So after months of prep and leg work, I am picking up my bike tomorrow after work. I have to be honest and say I am a little nervous about the ride home. My only time on a bike is what I had in my MSF BRC course. So I'm asking for any and all advice you guys and gals here can give me. I would really appreciate it, the ride is roughly 25 mins if I take all highway, and about 40-50 mins if I take the back roads. All input is welcome.
First ride tomorrow
- Thread starter SeggyGuy
- Start date
if it's in it's break-in, do not take highway, stick to back roads.
If you're not comfortable on the road in traffic, have a friend or family member stay behind you to keep other cars away... I felt ok, but my wife was worried sick, she followed me to work, saw how I handled it and went on her marry way.
biggest thing to remember, pay attention to the road, do not get caught up in the controls... look all around, use your peripherals, etc...
have fun
If you're not comfortable on the road in traffic, have a friend or family member stay behind you to keep other cars away... I felt ok, but my wife was worried sick, she followed me to work, saw how I handled it and went on her marry way.
biggest thing to remember, pay attention to the road, do not get caught up in the controls... look all around, use your peripherals, etc...
have fun
yellowFZ6r
New Member
My advice would be to take back roads at slower speeds. I remember the first time I took the highway the wind and speed was a little overwhelming, but it passes quickly with experience. The back roads will allow you to concentrate better on your riding and god forbid if something were to happen it would be at significantly lower speeds. Everyone is different in their learning and confidence, but no matter what you will be just fine. Enjoy the ride!!
I would probably recommend trailering it home, if you are nervous. Then get on the bike and learn controls and get familiar with it by your house roads. Then when comfy, go on the busy roads around town and finally the highways. If you absolutely don't have a choice, definitely take the back roads, highway isn't a place to be learning on. Agree with Dart for someone else acting as a "shield" behind you.
CONGRATULATIONS, GOOD LUCK and BE CAREFUL!!!
Sent from my SCH-I500 using Tapatalk 2
CONGRATULATIONS, GOOD LUCK and BE CAREFUL!!!
Sent from my SCH-I500 using Tapatalk 2
DakinechicK
Active Member
I agree 100% with Greg. He basically took the words right out of my mouth...
ostwhore:
If you do ride it home, PLEASE be CAREFUL!!
ostwhore:If you do ride it home, PLEASE be CAREFUL!!
The place I bought mine from was happy to deliver it for free. Technically, I guess, they are still liable for any damage until you leave the lot. My buddy bought one a month ago and wanted to ride it home, they helped him push it across the street then he went on his merry way. Though, it may have been that he didn't have a license ATM.
6R Blackout
New Member
agreed
If you are to nervous don't ride it trailer it, but if its just a few butterflies then throw a leg over a take the back roads. Just ride safe and remember what you learned in the MSF course!:noworries:
If you are to nervous don't ride it trailer it, but if its just a few butterflies then throw a leg over a take the back roads. Just ride safe and remember what you learned in the MSF course!:noworries:
and, who says you have to go home? Can you take it for a spin around the dealer's? Maybe go have lunch somewhere, go to a shopping center, or whatnot?
Just don't forget, whatever you decide... if the butterflies get the better of you, pull over in a safe spot and take a breather... it get's easier over time...
and, your neck is gonna hurt for a while, you are not used to a helmet on your head, let alone with 60mph winds beating it around. Just a heads up, but you get used to it after a week or so
Good luck with whatever you decide. I just picked mine up a few weeks ago and loaded it on the back of my Dodge Ram. It was a 66 mile ride and would have been mostly highway. I've seen some negative comments about the FZ6R, but they are all from 650R Fanboys. FZ6R is a great all around bike regardless of experience. I wanted my first ride to be in my neighborhood after I familiarized myself with the bike. I hadn't riden in four years and it came back to me pretty quick. The bike is smooth and forgiving. Congrats!
3leggeddog
New Member
I trailered my bike home the first time. Sales guy was nice enough to loan me one of the ATV trailers they sold and then tied the bike down for me. If you can do that, I highly recommend it, especially if you're not used to riding it. If that's not an option then I agree with everyone else...take the back roads, have someone follow you, and be careful.
I got the dealer to deliver mine for free even though I have been riding a tw200 on trails and street for 4 years. I was thinking about riding it the 60 miles home and I am glad I decided not to. Getting familiar with the brakes, clutch, and throttle would be much safer done in a controlled environment without much if any traffic. An empty parking lot would be a good place to start. If you do ride it home I would take the back roads and pull into the first empty parking lot I found to get familiar with it. Be careful making turns from a dead stop, a skill that takes practice to do well. Use the clutch to control acceleration so you don't find yourself picking up more speed than you want as you pull away from a stop while making a turn. Good luck and let us know how it goes. Most accidents happen on bikes the rider has been on 6 months or less.
Had mine delivered, I was scared and concerned about the 40 mile ride home on either unfamiliar backroads or the high speed interstate. Once in my possession at the house, I became comfortable quickly, however it still took me a couple of weeks of practice around my neighborhood before I rode it out of town on my first backroad excursion. I had taken the MSF prior to purchasing, but we goofed around in a parking lot for 2 days on a 250, big difference out on the road, I didn't even figure out countersteering until a week in.
Well, I'm going to disagree with most. (There's always one, isn't there?) You said you live on a relatively busy road with a 45mph speed limit. That's scary shiat when you're a new rider. If you trailer it home, your first ride out is going to be onto that road.
What kind of road is the dealership on? Does that road have access to nice quiet backroads? If it does, don't pick it up after work. Wait until the next morning and spend the entire day riding the backroads. Get used to that right hand turn, braking, shifting, etc. Then bring it home. If there's access to quiet backroads from the shop, you could literally go hundreds of miles, learning your bike, before you brought it home.
That's what I did with my first bike. I rode it through the owner's fence (you want to skip that part), took a couple very wide right turns, a few intersections and got out of town. Then I spent the day on the backroads. I did like 300 miles that day. When I brought it home, I pretty much had the basics down, including that oh-so-important right turn.
Above all, relax. Take it easy and remember what you learned in the MSF course. Keep a cool head and ride safe. Once you get it home, you'll remember it as one of the best experiences of your life.
What kind of road is the dealership on? Does that road have access to nice quiet backroads? If it does, don't pick it up after work. Wait until the next morning and spend the entire day riding the backroads. Get used to that right hand turn, braking, shifting, etc. Then bring it home. If there's access to quiet backroads from the shop, you could literally go hundreds of miles, learning your bike, before you brought it home.
That's what I did with my first bike. I rode it through the owner's fence (you want to skip that part
), took a couple very wide right turns, a few intersections and got out of town. Then I spent the day on the backroads. I did like 300 miles that day. When I brought it home, I pretty much had the basics down, including that oh-so-important right turn.Above all, relax. Take it easy and remember what you learned in the MSF course. Keep a cool head and ride safe. Once you get it home, you'll remember it as one of the best experiences of your life.