Whats the most valuable piece of information for a new rider

[Katgirl]

The MSF course did a pretty good job with teaching riding, but failed to give really valuable info, that only a seasoned rider could give.
What would you share with a new rider, to possibly get out of a "sticky"situation?
I would stress the importance of looking where you want to go, and getting rid of that instinct of braking with your right foot!

[zleviticus]

hmm i liked the msf and it taught me a lot. the main thing i would tell new riders is to have patience. take things slow and do not worry about keeping up with the lead of a group or even the rider in front of you. Ride at YOUR pace not that of someone elses.

[Katgirl]

Don't want to be mistaken, the msf course was great, no complaints. Due to time, class size, and rushing to get everything in, I know over the last couple of years, I have recieved very good info from riders they didn't cover in the course.
May be helpful in this section

[Anonymous]

Buy "Twist of the Wrist II" by Keith Code.

[Range]

GEAR!

[rmick15]

I believe in this a lot, its a good peice of advice IMO. Ride with your highbeams on during the day. Lastly, assume no one see's you.


Mickey

[Junior]

Simple.


DON'T BE STUPID.

[Haggisman]

Wear a Helmet!

[tdrcomm]

1#
Ride as if no one can see you.

2#
Anything...
no matter how stupid, crazy, weird, insane, or downright dumb,...
that you can imagine that cager near you can do, they will.
Count on it.

3#
Ride to impress yourself, not others.
(And the most impressive thing you can do is to get where you're going and home again in one piece)

[OldandReallySlow]

Hey Tom, don't forget that being a beginner doesn't mean you have to begin with the biggest baddest bike there is!!!!

[BraadaJim]

Things I stress are:
The importance of wearing good gear,
Where you look is where you go, and
It's a motorcycle, It's not a toy or a game!

[Haggisman]

Ride as if everyone on the road is going to hit you, be aware of what is going on around you and anticipate problems befre they become problems.

(SIPDE)

Scan
Identify
Predict
Decide
Execute

[Anonymous]

Expect the worst and be prepared

[tdrcomm]

Hey Tom, don't forget that being a beginner doesn't mean you have to begin with the biggest baddest bike there is!!!!

Waaaaaaaaaaaaay true!!
I had a conversation with a newbie last Friday talking about the same thing. Just got his permit and was asking me about a first bike. Naturally, I pimped KR but he impressed me when he walked over to look at my Busa. "No way in hell I'm getting THAT!" (I liked the kid immediately).

He said his dad rides a cruiser but he wants something kinda different. He listened to all I had to say, didn't bitch when I said that a R1 or Gix may not be the best first choice, and seemed to understand that a used bike for a newbie was a smart idea. He said he had $3000 to spend on a bike. I told him that he had actually $2500 to spend on the bike.... $500 to spend on some gear. He was like, "Wow. Hadn't thought of it that way!"

Hope I see him here and hope he makes the right decisions.

[OldandReallySlow]

Tom, thats way kewl!!! Wish someone had been around when I first started riding. I know this is before a lot of peoples time but my first street bike was a Kawasaki H2 Mach III 500cc two stroke triple. It would wheelie from standing start to over 60 mph though the gears. It was a beast (when it was on the power band) and no way in h3ll should I have been riding it (in t-shirt, jeans, tennies and no gloves most of the time, oh, and no helmet either). Glad I survived to smarten up.!!!