What I learned today

[Dirty Heathen]

Ok so there are lots of us newbies here thought it might be good to have one thread we update all the time on how things are going tips issue all in one thread.

So had my new bike since Tuesday been riding everyday.
First ride was pretty scary as I live on the main road was really nervous about going out only stayed on the main road for about 3 km then went off on a nice quite back road and just mucked around for about an hour getting used to the bike braking all the usual.
After that I went for a ride to the beach and though town which is about a 30 km there and back went slow most of the way was pretty scary doing 100km for the first time more the wind pushing me around more then anything.

Anyway then was most nights riding around the back roads getting comfortable on the bike.
yesterday I went for a pretty decent ride maybe about 50km getting a lot more used to doing 100km and actually enjoy it now was pretty fun ride few scary bits when some douche bag tailgated me.

Anyway started to feel really good on the bike now actually find doing 100-110km really exciting and fun my cornering is getting much better actually starting to lean with bike instead of leaning the bike and staying upright feels much better leaning over a bit.

Still pretty slow in the corners but fine with me just working on having good lines and a nice lean and taking it easy I am definitely feeling a lot more confident but still very very cautious which is a good thing.

got my riding position really good now don't get sore anywhere apart from my hands I have started to relax take weight off my arms and hands but they still get sore and go numb after a while I am starting to think my gloves might be too tight and causing the problem.

Things I have learned
People have no respect for bikes people just pull out in front of you all the time no so much that I have to emergency break or anything but they would not have pulled out if I was in a cage actually pisses me off a little.

People on Harleys are too cool to wave lol
Open face helmets fail got a nice full face on my ride yesterday got hit on the visor by a stone scared the shit out of me scratched my new blue visor too but thought to myself fuk that would have hurt if I had a open face helmet on.

Oh last but not least once you ride a bike car are so boring to drive.

[p.dath]

You should try posting some blog entries of your experiences. You might enjoy looking back on then in a year or so.

[CookMySock]

Nice one bro. Learning to ride a roadbike is something you will never forget.

It's important at this early stage, to do lots of intentionally steering by pushing forward on the bars. It really cements it into your brain so you will revert to it in an emergency.

It's easy to be scared of the cars while you are feeling a litte nervous. You will be fine with it before long and soon you will see the tables turn, and it will be their turn to respect you as you peel them up.

As a newb, there is only one thing you really need to watch, and that is overcooking corners at speed. If you do this (and you will eventually) you will likely have a very quiet and somber trip home, with plenty of time to reflect etc, so just watch that, otherwise have fun.

Steve

[IdunBrokdItAgin]

Oh last but not least once you ride a bike car are so boring to drive.

So true. Used to love my 330i motorsport BMW but now it just feel like a great big whale on the road.

Damn bike riding bug - the world will never be the same again.

[sinned]

Nice one bro. Learning to ride a roadbike is something you will never forget.

As a newb, there is only one thing you really need to watch, and that is overcooking corners at speed. If you do this (and you will eventually) you will likely have a very quiet and somber trip home, with plenty of time to reflect etc, so just watch that, otherwise have fun.

Steve

Must agree - corners are a huge area of risk when new and as a returning rider. It was at around 6000kms back in the saddle that I felt I was back in the zone and corners in particular came under control. Prior to that there were a few oh-fuck moments. Practice the run up to corners over and over until your timing, speed and placement are spot on.

[Dirty Heathen]

Just got back from a ride down to te kaha man what a great ride had some real fun through the twisty got some nice leans on but at nice safe speeds hardly any cages around the coast just a few bikes still got to pass some cars which was fun.

driven down the coast heaps of times but so different on a bike its hard to explain you REALLY feel you been there and experienced it not from a window if that makes sense.

Got a leaking fork seal though which I had keep a eye on and lesson for today get gas when you can I filled up at Ohope and though cool wont need gas until Omio FFS get down there and there pump is empty so I carry on no petrol station at Ke kaha and I am on reserve any call into a lodge couple of Harley guys there having a feed and the owner sold me some gas and saved my arse.

But all in all a really good day and here what your saying steve I am really carefully with my speed going into a corner but I must say my concerning is get much better just got to get heaps time on the bike.

Also watched for hazard spotted good one on the way there piece of wood in the right hand lane could not stop to move it so remembered where it was on the way back was right on a corner so I stopped and chucked it off the road would have given someone going quick a real fright.

But fuk was awesome road to ride so much fun and so pretty.

Just really need to find some other people to ride with.

[HappyGOriding]

Must agree - corners are a huge area of risk when new and as a returning rider. It was at around 6000kms back in the saddle that I felt I was back in the zone and corners in particular came under control. Prior to that there were a few oh-fuck moments. Practice the run up to corners over and over until your timing, speed and placement are spot on.

Definitely agree got all locked up on a sharp blind corner the other month on a bit of road I had not been down before. Was a very thoughtful ride home. Went back the following weekend and went up and down that one bit until I had nailed it.

Once you are confident you should try a track day if you have them in your area

[trailblazer]

Nice one bro. Learning to ride a roadbike is something you will never forget.

It's important at this early stage, to do lots of intentionally steering by pushing forward on the bars. It really cements it into your brain so you will revert to it in an emergency.

It's easy to be scared of the cars while you are feeling a litte nervous. You will be fine with it before long and soon you will see the tables turn, and it will be their turn to respect you as you peel them up.

As a newb, there is only one thing you really need to watch, and that is overcooking corners at speed. If you do this (and you will eventually) you will likely have a very quiet and somber trip home, with plenty of time to reflect etc, so just watch that, otherwise have fun.

Steve

I no what you meen steve i went for a ride up manawahe rd out to rotoma and over cooked it going into a corner and couldn't turn the bike in so had to stand it up and emergency brake and ride straight off the road. It definatly made me slow down and think about what i did wrong.

[CookMySock]

I no what you meen steve i went for a ride up manawahe rd out to rotoma and over cooked it going into a corner and couldn't turn the bike in so had to stand it up and emergency brake and ride straight off the road. It definatly made me slow down and think about what i did wrong.

Yeah, a nasty lesson innit. On a much more powerful bike you find yourself much much quicker into corners in a very confined space with little or no warning, and the force on the bars is much greater and the bike is reluctant to tip in - you can imagine how easy it is to screw that up - and it is.

You CAN actually corner the bike a lot harder than you think. Just push on the inside bar and it will tip in. This is the reason why learners must BEGIN steering by only pushing on the bars - in an emergency they revert to a bar push, and this keeps them on their side of the road, and quite likely saves their miserable life. Those who cross white lines into opposing traffic or the grass verge, are those who cannot believe.

Steve

[crazyhorse]

You learn things on every ride you do - nothing is ever the same. Expect the unexpected - always!

[ReigN]

Onto dude! Make sure to always...RELAX!!! Something I'm having to learn daily as a noob rider too It's hard to fathom considering there's so much going on but once I eased up and slowly anticipated little things that may happen without overthinking it, then things started slowly coming together, stay safe out there homez!!!