Well friends,
I hate to say it. I took my bike out yesterday after work to explore some rural roads like I mentioned. The first part of my trip was wonderful. Wide open back roads, nice and curvy, beautiful scenery, and fresh air. Bike was running great, handling well, and I was having a blast! I turned onto the next leg of my short 20 mile circuit, a curvy, hilly, narrow type road. Needless to say, I went a bit slower, and paid attention to caution signs. Even this was going well, albeit a little more tricky to ride. I was still doing great until I approached a sign that said 20mph sharp turn, so I slowed down to 20, went over the crest of the hill, looked left down the turn and began to lean...
Then the next thing I knew I was wedged under/against a guard rail, with my bike wedged right next to me. I'm pretty sure I hit gravel that was strewn from an adjacent road. At first I was wondering if I broke anything, but I didn't feel much except a strong nonspecific ache all over my body. My lip was bleeding a little, and shaking badly. The guy who was following me stopped and was asking if I was hurt. I said I didn't know, I couldn't think straight. Eventually a few more people stopped and got out to help. I had about 6 or 7 people come out and they checked me out for injuries, and they helped pull my bike out from under the guard rail. It turns out my gear saved my skin big time, and the only place I really got "injured" was right above the top of my boot (thank goodness for wearing boots, helmet, jacket, and gloves) where I was only wearing jeans. The rail burned my leg through my jeans and gave me a massive bump. I got up walked it off and then helped lift my bike out and up to safety. The spectacular part about my gear is that besides some dirt and minor scuffs here and there, they look pristine!
As far as the damage to the bike goes, it looked pretty catastrophic with all the dirt and grass all over it. The right side was face up but got wedged under the rail, so it got a massive scratch. The front cowling below the headlight got absolutely massacred though thankfully the headlight is intact. My left turn signal popped off due to a small crack, but the bulbs and everything are fine. The left cowling is cracked up top, has fine scratches along the side, and got a chunk the size of a quarter ripped out up top near the tank. The left tail has some fine but hardly noticeable scratches as well. And finally, the front wheel it a bit out of alignment, so with handlebars straight, the bike veers slightly to the right. Most surprisingly, my mirrors, shifter, pegs and windshield were absolutely fine!
Damage estimate, just parts? Probably somewhere around $1000-1500. I filed a claim with my insurance and they told me most likely the bike would probably end up as a total loss. NO!! The bank would then ask for all the money I owe, and my insurance would only pay about 80% which leaves me in a bad spot. So I've decided to repair it myself..Engineer powers, Activate!! Tomorrow my friend will lend me some tools to get started this weekend. First up will be realigning the front wheel. The later on I'll replace the front cowling because that is completely wrecked. I will hold off on the rest until I feel confident that I wont crash again for a while. So while my brand new bike, with a whopping 50 miles on it, is crashed, the important thing is that I am ok, beyond a small scratch and some aches and pains. Tomorrow evening I will upload damage pictures so you guys can see what a 20mph crash kind of looks like. And I guess the blog will turn to "how to repair your brand new crashed bike!"
All the best,
Pandabear
Thursday, April 26, 2012
Tuesday, April 24, 2012
Spidi VR6 boots and some cold(er) weather riding..
Hi Friends,
Came home to a nice, expected surprise!
My brand new Spidi VR6 boots were delivered sometime around noon by UPS. Throwing keys, wallet, lunch container, and water bottle in every which direction, I ripped the box open and pulled out the boots. Immediately I noticed how soft they are, which was surprising because I thought they would be very tough, similar to a ski boot.
Once I put them on, I noticed they were very roomy, perhaps too roomy. I wear an 8.5 street shoe size, and I worried these may be a tad bit too large. Then I realized that I should tuck my jeans (and in the future, leather pants) into the boot and, voila, much better fit.
Then there is a patch on the top of the boot to protect the white leather from getting marked up by your gear shifter. And finally there is a toe slider so you don't chop your toes off! Always handy to have, in my opinion!
So what's the final verdict? Well obviously there isn't one until it is used on a ride! So I put on all my gear, warmed up the Ninja a bit, and hopped on. First thing I noticed on the bike, the boots aren't as easy to touch the ground as regular shoes or work boots. Since they are a bit more bulky, the pegs get in the way. This probably isn't a problem on supersport bikes since the pegs are back and upwards a bit. Not a big issue though, and at least the soles are high gripping rubber.
Trying to take off and leave the parking lot, I noticed that if you ride perfectly straight up, it's hard to access the gear shifter. Perhaps I just haven't gotten used to them, but they seemed kind of clunky! Once riding at a quicker pace with a bit of a lean, this problem was history though..having toes point slightly downwards cured the "glitch" and it was easy to ride once hunched a bit.
I got a first little taste of windy cold weather today. I definitely felt like I was getting blown in certain directions a slight bit, battling through roughly 20mph winds. I was traveling along some back roads at 40mph and noticed it was indeed quite chilly. What I didn't realize until I got home was that I was colder than I thought, which can be a huge concern if you ride for extended periods of time in those types of conditions.
And finally, the fun part, I did a little bit of in lane weaving using countersteering and WHOA! People were right, the bike is "flickable" and feels extremely light once it's moving. I also am starting to feel more comfortable in corners, leaning the bike even further than before. It's hands down the best feeling going around sharp turns, and on this Ninja, it feels SO COMPLETELY NATURAL! I also gave it some extra throttle and it accelerated pretty quickly. Still need to work on being more smooth with the clutch, and starting quicker, but that of course will take time.
I'll leave things there for now. Tomorrow if I feel warm enough, I might go exploring on some windy rural roads, and if there is somewhere safe to pull over, I will take a few pictures!
Have a great evening!
- Pandabear
Monday, April 23, 2012
Dreaming of Gear...
Hey Everyone!
It's cold and rainy still, possibly even snowing. Today I felt so bad for my Ninja that I went and bought a cover from the local store. All they had were covers in XL for touring bikes, so it looks like my motorcycle is wearing some really baggy clothing! I'll have to snap a picture in the morning.
Boots should be delivered later today as well, so that'll go up here too! Anyways, more gear. I've barely even started riding but I'm already dreaming about buying more protective clothing! Right now I have a textile Icon jacket with leather sleeves/shoulders. It's great, but I recently saw this RS Taichi jacket and I have to admit, I am in love now. For your viewing pleasure:
It's a full leather jacket with aero hump on the back. And it comes in a size small enough for me! Price is about $460 USD, but I think it's totally worth it. Anyone want to donate one? haha! I wish.
More pictures tomorrow!
Good night friends,
- Pandabear
It's cold and rainy still, possibly even snowing. Today I felt so bad for my Ninja that I went and bought a cover from the local store. All they had were covers in XL for touring bikes, so it looks like my motorcycle is wearing some really baggy clothing! I'll have to snap a picture in the morning.
Boots should be delivered later today as well, so that'll go up here too! Anyways, more gear. I've barely even started riding but I'm already dreaming about buying more protective clothing! Right now I have a textile Icon jacket with leather sleeves/shoulders. It's great, but I recently saw this RS Taichi jacket and I have to admit, I am in love now. For your viewing pleasure:
It's a full leather jacket with aero hump on the back. And it comes in a size small enough for me! Price is about $460 USD, but I think it's totally worth it. Anyone want to donate one? haha! I wish.
More pictures tomorrow!
Good night friends,
- Pandabear
Saturday, April 21, 2012
Rain for the next few days...
Friends,
Sad news..here in PA it will be raining for nearly a week straight. Which means no riding..or does it? Perhaps I'll take the ninja out in the rain!! I'm awaiting a pair of Spidi race boots on Tuesday though..I will post pictures when I get them. From what I hear, full length boots are an absolute must unless you want broken/severed feet/ankles, so no doubt, they are worth the cash money!! They are going to be a birthday gift, and a very useful one at that.
After my previous post, I couldn't resist riding again, so I practiced quick starts and tight u-turns in my parking lot outside. I only wore my helmet, and let me tell you, it felt awkward, as if I was naked (don't try to picture that..it's quite scary). Always wear gear!
Anyways, I'm hoping to get other riders onboard this blog eventually. If you ride, or are interested in riding, please comment and subscribe! I will post quite regularly, and as time progresses, I'll be taking some pictures throughout the country, and also eventually adding videos of various rides.
Have a great weekend!
-Pandabear
Sad news..here in PA it will be raining for nearly a week straight. Which means no riding..or does it? Perhaps I'll take the ninja out in the rain!! I'm awaiting a pair of Spidi race boots on Tuesday though..I will post pictures when I get them. From what I hear, full length boots are an absolute must unless you want broken/severed feet/ankles, so no doubt, they are worth the cash money!! They are going to be a birthday gift, and a very useful one at that.
After my previous post, I couldn't resist riding again, so I practiced quick starts and tight u-turns in my parking lot outside. I only wore my helmet, and let me tell you, it felt awkward, as if I was naked (don't try to picture that..it's quite scary). Always wear gear!
Anyways, I'm hoping to get other riders onboard this blog eventually. If you ride, or are interested in riding, please comment and subscribe! I will post quite regularly, and as time progresses, I'll be taking some pictures throughout the country, and also eventually adding videos of various rides.
Have a great weekend!
-Pandabear
First days on the street!
Hey friends,
I finally plucked up the courage and started riding out on the streets! Today was day 3. While it has been a blast so far, I've also made some mistakes, one which could have resulted in a crash.
The voyage began by cruising around rural back roads. I was surprised at how easily I could corner..the ninja 250r erases hesitancy almost completely. No big problems, except faltering slightly at a green light to start moving, and upshifting instead of downshifting when slowing for a car. Had to pull off to the side of the road to kick back down to 1st gear. Embarrassing.
Second day was smooth. I didn't make any mistakes, but I need to learn to control my throttle better. Shifting was quite jerky..cagers must literally see my body bob back and forth while my bike tries to buck me off in shame. Sorry Ninja, I will work on that!
This morning I went to drop a movie off at the Redbox kiosk. No major issues...until I tried to pull out onto a busier street. Was making a right turn at a green, with a lady in an SUV across the road trying to make a left (2 lane road). I started my turn slowly and went to switch from right lane to left only to do a head check, finding the SUV already in the next lane next to the tail of my bike. I panicked, yanked the throttle down and got in front of her. POTENTIAL CRASH. If she had also sped up, and didn't see me switching into her lane, she would have ran me over. Very very bad. I came back and reflected about what happened.
Ways to avoid that? Learn to start from a stop quickly to get up to traffic speeds. Or since she initially hesitated to see what I did, I should have turned directly into the left lane to eliminate the merging situation altogether. Either way, this is something I will remember from now on. Today I got lucky, next time...well there really shouldn't be a next time.
Have fun, and ride safely friends!
- Pandabear
I finally plucked up the courage and started riding out on the streets! Today was day 3. While it has been a blast so far, I've also made some mistakes, one which could have resulted in a crash.
The voyage began by cruising around rural back roads. I was surprised at how easily I could corner..the ninja 250r erases hesitancy almost completely. No big problems, except faltering slightly at a green light to start moving, and upshifting instead of downshifting when slowing for a car. Had to pull off to the side of the road to kick back down to 1st gear. Embarrassing.
Second day was smooth. I didn't make any mistakes, but I need to learn to control my throttle better. Shifting was quite jerky..cagers must literally see my body bob back and forth while my bike tries to buck me off in shame. Sorry Ninja, I will work on that!
This morning I went to drop a movie off at the Redbox kiosk. No major issues...until I tried to pull out onto a busier street. Was making a right turn at a green, with a lady in an SUV across the road trying to make a left (2 lane road). I started my turn slowly and went to switch from right lane to left only to do a head check, finding the SUV already in the next lane next to the tail of my bike. I panicked, yanked the throttle down and got in front of her. POTENTIAL CRASH. If she had also sped up, and didn't see me switching into her lane, she would have ran me over. Very very bad. I came back and reflected about what happened.
Ways to avoid that? Learn to start from a stop quickly to get up to traffic speeds. Or since she initially hesitated to see what I did, I should have turned directly into the left lane to eliminate the merging situation altogether. Either way, this is something I will remember from now on. Today I got lucky, next time...well there really shouldn't be a next time.
Have fun, and ride safely friends!
- Pandabear
Tuesday, April 17, 2012
Helmet arrived!!
Hey friends,
Today was a great day, I hope it was for you all too! Work flew by, and I got a call that my helmet and shield came in! I think the day knew that so it fast forwarded itself. I left work, raced down the highway, and reached the shop 4 minutes before closing time (I don't condone real racing on the highway btw! Speed limit +/- 5ish mph FTW!). I arrived home, and the first thing I did was pull my sparkly white Arai helmet out of the box, unwrap my dark smoke visor, and tried to swap the clear visor out.
Twenty minutes later, I FINALLY got the visor in. They say it's easy..YEAH RIGHT! It took me about 10 minutes to pop the clear one out, and I thought I was going to break it the whole time. Then it took 10 minutes and a YouTube video how to put the new visor in! They say "just pop the levers up and pull it out!" More like, pop the levers up, worry about breaking said levers off, pull, yank, scream bloody murder, and rip the visor out. Then gently insert new visor, push, hammer, scream bloody murder again, and click the visor into place..again..all while trying not to break plastic pieces. Anyways, here is the end result.
My gear: Arai helmet, Icon jacket, Icon gloves, and leather over the ankle boots. I hope to get Spidi race boots next, and eventually I will most likely get an RS Taichi 1 piece leather racing suit. You can never be too careful! As you can see, I'm really going for this whole Pandabear riding a ninja idea..!
The helmet is comfortable, a little hot when you aren't moving, but once riding, there is plenty of airflow through the numerous vents. Went for a ride in my gear, and felt much safer, and much more relaxed. I even cranked my bike up to nearly 30mph for the first time (50 must feel like riding on a rocketship jeez!). Also nice was my cornering and some smooth starts. I'm getting the hang of not bucking the bike around..and I'm pretty good at shifting gears. One thing I want to really mention is how smooth the clutch is, especially when rev matching. Either I'm a pro, or the clutch is very forgiving. In my car, if you don't rev match perfectly, you will definitely feel it buck or jolt; Not so on this Ninja 250R!
Well, time for dinner. As depicted in the picture above, I'm trying to calm my grumbling stomach! Have a great night friends!
- Pandabear
Today was a great day, I hope it was for you all too! Work flew by, and I got a call that my helmet and shield came in! I think the day knew that so it fast forwarded itself. I left work, raced down the highway, and reached the shop 4 minutes before closing time (I don't condone real racing on the highway btw! Speed limit +/- 5ish mph FTW!). I arrived home, and the first thing I did was pull my sparkly white Arai helmet out of the box, unwrap my dark smoke visor, and tried to swap the clear visor out.
Twenty minutes later, I FINALLY got the visor in. They say it's easy..YEAH RIGHT! It took me about 10 minutes to pop the clear one out, and I thought I was going to break it the whole time. Then it took 10 minutes and a YouTube video how to put the new visor in! They say "just pop the levers up and pull it out!" More like, pop the levers up, worry about breaking said levers off, pull, yank, scream bloody murder, and rip the visor out. Then gently insert new visor, push, hammer, scream bloody murder again, and click the visor into place..again..all while trying not to break plastic pieces. Anyways, here is the end result.
My gear: Arai helmet, Icon jacket, Icon gloves, and leather over the ankle boots. I hope to get Spidi race boots next, and eventually I will most likely get an RS Taichi 1 piece leather racing suit. You can never be too careful! As you can see, I'm really going for this whole Pandabear riding a ninja idea..!
The helmet is comfortable, a little hot when you aren't moving, but once riding, there is plenty of airflow through the numerous vents. Went for a ride in my gear, and felt much safer, and much more relaxed. I even cranked my bike up to nearly 30mph for the first time (50 must feel like riding on a rocketship jeez!). Also nice was my cornering and some smooth starts. I'm getting the hang of not bucking the bike around..and I'm pretty good at shifting gears. One thing I want to really mention is how smooth the clutch is, especially when rev matching. Either I'm a pro, or the clutch is very forgiving. In my car, if you don't rev match perfectly, you will definitely feel it buck or jolt; Not so on this Ninja 250R!
Well, time for dinner. As depicted in the picture above, I'm trying to calm my grumbling stomach! Have a great night friends!
- Pandabear
Monday, April 16, 2012
No helmet riding...or should I say flying!
Well friends,
I couldn't bear to look at the bike sitting there so lonely. It was a very hot April day and I did not neglect my bike. I turned it on, and let it warm for a minute, though I think it was already pretty toasty! My helmet has still not come in, so it looks like I won't be housing my head in a helmet until Friday. So clearly, I was riding without a helmet today..or anything for that matter. I wanted to try changing gears, and the bike was crisp and quick. I was doing 15mph through the apartment community, pushing almost 20mph and I really felt like I was blazing down the road!!
Honestly though, without any gear on, I felt very exposed. I don't think I'm going to ride around again until my helmet arrives. Even at such a slow speed, it was intimidating. I've seen many people around here who ride without anything at all. They must really trust other people to do so..but I surely don't. Cages are for animals..and most cagers ARE animals!!
Two other things I learned today: One, on a hill, I need to be quicker with my clutch and throttle. Maybe I was just a little hesitant about not dropping the bike, but on the road, I definitely need to be quicker. The second thing is to use turn signals!! And on top of that, to turn them off!! I think I rode around for quite a bit with my signal on, I must have looked like a fool! lol
I made all my turns well though, countersteering a bit and normal turning too, bike was sharp as ever! And at the end of my ride, I noticed I had my first ever passenger..a brave little spider who must have taken up living on my bike. He even had the nerve to rear up and glare at me when I spotted him! Don't worry, I didn't squash him, he lives on to brave another day, just like the rest of us!
Have a great week everyone!
-Pandabear
I couldn't bear to look at the bike sitting there so lonely. It was a very hot April day and I did not neglect my bike. I turned it on, and let it warm for a minute, though I think it was already pretty toasty! My helmet has still not come in, so it looks like I won't be housing my head in a helmet until Friday. So clearly, I was riding without a helmet today..or anything for that matter. I wanted to try changing gears, and the bike was crisp and quick. I was doing 15mph through the apartment community, pushing almost 20mph and I really felt like I was blazing down the road!!
Honestly though, without any gear on, I felt very exposed. I don't think I'm going to ride around again until my helmet arrives. Even at such a slow speed, it was intimidating. I've seen many people around here who ride without anything at all. They must really trust other people to do so..but I surely don't. Cages are for animals..and most cagers ARE animals!!
Two other things I learned today: One, on a hill, I need to be quicker with my clutch and throttle. Maybe I was just a little hesitant about not dropping the bike, but on the road, I definitely need to be quicker. The second thing is to use turn signals!! And on top of that, to turn them off!! I think I rode around for quite a bit with my signal on, I must have looked like a fool! lol
I made all my turns well though, countersteering a bit and normal turning too, bike was sharp as ever! And at the end of my ride, I noticed I had my first ever passenger..a brave little spider who must have taken up living on my bike. He even had the nerve to rear up and glare at me when I spotted him! Don't worry, I didn't squash him, he lives on to brave another day, just like the rest of us!
Have a great week everyone!
-Pandabear
Sunday, April 15, 2012
Rain, Sun, Safety and Spy Cam!
Hey friends,
Here's a shorter post, I figured I'd write out a few thoughts I was having.
Last night my Ninja received it's first shower. I came back this morning beaded water clinging to the surfaces, so I just went ahead and wiped off the water and a little bit of dirt. Voila, good as new! I'm most likely going to buy a cover in the next few days, so at least it won't get so dirty. I'm wondering if water will be that big of an issue. On my way home this morning, I saw multiple bikes of all sorts uncovered and wet. Maybe it's just not necessary? Hmm, better safe than sorry I suppose, but I'll keep a look out. Now that it stopped raining, the bike faces it's next adversary, the dreaded Sun.
Now I personally love the Sun, and its warming touch. It keeps me peppy and active, but also has the nasty habit of turning me browner and browner, like a chicken in the oven. And on that note I think my neighbors think I AM a chicken. One lady asked if I was going to actually ride my bike as opposed to just cleaning it "all the time." Nope, I just bought it as a parking lot ornament. I love how it looked, so I'm going to park it there and stare at it all year long! Anyways, this whole great gaseous, fiery, UV ray shooting Sun makes me wonder what will happen to Mr. Ninja over time. I'm assuming the plastics will begin to fade or discolor..anyone have any thoughts on that? Maybe a cover will prevent this from happening..aha..two for one special! Eliminate rain AND sun..priceless!
And now how about safety? I have seen many bikes parked around neighborhoods for days on end, no locks, no covers, nothing. My area seems to be pretty safe, and set off the beaten path by a good bit, but everyday I worry about coming back to see an empty parking spot. So what I do now is set up my laptop in the window and use my motion sensor recording program when I leave. It's not going to stop anyone from stealing my bike, but at least I'll know what they drive and what they look like! I keep my forks locked at all times so they can't ride away (easily), and I'd like to lock it to a fixed object, but the apartment builder didn't think about how I would secure my bike! There is nothing to chain it to! The nerve of some people, really!! At least I have total loss coverage, but it would still ruin my day/week/month if my ninja gets stolen. I'm going to have to become crafty and devise a way to secure my bike!
Just some thoughts! Still hoping my helmet comes in tomorrow, keep your fingers crossed everyone!
Have a great day!
- Pandabear
Here's a shorter post, I figured I'd write out a few thoughts I was having.
Last night my Ninja received it's first shower. I came back this morning beaded water clinging to the surfaces, so I just went ahead and wiped off the water and a little bit of dirt. Voila, good as new! I'm most likely going to buy a cover in the next few days, so at least it won't get so dirty. I'm wondering if water will be that big of an issue. On my way home this morning, I saw multiple bikes of all sorts uncovered and wet. Maybe it's just not necessary? Hmm, better safe than sorry I suppose, but I'll keep a look out. Now that it stopped raining, the bike faces it's next adversary, the dreaded Sun.
Now I personally love the Sun, and its warming touch. It keeps me peppy and active, but also has the nasty habit of turning me browner and browner, like a chicken in the oven. And on that note I think my neighbors think I AM a chicken. One lady asked if I was going to actually ride my bike as opposed to just cleaning it "all the time." Nope, I just bought it as a parking lot ornament. I love how it looked, so I'm going to park it there and stare at it all year long! Anyways, this whole great gaseous, fiery, UV ray shooting Sun makes me wonder what will happen to Mr. Ninja over time. I'm assuming the plastics will begin to fade or discolor..anyone have any thoughts on that? Maybe a cover will prevent this from happening..aha..two for one special! Eliminate rain AND sun..priceless!
And now how about safety? I have seen many bikes parked around neighborhoods for days on end, no locks, no covers, nothing. My area seems to be pretty safe, and set off the beaten path by a good bit, but everyday I worry about coming back to see an empty parking spot. So what I do now is set up my laptop in the window and use my motion sensor recording program when I leave. It's not going to stop anyone from stealing my bike, but at least I'll know what they drive and what they look like! I keep my forks locked at all times so they can't ride away (easily), and I'd like to lock it to a fixed object, but the apartment builder didn't think about how I would secure my bike! There is nothing to chain it to! The nerve of some people, really!! At least I have total loss coverage, but it would still ruin my day/week/month if my ninja gets stolen. I'm going to have to become crafty and devise a way to secure my bike!
Just some thoughts! Still hoping my helmet comes in tomorrow, keep your fingers crossed everyone!
Have a great day!
- Pandabear
Saturday, April 14, 2012
How it begins...MSF course, buying my Ninja, and first, albeit brief ride.
Hey friends!
I decided to create a blog on my riding adventures. As they say, great things start from small beginnings. I recently bought my first motorcycle, a green Kawasaki Ninja 250R. I hope to take this little bike (or maybe it's rather big, due to MY small stature!) on all sorts of trips. I guess to start out, this blog will be more about how I learn to ride, and some lessons I hope to learn as a beginner rider. Once I get some experience and start venturing out further from my home base, I will probably begin to write some interesting posts based on my travels around the country! This first post will be extremely long perhaps, as there is much to catch up on. So here we go!
The adventure begins with deciding to sign up for the Motorcycle Safety Foundation course. I didn't know what to expect at first. I was extremely nervous, and felt that everyone had already known how to ride and was merely taking the course to get their license easily. The first two evenings were classroom sessions in which my class grouped up and answered a multitude of knowledge type questions. We watched some comically exaggerated videos, and had discussions about them. Pretty straightforward, no?
The weekend was filled with ten hours of riding "on the range." This part had me so nervous I was shaking in my not-so-appropriate boots (The first day I got called out for not wearing over the ankle boots! yikes! They take it seriously!!). I'm not sure if I was shaking solely because I was nervous, or due to the fact that it was horrendously bone chillingly cold. Anyways, we learned on little 250CC cruiser/standard bikes. I chose a Suzuki of some sort, and was pleasantly surprised by the fact that I could place both feet flat on the ground. This was a great feeling, since I'm only a pint sized 5'3" tall guy. They had us do many exercises, beginning with paddle walking. I seemed to be the worst, since I was much slower than everyone else, and consistently could not get my bike into neutral. I also forgot left from right because I was extremely nervous, so that didn't help when we were supposed to go in certain directions! They must have thought I was really stupid!
We then learned how to ride slowly in a straight line and use our clutch, throttle, and brakes. I was pretty good at this part, as I had learned how to drive a standard transmission car. It was an awesome feeling to be puttering along with my feet on the pegs. It was like riding a bicycle without having to pedal (this probably seems obvious!). For the rest of the weekend we tried other exercises such as swerves, quick stops, and U-turns. Two major things I experienced at the course - slow speed maneuvers were much more difficult than those at a quicker pace, and on a motorcycle, you feel like you are traveling much faster than you are. At one point I felt like I was going about 40mph only to look down and see that I barely broke 20mph! We eventually took our skills evaluation and all of us but one lady passed and received our licenses. We all felt awful because she was a good rider, but during her quick stop I guess she was nervous and accidentally laid down her motorcycle, resulting in disqualification.
The very next day after work, I went shopping for my new motorcycle! I went to the local dealership hoping to have my very own Kawasaki in a day or two. I was quickly frustrated by the lack of service, and the inflated price I was given. $5400 for a bike with an MSRP of $4200, and they didn't know when they would even get the bike in!! Note this everyone, motorcycle pricing is NOT like car pricing! I walked out feeling mentally assaulted and glum. I got home, and figured I'd see what another dealer quoted. I called up a second dealer, and they quoted a price several hundred cheaper...still more than I wanted to pay, but I guess that was just the way things were. I drove on over, and ended up signing paperwork the same day. Fast forward a week or so, and through the usual paperwork and waiting process, and my bike arrived at the dealer! My very own Ninja 250R, in Kawasaki green!! Sitting on the motorcycle, I found it to be noticeably heavier than the MSF Suzuki, as well as taller. I could only get the balls of my feet down on the ground. The pegs, shifter, and rear brake however were below and slightly to the rear, which was much more natural to me, as opposed to having my feet out in front. Also, the seat was narrower, which saves me from having to dismount and walk like a cowboy for an hour. Fast forward a few more days, and my bike finally was delivered to my apartment!
After work, I came home this past Thursday and arrived to a beautiful sight! My 250 was parked outside! I ran to my apartment, got my key, and hopped on the bike. Placing the key in the ignition, pulling in the clutch, and hitting the starter, my Ninja sprang to life and started its low rpm humming. I gave it just a tad bit of throttle and as the needle climbed in the tach, the bike began to sound alive and quite sporty and menacing. Sadly, my helmet still hadn't arrived (and I just found out it won't be in until this coming Monday), so I couldn't take my steed out for a ride.
Yesterday, I came home in the warm and sunny evening to again view my bike sitting there. I thought it looked somewhat neglected so I turned it on and let it warm up. At this point, I lost all self control and decided to ride it, without any gear whatsoever. I was missing my helmet, and left my jacket, gloves, and boots in the apartment. In a t-shirt, jeans, and canvas type shoes, I made like a squid and jumped on my Ninja. Vowing to only to ride it in the immediate parking lot, I decided to ride my bike around in loops to get a feel for it. The first thing I noticed was how difficult it was to back pedal up the most minute of a grade, especially with only the balls of my feet. I was huffing and puffing, and after 2 minutes only managed to back it up about 3 feet. Finally, I had to dismount and push the bike backwards!!
Once oriented in the right direction, I was off. Immediately, and to my great relief, I was surprised at how well the Ninja handled! On the MSF Suzuki, I had significant trouble making slow tight turns. This thing decimated turns like it was nothing. It may not have a big engine, but it definitely seems to very much be a sport bike. Up until I received it, I had started to fret about how I was going to make turns without dropping it, or blocking traffic. Five minutes on the Ninja completely erased any hesitancy I previously built up. I don't think I've ever had a more stupid giant grin on my face! I almost feel ready to take it on the streets (maybe after I ride around the neighborhood a bit)!
What I also noticed was how loud the motorcycle is. Idling at 2k rpm, the little thing was already louder than my car. I took it up to 3.5k and it was even more loud. What's the redline on this thing, you may ask? 13,000 rpm..HOLY!! It must be crazy noisy! We will find out later I suppose, after the 500mile break in period. First I must get my helmet, as I don't want to get humpty dumpty'd and crack my head open!!
So before you guys fall asleep while reading this near novel, I'll end this post here. Stay tuned for my next day of riding, hopefully Tuesday after I get my helmet (I would say Monday but I think it's going to thunderstorm sadly).
Have a great weekend, my friends!
- Pandabear
I decided to create a blog on my riding adventures. As they say, great things start from small beginnings. I recently bought my first motorcycle, a green Kawasaki Ninja 250R. I hope to take this little bike (or maybe it's rather big, due to MY small stature!) on all sorts of trips. I guess to start out, this blog will be more about how I learn to ride, and some lessons I hope to learn as a beginner rider. Once I get some experience and start venturing out further from my home base, I will probably begin to write some interesting posts based on my travels around the country! This first post will be extremely long perhaps, as there is much to catch up on. So here we go!
The adventure begins with deciding to sign up for the Motorcycle Safety Foundation course. I didn't know what to expect at first. I was extremely nervous, and felt that everyone had already known how to ride and was merely taking the course to get their license easily. The first two evenings were classroom sessions in which my class grouped up and answered a multitude of knowledge type questions. We watched some comically exaggerated videos, and had discussions about them. Pretty straightforward, no?
The weekend was filled with ten hours of riding "on the range." This part had me so nervous I was shaking in my not-so-appropriate boots (The first day I got called out for not wearing over the ankle boots! yikes! They take it seriously!!). I'm not sure if I was shaking solely because I was nervous, or due to the fact that it was horrendously bone chillingly cold. Anyways, we learned on little 250CC cruiser/standard bikes. I chose a Suzuki of some sort, and was pleasantly surprised by the fact that I could place both feet flat on the ground. This was a great feeling, since I'm only a pint sized 5'3" tall guy. They had us do many exercises, beginning with paddle walking. I seemed to be the worst, since I was much slower than everyone else, and consistently could not get my bike into neutral. I also forgot left from right because I was extremely nervous, so that didn't help when we were supposed to go in certain directions! They must have thought I was really stupid!
We then learned how to ride slowly in a straight line and use our clutch, throttle, and brakes. I was pretty good at this part, as I had learned how to drive a standard transmission car. It was an awesome feeling to be puttering along with my feet on the pegs. It was like riding a bicycle without having to pedal (this probably seems obvious!). For the rest of the weekend we tried other exercises such as swerves, quick stops, and U-turns. Two major things I experienced at the course - slow speed maneuvers were much more difficult than those at a quicker pace, and on a motorcycle, you feel like you are traveling much faster than you are. At one point I felt like I was going about 40mph only to look down and see that I barely broke 20mph! We eventually took our skills evaluation and all of us but one lady passed and received our licenses. We all felt awful because she was a good rider, but during her quick stop I guess she was nervous and accidentally laid down her motorcycle, resulting in disqualification.
The very next day after work, I went shopping for my new motorcycle! I went to the local dealership hoping to have my very own Kawasaki in a day or two. I was quickly frustrated by the lack of service, and the inflated price I was given. $5400 for a bike with an MSRP of $4200, and they didn't know when they would even get the bike in!! Note this everyone, motorcycle pricing is NOT like car pricing! I walked out feeling mentally assaulted and glum. I got home, and figured I'd see what another dealer quoted. I called up a second dealer, and they quoted a price several hundred cheaper...still more than I wanted to pay, but I guess that was just the way things were. I drove on over, and ended up signing paperwork the same day. Fast forward a week or so, and through the usual paperwork and waiting process, and my bike arrived at the dealer! My very own Ninja 250R, in Kawasaki green!! Sitting on the motorcycle, I found it to be noticeably heavier than the MSF Suzuki, as well as taller. I could only get the balls of my feet down on the ground. The pegs, shifter, and rear brake however were below and slightly to the rear, which was much more natural to me, as opposed to having my feet out in front. Also, the seat was narrower, which saves me from having to dismount and walk like a cowboy for an hour. Fast forward a few more days, and my bike finally was delivered to my apartment!
Yesterday, I came home in the warm and sunny evening to again view my bike sitting there. I thought it looked somewhat neglected so I turned it on and let it warm up. At this point, I lost all self control and decided to ride it, without any gear whatsoever. I was missing my helmet, and left my jacket, gloves, and boots in the apartment. In a t-shirt, jeans, and canvas type shoes, I made like a squid and jumped on my Ninja. Vowing to only to ride it in the immediate parking lot, I decided to ride my bike around in loops to get a feel for it. The first thing I noticed was how difficult it was to back pedal up the most minute of a grade, especially with only the balls of my feet. I was huffing and puffing, and after 2 minutes only managed to back it up about 3 feet. Finally, I had to dismount and push the bike backwards!!
Once oriented in the right direction, I was off. Immediately, and to my great relief, I was surprised at how well the Ninja handled! On the MSF Suzuki, I had significant trouble making slow tight turns. This thing decimated turns like it was nothing. It may not have a big engine, but it definitely seems to very much be a sport bike. Up until I received it, I had started to fret about how I was going to make turns without dropping it, or blocking traffic. Five minutes on the Ninja completely erased any hesitancy I previously built up. I don't think I've ever had a more stupid giant grin on my face! I almost feel ready to take it on the streets (maybe after I ride around the neighborhood a bit)!
What I also noticed was how loud the motorcycle is. Idling at 2k rpm, the little thing was already louder than my car. I took it up to 3.5k and it was even more loud. What's the redline on this thing, you may ask? 13,000 rpm..HOLY!! It must be crazy noisy! We will find out later I suppose, after the 500mile break in period. First I must get my helmet, as I don't want to get humpty dumpty'd and crack my head open!!
So before you guys fall asleep while reading this near novel, I'll end this post here. Stay tuned for my next day of riding, hopefully Tuesday after I get my helmet (I would say Monday but I think it's going to thunderstorm sadly).
Have a great weekend, my friends!
- Pandabear
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)