New to the Forum and to Riding
Thread Starter
Smoke_KOD
Squid
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 23
From: New Jersey
New to the Forum and to Riding
Hello!!
Just wanted to introduce myself. My name is Ron and I just purchased a 98 Super Hawk, I love it! Now this is my first bike and I have very little experience. In fact my first real ride other than riding a friends bike around the corner was the ride home today about 20 miles.
My neighbor spoke to me today about steering and shifting so far so good.
Safety gear - helmet, jacket with built in armor and gloves.
I plan on taking the motorcycle safety course next month (first available).
Any advice will be well received.
Ron
Pictures to follow, have to get them off of my phone.
Just wanted to introduce myself. My name is Ron and I just purchased a 98 Super Hawk, I love it! Now this is my first bike and I have very little experience. In fact my first real ride other than riding a friends bike around the corner was the ride home today about 20 miles.
My neighbor spoke to me today about steering and shifting so far so good.
Safety gear - helmet, jacket with built in armor and gloves.
I plan on taking the motorcycle safety course next month (first available).
Any advice will be well received.
Ron
Pictures to follow, have to get them off of my phone.
Senior Member
SuperBike
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 1,510
Welcome.
Immediately buy the book: "A Twist of the Wrist". Read it cover to cover, then have your friends quiz you on it.
Once you know all those answers, you're ready to start putting them to practice in real world scenarios
James
Immediately buy the book: "A Twist of the Wrist". Read it cover to cover, then have your friends quiz you on it.
Once you know all those answers, you're ready to start putting them to practice in real world scenarios
James
Senior Member
SuperSport
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 807
From: Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
Welcome to the forum! We know the joy of motorcycling but we also know the level of risk involved. We've ridden as long as we have due to our skill but also due to a measure of luck. We worry especially about new riders. So, enjoy the ride and ride a lot. The more you learn, the better it gets.
Senior Member
Back Marker
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 164
From: clarksville,tennessee
Where are you from? There are riders from all over here .Would be good to get together with some other hawk riders, most of us are friendly and knowledgeable.
Congrats on your chicken ....respect the throttle in low gears
Congrats on your chicken ....respect the throttle in low gears
Senior Member
MotoGP
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 3,871
From: Phoenix, AZ
+1 on practicing in the neighborhood or in parking lots. A book will help a lot... it allows you to understand concepts like countersteering, target fixation, and trail braking at your own pace. And not develop bad habits.
Another option is "Proficient Motorcycling" by David L. Hough
Another option is "Proficient Motorcycling" by David L. Hough
Senior Member
SuperSport
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 740
From: Pa
when riding with others
DO NOT TRY & Keep up with Them
RIDE AT YOUR OWN PACE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I really can't stress that enough.
I seen & have heard from others - people on group rides trying to act macho & ride faster than their ability. Death has occurred!
riding is fun - but dangerous.
ATGATT
Ride like your invisible - cagers never see motorcycles!
Have Fun - but please be safe
DO NOT TRY & Keep up with Them
RIDE AT YOUR OWN PACE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I really can't stress that enough.
I seen & have heard from others - people on group rides trying to act macho & ride faster than their ability. Death has occurred!
riding is fun - but dangerous.
ATGATT
Ride like your invisible - cagers never see motorcycles!
Have Fun - but please be safe
Senior Member
Superstock
Joined: Jul 2013
Posts: 458
From: Rome, GA
I wouldn't have dreamed of hopping on a super bike as my first motorcycle, I for sure would have been a buzzsplat on the highway. In fact I was riding for 5 years before I got my yzf600r and had a chance to buy a zzr1200 from the same dealer for the same price and I opted for the 600 so I wouldn't kill myself lol. That being said if you respect the bike, don't let your ego or emotions control you, and ride sensibly you could be okay. However you would learn much faster and have an easier time if you started out on a smaller bike. I generally suggest older ujm's and sub 500cc modern bikes (of course the new 650 twins are great too) for first year riders. You can pic up a mid 80's Yamaha xj seca for dirt cheap (or similar bikes like Honda nighthawks) and they are a blast to beat on even when experienced (in fact I just picked up a project bandit 400 for almost nothing to beat up on and will have less than $500 in it when its running) plus learning to work on an old fixer upper will help you tremendously if you ever break down somewhere and need to troubleshoot a problem
Thread Starter
Smoke_KOD
Squid
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 23
From: New Jersey
Thanks for all of the advice. I have been practicing all day today in my neighborhood. Turning and starting and stoping. I will practice around here mostly cornering until I feel its safe for me to be in traffic.
I live in Burlington County NJ anyone live in the area?
Ron
I live in Burlington County NJ anyone live in the area?
Ron
Senior Member
Superstock
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 250
From: Seattle
Probably the top three things I would think of, and they'll teach you in MSF, is
1. Look where you want to go, because you're going to go where you're looking.
2. Countersteering. It's the only way to move the bike around. Push slightly on the handlebar in the direction that you want to turn.
3. The front brake is your friend. Practice stopping with it, but don't lock it up.
Twist of the wrist is a great book, and several readings are recommended.
The suggestion about quiet neighborhoods and parking lots is a great one, you want to be able to start and stop frequently to build up the muscle memory and reflexes without getting too much speed up, and without getting into traffic situations that can get you hurt.
Follow up on the MSF course... they have a lot of good training that will help you to stay alive.
I'm guessing from your forum name that you're military?? (or police maybe?)
I'm retired Army.
1. Look where you want to go, because you're going to go where you're looking.
2. Countersteering. It's the only way to move the bike around. Push slightly on the handlebar in the direction that you want to turn.
3. The front brake is your friend. Practice stopping with it, but don't lock it up.
Twist of the wrist is a great book, and several readings are recommended.
The suggestion about quiet neighborhoods and parking lots is a great one, you want to be able to start and stop frequently to build up the muscle memory and reflexes without getting too much speed up, and without getting into traffic situations that can get you hurt.
Follow up on the MSF course... they have a lot of good training that will help you to stay alive.
I'm guessing from your forum name that you're military?? (or police maybe?)
I'm retired Army.
Senior Member
Superstock
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 250
From: Seattle
...with Destiny. I never did meet Destiny, but I there was this cute blonde arab linguist... oh, wait, that's another story.
Ft Cambell, huh?? I spent my last year there in the MI battalion. Have the tattoo to prove it.
There's some gorgeous riding out there too. We used to meet up and head west and then south down any roads that looked good, and wind up in Nashville hours later to slab it home.
Ft Cambell, huh?? I spent my last year there in the MI battalion. Have the tattoo to prove it.
There's some gorgeous riding out there too. We used to meet up and head west and then south down any roads that looked good, and wind up in Nashville hours later to slab it home.
Senior Member
Superstock
Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 344
pfft the SH is a great bike to learn on!
forgiving throttle, soft forgiving suspension and brakes...as long as you're a big enough fellow that the weight isn't a problem at slow speeds it's fine!
I would put someone on an SH over a 600cc supersport any day.
forgiving throttle, soft forgiving suspension and brakes...as long as you're a big enough fellow that the weight isn't a problem at slow speeds it's fine!
I would put someone on an SH over a 600cc supersport any day.
Senior Member
MotoGP
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 3,871
From: Phoenix, AZ
A 600rr is a perfect beginner bike, what are you talking about?!!
Senior Member
Back Marker
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 156
From: Santa Cruz, CA
While I can agree to a certain point, a 600 supersport of equivalent year would not be nearly as a hand full as the superhawk could be. Immediate torque, power, and shitty suspension make this bike unfriendly to the newer rider. Suspension is not worthy of a bumpy road and could cause a new rider fatigue or even a crash. Many things to address maintenance wise also that make it a bit much for a new rider. Those 600's you can ease into the throttle and learn the bike at a slower rate vs having all the power on tap low in the rpms. It's heavy also compared to a 600. Not sure if i'm making the point, but I'd rather learn on a 600. But my first street bike was a 93vfr pig, so what do I know.
Senior Member
Superstock
Joined: Jul 2013
Posts: 458
From: Rome, GA
of course thats because the Thundercat was Yamaha's last of the Deltabox frames that were all steel instead of the Aluminum framed deltabox II they came out with in the R6 the next year Of course after the R6 replaced the 600R in 98 the 600R continued production unchanged until 2007 when it was eventually replaced by the FZ6R as Yamaha's new entry level supersport 600. After a 12 year run with the last 10 it remained unchanged other than paint schemes it had a pretty good run as far as motorcycles go
Senior Member
Superstock
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 466
From: SF Bay Area
I'm just a young punk and new to riding (appx 2 years) but one bit of advice I can offer is never be afraid to let the bike go if things are going wrong. I know in turns powering out is usually an option, (quite frankly almost always an option) but the bike can be trashed and your life will go on. If you get trashed life will not go on the same. If the situation calls for a unintentional dismount, let go. The bike can be replaced, you cant. Sorry if that was a bad example but I hop the point goes across.
Squid of the Year
Squid
Joined: Aug 2013
Posts: 37
From: Athens, GR
My small amateur piece of advice
Keep it simple. Don't push yourself on the road. If you're feeling lucky, remember you're not alone.
This bike is forgiving. But bikes only do what their rider tells them to do. If you fall, 99% it's your fault.
Welcome to riding.
Keep it simple. Don't push yourself on the road. If you're feeling lucky, remember you're not alone.
This bike is forgiving. But bikes only do what their rider tells them to do. If you fall, 99% it's your fault.
Welcome to riding.
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