First time on the road, on my brand new first bike

[Ice_Monsta]

I have to say, WOW

I walk out of my warehouse door to see the coleman's ute rolling up with my brand new shiny GN250, sign off the paperwork and wheel it into the warehouse treating it like crystal.

After a while i convinced the person in charge to let me take it down the road for a spin, which i did, and previously only having ridden an bike during the basic handling skills training about 3 months ago, wow that was exhilarating. That was the first time i made it to 3rd gear and over 20 Kph. As i rode back i realised that all my workmates had come over to the wall out front to cheer me on which was awesome.

I was supposed to be waiting for my dad to come meet me after work so he could ride the bike home(Didnt think I would be able to), but after feeling how easy it was to ride, i told him i'd ride to his work meet him there. I Stopped at Kawasaki in East Tamaki to get my L plate stuck on so i'd be allowed to ride it legally and was on my way.

Only problem is, today, Auckland weather showed its true colours and bucketed down :-) my first ride in traffic was in the rain as well, dumped in the deep end, and i'd have to say it was a lot easier than i've heard. Not cold, not wet inside my gear etc

So i rode home in the pouring rain because i didn't like the thought of my new bike being all lonely in the warehouse at work all night, and in my first day i have almost gotten it up to 50kms ridden

Only tricky spot i had was coming down Sandstone Road (A big downhill). Somehow the bike stalled when I was holding the clutch in, no idea why, and i didnt realise so i let the clutch back out, back wheel momentarily locked up but a speedy recovery meant no problems.

I rode around the wop wops wearing my bike in until dark.

I am glad, happy, and really excited about riding my bike around a lot more, I can't wait to get it out on the weekend and go for a decent ride. At the moment i'm not telling any of my mates, just so i can turn up and suprise them and see if they have a jealous attack hehe.

[Bren]

First of all, Welcome aboard.....I have owned GNs in the past and they are an ideal learner bike...very forgiving...

After a while i convinced the person in charge to let me take it down the road for a spin, which i did, and previously only having ridden an bike during the basic handling skills training about 3 months ago, wow that was exhilarating. That was the first time i made it to 3rd gear and over 20 Kph.

Good to see you have a good boss. also good one for your first ride. But remember to always look about you not just for any hazards but also potential hazards. Us bikers have to scan the road so much more than people in cages as we are more vulnerable...Anyway, have fun But keep it safe!

[carbacca]

today was NOT a good day for riding...i was sitting nice and dry in the cage leaving work when it started bucketing down but looks like you handled it ok. take it easy and see you on some rides soon

[HTFU]

Very responsible choice of bike for an 18 year old. Well done you.

Make sure you take it easy for the first 1000km don't be tempted to take it up to the red line. Keep it below 6000rpm and it will see you right for a couple of years. Valve clearance at 12000 km and an oil filter change every 5000km and keep an eye on those chains. They need constant lube and tightening to be on the safe side. Those tyres are crap so ride them carefully until you can change them.

The GN will be a great bike around town, get some ventura flat bars on it and you will love it even more.

[Steam]

Rockin dude! I remember when I was new. Actually it was only two years ago! Don't become a SkidMark now, ya hear?
Enjoy!

[EJK]

lol Like he said, You don't wanna be like Skidmark lol

Btw If you are confident enough, you should join the Auckland Wednesday Mentor Night Ride lol
The thread is under "Events/ Meetings" on this forum

If you need an escort, I'm the one who to call

P.S. Nice bike! Welcome to the Motorcycling world! (Thats "m" with a capital "M" lol)

[Ice_Monsta]

I got thrown a bit in the deep end, OH and i forgot to mention hehe, i took on a gravel road as well. Because i live about 400m up a gravel road. First time i went halfway first gear with feet at the ready, then i got a bit more confident and even stood up on the pegs haha. Man i love bikes, I used to love riding with pedals, now i have an engine!

I will probably be on some of the rides in about 6 weeks(after exams due to parental restrictions on the use of my bike ) Only thing is, im not too sure that a mighty GN will keep up with the "real" bikes in the Motorcycle world (go the capital 'M')

[Gubb]

Don't stress it mate, everyone on here seems to remember what it was like to learn to ride, you'll find all the support you could need, and don't try to keep up with them (they'll probably slow down to accommodate you anyway), as soon as you take it outside your comfort zone, that's when accidents happen.

[90s]

I rode around the wop wops wearing my bike in until dark.

Nice to see that man and machine are already one!

Take it easy, pamper the bike for the first 1000ks, and welcome to the Motorcycle work!

[Jantar]

Congratulations on both your first bike and your first ride. The wee GN is a perfect learners bike and You'll just love it.

A few tips though. The GN is made in China and so the build quality is not as good as Japanese or Korean bikes. Therefore at the first opportunity get some oil into your cables (speedo, clutch etc). Check all nuts and bolts are tight. Lube and adjust your chain regularly. If you know an experienced motorcyclist who is near to you ask if they can show you how to carry out basic maintenance yourself.

Most of all...... Enjoy it.

[Ice_Monsta]

Well the downside is I can't do the oil and stuff myself without spoiling my warranty. I'll have a feel around for loose bolts and stuff.
Can't wait to get home and go for another blat around. I knew a bike was going to be fun, but i swear i could ride all day, apart from my lower back getting a bit sore, but thats where the other handlebars come in i guess? (also after the warranty runs out)
Have to play with the mirrors a bit still, as pretty as my right arm is, i think i'd rather see the traffic behind me :-P

[007XX]

Welcome aboard Ice Monsta...

Hang on to that awesome feeling, cos it is absolutely the best! I'm not saying we all loose it as we "grow older", but it just becomes different.

So enjoy it, and don't worry about the little GN. She's an awesome little bike to learn on. She was my first one and I never regretted it.

Have fun and stay safe

[Rosie]

Congratulations on the new bike. Stay safe out there!

[Grub]

Lube and adjust your chain regularly.

He's right you know. We came across a GN where the chain had flown off and the guy was down ... The full story is here

One other point but one that costs munny is that the tyres, as somebody has already mentioned, are shyte, seriously shyte. As a young guy with big nuts and bulletproof, you're going to want to test the limits. Those Chinese tyres are nylon and only for use upright. Anything resembling a lean is beyond their capabilities. If you power through a corner while you're having fun and there's a bit of dampness around you can expect to be on your arse with no warning. The trouble with falling off is you slide into stuff like fences (ahem), posts, culverts, cars and trucks. Those suckers all hurt.

If you can convince your dad to split for a new set on saftey grounds, if I were him, I would think it a good investment. I haven't priced Ginny tyres but I think you'd be talkng less than $200 for a pair.

[The Lone Rider]

Give your GN and your skills as a new rider some time to break in.

Less pain and hassle later on when you put in the baby hours first.

Pimp your GN.. just because you can :P