Comfort level

[MarineMom]

I started riding in 2000 and most people that knew me earlier in my life would never have dreamed I would ride a motorcycle. I started slow, I found all the lower speed streets in town to travel I could get almost anywhere I wanted under 40 mph, when I felt ready I moved out to bigger roads. I also tried to go out when it was least busy so only had me to cope with. I was lucky enough to have someone to ride with that was patient with me, he always waited at stop signs until there was time for both of us to pull out but sometimes I just wasn't ready(psych) so he would go up to the next side street and wait for me. I felt like an idiot but he always told me to only do what I was comfortable doing. By the time I finished my 1st year of riding I moved up from a 250cc starter bike to a 900cc screamer and logged 10,000 mi including a trip to the mountains of WV, with twisties as intense as the Gap. Just know your limitations and ride within them and keep riding. You will get to a point where it will be just you, the sun, fresh air, and your bike :cheer:
I LOVE riding and have withdrawal if I can't go out!

 

[Epic Ed]

Thanks again for all the replies and good advice. The good news is I've improved enough to start commuting last week -- much of it highway rush hour traffic. I'm enjoying it more and more as I get more time in the seat. Sixty miles round trip every day adds up fast. I can keep it moving and come to a stop pretty well, but I'm still struggling starting from a stop. Not nearly as bad, but every intersection throws a different challenge at you. Fortunately I don't have any idiot driver stories to relate yet, but I still ride like they're all out to kill me. I'm definitely a lot more hypervigilant than I was as a driver of a large SUV.

The best advice that I've heeded so far was to simply get more time on the bike and to ride every day. I've ridden it at least a few miles every day since my original post and I think the consistency has paid off.

Ed

 

[rzekry]

My confidence was building up steeply till I hit a large rodent today while cruising with a friend. No damage to the FZ6, only my belief that nothing will happen to me!

I will never take dim back roads at night for granted again. I hope others use this advice.

 

[Sawblade]

One of my friends up here just hit a bird with his gixxer. He still hasn't cleaned the mess off of his fairing. :rof:

 

[VEGASRIDER]

My advise, ride every day and it will come naturally. Long lay offs are not good. Being in Phoenix, where the weather is always favorable for riding, even though it gets a bit toasty during the summer, you should be able to ride every day. I do here in Vegas. Like some other members have said, don't get too comfortable and relax. That goes for the roads that you may travel on a daily basis. Don't assume that it's just going to be a normal ride down that same road and route, because one day, you will find it's NOT!

The best advice that I've heeded so far was to simply get more time on the bike and to ride every day. I've ridden it at least a few miles every day since my original post and I think the consistency has paid off.

Ed

Keep it up man, don't go a day without riding. Next advise, choose your lane and line carefully. When you have multiple lanes in one direction, one lane and line will be better than the other. Meaning you will be less vulnerable when cagers unexpectedly make a bad move. Thats when experience starts to kick in. Always be aware of your current position and ask yourself is this my safest line. Always keep searching for the safest route. For example, the extreme left lane or fast lane is much safer than the center lanes of a freeway. Unless you live in an area where there are left lane exits, like Seattle. The worst lane of a freeway is the right lane. Personally, my commute on the freeway, the left lane is my comfort zone. The center lanes and right lanes gives me the heebee jeebies.

 

[vela]

I still am not comfortable in a lot of areas, it's not a bad thing to have a little fear, your comfort will grow faster than your skills will.

Dont get overconfident. At some point in the near future you will feel like you can handle any situation, thats when you need to really think and evaluate your skills. Before you go ahead and do something you think you can do, take a moment to think it through and only do it if you know you could.

Outriding your abilities will kill you.

Have fun:Sport:

You are absolutely right! I couldn't agree with you more! I'm also a new driver and have only ~200 miles with mine. But I have to drive through horrible traffic every day, avoiding people and cars that have no idea you're a part of the traffic.
The other day some moron leaned on me with his car from behind at the red light! Can you believe it?! People just don't have any feeling for riders, and their participation in traffic, at all. It's very stressful and I don't think I could ever get the comfort level I would like, but that's not bad at all. You always have to expect actions and reactions of other drivers.
NEVER COUNT ON THEM LOOKING OUT FOR YOU!
Best of luck to you!

 

[boo68]

:innocent:The videos on m13online.com are for the beginner, but they inspired me to do the drills again, even though I took MSF class 4 years ago. I do fine as long as I can go fast.. but slow turns, and the tight slow turns always get me. My husband took me down to a parking lot with cars.. and drilled me(no not like that) he guided me told me what to do, played follow the leader.. That is the kind of thing that builds confidence IMO. I am not afraid of dropping my bike or wrecking.. I am afraid of making someone else fall, or hitting their bike, or car. Anyway.. the videos are great and helpful. You should check them out. Don't allow anyone to push you into doing more than you are comfortable with.

Take care,

Boo :innocent:

 

[xj750_Pete]

Before I siwtched over to the FZ6, i rode a 1982 Yamaha XJ750 Maxim for two years. That old thing was carbureted, shaft driven and aircooled. It was extremely comfortable and easy to ride with its soft seat and cruiser style seating position, but it took forever to warm up and it took quite a bit of force to get it to stop. After switching to the FZ6 i noticed that i can stop the motorcycle with two fingers! Also, the engine always starts right away, and there is so much power on the highway. When i first took the FZ6 home i thought it was extremely uncomfortable compared to my old Maxim; the brake pedal was too high, cluth action is like an on/off switch, shifter pedal was way too high, and the motor felt torquelesss. HOWEVER, after i brought it home and started adjusting all the controls, the FZ6 was a different motorcycle! I am surprised at the amount of adjustments i had to make though. For ex: the brake pedal had to be removed and rotated down a notch in order to get it where i wanted, the clutch lever rotated back and the clutch cable tension knob was turn in about 3 turns.

I now have about 280 miles and i am starting to get used to the FZ6, i still need to practice working the clutch to take off smoothly. I just started to practice all those exercises i did in MSF class i took a long time ago. Surpisingly slow u-turns are much scarier on the FZ6 than my old Maxim due to the height, but in time i am sure i will get it down. Its very important to practice. With my old Maxim i tried to make at least 1 slow u-turn or a figure 8 everyday. I've done this so many times that i was no longer afraid of getting low to the ground.

 

[OkieDavid]

after i brought it home and started adjusting all the controls, the FZ6 was a different motorcycle! I am surprised at the amount of adjustments i had to make though. For ex: the brake pedal had to be removed and rotated down a notch in order to get it where i wanted, the clutch lever rotated back and the clutch cable tension knob was turn in about 3 turns.

I just passed the 4000 mi mark and I'm still fine tuning the controls....You HAVE to make the bike fit YOU.. The dealer just has to get it "close", but you make it yours.

 

[LERecords]

My advice is to *never* feel so confident that you stop being scared of getting into an accident. A friend of mine who rides once told me, "The day I stop being a little scared every time I swing a leg over, that will be the day I quit riding."

great advice.. i feel the same way.. i would say that i am pretty confident in my abbilities, but i realize that $h~t happens and you could be on hte short end of the stick when it does.. acceptance ... but that doesnt mean i don't devote 100% of my attention when i ride... :thumbup: