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/cgi-bin/YaBB.pl General Category >> The Cafe >> Nervous newbie, afraid I bought wrong bike /cgi-bin/YaBB.pl?num=1658042731 Message started by BobaSmurfett on 07/17/22 at 00:25:30 |
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Title: Nervous newbie, afraid I bought wrong bike Post by BobaSmurfett on 07/17/22 at 00:25:30 Heads up: there’s probably an incoming wall of text so TL;DR: I researched and bought a used 2011 S40 as a non-running project to work on while I learned how to ride and fell in love with her. Day 1 of MSF, I dropped a bike that weighs less and has 1/4 of the engine CC on my knee and I’m wondering if I have too much bike. Back story: my husband owns a Victory Octane and I enjoy riding on the back of his bike, but I wanted to ride with him on my own. I haven’t even ridden a bicycle in ten years and I am a naturally SUPER CAUTIOUS person and never do anything particularly risky, and this was my first even somewhat dangerous activity in YEARS - so I did a bunch of research and lucked in to an awesome deal on a 2011 S40. The owner had passed and the bike sat for a little while so she didn’t want to start and they just didn’t have the time/passion to do the maintenance. I have a classic car that I do a little work on so I felt fairly confident in my ability to get her running. I went to see her, fell in love with her, and have spent the past couple months fixing her up. Her name is Gnatcatcher because she makes me think of these tiny grumpy birds with the best angry faces. Do yourself a favor and look at a picture of one. I changed the battery, oil, brakes, brake fluid, and rejetted the carb. I am swapping the exhaust next and eventually changing the seat to a single seat I’m currently trying to reupholster. I got her *running* and was SO PUMPED because apart from the little bit of power walking I’d done, she’d only been taken out by my husband, and I finished the last bit of mechanical work just in time for my MSF course. Day 1 of class rolls around and it is raining ALL DAY, and towards the end of my day on a Kymco Spade my brain just pooped itself. I’m talking full blown panic switch. I’d been struggling to relax all day and it’s like it got overloaded. I finished the maneuver, was headed back to the start, and despite me not looking through a single dang turn all day I decided to focus on the teacher when my brain short circuited. In an effort to not run him over when I decided to yank the brake instead of clutch, I bailed and the bike came down on the side of my knee. I got up, did the next maneuver, didn’t miss a single question on the written exam, and limped my way through the rest of the day. The next morning comes around and I can’t hold any weight on the leg, so obviously I didn’t go to day two of the MSF. I’m taking it as a blessing and have spent the last week in my brace and crutches reading and learning and fully intend to go sit on my bike and repeatedly clutch and brake until the cows come home. I’ve got a bicycle I plan on practicing some of the maneuvers and turning with until I’m confident to get on the bike again. So now that you’ve read that whole nervous novel, here’s the problem: I am 110% certain that my main problem that day was anxiety. I was wet, tired, and I think I just got overwhelmed. However, the bike I rode was a Kymco Spade which weighs 100lbs less and has 1/4 of the engine. I had no problems getting the bike going or stopping, but now I’m admittedly slightly nervous that my bike is going to be shockingly different. Basically I need someone to tell me that my day 1 of being on a motorcycle wasn’t an omen and this bike is not impossible to learn on. |
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Title: Re: I’m now a nervous newbie and need reassurance. Post by BobaSmurfett on 07/17/22 at 00:27:34 Also, here is a Blue-gray Gnatcatcher. They are as ridiculous as they appear and fight mid air and get lost a lot. It just fits. |
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Title: Re: Nervous newbie, afraid I bought wrong bike Post by Dave on 07/17/22 at 04:07:57 I have been riding motorcycles for more than 50 years, and before that my buddies and I rode our bicycles constantly - two wheels just feels natural to me........it isn't that way for everyone. Getting comfortable on two wheels is difficult for some - especially if you put it off until later in life. Learning is just a bit slower once you pass puberty! I would suggest you keep the Savage - but do some things to get comfortable on two wheels. Start riding a bicycle daily and get some balance and coordination practice. Practice turns, slaloms, braking and anything that you can do to improve your balance and coordination. (I switch the front brake over to the right side on my bicycles so they match the motorcycle). Take the Motorcycle Safety Course again and ride/drop/crash their bikes before you start doing crazy stuff on your Savage. Every new rider drops a bike.....it is part of the learning. I learned to ride off road and the dirt is very forgiving.....it is much softer than pavement. Maybe you should get a small dirt bike and go riding off road for a little while.......you will learn a lot about riding off road that will help you ride on the street. Loose dirt, wet leaves, mud and rocks are all obstacles that are waiting to teach you a lesson! I have never considered the Savage to be a good "first" bike. It has a lot of torque and can easily get away from a new rider who doesn't have throttle control mastered. Maybe you can find a little Honda Rebel, Honda CB100/125, Suzuki TU250 or similar small motorcycle to ride for a little bit while you learn. What you really need is time in the saddle and practice - developing the coordination and skills takes time. Riding a motorcycle is very rewarding - but it is a bit challenging and there is always some patch of gravel or sand in the roadway waiting to catch you napping. I have always been grateful I learned to ride young and off road where a fall was not too serious.......I have dropped a dirt bike hundreds of times while learning to ride! |
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Title: Re: Nervous newbie, afraid I bought wrong bike Post by justin_o_guy2 on 07/17/22 at 08:40:06 https://motocrosshideout.com/start-on-dirt-bike-before-motorcycle/ You said you have not even been on a bicycle for a long time. I'm not saying you will fall, but if falling is terrifying to you, then when you get in a spot where falling is clearly something that just might be In your immediate future, then it would be really easy for you to get wrapped up in the fear of falling and totally fail to think your way through the moment so you don't. Knowing how to fall matters. Trust me,, if I know anything about riding, it's how to end a ride with a bang. Written for the racers,. And what works at high speeds works well at low speed. I don't know anyone who read it that didn't agree that it helped them be safer, https://www.amazon.com/Twist-Wrist-Motorcycle-Roadracers-Handbook/dp/0965045013 . Twist-Wrist-Motorcycle-Roadracers-Handbook/dp/0965045013 Hell,I'm having trouble, search Twist of the Wrist The one thing that bites new riders really hard is called Target Fixation. Say you're coming through a nice long sweeping turn and see a good sized rock right on the line you're taking. You seriously don't want to hit the rock and it slide or roll and upset your bike and make you crash. And the rock has your attention and complete focus. No,, you have to Force your eyes to a new line and ride it. That is why it's a bad idea to take a run at a corner, trying to make a Personal Best time through it if you haven't just ridden through it. And I can't speak for everyone, but I have been known to spend time just playing on a stretch of road that is just FUN. One thing you'll get from either a bicycle or dirt bike is muscle memory training. When you are in a turn and discover the traction just isn't what you expected and Need, you'll learn to move your butt and use the inside of a thigh to stand the bike up some when it's trying to slide down. Learn how to Be Seen. Oh,read the https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hurt_Report Being first in a long line of traffic might not sound like a bad idea, but the impatient driver wanting to turn left is seeing the Cars he's going to have to wait on. You don't even register on his retinas. Swinging back and forth in your lane,speeding up, flipping lights high and low, Hell, wave at them, but get seen. Last in a long line He's fuming,Finally the last CAR,aand he guns it,aand you climb a fender.. I didn't climb the fender, I got off the bike and went into the passenger door. Riding is GREAT. The smell of wildflowers, the sense of connectedness with the world, it's very peaceful and freeing. But it's a time to stay sharp ,focused. How people ride and listen to music I don't understand. |
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Title: Re: Nervous newbie, afraid I bought wrong bike Post by Eegore on 07/17/22 at 20:49:51 "Basically I need someone to tell me that my day 1 of being on a motorcycle wasn’t an omen and this bike is not impossible to learn on." This bike is not impossible to learn on and there are no such things as omens. It's ok to make mistakes when you learn literally anything in the world, and is almost 100% likely to happen. What you have experienced is completely normal. Over 99% of humans that ride a motorcycle will make a mistake that ends up with them falling. The other 1% are lying. Do what makes you comfortable, learn at your own pace. |
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Title: Re: Nervous newbie, afraid I bought wrong bike Post by jcstokes on 07/18/22 at 00:00:52 Basically you summed it up in your description, the weathers is wet, you are tired and inexperienced. It's probably tougher to start learning in the rain and by your own admission, your brain was fried. It may have been better to have stopped the bike and just let the instructor come back and told him/her you were worn out and had had enough. I wouldn't give up because of one bad experience, infact there are those who would say "the sooner you are back on a bike the better", as the bad experience can be put behind you before it becomes too fixed in your brain. Might pay to check the age of the tyres on your S40 and replace them if they are more than five years old, remember you will have to scuff them in. Also remember that an S40 rear brake can be prone to lock up if used hard, just be aware and don't let this put you off, they are a good little bike. |
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Title: Re: Nervous newbie, afraid I bought wrong bike Post by justin_o_guy2 on 07/18/22 at 00:04:13 Do what makes you comfortable, learn at your own pace. I'm gonna disagree. Don't do what makes you Uncomfortable And nobody learns anything at someone else's pace. First, the word ignorant needs to be understood. If someone has no idea that statistics show that people who rode dirt bikes before they rode on asphalt were less likely to slide down in a corner would not be likely to seek out and experience riding in a compromised traction environment to acclimate themselves with the sensation that a sideways slipping rear tire feels like in a low speed and softer environment with no Cars on it. Because they are ignorant of the possibilities their understanding of what the learning environment they will be working in is limited to asphalt. If you're unable to avail yourself of the opportunity to experience a compromised traction situation in a turn on dirt,with a small, light, designed For riding in the dirt,then your options are limited. Not the end of the world, but you will experience a rear tire slipping sideways in a turn one day. If you're ignorant of what that moment feels like and your body has not experienced that sensation, the odds of not having the reflexive input from your body to stabilize the bike and not slide down are Not in your favor. The book and the Hurt report? You definitely should read both. Knowing that you are more likely to get a driver to left across your path if you are first or last in a long line of traffic is important. Knowing that You are responsible for your safety is crucial. There is no telling how many very confident people studied the mechanics of how an airplane works and decided they could fly one. They were comfortable with their decision and flew the plane from liftoff to the crash scene. Take the lessons, but that is just enough to get you out in traffic. Read Twist of the Wrist. You will understand so much more about how to decide where to start your turns and how to be safe. The fact that you are having second thoughts is good. You are not being cocky. You have seen others ride and believe you can, too. And I'm sure you can. I'm not trying to make you not try. I'm just telling you some of what I did not know about and, having learned the hard way, I'm trying to help you get out and enjoy the freedom of a bike in the most prepared manner possible. How you dress to ride matters,too. If you're wanting to wear your cutest shoes with those sequined super tight pants, I'd hope you rethink the whole thing. Best of luck to you. I hope you have someone who has been riding for years. And the Suzuki is a really good bike for a first street bike. It's not heavy, it's low to the ground, it doesn't have Gotcha horsepower, it's been on the market for years,because they are a good little bike. Don't be afraid to learn, you have to have some spirit of adventure or you wouldn't be here. Go live it. It's unlike anything else. |
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Title: Re: Nervous newbie, afraid I bought wrong bike Post by ohiomoto on 07/18/22 at 17:41:34 The Kymco would be a way better bike to learn on. |
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Title: Re: Nervous newbie, afraid I bought wrong bike Post by MMRanch on 07/19/22 at 08:07:16 The Kymco would be a way better bike to learn on. May be the MSC folks have a used one they would sell ya for a year ? :-? The Suzuki S-40 will run alongside any group of bikes you want to ride with. That includes everything from the Big Harleys and Goldwings to the little 125cc street scooters . You have picked a truly "GREAT BIKE" in getting your Gnatcatcher ! :) Hay BobaSmurfett , make it through your first year (5k-miles) and you'll be smiling from now on. There is really a good reason "You'll never see a MOTORCYCLE parked outside a PSYCHIATRIAST'S office ! ;) I hope your hubby know how lucky he is to have a wife who can ride her own bike ! 8-) |
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Title: Re: Nervous newbie, afraid I bought wrong bike Post by justin_o_guy2 on 07/19/22 at 08:18:57 Just a minor point You'll never see a MOTORCYCLE parked outside a PSYCHIATRIAST'S office ! Wink Unless the shrink owns it. It's really a great experience, being out IN the world with pretty much nothing between You and it. It's meditative when you put it on a nice ,nearly empty, country road or you can get yourself fully engaged with your head on a swivel working through dangerous city traffic. The difference between being a passenger and being the operator? I can't begin to describe that. The paint scheme you wound up with is one of my favorite Savage styles. |
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Title: Re: Nervous newbie, afraid I bought wrong bike Post by justin_o_guy2 on 07/19/22 at 10:57:47 http://https://eatgrueldog.files.wordpress.com/2022/07/image-129.png I thought this was a cool picture so I'm sharing. |
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Title: Re: Nervous newbie, afraid I bought wrong bike Post by jcstokes on 07/20/22 at 03:18:32 One small point, if your S40 tyres are IRC brand seriously consider swapping out at least the rear and preferably both for another brand. These IRC tyres don't like wet blacktop or tar snakes. |
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Title: Re: Nervous newbie, afraid I bought wrong bike Post by justin_o_guy2 on 07/20/22 at 05:37:26 343D2D2A31353B2D5E0 wrote:
I completely forgot that. He is exactly right on that. It's downright treacherous. I rode mine past the You need a new tire marks,because it was so ready to lowside the bike. Gave me a few good scares,which I used to hopefully make me a better rider. There is a winding, low traffic road I can take riding into town. There is a really nice challenging left sweeper that has a Sweetgum tree overhanging the right lane. Get into Fall,leaves and summathem stack up, and that is bad enough. Now let's get it wet.. It's like marbles under a piece of plywood. Not the place to test your tire. It's not like it's even touching the asphalt. |
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Title: Re: Nervous newbie, afraid I bought wrong bike Post by Needles on 07/26/22 at 13:43:02 The old saying goes something like, there are two kinds of riders: the ones who have fallen, and the ones that haven't yet. I have, a few times. The worst thing you can do in ANY situation is to stop riding. Really, freezing up will almost certainly cause you to crash. Ask anybody that has ridden in the dirt, and they'll tell you that a LOT of incredible riding happens when you're scared silly, but KEEP going. Now, on the streets that is not necessarily the best thing to do. I'd say, take the MSF course again. Meanwhile, PRACTICE. Go to an empty church lot or something similar, and practice braking. Start slowly, then build up to a good speed. Practice braking with BOTH brakes. Another useful technique is to rev slightly, then let out the clutch slowly, until the bike moves, then HOLD the clutch there, and control speed with the brake. Only do this in first gear. That's how they teach MC cops to do slow speed maneuvering. The more time you spend on a bike, the more comfortable you'll become. Oh, yeah... don't fight the bike; make it do the work. You'll get it. |
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Title: Re: Nervous newbie, afraid I bought wrong bike Post by MMRanch on 07/28/22 at 14:56:30 Ya'll would not believe how much I slow down when the road get wet ! I've been ridding Motorcycles since 1968 with putting more miles on my two wheel vehicles than my 4 wheel vehicles every year. And I still drop my speed by close to half when the road gets wet. Maybe that is one reason I'm still ridding ? :) ...................... I did let my bike slip out from under me one time in 1974 , but I didn't like it so I don't do that no more. ;) |
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Title: Re: Nervous newbie, afraid I bought wrong bike Post by Smerft85 on 08/08/22 at 13:20:49 I'd like to offer a suggestion to a fantastic starter bike that is very closely related to the Savage, and that would be the little gem of a motorcycle, the Suzuki gz250. That is what my wife started on as well, I lowered it two inches with a few twists of an Allen wrench and after riding it for the last year, I got the Savage for her and she took to it immediately, and the Savage is her stepping stone toward her 1200 sportster. She'll be keeping all 3 bikes along with her shadow 650, I got the Suzuki's for her, and the other two she inherited after losing loved ones so they are all sentimental to her. Keep after it, and maybe see if you can find a gz250 to beat up for a little while, it's definitely a learning process and resorting to a bicycle is a good suggestion in theory, but it won't train your body for the weight and power differences which will be different no matter what motorcycle you graduate to. By the way, your husband has very good taste, I have an 05 victory vegas 8 ball that I enjoy thoroughly as often as possible. |
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Title: Re: Nervous newbie, afraid I bought wrong bike Post by BobaSmurfett on 04/16/24 at 22:07:39 WHOOPS WELL I forgot entirely about this post, so here's an update nearly two years later. (SO SORRY) Turns out my knee REALLY didn't like the bike being laid on it. Thankfully I am hyper-mobile and I didn't break anything, but I absolutely bent something too much. There wasn't much bruising but my knee was severely swollen - to the point nothing was really in the right spot to hold my weight. It took nearly three weeks to walk without a crutch or cane, and another couple weeks to walk normally/go up stairs as I couldn't place all of my weight on my right leg. Aaaaand before anyone asks - no, I did not go to the dr and yes I know I should have. I had terrible health insurance and chose to focus on "well there's no bruising and the burning pain has stopped" for a sense of comfort. I filled my downtime by devouring every book in the house, and read a few of the book suggestions you all gave, so thank you! When I could walk again, I did get on my bicycle, and it did help - but I could not take the excellent suggestion of switching the brakes/hands because it's an ooooold bicycle that you just pedal backwards for the brakes. And I got back on my Gnatcatcher eventually! I was surprised at how easy she is to ride. The Kymco bike was JERKY, like a small car in 1st gear that's been up to speed and is begging for 2nd, so every adjustment of your foot on the gas (or hand on the throttle) yanks your whole body. I'm not sure if it was just super responsive or what but I just remember that no matter what I did, which gear I was in, how gentle I was with the throttle, or how politely I asked it - it really just felt like I was learning how to drive stick in a car with no second gear again. It genuinely wasn't enjoyable. This one is smoooooooooth in comparison and has a long, forgiving friction zone. I think the extra weight helps it stay balanced at super low speeds also. I'm not being tricked in to feeling like it's the easiest or best bike to learn on, but am absolutely surprised at how "not as insanely hard" as I figured it would be. I feel way more confident on this bike and I'd describe it as respectful vs. afraid. All I had time to do was ride her around in the cul-de-sac to get some basic things down - my husband even set up obstacles to mimic what was in the course. Winter came pretty quickly, then my husband fell off a roof, then we bought our first house, and moved to a different state. We managed to find time to go to the empty parking lot of a mostly abandoned mall at the end of our street and practice a couple times before his bike LITERALLY CAUGHT ON FIRE WITH HIM ON IT (we caught it quick and he didn't get hurt, but man I bet anyone in the parking lot got quite a show. The bike wasn't too messed up and is fine now). Then winter came again. It's been an exciting couple years. So now things are thawed. Weather is warm. I am starting a new job with better health insurance. We have a "check and change the bike fluids" date tomorrow - and I'm itching to get back on my bike, master that dang box turn, and finally ride more. Thank you to the member that sent me the PM (it won't let me reply as I don't have enough posts). It is genuinely touching that so many of y'all cared about someone that posted on your forum one time. I'll try not to go two more years without saying hi :) |
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Title: Re: Nervous newbie, afraid I bought wrong bike Post by Eegore on 04/23/24 at 05:40:41 Interesting update. Especially that the bike wasn't that bad after catching on fire. |
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Title: Re: Nervous newbie, afraid I bought wrong bike Post by LANCER on 04/27/24 at 10:17:37 Well welcome back over here. |
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Title: Re: Nervous newbie, afraid I bought wrong bike Post by MMRanch on 04/27/24 at 19:02:34 How did the bike catch on fire ? I'm going to wake up Leroy for this tale ! |
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