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SuzukiSavage.com
/cgi-bin/YaBB.pl General Category >> Rubber Side Down! >> New Savage owner/rider /cgi-bin/YaBB.pl?num=1158188600 Message started by Vikki on 09/13/06 at 16:03:20 |
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Title: New Savage owner/rider Post by Vikki on 09/13/06 at 16:03:20 I'm the proud new owner of a 1996 Suzuki Savage – I love this bike!! – and I wanted to say how much I appreciate all the information on this site. It's very impressive and, although I'm not up on all the technical side of things, I'm sure it will prove very useful down the road. I'm also new to riding, having taken a course in the spring and just purchasing my bike four weeks ago. I have never driven a standard car before or EVER ridden a dirt bike or motorcycle of any kind (other than as a passenger), so this has been a huge learning process for me. It was HUGE struggle in the beginning, and I was actually pulled out of the course and took several private lessons. Then, my husband found my bike on a website, but it took a few months for all the paperwork to come through. (The owner lives in Canada but purchased the bike in the States, when he lived there, and had never registered it in Canada.) It was such an awesome deal that it was worth the wait. It had only 5,800 miles on it, was in EXCELLENT condition and the owner was asking only $2,300 (Can. funds). We just couldn't pass it up. It was nerve-racking to finally get out on the road for the first time (after a three parking-lot practices), but I'm proud to report that I have now logged 800 miles and am loving every minute of it! The bike is just so nice to handle. Even my husband, who is somewhat of a Harley snob (he rides a 2003 softtail), thinks it's a great bike and that it handles amazingly well. As a 41-year-old mother of four, this is something that I never imagined doing. But now that I'm motoring around, I can't imagine NOT doing it. I look forward to sharing my riding experiences and reading all about yours. Cheers. Vikki |
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Title: Re: New Savage owner/rider Post by mickthelimey on 09/13/06 at 16:17:09 welcome to the club Vikki,you must be a great kid because you have the same name as my daughter. shame you got started so late in the year,I hear those Canadian winters can be nasty,will you put snow tires on ?? or store it ? some time next month mine will be parked in my living room,it will be as cozy as me. Enjoy your bike you could not have picked a better one. Mick |
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Title: Re: New Savage owner/rider Post by RadarORiley on 09/13/06 at 16:18:06 Welcome to the Savage Ladies of SuzukiSavage.com ;D There are getting to be quite a lot of us on here. A couple of tips, ride your own ride, don't let more experienced riders push you into doing anything that you are not comfortable with, follow someone who knows what he's doing and observe how they handle different situations, remember head & eyes. Learn before you need to how to pick up your own bike. The Savage is an easy one to get up but not if you don't know how. Never buy more on a shopping trip than will fit in your saddlebag >:( |
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Title: Re: New Savage owner/rider Post by Vikki on 09/13/06 at 16:55:48 Oh, Mick, you called me a "kid." Bless your heart. I actually live in the warmest part of Canada. I'm on the west coast, just outside of Vancouver, so we don't contend with the vicious winters that the rest of our nation gets. We're more in line with Washington State weather, and you can pretty much ride year round here. I plan to take my bike off the road in November, though, because it's still going to be too cold for me through the late fall/winter. It already has a nice cozy spot in our garage. Thanks for the tips, Radar. I can't yet ride on my own (I only have my learner's licence), so I'm restricted to being accompanied by others. Fortunately, my husband is a very proficient and patient rider, and he hasn't at all pushed me to ride beyond my skills, although he's also very good about knowing when I'm ready to try something a little more advanced. I have now been in just about every kind of riding situation – from long, lonely country roads to very curvy, mountainous roads to a long gravel road to heavy traffic – and even managed a five-hour ride (with breaks) over the weekend. That's the nice part of B.C. – it makes for absolutely breathtakingly gorgeous riding. The only situation I haven't really done yet is freeway riding, but I know I'm capable of the speed. Now if I could just remember to turn off my signal . . . Vikki |
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Title: Re: New Savage owner/rider Post by Paladin on 09/13/06 at 21:52:30 Vikki wrote:
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Title: Re: New Savage owner/rider Post by mickthelimey on 09/13/06 at 21:57:29 Vikki, I can call you kid because to me you are,I am 69 this november,my middle son turned 40 Sept 10th,my eldest is 45,my two daughters are 38 & 37,and I have 9 grandchildren, and my Dad bless his heart is 92 and still smokes and drinks (in moderation),he still calls me kid. Good luck Kid and happy riding, Mick |
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Title: Re: New Savage owner/rider Post by PerrydaSavage on 09/14/06 at 00:57:14 Congrats Vikki! You live in a beautiful part of our country ... I on the other hand am stuck out here in the cold North Atlantic :( Ride Safe and Enjoy! |
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Title: Re: New Savage owner/rider Post by Savage_Rob on 09/14/06 at 06:33:39 Congratulations and welcome to the site. Swing by Sluggo's Table in The Cafe sometime. |
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Title: Re: New Savage owner/rider Post by smokey02 on 09/14/06 at 06:35:14 Welcome Vikki, and good on ya for getting the 96. After 40 years without a bike, I got my 96 last Oct after taking the MSF class. Had 6500 mi on it, got it for 1800usd. This week I turned over 12,000 miles! I love this bike, can't stay off it, ride every day to work and weekends too year around. (unless it rains, no snow in S.Calif) I still look down occasionally and discover my turnsignal flashing. There's lots of great info and great folks on this site. Glad you found us Have FUN. |
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Title: Re: New Savage owner/rider Post by mornhm on 09/14/06 at 08:56:30 Welcome to the world of MC's. Hopefully you will get all the support you need to enjoy your new avocation. There are lots of other ladies out there who like you have take up two wheels (my wife for one). I only know of one website for specifically for women riders you might want to drop by and read there also. http://www.vtwinmama.com/index.htm Keep the shiny side up. |
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Title: Re: New Savage owner/rider Post by Vikki on 09/14/06 at 09:50:25 Wow! You folks are very welcoming. I think I like it here. Thanks for the link on the signal situation, Paladin. However, I think I'm FINALLY getting it under control. For my first several rides, my husband was constantly having to give me the hand signal (opening and closing his hand in the air) that my signal was still flashing. It's a hard thing to remember, since you don't usually have to manually turn off your signal when you're driving and my focus was more on my clutch, throttle and gear shifts. On our last ride, I made a conscious point of trying to remember my signal and now it's getting to be almost second-nature to turn it off. My husband only had to signal me a couple of times, so I imagine that, after a couple of more rides, I'll have it down pat. Brrrr. The North Atlantic is an area of Canada that I would love to visit, Perry, but I wouldn't want to live there. I'm a baby when it comes to the cold/snow and even what we get in my part of the world is enough for me. I'll also be sure to check out the link to the women's motorcycle forum. I have come across another one – the forum at totalmotorcycle.com has a "ladies' lounge" – but the more, the merrier, right? It's great to share my new passion with whoever I can. Only other riders understand the obsession and, although my friends and co-workers think it's cool that I have my own bike, they don't necessarily want to hear me nattering on about it. Vikki |
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Title: Re: New Savage owner/rider Post by Rogue_Cheddar on 09/14/06 at 10:12:24 Welcome Vikki, I also just recently (August) got my 95 Savage for a paltry $1200. It is a blast, and a great bike to learn your stupids. My most recent stupid being almost dropping the bike at a gas station forgetting to put the kickstand down (I thought the training wheels would hold it up). :-[ I too, still suffer from blinker amnesia but it's getting better. This is a great site, lot's of good info and nice people here. |
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Title: Re: New Savage owner/rider Post by azjay on 09/14/06 at 12:39:48 welcome, from sw aridzona, debby has the '96 suzuki in our house, she is 41 and started riding this year too, she took the msf course in spring as well. i'm 44 and have been riding my whole life, so i've been her coach too. it sounds like your hubby has you on the right track. i'm sure she'll post in a few days, shes just getting over the flue. this is a great bunch of folks. |
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Title: Re: New Savage owner/rider Post by starmom on 09/14/06 at 15:55:52 Welcome lady biker......join the rest of us ladys.... im 44 and just got my liscence in may and just started riding. bought a 2006, and have had my incidents too but overall its been a blast! enjoy our group! sue |
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Title: Re: New Savage owner/rider Post by BCman on 09/15/06 at 00:49:07 Welcome Vikki, Welcome to the site! I bought my '97 Savage in Seattle in July and went through the same paperwork delays. The bike sat for over a month waiting for the federal government to send me the inspection forms required to transfer the title. I live in Sooke but my daughter lives in your area. We are fortunate to have good riding weather in B.C. so I've been trying to make up for lost time and try to ride every chance I get. 8) |
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Title: Re: New Savage owner/rider Post by RadarORiley on 09/15/06 at 08:55:53 Vikki, this website has good information plus links to help. www.ridemyown.com Some of the links have instructions on how to pick up your bike, the best ladies clothing, help for new riders. I found it to be a big help even though I have been a rider forever |
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Title: Re: New Savage owner/rider Post by Vikki on 09/15/06 at 09:48:21 Is there no end to your knowledge and support? Wow! Again, I am just so impressed by this forum. I checked out the vtwinmama website that you recommended, mornhm, and there is a wealth of information there. I wish I had known about that a few months ago, when I was really struggling in my course because there were many, many postings on that website from women who were/are having the EXACT same challenges that I was and some excellent tips about how to overcome them. When learning a new skill is so difficult, you ask yourself, "Why can't I get this when everybody else seems to be picking it up?" and you can feel really lonely as you try to overcome it. To see that so many others have faced those same issues was reassuring and has demonstarted for me how far I have come. It was good for me to read all the excellent tips on there and to see that I am already putting most of them into practice – that I have moved beyond the "complete beginner" stage and am now more in the "new rider" phase. Cool! I'll definitely check out the website that you recommended, too, Radar. How hard was THAT, waiting for your bike, BCMan? I drove my husband crazy for three months with my rants of "I want my bike! When am I getting my bike?!" (He's the one who found it on the web and contacted the owner, so I let him handle the whole transaction – particularly because I'm mechanically-challenged and didn't really know the right questions to ask.) It's also difficult getting a late start in the season because all I want to do is ride so I can keep getting better (everytime I get out there, I learn something new or improve on a skill), but weather is going to start hampering those opportunities soon. It's already getting a tad on the cool side and it's going to be a loooonnnngggg winter waiting for the warmer, drier weather to return. It's too soon for summer to be over!! Vikki |
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Title: Re: New Savage owner/rider Post by divecop on 09/15/06 at 17:29:10 Welcome Vikki...so glad to have you here... |
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Title: Re: New Savage owner/rider Post by starmom on 09/15/06 at 17:35:34 I hear ya; about the weather changing... I actually like it better alittle cooler, more comfy to put all that gear on. Im in lower upstate NY, the leaves are a ' changing..... :o as long as its not raining (as it has been the last few days) i will be trying to get some rides in. my season will be shorter than most as im having some work done on my shoulder on l0-12, will be out of work 6 weeks. :-/ thank god for skiing! my other sport I love! I should be back on the slope by late Jan hopefully...I need my sports diversions, had my shoulder worked on 2 yrs ago in nov and was back out on the hill by mid feb. must be good skiing up by you! oh and yeah i was forgetting about shutting down that turn signal a bit myself, and then occasionally it end up hitting the horn going to turn off the blinker, leaves my fellow rides wondering "what the heck?" but thats ok. planning on adding anything to your new toy? saddle bags are a great asset, i got the supports, willie and max bags (bigger than the suzi bags) the back rest and rack and engine bars. saw a great piece a friend has on his harley reminds me of a small leather treasure chest that sits on his back rack, holds some stuff and isnt go big that it would throw the bike into being overly top heavy. my saddle bags are getting full, ive got my and my husbands (he likes his harley stock and nothing else) rain gear (got it a target) water bottles, brush, advil ( a must if you are over 35) a net thingy in case i need to carry something bigger than my saddle bag will hold (has happened) and a ziplock with assorted medical supplies. (im a nurse, not an emt but figured that having some basic supplies, god forbid if i ever was in a group and something happened would be better than having nothing) a baseball cap (helmet hair) and an extra long sleeve shirt. hey im a chick what can i tell you,i need STUFF! ;) anyhow.......just ride and have fun! dont ride faster than you are comfortable or where you are not comfortable. i was riding back roads for months before i would get on a three lane busy road, now i feel with alittle over 600 miles under my belt that my skills are improved and im safe in my control and confidence to be in lots of traffic, have done a few bridges too in rush hour. and remember to think of yourself as invisable, give yourself enough space and try to anticipate the other drivers especially the idiots that might pull out in front of you cause they dont see ya. :o take care; sue |
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Title: Re: New Savage owner/rider Post by starmom on 09/15/06 at 18:14:32 oh and i just ordered 3 books off of amazon . com all written by women bikers...... to keep me excited all winter and while im recovering from surgery.......... |
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Title: Re: New Savage owner/rider Post by DianeS. on 09/16/06 at 19:11:19 HI Vicki! Welcome here, and enjoy the savage!!! I'm 43, and live in Ontario, Canada with my hubby and two beautiful daughters, aged 4, and 8. Although I had ridden all kinds of off road vehicles as a kid, I only got my motorbike license last fall, and bought my 2000 savage in October 2005. Yet, each time I ride I get more confidence on the bike. It's also one thing that I do for my own personal challenge - since no one else in my family rides. ;D In terms of shutting off the turn signal, I turn it off when I'm in about mid-turn - just works for me. I also joined the Southern Cruisers riding club, which is a family friendly club. I've only made it out for one group ride, but the members ride once or twice each week, for those who are available. Anyway, I hope you have many years of safe, enjoyable riding on your savage!!!! (me too!) ;D DianeS |
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Title: Re: New Savage owner/rider Post by akkleinfl on 09/19/06 at 06:27:54 I also just got my first bike. Passed the class last week and got a 96 yesterday! My husband is also a Harley rider for 30 years. I am 42 and must be going through a midlife crisis! I never even dreamed of doing this before and then a month ago I signed up for the class on inpulse and passed. I rode the bike around the parking lot a bit last night just to get a feel for it. It is going to take a while to get me out of the parking lot. This bike is very different from the beat-up Nighthawk 250's we used in the class! Luckily, my husband is very patient. I just hope we can get out on the rode before it becomes too cold to ride. |
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Title: Re: New Savage owner/rider Post by akkleinfl on 09/19/06 at 07:10:52 By the way, what books did you order on Amazon? |
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Title: Re: New Savage owner/rider Post by Trippah on 09/19/06 at 19:33:04 Welcome- everyone finds some aspects of riding difficult. Sunday, a group of about 20 Harley riders were passing the house when one gal dropped her Harley (not a sportster but larger type) at the corner. Some of her friends helped her get back up, she climbed back on and rode off. She was a big gal, 300 lbs easy, and the expression on her face was a face set in stone. She might have been embarrssed, she probably was hurting a bit/pride and body parts..but the great thing was she got back up and continued on.. Bet she won't make that turning error again. IF she been riding a Savage, she coulda picked it back up by herself :D. I find that a windshield, especially one that protects the hands, lengthens the riding season a good bit; given the forthcomming surgery, might allow you an early Spring return. Again Welcome. |
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Title: Re: New Savage owner/rider Post by Trippah on 09/19/06 at 19:38:36 Vicki- as an aside, I leave my blinker on until I get up to flow of traffic speed when turning onto a road.. I think it gives a better visual clue to cars gaining on me from behind that otherwise might mistakenly judge my speed/presence. It usually takes me that longto look down and check ;D. |
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Title: Re: New Savage owner/rider Post by akkleinfl on 09/20/06 at 06:52:29 I just went out of the parking lot for the first time last night! I think that 25-30mph is a very nice speed and plan to stay there a while. Luckily I can go directly on back roads and will send my husband out when I need gas! Based upon what everyone on this board was saying, I worked hard with the directional blinkers last night - turning them on and being sure to turn them off. There is some great advice on this board! |
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Title: Re: New Savage owner/rider Post by Vikki on 09/20/06 at 14:02:29 Sue, I do have some additions planned for my bike. I have a windshield that just needs to be attached, and I have saddlebags and a fork bag that have been ordered and should be on their way any day now. I'm like you - I have stuff that I need to carry with me, too. (Where else am I going to stash my heels when I start riding my bike to work and have to change my footwear for the office?) Akkleinfl, we're practically twins, aren't we? The same age, husbands both ride Harleys and we both recently got '96 Savages. I, too, pretty much signed up for the course on an impulse, although I had been tinkering with the idea for awhile. I went to a motorcycle trade show where they were offering a good discount on lessons and my husband put me on the spot to sign up right then and there. I figured if I didn't go for it then, I might never do it. There were times, during the whole process, that I wondered what the hell I had gotten myself into, but now I'm SO glad I went ahead. Isn't it great to finally get out on the road (although nerve-racking at the same time)? I thought I would never get out of a parking lot or above second gear. Now, I'm up to almost 600 miles on the road and have kicked it into fifth gear a number of times. (In my initial post, I wrote that I had logged 800 miles, but that should have been kilometres. That actually equates to about 500 miles.) All that practice is SO paying off. I feel like all my skills are starting to come together so much more smoothly. I'm not stalling on my starts anymore and I hardly ever accidentally shift into neutral. AND I'm remembering to turn off my signals. (YAY!) I said to my husband, after our most recent ride on the weekend, "I feel like I finally look like I know what I'm doing out there." He said, "You DO look like you know what you're doing." There were times when I ever wondered whether that day would come, so for anyone out there struggling like I did, it DOES come together – just a little slower for some of us than others. That's not to say that I don't still have a lot of practice/work ahead of me, but you know what I mean. Vikki |
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Title: Re: New Savage owner/rider Post by akkleinfl on 09/21/06 at 05:22:06 Good morning Vikki (by the way, my name is Karen). It is great to find all these kindred spirits. Did some more practicing last night on the back roads by the storage unit. Had her in 3rd gear for a while there. Up to 35mph. My husband's bike had a fuse blow so he had no headlight or brake lights so we won't be going out on the road until that is fixed. We are also going away this weekend so we won't be riding again till next week. I was riding for a total of about an hour yesterday and my arms are killing me. Now I know how biker's get those muscles! I definitely need to hit the upper body workout at the gym this winter to get in shape for spring riding! I am really surprised at how much wind gets through even with the windshield and helmet faceplate down. It is starting to get a little chilly here in Massachusetts. I hope I can get a few more weeks of riding in before I get too cold to go out any more. I am no where near as comfortable riding yet as you are. I have yet to order my saddlebags (still looking through the catalogs). Did you get your gear on-line or at a local store? |
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Title: Re: New Savage owner/rider Post by Savage_Rob on 09/21/06 at 05:33:26 akkleinfl wrote:
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Title: Re: New Savage owner/rider Post by RadarORiley on 09/21/06 at 08:38:08 What kind of handlebars are on your bike? my daughter has a different style than mine on her Savage and it makes my back and arms whine just moving her bike, don't think I could ride it any distance at all. We changed the level my bars are set and it made it more comfortable for me, but check the tank clearance. |
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Title: Re: New Savage owner/rider Post by Vikki on 09/21/06 at 10:22:22 Karen (so that's your name!), I ordered my saddlebags and fork bag off a motorcycle-accessories store on e-Bay – waaayyyy cheaper than buying them at a shop. If I recall correctly, both items came in at about $100 Canadian total. My husband paid about $200 for his custom-made fork bag alone. Yikes! I can relate to the upper-body pain. After my first long ride, my forearms and wrists were so achy all the next day and through the night that they were just throbbing and I had to take some Advil to ease the pain. I think Rob is totally right about the cause – white-knuckling the grips can take its toll. However, that was the only time the pain has really gotten to me, and I think it's because I have now relaxed my grip AND I have been pretty diligent about working out for the last few years. I think you're right, Karen - hitting the gym is hugely beneficial to riding. Not only are you putting a lot of arm and hand muscles into use when you're riding, but you're also putting some strain on your back (sitting in one position for any length of time will do that to you), so a strong "core" is essential. My husband doesn't work out at all, and he always complains about his back after he goes for a long ride. DOH! Vikki |
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Title: Re: New Savage owner/rider Post by akkleinfl on 09/21/06 at 13:06:14 I am so glad that I found this site, I feel that I have found my kindred spirits! It is an absolutely beautiful day here and I am staring out the window yearning for my bike! What has happended to that sensible conservative person that I was? As I keep reminding my mother (who hates the idea of me on a motorcycle), at least I did not take up skydiving! I will definitely try ebay - great idea. |
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Title: Re: New Savage owner/rider Post by Vikki on 09/21/06 at 15:53:26 I had to laugh over your comment about your mom, Karen. My mom knew I was taking a course and that I had to keep going back every week for private lessons. One day I was talking to her and I guess something that I said clicked with her that I was actually learning to ride a motorcycle because she said to me, "I thought you were taking the course to learn how to be a passenger." "Geez, mom. How long have I already been doing that? You don't need a course for THAT," I said. She had no reply for that, other than a big sigh of resignation. Then, when I actually bought my bike, she dropped by one day (she lives just a few blocks away) just as my husband and I were headed out for a ride. "Oh, I can't watch," she muttered and then walked directly into the house. I was glad that she decided not to watch, since my starts at that time were still pretty shaky and I would have had her in complete panic mode until I arrived back home safely. Do we ever stop making our mothers worry, no matter what our age? Vikki |
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Title: Re: New Savage owner/rider Post by Vikki on 09/25/06 at 16:13:18 Just curious how everyone's weekend was. Did you get out for any good rides? Thanks to some awesome summer-like weather over the weekend in Beautiful British Columbia, I was able to log another 140 miles through some breathtakingly gorgeous routes, with lots of curvy, forested areas. I'm really starting to get a feel for the twisting roads, and my husband said he was pretty impressed with how well I was able to keep up with him, as he led the way on his Harley. I even experienced what it's like to run out of gas. We were planning to get to a gas station, but my bike started sputtering and then popping before we quite made it. It occurred to me that I should probably flip the reserve switch, but I decided instead to pull over to the side of the room by doing the usual downshifting and braking. (I wasn't sure that I would be able to confidently find and slip the switch.) It caught me by surprise when the bike started fishtailing and I came to a rather gimpy and sliding stop. DOH! Next time I'll remember to pull in the clutch. Fortunately, this all happened just a few feet up the road from a gas station and on a flat piece of road with a wide shoulder, rather than on all the twisty hilly roads we had just been travelling over. Later, when we got home, I sat on my bike and practised finding the reserve switch so the next time it happens, I'll be better prepared. Vikki |
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Title: Re: New Savage owner/rider Post by Rogue_Cheddar on 09/25/06 at 17:45:22 Hi Vikki, I got out a couple of times over the weekend in between rain showers. Yesterday I got to ride two beautiful hours right after a shower, where the sun was brilliant amongst all the rain clouds, the wind was gusty and leaves were blowing all over the place, but it had to be one of my best rides so far, absolutely gorgeous! My first time I ran out of gas, I too had to scramble for the shoulder because I couldn't find the petcock without looking. Funny how that is huh? Since then I can manage it no problem. |
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Title: Re: New Savage owner/rider Post by Rogue_Cheddar on 09/25/06 at 17:50:21 Huh! I just noticed that when I typed in petc**ock it was changed to petthingy! Just another example of PC thought police run amok, trashing the English language. |
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Title: Re: New Savage owner/rider Post by Dynobob on 09/25/06 at 20:03:23 Rogue_Cheddar wrote:
Substitute a zero for an o and you can type it. LOL. Be careful what you type - big brother is watching. Vikki, I rode all day Saturday - about 200 miles. Rode up to the mountains and rode the length of Skyline Drive. The weather was perfect for motorcycling. Only saw one deer, which is a very good thing. |
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Title: Re: New Savage owner/rider Post by Vikki on 09/26/06 at 09:28:03 Sounds like you the two of you had a good riding weekend, too. It's still gorgeously sunny here in B.C., and I'm stuck at work, when there's nothing I'd rather be doing than riding my bike. Unfortunately, by the time my work day is done and both my husband I get home, there's not much daylight left, so I pretty much have to wait for the weekend to get out there again. My work is only about 20 minutes from home and I'd love to pop home in the middle of the day to grab my bike but, alas, I'm still not legally permitted to ride on my own, although I think I'm ready for a solo trip. One day . . . Vikki |
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Title: VisRe: New Savage owner/rider Post by georgekathe on 09/26/06 at 12:06:40 Vicki - me again - In town here in Grand Junction, CO it is dangerous as heck - worse than London for riding - with all the old folk (big hospital in town & good climate) & young kids (small college here) who either don't see stop signs or seem to take them as a threat to their (young) manhood. Seems here 99% of Harley riders don't wear helmets period, many crotch riders do & then don shorts, t-shirts & trainers too when it is really hot. Most of the women on the pillion (English for back seat) wear halter tops & cut offs when it gets hot. So, @ risk of ticking some people here off, if I could give you any more advice it would be wear jeans @ least & a proper jacket with padding on shoulders/back/elbows. advise one of the mesh ones for summer (Kathe & I wear Joe Rocket - they do nice women's sizes too & are great price & have held up well for us. Get a light colored one (I imagine the Harley guys must roast in their toe to toe black leather). also advise boots that go over the ankle. I don't wear "real" motorcycle boots but some lighter weight "Stanley" (like the tools) brand construction style boots bought @ Payless (do you have that chain in Canada?) Alright, if it rains I get moderately wet feet, despite having weatherproofed them, but my ankles are covered with good leather. also always wear gloves - except when really cold when I don fake sheepskin lined leather gauntlets form centuries ago back home I wear simple leather gardening gloves. Feel anything else too constrictive, but will check out Walmart's shooting dept for the insulated deerskin ones mentioned on another entry. last - speaking from early experiences. I expect a lot of flack here (& know in most States it is legal to not wear them & is a freedom of choice issue) but I do advise always wearing a helmet - even to pop down the shops. when young (around 17 the 1st, under 19 the 2nd) I had 2 incidents (we all do but mine were doozys) - 1 involving shaving a piece off the side of my helmet (goodbye ear otherwise) on a metal line holding a phone pole up, the other involving me, my bike & a semi (no guesses who came off best!) Results - the stuffing knocked out of me, a crushed (but later resurrected bike) & blood in my helmet (& no stitches!) Without a helmet each time I a) would be saying "What?!" every time someone spoke in my left ear or b) just not be around over 35 years later typing this. In fact this year, after always feeling like a fish in a bowl in one I switched to a fullface rather than an open one. This was before the Pittsburg Steeler Quarterback tried to headbut a a little hot when it hits 100 for a few days in Agust here, but... So, no matter what anyone else does/says around you, I urge you to "buckle up (a helmet) - you know it makes sense." (also again buy a light colored one - say white or silver - a black one looks cool but sucks as far as reflecting sun's rays or being noticeably to car drivers. Now I wait for the brickbats... george :D |
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Title: Re: New Savage owner/rider Post by Vikki on 09/26/06 at 13:40:45 No worries, George. I have all the gear, most of it from when I rode pillion on my husband's Harley. Even in the heat of the summer, I would never think of riding without at least my helmet, boots, gloves, jeans and heavy denim jacket. (It's illegal to ride without a helmet here – even on a bicycle – so even the Harley riders wear them, even though they're sometimes just the "skull caps" that don't provide much, if any, safety. In fact, it's extremely rare here to see someone riding without a helmet.) At this time of year, most days you'll find me in full leathers. I have a nicely padded Harley leather jacket that was originally priced for $700 (Can. funds) but was on sale for $200; a custom-made pair of thick leather chaps; fully padded Harley leather gloves that come halfway up my arm; and a pair of ankle-covering leather riding boots that I LOVE because they're so comfy. (I walk around in heels and skirts and/or dress pants during the work week.) Yep, it can get hot when you stop, but the chaps are easy to remove. I get cold easily so I like to be comfortable when I ride. I, too, agree with freedom of choice, but I won't be one of those women riding around in halter tops and cut-offs. Vikki |
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Title: Re: New Savage owner/rider Post by akkleinfl on 10/25/06 at 12:17:22 Haven't seen much activity here lately so I thought I would add something. It is pretty much the end of the season here in New England but what a glorious end it has been! The trees are beautiful and I live in an area where I can take some great rides. I have slowly been increasing my ride time when I ride and I am up to about an hour now, all back roads. I decided to save the freeways for next spring. Now that I feel really comfortable riding, here comes winter. I am really worried that I will have to start all over next spring. I hope it will be just like 'riding a bike' (ha ha). Anyway, how is everyone else doing? |
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Title: Re: New Savage owner/rider Post by Vikki on 10/25/06 at 14:50:17 Sounds like you're doing great, Karen! Amazing how much progress you can make when you just get out there, isn't it? I was thinking the same thing the other day - that I don't want to park the bike for the season, now that I'm getting so much more comfortable and confident with it. I, too, am somewhat worried that I'll lose some of my skills, but I'm also sure they'll come back very quickly. When I finished my motorcycle course in the spring, it took four months for me to get my bike, and I had the same worries. But as soon as I got back in the parking lot, it all came back to me and I picked up right where I had left off and built on my skills from there. It's just like riding a bike . . . Vikki |
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Title: Re: New Savage owner/rider Post by barb36jack31 on 10/25/06 at 15:01:08 To Karen & Vikki - You both mention doing work-outs this winter to build up your bod for the spring riding. One of the things I found to be very helpful at the gym was the machine with bars on it shaped like motorcycle handlebars. You can adjust the tension on the handlebar grips to give some resistance, and by doing several sets of "roll ons" each workout you will find that the muscles in the forearm develop nicely and make the job of twisting/holding the throttle much easier. I used to be a long haul rider (Florida to Maine in two days type of thing), and this exercise gave me the forearm strength to ride many hours without difficulty. Word of caution - don't overdo the exercise, i.e. too much resistance or too many reps at one time or you will have severe pain and discomfort. P.S. I can relate with your experiences as new riders. I started in 1946 and have been riding ever since, but I still remember well all the flubbing around I did as I learned to ride. Hang in there and all will be well. Happy nriding! Jack H. |
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Title: Re: New Savage owner/rider Post by DianeS. on 10/26/06 at 20:13:41 Hi! I live in Ontario, Canada and the past two mornings I've ridden to work (an hour each way) in temps. close to +1 celcuis and @ +7 celcuis by the end of the afternoon. A bit chilly, but I have full leathers, chaps, gloves, tall workboots, and a full face helmet. My hands get really cold in my leather gloves, so I may have to resort to winter gloves - but I wanted the leather to protect my skin - just in case. Anyway, I don't ride if the forecast calls for rain, so I hadn't been on my savage in a few weeks until yesterday. I've only ridden twice in rain and neither time was it heavy rain. So, despite the cold temps. I headed out and had a blast!!!! The only time I got ticked off was when a pick up truck passed me on the right side as I was in the left tire track coming up to a stop light. He drove by my right side and I thought he was going to turn at the light - but the guy kept driving on. Grrr! Thankfully, I saw him in my mirrors so I didn't move over in my lane. Anyway, I may just ride my bike throughout the winter, like last year - to keep the battery charged, and run it when the roads are dry. Last winter I think I was able to ride it every few weeks. Have fun, and safe riding!!!! Oh, my in laws live in Sidney on Vancouver Island, and we'll likely be flying to visit them later next year. DianeS. |
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Title: Re: New Savage owner/rider Post by loopedguru on 10/27/06 at 15:42:58 Diane, Funny I am in the Detroit area and was just contemplating storage or leave her gassed and ready for a ride every few weeks through the winter. Cold and wet don't mix for me and I don't have snow tires on her. But I just might be adventurous and go with the same plan you have. When I bought my bike my mother asked me if I would be riding it in the snow. She used to ride hers in the snow. Difference is she was a motocop (in Detroit) and trained to do so. |
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Title: Re: New Savage owner/rider Post by DianeS. on 10/27/06 at 18:31:37 loopedguru: Well, last year I managed to ride my bike every 2 - 3 weeks when the roads were clear and dry - even if I just went around the block or two. I'm pretty sure the battery is the original one from 2000, but it's been totally fine. As I said though, our garage stays above freezing, so I figured the bike would be ok. I didn't put on snow tires though (lol). I think it was a guy in the bike shop that told me it was actually better to winterize the bike, and let it sit over the winter months - so I wouldn't get too much condensation from running it, etc. Maybe I'll start a thread to get other opinions on that. If you do ride in the winter, just keep in mind that most cagers aren't expecting to see bikers on the roads - in the snowier places. DianeS |
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Title: Re: New Savage owner/rider Post by sharon on 11/11/06 at 19:50:14 hey vikki a good investment for your bike is a set of frog tog rain gear. they are light weight, fairly cheap and they work. we've been caught in the rain a few times and they were well worth the $50 or so we paid for them. i bought mine a little bigger so they fit over my jacket and chaps. i've also worn my jacket on cool mornings over a light jacket and as the day warms up it fits right back in my tail bag. my tail bag actually came off of my old crotch rocket. it's made by dowco and for around $40 it works great. i just hook one end to my back rest and loop the other end around my rear pegs. it goes on and off in about thirty seconds. the biggest problem my husband has with me and my bike is every time we stop i remind him how much i LOVE my new bike. he just rolls his eyes and smiles. :D p.s i don't leave my driveway without my helmet |
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Title: Re: New Savage owner/rider Post by DianeS. on 11/12/06 at 15:40:29 Hi vikki! Hey folks!!! Well, here in Ontario, Canada the temps. have been above freezing, and the little bit of snow we had a few weeks ago melted away. So... I've been riding several days a week, as long as there isn't rain in the forecast. Anyway, I now wear winter gloves, and a fleece jacket under my leather jacket, and that seems to keep me warmer. Plus my usual: leather pants, leather boots, and full-face helmet. I have a balaclava too, but it shifts around as I pull my helmet over top, and then I worry that it will gradually cover my eyes as I ride. So, haven't bothered with it yet. The other morning on my way to work, I went through a construction zone and they had just put water on the road. There was brand new pavement, but the water made any of the dirt on it totally muddy. - well, the bike and I ended up being covered in mud!!! I hosed it down and used a soapy cloth, and there still is mud in the hard-to-reach areas. I'll have to get back out there and give it another washing, when it's not so cool and windy. Well, hope the rest of you are doing well! Judging by the forecast, I should still be on the bike a few days this coming week too!!! Gonna keep riding as long as I can this winter, and then try to run the bike around the neighbourhood throughout the winter on the dry days, to keep the battery charged up - worked last year!!! ;D DianeS. |
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Title: Re: New Savage owner/rider Post by Reelthing on 11/12/06 at 20:33:43 Pretty die hard there DianeS - hats off to you - running that engine and riding it if only a couple times a month has got to be more fun and a happier bike - and if you think about it that's as much use as half the v-twins get ever. |
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Title: Re: New Savage owner/rider Post by femme fatale on 11/14/06 at 19:48:00 Hey Ladies. It's fun reading all your great stories about riding. I too am a first time rider at 49. Decided at the last moment to take the class in Aug. Bought my 2001 in early Sept. Didn't have a whole lot of time to ride her, weather turned bad fast. I put about 600 miles on her before we put her to bed in the barn. It's hilarious reading about not turning off your turn signals! My husband is always reminding me by turning his signal on and off! I've forgot to put the kickstand down at the gas station pump too, laid it down on the crashbar. Thanks goodness I didn't do any damage. My husband was parking my bike in the barn next to his Harley and dropped it into his, did more damage to his new paint job than he did to mine. Hey loopedguru, I live in the Detroit area too. Actually, I live more toward Port Huron, way out in the sticks. Love reading all of the stories, keep em coming ladies, makes me feel not so alone out here. JudeAnn |
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