Today was what I'll call my first real bike ride.  I was a little apprehensive because to get out of my neighborhood, I have either get on or jump across a very busy road.  It's a road that is posted 45mph, but people really fly on it.  To give you some idea of what I'm talking about, the road is posted with crosses.

Nevertheless, I managed to get across it safely, and from there I just started going.  I'm not saying was putting my knee down, but I leaned a little into my turns, and I punched it through the gears, and I think I hit a top speed of about 45mph, and all I can say is WOW!!    :lol:    

I love this machine.  I love it, I love it, I love it.

My hands need a little work.  The thumb muscles in my palms are killing me, but who cares?  I was riding.

Smooth Dave  

CONGRATS!!  And be safe!  I haven't been following your posts, but if you haven't been to MSF yet do so!  

Glad to see you are getting to enjoy the experience we call riding!

I'm now off to brave the mean I-80 into the Sacramento corridor...(for those in the area you know what I'm talking about!)

Yes, I took the MSF course.     My problem is that I took that course about 6 years ago and only now was able to finally buy a bike.  It was pretty clear to me when I bought my bike about 3 weeks ago that I really didn't have the skills that I had when I finished the course.  Because of that, I spent the last three weeks simply riding around my neighborhood.  I pulled out the book the MSF course gave me and started practicing all of that stuff over the past three weeks in my neighborhood where there's really no traffic at all.  It wasn't as ideal as taking the course all over again under the watchful eye of an instructor, but my skills did start coming back.  I also bought and started reading Proficient Motorcycling by David Hough.  The material we covered in the MSF course was good, but his book is far better and far more in depth.  I highly recommend that book.  On weekends, I have a regular appointment with a nearby deserted parking lot, so, it's coming back.

Honestly, it would probably be better if I could do the course all over again, but there aren't any openings until August, and at this point I'm sure I'm more skilled than I was when I finished the course.

I'm supremely paranoid.  My headlight modulator is on order, and my armor is bright yellow.  What's the worst that can happen?  Oh, that's right.  I could die.  

It's funny.  They repealed the helmet law in Pennsylvania a few months ago, and the majority of riders do not wear helmets now.  I feel a little overdressed out there in my full face shield and mesh armor when I see those guys, but then I remember.  I'm not dressed to ride my motorcycle.  I'm dressed to crash it.

Smooth Dave

Quote from: SmoothDaveI feel a little overdressed out there in my full face shield and mesh armor when I see those guys, but then I remember.  I'm not dressed to ride my motorcycle.  I'm dressed to crash it.

Well said!

Quote from: SmoothDaveMy hands need a little work. The thumb muscles in my palms are killing me

Part of this will be from the unaccustomed positions, directions of pull, etc. that you're doing now.  But part of it could be from the "Great White Knuckler" or "Death Grip" syndrome.

When I first started riding, I clamped onto those grips pretty hard.  After a couple days I had resurrected an old pain from a radial head fracture in my left elbow.  Again, partly from the wide handlebar stance (on a Honda 500 Ascot) and partly from holding on too tight.  I don't remember how long it took for me to relax, but it was in the "months and months" range.

Other ideas:  Are your hands big ... or small?  Are your gloves thick ... or thin?  Some folks are more comfortable when the grips are BIG compared to the length of their hand.  Others fatigue quickly when the grips are too thick (or the gloves are too thick - same thing).  You might try doing one of your parking lot sessions with one glove off and one glove on to compare the relative comfort of each hand.  (I know, I know ... but it's OK.  Just make sure you don't fall on the ungloved hand if/when you crash.   )

Does one hand hurt more than the other?  The throttle hand requires a constant "clamping" action, while the clutch hand can rest against the throttle in an open position until you need to change gears.  Just wondering if you have noticed a difference between the two....

Oh, one more thing.  Is your GS500 a late-enough model that it has an adjustable brake lever?


EDIT: Changed link from sisna.com to bbburma.net

You will eventually find a comfortable position wihtout even realizing it, and you hands will get used to it. I've been out of the bike world for awhile now, and my hands are killing me . My Katana had Gel grips, so I'm not used to this hard grip.

Congrats on gettin out onto the open road. More riders should take the steps that you have instead of jumping in on the freeway right off the bat.

So where exactly is Hollidaysburg? Anywhere near Lancaster County or State College? I'm always lookin for new people to ride with

Quote from: gitarmanSo where exactly is Hollidaysburg? Anywhere near Lancaster County or State College?

EDIT: Changed link from sisna.com to bbburma.net

Hm.  Kerry, you've given me some stuff to think about, and now that I think about it, the answer to the problem with my hands might be obvious.  The pain is in both hands, and I don't think I'm gripping too tightly, but I might be.  I'm thinking the most likely source of my discomfort is in the gloves.  When I was buying all of this stuff-helmet, jacket, pants, modulator-I started looking for somewhere that I might cut costs.  I figured fifty bucks for a pair of motorcycle gloves was a place to cut corners, so I just opted to ride in my relatively lightweight leather work gloves.  I will try one glove off one on to see if that makes a difference.

The other thing I noticed is that I might be putting weight on my thumbs.  Can I adjust anything about the bike or my riding position to help with that?

My brakes are adjustable.  I didn't want to mess with them until I spent some time getting used to them.  I'm inclined to move the lever closer to my hand.

Hollidaysburg isn't far from State College.  If you've noticed all that construction on a new superslab just south of State College, that new road goes right past my house about 30 miles south.

Smooth Dave

Quote from: Kerry
Oh, one more thing.  Is your GS500 a late-enough model that it has an adjustable brake lever?

Hmmm... My 2004 GS500F does not have an adjustable brake lever.  Wonder if this is something they removed for 2004+?