when you bought your bike...did you ride it back?

[gitoy]

my wife drove me and rode the bike back for 175 miles...

riding a new to me 07 cbr600 was a strange feeling...guys i thought i was going to drop it several times around town specially on turns...and then on to the freeway for over 150 miles...

i was used to the soft handling and upright riding position of the ninja250...needless to say i was hurting when i got home, wrists, neck, back...but boy with several push ups and sit ups everyday and over 4,000 miles later i find the riding position and the firm ride to be more and more to my liking...and the ninja pouting in the garage...

so how was your first ride on your bike?...

[Nas]

It was way too short!!! I had to go to work so my first ride was probably 30 mins, and then all day I kept using every excuse to come up to the window to check out my Ninja

[Flashmonkey]

I can relate to your experience gitoy. I bought my gixxer in the middle of farm land and had to ride it all 150 kms home (on the freeway no less). It was my first time on a supersport and the riding position was completely foreign haha. The sheer weight and size of the bike was also something I wasn't used to...damn near dropped the thing at the first stop sign. The first turn I took on that bike was this wide, sweeping left-handed u-turn thing. LOL that was scary as hell....

But when I opened that bike up a little in 2nd gear on the on-ramp to the freeway...the tunnel vision that accompanied the surge of speed was unreal. Totally worth it.

Edit: For the record, I had the PO of my ninja ride it to my house when I bought that bike.

[slolane]

I usually ride em back, purchased a few that were a couple of states away that I trailered back. Several friends purchased first bikes and ask me to ride em home for them... I usually try to talk them into letting me bring my trailer (if it's a planned purchase) as I don't like to ride anyones bike but my own but I have a few times.

175 mile ride back is pretty far for the first ride.

[Blackwidow]

i didn't ride my bike back, my fiance did...only cuz i had to get on the freeway and that was not an option for me. he hated it though, cuz he had to keep it under 7K rpm and the fact that its lowered annoyed him. But i made sure i thanked him after

[Indy250r]

When I bought mine I spent 5 minutes riding around a little "test track" behind the dealer. Then I rode to a private park with a nice hilly, curvy circumference drive. After that I rode home for a total of ~30 miles. It was my first ride in 25 years and it felt like I'd never had a break.*




*Except for the first run up to speed on the only short stretch of highway of the trip. 1st-2nd-3rd-4th "HOLY MOTHER OF JESUS! I'M FREAKING FLYING!". When I looked down and saw that I was only going 45 I was convinced my speedometer was wrong.

[nexus]

I didn't ride b/c it was too far and all freeway...Put it in the truck bed and hauled it back.

[CZroe]

I bought mine in West Virginia and I rode it back... 600 miles to Georgia!

I never rode on the street before that (MSF course).

Originally Posted by nexus

I didn't ride b/c it was too far and all freeway...Put it in the truck bed and hauled it back.

How far was "too far?"

[Reswob]

Lucky for me the Kawi dealer was only 5 miles or so from my house at the time. So I very carefully rode it home, nearly dropping it only once, and got a ride back to the dealer later to pick up my Jeep.

[CZroe]

Originally Posted by Reswob

Lucky for me the Kawi dealer was only 5 miles or so from my house at the time. So I very carefully rode it home, nearly dropping it only once, and got a ride back to the dealer later to pick up my Jeep.

Should've gotten a ride there in the first place and then they could've followed you back in case something happened. My ride stayed in WV to visit family when I had to be at work the next day in GA, so I didn't have that luxury on my trip back.

[cinjette10]

I had never rode before so my husband rode it home for me, he rides a gsxr750 so he said he was pretty embarrassed to have to ride it home. I really think he's a closet ninja fan now because he has rode it a couple of times since then.

[Sailariel]

When I got the Ninja, my wife drove me to the dealer and I rode the bike home. It was a 47 mile ride and I enjoyed every bit of it.

When I bought the NT-700, I rode the Ninja to the dealer and we transferred the plate and I rode the Honda home--30 miles. On the way home, it was dark, I saw four deer in the road as I rounded a curve. I immediately discovered that the brakes on the Honda were superb. After a quick underwear change, I went on. That was quite an experience on a new and unfamiliar bike. We live and learn.

[sergemoat]

I rode around in the parking lot at the dealership for a while, then rode bout 10 miles home after I bought it. I took the MSF course bout 6 or 7 years before that and that was my only riding experience at the time. Stalled a few times in intersections but I made it home safe.

[choneofakind]

Originally Posted by Indy250r

*Except for the first run up to speed on the only short stretch of highway of the trip. 1st-2nd-3rd-4th "HOLY MOTHER OF JESUS! I'M FREAKING FLYING!". When I looked down and saw that I was only going 45 I was convinced my speedometer was wrong.

I had the same feeling when I rode mine home!!!! 40 miles. I didnt want to take the freeway, so I made it home the whole way on surface streets. It took forever, and I didnt even ride it home till a week later. I rode it straight from the seller to the shop to get everything checked over just to be sure i wasn't riding a timebomb

[scotty]

I didn't. I couln't due to me not having my temps/L's to ride a bike. I had the shop bring me the bike. Even when they droped it off, I didn't want to ride it. Lol It only have 0.9 miles on the bike. I have never bought anything new in my life. I did not want to break it in... Now is has 6k on it. Haha

The next bike that I buy, I will ride it back home for sure!

[Ninja_Moose]

I rode mine home, but it was only a few miles from my place. It was very cold in February though.

[SV_Hadder]

I Gave my girlfriend a crash-course lesson on how to drive my 5-speed Accord, drove it 220 miles to Virginia Beach, paid cash for my new-to-me 2001 Ninja 250 and followed my girlfriend home, since she had the GPS. Definitely a memory I won't forget. The sun was setting over the harbor, the smell of the salt air, and my new bike underneath me. No better maiden voyage than that!

[arnette]

Yep!

Drove about 15mi from the dealer to my house going 45-50 mph on a main road (avoided the highway). Doesn't seem like a big deal now, but it was my first time on a bike since the MSF class 6 mos. prior.

I'm fairly certain I rode the rear brake on accident just about the entire way. doh!

[maxwellca21]

i rode mine back local way following my wife in her car because im too excited to remember the way home

[shoe]

Of course I did!

Picked it up right when the dealership opened at 9am and was suppose to go back to work. I called the office to tell them I was on my way back and my boss said, "Its a beautiful day and its kind of slow. Take the day off... I'm sure you're itching to ride it." I had the biggest grin on my face taking the back roads home!

[FrugalNinja250]

My bike was my first bike. With zero miles under my belt and 4 months since the MSF I wasn't about to ride it 60+ miles through city traffic. Besides, it'd been sitting outside for several years and would barely start, let alone run.

Now that I've got riding experience I'd consider riding one home, but only if I had some way to verify that critical maintenance was up to date.

[HKr1]

250r came home in the back of the truck. Once home, I rode it over to the school parking lot. Then the wife took over from there
Looking back, I dont remember if she rode it back to the house that day or not.....??

[coolbreeze]

Back of a truck for me. My bike had been sitting for a few years. Dead battery and it wouldn't stay on.

[grandelatte]

when i bought the ninjette, i did not. well, a young man was selling it cheap with a broken chain. so i told him that i would buy it if he would bring it down to me. so he got his roommate to use his truck to bring it down to my place - 30 miles away.

other bikes... some i did, some i didn't. it all depends on the circumstances. if the seller is desperate, s/he will find a way to bring it down to you.

[wvninja]

They put the plate on my bike and I pulled it out of the dealership. I didn't have any trouble at all on it. I felt a little scared because of the power but had no problems with tipping or feeling weird around turns. It actually felt way better around turns than the lil ninja did.

I did however stall it twice that day ... throttle on a 600 isnt as forgiving as the 250 was lol.


My 250 was brought home by a friend (less than 5 mile trip) because I didn't even have my permit at the time of purchase. I feel I would've had no problems though. As soon as I got my permit (same day actually) I went home after work and rode all evening.

Wv also doesn't have a law prohibiting riding on highway / freeway on a permit. You can ride anywhere a reg license person can, you just can't have passengers.

[PsychoNinja]

I didn't have a permit either when I bought my bike. I just made arrangements with the dealer to deliver it to my house the next day.

It gave me time to clear out my garage to make room for my new toy!

[Ytse Frobozz]

My Ninjette got trailered home. It was an unregistered private sale, so I had no plate to put on it, and then it sat in my driveway for weeks waiting for the seller's loan to get cleared, and to get the thing titled and registered. So frustrating! I remember putting the plate on the day I got it, and I rode up to a nice parking lot with some gentle inclines to practice on. After about 15 minutes of that, I was like, "Screw this!" and went on a nice 35-40mi ride that I often do on my bicycle. The hills were so much easier!

[backinthesaddleagain]

Ninjette was delivered as it was a surprise from my wife. Rode the CBR home. All dirtbikes brought home on trailer, haha, but i did sell one mx bike to a kid who rode it back to his college frat house (about 8 miles) on a 4 lane state road and a 2 lane state road. Tragically he died a year later on an FJ1100 when he hit a car head on near his campus. Everytime I take that corner I think of him. Man - didn't mean to bring the thread down.

[Cycy]

hello, im new here and I just bought a black ninja 250r 2010 yesturday. =)
Its still in the shop because they have to lower the seat so my feet can reach the floor.
My problem is, should I ride it back by myself? cause even after they lower the seat, my feet barely touch the ground.(im only 5feet tall) but Its not my first bike.

what should I do?

[wvninja]

Originally Posted by Cycy

hello, im new here and I just bought a black ninja 250r 2010 yesturday. =)
Its still in the shop because they have to lower the seat so my feet can reach the floor.
My problem is, should I ride it back by myself? cause even after they lower the seat, my feet barely touch the ground.(im only 5feet tall) but Its not my first bike.

what should I do?

Lower your seat? As in install a new seat for you or actually lower the bike via lowering link?

Also you should be fine as long as you can hold the bike up on one leg while stopped.

[wvninja]

Originally Posted by Ytse Frobozz

My Ninjette got trailered home. It was an unregistered private sale, so I had no plate to put on it, and then it sat in my driveway for weeks waiting for the seller's loan to get cleared, and to get the thing titled and registered. So frustrating! I remember putting the plate on the day I got it, and I rode up to a nice parking lot with some gentle inclines to practice on. After about 15 minutes of that, I was like, "Screw this!" and went on a nice 35-40mi ride that I often do on my bicycle. The hills were so much easier!

At some point you gotta ride it and theres only one way to learn how.. by doing it

[Cycy]

Originally Posted by wvninja

Lower your seat? As in install a new seat for you or actually lower the bike via lowering link?

Also you should be fine as long as you can hold the bike up on one leg while stopped.

lower the bike via lowering link. =)
but im scared! what if i drop the bike!!!

I wish my legs could be a little more long..only my toes reach the ground

[Flashmonkey]

Originally Posted by Cycy

what should I do?

If you have experience riding, and everything else is in order, I don't see why you shouldn't ride it home.

Edit: I just saw that you're from montreal. If there's still snow on the ground get it delivered hahaha.

[Cycy]

Originally Posted by Flashmonkey

If you have experience riding, and everything else is in order, I don't see why you shouldn't ride it home.

Edit: I just saw that you're from montreal. If there's still snow on the ground get it delivered hahaha.

I wish I could, but its not included
Its very cold here
, and when im cold, i lose concentration because I cant move properly

[gitoy]

Originally Posted by Cycy

lower the bike via lowering link. =)
but im scared! what if i drop the bike!!!

I wish my legs could be a little more long..only my toes reach the ground

in medieval times there was a device you can lie on with your arms and legs tied to stretch you out...i think they call it the rack...

maybe somebody could show a picture, i am sure it will work for you...

[davisw4089]

Hey I am New to this forum but i Plan on riding my bike 46 miles home from the dealer on tuesday

[Ramli]

Sorry guys, i rode my bike for 10 miles only....

[Raven]

Didn't ride the 250 home because I didn't have motorcycle permit until 2 weeks later. Rode my 6R home, but before that took it out into backroad and let her rip before arriving home. Such a unforgettable day.

[Flashmonkey]

Originally Posted by Cycy

I wish I could, but its not included
Its very cold here
, and when im cold, i lose concentration because I cant move properly

My concern lies with the salt on the road as well. Not only does it make turning more hazardous than normal...it's also salt

If you absolutely have to ride it home...wear thermal underwear. Since you're in quebec I fully expect you to have several pairs of those.

[Cab305]

Got it delivered so I could ride around my neighborhood instead of the highway for my first time, lol.