New Member/Rider Here

[KingCoyote]

Hello everyone! I looked around at the subforums and figured that this would be the appropriate place to post an introduction. I am purchasing a 2007 Ninja 250r tomorrow at 9am, so I thought that now would be the perfect time to join a motorcycle forum, and this one was actually recommended to me by the man who is selling me his bike. Anyways, I rode a dirtbike back in elementary school, but not frequently, so I'd say that I'm a relatively new rider. I'll be lurking around these forums from now on in an attempt to gather as much info as possible from you guys so that I can become a skilled rider. If you guys have any questions feel free to ask me!

Edit:
I'm sorry, it seems as though I was a little to eager to post on here. After further examination I realized that there is a new member subforum. My bad.

[csmith12]

Welcome Travis!

Good luck on your new purchase!

[KingCoyote]

Thank you man! I'm so excited that I probably won't be able to sleep tonight! The icing on the cake is that I am off work tomorrow as well, so I will have allllll day to get familiar with my new bike! Glad to be part of such a nice community man.

[Alex]

/moved to new member section

[Roark]

Welcome!! Don't get TOO excited with your full day of fun..

[cbinker]

welcome, it is in the proper forum now.

[KingCoyote]

Thanks for the move, and thank you all of the warm welcome. I have a question though concerning safety gear. I already have my helmet (GMax GM54s, white), but I need a jacket now. I just recently moved to Texas. Do you think that I should pick up a leather jacket or a mesh jacket?

[allanoue]

Travis

[dcj13]

Originally Posted by KingCoyote

Thanks for the move, and thank you all of the warm welcome. I have a question though concerning safety gear. I already have my helmet (GMax GM54s, white), but I need a jacket now. I just recently moved to Texas. Do you think that I should pick up a leather jacket or a mesh jacket?

Welcome, Travis!

Your choice on the leather versus mesh. Some folks swear by leather because of its superior abrasion resistance. But it won't do much good if it's too hot for you to wear it. Decisions, decisions...

[cbinker]

Originally Posted by dcj13

Welcome, Travis!

Your choice on the leather versus mesh. Some folks swear by leather because of its superior abrasion resistance. But it won't do much good if it's too hot for you to wear it. Decisions, decisions...

never too hot for leather.

[Snake]

Hello and welcome.

[csmith12]

Some say..."would you rather sweat or bleed?"

A good perforated leather jacket is worth it's weight in gold during your time of need and not much hotter in the sun than mesh, generally speaking...

[KJohnson21]

[snot]

Welcome are you taking the MSF course?

[NevadaWolf]

Originally Posted by KingCoyote

I need a jacket now. I just recently moved to Texas. Do you think that I should pick up a leather jacket or a mesh jacket?

Are you looking for a jacket for now (winter - such as Texas gets) or one jacket for year round (including summer)?

Now: Mesh might be good temp wise, but I would really look into a solid textile jacket with good ventilation. Perfed leather would also work well. Anything solid will provide better abrasion resistance than normal mesh - unless you fork out the cash for the Kevlar mesh gear.

Summer: avoid mesh! The heat will get so high that the air flow a mesh allows will only serve to cook your skin and does NOT cool it off. Stick with solid gear and use water to soak a vest or shirt to help keep you cool.

[catseye]

[indomie]

Congrats! go with perf leather it wont disappoint. during winter just layer inside the jacket and and a windbreaker or something. it will keep you cool during summer as long as you are moving....winter gloves are a must...

[JohnnyBravo]

Welcome to the forum... Congrats on your new ride!

I have a white full race pert leather suit: I wear it all the time in the summer, it feels cooler that my textile jacket an jeans!!! When the sweat starts dripping an the All those air holes get to flowing i have wanted an extra layer. Protects a lot more as well. I'm surprised no one linked the mesh makes you lose body heat thread yet... Remind me in the am; it's my bedtime

[greenaero]

Welocme Travis!

[250rr]

Hello

[KingCoyote]

Thank you all for the good information. Someone asked me if I was going to take the MSF course, and the answer is yes. I will be taking that as soon as possible, but so far I've just been practicing turns, taking off, and shifting up/down in my neighborhood. I don't have my license yet or insurance for that matter, so I won't be taking it to the main streets yet, plus I don't have gloves, boots, or a jacket yet. As far as the jacket question goes, I'm looking for something that will be good year-round here in Texas. From what you guys are saying, leather seems to be the better choice. I'm 6'2 and weigh 165lbs, so I am quite thin and lanky. I want a nice jacket that is form fitting and long enough to cover me. Should I avoid Amazon and just shop at a bike shop to make sure that I get a good fit? By the way, I should probably show you guys my new baby, shouldn't I? :-) Can I share photos straight from my phone gallery? I'm getting a little off topic now, but I noticed when I was practicing shifting yesterday that my bike jumps a little bit. I'm assuming that I am not rev matching properly and need to take some time to get that down? As far as taking off, I'm pretty decent, though sometimes it isn't quite as smooth as I'd like. I'm guessing that I need a little more practice.

[csmith12]

Yep yep, practice will smooth out the takeoffs, shifting and downshifting too. When learning, the clutch friction zone is the key and a bit of good timing.

And for sure!!! Take a lil time to head to the bike shop for some gear shopping. Try on as many jackets as you see fit. The different brands are cut slightly different and will fit slightly different even though they have the same size number. Also, since I have helped a few skinny folks... Check out speed and strength jackets/gear, especially if you're skinning but stocky in the upper torso area. If you can't find a jacket that fits the "chest area" but fits in the arms, then look into a back/chest protector to fill in the extra space and add to your protection.

And yea, you can share photos directly from your smartphone. It takes a few extra steps but aint to hard. Hint: Attachments.

Good luck and looking forward to the pic of your bike.

[KingCoyote]

Just went out and practiced some more. I hit 3rd today. I upshifted purposefully as I closed in on each stop sign so that I could practice quickly rev matching/downshifting. I'm already a lot better than yesterday (which wasn't so bad)! Also my launches are getting very smooth! I just had to find the friction zone and then slowly add gas when I hit it and simultaneously release the clutch, slowly of course. Also my turning at slow speeds (1st gear) are getting good! I can make a clean u-turn in my driveway and on the street. Nice and sharp. I've already stopped my habit of putting a foot out like dirt bike riders do, and I feel much more comfortable on my bike! I'll be able to pass the MSF easy I bet if I keep practicing around my neighborhood! Also, I didn't see the attachment option earlier haha, thanks for the hint brother! Here is my baby. I need to give her a name

[allanoue]

Go to the shop find what fits then take that info to Amazon.

You are going to be tempted to take your skills out on the main roads.
Don't do it!

[KingCoyote]

I already am tempted man, but I can keep the beast inside until the time is right. I work 2 miles from my house and it is a straight shot with only 3 stoplights so I figured that I could make it, especially if I took the back roads, but I keep telling myself not to do it.

[NevadaWolf]

Originally Posted by allanoue

Go to the shop find what fits then take that info to Amazon.

On behalf of all little brick and mortar shops, please don't do this.

Small local shops can't compete with the huge online stores as it is. So if you go in there and someone helps you out by finding the right piece of gear for you, then give back to them through your business.

Now, if you go in and their prices are obscenely inflated over what you can get online, see if you can talk them down. If their customer service is nonexistent or they give you a lame reason for having their prices so high, then yeah take your business elsewhere (including online).

My local shops are priced higher than anyone online, but that difference comes from the customer service. I like having someone help me and am willing to pay the premium for their time and knowledge. I have yet to be disappointed when I go into a store for moto gear or parts.

[catseye]

Originally Posted by NevadaWolf

On behalf of all little brick and mortar shops, please don't do this.

Small local shops can't compete with the huge online stores as it is. So if you go in there and someone helps you out by finding the right piece of gear for you, then give back to them through your business.

Now, if you go in and their prices are obscenely inflated over what you can get online, see if you can talk them down. If their customer service is nonexistent or they give you a lame reason for having their prices so high, then yeah take your business elsewhere (including online).

My local shops are priced higher than anyone online, but that difference comes from the customer service. I like having someone help me and am willing to pay the premium for their time and knowledge. I have yet to be disappointed when I go into a store for moto gear or parts.

That's a very healthy attitude.

[Roark]

Originally Posted by catseye

That's a very healthy attitude.

I bet nature didn't mean to kill off the saber tooths and mammoths.. but natural selection will always win.

Those shops will die off if they can't compete. The way it should be

[catseye]

Originally Posted by Roark

I bet nature didn't mean to kill off the saber tooths and mammoths.. but natural selection will always win.

Those shops will die off if they can't compete. The way it should be

sometimes a shift in the paradigm is what's called for. It sometimes takes more than just price to be "competitive". Service, knowledge and selection are also very important. There are times when you can be "on your own" when dealing with on-line outlets. Also elements of "natural selection"....

[Roark]

Originally Posted by catseye

sometimes a shift in the paradigm is what's called for. It sometimes takes more than just price to be "competitive". Service, knowledge and selection are also very important. There are times when you can be "on your own" when dealing with on-line outlets. Also elements of "natural selection"....

Absolutely..very true. These are elements that matter, but the Internet based retailers are getting better and better. Revzilla is a better informer than my local bike shops by FAR! Only reason I even go there is for their random sales..

Time will tell!

[NevadaWolf]

Revzilla has definitely done everything right. Their customer service rivals many local shops and they have paved a new path for a "retailer" in the motorcycle world.

[catseye]

Revzilla is good, I've also had good experiences with Bike Bandit.

[allanoue]

There is no substitute for pulling something on before you buy. Easy returns: no such animal.

[adouglas]

Originally Posted by Roark

I bet nature didn't mean to kill off the saber tooths and mammoths.. but natural selection will always win.

Those shops will die off if they can't compete. The way it should be

The catch is that people have free will and can make socially responsible decisions. This is not pure survival of the fittest. It's a social equation.

When you buy from a local business here's what happens:

- Your neighbors (the owners and employees of the store) get to feed their families, send their kids to school, and build a stronger community.
- The business generates traffic in your community, which supports other businesses.... a rising tide floats all boats.
- The business and its employees pay taxes, which directly support your community.
- You form relationships and make friends because you're actually meeting people instead of sitting at home in your underwear poking your keyboard. Those relationships can pay off in many, often unexpected and delightful, ways.

When you shop exclusively online, businesses die. When businesses die, towns die. When towns die, the quality of life, and the tax base, and your property values, all plummet.

Does this mean you should pay crazy high prices to shop local? Of course not. But investing in your own community is a smart -- and responsible -- thing to do.

Besides, you can always ask if they'll come within spitting distance of the online price. We live in an era where you can comparison shop while you're standing in the store. That's very powerful.

Just be honest. "I want to buy from you because I believe in supporting local businesses. But I'm not going to pay twice what I can get it for online because that would be stupid, right? What can you do for me to make this sale happen?"

A good deal is one that makes everyone happy. Grinding some shopkeeper for the last ten bucks on a $150 purchase is reprehensible. So is being inflexible and unwilling to accommodate customers.

Shop local -- hell yes, but not at any price.

Edit... comment about the Revzilla retail store was meant for a different newb thread. Dam, senility sucks.

[catseye]

I will personally always shop local when I can. Plus, on items such as a helmet, there are so many variables with fitment, it only makes sense,

[csmith12]

Originally Posted by adouglas

Just be honest. "I want to buy from you because I believe in supporting local businesses. But I'm not going to pay twice what I can get it for online because that would be stupid, right? What can you do for me to make this sale happen?"

Hells yea! If you get a manager involved, you can even haggle wal-mart. They just won't go below 33% profit. 33% is like some religion there.

If you can swing that, then local is not a problem.