1- Take a motorcycle safety course FIRST, before you buy a bike.
2- Once you've taken the course, enjoyed it and passed, then go bike shopping.
3- Do NOT buy a new bike and do NOT buy a big bike.
It's almost guaranteed that you'll drop your bike and/or go down your 1st season. It's NOT worth it! A lot of people think they have to get a nice, shiny new bike like almost everyone else, but when you go down it sucks that much more! And you shouldn't be learning on a big bike that is beyond your capabilites. A 500 is perfect to start. Start small, learn the bike well, then gradually move up to a bigger, newer bike. You have your whole life to ride, so don't rush into it.
4- Safety First! Ride in full gear ALL THE TIME!!!
1- HELMET, 2- FULL LEATHERS w/ Back Protector, 3- LEATHER GLOVES, 4- RIDING BOOTS
I know, I know. It's hard and heavy and uncomfortable. But it's your choice. Myself, I wear full gear EVERY SINGLE TIME I ride. Down the block, down the street, down to California, it doesn't matter! On a hot summers day, it sucks, I'll be the first to say it. But road rash and broken bones are things I would rather not have. I've seen it and it ain't pretty!
5- When riding, I think it's incredibly important to go out there with the right attitude; you MUST respect your bike!
Going out to the wild streets on a machine that can kill you and not having respect for what it is capable of doing is a recipe for disaster. It's very important for you to learn your motorcycle and what it can do. Different motorcycles have different capabilities as do different riders. You are very vulnerable in the streets on a motorcycle, but at the same time, there are so many other of dangers and risks we take in our everyday life. That doesn't mean that we avoid taking these risks, it just means we have to become better educated and more aware so we can be safer and enjoy them without fear.
6- Don't feel bad when you make a mistake.
It happens to every single person more than once and more than they like to admit! (This is where not having an expensive bike to learn on comes in handy) Let me reasure you that for each silly mistake you make you learn something and you WILL NOT make the same mistake twice!
7- Be VERY alert!
Don't daydream or get distracted when you ride. Ride like you are expecting something to happen. Ride in the most visible place possible. Remember that people in cars have blind spots and quite often do not shoulder check.
8- Where you look is where you go!
Where you look is where you go. I know I said it twice and I'll say it again. Where you look is where you go. This is one of the first things you'll learn when riding, hopefully not the hard way! If you look straight ahead, you'll go straight ahead. That includes when you don't want to be going straight ahead. One of the most common mistakes riders make when learning is looking in the wrong direction. If you're going through a turn, you have to look where you want to end up in the turn, if you look straight ahead, you'll end up in the "rhubard" as my buddy RickO says. The rhubard, just so we're clear, is not a happy place.
9- Use the force!
When you get to about 20/25 km/h you'll notice your bike feels much steadier and you can no longer steer motorcycle's handlebars like a bicycle anymore. The motorcycle's wheels build up momentum and begin to create a gyroscopic force. If you want to go to the left, you push to the left, if you want to go to to the right, you push to the right.
10- Don't try and balance the bike when you're coming to a stop,
let it balance itself and use your front brake and hold your feet just above the ground. When the bike stops, tilt it a little to the left side and then put your foot down to hold up the bike.
11- Don't tailgate!
You should always be able to see what is going on in front of you. If you're too close behind a car, you won't see something that you may have to avoid.
12- Don't ride beyond you own capabilites!
Ride within your own comfort level. Which can be difficult as a rookie-rider. Especially when you're out with a group. Don't ride with people that make you push your limits. It's NOT worth it!
