New 2 wheeled toy.

[Tacoma747]

2000 Suzuki Bandit 600S, first bike for me, and has plenty of power for me (too much if I abuse it). Thanks to Castertroy for the helmet, gloves, and jacket. Bought it for fun and to save gas, but it will take awhile for me to make my money back off of gas, so mostly for fun

 

[90xj]

Nice bike! I have a 98 1200 bandit I bought last year to learn on, got it cheap. I love where the powerband is on these things, it's right where you need it without having to keep the revs up like a ss600. I'm looking to buy another bike here soon, but am keeping the bandit for the comfort on long rides and the fact that you can't kill these motors.
Keep the shiny side up, Josh

 

[orange150]

two of my friends just got in a wreck with each other this morning on their bikes, not too bad; fractured wrist and ankle on one and both are really scraped up.... be safe!

 

[Rich]

two of my friends just got in a wreck with each other this morning on their bikes, not too bad; fractured wrist and ankle on one and both are really scraped up.... be safe!

And how many riders courses/track days have they attended this past year? Nothing personal, I am just very sick of someone always saying how a friend of theirs/relative/a guy they know of got in a wreck as soon as the word motorcycle is mentioned, and if they even know first hand, 99.5% of them never a MSF basic course...

Take a MSF course if you haven't already, it's the best weekend you'll spend learning your bike - You don't go fly without taking lessons either!

Annd.. get some pants & boots to go with that jacket when you can.. You can never be over-geared.. I've walked away from 2 low-sides in the past with not so much as a scrape because of it.

Good looking bike Michael! I'm jealous of the tailbox.. those things are so dang useful

 

[YJJPWrangler87]

I agree with Rich, my dad teaches the MSF course at Wake Tech and IMO anyone that gets on a bike should take the course, too many people ride down the road with shorts and a tshirt on. My parents bike got totaled and they walked away from it with a couple of scrapes. Nice looking bike tho.

Zack

 

[RufusTheRam]

yep, be careful and always wear your gear. if you need something to scare you into it, look for the thread i made a while back with pics from a wreck i had this past fall.

 

[SHINTON]

MSF course was the best "upgrade" I made to my bike... One nice bene is the fact you get to take the "driving portion" of the M endorsement there in school instead of at the DMV.

Nice bike, be safe, take the course...I got a Shadow this spring too so will see ya on the road!

Sam

 

[BIGWOODY]

I've had the course and raced for several seasons years ago...sorry to say it again but they are dangerous and I've had several friends get killed. There is no convincing anyone of the danger until you experience it first hand, I won't preach...just please be careful. No matter how good a rider you are it's the dumbass in the car you got to watch out for. I've been down 3 times on the low side from cars turning in front of me and one high side at about 140mph at the track. I love bikes, I've just decided I like life a little more. Nice looking bike and a nice choice for a "starter bike'

 

[Caver Dave]

I've had the course and raced for several seasons years ago...sorry to say it again but they are dangerous and I've had several friends get killed. There is no convincing anyone of the danger until you experience it first hand, I won't preach...just please be careful. No matter how good a rider you are it's the dumbass in the car you got to watch out for. I've been down 3 times on the low side from cars turning in front of me and one high side at about 140mph at the track. I love bikes, I've just decided I like life a little more.

Roger that!
Had more than my share of dumps early on & decided I liked living better! Granted, I'm not that good at riding, but can only attribute 1 to my error (cut a corner too close... and found the asphalt missing )... the rest were caused by careless drivers. I figured on 4 wheels, the odds of me dodging the idiots have to increase!
"Let's be safe out there"

 

[CasterTroy]

There is no convincing anyone of the danger until you experience it first hand

Those are wise words

And something for everyone to think about. You can't beat safety into anyones head....they have to come into it on their own. They have to have their own "oh sh#@" moment

The same way a child learns what "Hot" is....you can't explain HOT. You can tell a child a million times NOT to touch the pot on the oven, but until they do, and experience it for themselves, they never know first hand.

I armed Micheal with a helmet, jacket, and gloves so that he would be preparred, and have lectured him on MSF, safety and what-not, but he'll have to hav an OH SH#@ moment to fully understand

As everyone who rides knows....it's not IF you go down, it's WHEN....and you prepare/gear up for THAT ride...not the 1000's or 10,000's of rides that you didn't go down and it was too hot for gear.

 

[Tacoma747]

Thanks to everyone that complimented it. I am taking the Motorcycle Saftey Course at Forsyth Tech in the beginning of June (first available class), is this the same as the MSF you all talk about? I may call Davidson CC to see if they have one sooner though.

I plan on buying some pants next to match the jacket, and boots might be later down the road, but most of the time I ride it I will have on my work boots. The big box will definetly be nice to have, I could fit a weeks worth of clothes in it I think. Plus it is big, and has a reflective strip around the back so hopefully that will help people see me at night.

Any other suggestions from anyone? One thing I hate is driving at night, I just don't feel like I can see enough of what is ahead, the headlight is nice and bright, but you would have to have some balls to go flying on one of these things at night.

 

[YJJPWrangler87]

yeah its the same class, after the MSF class you can then go and take the one day advanced riders course. Get a headlight/taillight modulator for the daytime and nighttime, makes people actually see you

Zack

 

[49erRider]

i ride at night all the time, i must say use your mirrors and just always have a sense for what is going on around you. To many of my friends just don't pay enough attention to what is going on. As people said most the time it will be the tards in the cars that do something wrong, so i just ride very defensivley. but still fly and have fun at the same time. Get very comfortable with the clutch on that bike, get used to walking it, and as said before gear up. hope you enjoy it if your ever in charlotte let me know we can go for a ride.

 

[CasterTroy]

you would have to have some balls to go flying on one of these things at night.

I don't ride at night unless I'm out too late and don't have a choice

For one reason

 

[SHINTON]

MSF is Motorcycle Safety Foundation...and yes, their material is used in the course you are signed up for.

As everyone has said here, there are two ways to get in a wreck....1st is pushing the bike beyond your skills and/or finding something unexpected. For instance the curve is "slick" because a guy is mowing the lawn and blowing grass all over it and you are heading in "hot"...(saw him in time yesterday and took that 20mph curve EXTRA EXTRA slow he was blowing grass all over it)

or coming around a corner and someone is pulling in/out of their driveway and you gotta stop fast. (Which is much easier in a car...because you are prob going slower and dont have to "balance" and brake at the same time)

The OTHER reason....is cars around you. Best advice I have seen is to assume YOU are invisible! Do EVERYTHING you can to make yourself MORE visible and still be prepared to evade, brake or "eject"

Suggestions for the above:

Bright colors/reflective strips on you/the bike

Headlight modulator..heard mixed feelings on it, some like, some are afraid the car will think you are saying "pull out" or giving a signal of some sort.

When you are in a "pack" of cars, leave lots of room in front of you...but the flip side to this is some cars will see a "gap" and try to fill it...so what I try to do is put myself in the lane where they are "more" likely to see me in the gap.

As others think of suggestions feel free to add, a great FAQ on this topic here:

http://www.hondashadow.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=26038

 

[Rich]

Suggestions? Don't hang out between the rear bumper and the rear of the front door.. Death zone.

I ride with high beams on around town and when not following someone on a 2-lane road.

Our engine braking is alot stronger than any car. If I roll off the throttle, i flash the brake lights a few times.

Last thing.. watch your mirrors when you're coming to a stop. be ready to evade and have an escape route!

 

[49erRider]

what kind of bikes is everyone else riding on here?

 

[49erRider]

did everyone loose intereset or were all those storys about how fast you've been on bikes just a bunch of BS? well i ride an 04 cbr600rr

 

[Inferno]

I'm currently in the process of trading one of my junk cars for a running Yamaha XJ550R. It's an older bike but its in great shape and only has 14k miles. I figured a running motorcycle of any year is better than a non running car.

 

[Rich]

did everyone loose intereset or were all those storys about how fast you've been on bikes just a bunch of BS? well i ride an 04 cbr600rr

Any knucklehead can go fast in a straight line.. Twist, and shift 5x.

Let's see some knee-down pics.. (And not yours Troy)

 

[CasterTroy]

what kind of bikes is everyone else riding on here?

Let's see some knee-down pics.. (And not yours Troy)

Daggonit I have 12 megs of those, several videos, as well as a 12" round medalion necklace with a shot of me at VIR draggin part of my lower

 

[rattlecanpaint]

If I put my knee down on this the rest of me goes with it. It's a Blata. Made in the Czech Republic. Has a 49 cc 2 stroke and will actually do about 35 stock.