Why I want a motorcycle

[richtazz]

that really sucks that you dropped it, but at least no major damage was done. Imagine if that was a brand new fully faired bike, you'd be really pissed. Congrats on the purchase, it sounds like you have a good head on your shoulders (since you're practicing low speed maneuvers). Always remember to ride like you're invisible, because to many people you are!

[jeffcoslacker]

Originally Posted by Sabin

That's just my natural poker face. Inside I was like this

It is in really good shape actually. The only major thing wrong with it is that the little round piece of plastic that lets you see the brake fluid level on the handlebar is cracked and leaks. It's completely destroyed the paint underneath it. I've ordered replacement parts off of e-bay, but they're from and '84 so I really have no idea if they'll work. I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

I had a couple of firsts today...good and bad. First the good. I scraped footpegs! I scraped in a right hand turn while running loops around a set of parking spaces at 20 mph. I also touched the toe of my shoe down a couple of times on some left hand turns, I didn't like that one so much, but the peg on that side is shorter. I think it got broken at some point.

Now for the bad. I was practicing doing u-turns in the stalls, and actually doing pretty well. I was able to make the turns almost every time. Then I let my bike tip too far without enough power, and it acted exactly like a man with a .4 blood alcohol content. It fell and didn't get back up. At least it didn't get back up without a lot of heavy lifting, dropping, breaking off the clutch handle, uncharacteristic swearing, and more heavy lifting. Now I have a really short clutch handle, but nothing else was hurt thank goodness.

I think my bike might be mad at me now.

This stuff happens. Remember two things.

Gas it, and it'll stand up. Seems wrong when you feel you're going over (your instincts wanna say grab the brakes), but it works. Make sure you're prepared to match it with a quick snap of the front back end to center, or you'll pitch yourself off the other side...the idea is to just ride away in a straight line if possible. i watched the cycle cops doing profficiency training on a couse up at the park a while back, it was pretty impressive. Big Harley FL's and they were scraping the floorboards and exhaust with the steering turned to the lock, while barely moving....but if it started to flop they'd just gas it and stand up, and ride off in a straight line away from the turn....get points knocked off for it, but less than for flopping the bike, so they told me. I also got to see them pick the bike up the correct way.

There is a right and wrong way to pick up a bike. You can really hurt yourself the wrong way.

Correct way is to turn with your back to it, one hand on the closest grip and one on whatever you can grab at the rear up high. Squat down beside it, with your butt against it, and stand up using just your legs, bringing the bike up with you.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pPjYweKeiLk

Here's a great demonstration...

You have a lotta power this way, I've seen small women pick up big cruisers using this method. And it saves your back and abs from possible injury. Easy to blow a disk or get a hernia picking a bike off the ground...

[travis712]

Congrats on getting a bike. I'm looking at a GS500 for my first bike. If everything goes as planned, I could have a bike real soon. If not, then I'm going to have to wait until the end of summer. Anyways good luck with everything, don't let the little crash bum you out.