New rider

Hello,

I am getting my temps in a couple of days and my bike on Thurs. I am new to street bikes in general. I have ridden a couple of dirt bikes in the past but it's been some time. Around 10 years or so. I am 30 and I am a pretty big guy.

I am getting a pretty good deal on my bike if the guy doesn't back out of it. It's a 1996 Honda Shadow A.C.E. VT1100 and I am getting it for $2300.00. I know this is a big bike for a first timer. I have talked to a few guys that ride and one of them is also an instructor and they all think that I have a level enough head to maintain proper throttle control and not go crazy. I plan on taking the MSF course which here in Ohio it's only $25.00 for the course. I also plan on riding it on the side streets where there isn't any traffic to practice before taking it out in traffic.

Now it's time for me to put on my flame retardant suit. Fire away guys and gals.

25 bucks you can't go wrong there! Good luck to you in the MSF and learning to ride that huge machine. I think you should be OK, have tons of confidence and take her slow, but at the same time puch yourself a little. Also I would ride as least as possible before the MSF, to prevent yourself from teaching yourself poor habits.

Hey I am not going to flame you. <G> I started on an 800 cc Triumph and lived to tell about it. Your dirt bike experience will help a lot, even though it's been a while.

The MSF course will help a lot; then like you say practice in a parking lot. If you have friends that ride, maybe they can ride tail gunner while you putz around on the side streets and practice your new skills.

Congrats on the new bike!
Ride safe and watch out for those cars!

Thanks guys.

And thanks for not flaming me.

I'm a brand new rider too and my I bought a 2001 Shadow Sabre. Its a pretty big bike but I've found the power band to be really forgiving and I have to be trying to scare myself with too much throttle. It will definitely get moving though! I did take my time with the clutch and throttle to get a good feel for them.

Hey guys im 18 and i just bought a 2001 r6 today. I have ridden dirtbikes and practiced on my friends Zx10r kawasaki which was a good learning experience.. i was driving around my neighborhood and im really getting the feel for the bike but my confidence at slow speeds is not where i want it to be. DO u guys have any suggestions on how to make tighter turns? I mean sometimes i have to stop and back the bike up cause i can't make tight enough turns on it. But at high speeds i feel incredibly comfortable on it. I am pretty addicted. :)

Hey guys im 18 and i just bought a 2001 r6 today. I have ridden dirtbikes and practiced on my friends Zx10r kawasaki which was a good learning experience.. i was driving around my neighborhood and im really getting the feel for the bike but my confidence at slow speeds is not where i want it to be. DO u guys have any suggestions on how to make tighter turns? I mean sometimes i have to stop and back the bike up cause i can't make tight enough turns on it. But at high speeds i feel incredibly comfortable on it. I am pretty addicted. :)

You can make tight turns with practice. In the MSF I took they suggested the rider looking where they want to turn, this will help you out with your turns. I suggest to any new rider to take the MSF course it will teach you many things like tight turns, emergency braking and swerving to avoid obstacles. Also try riding a smaller bike, they make tighter turns also.

How do you like your R6? I have an 01 as well. It is blue, what color is yours? How many miles, etc?

Hi r6biker!

The thing with sportbikes is they turn real, real easy at high speeds and lean like crazy. At slow speeds they are actually a bit more difficult to turn tight than cruisers.

If you take the MSF course, you practice figure 8s and u-turns ina box aLOT.

In slow, tight spaces, you can lean your body=put your weight on the OPPOSITE peg than the direction you are turning. Say I am turning left at a slow parking lot u-turn..I kind of put more weight on my right peg. <this is the opposite of turning at high speed where you are kissing the left mirror and leaning your body to the left > It is very hard to explain in writing but if you practice it at the MSF it would help.

also.... you can dab just a touch of rear brake to make a tighter u-turn. That is a more advanced technique though, I am just mentioning it...especially with sport bike brakes I'd be a little careful with that until you are more familiar with the bike.

Congratulations and welcome...really suggest the MSf even though you have dirt experience.

I just finished the MSF course. You ride Honda 125's but they work. They make you run 90-degree turns, and I mean they are tight. Morse so than the actual test. We also practiced stopping in a turn, turning in mid second, emergency braking and various other maneuvers that you would encounter in every day ridding. I was far more confident with my skills at the end, and it makes the actual driving test much easier as they run you through the test several times before you are scored.
I tested in Ontario, so I don't know if the course differs that much, but I do feel it is a definite if you are a new rider.