Found a Bike!!!

[BalooEyes]

I finally, after much searching of Craigslist and newspapers, found a bike! Its a cute little starter (though my heart yearned for miatapony's Harley). Its a Honda Nighthawk. Its super-cute and a light bike to start with.

So I get it tomorrow morning. Any tips for a beginner rider? I have miles riding on the back, but have never actually been the driver before.

My dad cant comprehend why I'm worried. He's like: "You ride a bicycle. You've driven stick for 6 years. Just put the two together."

Anyways, assume I know nothing, any tips are welcome.

Thanks!!

[westmanfarrier]

Look down=fall down
Keep your head and eyes up on the road.

Check into local motorcycle endorsement class. They are friendly and help you develop good habits.

[allie0]

I have NO idea how to ride a bike, but sounds AWESOME :D
Good luck, post a pic of it ^___^

[Rabid_Raccoon]

:worthless:

I want to see it!!!

[Remali]

Man that sounds like soooo much fun! Pictures???!!

[Gypsy Rose]

My ex boyfriend had a Nighthawk- they're sweet bikes! What size its the engine? Just curious, lol!

I've ridden smaller bikes the odd time or two, and I agree with WestmanFarrier's advice, for starters.

Also, when you first start riding, practice in a large open area. Lots of turns, circles, stops and starts. You want to have the shifting, balance and turning and stopping skills down so you can do them automatically before you ever hit the road with it.

Also, riding on highways, you don't ride down the center of your lane. Ride either to the left or right of center. There's a reason for this, but I can't remember why, lol!

If you can take a course, definitely take advantage of it!

And.............

:worthless:

[miatapony]

im glad you found one you like .. i will keep mine till its sold.. no big

[JetLagaside]

If they have a course in your area - go take it! It's the best way to learn by a professional, in MA if you want to get your license it's easy take the course and pass and you got it :) but it was really good.
Congrast too!

[gaited07]

get lots of insurance LOL!

Congrats on your new bike.

[BalooEyes]

Thanks, guys!!

Well, I don't have a picture of me on it yet, I'll be sure to post some tomorrow after I get it.

I am signed up for the classes starting July 13th. Lucky me they are just down the road from where I live. So I will be doing that soon. Right now I'm just planning on doing limited back road riding until the class as long as I can get the hang of it and my dad declares me roadworthy.

This bike's just a 250cc, but for now thats good for me. I'll get something bigger next year when I can afford it.

I'll let you know how it goes tomorrow. We're picking it up at 10 and going to the high school parking lot to practice.

[gabhainn]

I must agree if you can find a road course take it............Kevin

[pandorasmom]

Can't wait to see pics and hear how it all went with the practice. :)

Closet thing to a bike I ride is dirtbikes or 2 wheeled bicycles. lol :p

Most of my siblings want to get a sportsbike though. :D We think they are awesome!

[westmanfarrier]

westmanfarrierswife is taking her motorcycle class and test next weekend. Wahoo

[BalooEyes]

OK, here it is! I went with my dad today to pick it up. It ran real nice for him for the whole trip back to the house, though he said not to take it above 50, lol.

For all of you that want to know, its a '94 Honda Nighthawk, 250cc, is amazing condition with only 6k miles on it.

So dad didnt have time to let me really try to drive it but he took it to one end of the driveway and let me try and get it to the other end, lol. I didn't stall it! I gave it a little too much gas... but it went! Just have to get the hang of how much gas to give it, and shifting it. It seems hard to shift, but its apparently just me, because dad says its fine and has no problem.

He's gonna take me to a parking lot tomorrow and go over everything.

And yes, I have a helmet, note in the picture, the kickstand is still down, lol. That was purely and afterthought because I promised pictures to everyone.

Anyway, here's pictures!:

[Rabid_Raccoon]

Very nice! I don't know much about bikes, but it looks nice.

I'm jealous :p

[BalooEyes]

Well I had my first riding of the bike on Saturday, and I did really well. Went to the parking lot and just practiced maneuvering it and shifting and stopping and starting. No falling or other issues. Mostly just working out making tighter turns and smoothing out the shifting now. Going again tomorrow morning. Dad says I did a whole lot betterthan he thought I would and will be ready to scoot all around before I know it! Lol.

[Gypsy Rose]

Sweet bike!

Glad you're getting the hang of it so fast.

One word of warning, though- bike riding's addicting! I really miss even being a passenger, lol!

[BalooEyes]

Sweet bike!

Glad you're getting the hang of it so fast.

One word of warning, though- bike riding's addicting! I really miss even being a passenger, lol!

Thanks! and yeah, I know its addicting!! Dad checked the odometer after I finished practicing and said I rode it like 7 miles in the little parking lot! lol. I was having so much fun!

If anyone is interested, here's a photo of my dad's bike (mine's behind it! lol). His is a big custom bike built off a Harley frame (guess that's what youd call it) He said it was totally ripped down and rebuilt. Its a really awesome (and loud!) bike.

[Gypsy Rose]

Custom chopper! Wow! I bet that's worth some bucks!

[BalooEyes]

Its nice, he got it for a steal, a friend of his got it and the guys wife wouldnt ride on it with him, so he sold it to dad for practically nothing.

[Gypsy Rose]

Wow! I hope he has it insured!

[miatapony]

awww ok now im upset mine would have looked really nice sitting there next to that one...... but im glad you fond a nice bike .. be safe out there from one rider to another. watch out for the cars they dont watch out for you !

[BalooEyes]

awww ok now im upset mine would have looked really nice sitting there next to that one...... but im glad you fond a nice bike .. be safe out there from one rider to another. watch out for the cars they dont watch out for you !

I know! I wanted yours so bad, but I really knew in the back of my mind I should get a little beginner bike that I can easily afford to start off with... and get one like yours in a year when I'm actually working a real job after I graduate. lol.

And thanks, yes, cars don't see other cars a lot of the times, and I ride bicycle on the road too, and cars can be crazy and just not paying attention. Really have to watch for them.

[TLC97]

I got my Harley last fall after taking the riding course to get my license. The biggest thing is to keep your head up and your momentum going forward. Intersections are the worst, look, look, look, look and then look again.

I talk to myself constantly on mine (hubby's Harley has a radio) to keep myself focused and paying attention.

And I have been told, everyone dumps their bike at least once, so just shrug it off and go on again. Kinda of like horses I guess, you know you are gonna hit the ground, just make sure you get back on.

Ride on!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[BalooEyes]

Hey everyone! Just letting yall know I'm still alive and well, haha. been out on the bike and with the horse too! Ahh, this little bike makes me wish I had had the money for Miatapony's bike!! Oh, next spring though, I will be able to get my sportster. *sighs dreamily*

Did you sell the bike yet, miata? There are a ton of sportsters around here but none with an awesome paint job like yours. How cool would that road trip be, too? OK, my goal for next spring is to be able to qualify for a loan so I can buy a bigger bike! lol.

Anyway, I took and passed the road course (yay) and have been riding my bike EVERYWHERE. Its so great, but I can feel the little 250 chug chug going up hills and such. poor little thing, lol. I did manage to drop it. It was very graceful though and at a standstill, lol. I was leaving my friends house for the first time and she has a gravel driveway. now I made it up the drive fine, but wasnt sure how to maneuver down it, lol. so I managed to tip it over while I was powerwalking it to the bottom, basically it went too far to save and I could only manage to lower it to the ground. But I have now mastered her driveway, lol. and since the thing is so light it wasnt a problem to pick it back up, thankfully.

Its so great though, I had a nice chat with a fellow Honda rider on the road today, lol. I was behind him at a red light and he waved me up to him and we chatted at the next few lights we hit. Met some great people so far and am loving just going along the back roads and exploring random roads I never wanted to go on with the car... but my Nighthawk gets 85 mpg so I have no qualms exploring, and its much more fun than the car! lol.

[BalooEyes]

I talk to myself constantly on mine (hubby's Harley has a radio) to keep myself focused and paying attention.



I sing Johnny Cash songs while I ride. lol. I've had his version of Tennessee Stud stuck in my head forever now...

[Stalknndashadows]

Congrats on the bike and passing the course!!!!!

Doesn't it feel great?

Here is a picture of mine...bad old picture but still looks good. :)

http://b3.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/01060/35/69/1060089653_l.jpg

[BalooEyes]

Congrats on the bike and passing the course!!!!!

Doesn't it feel great?

Here is a picture of mine...bad old picture but still looks good. :)


Yes, it feels great! I am enjoying myself so much! I just can go out and relax and explore the roads, its almost like taking the horses on a new trail! lol.

Nice bike! I love the blue. :D Blue is one of my favourite colours next to purple and green.

[miatapony]

Sorry i didnt see this untill today i still have the bike ! it is in my garage. not moving till i sell it im not listing it anywhere either so ill probly still have it then ... im looking at getting a new R1 or something like that i want rockett... lol

[BalooEyes]

Sorry i didnt see this untill today i still have the bike ! it is in my garage. not moving till i sell it im not listing it anywhere either so ill probly still have it then ... im looking at getting a new R1 or something like that i want rockett... lol


Nice! Keep me up to date on it. I really am seriously interested in it for next spring. As soon as it gets warm after winter (march/april) I would be looking to buy, I couldn't do earlier because I don't have a trailer for it.

Lol you're going from that to a rocket? haha. I don't know, that R1 looks really fun, but I like a cruiser.

Whats your weather like out there in AZ? Do your winters get very cold? Tornados and such at all? Still keepin my feelers out for relocating...

[miatapony]

well i live in Las Vegas Nevada AND I HATE IT SOOOO MUCH AFTER TODAY !!!! but im not going into that here .... but im moveing as soon as my hubby can i want out of here ... i will have the bike .. and yes i love the R1s they are a sweet ride

[BalooEyes]

sorry, lol, for some reason I thought you were in AZ. Oh well, I'm braindead, so dont mind me, I'm still reeling from summer semester. Uh-oh, OK, I'll be sure to avoid Las Vegas! lol.