101 things I wish I'd known before I started riding...

Originally Posted by northwind

...and sometimes, if it is an instinct, don't do it either Since that's what causes target fixation, panic braking, running out of the outside of a corner when you could have got round by leaning further.

Can I point out number 2 to you in my list

Some good tips so far

Ive learnt mainly

1. Its addictive
2. Its expensive (buy stuff all the time)
3. Its one of the biggest thrills you could have
4. Take heed of the instinct tip - Ive had target fixation, panic braking the lot and it takes thought and concentration to stop you doing what you think is natural. Just push it over further and hope for the best!

Originally Posted by northwind

If you're going to wear protecetive gear, get hip armour. More exposed than your shoulders and more useful in day to day life I was wearing all my armoured textiles when I fractured my hip- no hip armour or pockets for same. I'd have bounced otherwise

A second vote for this.

Recently crashed at 60mph, my hip hit the ground first. Thin (don't even notice it's there) Hiprotec armour meant that I escaped with very mild bruising. I think I'd be looking at a fracture had I not had it there.

-------------------------------------

Other "wish I'd known" things:

Frank Thomas "Aquaguard" boots aren't waterproof.

Joe Rocket have excellent customer service, but their textiles appear to be made from tissue paper and their zips from cream cheese.

Hein Gericke Cruise textile suits crash well and really are waterproof.

Spada 406 oversuits do their job really well.

Contact lenses are vastly better than glasses for riding.

Listening to mp3s makes me ride like a tw@.

Altberg boots are absolutely superb and crash far better than they look like they would.

The best tool for getting spark plugs out of a K4 SV is the one suzuki provide with the bike. It feels cheap, but works better than Halfords professional plug sockets.

Home servicing really isn't that hard and it makes sense to learn how to do it ASAP.

It's better to tempt fate and buy in spares ahead of time (helps spread the cost too), than wait weeks for Suzuki's parts dept. to get you such "hard to find" bits as indicators. Thereby significantly reducing the time you're off the road.

Metzeler Z6 tyres are vastly superior to the OE Dunlops.

[21QUEST]

The throttle is the most important control on the bike.

It's your friend- Make it your business to be able to to use it it well. Works three ways- more, less and maintainance. Smooth transistion between all three is the aim. I'm still working on that

Still have loads more to learn after more than ten years riding.



Ben

[Viney]

Dont eat yellow snow

I learnt so far:

1) I can lean the bike more than I though was possible (still looking upright to others I presume)
2) Mud, stones, diesel, manhole covers etc are always at the most inconvenientplace on the road
3) Manhole cover are slippery when wet and so is the bl00dy white paint on the road!
4) Get something to clean your visor when you are riding: as it gets mucky very quickly indeed.
5) I love filtering and you will too!
6) Check your tyre pressure 2x a week as it effects you handling BADLY.

a bit more counterintuity - if a pedestrian runs out in front of you, aim for them.
If you hit them, they'll break your fall so you won't end up eating tarmac and breaking yourself and the bike so much.

Originally Posted by ****y Ticker

Crash landing in fields or verges is much softer than tarmac

And he should know

I wish I'd known that there were so many un-bike aware drivers
and
how bad it feels when youre off the road

I know I'm only a newbie but I think I should share my newly aquired knowledge:

Always visit the LOO before putting your gear on! Nature always seems to bl00dy call AFTER you've gone through the whole process of getting it all on

Mobile batteries go flat quickest when it's dark, wet and cold.