I've decided to buy another bike...

[Jiggles]

Why!? Why in the world after only 2.5 months are you going to buy another bike!?

Well, on the ride with brian up Mt. Hamilton I had a lot of fun, leaned farther than I've ever leaned before, and scraped my shoes. Win! After I scraped my shoes though I decided to slow down, not because I'm afraid of leaning/crashing/lowsiding, but because I'm afraid of damaging my beautiful 2.5mo old bike. So, in order to enhance my riding skills without the possibility of damaging my new bike, I've decided to invest in some very high quality gear and a cheapo pregen.

I'm going to look for a cheap bike that runs and slap some nice tires on it and lean it as far as I can. With great gear and a bike I don't mind damaging my fear of lowsiding should be minimal and allow me to really grow as a rider.

So, good idea or bad idea?

[Gorilla25]

if u got the funds, why not...

[bdavison]

One can never have too many Kawasaki Ninjas.

[Boom King]

Track school

[Snake]

I say go for it.

[alex.s]

you can never have too many bikes.

[r311music]

I would if I could! Although I'd probably look into an older ninja 500. They seem to be going relatively cheap around here.

-Rob

[Jiggles]

The only problem with doing this is that I won't have much extra cash to spend on my current bike for mods. I was really looking forward to putting on a full exhaust and doing a couple other things but I guess I'll enhance myself instead of my bike

[Bunker]

Be careful pushing the envelope... dont ride faster than your angels can fly! bunker

[Jiggles]

Originally Posted by Bunker

Be careful pushing the envelope... dont ride faster than your angels can fly! andy

That's what the gear is for

[kyrider]

I am gonna get another bike as well next spring. Don't know what kind as of yet but something I can pay cash for. Maybe an 883 Iron or 750 Shadow etc.
Would not mind having an SV650 or a 636. Time will tell. I did try to buy an old GPZ on craigslist but the guy never got back with me. Maybe a newgen?

[Johnnyscoots]

If I remember correctly, author Peter Egan says that we should have at least 5 bikes. 1 supersport, 1 standard, 1 cruiser, 1 sport tourer, and one basket case to help pass those lonely, snowy nights when we can't ride. Of course, Mr. Egan is from Wisconsin, so he gets plenty of winter nights to work on his many basket cases. I've got the cruiser and the Ninjette...

Johnny

[Jiggles]

Originally Posted by Johnnyscoots

If I remember correctly, author Peter Egan says that we should have at least 5 bikes. 1 supersport, 1 standard, 1 cruiser, 1 sport tourer, and one basket case to help pass those lonely, snowy nights when we can't ride. Of course, Mr. Egan is from Wisconsin, so he gets plenty of winter nights to work on his many basket cases. I've got the cruiser and the Ninjette...

Johnny

So under which category would I put the bike I don't mind crashing??

[rusninja]

if you get a pregen you gunna teach me to ride ;] jk x]

[Zombiphone]

Originally Posted by Jiggles

So under which category would I put the bike I don't mind crashing??

Dirt

[Alex]

Originally Posted by Jiggles

So under which category would I put the bike I don't mind crashing??

Into the 3hp minibike that you allow your 4 year old cousin to tool around on at < 8 mph. Every other bike has the potential of hurting too much when you crash.

[Jiggles]

Originally Posted by Alex

Into the 3hp minibike that you allow your 4 year old cousin to tool around on at < 8 mph. Every other bike has the potential of hurting too much when you crash.

I'm not planning on crashing, just trying to remove the fear of crashing. ATGATT + a cheap bike (runs good + good tires) will allow me to push the bike to its limits and if I go past those limits then well, I've still got a pretty bike back home

Now, whenever I get to some nice twisties instead of going faster and leaning farther I slow down because it would just tear me up inside if I got a scratch on my precious.

[Jiggles]

Originally Posted by rusninja

if you get a pregen you gunna teach me to ride ;] jk x]

Just do what I did and ride down McKean every day you can. You'll start going faster and faster and get better

[wayanlam]

even with all the gear in the world... crashing into oncoming traffic, or into a tree/wall/off a ledge, wont stop you from getting hurt~ dont forget that xD

or take the bike to a track, that would be the best place to practice!

[rusninja]

Originally Posted by Jiggles

Just do what I did and ride down McKean every day you can. You'll start going faster and faster and get better

i ment basics but i was joking x] i still have no bike

[gt_turbo]

best to learn on the track, streets/back roads aren't ideal for pushing it. a controlled enivronment is always best.

watch the video in this thread. even with gear would you want to hit those obstacles.

[Alex]

Originally Posted by Jiggles

just trying to remove the fear of crashing.

I hope I'm not belaboring the point, but if you have no fear of crashing, you're not understanding the risks involved with riding a motorcycle.

Originally Posted by Jiggles

ATGATT + a cheap bike (runs good + good tires) will allow me to push the bike to its limits and if I go past those limits then well, I've still got a pretty bike back home

ATGATT = good. Believing that it makes crashing a cheap bike OK because you won't get hurt isn't a good bet. Every time you hit the ground there's a non-zero chance of a life-changing event.

The reason people tend to advise against a shiny new bike is because new riders often drop them or damage with extremely low-speed or even zero-speed silliness, and cosmetic damage can be silly expensive on a new bike. Scuffing up a cheaper bike does make that much easier to take, both on the wallet and the ego. But that shouldn't be extrapolated to the level of continually pushing limits right up until the first crash, expecting it to be a learning event and nothing more. Some riders only get one.

[ninja250]

I can still snap my ankle right off with all my gear on if I screw up a wheelie..

Why I'm going to slower gearing and basically rendering my bike useless for anything but wheelies. So I don't break an ankle.

When you play around you're gonna crash. If you push anything it's gonna push back.

I like your idea of a second ninja to learn on, but do it where you can't hurt yourself or anyone else and you'll be fine. You're supposed to be afraid of crashing it. I wasn't until I did and now I think about it a lot more, that's for sure.

[setasai]

Originally Posted by Jiggles

The only problem with doing this is that I won't have much extra cash to spend on my current bike for mods. I was really looking forward to putting on a full exhaust and doing a couple other things but I guess I'll enhance myself instead of my bike

Depending on how much we're talking about, I'd be willing to maybe split it with you and really thrash the thing. =)

[ninja250]

Yeah no kidding let me play on one I'm not afraid to drop lol.
I'm thinkng about a second something myself right now just not sure what.
Probably a small beater nsr50 hahaha

[Jiggles]

Originally Posted by Alex

I hope I'm not belaboring the point, but if you have no fear of crashing, you're not understanding the risks involved with riding a motorcycle.



ATGATT = good. Believing that it makes crashing a cheap bike OK because you won't get hurt isn't a good bet. Every time you hit the ground there's a non-zero chance of a life-changing event.

The reason people tend to advise against a shiny new bike is because new riders often drop them or damage with extremely low-speed or even zero-speed silliness, and cosmetic damage can be silly expensive on a new bike. Scuffing up a cheaper bike does make that much easier to take, both on the wallet and the ego. But that shouldn't be extrapolated to the level of continually pushing limits right up until the first crash, expecting it to be a learning event and nothing more. Some riders only get one.

Perhaps I'm not making my intentions perfectly clear. I feel like I won't be able to advance much farther on my bike. I'm planning on keeping this bike for a very long time and I don't want to ever crash it, not that I want to crash anything at all. What this turns into is me not pushing myself in the twisties and not pushing myself to be the best rider I can be. This also leads to me feeling comfortable with some very basic gear since I'm not taking as many risks.

What I want to do is get a bike I can practice on and better myself. With this (I don't like saying cheap, lets call it an inexpensive but mechanically sound bike) I can lean farther, go faster, scrape pegs, shoes, knees, etc. Basically, I'll be taking more risks, something that any of us do when we take our bikes into the twisties/track. And since I'll be taking more risks I want to be as protected as possible, ATGATT, best helmet, best gloves, best leathers, best boots, best tires, best everything in order to keep me as safe as possible. Lets add best insurance into that mix too .

I think this is very reasonable logic. I'm not planning on crashing (my earlier posts may have came across like I wanted too???), but should it happen, I don't want to be on my new pristine bike, and I want to be in the best gear I can afford.

Now, I haven't researched into this at all but my preliminary guess is that I will be spending around $1000 on gear and $1500-$2000 on a bike. I just started my new job which will allow for this expense but it will still be a few months before I even purchase anything.

[Jiggles]

Originally Posted by setasai

Depending on how much we're talking about, I'd be willing to maybe split it with you and really thrash the thing. =)

Lol you mean split the cost of the bike? I might be down for that.

My sister wants to get an M1 and I was thinking I would let her occcasionally ride the bike in exchange for paying the insurance.

[EsrTek]

So your sub-conscious is basically already planning on crashing this new bike you get, so it will happen. Just like if you think about how you can screw up a corner, you end of doing just that, screwing up the corner you taken many times before without thinking about it.

Get freakin insurance and use your bike you got now, the fear of scratching it will keep you honest.
Also to improve, I thought you only need to push like 75% of your limit to gain skill???

[Cuongism]

I would suggest get the gear and then a trackbike/trackdays; or get the gear and have full coverage on your current bike. Insurance will pay for a shiny new bike or replace with shiny new parts.

I also think you're currently suffering with NewItem-itis. Every time you make a large purchase of something new (car, bike, etc), you really go all out to take care of it. At least for me, it wears off

[Jiggles]

Originally Posted by EsrTek

So your sub-conscious is basically already planning on crashing this new bike you get, so it will happen. Just like if you think about how you can screw up a corner, you end of doing just that, screwing up the corner you taken many times before without thinking about it.

Get freakin insurance and use your bike you got now, the fear of scratching it will keep you honest.
Also to improve, I thought you only need to push like 75% of your limit to gain skill???

Bold: Not quite, see above post.

Bold, underline: I have insurance, but repairs on the bike I have now would likely be as much or more than a second bike would cost. As far as improving myself, I'm not going to go straight into knee dragging, its a gradual process.

[zilaniz]

Sounds like what you are really looking for is some track days

crashing any bike can be deadly, even a lowside...never know when you will lowside across traffic and get run over.

[Jiggles]

Originally Posted by Cuongism

I would suggest get the gear and then a trackbike/trackdays; or get the gear and have full coverage on your current bike. Insurance will pay for a shiny new bike or replace with shiny new parts.

I also think you're currently suffering with NewItem-itis. Every time you make a large purchase of something new (car, bike, etc), you really go all out to take care of it. At least for me, it wears off

NewItem itis does not go away for me XD

And as far as a track bike, track days haven't seemed that appealing to me. I haven't done one yet but I don't think it would be nearly as fun as twisties in the country side

[setasai]

I also understand what Sean has been trying to say REPEATEDLY, he basically wants a bike that he can mess around with without worrying about costs of repairing fairings. What will he be doing with it that might damage it? I for one am afraid of trying out super slow speed U turns in fear of dropping it or figure 8's... all hell, here is an example of what I would be trying if I had a bike that I didnt care about it's appearance.

Link to original page on YouTube.

We're not saying we'll be reckless, we just want to use a bike to "try" stuff on. No wheelies nor stoppies, just tricky maneuvers and super low cornering. I say we because we had this conversation already and I know exactly what Sean's describing. Sure a track day is possible but I would STILL not use my current bike for that for fear I might damage it. So if you all could calm your nerves and quit flaming him saying he doesnt have the right attitude or whatever. I know for a fact he is on the same page as the rest of us in safety and responsibility.

[Jiggles]

Exactly. Thats something I would like to learn to do but would never try on my current bike. Hell, I won't even take my bike out in the rain!

[Zombiphone]

Originally Posted by Jiggles

Exactly. Thats something I would like to learn to do but would never try on my current bike. Hell, I won't even take my bike out in the rain!

.......

Are you one of those people who buys action figures and just stares at them in their packaging instead of playing with them

[setasai]

Originally Posted by Zombiphone

.......

Are you one of those people who buys action figures and just stares at them in their packaging instead of playing with them

More like plays with them but would never see if they would survive a cannon launch.

[Jiggles]

Originally Posted by Zombiphone

.......

Are you one of those people who buys action figures and just stares at them in their packaging instead of playing with them

No I'm one of those guys that buys something new and uses it every day. First gun, I bought so much ammunition and went to the range every chance I got. First bike, I've been averaging 2000 miles/month

[Clearlynotstefan]

You have to work on your body position. You should not be scraping your feet/foot pegs.

[jstrain]

Originally Posted by Jiggles

NewItem itis does not go away for me XD

And as far as a track bike, track days haven't seemed that appealing to me. I haven't done one yet but I don't think it would be nearly as fun as twisties in the country side

I definitely can relate to the newitemitis!

Don't discount the idea of doing track days. If you're looking for learning and skill building, the track is perfect. If you're looking for a safe environment to push yourself, the track is your safest bet. If you're looking to just have fun, there is a reason folks get addicted to the track and go broke feeding the habit

A spirited ride around the countryside is awesome, but I have a feeling that once you try out a track day, you'll be hooked.

[Jinx250]

Originally Posted by Jiggles

Well, on the ride with brian up Mt. Hamilton I had a lot of fun, leaned farther than I've ever leaned before, and scraped my shoes. Win! After I scraped my shoes though I decided to slow down, not because I'm afraid of leaning/crashing/lowsiding, but because I'm afraid of damaging my beautiful 2.5mo old bike. So, in order to enhance my riding skills without the possibility of damaging my new bike, I've decided to invest in some very high quality gear and a cheapo pregen.

Scraping your shoe means you were doing it wrong. I call this a fail, not a win.