Most Important Things to Know For a Motorcycling n00b.

Here the road dept seems bent on killing us with this chip seal. I've hit sections where the gravel has been piled into windrows maybe 15 cm / 6" deep. At least as bad as the riding are the cars and trucks coming from the other direction spraying riders with waves of sharp gravel.

THIS will kill, and has. 15-20" wide, un-agrigated tar is like ice when wet, and those guardrails are human cheese graters

Wow.....that gives a whole new meaning to the term "Tar Snake" :eek1

Good reminder to be careful out there especially when the roads are wet.

Jon...

What's the Most Important Things to Know For a Motorcycling n00b?

Easy answer - everything.

Best answers
1. Your bike goes where your nose is pointing.
2. The throttle controls the bikes stability far more than it controls the speed.
3. They are handlebar rests not handlebar grips. That hinge in the middle of the bike is there for a reason.
4. Isaac Newton is in charge, all you are doing is trying to confuse him.
5. The limits of control are dependent on the particular rider/bike/environment combination, so what's worked for one person might not work for you.
6. Only practice makes perfect, so make sure you practice the right thing.
7. There are mainly five situations that will kill you, one of them is beer.
8. Experts quickly become learners when the situation changes to one they have not seen before.
9. If you can't smile while you are doing a feet-up U turn, don't bother riding on the road.
10 The amount of codswallop spoken about motorbikes outweighs the facts by 100 to 1.

Apologies if this has been mentioned:

Be careful anywhere that cars or trucks stop frequently or park. They often drop oil and it builds up into a constant slick patch in the center of the lane.

Here in Mexico the toll booths are very, very slippery at the pay windows for example.

Gas stations. Parking lots spaces and exits etc.

Even if you keep your tires off it, you plant a foot there instead.

It's even worse if your boots or tires are wet or it's raining.

Motorcyclying, where the Laws of Physics are enforced immediately.

Best to learn in a field with a dirt bike then???? I did and im still alive 35 years later

Other than the physics of the machine/ surface interface you also need to take into account the mindset of everyone near you and how they interact and your own mindset at the time!!

There is no simple answer other than you are vulnerable on a bike so avoid situations that could end in pain. Self induced or otherwise.................Read this whole thread for a start of your learning!!

Well there you have it ....
Someone did a home-brew version of this in BMW-MOA mag. a while back...

www.gizmag.com/plug-play-screamer-motorcycle-horn/25047/

This isn't home-brew. It's the new mini airhorn with stock horn/highbeam controller from Screaming Banshee. I have the old setup, and this is just the compact version.

They're great. Scared an idiot back into his own lane just yesterday. Excellent tool.

Www.Screaming-banshee.com

Oh I like that!!!

I especially like how it will allows for the standard horn and also flash the headlight(s) when you trigger it. And it's competitively priced compared to the other options available.

Jon...

Sorry, what I meant was there was an article in the BMW-MOA magazine last year on how to build a circuit card that would manage the time-delay of a 2nd horn installed on the bike, not that Screaming-banshee was home-brew.

Yeah, I think it's a great idea, I'm going to have to read it closer, but I think it does have a relay built-in which would allow the Banshee to be wired to the battery, and the relay to be picked from the OEM horn....

No problem.

That's exactly how it works. You piggyback on to the stock horn and choose your delay. You can also choose if the horn and lights pulse or not.

Up to a 1/4 or 1/2 second press: bip bip hey bud! Longer: BAARP! FYYFF! :

10) Take the Rider Safety Course.<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-comfficeffice" /><o></o>
9) Share the road. Never force or assume the right of way. Be patient.
8) Look where you want to go. <o></o>
7) Wear what you would like to be wearing when you fall. ATGATT. <o></o>
6) Double-check that the chin strap is fastened on your helmet.<o></o>
5) Painted sections and metal surfaces are slick when wet.<o></o>
4) Keep your head up. Keep your head on a swivel. Know your available exit routes, if you had to maneuver quickly. Anticipate potential dangers constantly. Play the &#8220;what if?&#8221; game. What if a vehicle rolls through an approaching intersection turning right in front of you? Or what if you are approaching an intersection and an oncoming vehicle turns left or makes a U-turn in front of you? Etc. <o></o>
3) Smooth is fast.<o></o>
2) The throttle is your friend.
1) Ride like everyone is out to get you. Don&#8217;t let them do it.

I was quickly reminded when I forgot to fasten my helmet strap -- the wind blew it up and the D-rings smacked into the side of the helmet shell REALLY loudly

Slow is smooth, smooth is fast.
And read the f^&*ing owners manual. I don't know how many times I've tried to re-invent the wheel looking for info that was in the owners manual the whole time.

Very nicely pointed out...for me I like 7...very very much...And what if game...I thought I was the only loony around talking to myself

Even worse, it seems they drive as though it's not just assumed people will get out of the way...but that they're somehow required to.

How many times (either on 2 wheels or 4) have you been passed in a "merge" situation by someone in the lane that's ending who wants to get all the way up to (and many times well past) the merge point before they push their way into the line of traffic that's been (im)patiently waiting for their turn?

How about "Life is what happens while we're making other plans"

Loud pipes, an aftermarket horn and hi-viz won't reduce the risk of loss of life or injury if that's all you rely on.

Watch the car ahead of you, and the one ahead of that, and the one ahead of that. And the one behind you.

Own your lane - it's yours to use so don't ride in the gutter - aim slightly left of centre.

Horse shit on the road is to be avoided, so are the horses you'll find around the next bend.

+1 on that.

my bike has a rubbish horn, now as a fixed silencer so it not to loud, plus i only wear my hi-viz gear if i ride in fog.