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Gold visor best visor At least 87.5% of the reason I bought a white helmet was so I could put a gold visor on and look like an astronaut
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Jul 21, 2018 04:36
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Jonny 290 posted:< And yeah, i ate poo poo. Parallel parker pulled out in my lane. I'm already healed and the bike is back on the road. No head hit, only soft tissue damage. Was fully geared. Bigger post later when i'm less pissed off about it. > Since I got my learners for motorcycle I've been watching other drivers do stupid poo poo and telling myself "yeah that could've killed me" Most recent I remember is driving down a 3 lane in the left lane and changing into the center and watching someone pull out of a parking lot on the right hand side and drive directly into the center lane.. the lane I was in..
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Jul 21, 2018 04:47
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Yeah riding in Seattle has been a little terrifying for me. I thought drivers in Phoenix were bad but everyone here is so insanely unaware of what’s going on around them it blows my mind. At least in PHX people drive like they are actually going somewhere. It’s when the left two lanes on the freeway are going 10-15 under the flow of traffic it gets real dicey. It doesn’t help that there’s street parking EVERYWHERE and it’s like riding through a gauntlet sometimes. Really reinforces looking for cues that someone is going to pull out. Quite A Tool fucked around with this message at 05:22 on Jul 21, 2018 |
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Jul 21, 2018 04:59
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Sagebrush posted:Oh and btw this is why if someone tells you a motorcycle can totally outbrake a car they're full of poo poo. Yes, a bike has much less weight, but the car has more rubber, and that's pretty much the end of the story. Don't tailgate. This reminds me of that time all those muppets started first a vehicle-, then meat-fight against that feller in the land rover, and some gbs pondscum were convinced a literbike ridden by a borderline retarded brodude could outbrake a 2 ton suv with front brakes the size of a bike's wheel pulling on tyres a foot wide.
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Jul 21, 2018 05:31
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Sagebrush posted:Gold visor best visor I am really coming around to liking my transition visor a lot (on the same helmet as yours). It's just so nice to ride through semi-wooded areas and not worry about how light or dark your visor is or having to flip the internal sun shield (in another helmet).
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Jul 21, 2018 22:32
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Hello thread. Been thinking about getting a bike for a few years. It hasn't helped that there's a Triumph/Motoguzzi dealer on my regular walk with the dog and today I spent some time sitting on a V7 and was loving it. I'm trying my hardest not to ignore the advice of this thread (get a 250, learn on that for a year), but I was loving that V7. Got to fire it up and all that jazz and they told me as soon as I got my learners permit (I'm in Canada), I could take it for a spin. I did talk to a school a few years back that emphasizes on teaching you how to ride rather than just teaching you how to pass. Got tons of experience riding fixed gear bikes in traffic (London UK) , so I'd like to think that I got pretty good situational awareness on a bike. I read the whole thread over the last week or so and was wondering if the other people who started out on a V7 are still reading it?
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Jul 21, 2018 23:29
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52 horses will do you just fine if you're not an idiot. For reference the current crop of "beginner" bikes do the following: Ninja 400: ~43hp (~360lbs) Yamaha R3: ~42hp (~370lbs) CBR300R: ~30hp (~360lbs) CBR500R: ~49hp (~430lbs) The Guzzi is ~510lbs with fuel compared to most of those being <400lbs. E: That being said go test ride all of those things when you've got your permit before you settle on something. Love at first sight happens when you're just getting your license and you should definitely try everything available to you before making a decision. Ridgewell posted:I've never ridden a V7 before, but they look great. That said, you should not get one as your first bike and even less should you get a new bike as your first bike. You WILL crash, period. Even if you just drop it, that will be much less painful (for your spirit and wallet) with a used bike. Stop saying this because its bullshit. Unless you personally know the guy, telling him he "will crash" is stupid. Ridgewell posted:I thought the same before I started riding a motorcycle and it's not true at all. Bicycle riding does not prepare you for motorcycling beyond maybe the absolutely simplest things (e.g. put your foot down when you stop - but even then the weight and weight distribution are vastly different). Even more once you get moving; your situational awareness on your light, easily stopped bicycle moving at a few kph is incomparable to that on a >150 kg motorcycle moving at 30-50 kph without you even noticing the speed because you're wearing a heavy helmet that also constricts your vision. This however is true. Digital_Jesus fucked around with this message at 00:51 on Jul 22, 2018 |
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Jul 22, 2018 00:45
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ImplicitAssembler posted:Hello thread. I've never ridden a V7 before, but they look great. That said, you should not get one as your first bike and even less should you get a new bike as your first bike. You WILL crash, period. Even if you just drop it, that will be much less painful (for your spirit and wallet) with a used bike. ImplicitAssembler posted:Got tons of experience riding fixed gear bikes in traffic (London UK) , so I'd like to think that I got pretty good situational awareness on a bike. I thought the same before I started riding a motorcycle and it's not true at all. Bicycle riding does not prepare you for motorcycling beyond maybe the absolutely simplest things (e.g. put your foot down when you stop - but even then the weight and weight distribution are vastly different). Even more once you get moving; your situational awareness on your light, easily stopped bicycle moving at a few kph is incomparable to that on a >150 kg motorcycle moving at 30-50 kph without you even noticing the speed because you're wearing a heavy helmet that also constricts your vision. A friend who just started training for his motorcycle license and I discussed this just this week. He has even more bicycling experience and we agreed it is nothing alike.
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Jul 22, 2018 00:49
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Like for real though can y'all motherfuckers stop telling everyone that posts about buying a bike in this thread that they're going to go out and wreck the goddamn thing? Its not helpful to them at all. Nor does it help put any kind of positive light on motorcycling or people interested in becoming a new rider. The reality is you might crash, you might not, and it depends entirely on you as a new rider to know your confidence levels, capabilities, limitations, and ability to handle your emotions and responses to panic situations. Yeah, you might drop that shiny new bike, but you might not. Yeah a used one would probably make you feel better if you drop it, maybe you also don't want to buy some piece of poo poo off an rear end in a top hat from craigslist and the dealer doesn't have anything worth buying in their used inventory. Buy what you want (based on what you can afford, don't go buy a brand new bike for your first bike on a loan, because that much I can agree with everyone else is probably stupid, however if you can afford it and don't care go wild) as long as its a reasonable motorcycle that will motivate you to ride and learn without putting you in harms way by being more machine than you can handle. Then go buy yourself the proper gear and invest in the MSF or whatever your regional school is, and practice riding on the street intelligently in low-traffic areas where you can build confidence in your riding skills. I'm all on board with telling people "Don't go buy a SS 1k for your first bike" but "Don't buy new" is dumb. Just because you dropped your poo poo like a clutz the second time you tried to put your rear end on it in the driveway doesn't mean everyone else that touches a motorcycle will do so as well. Digital_Jesus fucked around with this message at 01:05 on Jul 22, 2018 |
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Jul 22, 2018 01:03
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Right. I was mostly referring to being able to read the 'body language' of cars in traffic, not bike handling skills as such.
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Jul 22, 2018 01:10
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IMO you won't crash but you're basically guaranteed to drop it in your driveway or garage at least once, and the reasons for buying a small light bike are many and varied and sagebrush can explain that stuff better than me. You have to learn all the little skills wrt moving it around, getting on and off etc and while it's possible to thread the needle and make it through that period without harm, it's very unlikely. But that's all moot because guzzis are objectively awful vehicles and you shouldn't buy one for reasonable reasons like poo poo build quality, useless dealer network, frail design etc. Slavvy fucked around with this message at 01:49 on Jul 22, 2018 |
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Jul 22, 2018 01:46
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It's better to say "you Will drop your bike" than "you Will get it into a horrible accident"
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Jul 22, 2018 02:37
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I also prefer to say drop or dump than crash or accident. It's highly likely that at some point while you're learning the bike will end up on its side, but that doesn't mean everyone is inevitably going to slide through an intersection or pile it into the side of a semi. You might be like me, and the first time you drop it is by jumping on the kick start with the bike in gear, making it scoot forwards at 1mph and fall over. Oops. And in seven years of riding, I've come off a few times, but I've still never hit anything else or crashed badly enough that I couldn't get back on and ride back home. All the reasons to get a cheap small bike are in the OPs though so just go back and read those. Also, wasn't there a goon sometime in the last, dunno, two years or so who bought a Moto Guzzi as his first, had a bunch of problems, and sold it for a Bonneville or something that was much better? I feel like that was a thing. You gotta buy a motorcycle that you like the looks of, but be careful that you're not buying a pain in the rear end.
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Jul 22, 2018 03:21
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Alpha Phoenix posted:It's better to say "you Will drop your bike" than "you Will get it into a horrible accident" I don't think it's all that great to say that either. Is that something that people who constantly drop bikes tell other people to make themselves feel better? Is it jealousy that a new rider might get to ride instead of posting thread after thread about "PO fuckery"? It makes sense to help new riders understand that they won't learn as well and might possibly kill themselves on a big bike, but I do not give a poo poo if some dork drops his brand new Guzzi in his driveway. Telling people they WILL drop their bike is either just going to add fear or make them more careless, like it's just normal to flop your bike down like it's your fuckin' Huffy on your neighbor's lawn. It's not normal, stop dropping your god drat bikes. Edit: None of the above applies to dirt bikes. Edit 2: Or midgets, they have a serious disadvantage. 40oz of fury fucked around with this message at 03:36 on Jul 22, 2018 |
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Jul 22, 2018 03:29
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This is another reason to get a small, light, cheap bike as your first and even not-first bike: Digital_Jesus posted:
When did they become such porkers? The GN125 is 232 lbs. I mean, that's a GN, so, that's too far off in the other direction. No, the best beginner bike is a nice, small-displacement dual-sport, because they are some of the lightest bikes you can currently buy for the street, and also designed to take a fall or 10.
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Jul 22, 2018 04:22
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I got an Italian bike as my 2nd bike. And while I might someday get a Ducati, I don't think I can be convinced to own a boutique Italian bike again. I can't speak to Guzzis from personal experience, but nothing I have heard paints them as reliable vehicles. You want to actually ride your first bike, not pine away while it's in the shop waiting for a doohickey on order from home country.
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Jul 22, 2018 07:31
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ImplicitAssembler posted:I read the whole thread over the last week or so and was wondering if the other people who started out on a V7 are still reading it? Still reading and still riding; I love my V7 and wouldn't change my choice for a first bike. I still love the look (an important part of riding an Italian bike), and I've yet to find any major problems with it. Some bolts/nuts have rattled loose but that's why you check things periodically and tighten them when needed, and that's happened on every bike anyone in my family has ever owned. I did drop it in my driveway. Marred the bar end and a spot on the exhaust, but otherwise it was fine. People keep talking about how much that sucks but I figure it just gives my bike a little personal character and I don't give half a poo poo about resale value. Keep up w/ maintenance and don't be afraid to fiddle with things on it and you'll be just fine.
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Jul 22, 2018 16:52
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I've never really agreed with the 'get a 250' sentiment, at least not for over here (Netherlands). The rider training is very good/strict and if you're old enough to go for your full license you're getting lessons on a mid-range bike. My girlfriend just got her license and her training bike was an MT-07; a lot of bikes in that power class are actually tamer. She ended up getting a Versys 650 (which is tamer than the MT), however the point about how nice a first bike should be does hold water. She ended up getting an almost new 2015 one as it's better than the older models, was a good deal and came with the full pannier set, etc. But on day 2 she did scuff a handguard getting it out of the shed and it really is too heavy a bike to maneuver around if you're inexperienced. I've always had a soft spot for the Versys 650 though and it really is a great bike, especially for the money, and surprisingly not-that-boring to ride. I do prefer the look of the older 'houndeye' models though.
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Jul 23, 2018 07:22
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I live in a country with decent bike licensing and a tiered system with hp/capacity limits where you can get a versys or sv or whatever for your first bike. It's still a crap idea, get a 250.
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Jul 23, 2018 20:37
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Slavvy posted:I live in a country with decent bike licensing and a tiered system with hp/capacity limits where you can get a versys or sv or whatever for your first bike. It's still a crap idea, get a 250. Nah, I started on a Honda CB500X, the top of the LAMS bike segment are still so friendly to ride it doesn't matter. I'd probably say get something you like with less than say 50-60hp which is more than enough to get you into some deep poo poo on a highway but not so little a Daihatsu Charade will be beating you at the lights. Though I did trade my CB in for a 1290 so my decision making process may not work out for others.
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Jul 24, 2018 10:15
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IMO the main problem with those bikes is they have enough power that you can just bash the throttle and brakes and make decent progress without knowing anything about lines or how to ride a bike properly aka things that aren't optional on a 125/250.
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Jul 24, 2018 21:11
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Slavvy posted:IMO the main problem with those bikes is they have enough power that you can just bash the throttle and brakes and make decent progress without knowing anything about lines or how to ride a bike properly aka things that aren't optional on a 125/250. I'd disagree on the brakes, they are woeful on the CB500 range, mushy, limited feedback compared to a good braking system like the ones of the Tuono and SDR. The brakes were one of the things really holding me back on the CB, they just couldn't pull the bike up as fast as I wanted to. The throttle is another thing entirely, yeah the extra power could train you to use it to power out rather than picking a decent line, but I think that top of the LAMS segment is about that limit where you will start being kind to the throttle and eventually working toward that mid corner speed like I did. I personally would recommend a new rider to the 500-650 restricted classes of bikes because they're not newbie death machines like 600s, they're torquey low revving things which have a very linear throttle response. But they have the power to "grow in to" unlike a 250. The electronic restrictions are pretty drat good these days, I pushed my CB pretty loving hard and only had a couple moments of arse puckering over 4 years of ownership, mainly because I was using the throttle as a switch by the end on hypersport tyres.
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Jul 25, 2018 10:50
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I'm still working my way through the thread, but wanted to check in and potentially warn against dumb questions I might have in the next month or two. I've got my MSF course coming up in a couple of weeks, and if everything goes well will hopefully be purchasing my first bike shortly after. I'm really excited, wanted a bike my whole life, got some friends to safely/conservatively ride with, etc etc. Anyway, was just stoked to stumble across this thread.
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Aug 2, 2018 02:39
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Glad to hear it! No dumb questions in here, this is a newbie safe space. I made plenty of mistakes when I was getting started.
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Aug 2, 2018 02:43
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Jcam posted:I'm still working my way through the thread, but wanted to check in and potentially warn against dumb questions I might have in the next month or two. I've got my MSF course coming up in a couple of weeks, and if everything goes well will hopefully be purchasing my first bike shortly after. I'm really excited, wanted a bike my whole life, got some friends to safely/conservatively ride with, etc etc. Just remember, get a Hayabusa and a GoPro - everything will be fine.
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Aug 2, 2018 05:06
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pokie posted:Just remember, get a Hayabusa and a GoPro - everything will be fine. Come on man, don't pull that poo poo. A 1290 Superduke and a Sena camera are perfectly fine too.
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Aug 2, 2018 05:31
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I am almost 30 days post BRC and have been commuting to work daily on the I-15 between San Diego and LA. I rode ten years ago but I kept renewing my temps so I didn't have to do the manuverability test. I was much dumber then than I've been this go around. I've worked my way into lane splitting on the freeway but (much to the chagrin of some of the other motorcyclists out here) I only go about 10mph faster than traffic is moving. If it's gridlocked than I am creeping so no one surprises me with unsignaled lane changes. So far I've only had one close call and it was my own fault for getting too comfortable. I was on a side road and making a left turn at a stop light when the rear wheel slipped on a large patch of reflective paint. I pulled the clutch in and wound up going wide and onto the shoulder before I got the bike upright so I could brake harder. I pulled away quickly because I was super embarrassed but I pulled into a parking lot to regain my composure before continuing my commute.
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Aug 2, 2018 05:37
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My front brakes are squeaky. Which isn’t all bad, because it reminds me to not use my front brakes. But my bike has linked brakes, so putting on the rears also makes the front go a little bit, and thus more squeaky. Is this just the new bike being broken in? Or have I dun goofed, and now need to remedy my mistakes?
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Aug 2, 2018 07:24
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Be like me, buy an MV Agusta bike in your first year of riding (seriously don't do this).Nostalgia4Ass posted:I am almost 30 days post BRC and have been commuting to work daily on the I-15 between San Diego and LA. Congrats on not dumping your bike. Horse Clocks posted:My front brakes are squeaky. Look at the pads. Make sure they are the right thickness and that there isn't anything on them that doesn't belong. pokie fucked around with this message at 08:09 on Aug 2, 2018 |
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Aug 2, 2018 08:06
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Yeah a friend of mine has a Ninja ZX12R he's going to sell me for cheap, probably going to ride it around for a couple of weeks before the MSF course just to get used to it. Just kidding! I've been looking at something in the Cruiser lot that falls between a Rebel 500 and a Vulcan 800.
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Aug 2, 2018 11:54
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Honda shadow 750s are a bit heavy for a new rider imo but have very sedate throttles and look good.
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Aug 2, 2018 17:01
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Nostalgia4Ass posted:but I pulled into a parking lot to regain my composure before continuing my commute. I think this is a pretty important thing to do and to feel good about having done. Particularly when you're starting, your brain is working overtime to deal with all the stuff that's going on when you ride. If you're in a bad spot mentally, it's better to just pull over and chill for a few until you can get back to it with a good clear mind.
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Aug 2, 2018 17:22
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Horse Clocks posted:
Is this a serious post? I can't tell.
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Aug 2, 2018 19:36
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Horse Clocks posted:My front brakes are squeaky. Brakes generally squeak when they have gunk built up on them or when the pads are nearly worn out. Check the pads for thickness and maybe hit the whole assembly with Brakleen. If the bike is brand new, and you're in the habit of not using your front brakes, it's possible that the pads are just still not bedded in properly. You should bed them in by accelerating up to 40+mph and then braking strongly with the front alone, repeating that process several times, letting the brakes cool down for a bit every two or three runs. Also, if you aren't in the habit of using your front brakes, you need to start doing that. The front brake provides about 70% of your stopping force, and the linked brakes are not a full substitute for using the brake lever. What are you riding and how long have you had a license?
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Aug 2, 2018 19:46
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My rear view mirror is a bit loose. After I adjust it, after a few miles it is showing my jacket again. Should I thread lock it?
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Aug 2, 2018 19:55
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That or use a real small amount of plumbers thread tape, you won't need much.
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Aug 2, 2018 20:14
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Never mind
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Aug 2, 2018 21:19
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Sagebrush posted:If the bike is brand new, and you're in the habit of not using your front brakes, it's possible that the pads are just still not bedded in properly. You should bed them in by accelerating up to 40+mph and then braking strongly with the front alone, repeating that process several times, letting the brakes cool down for a bit every two or three runs. When I first got my bike, I found I was using the front for everything leading to a lot of jerky movement, and precarious 30mph lurches. Its probably a case of the bike being new and the brakes not being bedded in, it’s got as many miles as I do in the saddle, which is ~50 miles, all from a few rides around suburban London in the evening.
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Aug 2, 2018 21:30
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Horse Clocks posted:I should clarify, I do use the front brake, but was advised in the CBT to use the rear when letting off speed. Bad advice. You need to learn to use the front brake and to use it smoothly, because as noted above, it's 70% of your braking force. It's perfectly possible to use the front brake alone to bleed off tiny bits of speed with a gentle touch -- it just takes some practice. But if you don't get in the habit of it now, sooner or later you'll end up in a situation where you need all of your brakes, you'll automatically go to the rear alone, lock it up when you aren't stopping quickly enough, and skid until you layer dan. The optimum is to apply both brakes smoothly and evenly every time you stop. But if I only had one, I'd go with the front every time. Practice on slow streets using the front brake by itself -- keep your right foot back on the peg so you can't touch the rear. Start immediately, because 50 miles is still new enough that you haven't really developed any habits at all, so it should be easy to create the right ones.
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Aug 2, 2018 21:59
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Horse Clocks posted:I should clarify, I do use the front brake, but was advised in the CBT to use the rear when letting off speed. Adding to what sage said: using the front brake correctly (so smoothly, progressively, not jerking it on and off - applies to the throttle too btw) is how you transfer the bike's weight on to the front tyre, thus squashing the tyre both into the pavement and outwards. The contact patch with the road becomes bigger (you'd be amazed how much bigger) and the mechanical grip of the tyre is increased, which lets you brake even harder, which makes the patch even bigger in a virtuous cycle. Contrast that with the rear brake. While you should definitely use it because it has other positive effects on the bike's dynamics, you'll find that any form of deceleration causing the weight to shift to the front makes the rear tyre contact patch smaller which makes the rear brake/tyre less effective, which is why the rear brake only does a small amount of the work. Again, the reverse is true which is why you apply the gas smoothly and continuously; lifting off randomly in the middle of corners just unloads the back tyre and increases your likelihood of a crash irrespective of any minor loss of speed it gets you.
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Aug 2, 2018 22:09
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