My learning experience

[dustin]

Yeah, wasn't sure what they were called since I pretty much see them and go the other way thinking that the person is an idiot and I don't want to be anywhere near them when things go wrong.

Also, found this on the YZF600 forum and thought I'd pass it on for the other newbies:
http://www.msf-usa.org/index_new.cfm?spl=2&action=display&pagename=Library

Good info!

Here's some more: http://www.sportrider.com/ride/RSS/

The riding skills series has lots of good info on bike control.

 

[bennydafig]

Yeah, wasn't sure what they were called since I pretty much see them and go the other way thinking that the person is an idiot and I don't want to be anywhere near them when things go wrong.

Also, found this on the YZF600 forum and thought I'd pass it on for the other newbies:
http://www.msf-usa.org/index_new.cfm?spl=2&action=display&pagename=Library

28 year old just died doing a wheelie.. front came down, lost control, into the meat grinder that they call a guard rail..

Post had a good article in their this week-end, lady in her car right next to him when he came down, watched the whole thing.. Of course this is the same paper that followed a group of these morons around and said how cool is this.. wheelies Stoppies on somd backroads.. half don't have licences anymore, but they are selling VIDEOS!! So now more MOE-rons will be out there trying to seel their videos.. BIG market in snuff films, so maybe they will make the big time.

 

[cattitude]

28 year old just died doing a wheelie.. front came down, lost control, into the meat grinder that they call a guard rail..

Post had a good article in their this week-end, lady in her car right next to him when he came down, watched the whole thing.. Of course this is the same paper that followed a group of these morons around and said how cool is this.. wheelies Stoppies on somd backroads.. half don't have licences anymore, but they are selling VIDEOS!! So now more MOE-rons will be out there trying to seel their videos.. BIG market in snuff films, so maybe they will make the big time.

I think the other guy spells better.

 

[BS Gal]

I am NEVER going to get this thing. I took it for a little ride this afternoon. I got to third gear and then went and turned around in the cul-de-sac, stopped at the stop sign (downshifting and all), came wheeling past the house, used the turn signal for the first time and then I went tard.......Stopped the bike, couldn't get it into neutral for some reason, couldn't figure out what gear I was in, finally got it together and brought it home. When I got in the driveway, hubby says "Want me to set up some cones for you?" NOOOOOOOOOOOOT. I am starting to think this whole thing is not for me.

 

[Eagle1]

Never say never all things come in time....this is what practice is for...I take it you finally got it in the right gear and got home ok.....When you stopped the bike the second time did you down shift before you stopped? I know with my bike if I stop in a higher gear it can be a pain to get it back down to first the key is to not panic and just keep at it it will get there .My wife says if you want someone to come and ride with you she would be happy to as we just live across 235 from you anyway and as she says she can always use more practice She says you can call her 240-298-8019. if you want her to come over.She has 2 summers of riding and would hate to see you give up on it after a bad day because I am here top tell you when she got on hers for the first time I thought to myself "O" my god who am I going to sell it too but she stuck with it and like I said all things come with time if you want it bad enough.

 

[BS Gal]

Never say never all things come in time....this is what practice is for...I take it you finally got it in the right gear and got home ok.....When you stopped the bike the second time did you down shift before you stopped? I know with my bike if I stop in a higher gear it can be a pain to get it back down to first the key is to not panic and just keep at it it will get there .My wife says if you want someone to come and ride with you she would be happy to as we just live across 235 from you anyway and as she says she can always use more practice She says you can call her 240-298-8019. if you want her to come over.She has 2 summers of riding and would hate to see you give up on it after a bad day because I am here top tell you when she got on hers for the first time I thought to myself "O" my god who am I going to sell it too but she stuck with it and like I said all things come with time if you want it bad enough.

First thing I need to do is get my permit so I am actually legal. I'll try to do that next week. Then I think we will go do BIG parking lots where I don't' have to worry about traffic, stop signs, etc. Then, if it isn't working for me, I'll give her a call. I don't really want to give up. I have a lot of stuff going on right now. Dad is dying of cancer in Fresno, California and I am going there on the 22nd for a week and then will be going back and forth until the end. I really appreciate the offer. Once I get the permit, get straight with my dad, then I'll get serious about riding. Right now it is just frustrating the hell out of me. I need to get the permit and get some "open" space riding in some big place where I can just first concentrate on the "learning the skills" process, where i''m not afraid of the little bit of traffic and somewhere that our UPS man is not laughing his ass off when he sees me (along with the neighbors). They wave at me and I think I have to wave back and then it's "oh, crap!"

 

[BS Gal]

Never say never all things come in time....this is what practice is for...I take it you finally got it in the right gear and got home ok.....When you stopped the bike the second time did you down shift before you stopped? I know with my bike if I stop in a higher gear it can be a pain to get it back down to first the key is to not panic and just keep at it it will get there .My wife says if you want someone to come and ride with you she would be happy to as we just live across 235 from you anyway and as she says she can always use more practice She says you can call her 240-298-8019. if you want her to come over.She has 2 summers of riding and would hate to see you give up on it after a bad day because I am here top tell you when she got on hers for the first time I thought to myself "O" my god who am I going to sell it too but she stuck with it and like I said all things come with time if you want it bad enough.

On, and no. I didn't downshift before I stopped. Then I could NOT get it into neutral and had no idea what gear I was in. If I can find neutral when I stop, then I'm good to go, but I couldn't get the little green light to come on that said I was in neutral so I was afraid to take off again cause I thought I might be in third. I did manage to somehow get into first and get back home. I was only three houses down from mine. Hubby has already said" OMG, she is NEVER leaving the neighborhood on this bike." Makes me want to learn even more.

 

[Pete]

So whats the problem. You downshift and stop. If you cannot downshift before you stop keep the clutch in and bang down on the shifter. If it hangs up let the clutch out just a touch until it starts to grab and then bang down again.

 

[BS Gal]

So whats the problem. You downshift and stop. If you cannot downshift before you stop keep the clutch in and bang down on the shifter. If it hangs up let the clutch out just a touch until it starts to grab and then bang down again.

Sometimes, you can just pull the clutch in and stop, which is my favorite thing to do without downshifting, apparently. Then I'm all about watching the UPS guy laughing at me and before I know it, I'm all confused. And I know ALL about taking off in third gear and hitting the throttle. It's called, let off the clutch slowly, take off, kill it........I know I'll get it at some point. I'm not an idiot, it's just a lot of different things to do at one time and I think maybe my mother married her cousin and it's just not working for me.

 

[Eagle1]

First thing I need to do is get my permit so I am actually legal. I'll try to do that next week. Then I think we will go do BIG parking lots where I don't' have to worry about traffic, stop signs, etc. Then, if it isn't working for me, I'll give her a call. I don't really want to give up. I have a lot of stuff going on right now. Dad is dying of cancer in Fresno, California and I am going there on the 22nd for a week and then will be going back and forth until the end. I really appreciate the offer. Once I get the permit, get straight with my dad, then I'll get serious about riding. Right now it is just frustrating the hell out of me. I need to get the permit and get some "open" space riding in some big place where I can just first concentrate on the "learning the skills" process, where i''m not afraid of the little bit of traffic and somewhere that our UPS man is not laughing his ass off when he sees me (along with the neighbors). They wave at me and I think I have to wave back and then it's "oh, crap!"

Well let us know what parking lot and when and we can come over and if nothing else give you some positive encouragemeant.....Sorry to hear about your father.......

 

[aps45819]

So whats the problem. You downshift and stop. If you cannot downshift before you stop keep the clutch in and bang down on the shifter. If it hangs up let the clutch out just a touch until it starts to grab and then bang down again.

You don't need to be in neutral. All you need it to be in first when you take off..
You'll hear a "click" when the transmission re-aligns itself. Mine does that sometimes.


I guess you're not riding in the parade with us tomorrow.

 

[desertrat]

Just took the advanced class on base. Lots of skills practice involved, but not much class time so basically I got a paid day away from the office riding the bike. Life is good. All 12 riders passed which isn't much of a surprise, but there were a few breaks given. The written test was a piece of cake, but I'd say most of the riders, except the kucky/smart guy that was riding a borrowed Honda 350, were pretty well challenged by the skills course. One poor guy on a new Triumph locked up his front brake on the wet pavement and got a little damage. Lucky it didn't happen during the actual emergency stop test or he'd have been out. Even if you have a base pass, but haven't taken an advanced class I'd sure recommend it. Beats work!

 

[ylexot]

Just took the advanced class on base. Lots of skills practice involved, but not much class time so basically I got a paid day away from the office riding the bike. Life is good. All 12 riders passed which isn't much of a surprise, but there were a few breaks given. The written test was a piece of cake, but I'd say most of the riders, except the kucky/smart guy that was riding a borrowed Honda 350, were pretty well challenged by the skills course. One poor guy on a new Triumph locked up his front brake on the wet pavement and got a little damage. Lucky it didn't happen during the actual emergency stop test or he'd have been out. Even if you have a base pass, but haven't taken an advanced class I'd sure recommend it. Beats work!

Ah, so you were in class with my coworkers...they were the ones with the Honda 350 and the two Ducatis.

 

[BS Gal]

You don't need to be in neutral. All you need it to be in first when you take off..
You'll hear a "click" when the transmission re-aligns itself. Mine does that sometimes.


I guess you're not riding in the parade with us tomorrow.

Yes I am. I am lined up right in front of you. I stall it a lot so pay close attention.

 

[desertrat]

Ah, so you were in class with my coworkers...they were the ones with the Honda 350 and the two Ducatis.

Yep. Everyone cringed when they trailored the bikes in. Turned out they were just concerned about the weather.

 

[dustin]

Just took the advanced class on base. Lots of skills practice involved, but not much class time so basically I got a paid day away from the office riding the bike. Life is good. All 12 riders passed which isn't much of a surprise, but there were a few breaks given. The written test was a piece of cake, but I'd say most of the riders, except the kucky/smart guy that was riding a borrowed Honda 350, were pretty well challenged by the skills course. One poor guy on a new Triumph locked up his front brake on the wet pavement and got a little damage. Lucky it didn't happen during the actual emergency stop test or he'd have been out. Even if you have a base pass, but haven't taken an advanced class I'd sure recommend it. Beats work!

My first MSF class I had my KLR 250 dual sport. What a breeze that was! I felt sorry for the guy on the Goldwing

 

[aps45819]

Yes I am. I am lined up right in front of you.

Better you than the horses

 

[dustin]

Yes I am. I am lined up right in front of you. I stall it a lot so pay close attention.

If you come to a stop and can't get it to shift into neutral, try pushing the bike some (while you are sitting on it) just a few inches or rock it forwards and backwards while trying to shift it into neutral.

One really good way that my dad taught me (which I learned on dirtbikes) to find neutal, is to go all the way down to first gear, then give it a little snick up into neutral.

It's more difficult to try to go into neutral from 2nd gear.

If you ease out on the clutch to see if you are in gear or not. Just keep the front brake pulled in just a tad. Not enough to stop the wheel, but enough so that the rotor has pressure but will still "slide" through the brake caliper. This is to keep you from lurching out into traffic

Also, keep in mind if your bike has low miles the transmission is still being broken-in so you will still experience false neutrals and whatnot.

 

[iceeyes9]

Then I'm all about watching the UPS guy laughing at me and before I know it, I'm all confused. And I know ALL about taking off in third gear and hitting the throttle. It's called, let off the clutch slowly, take off, kill it........I know I'll get it at some point. I'm not an idiot, it's just a lot of different things to do at one time and I think maybe my mother married her cousin and it's just not working for me.

I'm Eagles Wife...............The offer stands even if its just for company, like I said, I can always use practice at slow speeds myself. Next time the UPS driver laughs, just remember AT LEAST YOUR NOT WEARING BABYPOOP BROWN SOCKS!!!!!! If you want to get to a larger parking lot, say BAE...We will get you there, just ask. As for your father, I wish you well, I lost my father to cancer in 1998. And the bike will be a good outlet for you, I find when I'm riding, I can forget about EVERYTHING and just be in the moment.
You might want to wait until spring for your learners, with winter coming it may be a waist......I know when I got on my bike after last winter, it was like starting all over.....it just came back to be faster than it did to learn in the first place. I have so much fun, I really hope you don't get discouraged, you'll be glad if you stick it out, I promice

 

[BS Gal]

If you come to a stop and can't get it to shift into neutral, try pushing the bike some (while you are sitting on it) just a few inches or rock it forwards and backwards while trying to shift it into neutral.

One really good way that my dad taught me (which I learned on dirtbikes) to find neutal, is to go all the way down to first gear, then give it a little snick up into neutral.

It's more difficult to try to go into neutral from 2nd gear.

If you ease out on the clutch to see if you are in gear or not. Just keep the front brake pulled in just a tad. Not enough to stop the wheel, but enough so that the rotor has pressure but will still "slide" through the brake caliper. This is to keep you from lurching out into traffic

Also, keep in mind if your bike has low miles the transmission is still being broken-in so you will still experience false neutrals and whatnot.

I think my husband had told me about rocking it, but I guess I forgot. The bike only has 1500 miles on it. I don't know WHAT my problem was yesterday.