What I see as a motorcyclist eight years on - A tribute to Kiwi Biker

[CB ARGH]

Gidday guys and gals,

So I've just found this post from myself as a beginner motorcyclist eight years ago (back when I was 17 - now 25!), and dam what a read!

http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/sh...Ride-WOOOOAAH!

It sure is amazing how far you can come as a motorcyclist. Eight years ago I had no idea what the world of motorcycling involved... what it would teach me, what it would show me, what it would open me up to, and most importantly how it could test me.

I haven't done the exact math, but I know I have done well over 100,000km on the motorcycles I have owned and used over these years: 1991 Honda CBR250RR, 1992 Honda CBR250R, 1989 Yamaha FZR250R, and my current the beautiful and almost perfect motorcycle the 2001 Yamaha R6. I know it sounds corny but on EVERY ride I still learn something new - as every driver on our roads is a different person - and each person has their own driving technique/weakness.

Back in 2008 at the adrenalin filled age of 17 I was a newbie motorcyclist with a fresh CBR250RR - sure I had done motocross in the past so I had a fair idea of how to ride a motorbike, however nothing that I knew could prepare me for the open road. Nothing that the basic handling skills test out the back of a sports gym in West Auckland would help with.

So over all of these years this is what I reckon is most important as a motorcyclist.


Maturity - Simple, don't be a dumb s**t - save the Youtube videos for someone else
The warnings and recommendations from the users of this website - yeah we all sound like boring old bastards but most of us know what we are on about
Tyres - 'Power is NOTHING without control" - and it is so true. Go for the best tyres that you can afford, you may never know when they save you - however if you buy cheapies you may be thinking "if only I brought...."
The gear that you wear, simply put: Do you like your skin? Spend that extra dosh and purchase quality gear. If you are preparing for a long distance ride or riding in wet weather then invest in a decent set of wet weather riding gear - once again from experience - DO IT! From experience there is nothing as miserable as riding four hours in the rain without proper wet weather gear.



So to finish, respect and believe the tips/advice that you receive on our forum. Kiwibiker is an amazing website packed full of useful information that may one day help save your life and/or your treasured motorcycle.



Shout out Mark Waters, the man who taught me almost all that I know.


Churr!

STEVEN



EDIT: Changed link from LAST page to FIRST!

[Jin]

What led to your learning about tyres and gear? Have some bad crashes? Congrats for sticking with a 600 for so long they are plenty powerful for the road though can be tiring on longer rides

[Maha]

Maturity is the key word used, that often gets brushed aside on the road....and his affiliation with Mark Waters seems to have paid dividends. Mark has very clinical delivery when sharing his knowledge.

[EJK]

You missed out "How to do a burnout while your dad is spraying water on the rear tyre". You think we forgot about that huh?

Great to still have you on the forum

[rastuscat]

Dear Lord, this is KB.

Don't be so damn sensible.

[sugilite:Me]

Great post

[george formby]

Yup, Mark W has a lot to answer for.

[Pound]

Maturity is the key word used

Can't stress this point enough.

Far too many young (And sometimes older) riders treat motorcycling as as big dick and pissing contest.

Of course if you must feel you need to prove just how big your twig and berries really are, well, that's what the track is for.

[release_the_bees]

You might need a new keyboard. The Enter key seems to be broken!

Sent from my SM-G900I using Tapatalk

[EJK]

Unlike poster 1 my early years were all about buying a bigger and bigger bike untill I reached an engine size that was big enough to offer all the power I would ever need at a price I could afford. My first bike was actually a XL125 despite beginner riders being allowed to buy a bike up to 250cc at the time. My thinking there was that if I felt the urge to go bigger even a 250 would possibly not be big enough and I would lose a far greater amount trading in. My gut feeling was correct there in that my next bike was a XL350 then a XL500 then a CB750 which I bought due to a runout offer of only being $1000 more than upgrading the XL500 for a later model. I actually found the power of the XL500 all i needed but I saw the 750 offering quicker safer stopping ability with its disk brakes. I did find the transition with the much heavier weight of the 750 took a bit of getting used to plus the lack of low down torque being an inline four. On the open road I found it the safest bike I had ever bought though due to its superior stability in strong side winds and it offered a much more relaxing ride due to that. I never found it scary from a power perspective and it was possibly the lack of low down torque which contributed to this. I ended up keeping it for over 20 years and only sold it when things started to wear out on it. My next bike was another road bike about the same size but for all the years I owned the 750 and enjoyed it I still missed the low down torque of my XL500 so the road bike I bought was a twin and not an inline four which offered me the low down torque of my old 500 but with the same stability as the 750. Technology wise the new bike offered improved handling and quicker stopping ability due to sintered brake pad technology. Like poster 1 I have never bought cheap tyres but looking back the knobblys that were sold with the old XLs were not as safe in the wet as todays adventure bike tyres are. Years ago I used to wear a leather jacket for touring but as I dont tour so much now I wear a motorcross style vest under a waterproof outer jacket. While it could be said that because I dont tour so much, having a big bike is an unjustified expense, in the 23 years I owned the 750 I was never knocked off it by a car that did not see me with one bike shop dealer saying it was likely due to the fact the bigger the bike is, the more easy it can be seen by other motorists. I was never knocked off it by any dogs either maybe the sound of the exhaust played a part there.

[Virago]

Unlike poster 1 my early years...

1) Get yourself a dictionary;
2) Look up the word "paragraph".

Your post is unreadable.

[Woodman]

in the 23 years I owned the 750 I was never knocked off it by a car that did not see me

Were you knocked off it deliberately?

[awayatc]

Were you knocked off it deliberately?

fuck me....Wouldn't you ?

[george formby]

I had no idea what the world of motorcycling involved... what it would teach me, what it would show me, what it would open me up to, and most importantly how it could test me.



Churr!

STEVEN

I totally relate to that, 40 years into it. TBH I reckon that the diversity of bikes I have now is giving me the time of my life. And having mind blowing NZ roads and trails on my door step. Bikes are all consuming.

[caseye]

Please stick around but, DO IGNORE that f wit Cassina, she knows nothing of which it speaks!
Your post has stirred a bit of an OLD Hornets nest, most of whom seem to agree ( funnily enough ) with what you have so exquisitely put into words.
A breath of fresh air has just blasted through the KB stratosphere.
Stick around young fella.