Riding skills?
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Cruiser
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 104
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From: Vicksburg, MS
Riding skills?
Hi All,
I am having a blast with my First Harley Davidson Motorcycle, \\;it's a \\;2003 Peace officer special edition Electra Glide Classic. It is lowered about 1 1/4" and handles like a dream. I can't get over the slow speed control. I am learning to ride this big bike pretty well. I ordered the How to Ride Like a Pro DVD and am planning on taking the MSF advanced course to help me with 2 up riding. If anyone has any comments or suggestions, please jump right in. I have read some very informative comments throughout the forum but could always use more.
Thanks,
Ken \\;
I am having a blast with my First Harley Davidson Motorcycle, \\;it's a \\;2003 Peace officer special edition Electra Glide Classic. It is lowered about 1 1/4" and handles like a dream. I can't get over the slow speed control. I am learning to ride this big bike pretty well. I ordered the How to Ride Like a Pro DVD and am planning on taking the MSF advanced course to help me with 2 up riding. If anyone has any comments or suggestions, please jump right in. I have read some very informative comments throughout the forum but could always use more.
Thanks,
Ken \\;
Elite HDF Member
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 4,151
Likes: 0
RE: Riding skills?
Keep the shiney side up &\\; Oily side down..Stay away from heavy traffic untill your comfortable and then wait another week. The course is an awsome idea. Get with some experianced riders and ask questions. No true Biker is gonna tell ya to go away and quit buggen em. All the years I have been builden em and riden em, all the cages who have left turned me, cut me off, pushed me outa my lane, etc.. Even surfed a few down the road on there side. Saw it commin was ready and did the best I could to make sure I walked away.. \\;The only times I have been really really close to getten my ticket punched was when I was doin somethin stupid..The rest of the times I was always ready for that guy to pull out or left turn me, etc. etc.... I expect every cage I share the road with to not see me, not care that I have the right of way, be on there cell phone, yellin at the kids, be drunk, be stoned, be lookin to tag a biker and so on..
Blessings..
Blessings..
Road Master
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 811
Likes: 0
From: Staten Island, NY
RE: Riding skills?
 \\;
One of the best pieces of advice that I was given was that riding a motorcycle is like meditation. \\; You can't focus your attention on anything else in your life except the present moment. \\; I think that is why so many people are so dedicated to riding. \\; You can't be thinking about the kids, the bills, or the job while you are riding. \\; Staying focused takes practice, but you will be a better rider if you never let your attention wander from the ride.
 \\;
Pay attention at the class, and practice the drills from the video and you will develop your skills very quickly.
One of the best pieces of advice that I was given was that riding a motorcycle is like meditation. \\; You can't focus your attention on anything else in your life except the present moment. \\; I think that is why so many people are so dedicated to riding. \\; You can't be thinking about the kids, the bills, or the job while you are riding. \\; Staying focused takes practice, but you will be a better rider if you never let your attention wander from the ride.
 \\;
Pay attention at the class, and practice the drills from the video and you will develop your skills very quickly.
Elite HDF Member
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 3,875
Likes: 8
From: Bergen, Norway
RE: Riding skills?
ORIGINAL: vega823
 \\;\\\\\\;
One of the best pieces of advice that I was given was that riding a motorcycle is like meditation. \\;\\\\\\; You can't focus your attention on anything else in your life except the present moment. \\;\\\\\\; I think that is why so many people are so dedicated to riding. \\;\\\\\\; You can't be thinking about the kids, the bills, or the job while you are riding. \\;\\\\\\; Staying focused takes practice, but you will be a better rider if you never let your attention wander from the ride.
 \\;\\\\\\;
Pay attention at the class, and practice the drills from the video and you will develop your skills very quickly.
 \\;\\\\\\;
One of the best pieces of advice that I was given was that riding a motorcycle is like meditation. \\;\\\\\\; You can't focus your attention on anything else in your life except the present moment. \\;\\\\\\; I think that is why so many people are so dedicated to riding. \\;\\\\\\; You can't be thinking about the kids, the bills, or the job while you are riding. \\;\\\\\\; Staying focused takes practice, but you will be a better rider if you never let your attention wander from the ride.
 \\;\\\\\\;
Pay attention at the class, and practice the drills from the video and you will develop your skills very quickly.
Novice
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 16
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From:
RE: Riding skills?
Re: Training.
Here in Northern Virginia, I did the "Basic Rider Course" from MSF (Motorcycle Safety Foundation) put on by a company called APEX. They did a really good job and they include the DMV test at the end. That was back in March. Then I rented a few bikes to see what I liked and I bought the Fat Boy below about a month ago. I've ridden 900 miles in the last few weeks.
Today I finished a 3-hour one-on-one individual course with a company called Motorcycle Riding Concepts (MRC) - MRC home page . These guys are all current or former Fairfax County bike cops. They train you using Harley Road Kings. It was a great 3 hours: I learned some things I was doing wrong or poorly (in one case, illegally!). I also learned how to do some of what I already know how to do even better.
And I learned some things I didn't even know.
-R
Here in Northern Virginia, I did the "Basic Rider Course" from MSF (Motorcycle Safety Foundation) put on by a company called APEX. They did a really good job and they include the DMV test at the end. That was back in March. Then I rented a few bikes to see what I liked and I bought the Fat Boy below about a month ago. I've ridden 900 miles in the last few weeks.
Today I finished a 3-hour one-on-one individual course with a company called Motorcycle Riding Concepts (MRC) - MRC home page . These guys are all current or former Fairfax County bike cops. They train you using Harley Road Kings. It was a great 3 hours: I learned some things I was doing wrong or poorly (in one case, illegally!). I also learned how to do some of what I already know how to do even better.
And I learned some things I didn't even know.
-R
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Intermediate
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 40
Likes: 0
RE: Riding skills?
just remember its your fault if your dead. \\; thats what my family said to me when i started. \\; always give yourself an escape route is what they meant. \\; and always expect any car to do what you think they are going to do. \\; the number one thing said by a cager that gets in an accident with a biker is "i didnt see him". \\; so its your job that they see you or you keep far enough away to react when they realize opps this is my exit. \\; Just remember keep your eyes and ears open and your feet on the pegs. \\; safe and happy riding.  \\;
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Advanced
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 89
Likes: 0
From: New Hudson, Mi.
RE: Riding skills?
I used the same training method for my motorcycle as I did \\;with my bicycle 50 some years ago. The only big difference is that I try to fall down less often now than I did as a kid. It appears to be working. Good luck with whatever method you choose.  \\;
5th Gear
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 9
Likes: 0
From: LaGrange, KY
RE: Riding skills?
When you have the itch to just get out take a few minutes in an empty parking lot and practice stops, wiggles/avoids. On a deserted two lane road ride down the center line, you never know when that small shoulder will be the only pavement you have left! Fight the urge to manhandle the thing, most moves are simple twists of the bars. Hear, smell, see, feel\\; the very things that make the ride worth taking \\;can let you know what's coming. For two up, get a routine\\; I leave the kickstand down until the passenger is on or off just in case they loose their balance. My routine is: passenger pegs down, start the bike, rider balance good, passenger on, kickstand up, enjoy.