Getting past the "Newbie" stage

[PhatPhizzixxer]

I am a new rider...I have just over 1000 miles on the bike. When I first started riding, I was scared witless. Now that I have a few miles on it, I'm not so panicky but still have some trepidation when I go out on the bike. I'm just wondering...how many miles did you guys log before you started to feel comfortable...when it started to be more fun instead of the panic-driven-hope-I-don't-crash reaction?

 

[zig308]

I've got 50 miles on mine, so I am still in the "getting comfortable" stage. I'm feeling fairly confident, but that's only with taking it out in the evenings when traffic has died down on country roads.

I'm still looking to get some good riding pants before I venture much further. I'm thinking about taking the advanced MSF class coming up in October near me as well now that I have my own bike. I figure it would allow me to practice all the same MSF maneuvers in the BRC on my own bike rather than a light 200cc dual sport with the help of a rider coach.

 

[WenMark]

I have driven/ridden everything since I was 6 years old. Tractors, dirt bikes, ranch trucks, cars trucks, horse trailers, atvs, boats, airplanes, waterskis, wake boards, skateboards, unicycles, bmx bikes, etc. I do have good balance, but that can with alot of practice. I don't think you want to totally ever feel like nothing can ever happen, but when you go out just be aware of your surroundings and practice as much as you can. Every rider has it different so I don't know when you will be more confident, but ride with more experienced riders and learn from them and take the Safety course it defeintely helps new riders.

 

[PhatPhizzixxer]

I still go to a parking lot close to me to practice and it's getting better, but there was a time a few weeks ago when my mentor & I were on a ride. We stopped at a light & he motioned to me that we'd be making a u-turn...in his quest to keep challenging my bike learning. Well, I just shook my head "No!" and thought "This is a real-life situation & my u-turns aren't that good so no way!" I guess I psyched myself out of even trying it. LOL - but the light never turned green for us so we ended up just going straight instead. Do any of you still have a "yikes" moment when it comes to making u-turns 'cuz they freak me out and I really, really want them to be smooth.

 

[zig308]

I have a cul-de-sac just down from my house that I make a U-turn in before pulling in the garage each time just to practice it. I've slowly been able to make tighter and tighter U-turns. It's all in turning the head I've found. The bike definitely follows where you are looking.

 

[PhatPhizzixxer]

I have driven/ridden everything since I was 6 years old.

WenMark - I am envious of you that you have been riding all your life. I have taken the BRC & passed w/ no problems and my boyfriend has helped guide me all along the way; he, too, has ridden all his life. I so wish I had that opportunity when I was young. I've always loved hot rods & motorcycles but never got the gumption until now to actually learn. Is that weird for a chick? Anyway, I'm getting better no doubt but taking corners & making u-turns will take me some time to do it comfortably. I'm looking forward to that!

 

[WenMark]

It' not where you start it's where you finish. Your never too young/old to enjoy this wonderful hobby of ours. Hey anybody that is good at something has practiced alot at it I guarantee you. It will come in time. Just keep on keeping on. Good Luck and see you on the Roads

 

[xplodnstar]

I've got a good 30k miles under my belt now, but there are still some situations that make me fret. You'd think that after all this time I'd be able to get my chicken strips down to less than 3/4 inch, but no. You will find that slowly the "newb" feeling will go away for the most part, but there will always be something that eludes you. It's okay though, having that little bit that is still scared when you ride is what reminds you to keep your head.

 

[GoGreen09]

I have 3500 miles now, but I still consider myself a newb. I don't think I have all the technique down yet, so I signed up for Reg Pridmore's CLASS. It's not a true track school, but I just want to learn technique the right way. If all goes well, I want to try the track schools too just to get more solid experience.

 

[fz6rwolf]

I've ridden bikes off and on since the '70's, dirtbikes, enduros and cruisers and this my 1st sportbike. No matter what I rode there've always been "oh chit" moments and I still have significant chicken strips after 4,000 miles on this bike. I push it harder than my past cruisers but I doubt I'll ever lean so far as to get to the limit of the bike. I consider myself a good all around street rider but novice at real sportbike riding and will probably always be. I know my comfort zone when pushing it some and won't be intimidated into going past that zone.

 

[JonKerr]

Well after the first 100 miles or so I was enjoying it more than I was concerned. I've been on 2 wheels since I was 3 but only on bicycles. (Mountain bikes, BMX racing etc...) So I think that helps a little. But there's a big difference between being afraid and being aware. If you're afraid you're going to make a mistake, you will. If you're aware of the situations and confident in your abilities (which only comes from practice) and ready for anything, the relaxing and enjoying will come.

I've only had the bike for 5 days now. But each day I've gone out and tackled a new challenge. Just getting the bike home was one. I live 20 miles from the dealership and had to go through some of the most congested surface streets in San Diego to get it home. Riding in traffic with cars was the first hurdle. Yesterday it was twisty roads, I hit one of the tighter roads in town after work yesterday. Today it was night riding. I was concerned about each one so I hit them one at a time and now I'm confident I can handle them.

 

[bcultra]

Well after the first 100 miles or so I was enjoying it more than I was concerned. I've been on 2 wheels since I was 3 but only on bicycles. (Mountain bikes, BMX racing etc...) So I think that helps a little. But there's a big difference between being afraid and being aware. If you're afraid you're going to make a mistake, you will. If you're aware of the situations and confident in your abilities (which only comes from practice) and ready for anything, the relaxing and enjoying will come.

Excellent post, being aware is the key. I've been riding for more than 30 years, all types from dirt to Goldwings and everything in between and taken more classes than I can count. I am really impressed with everyones attitude towards safe and responsible riding on this site. Congratulations to all of you

 

[PhatPhizzixxer]

Excellent post, being aware is the key. I've been riding for more than 30 years, all types from dirt to Goldwings and everything in between and taken more classes than I can count. I am really impressed with everyones attitude towards safe and responsible riding on this site. Congratulations to all of you

"Being aware is the key"...I'm learning that, for sure. Thanks everyone for such good advice. My boyfriend is still like a mother hen every time I go out. He has gone with me just about every time not only for safety but afterwards, I ask him for any constructive criticism so I can do better the next time. One of the things he mentioned in the beginning was that my speed was way below the speed limit. And I know it was but being out there, feeling so exposed, watching the cars getting close...it just made me go too slow. I have now gotten to where I can go the speed limit & still feel sure about having to stop quickly for some dumb-a$$ pulling in front of me. And all of you from San Diego know how crazy our traffic has gotten.

I gotta say, riding a sportbike is so much fun...looking forward to getting many more miles on my bike!!!

 

[99vengeur]

Like the others have said, it's all about practice and being aware of your surroundings. If you can spot a potential trouble spot well in advance of getting to it, you will have had time to decide how to handle it, as well as adjust your speed to execute whatever action you chose.

S.E.E. says it all: Search, Evaluate, Execute.

Just keep practicing. Go to a large empty parking lot and start out doing large circles. Then slowly begin to tighten the circles, making them smaller and smaller. Make sure you are turning your head to look where you want the bike to go, and eventually you will be making really tight circles. At this point, you should be getting comfortable with counter leaning the bike and you should be able to do a U-turn with no problem.


Also, zig308, I would suggest you not take the advanced MSF course so soon. They will really push the limits on your own bike, and if you are still unsure of your abilities in October, you will likely dump the bike. When I took the BRC, I asked how soon I should take the advanced course and the instructor said I should have several thousand miles or a complete riding season before attempting the advanced course.

 

[bsoder]

My wife and I are in a similar situation. I've been on motorcycles since I was little and my wife had never been on one until I took her on a ride. This was about 5 years ago and she was scared - so much so that I gave up my bike. Then about 3 months ago out of nowhere she says she wants a bike. We picked out a Ninja 250 for her to start on and she loves it now! Once she got all the necessary riding gear, took the MSF class and got frame sliders on her bike she became more confident. She still had less than a thousand miles since she usually only does small rides but she's more and more confident each time which makes me worry less and less.

I just got my FZ6R 2 weeks ago and we went on our first ride together (on separate bikes) last weekend. It was a blast! She had a little trouble keeping up with me and I'm not sure if it was her bike or her but either way I could tell her skills have been improving.

Remember safety and confidence will make your rides more enjoyable!

 

[Verranth]

I was over the newb feeling after the first week. But I've been on the road (car) for a long time. Its not that I'm an expert driver/rider, I'm just confident in how I ride/drive.

Dont get me wrong, I still have lots to learn on the motorcycle. Its just not "scary" - for me .

 

[JonKerr]

And all of you from San Diego know how crazy our traffic has gotten.

Yeah it's bad. I had to ride my bike home from San Diego House of Motorcycles on El Cajon Blvd. home to Lakeside. Just getting out of the dealership was interesting. But my dad and I ended up taking back roads through the college area into La Mesa and Santee to get home trying to avoid the worst of it.

(Sorry. Most of you guys not from SD have no idea what I'm talking about but anyone from around here knows how treacherous El Cajon Blvd can be in a car, let alone on a bike.)

 

[PhatPhizzixxer]

Yeah it's bad. I had to ride my bike home from San Diego House of Motorcycles on El Cajon Blvd. home to Lakeside. Just getting out of the dealership was interesting. But my dad and I ended up taking back roads through the college area into La Mesa and Santee to get home trying to avoid the worst of it.

(Sorry. Most of you guys not from SD have no idea what I'm talking about but anyone from around here knows how treacherous El Cajon Blvd can be in a car, let alone on a bike.)

I hear ya - I totally know that area - it's freakin' crazy! Just driving the car in there is bad - no parking whatsoever! Yeah!! Someone to relate to!

 

[Tijeras505]

What you're feeling is normal.

I rode both motocross and street bikes in my teens and early twenties. I just started riding again about two years ago ( I am 47). Started with the MSF course and got a Yamaha V-Star 250 to start out on. Very easy bike to ride. At first, I was very nervous but after about 3,000 miles I was very comfortable riding the bike.

Now that I have about 3,000 on the 6R, I feel very comfortable. I don't have that impending feeling that someone is going to cross over the double-yellow and hit me head-on but I still ride to the right when passing a car going the opposite direction. As you gain experience, the feelings you're experiencing will become less and less.

That's why it is important to ride the bike as much as possible - to gain experience and become a better rider. Don't let your apprehension deter you. Too many people ride their motorcycles only on occasion which is probably more dangerous for them since their skills are not fresh.

Also, on the other side of the coin, people that have been riding for a long time can get complacent and start to miss warning signs in traffic putting themselves in danger. I think a little adrenaline flow is probably a good thing because it keeps you more alert.

Practice = Experience = Skill

 

[Allan]

Regarding that newbie feeling. I've just put 400km's on my first bike, and, being a very experienced vehicle driver, don't feel too concerned yet. HOwever, I'm very aware of the fact that I'm a novice at riding, and, as such, ride about 30km's each night after work, just to get accustomed to the bike, as well as build my confidence. Only real issue for me is that, as I'm only pushing 5800rpm, I'm not totally comfortable on our highways. Reason being that at 5800rpm, I can only reach 105kph. Our speed limit is 120kph, and it's a bit disconcerting having cars keep flying by me. Either way, though, it's great being out there