Took the MSF course last month.  Just put on my first 100 miles.  For you new riders out there, these are some things that I have learned -  take them for what they are.

1) you really are invisible.  I have had two minivans pull out in front of me taking right turns from stop signs.  Today was the worst - I was gong around 30-40 following another motorcycle.  She stopped for him then started going as if I was not there.  I hit the brakes - USED BOTH and stopped - she saw me last second and also stopped, but in my lane of travel.  Scared the crap out of me.  Practice your quick stops - it will save your life.

2) Learn from your mistakes.  You will make them - you will make lots of them.  The first few hundred miles are probably the most dangerous.  Today I was merging into traffic from a full stop.  I saw a gap - gave throttle and to my horror - barely moved.  I was in second gear...... I went to the left and stopped again.  Put it in first gear and merged.  I was lucky there was no car tailing me, cause I could have been rear ended.  When you are stopped, always double check that you are in first gear.

3) Get out there.  I had my circuit the first couple of weeks - a few blocks to a high school.  Thru the turns in the parking lot.  Behind the school to the back entrance and then back home.  About a mile.  Never any real traffic, it was a great place to practice basics.  But that is all I did.  I was actually afraid to get "out there."  A buddy then took for a real ride - one with twistiies, cars,  and roads to really open up the throttle on.  He is a great partner to ride with as he respected the fact that I was learning.  Being out there is a lot different than a parking lot.  If you are going to really ride, after getting confortable with the basics, you need to get out there and be a target.  Take it slow and don't speed past your limits - it is easy to suddenly be going 60 - 70 coming into a turn - conrol yourself and slow BEFORE the turn. 


4) When you are out there, cars will tailgate you.  Not fun.  On single lane roads, keep your cool and pull over somewhere to let them pass.   Do not go faster than you are confortable going.

5) Try to buddy up with someone that will respect your newbieism.  Watch them in front of you (but don't just watch the rider) and learn.

6) Don't forget to turn off your turn signal.  But don't forget to use it.

That's all for now.  I'll check in later with more.

Ride safe.

I've had that first one happen to me. I was riding with another bike on the highway and this lady in an suv cuts in between us. There was no more than a car length.

nice write up and good tips for us all. 

I can relate.  I just got my license at the beginning of April and can't count the number of people who have pulled out in front of me.     Probably the most important thing I learned in the class was to use both brakes.  Those couple of feet are a huge difference sometimes.  Guess I've really been getting out there since I've put about 1500 miles on in the last month.  I can feel the newbe wearing off fast.  A lot of thinks that I was thinking about before, like shifting, are pretty much second nature now.  Definitely good advise to ride within your limits.  People are always going to tailgate.  I just let them and make sure I have plenty of room in front of me so that I can tap my brakes and slow to a stop nice and easy keeping an eye on them in my mirrors.

I ride with a guy who has a technique for tailgators. He just turns around and looks at them, maybe gesture them to back off. The couple times he's done it they back off.  I just ignore them and ride, not completely ignore, I keep an eye on them in the mirror.

Yeah , i usually slow down a bit with tailgaters , then when on a straight section i'll make a point to look back at them , then at my rear tire , then back at them . You can also add a (what gives" sort of palms-up gesture while raising your arms - once again , only on a straight section of course  It usually helps , but if not , I just pull over where convenient , then make sure to open my visor so they can see me watch them drive by ... more often than not they'll mouth "sorry" as they go by . For some reason , in my experiences , it's usually some soccer mom in an SUV who probably does it to other cars all the time , but needs to be made aware that it's not cool behind someone exposed on a  bike 

Quote from: genEricStL on May 09, 2007, 09:10:40 PM
Yeah , i usually slow down a bit with tailgaters , then when on a straight section i'll make a point to look back at them , then at my rear tire , then back at them . You can also add a (what gives" sort of palms-up gesture while raising your arms - once again , only on a straight section of course  It usually helps , but if not , I just pull over where convenient , then make sure to open my visor so they can see me watch them drive by ... more often than not they'll mouth "sorry" as they go by . For some reason , in my experiences , it's usually some soccer mom in an SUV who probably does it to other cars all the time , but needs to be made aware that it's not cool behind someone exposed on a  bike 

That sounds exactly like my mom I keep telling her to leave space between cars and bikes, but she likes to pull up as close as possible. I even gave her the idea of applying for a job at the MSF or DMV so they can show the students exactly how badly people can drive. I know, I'm a terrible son....

+1 on all those things.  I'm still new, still not licensed, but nearly all of my miles have been in Cleveland city traffic.  If I can add one thing its this:

Don't just watch the cars, they aren't your only danger, albeit the fastest and most lethal ones.  Don't forget to glance/scan the actual road surface in front of you.  I learned the hard way that focusing on the traffic and not noticing the giant crater coming up on you can lead to some scary situations.  Fortunately I've managed to get up off the seat just in time and maintained control. Still, when the bike bounces up to meet the crotch--- ouch.  After that I understood the dangers of road hazards. 

Holy crap! A smart n00b! Great post, I think you'll be a good addition here!

Yes we are invisible to car drivers but one more thing to consider is that  sometimes they do see us and still don't care

Good tips! I am pretty much a noob on the "sport bike". Just got my GS 2 weeks ago (only 475 miles ago). I had a Honda Shadow years ago, but its a bit different on the GS 

One thing I do when stopping that seems to help, I tap my brakes quickly (obviously if its a controlled stop and not a quick stop, and obviously merely enough for the brake light to be on. Dont go slamming it on and off, thats a recipe for road rash). This will make my brake light a little more visible to the car behind me. That flashing brake light sticks out a bit more than the solid red.

Good write up!

I6

I too have only been out there in the open wind for a little over a month....I agree that taking the MSF course was the best thing I could have done. Teaching us to use both brakes fully has been crucial to my survival. Not that I ride like its stolen but because of the unkowns out there. The first day of the MSF I had never ridden and when doing the first emergency stop practice I locked the front wheel. Now I know what it feels like and how much is too much braking. Another good lesson I learned from a buddy is to always shift all the way up to sixth and then back down if you forget what gear your in. I ground first at least once and I will hopefully never do it again. It sounds like hell when you drop into first when your moving, even with the clutch in.

Hi midlife et al,

I agree with all that you said. Well put.
I've been riding since I was 16 in 1975.
When I bought my first bike, a lovely, black and chrome restored 1966 Honda CB160, the MSF wasn't around. So I learned to ride with the older dads of my friends. These 50- to 75-year-old men took a ride together every Tuesday night from a shopping center parking lot in Madison, Wisc., and I tagged along. By riding with them -- with many years of riding between them -- I learned ever facet of riding and handling a motorcycle. If we approached a gravel road, I could stop and ask the fellow behind me how to handle the gravel and he would explain it to me. If it was another road condition, all I had to do was ask. I put 10,000 miles on my first bike in my first year of riding. In Wisconsin. Through the winter. I learned a lot.
I learned patience from those men and about safety.
I learned how to ride in a group and how to look out for each other.
I also learned to assume that every driver out there is trying to kill you. Every minute you are on your bike, assume this. It's a valuable self-preservation tool. Take nothing for granted on the street.
And lastly, for now, the most important lesson I learned also came from watching these older men.
Not one EVER had alcohol on our rides. Not one beer. Not one shot. Not one sip.
I NEVER ride after consuming ANY alcohol, or drugs for that matter. Way too many motorcycle accidents involve drinking and that is ALL on the rider. Don't do it.
To me, ride alertly, ride sober and ride like you want to be there to ride again tomorrow.
I still learn something every single time I ride. It truly never ends. 

You are being smart and learning and using that knowledge.
Good for you. That is the way to do it.
Ask questions, share experiences. Always be thinking and planning ahead.
Yes, there are risks, but life is full of risks. The gains are amazing as we ride our motorcycles, drinking in the air, the sights, the sounds, the experiences, the friendships and the memories.
As Arlo Guthrie sang: "I don't want a pickle, I just want to ride my motorsickle."

Have fun and be careful out there.
And when you have a question, we are all here.
Best wishes,
Todd 

P.S. Midlife --- are you coming to our July 14 ride in Lancaster, PA? You are in MD? It would be great if you can make it.

Quote from: Trwhouse on May 10, 2007, 08:12:15 AM
P.S. Midlife --- are you coming to our July 14 ride in Lancaster, PA? You are in MD? It would be great if you can make it.

Lancaster eh?  I live in Sinking Spring and work at Armstrong in Lancaster.  Making the commute on the bike every day I can.  Either down 272 or 222 depending on how much time I have to get in.

Yup id have to say all those things are defintly things ive learned in a hurry.  oh and slow down.

Also, Watch your turn signal, make sure its off driving down the road after a turn, its gotten me my only close call today cuz the blinker was going and well the car thought I was turning and pulled out in front of me.  Ive gotten insane about checking it now.  I flick it about every 5 minutes to make sure its off.

Good post!

and Nick, I'm smart.  Most of the time anyways.

it's wierd.  you talk about being tailgated all the time and the only vehicle that has tailgated me so far was a cop.  he almost hit me when i turned even though i had my signal on and flashed my brakes.  i almost always flash my brakes when stopping in town or when i have traffic behind me.  just got my license today.  been riding for 2 months with a great group that i work with.  two of them have had their license for 6 years and have been riding dirt bikes for about 15 years.  they have taught me alot and given me alot of confidence esp. in the corners.  hated them when i started riding (the corners).  first time i rode with them they took me through almost every twisty (although there isn't many around here) they could find.  we put about 120 miles on that first day.  loved it and i have ridden almost every day since even if it is just to work and back.

Nice thread, goood guys/gals, and good tips by noobs. 

Remember, the first six months, less than 40mph, close to home etc.

It's a good idea to check your headlight, blinkers and brake lights while stopped at redlights. Just a little wiggle of the bars will show the beam, quick hi/low so you know both are working. Your indicator bulb will blow eventually, and you won't realize the signal is on, so check it frequentlly. Tap the front and rear a couple of times, and you can look in your LEFT mirror and usually see the car's headlight glow red if it's working.

For tailgaters, you're on the money. I slow down, 15-20%. As soon as they back off, I creap back up to the speed limit. It only takes twice for the really boneheaded soccer moms. They learn we'll all go faster if they give me some room. For the 2 or 3 times that hasn't worked, I just pull over and watch them go by, then merge again safely. One lady actually pulled over behind me, and then realized I wasn't stopping for anything, and gunned it, almost hitting the car BEHIND her. Wow.

Slower = more talent. parking lots will show you who is the boss. let them teach you. 

There are a lot of 65 mph traffic with 90 degree turns and tailgaters around here.  I hit my first 1000 miles this week and am still making small mistakes here and there. I have tried to learn to stay close to a group of cars in front of me when people are impatiently waiting to pull out into my lane and scan the oncoming traffic to see if hopefully someone is coming to lessen the chances of them pulling out.

If an oncoming car is waiting for you and the wheel is turned watch that wheel closely. If the wheel is not turned I try and watch the steering wheel.

I have been practicing giving a break light with the faintest of back brake before I start engine braking down through gears. After I leaned out my engine I slow down quick if I am engine braking aggressively.

While Im in my cage I always look at the road coditions If I'll be riding in that area soon. I found this graveyard of edge traps on one of my favorite fast turns one day left by construction- Scouting probably saved my life.

Upgrade your suspension and get the exact tire pressure before every ride. 

Drink coffee and wear all of your gear.

IMHO