Question.
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Tourer
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 277
Likes: 17
From: kansas
Question.
I started to ride bike when I bought a Rupp roadster mini bike at 11yo. I remember going to my first road bike a Yamaha 360, and I dumped it a couple of times learning to ride it. My brother has not been on anything more than a 70cc mini bike and that was for a very short time back in the 70s. He now some 35 years later decided to buy a HD softail Harritage new 2014.
He scheduled a riding course through the local shop where he bought it but for some reason Kansas gives you a learning permit to ride before you get your permit or so he says. I told him I had a few reservations about him hopping on a HD and taking it home and driving around before his class but he gave me the old dont tell me what to do attitude.
What do you think about people who buy a bike and just hop on and go? I will say that he is not the most agile person I have ever known. Am I being overly cautious?
He scheduled a riding course through the local shop where he bought it but for some reason Kansas gives you a learning permit to ride before you get your permit or so he says. I told him I had a few reservations about him hopping on a HD and taking it home and driving around before his class but he gave me the old dont tell me what to do attitude.
What do you think about people who buy a bike and just hop on and go? I will say that he is not the most agile person I have ever known. Am I being overly cautious?
Road Captain
Joined: Feb 2014
Posts: 745
Likes: 28
From: MN. USA
In MN. you take your written test and that gives you the right to drive on the streets until you take the driving test. Must have helmet, no passengers, no freeway, and some other things. even though you have the right to ride most new riders should take a driving coarse first or at least lots of parking lot time.
Elite HDF Member
Joined: Mar 2014
Posts: 4,214
Likes: 661
From: Prior Lake, MN
In MN. you take your written test and that gives you the right to drive on the streets until you take the driving test. Must have helmet, no passengers, no freeway, and some other things. even though you have the right to ride most new riders should take a driving coarse first or at least lots of parking lot time.
Nice thing about the MSF course is that they can test you out so you don't have to go to the DMV and deal with all that.
Road Warrior
Joined: Aug 2014
Posts: 1,503
Likes: 724
From: Virginia
When I bought my Fat Boy I hadn't been on a bike for about 35 years. I had a pile of miles on my Bonneville in the 70s, a safety course under my belt, and still had my class five license. But when I bought the Fat Boy I rented a trailer to take it home. Just didn't want to be caught in a situation that I wasn't prepared to handle. Took a couple days riding around a parking lot and the neighborhood streets to get a feel for the bike before I ventured out on the local highway. Put 8000 miles on it in the last 18 months (not that much by some standards) but I'm still learning. My point is, time taken to develop an understanding of the machine you're starting a relationship with is always a good investment. $.02
Last edited by NO PCKL; Feb 18, 2015 at 09:13 PM.
Club Member
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 66,157
Likes: 51,521
From: Niles Canyon Ca.
Depends solely on the individual what happens, some are naturals others need to be far away from one even after riding for years.
My then 18 yr old brother who had ridden a dirt bike a few times at 15 picked up a 1980 Superglide, rode it around my area for 5 days then we loaded up the bikes and him riding 2 up went to Sturgis from KC Mo. then down through Colorado back to KC then he rode it solo to Baltimore MD. Kid had been on a bike 3-1/2 weeks total at this point and chocked up 3000 miles.
My then 18 yr old brother who had ridden a dirt bike a few times at 15 picked up a 1980 Superglide, rode it around my area for 5 days then we loaded up the bikes and him riding 2 up went to Sturgis from KC Mo. then down through Colorado back to KC then he rode it solo to Baltimore MD. Kid had been on a bike 3-1/2 weeks total at this point and chocked up 3000 miles.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 68,021
Likes: 3,276
From:
Back in the early 80's when I started riding, that's what I did. I just hopped on and learned by trial and error, no classes back then either. Put on about 1000 miles then took off on a 2100 mile cross country trip to E. Montana and back without any issues.
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Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 5,352
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From: Vegas, baby!
Also unlike his previous experience, a mistake now can have serious ramifications.
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In MN. you take your written test and that gives you the right to drive on the streets until you take the driving test. Must have helmet, no passengers, no freeway, and some other things. even though you have the right to ride most new riders should take a driving coarse first or at least lots of parking lot time.