Motorcycle Advice - Wisdom from Our Readers

Newbie advice  Ok - as a newbie - my best advice - once you have taken the safety class - find a bike that fits your size and skill level - then ride, ride, ride. Practice ...

Learning To Corner  I waa helping a friend to learn to ride. She was afraid of the corners, (we all were I suspect).
I took her to a school parking lot on my bike (2003 ...

New tires, are they really that slippery?  Hello ladies,

I am a new rider, and got my bike about 2 months a go. I just ordered my tires (both front and rear). I've been delaying changing my tires,...

If you're short in stature and a beginner --   Within the first hour of beginning the practical section of my MSf last summer the instructor pulled me aside and said "Can I honest with you? You are ...

If you're short in stature and a beginner --   Within the first hour of beginning the practical section of my MSC last summer the instructor pulled me aside and said "Can I honest with you? You are ...

Motorcycle video, "Ride Like A Pro" by moto officer Jerry (motorman) Paladino.  I have honed my riding skills by watching this video. He learned these skills through motor officers training course. He passes these skills learned ...

Question about Outer Banks, NC  I am a hard of hearing lady who has been riding for about 3-4 years (2008 Kawasaki Vulcan 900 Classic). And my husband and brother-in law(both hearing)...

Take the MSF course !  Take the Motorcycle safety course, practice, practice, respect the machine, do not get over cocky! Concentrate on what you are doing when on the bike,...

Don't run out of gas  I had just got my permit and took the bike I share with my boyfriend out for my first ride in real traffic instead of a parking lot. Exciting and terrifying!...

First Time Rider Tips  Hello everyone;

I am a man... ooooooooh but don't condemn me for that alone :)

I have ridden tens of thousands of miles on two wheels. I am also ...

Don't Be too Cocky!  I tried to do a wheelie in front of a In-N-Out. Let's just say it was the second most embarrassing (and painful) experience of my life.

Look where you want to go!  First time out in the big bad backroads I kept hitting every piece of roadkill. Yep no dead possum or bird was safe from my front wheel...see it hit it....

The "Gotcha" Moment Happened Today  Today was my "Gotcha" day. I took my MC class last summer. I bought a 1984 Honda Magna V30. 500cc.. First time on it I was really shaky. Totally different ...

First bike! Tips, suggestions, etc! looking for wisdom! :)  Hello all!

I plan on getting my first bike within the next couple months - yay. I am looking for advice, tips, suggestions, etc from more experienced ...

Salesperson talked me into buying a bigger bike - and I'm struggling with it!  Hi,

I am new to riding along with my husband. We took the Motorcycle Safety Course and got our endorsements. I bought a Suzuki Boulevard S40 and am ...

Does scooter experience help?  I've been riding mopeds and scooters to commute to work and for fun for many years. I'm thinking of getting a motorcycle. I intend to take the safety course ...

Does Motorcycle Class Make it Easier?  I am a new rider, my boyfriend has been teaching me for about the last month when weather permits. We have trained extensively in parking lots and he has ...

T-CLOCK  Someone recently asked about a safety checklist. Here is one that I snagged from the internet in Adobe form...I hope it attaches...

Getting On and Off the Bike - Two Up - Advice  I'm looking for some pointers on how my girlfriend should get on and off the bike. I have never ridden two up before so I'm looking for some tips I can ...

Invest in a Good Pair of Riding Boots  Boots are often the last piece of gear motorcyclists invest in. Protecting your feet is very important. Getting boots that fit you well is critical, otherwise ...

Never "dis" your ride.  No matter how small a bike is, always respect it! I know this because I was goofing around on a little 50cc that was like a mini bike to me since I ride ...

Join a WOMENS riding club!  The best advice I got (from the MSF instructor) was to join a riding club. I took it a step further and found a local chapter of Women In The Wind, an ...

Wasp and Bee Stings  My second time out on my bike a wasp flew down my shirt and was stuck right where my bra comes together between the cups! Unfortunately I couldn't pull ...

Sometimes it helps to know everyone's been through it  What is it? Misery loves company or something like that. But whenever I stall, or drop my bike, or get nervous, it's nice to know that every experienced ...

Challenge Yourself Every Ride  I don't mean to take unnecessary risks, just push yourself a little bit each time. Take a slightly different route; go downtown when it's not rush hour;...

Safety Course  Sign up for the MC safety course in your area. Great class. Instills confidence. Class rm and 2 day on bike class. About $25. Best thing I did before hitting ...

Nervous to have my BF teach me.  Hey ladies,

So, I want to start riding...bad! I never grew up around motorcycles and was very rarely a passenger. I just want that freedom and to go ...

Just getting started...  My biggest problem as a new rider MAY just be...overconfidence! I was a passenger for years and felt perfectly at home on the back of a bike. I had horses ...

Choosing My First Motorcycle  I just took an MSF course this past weekend with my husband. He has a Honda CBR 600RR. During the course though we were both on Kawasaki Ninja 250R's. I'...

Beware of those you ride with, some will run right over you,not paying attention.  Some people you just don't want to ride with because they are and always and will be dangerous. Keep your distance and most of all have fun and be safe....

Anxious Starter  OK ladies, I've bought a 250 Suzuki to practice my riding skills or lack of skills. I've ridden in the parking lot for awhile. Now I want to venture out ...

Wide Boot Cut Jeans  Be careful with the extra wide boot cut jeans. I had worn them once and as I put my foot down to stop, my bottom part of the pants got wrapped around the ...

Safety  My husband, who is 65, took up motorcycle riding again (he rode as a young man) about two years ago. At 56, I was reluctant to embrace his new found passion ...

The Best Advise Ever Given  I rode bikes as a kid, mostly dirt bikes, but gave them up when I was 13. As a young married woman I dreamed of having my own bike but waited in order ...

Here's the Best Bike to Learn On  I took a rider's safety course at my local college last summer. They supplied the bikes. I rode a 250 something or other. Just a small powered bike - perfect ...

Starting On An Incline  Although I've ridden on the back of my husbands bike for almost 20 years, I've just now gotten my own bike and have put about 70 miles on it so far. I ...

Motorcycle Power  I'm a beginner...

In the process of getting a bike and have found a couple that are 450-500cc. I rode a 250cc in the MSF course and sometimes even that ...

Need Some Advice  I own a Suzuki Boulevard C-50. When I ride, the back end always slides out on turns. Is this the bike or me? Last week almost broke my ankle from keeping ...

Experienced Rider(s) in Albuquerque, NM?   Hi, there, ladies and the occasional gentleman,

I just finished the MSF beginner's course yesterday and successfully passed the written and riding tests....

Know Your Bike  Hi Ladies,

I read through the letters of advise, and agree with all of them, although I sometimes wonder about a beginner riding alone. Why? Well, for ...

Cornering  I have noticed that a lot of new riders have the biggest problem with turns and curves. First off, slow down and take a curve at a pace you feel comfortable ...

To Get Gas, Or Not To Get Gas  Recently, my husband and I were riding (separately) to another city. We were going through another city first, I asked my husband "Do we need to get gas"...

If You Haven't Already, Get Comfortable with Counter-Steering  Counter-steering requires pushing the bar in the direction you want to turn. It sounds like it doesn't make sense, but try it when you're going down the ...

New Rider  I'm a beginner. My husband got his bike last summer. I didn't think I'd like riding (as a passenger), but have rather enjoyed it. My 2 biggest problems ...

Do It For You  Advice #1 - Take the Motorcycle Safety Foundation Course.

Advice #2 - Ride about 1,000 miles then take the Advanced MSF Course.

Agree on other advice ...

Look Through the Turn  This probably seems like one of the most obvious rules, but I somehow missed it. I rode my motorcycle for a year before taking the Rider's Edge course,...

Turn Signals  Always pay attention to your signals. I wish they would put indicators up higher where the rider see that they are on easier. Most bikes don't have self-...

Gravel and Motorcycling  Hi I am a novice rider ie.700km new. Things are going quite smooth although a couple spills in the parking lot and and one on a very steep hill. Learning ...

Parking Lot Maneuvers  Twisting and turning at slow speeds in parking lots is a lot easier (I have found) if you slide up closer to the tank. The one time I dropped my bike ...

Any Advice for Long Ride - 2 Up?  Hi Folks,

In about a month, I will be taking my first long ride going two up with my boyfriend the Harley guy : ). Though I've been on the back of ...

Get Some Experience-Then the Class  I took the MSF class to learn how to ride. It was really great....But I wish I had some riding experience before I spent the $. I was the greenest in the ...

Cold Weather Riding Beware  Alright I couldn't wait for nicer weather to ride, it wasn't raining, the sun was out only about 25-30* so why not ride. I rode into work and then when ...

Take Your Time!  I have found out that I need to ride at my own comfort level. If that is a little slower than the others, then so be it. Your skill will build as time ...

Seat Time  That is all I can say. The more seat time the better. Each ride I learn more and relax more.I got a new 2007 Honda Shadow Sabre 1100cc as I am a big girl ...

Practice-Practice-Practice!  After a couple of rides on back with my husband, I knew that being a passenger wasn't for me, (Yes, a control freak!)I took my daughter and went to a MSF ...

Don't limit your motorcycle options by focusing on seat height.  Men don't do it. They adapt to what's available. (The owner of Bob's BMW, Bob Henig, is 5'1" tall and rides EVERYTHING that BMW makes, except the R1150GS ...

Go slow and small, buy used  The best advice I can give is if you've never ridden a motorcycle or it's been a few years then buy a bike no bigger than about 750cc's, and buy it used....

Start out learning back roads without traffic   I started riding on the back roads, not traffic, not traffic lights and well not much of nothing but the road and me. I think that by doing this type ...

Gain "Passenger Experience" First!  One of the best contributions to me wanting to and learning how to ride was being a proactive passenger. Instead of just sitting back and enjoying the ...

Safety   1) You just laid out $2000-plus for a bike - Buy & WEAR a helmet, too. It's worth a couple more bucks.
2) Probably heard this before - No one is ...

Find a mentor  I started out riding a dirt bike as a young girl and rode until about the age of 25. My family was into off-roading through the deserts of California....

Buy what you like  There is much advice. I've been riding for over 30 years and here are a couple things I think are important.
1) If you've never ridden. Take one of ...

Motorcycling is a mental exercise--the only physical part is picking up your bike  The best advice I can give any beginning rider is to be familiar enough with the controls of your motorcycle so that you can use them without looking for ...

2002 Kawasaki Vulcan Custom VN800  I bought Rosey after I passed the MSF course in August. I rode for a little while over 24 years ago and gave it up after an accident with a truck on my ...

MSF before buying first motorcycle.  The MSF class was good, allowing me to test ride dealership bikes before zeroing in on potential purchase. After buying first bike I had first emergency ...

Motorcycle Article I Stumbled Upon  I stumbled upon this article this morning and wanted to share. It is a great read. I am not a beginner but this article addresses some great tips and reminders ...

MSF class is a must!  My best piece of advise is TAKE THE CLASS! It is well worth the money and will give you all the info you need to give you the best start.

My other ...

Take the motorcycle riders course.  The best thing I did was to take the 3 day riders course. I am 57 and had not ever ridden a street bike. I learned so much in the class that I don't ...

Warm Gloves and Sox!  I bought a pair each of these funky looking reallllllly thin gloves and sox.. I want to say I got the from Carol Wright gifts... they are this ugly white ...

Just Go Out and Ride...and Have Fun!  I'm still a beginner myself but here's how I've done it.

I started on a 150cc scooter about five months ago that I had to get a motorcycle endorsement ...

Beginners Ride Alone  If you're a beginner, plan your rides by yourself for a while and if you do ride with someone else, make sure your not pressured in to something you might ...

Get What You want!  Sit on lots of bikes to find the one that fits you best. Don't be pressured by boyfriend/husband/salesman to buy a bike that's too big for you or that ...

Getting Off Your Bike  I'm not a beginner, but this may help someone. When getting off your bike, put down your side stand and make it a practice to get off on the kick stand ...

Battery life - lesson, $80.00  To all new riders I just found out the hard way that your battery on motorcycle does not charge at slow speeds. I am having to replace it as I have not ...

Intersections  When I come to an intersection I look at the driver to see if they notice me and then I keep a eye on the tires to see if they are moving or not.
Also ...