[chevyman]

I got the chance (between rain drops) to get out and take a leisurly ride today. So far I have only ridin around town and to work, but mother nature decided to give me a break and let me go out and ride. What a blast. I have had problems with turns and curves but today gave me the time to go out and get more practice with them. I found that the more that I can control my speed in the curves the better the bike handles. I still have some problems with maintaining speed just going down the road though. I had check my speedo and was doing 55 few minutes later I looked and I had slowed to 48..oops. I sped back up and then looked again and 65 (55 speed limit, cop not to far behind). Just gonna have to get a better feel for what speeds feel like and get acustom to the variations in engine sounds. Fortunatly when I pulled into a coffee shop the cop just laughed and waved. Must be a biker:mrgreen:. Went about 65 miles out today and stopped at a Starbucks for a java and started to head back. The return trip was better and the curves seemed to handle better. The more I ride the better I feel riding. I am really starting to see what I have been missing out on.

 

[QueenBee]

that's great. I've been riding now for 7 years and I love the big wide curves. I do still have my nerves with the tight turns.

 

[DaveCarlson]

Practice makes perfect

 

[ChemESGH]

Glad you had a good ride!

I had been slowly building up to riding on the hwy with traffic after I took the MSF back at the beginning of August. I started on early mornings Saturday and Sunday riding with little traffic and getting some parking lot time in. Then progressed to riding to work a couple of mornings early during the week.

This past week I rode every day to work and back. Those 4 days probably did more for my comfort and confidence levels than anything else so far. Just getting out, practicing what I had learned, getting a better feel for the bike....this allowed me to start doing even more of the basics without having to think as much which freed my mind to focus even more on scanning the road, looking for potential dangerous situations, what others on the road are doing, etc.

Don't ride past your comfort level too much, but slowly start pushing yourself and you'll be amazed how much more comfortable you'll get just getting out and riding. Stay safe and enjoy the ride!

 

[Eldorado]

Glad you finished a good ride today, curves are not so bad if you antcipate them prior to diving into them until you get a little better feel, it's not a shame to slow down a little as you start into them and feel comfortable at your own speed, you don't have to ride like everyone else until you get more experience, ride your ride and enjoy it............

 

[MidnightBlue]

I'm also starting out. My longest trip has only been two miles one way. My bike isn't licensed yet, but I live out in the country and I'm just visiting my old place of employment. I'm amazed at how fast I built up the confidence to take my bike on the road. Riding is definitely not as difficult as I thought, but I know there is much to learn.

When I get a day off, I will get tags for the bike and get my permit. Then I will get more practice because my new job is about five miles away.

 

[Suzi Q]

Wow!! I am so glad I viewed this thread!!!! I thought it was just me feeling the same way with curves and trying to control my speed (looking at the speedometer,etc) because I was a girl and I just needed to "toughen up" The curvers really get me....I have to slow way down and I know if someone is behind me they are just a cusing..LOL Yeah I have been practicing and practicing going back and forth to work almost every night (took me a while to start riding at night too) I am going to try to be a trooper and ride in the am and the temp will be 60 degrees then.... take care and enjoy riding everyone!!

 

[chevyman]

Most of my riding is at night and early am before sunrise since I work the graveyard. I think that the more I lean into the curve and slowly roll onto the throttle the better the bike handles. When I go out I try to remember everything from the MSF course I also took at the begining of August. I am loving the bike and if anyone behind me gets a little frustrated with me and my speed they can go around. Glad to know others have the same issues as me. One note that I forgot to add was on the way home another bike fell in behind me and followed. He ended up turning off where I did and we talked for a bit. It is nice getting advice from more expereinced riders at times. I have noticed that bikers are a community. It dont matter what you ride just as long as you ride, was what he told me. Nice guy wight mave to buy him a coffee one day (dont really drink, and nothing if going on the bike).