So i'm new to riding and I just took the motorcycle rider safety course and i'm getting on the road in the next few days. I did pretty good with the bike they had there but I just got on mine and road around the block and it's bigger and gonna take me a minute to get used to. Also the oil light is on but the oil is fine and the coolant is like spritzing out a little? anyway i'm looking for some tips, especially since my area is quite populated. I bought the bike to get to work and school, don't plan on going on the highway anytime soon. I'm near the newark area but i live in the suburbs.
New Rider in NJ 86 shadow 500
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Hello from Arizona. I recently took the course as well back in December. They put me on a Honda Rebel I believe it was. Super light weight and low enough to the ground for me. I purchased an Indian Scout Sixty which is significantly heavier than the Honda Rebel I rode on. My advice for the weight is just continue riding it and get the feel for it. I thought my bike was way to heavy for me to ride because I was use to something so much lighter however over time you adapt to the weight of your bike and it somehow becomes lighter at least in my case. You get use to the weight as you continue to ride. As for the oil Im not sure what that can be, the coolant however can just be a gasket that needs to be replaced, usually isn't too big of a deal depending on how much is coming out
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4,156 Posts
Sellena is right. You will get used to the weight if you ride it frequently.
I ride a Goldwing that weighs over 900 pounds. When I first got it, I was very intimidated by the weight of the thing even though I'd been riding motorcycles for many years.
Now it just feels like a big toy.
Where in suburbs of New Jersey?
I'm up near Lake Hopatcong myself, in the northeast corner of the state.
Be careful. There is a lot more, and worse, traffic down where you are. I know. I grew up in Orange myself.
I ride a Goldwing that weighs over 900 pounds. When I first got it, I was very intimidated by the weight of the thing even though I'd been riding motorcycles for many years.
Now it just feels like a big toy.
Where in suburbs of New Jersey?
I'm up near Lake Hopatcong myself, in the northeast corner of the state.
Be careful. There is a lot more, and worse, traffic down where you are. I know. I grew up in Orange myself.
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201 Posts
Welcome to the world of motorcycling! If I were you I would avoid high traffic areas for a few months. Ride around your neighborhood and other neighborhoods and just get used to the following:
The weight, feel, and handling dynamics of your bike
Upshifting/Downshifting
Braking
Throttle control
Entering/Exiting turns
Countersteering
Low speed handling skills
Get to know your bike like the back of your hand and work on developing some basic skills before you go out into heavy traffic. The time to make a mistake (and you will, probably more than once) is when you're alone in a quiet neighborhood...not when you have cars in front of you, next to you, and behind you (most of them looking at their phones and not you).
I've been riding for 11 months (4,800 miles) and that's the approach I took. The traffic here in the DC Metro area is insane and I knew I wouldn't stand a chance surviving it if I didn't have some basic skills down first. So I just rode around suburban neighborhoods for about three months before I ventured out onto more heavily-travelled roads. So far things are working out really well and I'm able to hang with the majority of driving scenarios except for highway speeds. I'm not quite 100% confident there yet but heavy traffic under 60 MPH I'm fine in.
Also, you never stop learning when it comes to riding a motorcycle. You always want to improve your skills. Nobody (except maybe for some pro racers at the MotoGP level) is an "expert" and knows everything there is to know. You don't ride for one year, or five, or even ten and become an expert who will never make a mistake.
Not to be a downer, but every time I ride I remind myself that it could be the last day of my life or I could suffer catastrophic, life-changing injuries. I'm not saying you should ride scared but just be aware there are serious consequences if you mess up out there. Be confident but be realistic, too.
Here are some really good books I've read and highly recommend for anyone on two wheels:
Proficient Motorcycling by David Hough
Motorcycling the Right Way by Ken Condon
Total Control by Lee Parks
The Motorcycling Safety Foundations Guide to Motorcycling Excellence (2nd Edition)
Hope this helps and keep everyone updated on your progress. Good luck and have fun!
The weight, feel, and handling dynamics of your bike
Upshifting/Downshifting
Braking
Throttle control
Entering/Exiting turns
Countersteering
Low speed handling skills
Get to know your bike like the back of your hand and work on developing some basic skills before you go out into heavy traffic. The time to make a mistake (and you will, probably more than once) is when you're alone in a quiet neighborhood...not when you have cars in front of you, next to you, and behind you (most of them looking at their phones and not you).
I've been riding for 11 months (4,800 miles) and that's the approach I took. The traffic here in the DC Metro area is insane and I knew I wouldn't stand a chance surviving it if I didn't have some basic skills down first. So I just rode around suburban neighborhoods for about three months before I ventured out onto more heavily-travelled roads. So far things are working out really well and I'm able to hang with the majority of driving scenarios except for highway speeds. I'm not quite 100% confident there yet but heavy traffic under 60 MPH I'm fine in.
Also, you never stop learning when it comes to riding a motorcycle. You always want to improve your skills. Nobody (except maybe for some pro racers at the MotoGP level) is an "expert" and knows everything there is to know. You don't ride for one year, or five, or even ten and become an expert who will never make a mistake.
Not to be a downer, but every time I ride I remind myself that it could be the last day of my life or I could suffer catastrophic, life-changing injuries. I'm not saying you should ride scared but just be aware there are serious consequences if you mess up out there. Be confident but be realistic, too.
Here are some really good books I've read and highly recommend for anyone on two wheels:
Proficient Motorcycling by David Hough
Motorcycling the Right Way by Ken Condon
Total Control by Lee Parks
The Motorcycling Safety Foundations Guide to Motorcycling Excellence (2nd Edition)
Hope this helps and keep everyone updated on your progress. Good luck and have fun!
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WELCOME ABOARD, and...
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Other members do like to know they are welcoming a real person so thanks
for letting us know a little about yourself.:smile: Normally just a few more
posts(count of 3) and the rest of the site will open to you. This is the sites
spambot control. Unfortunately it is needed today. But you have to make 15
posts before you can post pictures. Right or wrong it's considered a privilege
to be able to post pictures. Unless you use Tapatalk which somehow
gets around that restriction.
We are friendly site here. Well, most of us:grin:
You will get used to the weight of the bike but I'd resolve those other two
problems before riding it. That red light isn't on for no reason. It may not
be getting oil to critical places and you could do major damage if you keep
riding. If you aren't able to do the work required then I suggest you get it
to someone that can, dealer or local independent shop. Unfortunately a
motorcycle isn't cheap to operate like some thing unless you can do your
own service. But I'd certainly get those issues resolved before riding it if it
was mine. JMHO
Other members do like to know they are welcoming a real person so thanks
for letting us know a little about yourself.:smile: Normally just a few more
posts(count of 3) and the rest of the site will open to you. This is the sites
spambot control. Unfortunately it is needed today. But you have to make 15
posts before you can post pictures. Right or wrong it's considered a privilege
to be able to post pictures. Unless you use Tapatalk which somehow
gets around that restriction.
We are friendly site here. Well, most of us:grin:
You will get used to the weight of the bike but I'd resolve those other two
problems before riding it. That red light isn't on for no reason. It may not
be getting oil to critical places and you could do major damage if you keep
riding. If you aren't able to do the work required then I suggest you get it
to someone that can, dealer or local independent shop. Unfortunately a
motorcycle isn't cheap to operate like some thing unless you can do your
own service. But I'd certainly get those issues resolved before riding it if it
was mine. JMHO
You definitely need to address the two issues you mention with your bike. The red light may be just a bad sensor, or it may mean critically low oil pressure, which can be caused by factors other than low oil. The coolant loss needs to be diagnosed and fixed, too. Both low oil pressure and loss of coolant can have quickly fatal results for your bike.
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