Hello from Dayton, Ohio

[Elongo06]

Hi, I just found your site. I am still a fairly new rider(5500 miles) that started in 2016. The only other experience I had was a 50cc bike I had when I was 14.

Took my MSF class in late march of 2016 and got my baby Ninja for my birthday in April. I passed the MSF on my first time on a Honda CB300F. I was interested in Honda at first for the price tag, but the Ninja was so much better after comparing them as far as features and good for beginners.

I have to give a shout out to our awesome local Kawasaki dealer called Vista Kawasaki. They helped line me up with the proper classes, excellent knowledge about the bike, excellent knowledge and help with proper riding gear and accessories. Speaking of accessories I only have a matched pillion cowl and little stuff like dust cover and battery tender and the such. My riding gear is Alpinestars textile gear that matches the bike and a Bell Qualifier Machine helmet. I'll put up a picture.

I started out by just trailering the bike home since I was fresh out of the MSF with no experience. I was nervous about traffic since they drive like complete yahoo's around here. My turning also needed a bit of work.

I did my first 40 or 50 miles in a parking lot. No shame lol.
Then I went to the local neighborhood streets to warm myself up.

After I got comfortable I decided to ride surface streets and I did just fine. I waited to get through my break in period and my first 1000 miles before I did the freeway. That was scary my first time with all of the wind and craziness lol. But now it doesn't bother me as much.

At that point I wanted my partner to share the fun and take the MSF. He did just fine on it as well and passed. He hated the class and sport bikes. So he vowed not to get one. We were at Vista again to get something for my bike and then he saw the bike of his dreams. He got his bike on his birthday as well but he went bigger than I did and he didn't like beginner bikes like I said. He got the 2016 Kawasaki Vulcan S ABS SE. I'll show a picture in a bit.

Anyways we had a great summer riding and we didn't have very many problems.

We didn't drop our bikes on our first year luckily since we bought new. But I had a few close calls.

1. I was riding and a RTA bus was going really annoyingly slow so I wanted to downshift and pass it. I was in 2nd and not 3rd so into 1st I go. Luckily for the slipper clutch I didn't end up on the ground. The rear wheel did lock but it was only for a fraction of a second. Enough to tell me I was lucky.
I was still fairly new and wasn't counting gears yet. On my survey I told Kawasaki a gear indicator would be nice....

2. Came over a blind hill on a rural lane and a half road to find a jacka$$ backing his lawmower onto the street for god knows what. I hit both brakes and got on the horn. He was able to jam the lawnmower into gear and move enough to where I could let go of the brakes and swerve to miss him. That was scary and thank god for ABS!

Other than that just normal spirited riding that went well. Met a cool dude we rode with a few times on a dual sport 350.

Near the end of the season I decided to get a Go Pro Hero 5 Black. I barely messed with it though but it performed well.

I am sad though the season is over so I figured I would join and look at some stories and pictures. I most likely will be a lurker for the most part.
I hang out on /r/motorcycles on reddit more than I do anywhere else.

Anyways here's some pics. I used the IMG tag but the pictures were HUGE so I took the tag out.

My bike new without the pillion cowl

http://i.imgur.com/LxCEhFu.jpg

With the pillion cowl

http://i.imgur.com/wK5ekmm.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/uEDD4ot.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/x6va2fr.jpg

My partner's bike

http://i.imgur.com/7kJeAR4.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/3wP4ej8.jpg

Me and my gear when I got it.

http://i.imgur.com/wXGs6Ij.jpg

http://imgur.com/a/4c4Sn

http://i.imgur.com/33F8J1N.jpg

The bike at a rest stop at Kings Island.

http://i.imgur.com/G2mmtj1.jpg

The Bike at the dealer before I pulled the trigger to get it.

http://imgur.com/a/cKSVe

[csmith12]

Welcome Eric!

Cool pics and gratz on finishing your first season of successful riding.

[allanoue]

Eric

[taz]

Welcome.

[Snake]

Hello and welcome.

[Ghostt]

Welcome and congrats on passing your MSF and taking this seriously

Now my standard greeting

Welcome, here are just a few things to think about,

1.Get trained and licensed MSF Courses

2.ALWAYS Wear protective gear -- ATGATT All The Gear, All The Time -- including a helmet manufactured to the standards set by a government agency.

3.ALWAYS Ride unimpaired by alcohol or other drugs

4.ALWAYS Ride within your own skill limits and road conditions.

5.Be a lifelong learner by taking refresher rider courses, and advanced rider course A.R.C.

https://www.ninjette.org/forums/showthread.php?t=218237

https://www.ninjette.org/forums/show...8&postcount=26

A.T.G.A.T.T. so I may ride another day.

Link to original page on YouTube.

Link to original page on YouTube.
Notice how the right shoulder seemed to tear?

[Elongo06]

Originally Posted by Ghostt

Welcome and congrats on passing your MSF and taking this seriously

Now my standard greeting

Welcome, here are just a few things to think about,

1.Get trained and licensed MSF Courses

2.ALWAYS Wear protective gear -- ATGATT All The Gear, All The Time -- including a helmet manufactured to the standards set by a government agency.

3.ALWAYS Ride unimpaired by alcohol or other drugs

4.ALWAYS Ride within your own skill limits and road conditions.

5.Be a lifelong learner by taking refresher rider courses, and advanced rider course A.R.C.

https://www.ninjette.org/forums/showthread.php?t=218237

https://www.ninjette.org/forums/show...8&postcount=26

A.T.G.A.T.T. so I may ride another day.

I couldn't agree more and thanks for the reply. Matter of fact thanks everyone for the kind words.

For sure. I was always ATGATT during my riding no matter the distance. In March I am no longer required to wear a helmet, but I'm going to keep wearing it. I actually got quite used to having it on.

I definitely never rode while impaired. I do party, but I save the party for the end of the day to where I don't have to ride or drive.

It would be downright scary trying to operate on 2 wheels being buzzed.

I am really glad I took the BRC. It was a ton of great knowledge. I am actually considering taking the ARC if it's available. Even if I don't I will continue to operate safely to the best of my knowledge. I am not much for risk taking so doing 90 mph in corners isn't my thing.

I get the video's and pics except the helmet chart. What exactly is that?

[Ghostt]

The helmet shows areas of impacts, and the % is the number of impacts complied from accident data.

As you can the chin took the most, see the importance of a full face helmets?

[CaliGrrl]

Welcome!

[jkv45]

Originally Posted by Elongo06

I get the video's and pics except the helmet chart. What exactly is that?

As Ghostt noted - impact area percentages.

Makes you wonder why anyone would wear an open-face helmet doesn't it? The most surprising to me are the cycle Police that wear them. You'd think they would know better.

Welcome.

[Elongo06]

Originally Posted by jkv45

As Ghostt noted - impact area percentages.

Makes you wonder why anyone would wear an open-face helmet doesn't it? The most surprising to me are the cycle Police that wear them. You'd think they would know better.

Welcome.

Wow thanks guys for the answer. I am glad I have a full face helmet then. Patrol guys do seem to wear half helmets which really is weird.

I figured it would be best to get a full face anyways because of debris and bugs.

[CaliGrrl]

I've always worn full-face helmets. Now that I'm older and more careful about things, I guess I could go for a smaller helmet, since I'm less likely to crash, but I won't be doing that. I'll stick with the full-face, thanks.

[JohnnyBravo]

Originally Posted by Elongo06

Wow thanks guys for the answer. I am glad I have a full face helmet then. Patrol guys do seem to wear half helmets which really is weird.

I figured it would be best to get a full face anyways because of debris and bugs.

It's so they don't have to take off their helmets when they tell you why they are stealing your money... Haha... Here they started wearing modular helmets, an they just flip the front when they are telling you why they are stealing your money

[snot]

Welcome, I am north of Dayton.

I will post up meet and greets in the spring all riders are welcome.

[Elongo06]

Cool good to see another Daytonian. I might be able to get the bike out in April and be back out and about. Right now she is all bundled up for winter.

[choneofakind]

Howdy, Eric.

I'm in Lima, not too far from you or Snot.

[snot]

Our meet and greets don't usually involve the bikes. I do them while its cold so we can all chat. Then when the rides pop up we do more riding than chatting.

[Elongo06]

Cool, I'll try to keep a lookout for them. It's good to get away from the house a bit.

[cbinker]

hi

[Triple Jim]

Originally Posted by Elongo06

2. Came over a blind hill on a rural lane and a half road to find a jacka$$ backing his lawmower onto the street for god knows what.

Hi Eric, nice to meet you.

I'm glad you missed hitting the mower. On a motorcycle, you have to expect things like that, and always ride so if they appear, you can safely avoid a crash. I live in a very rural area, and when I crest a hill or come around a blind curve, I assume there's going to be a tractor in the road, or two pickup trucks stopped with the drivers talking to each other through their windows, or half an inch of freshly cut grass clippings to slide on. Sometimes I have to slow down a lot, just in case something is in the way ahead.

The key is to ride in a way that lets you control what happens. Once you're not in control, your life is in someone else's hands.

[VaFish]

Welcome,

That Vulcan S of your partners is a nice bike. My daughter almost bought one, but she got a used Sportster instead.

[Elongo06]

Thanks, it was the first year for the Special Edition. The colors really pop in person.it looks incredible. He fell in love with it as soon as he saw it.