New rider

[sp3ak]

Hello forum,

I'm a brand new rider, just got my permit last week and got my 2006 Ninja 250 this past Tuesday. My short'ish story is that I've been wanting to ride for a long time but never took the initiative to learn. I decided I would jump in and take the MSF class and see what happened. I have a co-worker that rides that was able to help me do some parking lot practice before taking the class which was helpful. But wait you say, I thought you said you only have your permit? Yup! As frustrating as it was I did not pass the MSF class, got too many points during the skills test. That darn U-turn box got me, outside the line and touching a foot down.

Anyways.... After a few days of getting over myself I decided I wanted to keep going. My wife finally approved of me getting a motorcycle (that's a long story too) and off to craigslist I went! Found a 2006 Ninja 250 with 1,887 miles on it. It was really clean, only a couple minor scratches that to me look like it was just from too long of sitting in a garage in someones way. So score for me (IMO) at $1,900.00 and off I go. I'm excited to be out on the road (being escorted by my more experienced friend) and continuing to learn and improve my skills.

Regarding gear I aim to be a ATGATT person, that's also a rule from my wife if I'm riding. So I've got my first set of gear rounded up with a Bell helmet, Joe Rocket jacket and gloves, and some TCX shoes which will be here Monday.

I've been spending a lot of time on this forum and the 250 Wiki learning about the bike so thanks to all of you for posting such great information.

- Andrew

[csmith12]

sp3ak! Glad you found us...

[Snake]

Hello and welcome!

[snot]

Welcome

[Ghostt]

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?

[VaFish]

Welcome!

Failing the test the first try is not that big of a deal. It happens to quite a few. In the class I took last year we had 12 riders. Only 4 passed and 3 of us that passed had previous riding experience. Our coaches said our class was a huge anomaly, but it happens.

Get some parking lot practice in and go back and take the class again. You will pick up more the 2nd time around.

[CaliGrrl]

Welcome! Mine's an '06, too.

Good for you for getting good gear and having a mentor will help a lot, too. One thing that surprised me with how useful it is were helmet intercoms. When my hubby's out with me, we can talk, and he can warn me of things he knows about road conditions or whatever.

[Triple Jim]

It's possible to fail the skills test at an MSF course, but still have learned the material well. My daughter got nervous, and slightly rode outside a line during the test, causing her to fail. She had gotten her learner's permit already, so I rode with her on our local back roads and saw that she had indeed benefited greatly from the course. As one example, on a fairly sharp 55 mph right curve, a dump truck appeared from the trees going the other way, and I watched her reaction. She continued just fine, without losing her line in the curve. Later I mentioned that I noticed how she handled the situation, and she explained that she had learned to look where she wanted to go, and not at the oncoming traffic.

We continued to ride, putting many hundreds of miles on her 250, and I was happy with her skill and defensive riding. This spring while at a week long meet at Deals Gap, NC, she took the skills test with the NC DMV (free) and passed it. I could tell she was again very nervous, but she made it through. Her problem seems to be test anxiety, rather than lack of learning or skill.

The point here is that you need to decide whether you think you'd benefit from a second time through the course, or get more out of practicing the skills you're weak at on your own, until you're satisfied that you've mastered them.

[Alex]

Welcome! I can't see your pics; it looks like they are linked to a private google drive account? Linking them to any URL is fine, but it most be open for folks to view them.

[sp3ak]

@Alex - Thanks, fixed the links, forgot to make the folder public.


And thanks to everyone else for the welcomes and the advice. I'm still taking everything in but I'm excited. I get a little more comfortable every time I ride but also see things I need to work on. Trying to incorporate a few things into each ride in order to improve.

RE the MSF class, I learned a huge amount and I'm really glad I took it. I'm going to get through until spring time on my permit and then look into taking the NCDMV skills test. I think I had a little bit of lack of skill and a fair amount of test anxiety going on. I have plenty of fun exercises to go practice in the parking lot now though!

[adouglas]

Welcome!!!

Here's a tip if you go back and do the class again:

Have your wife do it with you. That way she KNOWS for sure what you're doing and how you're approaching it. It's also fun, non-intimidating, and a great way to spend a day with her.

Tip 2: Probably not a good idea to sell the idea as trying to get her interested in riding. If that happens, great... but this is more about eliminating the fear of the unknown.

I did this when I first started riding, and it worked out great.

Good on ya for paying attention to learning, and the ATGATT attitude. Don't forget that what's below the waist matters too.... your butt, hips, knees are all going to suffer if you go down. Those jeans are about as useful as tissue paper.

You'll find the gear solution that works best for you over time. For me there's only one right answer, but that doesn't mean it's the only valid choice. We all go through an evolution on this front, usually starting with sticker shock at the cost of gear.

In my case, the evolution went from a $79 closeout mesh jacket with no upgrades, jeans, generic work gloves and Wal-Mart work boots, to overpants and a full armor shirt under the mesh, to the full leathers, gauntlets and riding boots I wear now.

My street gear would pass muster at the track. Overkill? To me, no. A crash is a crash. Physics doesn't care if you're on the street or at the track.

Please remember that gear may seem expensive but your body costs MUCH MUCH more to fix... like 20x as much (direct experience with hospital bills speaking here).

Relevant blog posts here:

https://www.ninjette.org/forums/blog.php?b=8384 about the cost of healthcare vs. gear, with real numbers based on personal experience

https://www.ninjette.org/forums/blog.php?b=8330 about exactly why the best gear is the best investment (IMHO).

[sp3ak]

I did try to get her interested in riding but alas it's just not for her. She followed me home yesterday when I was getting the bike from my friends house. I kept trying to tell her how cautiously I rode but seeing did help ease her mind a little.

For now I've got a mesh jacket with CE rated elbows/shoulders and a foam back protector (that's about to get upgraded to a CE level). I've also got CE rated gloves. Shoes are a little bit on the casual side for looks but are CE rated as well with toe plates and ankle and heal protection. The next bit (for the below the waist area) is going to be some riding jeans. Still doing my research on those but most likely kevlar reinforced with knee pads. That will kind of make up round 1 for a gear setup. As things get cooler I will move into a next round and we'll see where it goes. So much information, so many reviews, and so many opinions.

[CaliGrrl]

That's a bummer that she won't take the class with you. I'd agree that taking the class, and seeing how much they teach you, would help ease her mind as well as educate her how to drive when bikes are around. I found that learning to ride a bike has made me a much better driver, which surprised me.

[Triple Jim]

Originally Posted by CaliGrrl

I found that learning to ride a bike has made me a much better driver, which surprised me.

Definitely. If you ride a motorcycle defensively, and learn to look around constantly, assume no one can see you, assume everyone will pull out into your path (etc.) you will definitely carry this skill over to driving other vehicles.

[Panda]

As a FYI you can put a foot down during the UTurn test as long as you don't get too many points on other items. Some people let the UTurn test get in their heads and they mess up more than they would if they just put their foot down.

[CaliGrrl]

Originally Posted by Triple Jim

Definitely. If you ride a motorcycle defensively, and learn to look around constantly, assume no one can see you, assume everyone will pull out into your path (etc.) you will definitely carry this skill over to driving other vehicles.

You know, I did that already, but riding a bike took it up a level. I was surprised.

[3ØØ]

OP, i didnt see you mention of any protective pants, they are just as important as any other part of gear. imagine taking a spill(doesnt even have to be your fault) and sliding on pavement for 30 or 40 feet. do you know where the skin on your legs will be? ON THE STREET. not to mention, a higher chance of broken and or chipped bones without ce knee&hip armor

the saying is. . .dress for the slide, not the ride.

[sp3ak]

Thanks for the advice 300!

I actually have a pair of AGV kevlar reinforced jeans (with CE rated knee pads) arriving today! I believe they have pockets for hip protection as well which I will investigate. As well a CE rated back protector upgrade for my jacket arrives today. Tomorrow my TCX shoes arrive and at that point I'll be reasonably protected from head to toe.

That will completely my round 1 of gear. From what I've seen on the bit of riding I've done so far I'm already quite a bit more geared up than most of the folks around here. Doesn't bother me though! Makes my wife feel more comfortable, makes me feel safer, and makes me more visible. That's what matters.

[CaliGrrl]

You wouldn't believe what I see people riding in- shorts, flip-flops, and a tank top.....

I'm still geared. Leather jacket, kevlar jeans, boots, good gloves. So yeah, it doesn't matter what everybody else is doing, you need to do your own thing. Gear is good. You ride to be safe, and hope you never need to rely on your gear, but you gotta have it.

[JohnnyBravo]

Welcome to the fray... TARHEELS all the way! My sister an cousin live up your way. Be safe out there