Just one month after learning to ride, I rode to Miami from Tampa

RJprod · March 16th, 2013, 10:30 AM

I'm going to try to make this as short as I can because I want you to read it...
I got into riding because the thought of hopping on a bike and go as far as you can with good gas mileage is just appealing to me. I started riding on January 21, the same day I added the endorsement in my license. On March 9, I loaded up my bike and headed to Miami. I knew it was a long ass trip so I had the oil and filter changed, and lubed up the chain. I took some oil with me, just in case.

It was the most fun I had ever. I learned so much on that trip. on the way to miami I stopped twice. In Fort drum (Okeechobee), and belevedere (west palm beach). I put gas in fort drum, and stop to c my girlfriend in west palm. I stop in north miami beach too, but that was to charge my phone since I used it for GPS. I didn't take the highway in Tampa because I wanted to see the area since am new here. I don't get why people don't always take backroads, they're so much fun. I met alot bikers since it was bike week, I think. I waved till my hands hurt.. ah ah.. most were cruisers and harleys, but who cares.

what I learned: on a two way roads, it's best to stay on the far right of your lane so opposite cars can see you when they're overtaking other cars.
I nearly perfected my throttle blipping skills. I'm sure some of you knew I was having trouble with that.
ducking is your best friend when big trucks are coming on the opposite lane.

in total the trip was around 540 miles back and forth. I left Tampa on the 9th to Miami; Left Miami the following monday to Boynton beach, spent a couple of days there with my parents; left Boynton beach on friday back to Tampa.

Fun stuff that happened: got to hang out with my half sisters and brother; saw black and white cows for the first time in real life (embarrassing)

; got laid.. ah ah..

Wanna do it all over again when I'm free, possibly Daytona or Jacksonville..

shizblam · March 16th, 2013, 12:47 PM

Sounds like a lot of fun. Glad you learned a bunch and didn't have any incidents! I wish I was down that way for bike week... Just got a truck this winter, so maybe some year I'll have to load up the bikes and head south

xSean13 · March 16th, 2013, 01:22 PM

Sounds like you had quite the trip. Definitely ballsy to take it so soon after your endorsement! I went on a 600mi round trip, but I had my bike for about 3 months; it was a blast!

Did you have any close calls or a"oops" moments during your trip?

RJprod · March 16th, 2013, 01:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shizblam

Sounds like a lot of fun. Glad you learned a bunch and didn't have any incidents! I wish I was down that way for bike week... Just got a truck this winter, so maybe some year I'll have to load up the bikes and head south

yea, I had a blast..

csmith12 · March 16th, 2013, 01:29 PM

No better way to learn than to ride! Sounds like fun was had!

RJprod · March 16th, 2013, 01:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by xSean13

Sounds like you had quite the trip. Definitely ballsy to take it so soon after your endorsement! I went on a 600mi round trip, but I had my bike for about 3 months; it was a blast!

Did you have any close calls or a"oops" moments during your trip?

I put a 1000 miles on the bike before the trip.. I was confident I could do it so long I avoided the major highways.. but I took i95 from west palm to Miami vice versa.

Yea, on my way back to Tampa some guy cut into my lane as if I weren't there. traffic was slow, but I've learned to ride on the defensive so I saw him coming...

RJprod · March 16th, 2013, 01:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by csmith12

No better way to learn than to ride! Sounds like fun was had!

Indeed!!

xSean13 · March 16th, 2013, 01:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RJprod

I put a 1000 miles on the bike before the trip.. I was confident I could do it so long I avoided the major highways.. but I took i95 from west palm to Miami vice versa.

Yea, on my way back to Tampa some guy cut into my lane as if I weren't there. traffic was slow, but I've learned to ride on the defensive so I saw him coming...

Ohhh ok, thought you had literally just gotten the bike and went on the trip :P

RJprod · March 16th, 2013, 03:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by xSean13

Ohhh ok, thought you had literally just gotten the bike and went on the trip :P

No, I'm not that reckless...

Goom · March 20th, 2013, 05:38 PM

If you ever head to Daytona, I know there are at least a couple of us here!

mfresh · March 20th, 2013, 06:26 PM

Those pre-gens sure do have their charm.

Glad to hear you had fun!

RJprod · March 20th, 2013, 06:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Goom

If you ever head to Daytona, I know there are at least a couple of us here!

plan is to visit most of the major cities in fl before I graduate.. sooo Daytona is definitely on the list.. next visit: Orlando, St Pete, Jacksonville...

RJprod · March 20th, 2013, 06:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mfresh

Those pre-gens sure do have their charm.

Glad to hear you had fun!

yea, thnx

superflytako · March 30th, 2013, 04:28 PM

The pre-gen looks like a classic beauty.

Just so simple and clean, maybe I should learn how to work on carbs one day and pick up an older gen for fun. I'd like to do a nice long trip on my bike once I get more familiar with it, hopefully up to SF or somewhere nice

wardie · April 4th, 2013, 05:06 PM

gREAT TO HEAR ABOUT YOUR ADVENTURES. tHE pRE gEN IS A GREAT BIKE AND A SOLID POWERPLANT. bELIEVE ME YOU CAN GO ANYWHERE ON THE ROADS THAT ANYONE WITH A BIGGER BIKE CAN!

JohnnyBravo · April 4th, 2013, 11:29 PM

Sounds like one heck of a trip... Black and white cows for the first time? Belted galloways? Look like Oreo cookies? Or the spotted ones?

adouglas · April 5th, 2013, 05:03 AM

Well done!!! I love adventures like that. Cherish the memory… this kind of trip only happens once before you get used to travel and it becomes routine.

BTW, it's not hard to add a 12v outlet to your bike if you want to use your phone to navigate.

<hijack>
Personally I'm old school. I like having paper maps. They need no batteries so you NEVER get caught short. Plus, they open your eyes to what's not directly on your route. Exploring is FUN.

THe GPS is there if I ever get well and truly lost. But that rarely happens… I've spent my whole life following my sense of direction. I think GPS is causing that ability to atrophy in people, just as endless typing instead of writing has killed the art of penmanship.
</hijack>

JohnnyBravo · April 5th, 2013, 11:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by adouglas

Well done!!! I love adventures like that. Cherish the memory… this kind of trip only happens once before you get used to travel and it becomes routine.

BTW, it's not hard to add a 12v outlet to your bike if you want to use your phone to navigate.

<hijack>
Personally I'm old school. I like having paper maps. They need no batteries so you NEVER get caught short. Plus, they open your eyes to what's not directly on your route. Exploring is FUN.

THe GPS is there if I ever get well and truly lost. But that rarely happens… I've spent my whole life following my sense of direction. I think GPS is causing that ability to atrophy in people, just as endless typing instead of writing has killed the art of penmanship.
</hijack>

^ what he said

psych0hans · April 5th, 2013, 11:44 AM

So you you rode to Miami and got laid. What more could a guy ask for? lol Glad you had fun!

RJprod · April 7th, 2013, 08:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by psych0hans

So you you rode to Miami and got laid. What more could a guy ask for? lol Glad you had fun!

Lol.. It happened in west palm actually.. My gf lives there.

yea.. thnx

March 16th, 2013, 01:29 PM	#5
csmith12 The Corner Whisperer Name: Chris (aka Reactor) Location: Northern KY Join Date: May 2011 Motorcycle(s): 2010 250 (track), 1992 250, 2006 R6 (street/track), 2008 R6 (track) Posts: Too much. MOTY 2015, MOTM - Nov '12, Nov '13	No better way to learn than to ride! Sounds like fun was had! __________________________________________________ Goal: Shake A Million Hands \| Look through the corners \| Track Day Prep \| Closest track? \| The Mid-Ohio School

March 20th, 2013, 06:26 PM	#11
mfresh Knee-dragger in Training Name: Manny Location: Buford, GA Join Date: Jul 2012 Motorcycle(s): '09 Ninja 250R (Sunbeam Red) Posts: 319	Those pre-gens sure do have their charm. Glad to hear you had fun! __________________________________________________ North GA Riders

April 4th, 2013, 05:06 PM	#15
wardie ninjette.org guru Name: Larry Location: Youngstown, Ohio Join Date: Oct 2011 Motorcycle(s): 06 KLR 650,12 250 Ninja, 86 DR 125, 07 CRF 100, 09 Tomos Streetmate LEL Record Holder, 88 K100 RT Posts: 434	nice job gREAT TO HEAR ABOUT YOUR ADVENTURES. tHE pRE gEN IS A GREAT BIKE AND A SOLID POWERPLANT. bELIEVE ME YOU CAN GO ANYWHERE ON THE ROADS THAT ANYONE WITH A BIGGER BIKE CAN! __________________________________________________ wardie

April 5th, 2013, 05:03 AM	#17
adouglas Cat herder Name: Gort Location: A secret lair which, being secret, has an undisclosed location Join Date: May 2009 Motorcycle(s): Aprilia RS660 Posts: A lot. Blog Entries: 6 MOTM - Jul '18, Nov '16, Aug '14, May '13	Well done!!! I love adventures like that. Cherish the memory… this kind of trip only happens once before you get used to travel and it becomes routine. BTW, it's not hard to add a 12v outlet to your bike if you want to use your phone to navigate. <hijack> Personally I'm old school. I like having paper maps. They need no batteries so you NEVER get caught short. Plus, they open your eyes to what's not directly on your route. Exploring is FUN. THe GPS is there if I ever get well and truly lost. But that rarely happens… I've spent my whole life following my sense of direction. I think GPS is causing that ability to atrophy in people, just as endless typing instead of writing has killed the art of penmanship. </hijack> __________________________________________________ I am NOT an adrenaline junkie, I'm a skill junkie. - csmith12 Nam et ipsa scientia potestas est. Heri historia. Cras mysterium. Hodie donum est. Carpe diem.

April 5th, 2013, 11:44 AM	#19
psych0hans ninjette.org certified postwhore Name: Hansveer Location: Bombay, India Join Date: Jan 2012 Motorcycle(s): Ninja 250r - Track whore, Ninja 300 - SOLD, KTM RC390 - Orange Hulk, Ducati 899 Panigale - Red Devil. Posts: A lot.	So you you rode to Miami and got laid. What more could a guy ask for? lol Glad you had fun! __________________________________________________ GETTING BACK INTO RIDING? Read this.

March 16th, 2013, 12:47 PM	#2
shizblam ninjette.org member Name: Brian Location: Central PA Join Date: Mar 2013 Motorcycle(s): 09 GSXR 1K Posts: 36	Sounds like a lot of fun. Glad you learned a bunch and didn't have any incidents! I wish I was down that way for bike week... Just got a truck this winter, so maybe some year I'll have to load up the bikes and head south

March 16th, 2013, 01:22 PM	#3
xSean13 ninjette.org certified postwhore Name: Sean Location: Middle TN Join Date: Apr 2012 Motorcycle(s): 2010 Ninja 250r (sold) / '03 CBR 600RR Posts: A lot.	Sounds like you had quite the trip. Definitely ballsy to take it so soon after your endorsement! I went on a 600mi round trip, but I had my bike for about 3 months; it was a blast! Did you have any close calls or a"oops" moments during your trip?

March 20th, 2013, 05:38 PM	#10
Goom ninjette.org guru Name: Eric Location: Concord, NC Join Date: Apr 2012 Motorcycle(s): 1976 CB550 Cafe, 2011 Ninja 250, 1999 Honda CR125 Posts: 264	If you ever head to Daytona, I know there are at least a couple of us here!

March 30th, 2013, 04:28 PM	#14
superflytako ninjette.org member Name: Garry Location: Los Angeles Join Date: Feb 2013 Motorcycle(s): 2014 Ninja 300 ABS, 2013 Ninja 300 ABS (RIP), 2015 FZ-09 (sold) Posts: 78	The pre-gen looks like a classic beauty. Just so simple and clean, maybe I should learn how to work on carbs one day and pick up an older gen for fun. I'd like to do a nice long trip on my bike once I get more familiar with it, hopefully up to SF or somewhere nice

April 4th, 2013, 11:29 PM	#16
JohnnyBravo Certifiable nontundrum Name: Harper Location: NC Milkshake stand Join Date: Mar 2013 Motorcycle(s): 2013 SE NINJA 300 Posts: Too much. MOTM - Sep '13, Sep '16	Sounds like one heck of a trip... Black and white cows for the first time? Belted galloways? Look like Oreo cookies? Or the spotted ones?

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