Bye Bye R1

[Wh33lhop]

I will never buy a motorcycle. Ask anyone who has ever ridden shotgun with me why.

[CrusherCurtis]

Completed the class on Sunday. After about a week and half I've realized that if I go down it will not be my fault. I ride super cautiously and pretty slow for a motorcycle. There is no weaving in a out of traffic, no barreling down the curb lane or any hard take offs (I ride it like is a Harley). I realize that if I go down it will be and the hands of someone else in traffic if I continue to ride this way. My friends 600 is just as unsafe. I feel just as unsafe on his bike as on mine. As I said before my throttle response is a little quicker, mine also brakes better and has a wider rear tire (if that makes a difference). Both bikes do 0 to 60 in 3 secs and both will easily do 130+ on highway. Any extra danger associated with the speed of the bike is greatly out weighed by the dangers of traffic. Hoping on a 600 instead will not spare me.

[quickervicar]

Completed the class on Sunday.

Really glad to hear this. I wish more riders would do the same.

After about a week and half I've realized that if I go down it will not be my fault. I ride super cautiously and pretty slow for a motorcycle. I realize that if I go down it will be and the hands of someone else in traffic if I continue to ride this way.

Not necessarily. While I applaud your defensive riding, at this stage in the game (and especially with a hair-trigger of a bike like an R1) you are still your own worst enemy. It might not be from jack-rabbit starts or trying to pull a minger. Greater chance of you simply making a right-hand turn from a traffic light on cold bike and cold tires and giving it 1 degree too much throttle. (still under 1/2 throttle) Low sides at 15mph still hurt. A lot.

My friends 600 is just as unsafe. I feel just as unsafe on his bike as on mine. As I said before my throttle response is a little quicker, mine also brakes better and has a wider rear tire (if that makes a difference).

It doesn't. Not for how you're riding. And how do you know your brakes are better if you are supposedly waffleswaffleswaffleswaffleswaffles-footing it around? Either bike will spit you over the handlebars with stock brakes.

Hoping on a 600 instead will not spare me.

Perhaps not. But switching to a sane choice just might though.

[M-technik-3]

What did the class instructor say about you riding a larger bike?

[Ryan Stewart]

What's the goal, though? Just to survive owning a motorcycle? Sure, it can be done with a first time rider on a liter, if survival is the only measure of failure or success. If the goal is to have fun, progress quickly, and become a proficient rider... then I'd say a first-timer on an R1 is doomed to failure.

You act like one cant start with the goal of surviving and move into the goal of having fun because they are on a big sport bike.

What did the class instructor say about you riding a larger bike?

Mine just laughed at me riding a "Lamborghini."


As for riding in traffic, you have to ride like everyone is out to fucking kill you 100% of the time because they are. Watch wheels, not eyes. Bitches will look right at you and then turn into you.

If you do take riding seriously it will make you a better driver and smarter in general
(http://www.motorcycleinsurance.com/t...-a-motorcycle/)

[CrusherCurtis]

What did the class instructor say about you riding a larger bike?

unfazed like he'd heard it 1 million times. Most guys I know here don't have an m license, so the instructor probably sees a lot of guys that have been riding for years who just want to get a license waiver. I don't know anyone who rides a small bike so taking the class and getting a waiver is probably easier than trying to do the u turn box and offset weave that the dmv makes you do on a 1000.

[SpeedRacer85]

My first bike was a GSXR 600 2001 and I rode dirt bikes from young kawi 125cc 2 stroke, like another poster posted stay away from traffic and keep respecting the bike everyday is brand new don't get complacent. But on the real that's a big first bike, good luck and stay alert and watch out for them gremlins.

[Q5Quint]

speed of the bike is greatly out weighed by the dangers of traffic. Hoping on a 600 instead will not spare me.

YES. Buddy of mine had his back broke when his ninja was crushed into the back of a van stopped at a red light. Bitches on cell phones AND painting their nails kill as many bikers as liter engines.

Seriously though~ how many bikers actually die due to their own error and how many die due to the error of another.... it would be a interesting number to figure out.

So far all my friends get run over by cars, not crash their bikes.

[Ryan Stewart]

Evidence states that "improper cornering" is still your most likely way to killing yourself but, as someone who rides, I would have to say that there is some merit to the "fuck the cagers" mentality that bikers get.

Although I find its best to channel it to specific groups, like the one you mentioned. If you see a woman in a car its too late, the bitch will kill you. Old people too. Women are wholly unaware of the world outside the car and old people are in a state of dementia that makes them think you are a flying lollipop.

[Sailor37]

The biggest thing to be aware of with a bike with that much power, like your r1 is to be easy on the throttle in turns. That much torque makes it a lot easier to over power the rear tire in a corner or coming out of one and losing traction. Best case you can catch it or low slide, worst case you'll get thrown in a high side.

[CrusherCurtis]

Chain broke!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



Thinking about getting sprocket sets when I replace my chain. stock is 17/45 mine 16/50 which I guess is why I have to be so gentle on the accelerator.

[gearheadE30]

wow...so that tells me that bike needs some maintenance, heh. Chains occasionally fall off, but they have to be very unlubricated or very stretched to break.

I started riding on a Honda 400 twin. It was a great bike to learn on. Fast enough for just about everything but slow enough that I could run it to 10k revs in the first 4 gears and still only be going 85ish. Very forgiving bike. I now have the GSXR's grandpa, the GS750. I've been riding for 3 years now, and have probably ridden 15k miles since then. I ride all the time. I guess for me, the 70 or so hp the GS puts out is plenty for everything I need. And honestly, even my 30 hp stump-pulling xt350 is a ton of fun around town. I suppose it goes with the saying that it's more fun to drive a slow car fast than a fast car slow.

Just don't ever let yourself get lulled into thinking you're safe, and it seems like you're good there. I ride all the time, rain or shine, and I love it, but that doesn't mean I'm not scared of everyone else on the road, hah.

[lambo]

Sounds like a good time to take the stickers off.

[Ryan...]

sounds like a good time to take the stickers off.

+1

[Rsully70sev]

aside from the "it's a 750 AND 600" comment, I don't see what they''re 'calling him out' on

YUT UGGGHH

He was not a very good teacher, encouraged dangerous things ("no gloves, don't chicken out" etc.), didn't have a background/proof of skill or history riding (the teacher and/or the rider), lessons were not conducted professionally (no liability issues addressed). Basically what I got from it is he's okay throwing kids on 1000cc bikes, who he thinks are inexperienced riders- and poorly teaches them how to do wheelies and other stunts...also if they're dumb enough to take life threatening lessons from a $50/hr craigslist jackass, they're probably dumb enough to try/practice/execute what they "learned" on the street. It's a death sentence IMO.

I can see where you're coming from he seemed like a decent rider, but he shouldn't have tried to conduct it as a business. Maybe a "Hey let's get a group together and learn from each other's advice kind of thing". Example: Sonoma Drift. You can get ride along's with FD and ProAm drivers giving tips, it's a safe environment, and a good place to learn. Shit a few weeks ago I was in back of Mark Arcenal in the line up.

I've never seen a driving or drifting course where the teacher slaps you in your car, says "Fuck your helmet it'll block your peripheral's, hit the track and flick your wheel when you hear your motor YUT UGGGHH."