New Rider

[Murrayafc]

Hello

New rider and new to the forum. Recently passed my learners and have bought an MT-07. I'm 37 so pretty late to get started I suppose wish I'd done it years ago.

Been honing my skills round beach haven for the last few days, and this morning did the first commute from the shore to panmure.

Just taking things easy and will be carrying out some further training shortly. always keen for advice from the experienced guys so sure ill have some questions.

Cheers
Murray

[Maha]

Well, you're riding now, great choice of bike first up. Do you have any mates that also ride?

You will no doubt get the ...'everyone on the road is out to kill you' this is not true, attempted murder is illegal. It's a double entendre, what is be expressed here is that, you (being the biker) need to be more vigilant than usual. The more you ride the more your sight/sound and visual senses will be enhanced, even smell.
All of which, doubled with your reaction time.........well it'll all become clear enough soon enough, hard to explain. It will just click all of sudden one day.

ie: When you're out riding and smell cow shit, chance are a stock truck has been through where you are the moment, so be aware of shit spillage on the road which is NOT motorcycle friendly.

ie: You may spot a foreign object on the road ahead, recognise it but don't look at it otherwise you'll hit it.

ie: You have better peripheral vision in a helmet than in most cars, keep those eyes scanning while in traffic and be fully aware and know what is going on in front of you.

Any riding tuition you can get can only be a good thing Murray.

Cheers
Mark

[george formby]

The learning curve on bikes is endless, part of the appeal.
I will say that learning to ride at your age is probably an advantage. You know the difference between thinking with your head and thinking with your balls. My G/F did not twist a throttle until she was a fair bit older than you and has taken to it like a duck to water.

Have a fossick around KB and I'm sure you will find groups who actively participate in improving ability. NASS and SASS spring to mind if they are still going.

Have fun and great choice of bike IMHO.

[GazzaH]

One nice thing about learning is that you can see and learn from stuff without being directly involved. Gain without the pain! Lots of free lessons available on YouTube, 99% on what not to do - daft things such as zooming past/through slow static traffic, racing through intersections or showing off e.g. by pulling wheelies.

Actively watching, thinking about and reacting to what's going on around you is an essential survival skill. That includes learning from good drivers, provided you can pick them out from the majority.

Recognise that you're new to the game so give yourself more time: slow down a bit, leave bigger gaps, hold back, prepare for the worst (e.g. ice and idiots, not a good mix, almost as bad as texters and boozers), be ready to slow or stop or move out of the way. In time, your reactions will improve and most of this (never all!) will become automatic, but for now it's more of a conscious effort. It's tiring.

Replaying hazardous situations and near-misses in your head is part of the learning process. The worrying part is that there are other hazards you don't even spot ... and that goes for all of us.

[Oh no, I have become my dad! Put me out of my misery, someone!]

[nzspokes]

Welcome.

Professional coaching is always best. Phil at Riderskills is the best.

Now for random advice.

Never put your motorcycle anywhere your eyes have not been.

You must be able to stop in your lane within the distance you can see to be clear.

Ignore Cassina.

Buy me beer.

[Jeeper]

I started riding recently as well, and I am definitely older than you. Good thing I find is that I don't feel like I have to prove anything to anyone. So I ride at my pace and way that makes me feel comfortable and confident. RideForever Bronze course is wonderful for building confidence and learning.

Sent from my F8331 using Tapatalk

[Maha]

I started riding recently as well, and I am definitely older than you. Good thing I find is that I don't feel like I have to prove anything to anyone. So I ride at my pace and way that makes me feel comfortable and confident. RideForever Bronze course is wonderful for building confidence and learning.

Mature mind at work, if you are happy with almost everything at the end of a ride, you've had a good day.

Some of my best motorcycle rides were with my wife, either two up or when she was on own bike. Every time we arrived back home, the first thing that was spoken while removing the helmet was ''Well that was a fun day''.

[neels]

Ride your own ride

Enjoy the ride, but keep looking for the things that can kill you

If you can find some people more experienced than yourself who can follow you and give you some feedback

Don't mention group riding in your questions on kiwibiker.

Mostly, keep your eyes open and keep looking where you want to go, where your head is pointing is where you're headed.

It's fun, enjoy it.

Sent from my SM-G920I using Tapatalk

[Maha]

In all seriousness, it is very unlike that joining a group ride will ever happen if you are relying on this site to do so. There was a time when there was at least one posted every weekend, that hasn't happened for years now.

A safe number to ride with is 2-3 and even better if those 2-3 are mates which is why I asked if he had any mates to ride with in my first post.

[Moi]

To the OP, replies 2 to 8 and 10 are well worth reading and taking on board.

As has been said; ride in your comfort zone, do a RideForever Bronze course, get some one-on-one tuition, enjoy your riding...

[Murrayafc]

Thanks for the advice, yeah definitely just ride my own ride as was mentioned im old enough to think with my head not my balls now, and there's a family to get home to.

Dont have any other biker mates only moved to NZ afew years ago but sure now im on the bike i will meet some more people.

Just went and bought some proper boots and cant change gear now so adjusting the gear lever will be next on the list.

Cheers
Murray

[Maha]

So enough of the slight (yet valid) negatives. You've got a great bike and your head is in the right place.
When I first started riding, every time I went out it wasn't about clocking up K's, it was about really enjoying this new found sense of freedom, sound cliche' and it probably is, but that's how it was.

I probably only ever did 80-100 kms per ride in the early days but it all counted. Then you become ride fit and the rides get longer, you look for more roads other than the familiar ones you have been riding on, you happen upon a few favorite eating spots, you hook up with other riders, you start thinking about all things motorcycle, new gear/next bike....you are doomed

With the warmer months ahead your timing couldn't be better.
A good shortish ride is out to Shelly Beach, this pier is right opposite the cafe'....great burgers and chips.

[george formby]

Summit I got into the habit of when my G/F started riding was to have a purpose for each ride. Something simple to keep at the front of the mind and give a mental commentary on. It could be focusing on safe lines or following distance, actually lifting your head to see how many clues you can find to where the road is going, how many hazards can you spot up a head and what is the best road position and speed to minimise them. Ad infinitum.

Another thing I stumbled upon is the importance of handling skills, basic steering and braking which you can practice in a car park. And you do need to practice! Getting the basic skills cemented can save all sorts of embarrassment.

Road craft, the ability to observe, recognise and be pro active about potential hazards is a dark art which is never completely learned but should be a constant state of mind when your riding. As Maha said, all your senses should be working 100%.

Lovely day for a ride innit?

TTFN.

[Murrayafc]

I took a ride out to muriwai on Saturday then came back on Sunday, was pretty windy and wet on the Sunday so was good to handle that and still keep up with traffic.

[HEsch]

Summit I got into the habit of when my G/F started riding was to have a purpose for each ride. Something simple to keep at the front of the mind and give a mental commentary on. It could be focusing on safe lines or following distance, actually lifting your head to see how many clues you can find to where the road is going, how many hazards can you spot up a head and what is the best road position and speed to minimise them. Ad infinitum.

Great advice.
I try to go somewhere every ride that I didn't last time - even if that means heading down a quiet lane and doing some figure 8s at the end, or turning the opposite way at an intersection and doing a little loop. Keeps things interesting and stops me being complacent that "I know the road". I also watch the road surface when I drive places in the car and find things that I'd need to think more about with the bike ie potholes/worn road surfaces.
Last night I followed a biker for a few kms approaching the Bombays. Without getting too close I was looking at the positioning, speed, indicators and head checks.