Just wanted to take a second and introduce myself!!

I'm Denise and I'm from Salisbury, NC!  I have not ever ridden before my Riders Edge class 2 weeks ago, and today I finally took my bike out for about an hour!!  Scared the S($& outta me!!!  LOL  But I feel like I did pretty good!!  Gosh when are these feelings going to subside!!!  I rode about 3 miles up the rode and then rode around in a parking lot for a bit!!  Stopped at my favorite "biker bar" but refrained from drinking !!!  LOL    

Could use advice and tips from anyone out there!!!   Wanna go to the bike week in Myrtle Beach this summer and hoping that I will be comfortable enough to do it!!!

Thanks to everyone!!

Denise 

You'll catch on hon just give it some time. I think it's good to keep a little bit of fear in ya for safety's sake. Just don't be terrified. You'll be an old pro before you know it. Practice makes perfect! Rode yesterday myself! Good times! Stay safe and have fun. Mark

Welcome from another new rider. Today was the first day of the course for me. It was strictly in the classroom today, but tomorrow we'll be riding. From what others tell me it gets easier and easier - just always be a defensive rider. Good luck and have fun!

Denise, practice, practice, practice. Of course the ideal situation is to do it in a controlled environment where there is not much traffic. I find when helping new riders get comfortable the best place is industrial areas on weekends. Very little traffic and normally lots of turns, stops, cross streets, etc.

You need to get all of the need to think about things like clutching, shifting, braking out of your head and to where it is just second nature so that once you move to the streets with other vehicles you can concentrate on your surroundings and not the basics mechanics of riding.

Denise you have already been given some good advice, just want to add something that might just save your life one day. Everyone knows people in cages (cars....etc) look at us but sometimes it appears they just don't see us.
If your driving down the road and you see a car that is about to pull out in front of you on the right, focus your eyes on the left front wheel not the entire car to determine if it's about to move forward into your way. Most all cars now days have some type of Mag wheel, and it is easier to determine if one spoke on the wheel is moving as apposed to the entire car. Does that make sense to ya, if not let me know and I will phrase it another way. If you see the spokes moving makes sense the car is moving (Duh Dragon) so be on alert.

Like Lucky said Practice, Practice, and more Practice will make you better.
Another tip.....most motorcycle courses will not teach (not sure why) how to handle starting off while sitting up-hill.
This can be a BIG problem if you don't have good brake, Throttle, Clutch skills. This is a area that needs to be practiced in a parking lot if you can find one with the concrete pushed up to make a slight incline.
Dragon

Best of luck

Sound advice, except for one thing. There are a LOT of cars that are still ridin' around with "SPINNERS". The wheels that move (spin) continuously. They are common place here in Jax, tho I don't know about up yonder, in your neck of the woods. The only advice I have, is to ride when traffic is light. Very early mornings were always good for me. On the weekends, especially, as a lot of folks, like to sleep in a little on the weekend. I'd get up at O dark thirty, and take "Blue" out for her daily run. I usually rode pretty much the same route for a while, until I got
really comfortable. There was a big difference in acceleration, from my last bike, and I wanted to know my limits.
Pick some less traveled roads, until you and your bike become one. Take it from someone whose had a lot of experience on smaller bikes, you can't get enough practice. So stay with it. Just keep your eyes on scan, continuously, as you ride. Don't get so caught up in the scenery, that you miss Gramma, turning left in front of ya.

Ride Free
Tweek

Thank God the kind of people that drive cars with those pimp spinners on them don't live in Tenn!
Another reason I left Texas!!!

Welcome from Coastal Ga....

Hi Denise!
Keep logging the miles Chica!

hiya denise its great to see new riders and you'll do just fine. theres alot of good advice for ya . and i hope this will help a little to..when i see a cage at a stop sign wating to pull out i wave to them...if they wave back then i know they see me and if they dont then i slow down and watch them. and heres one not many people think about telling a new rider... do not have your front wheel turned either way ( left or right ) when comeing to a stop or you might drop your bike...have fun and be safe out there :-) ps if you see someone on a cell phone ...watch um like a hawk lol

Howdy from Frisco Bay & Welcome to the best motorcycle board on the web !

Sounds like your just learning to ride & you picked a good bunch of folks to git some excellent
riding tips from.Probably, combined, ther is a 1000 years of riding experience from riders here.

Stay Safe n Enjoy the Ride !!!
ps lovely pic too !!!

Welcome from the northeast corner (Massachusetts).
When you feel comfortable with the mechanics and have start to move out to the road. See if you can ride with a (Key word here) understanding experienced rider. Two bikes are easier to see then one and you have a chance to see how someone else deals with the surrounding traffic. Always keep your training in mind as some older riders don't always apply them. You both can learn something.

One thing for certain ... the more miles you ride, the more comfortable and more "confident" you shall become.  You should ride as often as possible AND in more varying conditions, as you become comfortable doing such.  For example, go riding in the rain, on purpose, just to familiarize yourself with these conditions (you will be conditioned to it on purpose and be comfortable with it when you get caught out without expecting it one day)...remember to BEWARE of first 20 minutes after it rains because the oil rises out of concrete big time during when it first starts raining and before it washes away.  Bottom-line, the more you ride, the more you will become familiar with your bike and gain experience and confidence....just ride to get more miles under your belt and you'll not regret it.  Never stop trying to improve.  Practice, practice, practice is good advice. My best, Wally
 

Hello, Denise & a belated Welcome.
I had a rough go of the flu & then fell 16 days ago & twisted my right knee very badly, so hadn't been on the site in a while. Come up my way, soon, I'd love to meet ya.