am i crazy

[Phantom 31]

Welcome to the Phantom family! Probably jumped the gun a bit on purchasing before MSF (but hey, I bought mine only 1 month after taking MSF last year).
Please don't use your new bike for the MSF course! They have little Rebel's you can drop all day and not feel bad; better to be safe. Also, as mentioned, take it easy your first couple months and enjoy; it's a really great bike!

[El Fenix]

Gotta go with the general line of thinking here......Even after the MSf class, the odds are pretty good you will drop it. If you dont have crash bars on the new bike, get them.

Dont ask me how I know.........

Also, make sure to practice right turns from a stop. We didnt cover that in class, and I didnt practice them till one day it bit me in the behind.

[marcham]

Originally Posted by Canyon

Oh man... another noob with a new bike......
You would be much better of to let that thing sit and go get a beater for $500 that is safe for the road. Even with the MSF....

You will hate yourself much less when you fall over on that beater.

Good luck and welcome!

Agreed ... many, many, many riders will drop their 1st bike.

I recall the stats something like 95% of riders will drop a bike at some point in their life, and 50% of riders will drop or crash in the first year.

When I took my course (about 20 in class), 2 students were showing up at the class on their motorcycles (that's right, no license!). By the end of the course, neither of them were riding their bikes to class, both had dropped it!

I know it'll feel silly at first, but I recommend to all my friends who start to ride (unless they have a lot of dirt bike experience) to get something cheap between 300-600cc for the first season. There's lots of bikes in this range and when you sell it the following season, you'll be out a few hundred buck max. With a smaller lighter bike, at least if you start to loose balance you have a chance to save it, not so with your nice shiny Shadow. Have you priced out a set of pipes, a handlebar and controls? Heck, I managed a 6000 mile trip on my GPZ305. You can have a tun of fun for a season on a 250-300cc dual sport.

This article is worth reading: http://www.chuckhawks.com/good_first_motorcycles.htm

[meschenk]

1. Polish and take pictures of it while its still looking great.

2. Read over a thread (If you haven't already.) It is written by riders that are quite experienced, not only in riding, but also with a bike very similar to yours.

3. I bought my bike in May following my MSF course. I bought it used (amazing price) and in great condition. Yes I am still in my first year of riding, no I have not dropped it.

4. If you are good on a bicycle and drive a manual transmission car; riding your motorcycle will feel natural. I used to mountain bike over 10 miles a day, and could ride fantastically on the roads without using the handlebars. Turning on a bicycle like that is similar to turning on a motorcycle because your body weight controls much of the turn.

5. Go at your own pace; like many others have said, I spent my first 2 months not leaving my town. Now I just pick a road and go.

6. Pay attention to the road surface. (Rt 130 in NJ has horrid bumps in the road every 20 feet, like someone laid a 4x4 down across the lanes.) I would ride standing up over the bumps and the bike would still almost pop me off of the foot pegs.

[jdcone]

I third the POS bike first. Get on a dirt bike first. The dirt is more forgiving. For a lot of us riding just came natural. I jumped on a bike when I was 9. Figured it out in 5 minutes. Taught my little brother in less than an hour. But I could NEVER teach my other brother. He just wasn't coordinated enough to pull the clutch, downshift and operate both brakes at the same time.

[brian12pme]

I just started riding last Sept after taking the BRC, so here's my 2 cents...

1. Leave that beautiful bike in the garage until after the basic rider course.

2. Get your gear - in Illinois the basic rider course required gloves and boots. Beware wearing Timberland or other big work boots with steel toes - I did this and had real trouble getting my toe under the gear shifter. You also don't want to find out at the last minute that any other gear (jacket, helmet, etc.) doesn't fit right before you are ready to unleash the phantom.

3. Scope out your neighborhood (in your car) for some large parking lots near you so after you finish the course you can practice in a safe place. Look for some quiet streets near home to get comfortable at a lower speeds before hitting the faster streets.

Good luck!

[Badoshadow]

I did the same thing last year. Be patient, keep doing what you are doing. When the class is over ride and enjoy

[oblivion_twister]

just don't get too mad when you do drop it and get your first dent, scrape or scar, it will happen. You've pretty much jinxed yourself by getting a brand new bike for a first bike.

[kolohe]

I do NOT recommend it, but I bought a new bike (it was a 400) and learned to ride it from reading the owner's manual! Practiced 3 days then went and took my test. I practiced a lot with the clutch release as you are and especially practiced stopping the bike. I'd move it a few inches and stop. Then a few more and stop. Again, I'm not saying this is the best way to learn, but I definitely got comfortable with starting and stopping! And I agree, we are invisible out there!
You're gonna have so much fun!

[jj.smith]

I took the MSF last year and bought a Rebel 250 as my first bike knowing full well I would upgrade once I had everything under control. I spent a LOT of time in empty parking lots practicing, practicing, practicing.
I sold my Rebel for as much as I had in it. Bought a new Shadow Spirit. Honda has a program if you buy a new bike they will reimburse you half of your MSF course. And of course, don't forget that most local bike shops will give you a discount if you show your MSF card. Be safe out there and enjoy your ride.