New Guy From North Carolina

[Ben M]

Hey, I just joined and thought I should introduce myself. I'm Ben, I'm 18 and I live in Cornelius, NC. I just bought my first bike, a 2010 Kawasaki Ninja 250 and so far it's great. Has a little idle problem but I'm guessing that's because it had sat for a while before I bought it. I'm going to try new plugs, air filter and oil change and if that doesn't work I guess I will have to figure out how to clean the carbs .
Anyways Monday was my first day with it and I rode about 60 miles, all in my little community. My left hand and wrist were extremley sore but it was worth it. Now I have riden a little over 100 miles on it. I plan on taking the MSF course as soon as I can get a weekend off from work. The only real things I am having trouble with are starting on hills and forgetting to cancel my turn signal . Also I am having trouble taking tight curves at any real speed. But I'm on here to learn and to meet some other people with motorcycles.
Also I just moved here from NY so if there are any meets or bike shows or car shows going on around my area feel free to let me know because I need to meet some people down here!

Now for the good stuff.

[BlueHairSar]

Welcome!

The turn signal comes with practice - the more comfortable you get on the bike, the more the riding part comes second nature and it'll free up your head a bit to remember things like that.

When starting on hills use the rear break to hold you in place, and start to edge into your friction zone before you release it.

And I'm not sure you posted enough photos...

[Ben M]

Thanks for the advice! And haha sorry about the pictures, I'm just pretty excited about it, I think the bike looks amazing. But I guess a lot of people here have the same bike so you're used to seeing them all the time.

[BlueHairSar]

Heh, no worries. I'm just waiting for the right occasion to shoot some great shots of my girl. And I was literally bouncing around when I took her home.

[Stingray1000]

Welcome!

[Bassman]

Welcome! Beautiful bike! Glad to see you're take'n the MSF course. Just keep practicing/riding it will all become natural soon.

[csmith12]

Welcome Ben and go team red!

[exploring/carolina]

Ben, Welcome.

I'm in Denver, NC

[Asspire]

another member for team red, AWESOME!!!11!!!!1

[userjh160]

Hi Ben and welcome -- I used to have problems with my blinker also, hard to look good on a Ninja when you driving around with it on all the time.

Do you know that all you have to do is just push it in to shut it off, hope it helps

[Ben M]

Thanks for all of the welcomes! I am getting more comfortable on it by the day! And I've pretty much gotten into the habit of turning off the blinker now. It was just the first few days I kept forgetting to cancel it. I'll be chaning the oil either tonight or tomorrow

[Old Guy on a '08]

Ben,

Welcome to Ninjette.
Do take the MSF Course AS SOON AS YOU CAN.

I'm in North East Charlotte. I'd love to meet up and talk bikes.

How long have you been riding?

Watch out for Bill (Exploring/carolina) he'll take you onto some nasty twisties up in the mountains... : (thank you Bill... looking forward to the next run) but hey, at least it's not those long straight roads.

Anyway... hope we can catch up sometime.

Peace

[DaBlue1]

Welcome. Just down the road from you in Charlotte.

Originally Posted by Old Guy on a '08

Ben,

Watch out for Bill (Exploring/carolina) he'll take you onto some nasty twisties up in the mountains... :

He got you too huh?
Bill is a awesome man!

[exploring/carolina]

Thanks!!!

[MotoXGirl]

Hey welcome, Ben!
Nice choice!
You've done a lot of riding! Awesome! Keep it up!
Do you lay down, and lean into the curve with the bike? Cause that will make cornering more fun, and comfortable. It does for me anyway. I find with myself that I'm right handed, so right had bends I'm more comfortable with then the left ones.
Starting on hills is easiest if you have your foot on the break, and the other foot on the peg, give it a little more gas when you let out the clutch.
Signal light problem? Don't worry. Everyone has done it. Try saying to yourself "check signal light. check signal light. check signal light." after you've put it on, and after a while it'll become a habit.

Anyway have fun! I hope I didn't sound like a know-it-all. Just trying to help.

[oblivion007]

Welcome! You know what they say the red ones are the slowest and the green the fastest!

[Ben M]

Thanks for all the more welcomes! Motox, I also seem to be more comfortable on right hand turns but I am getting the hang of both of them now. And now canceling the signal is a habit already . And oblivion, of course red is the slowest but thats what I wanted for a first bike! A green one is pretty much a turbo busa with nos! So I went with red to be safe

[Old Guy on a '08]

Originally Posted by Ben M

Thanks for all the more welcomes! Motox, I also seem to be more comfortable on right hand turns but I am getting the hang of both of them now. And now canceling the signal is a habit already . And oblivion, of course red is the slowest but thats what I wanted for a first bike! A green one is pretty much a turbo busa with nos! So I went with red to be safe

WE need to get the NC guys together for a ride. Looks like 4 of us within the local area.
Ben (Ben M) in Cornelius
Bill (Expolring/carolina) in Denver (I'm ready for another ride Bill, let me know)
Chris (Old Guy on a '08) in Charlotte
Blue (DaBlue1) in Charlotte

I'm getting a riding buddy coming in a few days "THE DUDE"... would love to get all of us together for a couple of pics with the guy. He'll be here for a couple of weeks. Hoping to take him riding on some of those twisties up north of here. Might even get him over to ride "The Tail"

Check "THE DUDE" out at:
http://www.ninjette.org/forums/showt...=44748&page=10

[Bassman]

I used to live on a tobacco farm in Stokesdale, NC. Too bad I live in California now, I'd love to ride with ya :-(

[leed]

Welcome! I am on the other side of NC, but oh well!

[Old Guy on a '08]

Ben, Blue and Bill and anyone else that's near by...

I'm waiting on THE DUDE to arrive. Hopefully he be here today or tomorrow. Either way, I'm riding Monday (Heading out early morning or maybe late Sunday????) through Wednesday (Maybe Thursday..

I'd love some company on any or all of this trip. Plans are starting out north, up into VA and down the Blue Ridge. Looking for interesting side roads. I'll be camping out at different place on the BRP and hoping to be in Deals Gap by either Noon time (12-2PM) Tuesday or Wednesday morning. Be back to Charlotte by 6-7PM on Wednesday. Might extend the ride into Thursday but not likely.

Probably be up for another ride next Friday depending on the weather. Hopefully we can ride together then.

Let me know if any of you guys are up for any or all of the above.

[Snake]

Hello and welcome.

[KJohnson21]