So far I have learned...

[magicmonkey]

Since my first day out of practicing emergency braking and getting a feel of the bike I've been gradually learning more and more things and getting plenty of practice, I’m still a bit stuck with where to go next though! So far I’ve been teaching myself some really basic skills like using the back brake, moving my body around on the bike, countersteering, picking lines, changing lines etc. By no means do I know these topics thoroughly (I’ve barely scratched the surface!) but I tend to practice everything I’ve learned every day and it feels like it’s time to add some more to the mix, have any of you more experienced fella’s out there got any hints on things to learn for someone with only a few months riding under their belt?

[p.dath]

At two months I'd try and get as many riding hours under my belt as I could.

Some things like countersteering don't make as much sense until you've had 3 to 6 months of riding time. And then you can really start to make use of it.

[magicmonkey]

At two months I'd try and get as many riding hours under my belt as I could.

Yup, time on bike gets a big tick, I spend at least an hour a day on it and usually a lot more if there's some sun on the weekends (although that's a bit hit and miss in Wellington!) I'm not sure there's any such thing as too much time on a bike but I'm going to give it a go

Some things like countersteering don't make as much sense until you've had 3 to 6 months of riding time. And then you can really start to make use of it.

I'm not so sure I agree on the countersteering bitt, I've only ever used it once in anger (looked too far through a corner and got my line completely wrong, was heading towards a rockface with no space for braking and was leaned over already, learned an important lesson there!) and it really helped out, probably saved my bike from the wreckers yard and me from a good few bruises at the least. That said, for standard use getting around corners you're probably right, while I do countersteer actively rather than just leaning and going with it I still have a lot to learn about how to change direction on 2 wheels! hints and tips gratefully accepted

[Slyer]

Don't worry about pushing a GN250 to its limits. It's already very limited as it is.
Once you get a better bike you will learn how much faster it goes, how much faster it stops and how much more safely it corners. :P

[PrincessBandit]

Don't worry about pushing a GN250 to its limits. It's already very limited as it is.
Once you get a better bike you will learn how much faster it goes, how much faster it stops and how much more safely it corners. :P

Yeah, each bike is different. I started out on a GN250 as a completely new rider and found it took a few months to really settle into the feel of it (riding in general) and developing cornering skills on both tight bends and big deceptive sweepers. The first time I took it up to 100kph I was so petrified I thought I'd wee myself, and lasted all of about 15 seconds at that speed! Soon after that though speed became much more comfortable, and I've even wrung its poor little neck going up the bombays in 4th, throttle wide open. Hahaha, don't think I'd ever find myself doing that with el bandito funnily enough...

Even when you go to a bigger more powerful bike take the time to ease into it's capabilities rather than assuming you can just transfer one skill set straight onto another set of wheels. Have fun!

[CookMySock]

I still have a lot to learn about how to change direction on 2 wheels! hints and tips gratefully accepted

Really all you do is hold the bars and steer with them. Thats it.

Steering is not about all this other complicated crap. You just steer with the bars. Write it across your forehead.

Anyway, don't be in too much of a hurry. I presume you are enjoying all this newbie biker stuff immensely?? Why end it all too soon? Spin it out a bit and make it last.

Steve

[FJRider]

Yup, time on bike gets a big tick, I spend at least an hour a day on it and usually a lot more if there's some sun on the weekends (although that's a bit hit and miss in Wellington!) I'm not sure there's any such thing as too much time on a bike but I'm going to give it a go

The two things that will bite you in the bum (with no other vehicles involved[sometimes WITH]) ... is wind or rain. With what I've seen of Wellytown ... copious quantities of both abound there. Get out and into it ...