[59096]

Originally Posted by AbleOpus

I got a Black Ninja 250r 2010 with underglow from a nice lady about 2 months before this post. It is a great bike to rip around on. I have not ridden a motorcycle before (aside from my training course). I bought it pretty compulsively and disregarded some bad signs of this bike when the previous owner brought it to me. It has some bad-sounding starts, warm and cold, and looks like it was often off-roaded several times (for just a few examples). But I couldn't help myself, I wanted this bike in black and it was my only option nearby in this color. The seller was also really agreeable and even drove the bike an hour to my home for my convenience.

I've been learning proper care and maintenance on the bike, and the bike now starts up a bit better. I really like to work with the electrical, and inners in general of the bike, even though I am not a gear head. I am taking much better care of it than the previous owner.



The previous owner says that I should only use the underglow in parking lots while parked or I will be ticketed. There seems to be some weird hearsay around this topic in my area. There is no law against underglow here other than having front-visible red and blue lights. Yet, the consensus is that underglow will elicit a ticket. There are no documented instances of anyone getting ticketed for underglow in my area, so I will probably use it at night for safety purposes (mine it isn't obnoxious or anything).

The Ninja is much more forgiving than the 300cc bikes I drove in my course in that the Ninja is very hard to stall, weighs probably 50lbs less, and all-around functions better than the course bikes. The course bikes were all dropped several times but the shifting still felt way too indistinct even with that in consideration. Like there was no distinct clicks in the shifter and I just had to hope I was shifting. I was like "jeez, are all bikes like this?" Thankfully, they are not.

Getting on the road in traffic with a motorcycle was one of the most anxiety-inducing things I have ever done. Though, I quickly got used to it and now employ a number of practices and techniques to minimize the chance of getting my soul crushed by a 1500 kg passenger vehicle. I have heard people on the internet say again and again "You are invisible on a motorcycle." This did not prepare or console me for what was to come...

I have all black gear and my bike is black, but I am transparent like glass it seems. I am going with the theme of black as primary and Kawasaki/lime green as secondary. I am going to decorate my bike and helmet with reflective green strips to increase my visibility. I bought some wholesale wide strips of reflective lime green tape while I should be able to cut some neat patterns out of. Don't worry, it will be well thought out and not a silly mess of tape. I also have an aftermarket slip-on exhaust on order to make myself louder, don't you worry, it isn't too obnoxious compared to the larger bikes ripping around in my area. The stock exhaust seems a bit bulky an unmodern-looking compared to the rest of the bike. I also realized that I can bring attention to myself by pulling the clutch in a revving the engine. I used to think motorcyclists that were doing this in parking lots just wanted attention on a simpler level, but it actually is a decent safety precaution.

Some other people I work with (at a restaurant) noticed that I am driving to work on a sportbike that I purchased for 2500 and are like, "Damn, I thought it was way more expensive than that, I need to get one, I've always wanted to get a bike." I honestly don't know if this is a serious statement or are they actually eventually going to get a bike. Regardless, one of these person's could very well be the most attractive female I have ever met. I should convince her to ride a motorcycle (and my dong) or I will regret it when I am older.

Riding motorcycles is just what I am looking for in life — intense activities that require focus. It provides some good stimulus while at the same time it facilitates focus (you won't find your mind wandering too much on a bike because you are too focused on not dying or damaging your machine). It is as if I am one with my bike. My mind goes from a noisy stream of thought to just evaluating my surroundings. Like looking for potholes or people pulling out of driveways. It is still analytical but rather quiet compared to my default state of mind.

I hope you found this relatable in some way.

Your last paragraph says it all!