Twenty-Five Things I wish I knew when I started riding

[Papa Lazarou]

This thread used to be full of fun and useful tips. Can we do some work here, folks?

[TwoUnderPar]

92.   If you buy a motorcycle as a teenager, you will have bike disease the rest of your life.

[sawguard]

Ride on either side of the lane you;re in, not in the middle...
a) the middle is where the grease,oil, crud collects and
b) cagers can straddle obstacles in the road that you may not be able to see until it's too late to
avoid them(because you're following too close)

A pair of thin rubber(surgical type) gloves will keep your hands warmer, in winter, if you are not using
  heated gloves.

NEVER ride next to an 18 wheeler, the highways are strewn with re-tread offal that MIGHT be your undoing, pass the truck, pass the truck.

Never head into a parking space that inclines INTO the curb,,, you'll eventually have to back your bike out and pushing a heavy bike backwards is no fun.

[SilverHound]

The bee that just hit you in the chest did not die and will soon be crawling up inside your helmet. Pull over now and make sure it's gone to avoid looking like a deranged lunatic when it's 2 inches from your eye on the inside of your face shield.

[Shoganai]

1.   Day one, new bike: wash it, polish it, park it in the sun, look at it sparkle and take a picture to remember it by.

Then kick the fucker over.

Now you can quit worrying about scratching it and just ride it.

2.   Yes, a whole damn strapped-down freezer CAN fall off the back of a truck at 75 miles per hour.

3.   Hail hurts even through Held gloves at 70+ MPH.

4.   Know what an “Air Biscuit” is and how to reduce their numbers.

5.   Know your bike. Every sound, it’s harmonics, it’s smell, it fluid volumes, it’s tolerances, it’s needs, it’s run-out-of-gas mileage at a given speed and how to service it.

6.   When working on your bike, if you use a tool, write it down.  This will be the list of tools you should carry on the bike.

[falcofred]

Be extra vigilant near Buick's! There is no car more dangerous than a white Buick. I believe that the Buick dealers supply a free pair of those post Glaucoma surgery sunglasses with every car sold! Here is more proof, General Motors in a cost cutting move severed ties with Buick pitchman Tiger Woods.

"Another factor? Woods, arguably the most popular athlete in the world, couldn't sell Buicks to younger people. The median age of Buick retail buyers is 68 -- the same as in 1997, Bloomberg reports. Less than half of 1% of Buicks sold last year went to buyers younger than 35."

That's right, the Median age is 68! If 68 is the Meadian age it means they are selling Buicks to people in there 70s and 80s!

[Kool shades]

Ride like EVERYONE is out to kill you!

Never stop learning.

Read "Proficent Motorcycling"! It's winter- No excuses! This is an easy read & EVERYBODY can learn something from this book...

[FJR_Jim]

101. Assume that driver is going to do something stupid and prepare accordingly. You will rarely be disappointed!

102. Deer are more dangerous than people. Deer appear out of no where runnning full speed and can change directions in an instant. Unfortunately, you can't truly appreciate this until it happens.

[Bodhi]

The bee that just hit you in the chest did not die and will soon be crawling up inside your helmet. Pull over now and make sure it's gone to avoid looking like a deranged lunatic when it's 2 inches from your eye on the inside of your face shield.

I had a yellow jacket hit me in the throat and thought that he just bounced off. That is until I got to work and started unzipping my jacket and - ouch ouch ouch ouch.

[KenH]

Ride as if you are invisible, because even when they do see you, it is because they are aiming.

[ctbandit]

Be aware of your lane position at all times. Don't take the inside line tighter turns, the guy in the other lane WILL come into yours looking to go bumper to bumper with your helmet.

Be ready for change. Change happens, you might not know when it's going to happen, or how much will be needed, but it happens. Whether it's changing your lane position for an unexpected obstruction or emergency braking  because a tiny dog decides he wants to eat your entire bike. You have to constantly be in a state ready to change.

Because of this I probably like riding the more technical roads or just back roads in general because changes in speed direction and lane position happen regularly whereas on a highway it might be easier to get complacent.

[Poweranger]

103. Just because your friends all ride Harleys and your friends think that ONLY Harleys are cool. Don't go right out and buy a Harley, ST bikes are much more fun to "RIDE".

[KenH]

Outside-inside-outside is for racing. Outside-inside-outside will get you killed on the street. Cornering with your head over the grease strip in the center of the lane keeps you away from oncoming cars and provides better visibility around the corner.

[denisep]

(keep in mind I'm 5 foot 1, 125 pounds)

Buy the lightest, cheapest bike you can afford starting out.  Dropping a 500+ pound cruiser MULTIPLE times at no speed sucks ass (damn front brake)

When you do trade out for a lightweight sports bike..   fill 'er up while sitting on her, bike upright or you'll never get the maximum amount of gas in the tank (duh....  but not mentioned in the owner's manual

You can try to go the cheap route that first winter-- but you're still going to end up with the heated gear, eventually.  Just go ahead and buy it first..  it's actually more cost effective.

[Magnarider]

105.)  When you get that little voice telling you that something is going to happen do whatever it says.  Immediately.  Be it the cage next to you is going to come into your lane, or "that idiot cage is pulling into the driveway next to me at this stop light is going to back up into me thinking they can turn around".  Ask me how I know that one...    I didn't listen...  

[Papa Lazarou]

Don't panic. Especially in tight turns-trust your bike, you'll make it round. NO, DON'T TOUCH THAT FRONT BRAKE!!!!!!!

[jsanford]

Establish a "routine" when new to riding right away, something like this:

- Gear up, except for gloves, helmet, and zipper.
- Keep the bike key in the right breast pocket.
- Push bike, out, check tires.
- Always have your helmet on before getting on the bike
- Always start the bike before putting on your gloves

Another one:

- Always park so you can ride out, not duck-walk back out.

[sassage]

- Always start the bike before putting on your gloves

is this just a function to let the bike warm up a bit?

[Papa Lazarou]

- Always park so you can ride out, not duck-walk back out.

I still get that wrong...

[Zixxerpilot]

+1 on 919Maniac's comment on deer.  During mating season Jane Doe is being chased by "What's Up" Buck and they're thinking sex, not "look both ways when crossing streets" or "cross on the green, and not in between".  While they tend to move most around dusk (when visibility is at its worst), they will move any time they please.  Do not assume that deer go away when you hit the 'burbs.  I dodged one coming out of a garden center in the middle of divided US 202 outside of Wilmington, DE and was almost run over, while sitting in my front yard, by one coming from the Philadelphia side of my yard in Drexel Hill, PA.  

Deer "only" weigh 100 - 250 lbs for the most part.  Think about tagging one at even 35-45 MPH.  Yep, deer suck.  

This man speaks the truth!! My '04 VFR can attest to that! A doe jumped off an embankment right on top of me as I was laid over, depp in a corner at over 50mph. Bike was a total loss, gear saved my arse aside from some twisting and bruising, and the damn deer ran away. Grrr.


x) When the rear tire starts to slide, and it will, stay steady on the inputs. Do NOT let go of the throttle!! Weight the outside peg, and stay steady!
x) High sides SUCK BALLS!!