Share your experience......for the newbie

[Beno]

Hi all....first post..., but I have been a viewer for a while....
Learn't a heap so far from this site, from buying a bike...gear...tips on riding, & I thought it was time to give back a bit and to stir up a bit of thought.

So if you have any advice....tips....experiences that might help your fellow newbie to improve their technique or prevent "OH SHIT" moments then feel free...

I thought I would contribute a couple....please dont laugh as they probably seem pretty obvious...but to me they were "OH SHIT" moments

STRAPS!...I ride with a lot of gear and dont have a pack rack so its a matter of strapping it to the pillion or my back....one day I left the waist strap of my backpack undone and picture this...half way down the north western in rush hour (my saviour-slow traffic) and I felt a tugging and gnawing feeling at my side, I was quick to grab at the strap and found it chomped by the chain!!...yes not a nice thought!!...common sence I know! but dont FORGET.

LACES!...I know, I have a thing for thin material.
I know I should wear boots but on this occasion....Comming to a stop I went to put my foot down and my lace got caught on the gear leaver and I almost landed on my face....lucky escape and it unhooked in time, so if you do wear shoes push the laces down the sides of your shoes so this wont catch you out.

Plenty more from where that came from....

Share your stories and help us all out...

Always learning....

[Sniper]

OFC corners. Do a search on Biffs thread. This one
Welcome to the site BTW

[crashe]

Welcome to KB....


Yep, it does pay to make sure all the straps on a backpack are secure and not flapping around...


Take care and ride safe out there on the roads.

[zadok]

Welcome to K.B Beno. Fortunately I don't really have too much in the way of bad experinces on my bikes over the years. Two instances of oil on the road have left me going for a spill, with little damage to myself, fortunately.

[Gremlin]

hmmm... never ever divert concentration from the road... two off's taught me that.

On roads you know well (maybe even roundabouts) practice running wide on a corner, panicking, then dropping it into the corner. A learners automatic instinct is to grab a handful of front brake, which will only make things a lot worse.

One of the off's above taught me that, and the rider behind saying I was an idiot, and he was waiting for me just to drop it into the corner.

Practicing that saved me when a corner disappeared on me, dropped it in, and came out fine.

[Beemer]

LACES!...I know, I have a thing for thin material.
I know I should wear boots but on this occasion... Coming to a stop I went to put my foot down and my lace got caught on the gear leaver and I almost landed on my face... lucky escape and it unhooked in time, so if you do wear shoes, push the laces down the sides of your shoes so this won't catch you out.

Best advice is not to wear shoes under any circumstances - especially if you have boots! Shoes will not offer much protection if you come off - and you're not the first person I've heard of to have an incident with laces!

[Motu]

In a similar vein - don't wear flares either,they get caught in footpegs and dump you on the ground at traffic lights when all the wrong people are watching.

Flares?? Well,you see,once apon a time.....

[MSTRS:Me]

In a similar vein - don't wear flares either,they get caught in footpegs and dump you on the ground at traffic lights when all the wrong people are watching.

Flares?? Well,you see,once apon a time.....

'sokay if you do it with flair tho

[Ixion]

In a similar vein - don't wear flares either,they get caught in footpegs and dump you on the ground at traffic lights when all the wrong people are watching.

Flares?? Well,you see,once apon a time.....

Doesn't need to be flares. The innate malevolence of kickstart levers is such that they wil dive up any trouser leg. You can tell an old time biker, he lifts his leg up and out when stopping, to clear the kickstart lever.

And winklepickers and gearlevers just DO NOT go together

(Winklepickers ?? - Well, you see, once upon a time...)

[Will]

Do high heels count like winklepickers?.

Well, once upon a time...when I was young...and commuting on my trail bike...

Didn't come off or anything. It's just when I think back,

Also used to wear a skirt too.

Must've caused lotsa near misses as all those male drivers oggled, waiting to see what might happen.

Never did

Now I'm a bornagain, and I wear solid footwear and clothing

[merv]

Advice: just don't crash, it could hurt and you might scratch the bike.

[FROSTY:Me]

ride like they all wanna kill ya --cos the probably doo

[skidMark]

treat every other road user as an idiot.... because they usually are

[.produKt]

Yes yes!!
Age old advice. treat everyone else like they are SEVERLY retarded and its contageuos (bah spelling)

I should share my moped expieriences
Despite temptation dont ever do this

Ride with one foot (your left) on the right peg while leaning the bike so far left that yourve just removed those lil rubber spikes from the tyres manfuacturing process xD.

Sounds crazy and ive done it. since it was a crappy chinese moped (the ones where the frame welds crack if you drop it 1cm) i didnt particularly care about it :E..

Oh i didnt come off, but it was a lotta fun

[mstriumph]

Doesn't need to be flares. The innate malevolence of kickstart levers is such that they wil dive up any trouser leg. You can tell an old time biker, he lifts his leg up and out when stopping, to clear the kickstart lever.

And winklepickers and gearlevers just DO NOT go together

(Winklepickers ?? - Well, you see, once upon a time...)

and platform shoes ....... [yeah - once upon ...etc. etc.]