New Rider, Hiya!

[Smcneally]

Hi everyone.

Been looking at this forum pretty regularly lately before my recent purchase of a Suzuki GS500 2005.  (Just got it this afternoon, yay!)

Took it for a spin around the neighborhood, so still getting a hang of it.
I'll keep in touch daily to chit chat here and there.  Still getting used to the 1st gear take-off, but after that, seems easy enough.  I curse myself already for a lifetime of automatic drive.

Anyways, I finally moved outside of the city for a job, so now was the time and I basically TOLD my fiance I'm getting one.  Damn straight, make me move out of Boston.

I think it was the best thing I could have done, right?

Cya, another forum troll!

[pantablo]

welcome and congratulations!

[rclz]

Welcome congrats on the new bike, remember don't be afraid to give it some higher revs in 1st if you feel uncomfortable just let the clutch out slower. Don't get used to letting your clutch out slow though after a while it will cause it to heat up and shorter life of your clutch.

[neonfly]

welcome and congratulations!

ditto

[RedShift]

Hi everyone.

Been looking at this forum pretty regularly lately before my recent purchase of a Suzuki GS500 2005.  (Just got it this afternoon, yay!)

Took it for a spin around the neighborhood, so still getting a hang of it.
I'll keep in touch daily to chit chat here and there.  Still getting used to the 1st gear take-off, but after that, seems easy enough.  I curse myself already for a lifetime of automatic drive.  ...

It's a matter of smoothness and technique.  Ease the clutch out into the friction zone while giving a touch of throttle. Practice in a parking lot for a while 'til you get the hang of it.  Nothing drivers hate more than a biker stalling their ride when the light turns green.

... Anyways, I finally moved outside of the city for a job, so now was the time and I basically TOLD my fiance I'm getting one.  Damn straight, make me move out of Boston.

I think it was the best thing I could have done, right? ...

Only you can prevent forest fires...

[natedawg120]

welcome, and when you finnally get you fiance on the back try not to make her scream  :lol:  :lol:

[snowhownd]

Congrats on the new bike, have fun, be safe!!!  

I'll be the one to ask, are you wearing gear?!?!?

[Alphamazing]

Welcome to the board! Don't forget to embrace the magical powers of the Search function!

[oppy00]

Welcome, and congrats on picking a great bike.  Way to keep your woman in line.

[Narcissus]

Welcome!!! I just got mine a few days ago too, although mines not quite as new as yours. I'm still getting used to taking off myself, I'm used to a friction zone so much further in than the one on my GS, atleast it lets people behind me know I'm a newb  :lol:

[Budrick320]

Oh yeah I have make a fool of myself two times getting stuck in traffic and stalling my bike.  :x

[pandy]

Oh yeah I have make a fool of myself two times getting stuck in traffic and stalling my bike.  :x

Wait...isn't that how we're *supposed* to ride???

Welcome, Smcneally! Congratz, and ride safely!!!!!!  

pandy  :mrgreen:

[simonyau]

Welcome! Also you made a good choice for the bike  

[scratch]

Welcome!

[Smcneally]

Figured I would give everyone the low down on my first decent ride....

Drove around the neighborhood a bit, about an hours worth.  Currently resting my wrists and left ankle due to noobiness I suppose.

Top Speed:  Probably 45 mph.
Main Problem:  Stalling at 1st gear at take-off.  Grrrrr!
Time: 1 Hr
Blinker on when forgotten:  50?

The worst part obviously from the above reference, my stalling.  Although I believe it was only twice, still quite embarassing.  Actually I stalled probably 6 times total, but only twice at a light where people could see me.  Hah!  After my 1st stall at a light, I tried to take off from 2nd gear.  Whoops!  Stall of course.

I'll rev up the throttle a little bit (1/4 inch?) and slowly ease on the clutch while pulling the throttle a little more.  I'm either opening the throttle too much or too little.  I'm guessing too little at the end, since that was the direction I went and was stalling less.

My most embarassing moment was at a light where I had stalled. (Note, I was making a right on an uphill climb.)  Neutral, start, 1st, stall.  Neutral, start, 1st, stall.  Grrrr!  Neutral, start, 1st, take-off!  Whoops, went into the coming lane of traffic making the right.  Thank god no one was there.

If anyone has any more hints on the 1st gear to moving, I'm much appreciate it.  Everything else has been very smooth.  2nd,3rd,4th is no problem.  Haven't gone any higher.

P.S.

Currently just have a helmet for gear.  (negotiated a $200 helmet for $30 at the dealer).  Need to buy gloves and a jacket this Saturday.  Until then, just wearing jeans/long sleeves/helmet.  Wearing just sneakers right now, need to invest in some new timberlands I suppose as well.  Better to be safe than sorry.\

Cya

[Jake D]

Take MSF course.  They do a good job of teaching the take offs.  

There were people in my class that couldn't drive stick in a car, let alone motorcycles.

Find a big parking lot with a gentle up hill grade.  Keep your feet on the ground, wide of the pegs.  Practice finding the friction zone on your clutch.  It will start to pull you forward.  "Power walk" your bike forward a few feet.  Pull the clutch in.  Repeat.  After a while, you will be able to take off with little or no throttle.  Eventually, you will naturally start adding more throttle and picking your feet up.  But only go a few feet, stop and repeat.  

Don't worry about your clutch.  Correct me if I am wrong guys, but it is a wet clutch, and won't burn up like a car's clutch would from this sort of behavior.  

You'll get it in no time if you practice this.  But do it in just this way.  That is exactly what they'll teach you at MSF.

[scratch]

Get gloves next.

Probably the best thing to figure out is the clutch, then the throttle, the reason I say this is that this is like a mathematical equation and the clutch is the overriding variable; the throttle can't do much if the clutch isn't metering it in. Thusly, I say, to make the throttle a constant by holding it at a certain rpm (or adjusting the idle screw) and then playing with the clutch until you get the hang of it. You can still use the throttle, if you need to add a little more power, but remember the clutch can always disconnect that power.

All puns intended for the purpose of entertainment only

[Jake D]

Scratch:
Do you agree with my post, just prior?

[scratch]

Absolutely.

[Narcissus]

I learned a lot about taking off in my MSF course but just about all bikes are different and the difference between the 250 Suzuki Marauder and my GS500 is big enough to have to get used to it again. Today I was up for some stop and go driving, practicing engine braking and that kinda junk that I read about in another thread last night and I stalled twice  :lol:  But its all good, atleast I noticed a slight improvement, but the idle issues I have with my bike make it a bit more difficult that it maybe should be, my remedy for that of course is to giver' more throttle   Cause stalling at the stop line is one thing, but when I hear it puttering while I'm going through the intersection I really know I have to crank it up a bit more lol.