New to riding, new bike! (Lozza2442)

[Lozza2442]

LOL, moneys to tight to mention, da da dee.

Practice what you have learned now, go ride your bike, get betterer. If you need to think about something (braking, pulling away, gears etc) then you need to keep practising. Basic bike control will become second nature. You need to have time in the saddle to make the most of advanced riding training, whether it be at a track, playing in the mud or riding on the street.
The more you ride & practice your basics the more time & resources your brain has to develop your road craft.

Spend your money on petrol & bike maintenance & use the resources here on KB to meet others who can train you or you can train with.

I think I need to find myself a big parking lot next week and just practice and practice and practice. If anything, just for my confidence which atm is not hugely high.
I wish I could do it this weekend but I have a freaking family reunion. Damn those family obligations.

I'm gonna put some decent hours in over the next month simply PRACTICING those basic skills. Then after that I'll just do a few minutes every time I ride

I must say, I'm very excited about a tank of petrol only costing like $20! Makes it cheaper to just practice and practice. Especially with the KM/L you get with a GN125!

I have the advantage of my fiancee having ridden MX and raced Quads since he was an ankle biter (farm boy) so he knows how to do all the servicing etc and will teach me. I was a bit shocked when I learnt that it cost hundreds for a basic service at places like Red Baron and they didn't seem to do that much in that basic service. Better to do it yourself right?

[george formby]

I think I need to find myself a big parking lot next week and just practice and practice and practice. If anything, just for my confidence which atm is not hugely high.
I wish I could do it this weekend but I have a freaking family reunion. Damn those family obligations.

I'm gonna put some decent hours in over the next month simply PRACTICING those basic skills. Then after that I'll just do a few minutes every time I ride

I must say, I'm very excited about a tank of petrol only costing like $20! Makes it cheaper to just practice and practice. Especially with the KM/L you get with a GN125!

I have the advantage of my fiancee having ridden MX and raced Quads since he was an ankle biter (farm boy) so he knows how to do all the servicing etc and will teach me. I was a bit shocked when I learnt that it cost hundreds for a basic service at places like Red Baron and they didn't seem to do that much in that basic service. Better to do it yourself right?

Yup, DIY for a lot of things. Oil changes, chain maintenance, air filter etc are generally really easy & you get to learn about what does what on your bike. Use youtube & maybe download a Manuel for your bike. It's quite satisfying getting grubby & saving money.

I'm sure somebody will pop up on this thread with an offer of practice somewhere.

I've been riding for oh, well, um, decades and since my girlfriend has started riding I'm stunned at how much the practice we do together is improving my riding, not just hers.

Have a look at the gymkhana thread somewhere on here for some inspiration for car park frolics. It's similar practice to what we do & really good for building confidence & control skills. Great fun too.

[GrayWolf]

I think I need to find myself a big parking lot next week and just practice and practice and practice. If anything, just for my confidence which atm is not hugely high.
I wish I could do it this weekend but I have a freaking family reunion. Damn those family obligations.

I'm gonna put some decent hours in over the next month simply PRACTICING those basic skills. Then after that I'll just do a few minutes every time I ride

I must say, I'm very excited about a tank of petrol only costing like $20! Makes it cheaper to just practice and practice. Especially with the KM/L you get with a GN125!

I have the advantage of my fiancee having ridden MX and raced Quads since he was an ankle biter (farm boy) so he knows how to do all the servicing etc and will teach me. I was a bit shocked when I learnt that it cost hundreds for a basic service at places like Red Baron and they didn't seem to do that much in that basic service. Better to do it yourself right?

Hi again Lozza,
great to read you are giving it all some 'deep thought'.. only this time the answer isnt, 42 (for the 'hikers among us).
Its so easy, and I would say we ALL did/do it... get on ya bike and ride. Just reading two of your posts.. reply to azkle.. "time to do a long ride" and above, "confidence not hugely high".
a little contradictive, but We'd all understand it. IF you decide on a long ride in the near future... suggestion is/are:
make sure you go with a 'shotgun rider' (maybe even a Mentor from KB who is known to be a person who can help you stay safe and give good advice, not just a legend in their own coffee break).
arrange several stops for relaxation and coffee etc. There is a fallacy that we only use 10% of our brains... 20% of our oxygen intake is consumed by those few pounds of 'grey stuff' alone. So in fact intense concentration is very tiring in its own right. Once you reach that point your ability to observe/react as well as peripheral information gathering reduces noticeably.
remember, that if your tired halfway? you still have to get home so dont go too enthusiastic on 'straight line' distance.
Going with 'several' other learners can have benefits and detraction's at this point for a long ride I'd stick to just you and the fiancee with as suggested a recognised 'learned' shotgun rider.

[george formby]

Good point GWya. I did a 100km ish trip with my GF awhile back, admittedly including some gnarly gravel roads, & she was fried by half way. A cuppa & a biscuit to the rescue later we were off again. She was equally fried when we got home.

Same with practice, about an hour is her limit before the brain starts to get muddled & things get frustrating. It used to be 20 minutes. Time on the bike is the only way to increase your concentration & energy span but stay within your limits. If somebody says "oh, you will be fine" take it with a pinch of salt & make up your own mind. You want to get home relaxed & happy about your ride not knackered & fearful.

[Lozza2442]

Hi again Lozza,
great to read you are giving it all some 'deep thought'.. only this time the answer isnt, 42 (for the 'hikers among us).

Haha love it. Nothing like a hitchhiker reference

Its so easy, and I would say we ALL did/do it... get on ya bike and ride. Just reading two of your posts.. reply to azkle.. "time to do a long ride" and above, "confidence not hugely high".
a little contradictive,

Oh yeah I totally did contradict myself. Show's my noob confusion? haha


A question to all those wise ones out there atm, I have no gear atm except for a helmet and a pair of MX gloves. What should be my priority list for buying gear?
Sadly I can't afford to just go out and buy full kit in one day.

[george formby]

A question to all those wise ones out there atm, I have no gear atm except for a helmet and a pair of MX gloves. What should be my priority list for buying gear?
Sadly I can't afford to just go out and buy full kit in one day.

Ooooh, can of worms there. My take on gear is head to toe, ATGATT, all the gear all the time.

Bottom line when your skint is head, hands, feet, jacket, troosers. Scour trade me or look at the Cycletreads sale that's on at the mo for cheap gear to get you started. You need to be warm & comfortable, the more protection the better but obviously that relates to what you pay. MX gloves offer no abrasion resistance so at the least you need leather, same with boots. Textile gear is comfortable & most has a bit of body armour which will help if you have a wee low speed roll about when your practising. Full leathers offer the best impact/abrasion protection but do not like getting wet.
Have a good look around & buy the best you can afford whether it's second hand, on sale or from a reasonable supplier like 1 tonne. But make it a priority, comfort & protection is paramount.

[Spazman727]

Heya, I've done training with RiderTraining but there's only so much they can teach you in that time, I was meaning for tips on things like the white lines are slippery, how to break in gravel etc. Just general tips and words of wisdom

If you want to break of gravel just drop your bike and I'm sure something will break.

Seriously though, gravel riding is really fun, I reccomend you go really slow to start with and use mostly back brake, it's easier to recover from a sliding rear than front. Even then be quite gently and use a slightly higher gear than you normally would when on tarmac (as long as its low enough to not stall) as this will stop you wheel spinning when you apply throttle.

[GrayWolf]

A question to all those wise ones out there atm, I have no gear atm except for a helmet and a pair of MX gloves. What should be my priority list for buying gear?
Sadly I can't afford to just go out and buy full kit in one day.

Now here is where it can get REALLY heated/technical.

1) I hope the helmet is a 'decent' one.... not a S/hand with an unknown past.
All helmets HAVE to meet a minimum thats, MINIMUM standard for safety.... go to the 'SHARP' helmet testing website for an eye opener. Once you've 'togged out' with a basic set, first priority should be a GOOD helmet. You'll learn about the 'nice stuff' like variable thickness cheekpads, blue tooth/intercomm ready, removable/washable liners (which adds to the cost). Some more expensive helmets have things like variable deformity impact liners to better protect certain areas of the skull. I will also admit that there are some cheaper 'giant killer' helmets out there... do your research and select your personal preference.
Make sure the 'lid' fits you correctly, not just the size round the head. does the 'brim' inside sit too low on your forhead? or like I found with Arhio.. they arent 'deep' enough and my jawline was below the helmet rim. A good salesman will make sure it is correct for you.

OK numero 2....
da jaket!!
This I would make your next purchase, or acquire one. A cheap (sub 200 bucks) jacket is better than none.
Leather..... is STILL the best material for abrasion resistance. and NZ roads are like bastard files on steroids in some places. Downside of leather is when it gets wet, and it does need 'fettling' to keep it nourished and supple. Again there is the 'debate' of synthetic Vs natural conditioners around this... I prefer natural, leather IS natural and does need 'feeding'.
Cordura..... (heavy woven nylon, cloth jackets)
Most so called cordura jackets are not... cordura is registered by dupont. However 'ballistic nylon etc etc' is usually the same stuff or similar. Kevlar ? same kind of thing just a little different. advantages? 'Cordura' dries out in front of a heater overnight..... (thick leather will take days to dry unless you force dry it, and then make the leather itself 'dry'). Available in many styles, colours to suit your taste.
NEEDS for a good jacket...... the more densely woven the better. Many cheap jackets will be 600 denier, good jackets 8/900+ often the tabs blurb will show CE approved... this is for the ARMOUR, dont get fooled into thinking the jacket is at a higher standard. Even cheap jackets have CE approved armour.
Some jackets will have 600 denier 'shell' but either double layered or, kevlar or 8/900 denier over the known 'high impact/friction' areas. Some better to expensive jackets will have leather panels in these areas.
Now here is the 'girly cringe' bit, sorry.... 'girly jackets look 'nice' BUT..... do your research, get your information BEFORE you buy.
fact 1, 'girly jackets' are usually 'styled' so have extra panels, cuts, seams to suit the female form.... more seams? = more weak spots. example a good design jacket the whole back panel is ONE piece of material that goes from collar to at least low back, meets the front ON TOP of the shoulders, and meets the front on the SIDE of the jacket. a seam across the back (shoulders) can be a weak spot and NEVER I'll repeat this NEVER buy a jacket with a seam running down the 'centre' (spine).
Panels and seams can be 'mitigated' by quality stitching (thread used and double/triple stitched)
fact 2.. 'girly' jackets are often 'short' cutesy looking things... there's a reason us blokes buy jackets that cover our arses.... warmth! for a kick off. if you look at a traditional jacket the bottom is usually level with the tail bone... fashion ones are often level or almost with the top of your arse... now lean forwards to the bars... ooops the back rides up a bit!! 'Er indoors is a 'lizzard'.... has more thermals than Rotovegas, she only buys guys medium touring jackets for anything less than mid summer riding.. (touring jackets are the long ones that completely cover your rear assets).
same with sleeves if you can find a jacket an few CM's too long in the arms... when you reach to the bars it will still be covering your wrists.

Pants...... jeans at the very least and even get a set of cheap yellow PVC over pants for the rain, we all have them, you KNOW you want a pair too
really same thing as the jackets leather/cordura pros and cons......

Cordura can be bloody sweaty for guys around the 'vege's'.... So even a pair of kevlar lined jeans might be a good score.
Tardme really IS your friend here...just had a look there i so much female hardly used gear for sale cheap.

your gloves?? you'll want to replace them soon enough, especially in winter with decent lined/waterproof/insulated ones

How much gear do you need?? I ride 365, 5 pairs cordura pants, l pr leather, 3 kevlar lined jeans, 9 jackets, 6 prs winter, 4prs summer gloves......... 4 helmets.

Boots? if nothing else good steel toed work style boots, Doc martins etc... something with 'substance' and support.

[Drew]

this is good-bad advice.
the first part being good, the rest bad.

when you're on your front brake the weight of your bike (~80%) is on your front tyre, which is usually smaller. this is not a good thing, nor how bikes are designed.
this also LIFTS the weight OFF you're rear (big grippy contact patch) which makes it MORE likely to lock up, slip, or wash out.

the ideal weight balance of your bike is about 60% on the big tyre (rear) and 40% on the front. that gives your front tyre enough stick for steering, not so much that it'll make it heavy and handle like a pig, nor push out the front.
as a n00b, you WILL NOT recover a front end going out. having one while you're heading downhill is the opposite of what is good, particularly if there's a corner coming up.

my advice for n00bs going downhill would be engine brake as much as possible, light trail braking and lightly on the front. if you can feel the bike diving, you're too hard on the front.

Lotsa political correctness going on here, so I'll wade in.

Akzel is a FUCKIN MORON, do not listen to anything he says.

70% of braking gets done with the front wheel, unless on gravel or ice/snow.

That is all, enjoy the ride, as you were.

[GrayWolf]

Ooooh, can of worms there. My take on gear is head to toe, ATGATT, all the gear all the time.

Bottom line when your skint is head, hands, feet, jacket, troosers. Scour trade me or look at the Cycletreads sale that's on at the mo for cheap gear to get you started. You need to be warm & comfortable, the more protection the better but obviously that relates to what you pay. MX gloves offer no abrasion resistance so at the least you need leather, same with boots. Textile gear is comfortable & most has a bit of body armour which will help if you have a wee low speed roll about when your practising. Full leathers offer the best impact/abrasion protection but do not like getting wet.
Have a good look around & buy the best you can afford whether it's second hand, on sale or from a reasonable supplier like 1 tonne. But make it a priority, comfort & protection is paramount.

there IS a ruddy echo round here!!!

[Lozza2442]

Ooooh, can of worms there. My take on gear is head to toe, ATGATT, all the gear all the time.

Bottom line when your skint is head, hands, feet, jacket, troosers. Scour trade me or look at the Cycletreads sale that's on at the mo for cheap gear to get you started. You need to be warm & comfortable, the more protection the better but obviously that relates to what you pay. MX gloves offer no abrasion resistance so at the least you need leather, same with boots. Textile gear is comfortable & most has a bit of body armour which will help if you have a wee low speed roll about when your practising. Full leathers offer the best impact/abrasion protection but do not like getting wet.
Have a good look around & buy the best you can afford whether it's second hand, on sale or from a reasonable supplier like 1 tonne. But make it a priority, comfort & protection is paramount.

I hear ya! I will be fully kitted out before I approach a road, I was simply meaning, while I'm still practicing in carparks what are my VITAL items? Still head to toe or is there a priority? (I also am able to steal items off the man while he's training me just doesn't work long term)
What does 1 tonne do? Is it a shop like Cycletreads?

[nodrog:Me]

I see you are located in Auckland, so your best bet is to head around the coro loop.

The neat part is, westpac run a shuttle service for auckland learners who get abit tired and would rather fly home.

[Lozza2442]

Now here is where it can get REALLY heated/technical.

1) I hope the helmet is a 'decent' one.... not a S/hand with an unknown past.
All helmets HAVE to meet a minimum thats, MINIMUM standard for safety.... go to the 'SHARP' helmet testing website for an eye opener. Once you've 'togged out' with a basic set, first priority should be a GOOD helmet. You'll learn about the 'nice stuff' like variable thickness cheekpads, blue tooth/intercomm ready, removable/washable liners (which adds to the cost). Some more expensive helmets have things like variable deformity impact liners to better protect certain areas of the skull. I will also admit that there are some cheaper 'giant killer' helmets out there... do your research and select your personal preference.
Make sure the 'lid' fits you correctly, not just the size round the head. does the 'brim' inside sit too low on your forhead? or like I found with Arhio.. they arent 'deep' enough and my jawline was below the helmet rim. A good salesman will make sure it is correct for you.

OK numero 2....
da jaket!!
This I would make your next purchase, or acquire one. A cheap (sub 200 bucks) jacket is better than none.
Leather..... is STILL the best material for abrasion resistance. and NZ roads are like bastard files on steroids in some places. Downside of leather is when it gets wet, and it does need 'fettling' to keep it nourished and supple. Again there is the 'debate' of synthetic Vs natural conditioners around this... I prefer natural, leather IS natural and does need 'feeding'.
Cordura..... (heavy woven nylon, cloth jackets)
Most so called cordura jackets are not... cordura is registered by dupont. However 'ballistic nylon etc etc' is usually the same stuff or similar. Kevlar ? same kind of thing just a little different. advantages? 'Cordura' dries out in front of a heater overnight..... (thick leather will take days to dry unless you force dry it, and then make the leather itself 'dry'). Available in many styles, colours to suit your taste.
NEEDS for a good jacket...... the more densely woven the better. Many cheap jackets will be 600 denier, good jackets 8/900+ often the tabs blurb will show CE approved... this is for the ARMOUR, dont get fooled into thinking the jacket is at a higher standard. Even cheap jackets have CE approved armour.
Some jackets will have 600 denier 'shell' but either double layered or, kevlar or 8/900 denier over the known 'high impact/friction' areas. Some better to expensive jackets will have leather panels in these areas.
Now here is the 'girly cringe' bit, sorry.... 'girly jackets look 'nice' BUT..... do your research, get your information BEFORE you buy.
fact 1, 'girly jackets' are usually 'styled' so have extra panels, cuts, seams to suit the female form.... more seams? = more weak spots. example a good design jacket the whole back panel is ONE piece of material that goes from collar to at least low back, meets the front ON TOP of the shoulders, and meets the front on the SIDE of the jacket. a seam across the back (shoulders) can be a weak spot and NEVER I'll repeat this NEVER buy a jacket with a seam running down the 'centre' (spine).
Panels and seams can be 'mitigated' by quality stitching (thread used and double/triple stitched)
fact 2.. 'girly' jackets are often 'short' cutesy looking things... there's a reason us blokes buy jackets that cover our arses.... warmth! for a kick off. if you look at a traditional jacket the bottom is usually level with the tail bone... fashion ones are often level or almost with the top of your arse... now lean forwards to the bars... ooops the back rides up a bit!! 'Er indoors is a 'lizzard'.... has more thermals than Rotovegas, she only buys guys medium touring jackets for anything less than mid summer riding.. (touring jackets are the long ones that completely cover your rear assets).
same with sleeves if you can find a jacket an few CM's too long in the arms... when you reach to the bars it will still be covering your wrists.

Pants...... jeans at the very least and even get a set of cheap yellow PVC over pants for the rain, we all have them, you KNOW you want a pair too
really same thing as the jackets leather/cordura pros and cons......

Cordura can be bloody sweaty for guys around the 'vege's'.... So even a pair of kevlar lined jeans might be a good score.
Tardme really IS your friend here...just had a look there i so much female hardly used gear for sale cheap.

your gloves?? you'll want to replace them soon enough, especially in winter with decent lined/waterproof/insulated ones

How much gear do you need?? I ride 365, 5 pairs cordura pants, l pr leather, 3 kevlar lined jeans, 9 jackets, 6 prs winter, 4prs summer gloves......... 4 helmets.

Boots? if nothing else good steel toed work style boots, Doc martins etc... something with 'substance' and support.

Haha whoops didn't see your comment before I replied!!!

I have a brand new (to me) helmet from Cycletreads and the dude fitted me. Initially I had chosen one helmet but he said that that wasn't a good fit for me and put me in a different one (was actually cheaper) which was hugely on special. (Something rediculous like $300 off)

Thanks for the comments about womens jackets and "prettyness". TBH I could care less when it comes to prettyness. As far as i'm concerned, it's protective clothes and it should be there to HELP not to make me look like a model. But I will defo keep an eye out for those damn seams. Hey look! It's one of those crap jackets you were talking about! http://www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/List...x?id=494615670

I was thinking of getting a jacket off "Tardme" (haha) and as an interval these jeans from Cycletreads - http://www.cycletreads.co.nz/product...ns_kevlar.aspx What do you think?

Are these gloves any good? (Till I can afford expensive $200 ones) http://www.cycletreads.co.nz/product...gloves_70.aspx

Does anyone know anything about "cnell" gear on Tardme? Seems a bit cheap to be any good? http://www.trademe.co.nz/stores/cnel...rs-gear?&cid=1

[Lozza2442]

I see you are located in Auckland, so your best bet is to head around the coro loop.

The neat part is, westpac run a shuttle service for auckland learners who get abit tired and would rather fly home.

Where is this? Have you got more deets about this?

[george formby]

If you want to break of gravel just drop your bike and I'm sure something will break.

Seriously though, gravel riding is really fun, I reccomend you go really slow to start with and use mostly back brake, it's easier to recover from a sliding rear than front. Even then be quite gently and use a slightly higher gear than you normally would when on tarmac (as long as its low enough to not stall) as this will stop you wheel spinning when you apply throttle.

Yup, gravel tightens the sphincter but the same principles apply as the road so slower riding, softer braking & gentle throttle. Teaches you to use the throttle through a corner too which gives good control.
Ahhh, the joys of learning to ride!