Good leather jackets are pretty affordable...plus you could always find something hardly used on CL or something...
Well I failed.....
- Thread starter Spunger
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I will add one:
NEVER put a girl on your bike who is not at least as well-covered/protected as you. No bare skin, unless you don't mind scraping it up off the pavement.
I occasionally ride my husband's bike, and I ride in jeans and old boots (ropers). My husband says this is not good enough, and that I should get a pair of kevlar jeans and some better boots as soon as possible.
PS. And TAKE the motorcycle safety course.
There are 2 kinds of motorcyclists: those who have wrecked, and those who are going to wreck. Wear leather, even when it's 110 degrees.
There's no such thing as a fender bender on a motorcycle.
I agree that you should take an MSF course. It's more expensive but it'll learn ya up good. They teach how how to handle a bike, what to look for, and how to react in bad situations. The DMV simply doesn't have the time to care, nor should they. It's YOUR responsibility, and from what you said you went into it pretty lazy.
I just finished my MSF course last month through the local community college. It cost about $250 for a three day-course that included class-time and two days of motorcycle training on Honda 250cc street bikes. At the end of the sections you take the DMV written test and the riding test. For what it's worth, because of that class, I passed the written test with 100% and scored a 95% on my riding test. They just handed me a sheet, signed and ready... I took it to the DMV, paid my $7 and bam... motorcycle certified. It's invaluable.
Always ride like everyone is out to get you, and don't do anything stupid. Ride with the proper gear... riding with shorts, a t-shirt and sandals only make you an idiot.
I'm not a crotch rocket fan but am currently enjoying riding my 250cc Scooter around while I get the below beast up and running. A 1976 Honda GL1000 (early goldwing).
I just finished my MSF course last month through the local community college. It cost about $250 for a three day-course that included class-time and two days of motorcycle training on Honda 250cc street bikes. At the end of the sections you take the DMV written test and the riding test. For what it's worth, because of that class, I passed the written test with 100% and scored a 95% on my riding test. They just handed me a sheet, signed and ready... I took it to the DMV, paid my $7 and bam... motorcycle certified. It's invaluable.
Always ride like everyone is out to get you, and don't do anything stupid. Ride with the proper gear... riding with shorts, a t-shirt and sandals only make you an idiot.
I'm not a crotch rocket fan but am currently enjoying riding my 250cc Scooter around while I get the below beast up and running. A 1976 Honda GL1000 (early goldwing).
I agree that you should take an MSF course. It's more expensive but it'll learn ya up good. They teach how how to handle a bike, what to look for, and how to react in bad situations. The DMV simply doesn't have the time to care, nor should they. It's YOUR responsibility, and from what you said you went into it pretty lazy.
I just finished my MSF course last month through the local community college. It cost about $250 for a three day-course that included class-time and two days of motorcycle training on Honda 250cc street bikes. At the end of the sections you take the DMV written test and the riding test. For what it's worth, because of that class, I passed the written test with 100% and scored a 95% on my riding test. They just handed me a sheet, signed and ready... I took it to the DMV, paid my $7 and bam... motorcycle certified. It's invaluable.
Always ride like everyone is out to get you, and don't do anything stupid. Ride with the proper gear... riding with shorts, a t-shirt and sandals only make you an idiot.
I'm not a crotch rocket fan but am currently enjoying riding my 250cc Scooter around while I get the below beast up and running. A 1976 Honda GL1000 (early goldwing).
They made you take the road test even though you passed the MSF coarse???? Most states if you pass the coarse, you already pased your drive test
The official DMV test was included within the MSF course. We practiced riding for Saturday and Sunday, and then the last 45 minutes was the "official DMV riding test" part. One of the MSF instructors was a licensed DMV official and he scored us. When we passed, he signed our form, which we took to the local DMV office, paid, and was done.
Wow, failed 3 times. Someone else said
Do as others have said READ the manual Take the MSF and for your own safety dont be a tool. Buy the best gear you can afford NO mesh jackets. Buy a good, well fitting helmet, leather gloves, leather jacket and appropriate foot wear, i.e. no sneakers, leather boots that cover your ankles at a minimum. Jeans are ok if your not out railing in the countryside but make sure you dont have any holes in them or your farcked.
I ride this
I have to agree. Even though you are 26 you dont show the responsibility level to safely own or operate a motorcycle.
Do as others have said READ the manual Take the MSF and for your own safety dont be a tool. Buy the best gear you can afford NO mesh jackets. Buy a good, well fitting helmet, leather gloves, leather jacket and appropriate foot wear, i.e. no sneakers, leather boots that cover your ankles at a minimum. Jeans are ok if your not out railing in the countryside but make sure you dont have any holes in them or your farcked.
I ride this
Actually...a buddy was out riding when a deer ran out in front of him...somehow he stayed upright and only destroyed the front fender.
Yeah......because everyone all time time is responsible? I've ridden dirt bikes and quads many times, so operating them isn't the problem. So I failed a written test. I think I skimmed the book, never really read it. I was more upset at the time with taking it 3 times in a row and failing it. It's since been my only reading material. I've high-lighted portions that are important, stuided the missed ones on my tests, and have been reading it daily. Believe me, I do want to pass the next time I take it.
After riding downhill bikes I know the importance of gear. I know that as someone who wants to ride a motorcycle the gloves/helmet/jacket are things you don't skimp on. After all I only have one head. I see lots of leather items, then alot that have kevlar in spots or the "mesh" jackets I guess you guys refer to. Around here a lot of people have Icon or Joe Rocket. I know that though no matter how hot it is a those 3 things are mandatory.
I figured once I pass the permit test since you can have it for a year I'd get use to the bike and riding for a few months, then take our local MSF course (well not local, 45 minutes away) on a weekend and substitute that for the driving portion. I know here in California that is what the MSF course does.
Thanks for the advice though!
Yea accidents suck... but hearing things like this didn't keep you from wanting a car right? $hit happens, no matter what you drive, hell, you can get killed just as easy walking.
On that note... I have had my bike for almost 10 years, its a lot of fun and yes you are invisible to other people, you must drive 100% defensively.
And +1 on the MSF course, you learn a lot more about a bike, that you would normally learn the "hard way" out on the road.
Perhaps that's true if you drive like a jackass, but it does not generally apply.
Yes, yes. You owe it to yourself, your internal organs, and others on the road. It's a fun enough way to spend a weekend anyhow.
And that right there is a HUGE flag that tells me your not ready. I know people say there are two types of riders, those who have crashed and those who will. But I like to say there are those who are riders, and those who are just operators.
First BIG flag for me, is your looking at this with...."Ive ridden dirtbikes and quads....." You will be absolutly amazed how much you dont know when you take the class. Its not just leaning, ocuntersteering stopping ETC. Second flag, you wanted this, so you skimmed over the manual and went for it. Not a good way to show responsiblity and maturity.
Slow down, read the manual a time or three, go take your written test, go take the MSF class then go ride. Do it in this order, we all want you to live longer.
Where are the pedals?i race moped's
That appears to be a run-of-the-mill scooter.
I agree with you 100% about riders and operators. I guess I was vague at what I know about quads/dirtbikes. I've ridden them to the point where I'm comfortable with the clutch/brakes and operation of the controls. I know dirt riding & street riding are like night/day differences. I've eaten it a few times too so I know that they're fun, they are toys, but you can end up hurt pretty bad (or dead) for using them.
I'll end up taking the MSF course no matter what. Not only have I heard nothing but good things from it, as even people with years and years of experience sign up to take it but I do value life. I know being on a motorcycle probably creates that percentage that death is more around than in say a car. I'm fully aware of that.
I've been studying and feel that I do understand a lot of the things that I missed. I guess the book's like the DMV's book for when you take your license. You know the book & answers but you break the laws half the time (speed limits/running yellow lights etc...). Please no one scold me on that one. I know everyone has broken a traffic law at some point (if not daily).
I don't plan on breaking laws while on a motorcycle. I know that going between cars or racing around will just end up with me on the ground. I've seen too many cars with rage against motorcycles OR the motorcycle just isn't seen. I can't see some people that ride scooters because my truck sits up high......so I understand how they can't be seen.
Thanks for the encouragement though, I re-read some of these posts and realized there's a lot that do ride motorcycles and have postive things and outlooks on learning. I know that it will always be a learning experience.
One more comment:
I showed up to the local hangout/bar on my motorcycle when I was at college and ran into a friend of mine who also rode a motorcycle. He pointed to the beer in my hand and asked me if I were on the bike.
Me: Yeah, but it's my only beer.
This guys who was ALWAYS joking suddenly got deadly serious.
Him: That's one too many.
Me: But it's just one beer...
Him: That's one. Too. Many.
He glared at me.
Me: Um, OK.
I put down the beer and went to the bar to ask for a water.
If you're on the bike, NEVER EVER drink. Period. Odds are stacked against you enough already.
I showed up to the local hangout/bar on my motorcycle when I was at college and ran into a friend of mine who also rode a motorcycle. He pointed to the beer in my hand and asked me if I were on the bike.
Me: Yeah, but it's my only beer.
This guys who was ALWAYS joking suddenly got deadly serious.
Him: That's one too many.
Me: But it's just one beer...
Him: That's one. Too. Many.
He glared at me.
Me: Um, OK.
I put down the beer and went to the bar to ask for a water.
If you're on the bike, NEVER EVER drink. Period. Odds are stacked against you enough already.
Many riding drunk stories here mostly involving dirtbikes (I used to ride with a bunch of dipshats). the worst one was a friend of mine passed out while cruising at 65 down the highway he veered off the road, got tossed ended up back in the road ground his ankle to a nub rolled back into the ditch where he layed passed out until the next morning. A truck driving to work on the rural road saw the bike down in the ditch stopped and found him nearly dead from loss of blood. He was airlifted to the nearest hospital.......surgery, bone grafts, skin grafts and nearly going bankrupt and loosing everything Ted doesnt drink and ride anymore. If he didnt live in redneckville where everyone has giant trucks he would have never been found alive.