August 29th, 2010, 07:42 PM | #1 |
ninjette.org sage
Name: Rose
Location: San Diego
Join Date: Aug 2010 Motorcycle(s): 2007 Blue Ninja 250R Posts: 650
|
Taking my Ninja to work tomorrow for the first time..
So, I decided to take my practice to the next step. After 3 weeks of parking lots and local roads under my husband's strict supervision, I decided to take my first commute to work by myself tomorrow. The commute will be 12 miles each way, no highway. Hubby and I rehearsed the route back and forth over the weekend together. BUT he won't be there with me tomorrow, and that's the thing that scares me the most!
Please.. wish me luck! |
|
August 29th, 2010, 07:43 PM | #2 |
ninjette.org certified postwhore
Name: Greg
Location: Rhode Island
Join Date: Apr 2009 Motorcycle(s): 2013 ZX6R 636 Posts: A lot.
|
Riding to and from works make them both more fun. Whats a better way to start the work day than riding to work.
|
|
August 29th, 2010, 07:45 PM | #3 |
I hate driving...
Name: S
Location: SW Ohio
Join Date: Jul 2010 Motorcycle(s): 13 Triumph Street Triple R, 09 Ninja 250r (Sold 4/20/12) Posts: A lot.
|
Coo, I just started commuting on mine too, about 70 miles per day. Good luck just take it easy and be safe about what you do on the road, be vigilant!
__________________________________________________
09 ninja 2fiddy SE Driving slow things fast |
|
August 29th, 2010, 07:48 PM | #4 |
ninjette.org member
Name: Ron
Location: brooklyn,N.Y.
Join Date: Jul 2010 Motorcycle(s): blue 2008 ninja 250r Posts: 42
|
good luck and be safe... i'm planning to do the same soon
|
|
August 29th, 2010, 07:51 PM | #5 |
ninjette.org certified postwhore
Name: Greg
Location: Rhode Island
Join Date: Apr 2009 Motorcycle(s): 2013 ZX6R 636 Posts: A lot.
|
Start out on time, don't want to rush, allow more time than you would with the car (for gearing up). And if a bad day at work, keep it off your mind on the ride home.
|
|
August 29th, 2010, 07:52 PM | #6 |
I hate driving...
Name: S
Location: SW Ohio
Join Date: Jul 2010 Motorcycle(s): 13 Triumph Street Triple R, 09 Ninja 250r (Sold 4/20/12) Posts: A lot.
|
That is also good advise
__________________________________________________
09 ninja 2fiddy SE Driving slow things fast |
|
August 29th, 2010, 08:31 PM | #7 |
ninjette.org sage
Name: Rose
Location: San Diego
Join Date: Aug 2010 Motorcycle(s): 2007 Blue Ninja 250R Posts: 650
|
Thank you guys! I'm planning on leaving about 10 minutes sooner than I normally would, so I can gear up and warm up my baby a little bit before taking off. It'll be around 60 degrees tomorrow morning around 7 a.m. so I'm planning to put the liner back in my jacket and take it out on the ride home. I'm so excited and scared at the same time!
|
|
August 29th, 2010, 08:34 PM | #8 |
ninjette.org member
Name: Lee
Location: Naugatuck, CT
Join Date: Mar 2010 Motorcycle(s): 08 Kawasaki Ninja 250R Blue Posts: 150
|
Fellow bike commuter here.
Personally before I leave work I start the bike up, have a smoke. Then get my gear on just to give myself a good 5 to 10 minutes to relax and start zenning out. Much much easier IMO to deal with traffic when Im relaxed then aggravated from work.
__________________________________________________
Mmmm when gone down you have look so good you will not. |
|
August 29th, 2010, 08:51 PM | #9 |
ninjette.org guru
Name: dawn
Location: portland, or
Join Date: Sep 2009 Motorcycle(s): 08 ninja 250r modded, 73 honda cl200, 74 kawasaki 400 triple Posts: 255
|
good luck! you'll do fine...and on the plus side, it gives you a reason to look forward to going to work
|
|
August 29th, 2010, 09:23 PM | #10 |
Small Bike Abuser
Name: Stevo
Location: Seattle Wa
Join Date: Aug 2010 Motorcycle(s): 2010 Ninja 250R SE, GSX650FK8, DL650K5, CH80K2, AN400K7, SH150i Posts: 95
|
Be seen...turn your High Beam ON in the daylight, if you aren't already
__________________________________________________
If you are "Too Cool" to be seen on a scooter...you're a Poser |
|
August 29th, 2010, 10:36 PM | #11 |
CPT Falcon
Name: J.Emmett Turner
Location: Newnan, GA
Join Date: Apr 2009 Motorcycle(s): '08 CP Blue EX250J, '97 unpainted EX250F, 2nd '97 unpainted EX250F (no engine), '07 black EX250F Posts: A lot.
|
Rode mine to work hundreds of times and started doing it every day the moment it was done with and back from the first service (hit the service limit driving it home from the dealer several states away). It's great! Lane-splitting here in SD REALLY helps when you'd otherwise be late.
|
|
August 29th, 2010, 11:59 PM | #12 |
Giggity Giggity
Name: Ryam
Location: San Diego
Join Date: Feb 2009 Motorcycle(s): 08 ninja 250R aka Hiryu Posts: 481
|
One good habit to have is to flash your break lights a few times in case you arnt at the front of the pack/or split at a stop light, and you have no car behind you.
__________________________________________________
Facebook DY Fender chop, Danmoto CB slip-on w/baffle, Airbox removed, Kleen-air removed, shimmed needles, Mikuni #117.5 Main jets, K&N RU-1822 air filter pods |
|
August 30th, 2010, 05:08 AM | #13 |
Ninja chick
Name: Allyson
Location: Athens, GA
Join Date: Jun 2009 Motorcycle(s): '13 Ninja 300 Posts: A lot.
Blog Entries: 4
MOTM - Dec '13, Feb '15
|
I love riding to work. You'll do fine Rose. Just stay loose. Let us know how it goes! You'll be the coolest chick in your parking lot! LOL!
__________________________________________________
Sometimes it's the journey that teaches you a lot about your destination. ~Drake Check out my Appalachian Trail journal, 2015! Postwhores are COOL! ~Allyson |
|
August 30th, 2010, 05:12 AM | #14 |
ninjette.org certified postwhore
Name: Spooph
Location: Golden, CO
Join Date: Jul 2010 Motorcycle(s): '08 Ninja 250R Posts: A lot.
MOTM - Oct '15
|
Yay! Good luck and have fun!
__________________________________________________
My therapist has 2 wheels and a seat. If you are ever in doubt to my tone, please refer to my avatar. |
|
August 30th, 2010, 06:10 AM | #15 |
ninjette.org member
Name: Lisa
Location: DFW
Join Date: Apr 2009 Motorcycle(s): 09 Ninja 250 Posts: 184
|
I'm jealous!!! I work from home so I dont get to ride to work. Have fun!
|
|
August 30th, 2010, 06:26 AM | #16 |
Professional belly dancer
Name: James
Location: Toronto
Join Date: Apr 2009 Motorcycle(s): 1992 GSX-R 750 Posts: A lot.
|
The commute to work makes the work week much, MUCH more bearable! Enjoy it and good luck.
Edit: woot 1000 posts!! |
|
August 30th, 2010, 07:16 AM | #17 | ||
ninjette.org member
Name: Alan
Location: Delaware, USA
Join Date: Jul 2010 Motorcycle(s): '10 Ninja 250 Posts: 221
|
Quote:
It's what gets me out of bed on a workday. The thought of being able to hop on my bike and enjoy the ride. Quote:
***** I commute to work on the bike whenever the weather is good (no rain) and actually take a more scenic route so I can enjoy more ride time. Because of that I actually leave about 15 - 30 minutes earlier than I normally would if I drove my car. Plus with kids going back to school now traffic is heavier now. |
||
|
August 30th, 2010, 07:51 AM | #18 |
ninjette.org guru
Name: David
Location: Burlington, MA
Join Date: Mar 2010 Motorcycle(s): 2004 Ninja 250 (sold); 2008 Plasma Blue Ninja 250 Posts: 364
|
I try to take my bike to work as much as I can, but my problem is I am not a morning person at all. So if I am tired and unfocused I take my car, I try not to zombie drive as much as I can but if I have to i'll do it in the car.
|
|
August 30th, 2010, 08:42 AM | #19 |
ninjette.org certified postwhore
Name: Paulette
Location: .
Join Date: Jun 2010 Motorcycle(s): 2010 Ninja 250R Posts: A lot.
|
you are one gutsy girl! updates please.
|
|
August 30th, 2010, 09:01 AM | #20 |
ninjette.org sage
Name: Rose
Location: San Diego
Join Date: Aug 2010 Motorcycle(s): 2007 Blue Ninja 250R Posts: 650
|
Sooooo... for all of you who were waiting for an update. I made it!
I left about 10 minutes earlier than I normally would, also because the route I chose is a bit longer since I'm choosing not to go on the highway yet. The traffic at 7:00 a.m. is not too bad, even when I hit a normally very congested road (Mira Mesa Blvd for those of you living in SD). Only one issue along the way.. I get to a stoplight with a bunch of cars ahead of me and a lot of space in between cars, so I did my first lane splitting and got all the way upfront and I think "this is cool!".. then the light turns green, I roll the throttle and.. nothing happens. I'm in neutral!! WTF?? I really though I was in first, plus there was NO neutral light until I started giving some throttle So yeah.. I had to quickly get the bike in first and leave, but I lost some ground on the cars beside me I wonder what happened.. it happened one other time before that I really thought I was in first, but when I was ready to leave it turned out I was in neutral Any insight? |
|
August 30th, 2010, 09:03 AM | #21 |
ninjette.org certified postwhore
Name: Greg
Location: Rhode Island
Join Date: Apr 2009 Motorcycle(s): 2013 ZX6R 636 Posts: A lot.
|
Glad to hear you got there. Great way to start the day, other than the neutral thing. If you try to put bike in N does light come on like it should?
|
|
August 30th, 2010, 09:04 AM | #22 |
ninjette.org certified postwhore
Name: Paulette
Location: .
Join Date: Jun 2010 Motorcycle(s): 2010 Ninja 250R Posts: A lot.
|
YAY!!!! so have you showed off your bike to your co-workers yet?
|
|
August 30th, 2010, 09:07 AM | #23 | |
ninjette.org sage
Name: Rose
Location: San Diego
Join Date: Aug 2010 Motorcycle(s): 2007 Blue Ninja 250R Posts: 650
|
Quote:
Not sure why the light doesn't come on in those cases though.. maybe I'm half way between first and neutral? |
|
|
August 30th, 2010, 09:07 AM | #24 |
ninjette.org sage
Name: Rose
Location: San Diego
Join Date: Aug 2010 Motorcycle(s): 2007 Blue Ninja 250R Posts: 650
|
|
|
August 30th, 2010, 09:08 AM | #25 |
ninjette.org certified postwhore
Name: Greg
Location: Rhode Island
Join Date: Apr 2009 Motorcycle(s): 2013 ZX6R 636 Posts: A lot.
|
Could be. Maybe someone with a pregen has had the same issue. If you don't get any responses here post under pregen tech. Nice to ride to work on the bike, even nicer to ride home.
|
|
August 30th, 2010, 09:15 AM | #26 | |
ninjette.org sage
Name: Rose
Location: San Diego
Join Date: Aug 2010 Motorcycle(s): 2007 Blue Ninja 250R Posts: 650
|
Quote:
It was indeed really nice to ride it to work this morning, I need to put more miles under my belt so I get more and more comfortable and this is a great way of doing it. I can't wait to go on fun rides with hubby, once I get more experience! |
|
|
August 30th, 2010, 09:36 AM | #27 |
ninjette.org guru
Name: David
Location: Burlington, MA
Join Date: Mar 2010 Motorcycle(s): 2004 Ninja 250 (sold); 2008 Plasma Blue Ninja 250 Posts: 364
|
I would probably say its not shifting up/down hard enough. I have done this once or twice on a newgen and I completely believe it was my own fault.
|
|
August 30th, 2010, 09:39 AM | #28 |
ninjette.org sage
Name: Cindy
Location: Wethersfield, CT
Join Date: Apr 2010 Motorcycle(s): 2010 Ninja 250R Posts: 691
|
Great job! I ride to work every day, but 2 miles is much shorter than 12. I used to get stuck in neutral but I think it was from not down shifting firmly enough, I haven't done that in a long while.
|
|
August 30th, 2010, 10:12 AM | #29 |
Giggity Giggity
Name: Ryam
Location: San Diego
Join Date: Feb 2009 Motorcycle(s): 08 ninja 250R aka Hiryu Posts: 481
|
I think its getting it from 2nd to 1st past neutral not engaging properly, I usually can feel it clunk into first from second, do the tap dance on the shift lever to make sure as your slowing down.
__________________________________________________
Facebook DY Fender chop, Danmoto CB slip-on w/baffle, Airbox removed, Kleen-air removed, shimmed needles, Mikuni #117.5 Main jets, K&N RU-1822 air filter pods |
|
August 30th, 2010, 10:22 AM | #30 |
CPT Falcon
Name: J.Emmett Turner
Location: Newnan, GA
Join Date: Apr 2009 Motorcycle(s): '08 CP Blue EX250J, '97 unpainted EX250F, 2nd '97 unpainted EX250F (no engine), '07 black EX250F Posts: A lot.
|
Hmm... does the pregen have a "positive neutral finder" like the current gen? What it means is that if you are stopped in first gear, you just have to pull the lever up to get in neutral (no need for a "half pull"). I get into false neutrals often enough but it's almost always at speed between higher gears (the light doesn't light). I have had cases where the light would not come on and it wouldn't enter first because I downshifted after I stopped. It just seems to keep springing back up with no "clunk" until you move the bike and try again. To prevent it, you want to be in first before the tires stop then use the positive neutral finder to get neutral. From there, you can get a positive shift back into first and the indicators will work.
|
|
August 30th, 2010, 10:24 AM | #31 |
ninjette.org certified postwhore
Name: Paulette
Location: .
Join Date: Jun 2010 Motorcycle(s): 2010 Ninja 250R Posts: A lot.
|
it happens Rosie, i have a brand new ninja, and there are times while trying to shift up to 2nd i get stuck on neutral. Since your foot is already on the gear, you should be able to get out of neutral fairly quickly. It may be the amount of pressure you put on the gear, (not enough from 2nd to 1st or not enough from 1st to 2nd). like yesterday we were riding around town, and I was in neutral but my light wasn't on...I had to click down harder to get it in first gear.
|
|
August 30th, 2010, 10:27 AM | #32 |
Ninja chick
Name: Allyson
Location: Athens, GA
Join Date: Jun 2009 Motorcycle(s): '13 Ninja 300 Posts: A lot.
Blog Entries: 4
MOTM - Dec '13, Feb '15
|
Hey Rosie. It can sort of catch in N when downshifting from 2nd to 1st, particularly if you shift while still rather than while moving. My N light doesn't always come on when this has happened. You should feel a nice, resounding "Clunk" in your boot that lets you know you are definitely in first. If you don't feel it, try rolling the bike an inch or two while snicking downward just to be safe and make sure you're in 1st. I do this sometimes at red lights if I didn't feel the clunk or if I didn't get it all the way down to 1st before having to stop.
I hope this help. Congrats! I teach at an elementary school (well, until this year anyway), and I used to ride my bike to work all the time. The kids loved it! :-)
__________________________________________________
Sometimes it's the journey that teaches you a lot about your destination. ~Drake Check out my Appalachian Trail journal, 2015! Postwhores are COOL! ~Allyson |
|
August 30th, 2010, 11:08 AM | #33 | |
ninjette.org sage
Name: Rose
Location: San Diego
Join Date: Aug 2010 Motorcycle(s): 2007 Blue Ninja 250R Posts: 650
|
Quote:
yeah.. I don't wear the best boots either (old hiking boots, saving up for the real deal).. so that might be a factor too |
|
|
August 30th, 2010, 11:14 AM | #34 |
CPT Falcon
Name: J.Emmett Turner
Location: Newnan, GA
Join Date: Apr 2009 Motorcycle(s): '08 CP Blue EX250J, '97 unpainted EX250F, 2nd '97 unpainted EX250F (no engine), '07 black EX250F Posts: A lot.
|
Heh... that's about what my commute consists of as well. I hit Mira Mesa at the Black Mountain intersection, cruise a few miles down to Genetic Center, and I'm there.
|
|
August 30th, 2010, 11:21 AM | #35 | |
ninjette.org sage
Name: Rose
Location: San Diego
Join Date: Aug 2010 Motorcycle(s): 2007 Blue Ninja 250R Posts: 650
|
Quote:
|
|
|
August 30th, 2010, 11:27 AM | #36 | |
ninjette.org sage
Name: Rose
Location: San Diego
Join Date: Aug 2010 Motorcycle(s): 2007 Blue Ninja 250R Posts: 650
|
Quote:
|
|
|
August 30th, 2010, 11:28 AM | #37 |
ninjette.org sage
Name: Rose
Location: San Diego
Join Date: Aug 2010 Motorcycle(s): 2007 Blue Ninja 250R Posts: 650
|
Lucky you... they're talking about taking my office all the way down to Otay Mesa.. THAT would be a heck of a commute to me!
|
|
August 30th, 2010, 11:40 AM | #38 |
ninjette.org certified postwhore
Name: Paulette
Location: .
Join Date: Jun 2010 Motorcycle(s): 2010 Ninja 250R Posts: A lot.
|
|
|
August 30th, 2010, 11:40 AM | #39 |
ninjette.org member
Name: Nicky
Location: Georgia
Join Date: Jul 2010 Motorcycle(s): 09 Ninja 250r Posts: 27
|
Congrats! I can't wait to ride my bike to campus one of these days. Just need to figure out how to take everything with me lol. (books and laptop etc). On the N thing..my bike does this all the time. The newer models find N by themselves when stoped for a certain amount of time (and the N light will not turn on). I just roll the throttle back some to check if I'm in N or not right before the light turns green. Either that or I just put it in N to be on the safe side Congrats once again!
__________________________________________________
Loves life on two wheels <3 |
|
August 30th, 2010, 11:47 AM | #40 |
ninjette.org sage
Name: Rose
Location: San Diego
Join Date: Aug 2010 Motorcycle(s): 2007 Blue Ninja 250R Posts: 650
|
I considered them actually (they look awesome!), but I'm a bit thrown off by the high heel. I NEVER wear high heels and my feet hurt when/if I do. I know these boots might be a different story, but my feet normally prefer to lay flat on the ground..
|
|
Similar Threads | ||||
Thread | Thread Starter | Forum | Replies | Last Post |
Possibly taking the MSF course tomorrow | Hero Danny | Riding Skills | 27 | August 20th, 2014 04:49 PM |
Taking my road test tomorrow! | corksil | Riding Skills | 9 | September 26th, 2013 08:07 PM |
Taking a long time to warm up | tanghonglai | 1986 - 2007 Ninja 250R Tech Talk | 19 | April 14th, 2012 01:55 AM |
[roadracingworld.com] - Reminder: Tomorrow Is International Ride To Work Day | Ninjette Newsbot | Motorcycling News | 0 | June 14th, 2009 08:40 AM |
[roadracingworld.com] - Ride To Work Tomorrow | Ninjette Newsbot | Motorcycling News | 0 | July 15th, 2008 12:04 PM |
Thread Tools | |
|
|