New rider questions

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captainslow
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New rider questions

Post by captainslow »

Hi all -

As some of you know, I got the M added to my license, and picked up a F650GS Dakar recently. I'm a first time rider and have been practicing on the roads around the Eisenhower Ave. Metro in Alexandria. I've found that the bike is actually easier to ride than the 125cc Kawasaki Eliminator (terrible name) that I puttered around on in the MSF class. It's hard to stall out and I haven't done any wheelies yet. It also has both of its mirrors and all of its turn signals and, so far, is dent free.

I'm asking if you have any tips on areas in NoVA, MD or even DC for a n00b to go to practice, areas to avoid, anything you can think of of what to practice (for ex., I've been practicing hard stops and downshifting to a stop), and, especially, at what point do you think it's safe to go on a larger road - like the beltway - or other areas where there is quite a bit of traffic. I know it's all subjective but I do appreciate any local pointers.

Be assured that I won't go anywhere or do anything outside of my comfort zone. It's just that I don't know when it's the appropriate time to take it to the next level. I just don't want to get comfortable on the local neighborhood roads, and then become a bloody pancake on 95. If you can tell, I'm pretty paranoid (to the point where I'm sure I've just jinxed myself horribly by giving the above favorable comparison of my bike). At some point, I'd like to do the roads up by Skyline Drive, but I'm taking it slow - tackling the GW Parkway this week.

So far I've been advised not to ride when it's dark outside or in inclement weather. And that I should avoid group rides. And that I should ride ATGATT (I do wear all of my gear). And that's it's good to be paranoid. And that something horrible will probably happen. But to not be too paranoid :|

Oh also here's a random question - when should the rear brake be used? The MSF people said to use both brakes all the time, but I've heard others say to use the rear brake only in limited circumstances b/c it can lead to a high side fall. If you have any thoughts on this, I'd love to hear them. Also, are there any motorcycle sites/blogs that you read that are helpful or interesting? I've been looking for something along the lines of Jalopnik but haven't been able to find anything. As always, your thoughts are highly appreciated. Thank you!
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complacent
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Re: New rider questions

Post by complacent »

knowing that area well, i've got a few suggestions:

the bulk of your day to day riding is going to be in stop and go traffic - old town is perfect for that. pick a few streets east or west of washington st and just stop and go at every corner stop sign. practice turning in both directions from a stop, it'll come in handy. practice starting from a stop on hills. once you feel comfortable navigating old town, try taking washington to gw parkway. you can take gw parkway all the way past the md exit for 495 and get off at the first exit for 193. that'll give you a nice, gentle loop where you can work with higher speeds and not the same level of insanity as 395/495/95/etc. once you're comfortable with those two, check out kirby road, it's the first left off of the 123 westbound exit. there's a gas station at the corner. kirby is low traffic, low speed and offers many turns with changing elevation and camber. perfect to work on your confidence in turns. 193 itself is a pretty good ride too. head up towards great falls park and then turn left away from the entrance. go past the shopping center on your left and turn left at the next light. that'll run you back into 193. fun loop ;) if you can do any/all of these in the rain, you can handle all of dc/md/va. just keep your head on a swivel.

riding in the dark isn't too big a deal, you just have to remember not to overdrive your headlight. if you can't see through to the end of your turn, you're probably going too fast on two wheels. riding in the rain requires you to be slower, lean less and be smoother on the brakes. i wouldn't necessarily shy away from rain, just start by cutting speed and reducing your lean angles greatly.

in my experience, most group rides end up in a few crashes. the only group ride i'd recommend is the one that puts you at the front of the pack. slowest rider should always be first, or at least second behind a more experienced rider that is aware of your abilities. partner rides tend to work out better in my experience.

rear brake should be used all the time on the street. does your beemer have abs? if so, you may have to use both brakes in order to get full braking capability. for example, my fjr has linked abs. i have 8pot front calipers and 4pot rears. if i apply the rear brake only, i get two pots rear and two pots front. if i apply the front only, i get six front. regardless of what people will tell you, maximum braking effort is achieved with both brakes concurrently.

that being said, if you don't have abs, too much rear brake can be very bad. if you happen to lock up the rear brake and the rear tire makes any lateral movement - don't let go of the rear brake. you'll become super woman. until you smack something. hard.

personally, i think a good few months of practice should get you ready for highway trips. might be sooner. try during low-traffic hours first for sure. i've often heard six months in the saddle or 3000 miles as a good barometer of n00bness. ymmv.

hope this helps. :)
colin

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captainslow
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Re: New rider questions

Post by captainslow »

Colin - this is good stuff. Extremely helpful. Thank you! :nana:

My bike does have ABS but I don't believe the brakes are linked or integrated. I guess with ABS, I shouldn't be worried too much about the rear brakes locking up. However, the reason for my concern is that I just read that ABS isn't a fail-safe measure on a bike, so that's why I was wondering about rear brake usage. From the book I read, it sounded like ABS can't really help you while you're turning, but you're not supposed to hit the brakes while turning anyway, so I'll just try to force feed my brain that info. I will use both brakes when stopping. Logic says it's better to have the max stopping power when you need it.

I'm relieved to know there are good places nearby to practice a variety of techniques. At this point in my learning process, I'm a little nervous to ride out to explore new roads so your tips are very much appreciated. I do love the roads around Great Falls and I'm looking forward to giving them a spin on the Dakar.

Thanks again! 8)
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captainslow
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Re: New rider questions

Post by captainslow »

Oh yeah, here's a pic b/c threads are useless without 'em.

Image

No pic of me b/c I look like a goddamn whale in my gear.
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Mr Kleen
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Re: New rider questions

Post by Mr Kleen »

Blixa wrote:No pic of me b/c I look like a goddamn whale in my gear.
I find that rather difficult to believe.

My best friend Steve just bought a bike too. I feel like Han Solo: while I'm frozen everyone is out learning to be Jedi. :(
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drwrx
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Re: New rider questions

Post by drwrx »

Mr Kleen wrote:I feel like Han Solo: while I'm frozen everyone is out learning to be Jedi.
Just delusions of grandeur.
(says the guy who hasn't ridden a motorcycle in nearly 30 years)
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complacent
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Re: New rider questions

Post by complacent »

Blixa wrote:Oh yeah, here's a pic b/c threads are useless without 'em.

Image
great looking bike! love it!
Blixa wrote:No pic of me b/c I look like a goddamn whale in my gear.
:rolllaugh: :rolllaugh: :rolllaugh: :rolllaugh: :rolllaugh: :rolllaugh: :rolllaugh:

that's funny. unless your gear inflates to 30psi, i'm going to say it's impossible for you to look like a whale.
colin

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zaxrex
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Re: New rider questions

Post by zaxrex »

Patience is the ability to idle your motor when you feel like stripping your gears
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