[jeff6898]

Well as most know I just bought my first MC after never even have ever sat on one before. I got a course coming up but decided to just try and go in a straight line in my driveway. I tried and fell over 3 times.
I am not sure I will get the hang of this if I can't even go straight never mind having to make a turn. Should this have been a easy thing to do for a first time rider?

 

[Zeta7]

When do you fall over? when ya stop? don't use the front brake yet and make sure your handlebars are straight when you stop. If you use your front brake and your bars are turned it will go right over.

 

[THE ROAD]

Very good advice !

 

[bobf]

Jeff, have you ever ridden a bicycle? Just remember the bicycle. Motorcycles are the same. Want to turn, lean in the direction of turn, don't turn the bars that way as you will surly fall if you do. If you've ridden bicycles before, borrow one and go for a ride paying attemtion to how everything feels and works.

good luck

 

[jeff6898]

Yeah I ride a bicycle everyday. I fall once I start accelerating and pick my feet up off the ground. I maybe giving it to much throttle. I guess I better park it and not try anymore until after I take the drivers edge course at the HD dealership. I just thought I would practice before hand.

 

[Diezel]

It is honestly the exact same principals as riding a bicycle. The faster you go, the more stable you become.

It is much easier to ride fast than it is to ride slow.

Here are a couple of pointers

1. If you look down, you will fall down. Make sure you are looking straight out, to where you want to ride to.

2. Learn about counter steer and counter balance.


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[472viper]

You have to learn to walk before you learn to run, literally.

The beginner riders course should start you out by using the throttle and clutch to "duck walk" the bike, that is propelling the bike forward with the engine yet keeping your feet on the ground for balance.

Most likely you fell over because you did not have enough speed to keep the bike from going over on it's side without your feet down.

That DOES NOT mean you should go out and just try going faster, wait for the course, wait for instruction and learn to walk before you try to run.

 

[Breeze3at]

Point #1 in the above post is crucial to riding. You go where your eyes see, especially at low speed.
Don't over think this, and walk away after a try or two and regroup.

 

[Silverback]

Going slow is harder than riding with moderate speed. Therefore, trying to ride in your driveway is very difficult. If there is a time that your street has ABSOLUTELY NO TRAFFIC, it would be easier to start in a place where you can get some forward momentum pretty quickly to stabilize the bike (gyroscopic effect of the wheels rotating). Trailer the bike to a large abandoned parking lot if you have to, but do NOT tangle with traffic! I rode dirt bikes for years a long time ago (in a galaxy far away) but I still dropped my Harley when I first got it -- Yep, slowing down, using the front brake while turning. Don't do that! :laugh

 

[Da_Mack]

Seriously, don't give up but also wait till your safety course. They will teach you how to sit on it and start it and then ride it. When I took mine, we had quite a few people that had never been on a bike but they all passed the course and got their endorsement.

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[bobf]

Jeff, good idea. Since you've never ridden a motorcycle before, and it seems you haven't been exposed to them either, wait for the class.Listen to what the instructors tell you, don't be ashamed to ask questions, don't be ashamed to admit you're a newby, and most of all have fun and learn to ride, the correct way.

Good luck

 

[southernman_67]

Jeff, the only thing that anyone has said that I would argue with is the trailering part. I know Silverback meant well, but if you are dropping it in your driveway, don't attemot to load it on a trailer. The higher up the ramp you go, the further you fall. But. the rest of what he said is true. it is much easier to go fast than slow. I fully agree with the others that turning and using the front brake is going to pull you straight to the ground. That is physics and I don't care how experienced you are, you cannot break the laws of physics. Maybe your driveway is too short for you to really practice. If you have someone who can ride it, have them take it to a bigg empty parking lot and practice. Otherwise, wait for the riders edge course. Don't give up, just make sure you learn the right way. When you master the art of low speed manuevering. you will be miles ahead of the guys that can only go fast and stop!

Have fun and be safe!

 

[ciscokid]

never give up just keep at it. class is good dont ever get scared of it either.
every body falls take your class and you will be great. it takes time.
most of all have fun.

 

[squeekie]

If you're riding in your driveway, you are probably looking not too far away. Your body (and bike) will most likely go where you look. If you're looking 3 feet in front of you.....
:bigbarf

 

[67Duce]

If I were you I'd wait till you have completed the course , they use smaller bikes that are less likely to get away from you from the weight standpoint. Much better for instilling a little confidence in yourself before getting on a heaver bike. As some one mentioned , rolling down the road is far easier than slow maneuvers, they are more important than you realize.

In the meantime familiarize yourself with the controls on your bike for starters. Do you know any one with a small dirt bike you could go in a field and ride a bit ? That would be good practice too.

 

[67Duce]

If you're riding in your driveway, you are probably looking not too far away. Your body (and bike) will most likely go where you look. If you're looking 3 feet in front of you.....
:bigbarf

Vary true , if you want to hit some thing focus on it .

 

[DHH57]

Have you ever driven a manual trans in a car? If you do not understand the relation between clutch and throttle it could be a little more difficult.

 

[zpayne08]

im a new rider as well, only had my 883 for 2 weeks and its the first motorcycle ive ever rode. from my experience some can teach themselves and some cant, i was one of the lucky ones that could. plus it didnt hurt that i live/work at a cemetery with over a mile of driveway running through it that i have easy access to. i bought it from a used car lot a mile and a half from my house that i used to work at and the salesman rode it to my house for me. i just putted in my driveway getting used to the throttle, clutch, brakes, and balance first. after that was ok i made my way up there to the cemetery and rode around for about an hour. practicing L/R turns and curves, stopping, using signals, etc. after that i took a break and took it out on the hwy to the country roads and thats all she wrote. i was scared at first but it only took a couple days to get comfortable and confident. still a little uneasy and really sharp curves but itll come as time progresses. for you id say its a good idea to just wait for the class.

 

[southernman_67]

im a new rider as well, only had my 883 for 2 weeks and its the first motorcycle ive ever rode. from my experience some can teach themselves and some cant, i was one of the lucky ones that could. plus it didnt hurt that i live/work at a cemetery with over a mile of driveway running through it that i have easy access to. i bought it from a used car lot a mile and a half from my house that i used to work at and the salesman rode it to my house for me. i just putted in my driveway getting used to the throttle, clutch, brakes, and balance first. after that was ok i made my way up there to the cemetery and rode around for about an hour. practicing L/R turns and curves, stopping, using signals, etc. after that i took a break and took it out on the hwy to the country roads and thats all she wrote. i was scared at first but it only took a couple days to get comfortable and confident. still a little uneasy and really sharp curves but itll come as time progresses. for you id say its a good idea to just wait for the class.

Well, just damn. I mean who could ever add anything to that? I mean, just damn.

There you have it.

 

[Kainam]

Excellent perspective.