Just started riding

[VegasRider]

I just started riding my 2009 gs500f yesterday. I've been having a blast, despite everyone telling me I would get tired of it soon. I somehow doubt that I will with it being my first bike at least for awhile. I was wondering however if any one had some advice on things to look out for as a new rider and for my bike.

[adidasguy]

See this message topic. Lots of replies there:

http://gstwins.com/gsboard/index.php?topic=57801.0

PS: You shouldn't find yourself bored. Bought my first GS500 in May 2010. Still love it.... so much I bought 2 more. I don't see myself switching to anything else for a long time. Plenty of power in a 500 plus so easy and fun to ride.

[VegasRider]

thanks for the quick reply, I need to hone my search skills lol.

[twocool]

See this message topic. Lots of replies there:

http://gstwins.com/gsboard/index.php?topic=57801.0

PS: You shouldn't find yourself bored. Bought my first GS500 in May 2010. Still love it.... so much I bought 2 more. I don't see myself switching to anything else for a long time. Plenty of power in a 500 plus so easy and fun to ride.

I also got my 2009 in early summer '10.........18,500 miles since then...best purchase I've ever made.....look at a lot of other bikes...none can top the GS for what I want and need....

Cookie

[rayshon]

some people never grow tired of it

i know a guy who rode has a GS and a GSXR600 but prefers to ride his GS anyday

[GI_JO_NATHAN]

Welcome! Anyone that has told you you'll get tired of it..has never owned one.
For me it's the whole, "I'd rather ride a slow bike fast, than a fast bike slow." Which is what I think everyone on a super-sport that's not on a race track is doing, and some that are.

[redhawkdancing]

I know a guy that is "bored" with his 600 after 3 months. It's his first bike too. I caught a glimpse of him riding one day. Poor motorcycle. A 3 year old girl with training wheels would have made it happier. The GS5 can be plenty fun and go plenty fast, you just have to learn how to ride the thing. I'm still figuring that part out.    

[BaltimoreGS]

The GS5 can be plenty fun and go plenty fast, you just have to learn how to ride the thing. I'm still figuring that part out.    

Start riding more with the sport bike crowd instead of the cruiser guys and you'll build your skills up 

-Jessie

[Dr.McNinja]

The GS5 can be plenty fun and go plenty fast, you just have to learn how to ride the thing. I'm still figuring that part out.    

Start riding more with the sport bike crowd instead of the cruiser guys and you'll build your skills up 

-Jessie

I know a guy who rides a Electra Glide like a motoGP bike. He'll run circles around 99% of people with sport bikes. A motorcycle is a motorcycle no matter what type of motorcycle it is.


Also:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bWaq0zOaAVU&feature=related


Find me your typical guy on a squid launcher that has the dexterity and motorcycle knowledge that guy has that isn't:


http://www.dump.com/2011/02/24/unreal-control-on-honda-cbr600-video/



Most squids that run the twisties have horrible technique and barely scrape by with their lives. It's not common to see ANY motorcyclist run the twisties with good form, none the less a high-dexterity cone course. You should be learning from the RIDER not his RIDE. The same physics that apply to a sportbike apply to a cruiser.


I know I went off the deep end, but I've been looking for a reason to post these two videos since I saw them .

[BaltimoreGS]

The GS5 can be plenty fun and go plenty fast, you just have to learn how to ride the thing. I'm still figuring that part out.    

Start riding more with the sport bike crowd instead of the cruiser guys and you'll build your skills up 

-Jessie

I know a guy who rides a Electra Glide like a motoGP bike. He'll run circles around 99% of people with sport bikes. A motorcycle is a motorcycle no matter what type of motorcycle it is.


Also:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bWaq0zOaAVU&feature=related


Find me your typical guy on a squid launcher that has the dexterity and motorcycle knowledge that guy has that isn't:


http://www.dump.com/2011/02/24/unreal-control-on-honda-cbr600-video/



Most squids that run the twisties have horrible technique and barely scrape by with their lives. It's not common to see ANY motorcyclist run the twisties with good form, none the less a high-dexterity cone course. You should be learning from the RIDER not his RIDE. The same physics that apply to a sportbike apply to a cruiser.


I know I went off the deep end, but I've been looking for a reason to post these two videos since I saw them .

That was actually an inside joke at Redhawk. He went riding with Adfalchius and I last weekend and commented that it was a lot more spirited than the cruiser guys he normally rides with     

I will agree the same physics/skill apply but the machines are built for 2 different purposes and have much different limitations.  I'm guilty of forgetting that statement a few times when I've hopped on my old Shadow.  I get reminded really quickly to alter my riding style after the exhaust pipes scrape in a turn   

-Jessie

[missk8t]

Whoa! Those japanese riders are insane! I want to learn to ride like that.. Now that's skill.

[BaltimoreGS]

Whoa! Those japanese riders are insane! I want to learn to ride like that.. Now that's skill.

You can start by practicing doing full lock figure 8 turns in a parking lot.  That's one of my ritual practices each spring when I'm dusting off my motorcycle skills.  I find it helps to leave the clutch engaged as much as possible and drag the rear brake   

-Jessie

[redhawkdancing]

Start riding more with the sport bike crowd instead of the cruiser guys and you'll build your skills up 

-Jessie

I knew that was coming!   

[Dr.McNinja]

Whoa! Those japanese riders are insane! I want to learn to ride like that.. Now that's skill.

You can start by practicing doing full lock figure 8 turns in a parking lot.  That's one of my ritual practices each spring when I'm dusting off my motorcycle skills.  I find it helps to leave the clutch engaged as much as possible and drag the rear brake   

-Jessie

That's a quick way to drop your bike. You want to feather the clutch appropriately, LIGHTLY drag the rear brake and feed it enough throttle to keep the bike up.

Also remember to only do one or two runs at the cones before you take a 10-20 min brake. Cone practice is a great way to burnout your clutch/rear brake.

[fraze11]

despite everyone telling me I would get tired of it soon.

If you get tired of riding ANY kind of motorcycle ... your doing it wrong 

[BaltimoreGS]

Whoa! Those japanese riders are insane! I want to learn to ride like that.. Now that's skill.

You can start by practicing doing full lock figure 8 turns in a parking lot.  That's one of my ritual practices each spring when I'm dusting off my motorcycle skills.  I find it helps to leave the clutch engaged as much as possible and drag the rear brake   

-Jessie

That's a quick way to drop your bike. You want to feather the clutch appropriately, LIGHTLY drag the rear brake and feed it enough throttle to keep the bike up.

Also remember to only do one or two runs at the cones before you take a 10-20 min brake. Cone practice is a great way to burnout your clutch/rear brake.

That was actually something I picked up from the old Ride Like A Pro videos that are based in police motorcycle training.  Feathering the clutch tends to make the bike more unstable, especially with new riders who tend to let the clutch out too quickly.  Use what ever technique works best for you, that is just a tip I found that worked for me.  Anybody can hold a bike up at speed, it is the slow parking lot manuevers that really show skill   

-Jessie

[dam]

Whoa! Those japanese riders are insane! I want to learn to ride like that.. Now that's skill.

You can start by practicing doing full lock figure 8 turns in a parking lot.  That's one of my ritual practices each spring when I'm dusting off my motorcycle skills.  I find it helps to leave the clutch engaged as much as possible and drag the rear brake   

-Jessie

That's a quick way to drop your bike. You want to feather the clutch appropriately, LIGHTLY drag the rear brake and feed it enough throttle to keep the bike up.

Also remember to only do one or two runs at the cones before you take a 10-20 min brake. Cone practice is a great way to burnout your clutch/rear brake.

That was actually something I picked up from the old Ride Like A Pro videos that are based in police motorcycle training.  Feathering the clutch tends to make the bike more unstable, especially with new riders who tend to let the clutch out too quickly.  Use what ever technique works best for you, that is just a tip I found that worked for me.  Anybody can hold a bike up at speed, it is the slow parking lot manuevers that really show skill   

-Jessie

And practice, practice, practice.

In other words, ride safe, ride often

Dale

[Dr.McNinja]

Whoa! Those japanese riders are insane! I want to learn to ride like that.. Now that's skill.

You can start by practicing doing full lock figure 8 turns in a parking lot.  That's one of my ritual practices each spring when I'm dusting off my motorcycle skills.  I find it helps to leave the clutch engaged as much as possible and drag the rear brake   

-Jessie

That's a quick way to drop your bike. You want to feather the clutch appropriately, LIGHTLY drag the rear brake and feed it enough throttle to keep the bike up.

Also remember to only do one or two runs at the cones before you take a 10-20 min brake. Cone practice is a great way to burnout your clutch/rear brake.

That was actually something I picked up from the old Ride Like A Pro videos that are based in police motorcycle training.  Feathering the clutch tends to make the bike more unstable, especially with new riders who tend to let the clutch out too quickly.  Use what ever technique works best for you, that is just a tip I found that worked for me.  Anybody can hold a bike up at speed, it is the slow parking lot manuevers that really show skill   

-Jessie

You are correct. Most videos recommend holding the clutch as steady as possible. I suppose "feathering" really depends on the maneuver. There's more feathering at timed runs. Now that I think about, when I practice I hold the clutch as steady as possible. It's only when we're going balls-to-the-wall on the police cone runs that I end up feathering (to make time).

That being said, circles still intimidate the hell out of me. Going from a 12 foot offset weave into a circle leaves a lot of room to screw up. I'm still learning how to get through that one quickly :p.

That being said I'm not an expert. I just ride cones with a guy who turns a Electra Glide into a sportbike. I've got plenty of learning left.

[BaltimoreGS]

I've got plenty of learning left.

I cut my teeth riding motocross and harescrambles as a kid and got into street bikes as a teen so I have been on 2 wheels for a long time and I still have plenty more to learn and by no means consider myself an expert, just proficient.  I still like to read up and watch training videos when I have time.  I like to pass along tips that have worked for me but every rider has to decide for themselves what works best for their riding style.  I still want to get better at stunt riding and trails riding while my body is young enough to recover from the inevitable tumbles   

Back to the original poster:  I would recommend avoiding shifting in turns until you get really comfortable working the clutch and shift lever, especially 1-2 shifts.  I've seen a lot of newbs (and done it myself) doing a turn from a stop and end up in neutral instead of second   

-Jessie

[Ourea]

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