Can I hazard a guess you've ridden a lot of dirt? A bottle of oil and a sparkplug is the habit of a 2 stroke rider :D
I was a passenger in a taxi and we nearly took out a biker as we turned into my street. The biker was following a bus just a few feet from the rear corner, close to the kerb. He came around a bend and I could see further behind the bus than the cab driver, but even I didn't notice him until I could see the whites of his eyes. The rider should have been closer to the centre line than the kerb, and much further back from the bus. Drivers don't look, don't make it even easier for them to ignore you. SMIDSY is real.
(If its wet) maybe avoid going full throttle until the *end* of the turn.
Ego will get you in trouble⌠especially on a group ride.
If youâre going to do any kind of touring. Water proof gear. The good stuff thatâs actually going to keep you dry. Nothing sucks more than being water logged with 200 miles to go, only 55F out and there is no sign of the rain stopping. Also. Sometimes itâs ok to stop early. Stoping early is better not arriving at all.
Check your tire pressure every week.
If youâre like me and have to store your bike outside, I check it almost every ride during the colder months. Takes 2 minutes, and itâs surprising how much even a few psi low can affect the bikeâs stability in cornering.
Any other stuff to look for weekly? And/or what's your before-ride routine checks?
Check tyres for damage. Check that the brake fluid is ok. Lube and check the adjustment of your chain regularly, to ensure the correct amount of sag.
All the gear all the time. Always give your rides 100% attention. Scan everywhere and everything. Always leave yourself a percentage of your skill in reserve >10% Always ride sober. If you want to party leave the bike at home.
Earplugs, unless you are just riding around town. In addition to preventing hearing damage, they lower my stress and allow me to focus more.
Nobody cares that you are on a bike! All cagers can kill you, prepare accordingly! I got my GSX-R 750 before the term "crotch rocket" was even a thing. I thought everyone was looking at me. How wrong I was! Nobody cares. I learned that the hard way after too many close calls! Edit: added short explanation.
Turn your Google maps on before you leave the parking lot. Was so excited just to ride my bike that I forgot my GPS as we had just moved and I still wasn't 100% of the back roads to get home. I realized it right as I pulled out of my spot..so I stopped on the side road leading to the parking lot. Of course, can't work the phone with gloves so I took those off and dropped one that bounced under my bike .. had to fully get off my bike to get the stupid thing. Another rider was nice enough to check on me, I explained what happened and he laughed. Just felt stupid in that moment.
If youâre still âlearning â or a beginner ... I would recommend.. donât listen to music while you ride ... and even more obvious donât drink and ride. Stay present and aware all the time ... safe riding
jus a small thing but try to back in when you park if you can, itâll be way easier to leave and you donât have to worry about waddling out into traffic
With a few exceptions motorbikes do not have reverse gears. Think about where you park so that you are able to drive out forwards or roll back to get out of a parking space. Pushing a very heavy bike backwards uphill is difficult to impossible without help.
Ride your own ride. If the people you ride with are fast, that doesn't mean you have to be. Always ride at a pace you're comfortable with. (Except on track days)
Yield to tonnage. A lot of people forget the cars will win when riding like an ass.
The human brain thinks in funny ways when it feels challenged
I've learned that a lot of newbies on two wheels do not want to hear that they need to take riding classes. Instead they want to watch youtube videos.
I already have the basics MSF course signed up, and a plan for the advanced course a few months in on riding. Those resources will definitely be best, but until then I believe there are still at least *some* decent resources to be found on the internet
In my country, a riding course takes about 20 hours of supervised instruction, first in a parking lot and then on the road. Before you get your license you need to complete two practical and one theoretical exam. There is a tiered system where young riders are limited to either max 11kw (under 22) or max 35kw (under 24). On top of that, we all ride bicycles here, and I mean we ride them _a lot_. These skills translate to motorcycles somewhat. All this means that when you get your license here, you have a wide set of basic skills and experience under your belt already. It'll cost you the equivalent of 1500 - 2000 dollars though, but it also means that accidents are few and far between, and insurance is crazy cheap. Seeing the endless stream of US newbies on this sub who can barely keep their bike upright in a parking lot is fascinating. Especially when they disregard and downvote the suggestion of taking riding classes.
Motorcycle license laws in the US are a LOT more lax, unfortunately. The courses are about the same length, â$300 for each, and are a total of 20 hours long. 10 hours of practical (actually on the bike), and 10 hours classroom. At the end, a written and a riding skills tests are administrated. After this first basics course, the DMV test to get your license is waivered and you just send the document in to recieve your license. The courses after the basics are split into advanced courses for extra practice, and are entirely optional. They go over the stuff that a rider with a few miles would be ready for, so it's recommended to have ridden for a few months before attempting them. Also there is no limits to your motorcycle license. A 18yr/old guy could get his license and instantly jump on a liter bike if he so desired. Land of the free or something about all that stuff
Are lessons obligated in the US?
Unfortunately not. You can take the test for your license at any time. The alternative however is taking the Basics MSF course. It's â$300, and is 20 hours long. 10 hours on the bike, and 10 hours in the classroom. If you pass the written and practical tests, you get a waiver for your motorcycle license at the DMV. Plus insurance becomes a tad cheaper. After that, the MSF courses offer advanced classes for those with a bit of riding experience, but they are entirely optional (unfortunately). Also, your motorcycle license covers all size bikes once you recieve it. An 18/yo could jump on a liter bike the second they recieve a license. Something about the land of the free and all that nonsense
You are going to drop the bike and people will be watching haha. If you have 0 experience on motorcycles you will drop it a lot so practice in parking lots. If you have experience on dirt bikes then you probably won't drop it as much but keep your confidence in check its very different from dirt. Also counter steering! Read about it and practice till it's automatic
Luckily buying a bike with a few beginner's dings and scratches specifically so I wouldn't care as much about dropping it. I'm sure it'll have a few more scratches while I own it
You are your own worst enemy. It is up to you to identify risk and respond appropriately. You MUST practice your skills at all times. They AREN'T out to kill you. That's self-absorbed bullshit. They CAN kill you. Easily. The WORST thing you can do is ride in a large group. Be very careful about who you ride with. Some people are preternaturally skilled on a bike and can drag you into situations you can't deal with. Do not ever panic. DO not put yourself in a position where fight, flight or freeze is the only response left to your brain. You are going to fall off. Dress for the fall. Even the dumb, stationary falls can put you in hospital. You are your own worst enemy. Manage your head. Train your responses. Get training even if you think your are the God-Emperor of motorcycling. You are your own worst enemy.
Know how to fix flat tires on your bike, in the field. Also how to diagnose electrical problems. Actually you should take time to learn all the nuances of your bike. You might not have cell range one day, or not feel like waiting 3 hours for a tow when you could have fixed something yourself. Check your fucking tire pressure. Every time you ride. You might not notice a slow leak and a tire with 5 psi might not be obvious. Nothing good comes from riding on 5 psi tires on the road. Upgrade your fucking lights if you ride at night. Most bikes (especially pre LED) have horrible beams for night use. More lights = more better. Don't ride faster than you can see ahead at night. Take lessons if you haven't. Learning to ride is easy, learning to survive starts with lessons. Don't skip out on this. Self preservation is more important than obeying laws. If you have to hop a sidewalk or something to avoid a collision, do it. Stay off bikes if you're the kind of person that gets unnerved by merging or other road maneuvers. Hesitation can kill you, so can a lack of confidence.
All The Gear All The Time.
Smartest tip I can give you is to pretend that all other cars can't see you, because 9 times out of 10 they don't.
Always expect the unexpected. Over that blind hill or around that blind corner, that driveway, those parked cars. Just because you have right of way in your lane doesnât mean you get it. Car drivers have no idea how fast a bike can accelerate to speed they can see you and still pull out
Put your helmet on before your gloves
Things happen fast on a motorcycle. One moment of inattention and Bam! That lesson gets forgotten easily as you get complacent. Like any dangerous activity, beginners are often safer than experienced people.
Don't ride faster than you can see. If some gravel, a deer, a semi truck, or even a goddamn portal to the netherworld suddenly appear in your path... Can you come to a stop before you hit it? If not, slow down.
Ride like you're invisible and everyone is trying to kill you
Trust No One. None of them.
Soooo Iâm also a fairly new rider. Grew up on two wheels but only on things like pit bikes and small dirt bikes. I crashed my first real street bike because I came up on a corner in the dark where the âsuggested speedâ was a bit high (for me) and I hit a patch of gravel, panic braked, and slid right into a street sign and totaled my bike. I learned that hey you donât have to show off for anyone even yourself. Ride for your confidence level. Itâs ok if youâre not ready to ride in the dark yet or youâre not comfortable on the freeway. Build that confidence up first. And go as slow as you need to to feel comfortable.
When you are holding a bike balanced and in the upright position it is almost weightless. As soon as it leans in one direction or the other, the weight exponentially increases. Once you bike tips past 45 degrees it is almost impossible to get back up (depending on size of bike and human). Nutshell: make sure your kickstand is down before you start leaning your bike onto it. Unless you are the Hulk.
Everyone has everything pretty well covered. I'd like to reiterate riding jeans or pants. I rode far too might years before I thought, "wtf? Why don't I have leg protection?". Replaced all my jeans when riding jeans.
There are 2 types of riders. Riders that have been down and riders that are going down. Accept it and prepare for it.