Picking up my first bike tomorrow

[Nasdaq]

Hey guys, I am new here and wanted to ask for some good tips on what to look out for on my first weekend on the road! I've taken the course and had a ninja 250 for a month last year but haven't ridden in a while and have forgotten a lot from the course. Any help and tips would be greatly appreciated !! Thanks a lot!

[Slofuze]

Congrats on the new purchase. Gear up, slow down, use your mirros, and ride like all cagers can't see you/out to kill you.

[Oddy Turner]

Congrats on the new purchase. Gear up, slow down, use your mirros, and ride like all cagers can't see you/out to kill you.

What Slo said, and add turning your head to check your slightly back left and right. I have had plenty of little cars sneak into those spots. Stay safe!

[mather_builders]

LOOK WHERE U WANT TO GO!!! NOTTTT WHERE U ARE ACTUALLY GOING!! That is all.

[KatanaGSX92]

Congrats and welcome! You didn't mention what kind of bike you're getting.

[Nasdaq]

It's a 2004 Kat 600. 11,116 miles. It has two mods, a smoked windscreen and a Vance and Hines exhaust. They did all fluids yesterday, new battery and now I'm just waiting for them to call for me to pick it up today. They said they were waiting on a choke cable. I pray the local dealer has one in stock or I won't be getting it today . So u meant when I pull out from a stop always look left right and back to left again?

[ATOMonkey]

Yes, always take a second look left since that is the lane that is most likely to hit you, and also the one that is most likely to have something that is blocking your view.

My advice, if you are near an empty parking lot (school, old strip mall, etc) is to head over there and practice on a relatively "close" course.

If not, try to find some quiet roads to tool around on to get your confidence up.

[Nasdaq]

Yeah it's been awhile. Never had one legally but took the course. I definitely need practice. I'm going to pick it up and have a 10 minute highway ride home. I'm going to take back roads as long as I can and go down quiet streets for a good half hour before actually going home. I've read some articles for tips but there really aren't any good basics articles. I think once I get up and riding for a while I will

Create one from my own experiences. Like a quick start guide for newbs lol ya know. What should I keep in mind for my ride on the highway home to make it safely.

[ATOMonkey]

How much did you forget?

Do you still remember the bit about countersteering?

Do you remember how to shift?

Counterbalance?

[Javy23]

Welcome to the site!!!

[mather_builders]

No. When u are moving u will go where u look. If u look at the dog running into the road, u will hit the dog. Look at the pothole, n u will hit it. Look at the guardrail from the corner your are entering too hot, n u will hit it. Look as far ahead as feasible and NOT at what your aiming for. No matter how much u wanna look at the potential hazard, your primary focus needs to be on your desired path.

[Nasdaq]

Yeah. I remember a lot about while leaning and pressing opposite of the way you are turning and all that. The weight shifting I am kind of rusty though. When you make a right turn you shift your *** to the left right? Lol . I ended up going to the dealer yesterday and waited three hours and the mechanic had to go home and is finishing it this morning! I was ****ed. I paid almost 4k cash for it. So they gave me a free hjc helmet one step under my snell hjc for free for a passenger so I don't mind. It rained yesterday about an hour after I left anyhow. Just waitin now to go and get it! What's easiest way I can share pics from my iPhone on here?

Thanks Mather for the tips. Really appreciate it. Stuff like that is exactly what I'm looking for. I'm going to do some more reading this morning before I get the call in a few hours to go and pick it up

[Spyderturbo007]

I've taken the course and had a ninja 250 for a month last year but haven't ridden in a while and have forgotten a lot from the course.

Does your state charge for the MSF course? In Pa it's free, so you can take it as many times as you want. If it's not expensive or is free, I would suggest you take it again to refresh your memory.

[Nasdaq]

I'm good. After this weekend it all came back to me. Only doing about 65-70 on highway. I'm still a bit nervous leaning but I'm going further and further. So on the curvy 45-50 mph roads I'm slowing before taking turns. Gotta get more comfortable with that.

[Slofuze]

I'm good. After this weekend it all came back to me. Only doing about 65-70 on highway. I'm still a bit nervous leaning but I'm going further and further. So on the curvy 45-50 mph roads I'm slowing before taking turns. Gotta get more comfortable with that.

You have the right mindset. Just keep in mind that when you come to the point that you think you can handle even faster on tighter roads, so are all the "souped" drivers who thought the same........ gravel is not your friend. Don't ask me how I know.