First bike!

[killer tiller]

I'm lucky. I'm in Florida, we don't really get winter. It might hit 30 at midnight for a week and then back to being warm

Ah lucky you. Guess the only thing you have to worry about is alligators lol

 

[mustangGT90210]

Ah lucky you. Guess the only thing you have to worry about is alligators lol

That would be a lot funnier if I hadn't already hit a 6 foot gator in my truck

 

[Time_Attack]

Did you get a nice pair of boots out of it?

 

[wfooshee]

Someone said alligators???? (All from my local state park, over several visits.)

 

[Thatman]

I'll have clear glasses. I'm not big on the clear visor thing... Just a looks thing to me, I want them mirrored like my Oakley sunglasses

EDIT: Decided on a blue mirrored finish.

Clear glasses for at night? Yeah that wouldn't be so bad. 👍
But mine makes me feel like a fighter pilot.

 

[Time_Attack]

This is what mine looks like.

 

[mustangGT90210]

My helmet, but in a little better shape! Mine has a few more scratches and stuff from being stored in a garage for a while. It fell and got nicks and scratches and what not. It's never taken a hit to the road though so I'd say it's good

Did you get a nice pair of boots out of it?

No, I kept right on going cause that was right next to the entrance of the state park they're protected in haha I wasn't paying that fine!

 

[killer tiller]

My helmet, Icon Airframe Team. Had to wait a couple years till I found a store that sold them in Australia. I love it

 

[mustangGT90210]

Cancelled this weekend class. How do I know? Cause I wasted $10 in gas to drive over there to find the whole damn place shut down. Apparently sending me an email is too hard. Needless to say, I'm taking my money back and going to a Ride Safe USA course, ya know, because they actually run them.

FML

 

[Thatman]

Wow, nice...

 

[Bopop4]

Cancelled this weekend class. How do I know? Cause I wasted $10 in gas to drive over there to find the whole damn place shut down. Apparently sending me an email is too hard. Needless to say, I'm taking my money back and going to a Ride Safe USA course, ya know, because they actually run them.

FML

That sucks.

I don't think that this is my exact model, but the paint is the same.
It looks nice, only problem is that I think that it looks a bit like a USSR star lol.

 

[Time_Attack]

I tried on an Icon helmet but found they aren't made for people with round heads. Another guy at work had a Shoei but he paid about $500 for it. Mine cost me about $150 and fits my rather circular cranium just fine.

 

[mustangGT90210]

And todays class cancelled too. Screw this. I'm going to go raise hell until I get my money back and go somewhere that actually runs their ****

 

[VEXD]

It sux, but there's a recession going on in places around the world.

If you had to get out of bed, go spend money running bikes up and put all your gear on to train one or two guys, when you could leave it till another day and train 15 or so at once, what would you do for the sake of your business and your livelihood?

You'd probably cancel the course that day.

I am speculating, and am probably wayyyy off the mark, but it is feasible that someone is either sick, or too busy, or simply cannot afford to come out to train one or two people at once.

Maybe that's all it is.

Don't feel bad.
Look at it this way: maybe you weren't supposed to be riding today, and if you had, something could have gone wrong.
You didn't ride, as you weren't supposed to be, so when you do, everything will go right.

I have had rain in England since about April the 1st.
It's really only stopped for a couple of days here and there in the past 3 months.
Once when I had my free bike assessment day.
Once when I had my CBT two weex ago.
Yesterday when I started my training week.
I am not training today, and it rained hard this morning.
Apparently it's going to be nice tomorrow, when I go back to train for the week.

Some things happen for a reason you have no control over, but they steer you onto a different path in life.

Try another school if that's what feels right.

👍

 

[mustangGT90210]

It is what feels right. They need 4 people to run the class, and can register up to 6 or 7 per class. Looking at their schedule, there are 5 to 6 places left in each upcoming class for the next 3 weeks.

Ride Safe in sarasota runs their classes much more frequently, and that's a city with many many more bikes and people getting started

 

[Spirithockey61]

Ninja 250/500 are pretty decent bikes. Anything under 600 though is a little to small/lightweight for highway riding.

I have a 250 and its just fine on the highway. Tops at 110mph. Plenty fast enough for the highway. I also have an r6. I actually prefer my 250 over the r6 when it comes to highway (NOT TWISTIES) riding.

 

[Time_Attack]

My impression of the 250 is that you really have to wring it out to get that sort of speed. My buddy just got a free 2009 250R so I'll let you know how it compares to my 650R once he lets me ride it.

 

[Thatman]

A free bike? How do I get that deal!?!

 

[Time_Attack]

Its complicated... He has a transport business moving motorcycles from auctions to dealers. Basically it was part of a business deal with a long time associate. Thats how I understand it.

From what I understand it has 3000 miles and is a special edition model with the green/black/white paint job.

 

[wfooshee]

Sounds like somebody shipped a bike and didn't pay the bill, or never picked it up at the destination. That bike may end up with a salvage title, so free is good, but not much value in it.

 

[mustangGT90210]

Got my shield in the mail today! So I'll have it for my MSF class Saturday and Sunday morning

 

[VEXD]

Yay!

Good luck with that course.

My fingers are crossed that you actually do get to do a course this weekend.

(They might not actually be crossed)

By the way, I cannot condone the fact that you are wearing someone else's lid, but I also cannot type one single thing that will stop you.

Good Luck!

👍

 

[mustangGT90210]

Thanks!

This helmet is mainly to get my through until after my tuition payment in august. I can't afford to drop the extra on a new helmet right now. It's a new jacket and a used helmet that hasn't been in a wreck. Or a new helmet and no jacket... So I chose the safer one methinks.

I'm going to get a good night sleep and be ready and rarin' to go in the morning

 

[Thatman]

Scweet!

 

[VEXD]

So, how did it go then?

👍

 

[mustangGT90210]

Today went pretty well. Learned a LOT of stuff for slow speed manuvers and how to better lean it over. The range bikes also showed me that I need to check out my back brake because it takes forever in the pedal travel till it bites.

Makes me appreciate my GS500's power after being on a Kawasaki 250 cruiser. That thing is gutless!

 

[wfooshee]

Basically learning where to point your eyes is about the best thing you can possibly learn, and they make you learn it in that class, don't they?

 

[Bopop4]

I need to check out my back brake because it takes forever in the pedal travel till it bites.

You don't really even need to use the back brake when you're riding.
But the rear should be adjusted just incase.

 

[VEXD]

Best brake to use when something surprises you half way around a slow corner.

IMO.

And the opinion of my instructor.

Worst brake to use when doing an emergency stop in your MOD 1 test.

👍

 

[wfooshee]

Rear brake is also handy while running in the friction zone in parking lots and whatnot, just a little drag can help with the balance sometimes.