Progression of a total motorcycle noob

[kilgh]

Thanks for that link Grantman.

I'm a fellow novice. But have had the luxury of affording all new gear, so that meant an easier time of it.

[Grantman_]

Hi fellow nooblet

Yeah I could have got new gear but I'm cheap, plus I had a bit of time on my hands before getting the bike so shopped around a bit.

forgot to mention I also got some dri-rider gloves off trademe which love to transfer ink to my palms. Hands end up looking real grubby. Might have to put them through the wash a few times or something.

[Grantman_]

Thought I'd update what's happened in my biker progression. Didn't quite go a month after the bikes purchase before I outpaced my ability and crashed. Took a corner a smidge too fast and instinctively braked. Doing this stood the bike up and lost the lean needed to get round the corner. Braking instead of countersteering. Not good. I ended balancing a tight rope for a good second which was the far left white line. Unfortunately I was rolling over the line. Speed was about 30-40k's by that stage. The front wheel touched the gravel, the bike washed out and skidded about 3 meters along the narrow verge and over a 4 meter bank smashing down into a creek in the gorge below as I watched. It impacted on its front right headlight region. Had to get a tow truck to winch it out. Managed to jump start the bike and ride it a few k's back to where I was staying. Looking at the bike it seemed a miracle it started. I was wearing leathers, boots and gloves. I only had a bit of a bruise on my right ankle where the bike low sided on it, and about a 50c size mild road rash on my hip. Leathers got some superficial scraping and a ripped right glove palm. Pays to wear all the gear.

The right hand side peg and rear brake were broken off. The front fairing was destroyed, right fairing extremely scraped and split up, one headlight smashed but the other basically intact. The instrument bracket was bent up, brake lever bent, carbon fibre muffler smashed, front cowl brace / rear view mirror mount bent.

So since The end of Jan I’d been sourcing parts all over. Hong Kong, US, NZ. Found an absolutely top notch supplier for aftermarket, factory fairings on trademe – racerevolution. They’re so good I reckon Honda sold their tooling to that guy.

It was thoroughly depressing not being able to ride while waiting for parts. In the down time I bought myself a book, Total Control: High Performance Street Riding Techniques, to keep my riding fever occupied. Fairly good book. Some decent tips in there. During this time I developed an insatiable desire to get my knee down. Basically this was due to my inability to stop thinking about how far I could safely lean. Extent of lean is a huge question and until you know how far you can safely lean there’s always that distrust lurking there when you get some decent lean angle. I couldn’t see myself feeling properly comfortable on any bike without knowing it could lean right over without magically washing out on me for no reason. Getting the knee down is conquering this doubt and the fear of the unexplored. Bought myself some leather with sliders and decent knee armour in preparation.

Finally, just over a week ago, I had everything legal and looking good on the bike. Goodness knows how many k’s I’ve done since then. Had some sorely needed excitement back in my life. Today was another biggy. A few days ago I was told of a perfect patch of little link-road that’s pretty much unused in the evening. Managed to get my knee touchdown for the first time. What an absolute rush. I would have looked like an idiot kneeling on the footpath to aim my camera (to help me see if my form was right), but who cares. A moment to remember captured. Popped it up as new avatar.

So for anyone thinking about getting a bike, I’ve had a running machine a bit over 5 weeks altogether, accounting for when the bike was broke, and had no previous biking experience. What can I say, riding is a total blast and you've just got to have a go. Still a noob, getting better with time.

[sportsbikesrock]

Great thread. Pity about that tumble. I'm a noob too, found the counter steering article interesting. An MC22 as a first bike? I wouldn't mind one, there's a chance I could end up with one, but do they come with training wheels lol?

[Latte]

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[steelphoenix]

Awesome stuff dude, you seem to be taking to this like a duck to water!

Great thread. Pity about that tumble. I'm a noob too, found the counter steering article interesting. An MC22 as a first bike? I wouldn't mind one, there's a chance I could end up with one, but do they come with training wheels lol?

Training wheels, pfft! MC22s rock! (Yeah, my first bike is an MC22 as well.)

[p.dath]

I wouldn't worry about getting the knee down. You don't really need that skill for a long time to come ...

[Grantman_]

An MC22 as a first bike? I wouldn't mind one, there's a chance I could end up with one, but do they come with training wheels lol?

Wouldn't hesitate to recommend the MC22. Superb bike. Researched 250cc 4 stroke sport bikes to death before purchase. MC22 all the way, no doubt about it. Right on steelphoenix.

I'd rather have a bike with some room to grow into, and keep it until my full license. Rather this than have a bike I'd outgrow in a few weeks and end up feeling dissatisfied. Everyone is different though.

p.dath I touched down yesterday so there's no going back now! I wanted to lean with confidence rather than doubting. Knee down really helped in that department.

[Grantman_]

Things have progressed greatly since getting the knee down. Living fairly near the Mangamukas and buzing back and forth over them results in developing cornering and leaning technique super fast. Each pass brings a fairly solid injection of cornering experience. There's a good surface on that road now, a nice smooth coating on the loads of tasty hairpins.

The result of this is it's now straightforward getting the knee down all over the place, even without much speed like on those tight little roundabouts. My sliders are dissolving away. I feel far more confident/safer when cornering knowing that further lean is no longer shaky, 'unknown' terrirory.

Knee down may not be for everyone, but it sure has been fundamental to me and my riding.

[GPXchick]

sorry to hear about the crash......I just wanted to mention i don't put my knee down but definitely out towards where i'm turning, is this a bad habit i'm forming if anyone can offer a word.

[zeocen]

I'll probably get chewed for this, but if you're going knee down on the road - you're doing it wrong.

[Oblivion]

I'll probably get chewed for this, but if you're going knee down on the road - you're doing it wrong.

No you won't. Well not by me anyway.

I prefer to brake and then countersteer to work my way round the turn. Putting my knee down just feels kinda awkward.

[Smifffy]

Putting my knee down just feels kinda awkward.

Yeah but it looks so 'kewl' on youtube, and makes for great avatars!

[Grantman_]

I'll probably get chewed for this, but if you're going knee down on the road - you're doing it wrong.

I've filmed my form and it's A-okay. The Lee Parks book is detailed on what is and is not correct form. It's as simple as super tight corner = big lean = easy knee down opportunity without a blistering speed.

Anyone who has ridden the Mangamukas will know exactly what I mean. I've seen nothing like them anywhere, not that I've been far north too long. They are a real gem. Bitumen hairpins, great stuff.

[kilgh]

sorry to hear about the crash......I just wanted to mention i don't put my knee down but definitely out towards where i'm turning, is this a bad habit i'm forming if anyone can offer a word.

Yeah, I instinctively did that the other day too.