Survived 1st night of MSF range - barely!

[Bama Biker]

Originally Posted by Oenyaw

Great post (initial)! Still laughing, I can definately relate. It was mid July down here in Florida when I took mine, had to be in the upper 90's. My first time on a motorcycle, and 50 years old. I can't believe it was less than two months ago.

Me too. June in Bama. Mid-90s, no shade. The moment I finished the riding test I parked my bike and started walking to the break area. The glue that held the soles of my boots literally melted! They came off!

Here's a tip when riding the box during the test. If you have to put your foot down, fine, if you have to go outside the lines, fine, just don't do BOTH! I have to admit, I had to put my foot down. THe rest of the tests were a breeze.

[bamavulcandave]

Originally Posted by Bama Biker

Me too. June in Bama. Mid-90s, no shade. The moment I finished the riding test I parked my bike and started walking to the break area. The glue that held the soles of my boots literally melted! They came off!

Here's a tip when riding the box during the test. If you have to put your foot down, fine, if you have to go outside the lines, fine, just don't do BOTH! I have to admit, I had to put my foot down. THe rest of the tests were a breeze.

Hey, welcome to the BTK forum!
You will find good info here on bikes from friendly folks.

[Bama Biker]

Thanx Dave,
I've certainly met quite a few friendlies already. The tip about Gadget's Fixit Page was HUGE! Can't wait to get past the breakin period and go for some longer cruises...

[bamavulcandave]

Originally Posted by Mamadukes

After months of waiting, Mon. was the first lecture of the MSF course, and tonight was the first range. Total newbie, never ridden anything with 2 wheels except for a bicycle as a kid. I'm exhausted! 80 degrees out, boots, jeans, long sleeve shirt and full face helmet - yuk. After the first hour, I was sure they were going to tell me to leave or not show up for the 2nd range. Staying in 1st gear sucks!! I had no balance, couldn't stay in between the lines on the slow ride using the clutch to go even slower, and I got so nervous and frustrated I had to take a break and go in the shade for a few minutes. Then the class took a break, and after that we had to do skills in this wonderful thing - 2nd gear! Speed = stability, and I was off!! Doing the weaving in and out of the tight cones and cornering, all felt natural. And 3rd gear doing the arcs leaning way in - wonderful! So I ask, what's the "trick" to riding slow between those %$#@ lines? I wanted to just put my feet down and "walk" the bike, it was so slow,but that wasn't part of the drill. Should I be concerned about passing the course because I don't have that control in 1st gear? Came home and didn't know whether to go straight to the shot of tequilla, or to the quart of ice cream!

Mamadukes, sounds like the more you get on the bike the more your confidence and control gets. If you had not ever been on a M/C you are doing fine because the first time I got back on one after 25 years I had a leg-lock on the gas tank and was gripping the crap out of the handlebar grips till I told myself to relax.
BTW, I do not do the tequila no more cause: 1 tequila, 2 tequila, 3 tequila, floor!

[bamavulcandave]

Originally Posted by Bama Biker

Thanx Dave,
I've certainly met quite a few friendlies already. The tip about Gadget's Fixit Page was HUGE! Can't wait to get past the breakin period and go for some longer cruises...

Gadget's Fix-it is great for Kawasaki knowledge. Keeping your tire pressure up is good, MOM recommendation is 28 front/32 rear but most run 32/36, 34/38, 36/40 etc. I run 34/38 on have gotten 11.5K out of 2 rear tires.
Also you probably know about the oil screen by the kickstand? Since you have a 08' , a lot of bikers find some material in the screen the first oil change which is normal.
Oil filters for the 900
Fram PH 6017A
K&N 303 (K&N recommended vs. the 204)
mobil M1 108
Purolator PL 14612
Supertech (Wal-Mart) ST6607

900 Oil Screen near the kickstand
The Vulcan Oil Screen

[Taz Man]

That balance thing takes time.....it will come!!!

[Mamadukes]

Thanks for all the support and encouragement, and for sharing your own "newbie" stories! Took the written test tonight, and don't have a score, but know I did very well. Learned quite a bit from the class and the videos, though I could see some in the class were clearly bored. For a first-timer to 2-wheels, it alerted me to things I never thought about while driving a car, gave clear instruction on what to do in bad situations, and mostly how lots of them are avoidable in the first place. Now comes Thursday night, and the 2nd range and the test. I'll remember all those 90 degree ranges y'all down south endured, and I'm sure it'll make it seem much cooler! The classroom instructor tonight told me he'll be the range rider/coach Thursday night, and I immediately felt more positive about the test. He has a very relaxed style in the classroom, which will probably make me more relaxed on the range. Keep your fingers crossed for me!

[dwayneb236]

"80 degrees out, boots, jeans, long sleeve shirt and full face helmet - yuk"


I would have loved 80.Was 106 when i took my class... HOT!!!!

[Mamadukes]

How did you not pass out! I experienced 106 once in my life, in June in Vegas, for about the 60 seconds it took me to say Oh, I don't think so! and run back in to the A/C. I'm bringing iced Gatorade with me this time, just in case, as its supposed to be mid-to-high 80's. I think the first night I was so nervous I let the bike intimidate me. This time the bike will know I'm in control.

[A2rider]

Good luck, be confident, and we'll keep our fingers crossed for you.

[dwayneb236]

Originally Posted by Mamadukes

How did you not pass out! I experienced 106 once in my life, in June in Vegas, for about the 60 seconds it took me to say Oh, I don't think so! and run back in to the A/C. I'm bringing iced Gatorade with me this time, just in case, as its supposed to be mid-to-high 80's. I think the first night I was so nervous I let the bike intimidate me. This time the bike will know I'm in control.

I was born here in Texas. I can't really say you get used to it. But you learn to just accept it....fluids fluids fluids...

[CTRider]

Originally Posted by ks_greg

You'll love "the box" on day 2.

Honestly, if balancing in first gear is an issue, the "stop and go's" would be just as hard as the box.

I actually like doing those, though. I can come to a full stop for a moment without putting my feet down at the crosswalks in the parking lots. Then it's off I go before the bike wants to tip. Granted, I can't always do it and I need to put a foot down to balance. When the bike is cold, the throttle response isn't the same and sometimes I have to put my left foot down when I'm using a lot of choke. Of course, I can't balance long enough to wait for someone to actually cross, so those times it's feet down then, too. It would be really cool if I could balance it that long, though. I'd love to see a pedestrian's face if I could I sit there stopped, balanced on two wheels...

[top 90]

no, youll be fine, learning to ride at extra low speeds will give u confidence when going in slow moviing traffic up the hill, or a drive way like mine...

[top 90]

well u can live it in first gear with the clutch pressed and ur hand on the front brake dont u?