The Best Advice I ever got...Please contribute

[utopia]

Originally Posted by Kawi-girl

My advice...

Watch dogs! They hate bikes and have a tendency to run out in front of them.
pulling along their surprised owners!

true, true!... I mean...wish I'd gotten that piece of advice a few years back... might've avoided the multiple fractures and dislocation on my right shoulder!...

[Mr mischief]

By the grace of (any and all ) the gods, I live.
Just remember, you're only balancing on two wheels!
Ride how you want.
Carelessness by you or others is the fastest way to
end it all, bar religion.
I'm immortal. . . so far.

[Boogieman utb]

my 2 cents. don't be afraid of using both brakes. front and rear will stop you a lot faster then locking up just the rear.

[MrLee]

I've been riding since 1970..
been in a few spills back then, but one thing I've learned and never forget..
both the Road and the (cage)drivers have one thing in common.. most often
they give NO Warning as to what might happen next..
the Best defense I could give is treat them both as if they were "Land Mines",
Always watching, ALWAYS be alert to they're un-predictability!
You can NEVER be TOO safe.. That LOUD Horn(yours), those LOUD pipes(yours)
can NOT always save your butt! ... But they do help!
I have always placed Both feet on ground
and in neutral, sitting at a light..
Be WIDE awake.. and keep it Vertical.

[Nalayah]

Loud pipes do nothing to save you, actually. They do though, INCREASE your risk of being hit (angry drivers, fatique, assuming you're safer, et cetera). Best bet is to wear brightly colored clothing.

A Dozen Deadly Motorcycle Safety Myths - Motorcycle Cruiser Magazine

I was asked a question once regarding gear. "I'm going to run a grinder down your back. Do you want to wear a t-shirt or thick leather jacket?"

[V2K_CCTX]

Dont ever get married.....

[Mr mischief]

Originally Posted by V2K_CCTX

Dont ever get married.....

It must be back to that religion thing. . .
I had perfect finances until the first marage, twice more,
no big headstone for me. . .

[bross]

Originally Posted by V2K_CCTX

Dont ever get married.....

Originally Posted by Mr mischief

It must be back to that religion thing. . .
I had perfect finances until the first marage, twice more,
no big headstone for me. . .

Nothin wrong with marriage guys, I love my wife... doesn't get any better than enjoying a great ride, with your spouse.

Top of Beartooth Pass

[Pilotjo]

I still remember that advice I got from the saleman who sold me my very first bike... a 1990 Kawasaki Vulcan 500cc ....Still in the family with only 18,000 miles on it. It was replaced by a newer slightly larger bike... 06 Nomad 1600...
And the advice....

"Never lay the bike down! And when you do.... CLIMB ON TOP!"

Only need the advice once.... on ice in a turn at less than 5 mph and that was TOO FAST!

Broke the right side foot peg off and bent the front brake lever.... stood up, checked out the bike, started it and rode the 20 miles home.... Fall of '05!GRIN!

[Upi]

Lots of great posts so I'll try not to repeat. One of little saying a friend of mine teaches new riders is:

"There are 3 speeds you can enter a turn in. Too fast, too slow, and just right. You can afford to do the last 2 but the first one will kill you."

[semimek]

never take a laxitive and a sleeping pill at the same time

[KZBob]

I'll try not to tell too long of a story lol

When I was younger, our local bike shop that I worked on Saturdays at had Thursday rides. Me being a young rebel started going on them, wearing my shorts, tennis shoes, and sunglasses. One day after the ride, the owner of the shop pulled me in the service dept, and told me he didn't want me to attend anymore, for the simple reasons, I was a squid and was gonna hurt someone.
BAH I thought, who does this old guy think he is? After all, I was gonna start roadracing because I was the fastest guy alive on my new FZ700.
Long story short, the owner that told me that had taught the local raodracing guys HOW to ride, let alone race. Kinda slapped me in the face when I found that out.
I swallowed my pride, and asked the owner what to do.
He got me signed up in the local riders training course, and afterwards, took me on private rides following him, stopping along the way for him to explain how he reacted and why to each area.
A couple years later I took the roadracing school, and raced at the club level (until I was almost completely broke lol Roadracing = moneypit)

What I have learned over the years since is a few things..

1. I have put on hundreds of thousands of miles over the last 20+ years, and I KNOW I do NOT know everything, and I HAVE developed bad habits, which I'm getting to the point of taking a refresher course.

2. I wear the gear - I have been in the ER getting the wire brush and I never want that again, and I've lost too many fellow riders just "going to the store" quick jaunt thats cost them their lives because they didn't put proper gear on.
Dress for the crash, not the ride
3. We get in alot of accidents because we LET OURSELVES get put into situations.

If I ever come off as "preaching" about gear I apologize, I'm NOT a know-it-all, I just want all of you to be safe, and would never want to lose a fellow rider.

Thats why I love working in the Motorcycle Industry, even after 19 years I learn something new everyday

[kittiy]

Originally Posted by Jake '53

There's the clutch, shifter - 1 down, 3 up, throttle, front brake, back brake. Try not to crash it.

My dad gave me similar advice for a snowmobile. 20 seconds later I had jumped off, the machine hit a tree and my dad neared peed himself laughing. 2 weeks later.. he couldn't keep up.

[kittiy]

Originally Posted by Razorbladesmile

I think it was....learn to ride on the smallest and oldest motorcycle you can find, so when you lay it down it neither hurts you or your wallet.. I learned how to ride on a little Honda 175...yep all 6 feet and 250 pounds of me on that little bike!

Hmm off topic but also good advice..never poke a sleeping bear with a short stick.

Very good Advice. I was Worried about my 250 being something I would grow out of quickly.That is untill I tried my husbands 650 pound intruder in the yard. yep dumped it in the first 20 feet and even though I didn't do any damage at 2 miles per hour realized that I was ok with my little 300 pound toy.

[kittiy]

I have hear that duct tape and your leg works great for getting a hogie back to work though.

[kittiy]

so here is my advice for a young passenger. Don't wear Shorts. Yep Cause when you get a wedgy and put your foot down while on the back of the bike. Yep that tailpipe will come right out and bite you. Pants are good.. you can always change when you get where you are going.

[wireguy]

if it doesn scare the hell out of you everytime you crack that throttle open you better park it till it does

[stacra]

I am new here (have been on scoots since i was 12, thats roughly 36 yrs) I believe the best most heart wrenching advice that was ever given me was by my best friend (god rest his soul he died to young) it was simple

"Ride hard, Ride Fast, Die young

he lost the his life nearly 20 years ago do to an idiot that thought backing his pickup out on the freeway with no lights on in the middle of the night was the smart thing to do. So simply put Slow it down enjoy the scenary and don't worry about how long it takes to get where your going.

[MOTORCYCLEMARK]

I can't believe I've read a years' worth of advice here(much very good) and not read that 70 percent of a motorcycle's braking capacity is in the front brake. WHEN STOPPING USE BOTH BRAKES TOGETHER. Stops in less than half the distance of using either one alone, and going over the handlebars is almost impossible unless that's what you want to do. The other puzzlement for me is sitting at an intersection in neutral means I've got more things to do to get out of the jackknifed truck in my mirrors' way.

[MrLee]

"stacra"
I'm sorry to hear about your friend..
I too lost a friend about 15 years ago, I knew him
since I was young.. (some 50 years) happened
very much the same.. Like you said, Enjoy the
Ride and take it slow and easy..
All the Best, MrLee
Keep it vertical