Any motorcycle owners out there?

[Promethium91]

When you're on a motorcycle just remember, just because you can see them doesn't mean that they can see you.

Yeah for sure. I feel much more comfortable in a small car too.

Like I mentioned earlier, I live in Texas, meaning everyone here drives fucking massive F-150's and unnecessarily large cars. Escalades and Tahoes are everywhere.

I was coming out of the bank the other day in my RX-8 and I almost got t-boned by an asshole in a truck, I floored it and got out of the way just in time; the guy didn't even brake. If I were in a truck or an SUV I'd have been hit for sure.

I prefer smaller (sports) cars cause of better handling and maneuverability, so I bet it'll be the same feeling for me on a bike.

 

The Ninja 250R says it has under seat storage for 2 helmets and such, so I think it should be alright.

If all goes according to plan I'll be doing my motorcycle course July 14-15, and I'll get in some classroom hours and 10 riding hours on their bikes(which happen to be Ninja's and other similar bikes).

Now I assume on a bike you don't have any blind zones and those side mirrors work pretty well, correct?

Also, I've heard you have to manually shift on a bike. How does that work?

Pretty sure Ninja 250R doesn't.. I mean my brother has one and the pillion seat storage can barely fit a novel lol
There are blind spots for all vehicles. Helmets tend to limit your neck rotation which may decrease your line of sight.
Manual shifting on a bike is the same as on a car. Except the clutch is where your left hand is, not your foot. If you can drive manual with a car, it shouldn't be a problem with a bike

As for injuries.. just don't do anything silly? And leather gear is recommended for all riders. Those who ride around in shorts and T's are just plain stubborn.

 

[Promethium91]

Pretty sure Ninja 250R doesn't.. I mean my brother has one and the pillion seat storage can barely fit a novel lol
There are blind spots for all vehicles. Helmets tend to limit your neck rotation which may decrease your line of sight.
Manual shifting on a bike is the same as on a car. Except the clutch is where your left hand is, not your foot. If you can drive manual with a car, it shouldn't be a problem with a bike

As for injuries.. just don't do anything silly? And leather gear is recommended for all riders. Those who ride around in shorts and T's are just plain stubborn.

Lol. Well Kawasaki's website says it does.

Well obviously you don't have a gear lever, so is it a sequential gearbox? I drive an automatic with paddle shifters lol.

 

[droko5]

Well, pretty sure motorcycles seem more badass then cars, but cars are much more useful and practical in comparison to a motorcycle.

 

[MohtasaUnique]

The Ninja 250R says it has under seat storage for 2 helmets and such, so I think it should be alright.

If all goes according to plan I'll be doing my motorcycle course July 14-15, and I'll get in some classroom hours and 10 riding hours on their bikes(which happen to be Ninja's and other similar bikes).

Now I assume on a bike you don't have any blind zones and those side mirrors work pretty well, correct?

Also, I've heard you have to manually shift on a bike. How does that work?

The blindspot thing isn't true. You can't turn your head very far with a helmet on and the visor has limited peripheral vision, nor can you turn it very fast because you'll throw too much weight and begin to wobble on your bike.

Not all bikes have a manual transmission, but they tend to last longer, work better, and have better gas mileage if you get a manual. To shift, you squeeze in the clutch on your handle bar, and kick down on a foot petal to up-shift, and lift up with your toe to downshift. Then you balance the throttle and clutch much like you do in a manual tranny car to take off.



This is your clutch:

And your shifter petal:

Notice he's lifting up with his toe, that means he's downshifting

 

[Promethium91]

Ah, that's interesting. Sounds a lot easier to shift on a bike.

I used to have a manual transmission Mustang and you had to push the clutch down like a fucking mile, my shifts were awful. Went to an automatic after that to get better at just plain driving without worrying about it.

Now I've heard that most crashes are the fault of other drivers and not the people on motorcycles. Is this due to motorists not giving a shit about motorcycles, or is it due to a lack of visibility? Is there anything you can do to help make sure people see you on the road?

 

[Promethium91]

And how do you know what gear you're in? Does it display?

 

[Y u No Share13]

I wish i had one omgg

 

[SexayMistahBee]

I've been driving a motorcycle since I was 16 and so have some people that I know and it's true, everybody gets into an accident at least once. Most of the time, it's not the motorcycle driver's fault but the fault of the car drivers who don't notice the motorcycles on the road.

I seriously wouldn't recommend a sports-bike as your first motorcycle. I guess that you're buying one because it looks great, and you think that you'd look great on it, too.
But you wont after the accident that will happen after showing off your great driving skills.

As for the cost:
The costs of motorcycles vary (duh) but the cost of maintenance usually don't. In my country, we take them to motorcycles to get them looked at and often spend a lot more than the price of gas on maintenance.

But if you live in one of those countries with personal garages and know how to take care of your own vehicles, you will save a lot of money.

Fun:
They're nice when you want to blow off some stress and want to detach yourself from the world.
But when you're just getting from A to B, it's just another form of transport.

Motorcycles are not really that fun unless you're into taking risks and getting into danger. Depending on some of your previous posts, they wont be so fun for you at all.

 

[DMR]

I always wanted to ride a motorcycle and was really planning on it but after some time, I realized how dangerous it is and heard of terrible stories and changed my mind. I'm not sure if biking on a normal bike is the same as riding a motorcycle but I've been almost hit so many times its not even funny on a normal bike by a car. If its the same, its just not for me. I get hurt a lot so its really nothing but death, I'm afraid to die. I'm reckless on two wheels so... yeah.

 

[AZZKMEFORJUZ]

I've been saving up for a bike actually, but I'm not sure if I want a sport bike or a touring bike...

 

[MohtasaUnique]

Ah, that's interesting. Sounds a lot easier to shift on a bike.

I used to have a manual transmission Mustang and you had to push the clutch down like a fucking mile, my shifts were awful. Went to an automatic after that to get better at just plain driving without worrying about it.

Now I've heard that most crashes are the fault of other drivers and not the people on motorcycles. Is this due to motorists not giving a shit about motorcycles, or is it due to a lack of visibility? Is there anything you can do to help make sure people see you on the road?

That's not something I know a lot about, I haven't been in a wreck yet. I guess it's a combination of bikes being smaller than cars and you fit in their blindspot better, quieter than cars (in most cases), and probably the fact that, when people see a bike in their mirror it's could be possible for them to derp and be like "oh its a bicycle, bikes are on sidewalks LANE CHANGE, LOL."

Also, the thing is, people are fucking idiots and will lane change into even giant ass trucks that are nose-and-nose with them (like some asians who landchanged into my 8" lifted 26" rims beast of a truck a few months ago). You don't hear much about that because it's no big deal, rub off the paint tranfer and knock out a dent. With bikes, getting switched into, and you'll have no choice but to drop your bike and roll to save yourself from being buried under 350lbs of machinery. Secondly, people can slam on their breaks when they're in cars, you don't have that capability on a bike. You can downshift into first and let go of the clutch, but your back break won't stop you very fast, and your front break will flip you over your handle bars. A lot of accidents are avoided by slamming on your break, so it makes sense that bikes get into wrecks more often

 

[MrLuckyDraw]

As much as I want a motorcycle, I will never have one. Philippines has a notoriously high crash rate, deterring my mom, and myself from getting one. They are cool though.

 

[Promethium91]

I just signed up for the Basic Riders course.

July 7th and 8th

 

[Promethium91]

This is sorta gravedigging(only 7 days, keep your panties on mods) but I wanted to write a followup post.

So I just finished my motorcycle training today, that's 6 hours of classroom and 10 hours of riding. I rode a lime green Ninja 250R, and damn I love that thing.

It was fucking fun as shit. It was better than sex, and I'm gonna be getting my own Ninja ASAP.

I highly recommend ANYBODY to go take a motorcycle course. As long as you're not a frail 12 year old that can't keep a bike up, go for it. Even if you don't want to ride a motorcycle ever again, just do it for the experience.

 

[Almond Joy]

This is sorta gravedigging(only 7 days, keep your panties on mods) but I wanted to write a followup post.

So I just finished my motorcycle training today, that's 6 hours of classroom and 10 hours of riding. I rode a lime green Ninja 250R, and damn I love that thing.

It was fucking fun as shit. It was better than sex, and I'm gonna be getting my own Ninja ASAP.

I highly recommend ANYBODY to go take a motorcycle course. As long as you're not a frail 12 year old that can't keep a bike up, go for it. Even if you don't want to ride a motorcycle ever again, just do it for the experience.

If I drove a motorcycle, I would probably stay at the right lane and drive on the dotted lines in between the lanes if theres traffic. this will result in extreme high mpg. i'm sure that insurance would be a shit load of money...

 

[nodnarbusn]

soooooo many crotch rocket lovers here, i owned a yz 250 for a few years i love dirtbiking and 4 wheeling. Recently sold it and bought an enduro for small trips in town.. im not really a fan riding on the streets too much as motorcyclists arent respected on the road at all. Most motorcyclists dont help by popping wheelies weaving in and out of traffic and generally riding like fucking idiots. Id rather stick to the dirt, that way if i bust my ass i dont have an suv on my tail to run me over.

 

And how do you know what gear you're in? Does it display?

Some bikes display, some bikes don't.
But as you get the hang of it, you won't even need it. They should teach you in practice that you shouldn't be looking at your meter anyway. Eyes always looking ahead

 

[Promethium91]

Some bikes display, some bikes don't.
But as you get the hang of it, you won't even need it. They should teach you in practice that you shouldn't be looking at your meter anyway. Eyes always looking ahead

Yeah, our instructor taught us that. The Ninja doesn't display gears, it only tells you when you're in neutral. It doesn't show how much fuel you have either.

He raced motorcycles professionally for 5 years. Did Laguna Seca and all those famous tracks. He was a cool guy.

 

[Nirvana]

Nah, I'm turning 15 and I have been thinking of getting one of those cross scooters, been thinking of an Yamaha DT 50.

I ain't into the new scooters. More into the old ones.

What do you guys think?