My first.

[nll]

I got my first bike last night!
My biker flatmate and I went testing all Sunday and I ended up getting a 2004 gn250. The owner even agreed to deliver it round which was really good on him - considering he lived ages away.

Now to learn to ride!
Hehe I've probably been annoying the neighbors with the sound all morning by playing around at the car-park at the end of our street... :sweatdrop

I expect it'll be about a month before I feel confident enough on the bike to get rid of scooter I've got. I was wondering how long did it take you guys to feel comfortable enough to use your bike as your main commute?

[retro asian]

practice in well lit streets at night, worry about getting comfortable with your bike first before bringing traffic into the equation.

Best way is to find a mentor or friend who can come out with you and give you tips.

[dogsnbikes]

Congrates it all takes time some longer than others,

for me I was lucky enough to gain experience rounding up stock from a young age on the bike and therefore legally riding through Traffic the day I got my licence,but I still never take anything for granted in traffic just like sheep and cows traffic will change direction without warning

Just stay alert and head out when your ready and your be fine

[Maha]

I did it the same way round too, bought a bike, then thought, well better get legal. Done the BHS, the GN finally turned up (it was brand new and I had to wait for the next shipment) and I remember that a 180-200 km ride was enough for me in those first few months. It wasn't till I wanted something bigger, maybe 6-8 months?...so I bought a YZF600 from the same dealer while still on my leaners, maybe restricted, cant remember which. Sold the GN and rode the 600 and had to use my wifes GN to sit my full :rockon:

[StoneY]

I was wondering how long did it take you guys to feel comfortable enough to use your bike as your main commute?

Less than 3 minutes mate

I admire you stepping up, but if you believe its gonna take WEEKs to get to a 'ride it on the road' point quit now, you have not got what it takes

I rode my first road legal bike off the showroom floor........ but admittedly I had learnt to ride on uncles farm way WAY before legal license age

But weeks?????

[Laxi]

Less than 3 minutes mate


+1 but a few years mucking around on dirt bikes might have helped

[Slyer]

If you have never ridden a bike before but you are good at manual cars and push bikes, you should be good in 50kph zones in an hour. Realistically.

[TOTO]

Congrats matey.

When I got my bike I ran cyrcles on my street and the connected next to it street for 3 days. I clocked up 278 kms on those two streets alone which probably have a combined lenght of 1.5kms :D The kids playing outside loved watching me pass by, and eventually by the third day i became their main attraction :D Eventually after I clocked up so many kms I had started to run out of gas so had to eventually get on the road lol.

So the answer to your question of how long it took to start using the bike as a commute is - 3 days (278kms).

P.s. Make sure you have all the protection gear as the first time you get on the bike you are most likely to have a mishap and a bike falling on top of you with no protection, quite frankly is not pleasent.

Welcome to the wonderful world of motorcycling buddy :scooter:

[jared]

I rode around my local neighbourhood when I could after work for about 2 weeks before using the bike to get to work instead of my scooter :scooter: Depends how much time you have to practise as to how quickly you get comfortable with the clutch etc...

... 3 mins??? :gob:

[Laxi]

... 3 mins??? :gob:
like stoney said he'd been riding on a farm for a while, I owned 2 rms and cr years ago, 3 minutes if you already know how to ride is realistic, not a big jump from dirt to road, would have no idea how long it would take if you've never ridden

[nll]

Bar the basic handling test, I've never ridden one before.
Just a scooter which is auto and easy as so it doesn't count. I've been going on the road today, by that I mean empty roads. Negotiating my way through Auckland to uni is a whole different ball game...

It's because of the gears that I think it will take me a bit to feel confident on it - I've never bothered to own my own car (hate them), and back in high school when I got my drivers licence my parents only had an automatic to learn in - so the manual thing is reasonably new to me. I know how to use a manual etc but I'm certainly not well practiced.


I'm happy be a Nana rider for a few weeks than do something dangerous because I'm not ready to deal with traffic :)

[Ferkletastic]

Before the BHS I had never riden more than around a paddock a couple times on a farm bike about 15 years before. I passed, got my bike the same day and road up and down my road for about 2 hours, then road to a local huge carpark and practised the stuff I'd learned at BHS for another couple hours, then went riding around Auckland for about 4 more hours.

HIt the open road about a week after that. I'd been driving for about 12 years which helped as traffic didn't scare me overly.

Take as long as you are comfortable with, but don't get too scared, you'll do fine as long as you keep your head and wear your gear.

[Zuki lover]

congratulations and have fun

[325rocket]

im happy to help out if i can. i know of a good safe area to practice.

[325rocket]

Sorry just realised your in Auckland.

[Zuki lover]

Hope you got your licence ............... make it legal and have fun :rockon:

[Mom]

Very exciting stuff getting your first bike! Congratulations! The quickest way to get used to something is to actually do it, so as others have said, go round and round the block, stop ocassionally through and go the other way around, got to practise corners both ways :yes:

Not sure what part of Auckland you are in, but this is a really good place to go and practise and learn and make new friends as well!

http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/showthread.php?t=77111

[TOTO]

Not sure what part of Auckland you are in, but this is a really good place to go and practise and learn and make new friends as well!

http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/showthread.php?t=77111

oh yea, why didnt I think of that. Yea come along to NASS when you feel confident riding on the road. some of us are there rain or shine. Heap of fun :)

[nothingflash]

Bought a bike - got a mate to ride it to BHS as I hadn't ridden it before then aside from around a soccer field for an hour or so in 2nd gear.

10 days later did 2,500km from Wellington to BOP around East Cape through Waikaremoana across to Wanganui and back home. A mixture of on and of road. Didn't drop it and had a blast - no problem at all.

In reflection it was mammoth trip on an old 250 but I didn't know any better at the time.

I guess the moral of the story is it depends on the individual.

[surfchick]

and remember...
1st bikes:baby: lead to 2nd:2thumbsup bikes and 3rd bikes:headbang:...and 4th bikes:sweatdrop before you know it you are an addict...

lol naaa

good luck with the next few rides - you`ll def enjoy it even tho everything is kind of new!

[Insanity_rules]

+1 but a few years mucking around on dirt bikes might have helped

+2 and Dirt bikes have a lot to answer for, as does chasing smart asses from up the road from your parents house eh Laxi?

[Laxi]

+2 and Dirt bikes have a lot to answer for, as does chasing smart asses from up the road from your parents house eh Laxi?

somthings never change:bleh: although now im slightly less likely to run you down:Pokey:

[Insanity_rules]

somthings never change:bleh: although now im slightly less likely to run you down:Pokey:

Thanks mate, was talking about us chasing Mike and that other Dipwad.

[chef]

2 months and i was sweet and ready to take the open road