First day on the Ginny to work.

[DuLuX]

today was my first ride into work on black betty :)
She was cold this morning and needed a little coaxing - same as i rode home - pulled the choke out and she sat at 3000 revs for a minute then spluttered out.
did that a few times and finally i just rode her and she went fine and didnt do it again... but wonder if its something i should look into?

Anyway, it was great - i got in to work early and the journey was quite uneventful - i was overly cautious and didnt pass anyone in the traffic! Dont feel confident enough to be sure i wont topple into someone if its a tight squeeze so i just erred on the side of caution.

I learned a valuable lesson today too - apparently its not a fantastic idea to have the side stand out while driving :crybaby: but i noticed after about 30 seconds and sorted it out real fast - luckily i had my helmet on so nobody notice me take a big beamer haha

i bought a reflective vest today and had it on for the ride home - looking like a total geek, but a live one - until i get a proper bike jacket etc.

So far so good, its been great and i sit in work all day watching the clock waiting for the ride home! :) :spudwave:

[Mully]

Bike may be stalling cos the choke is on for too long - flooding the engine.

Well done on the first commute. Remember, cages are either trying to kill you or ticket you. Ride with caution.

[Lissa]

Well done! Enjoy... there will be lots of things to learn as you ride. Get yourself some proper gear though.. safety first aye! :D

[HungusMaximist]

i bought a reflective vest today and had it on for the ride home - looking like a total geek, but a live one - until i get a proper bike jacket etc.



Rather a geek than ending up under a car who forgot to look!

I'll take geek anyday, thanks.

[gijoe1313]

Ahh the feelings of fear and joy all mixed together on your first day out! :yes: But the smile on your face when you rock up and park so easily ... priceless!

Good to hear you are doing what so many people in life would not countenance... riding two wheels of freedom! :woohoo: :scooter:

Ride safely out there! :msn-wink:

[swbarnett]

today was my first ride into work on black betty :)

One of many I'd say. Nothing like riding on a daily basis. Welcome to the club.


She was cold this morning and needed a little coaxing - same as i rode home - pulled the choke out and she sat at 3000 revs for a minute then spluttered out.

This is a repost from http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/showthread.php?t=50941 that I thought might be useful:


I had a little trouble starting my cold GN right from the start. I'm not sure if you'r e problem is the same but I've found the following works a treat - Pull the choke out all the way, press the starter button but don't turn the throttle. Once the engine fires up reduce the choke until it's idling at about 1000 to 1500rpm. Then either wait for the engine to heat up or just push the choke in fully at the next intersection.

[yod]

- i was overly cautious and didnt pass anyone in the traffic! Dont feel confident enough to be sure i wont topple into someone if its a tight squeeze so i just erred on the side of caution.

i bought a reflective vest today and had it on for the ride home - looking like a total geek, but a live one - until i get a proper bike jacket etc.


you got it mate....common sense prevails every time....

enjoy

[ruphus]

Congrats on the ride and on the purchase of the vest. Doesn't matter if you think that you look like a geek. If all the cagers think the same thing, "huh, look at that geek in the vest....." at least they have seen you aye.

I hope that you have many more uneventful ones.

[Nasty]

i bought a reflective vest today and had it on for the ride home - looking like a total geek, but a live one - until i get a proper bike jacket etc.

Good on ya for making the move .. there is nothing like daily riding to get the skills up ... I do however thing that there is nothing about wearing a vest that makes us look like geeks ... I wear one .. it is currently dark when I leave home and dark when I get home .. so wanting to be seen to me is not geeky .. just sensible. :yes:

[Rosie]

Yeah! First ride to work! :rockon: :woohoo: :scooter:
The first time I rode to work I left my helmet on my desk, and parked the bike right outside the lab, so everyone could see that I had a motorbike, and I rode it to work. All by myself. :first: :laugh:

[Drum]

......i sit in work all day watching the clock waiting for the ride home! :) :spudwave:


This feeling doesn't go away either.

Keep up the daily riding and you'll be surprised by your progress.

Just one thing: The 'reality check'. Just when you are getting confident with your abilities the 'reality check' is sure to happen. This will likely be a very close call with another road user, or a roadside hazard. When it happens, as surely it will, analyse it - treat it as a learning experience - and then tell us all about it so we can laugh together.

[Dodger]

Welcome to the Wellington commuters club :scooter:
I see a few people wearing reflective vests, including one on a GN this morning who wasn't lane splitting, maybe you?

Anyway, enjoy the ride, and as long as you treat every other road user as you would any insane cellphone talking, lipstick applying, day dreamer you should be ok.

Quite cold out there this morning wasn't it :cold:

[Lucy]

Well done, yeah my GN spluttered to a stop when I used the choke, turned out I didnt need it at the time, was using it 'because I was just following orders'!! Basically I just try and start it, and it usually does, if it doesnt then i think about using the choke.

[Kinje]

Anyway, it was great - i got in to work early and the journey was quite uneventful - i was overly cautious and didnt pass anyone in the traffic! Dont feel confident enough to be sure i wont topple into someone if its a tight squeeze so i just erred on the side of caution.

i bought a reflective vest today and had it on for the ride home - looking like a total geek, but a live one - until i get a proper bike jacket etc.

So far so good, its been great and i sit in work all day watching the clock waiting for the ride home! :) :spudwave:

Good on ya Dulux. Don't get too cocky, and make sure you've got the hang of the bike and how it handles in the slow speed stuff before you start lane splitting.

High vis vests a good idea, but not a substitute for proper riding gear- get some gear ASAP

Ah yes, waiting for work to finish so you can go riding again...I know that feeling :yes:

[Terminated]

pulled the choke out and she sat at 3000 revs for a minute then spluttered out.

i bought a reflective vest today and had it on for the ride home - looking like a total geek, but a live one - until i get a proper bike jacket etc.



Owned my GN for 10mths and found that giving it a little choke to start then immediately pushing back in the choke and let the motor idle while I finish putting on my gear, gloves and helmet. I got the bike from new and by the time the motor was well and truly run in the choke was hardly ever used.

Invest in a box of nitrile disposable gloves, good for general cleaning including chain lube and the air filter clean.

The reflective vest is a good buy, but get that bike jacket as soon as.

Heads Up and Enjoy

[Drum]

.......until i get a proper bike jacket etc.........:

Dulux, how long until you can get a proper jacket? I've got a spare cordura one that I don't use. You are welcome to use it until you can get your own. It's a Dririder Aspen Size L. PM me if you want it.

[DuLuX]

Thanks for the words of encouragement :) and cheers for the advice and offer of a loaner jacket Drum - much obliged! Luckily I picked one up last night from Felix from these forums! its a mobig one with all the padding and reflecting thingymawotsit on the back and everything. Kept me warm riding in this morning too so aye i'm well happy with that! Just need to get the trousers sorted next - using regular work trousers with waterproof over trouser covers from Kathmandu - ok for now but aye need something with protection. Also looking at a pair of Dri Rider boots on trademe to take over from my brown steel towcap jobs i got from the warehouse ;)

Cheers guys, great to read the comments etc and aye when the overconfidence hits and i have a scare (or as my dad would say "when you keek yer breeks") then i will take it as a learning experience! So far I am gaing more confidence and getting a wee bit better at my sucky turning and over revving on starting off... baby steps :)

All the best!

:not:

[discotex]

Cheers guys, great to read the comments etc and aye when the overconfidence hits and i have a scare (or as my dad would say "when you keek yer breeks") then i will take it as a learning experience! So far I am gaing more confidence and getting a wee bit better at my sucky turning and over revving on starting off... baby steps :)

All the best!

:not:

Nothing wrong with revving like a madman at the lights. I was coming up to some lights which went green a couple of weeks ago and went to drop down a gear to accelerate off. For some reason it popped past second into neutral. Poor car next to me got a fright as my bike revved to 10k+ and I just about headbutted the tank. :doh:

[bounce]

apparently its not a fantastic idea to have the side stand out while driving :crybaby:

a lot of bikes cut out once you drop them into gear with the stand down, suprised your GN doesn't.. Good to see the crap weather hasn't put you off getting out on the 2 wheels though. Ride safe. :rockon:

[Lucy]

a lot of bikes cut out once you drop them into gear with the stand down, suprised your GN doesn't.. Good to see the crap weather hasn't put you off getting out on the 2 wheels though. Ride safe. :rockon:

My instruction manual for the GN says that this feature exists, but it doesnt, on mine anyway, I'm often taking off with a horrible scraping sound. Doh.

[janno]

The mightly Nana Vest is not to be sneezed at.

I often wear mine riding at night, and it makes a huge difference to cars seeing you. I felt really dorky wearing it, but then I thought bugger it, I'd rather be a living dork than hip 'n dead.


Plus, people in the know can tell straight away how experienced you are by how you ride, doesn't matter what gear you've got or not.

BTW Ebay in Aus is a great place for motorbike jackets and the like. You don't have to spend a fortune. Postage across the ditch is pretty reasonable.

[Steve 555]

Good too see another ginny owner out there enjoy my friend being on two wheels is great fun.:scooter: