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Dear VTwin Mama, Dear Myers, The VTwin Mama site was started for women because in my experience women have fewer "communities" in which to safely ask their questions without feeling that someone is going to snicker under their breath. To some degree this is changing, as more chapters of women's riding organizations are opening, more women are on the road on their own bikes, and new Internet sites launch to provide information. Just as not all women need this level of help, not all men have been riding since they were young or are instantly tech-savvy and find themselves searching for answers. All are welcome to the VTwin Mama site, although the focus will continue to be on the women riders. – Mama Monday, April 3 Dear VTwin Mama, Now that I've had two 750 ACEs I am wondering about a couple of things. Both my bikes seems to have a wiggly gas tank, is this common? Also did Honda quit making the ACE model after 2003? I could not find any ACE models newer than 2003. – Kris from Indiana Dear Kris, Yes, the ACE model was discontinued with the introduction of the Shadow 750 Aero model in 2004. – Mama Monday, April 3 For Sharon who pointed out a site for products to manage long hair: I have waist length thick hair so to avoid tangles while riding I go to my local upholstery fabric shop and buy 1/4 yard of leather or fake leather in lots of different colors. Then do your hair in a ponytail at the base of your neck, measure the length and cut a piece of leather slightly longer than that. Wrap the leather around your ponytail with a slight overage. (my leather winds up being about 15 inches long and 7 inches wide ) Go to a craft shop and buy large decorative snaps and fasteners. Decide how far apart to space them to control your locks and then use the snap tool to put them into place. I cut a small hole at the top center of the leather and run an elastic hair band through it in a "U" fashion. This then wraps around your existing ponytail and prevents the leather wrap from coming lose and flying off your head while riding. I have these in 20 different colors to match whatever I am wearing. I have started making these for other gals in various lengths. The best part is that when you arrive at your ride end, you simply pull it off, fluff your hair and can show off those long flowing locks. Cost each is about $1.50. – Dorathy Biddinger (note from Mama: wonderful notes for those out there who like crafting things for themselves!) Monday, April 3 From Silvia who is working on best-practice backing up the bike skills: Girls, thank you for the tips about backing up. After getting over my initial frustration, I figured it out myself. The main thing is to stay centered (not to lean, I still take my time, but that really helped me, of course Crash Bars are a wonderful thing) ha ha . . . Thank you again, – Silvia (note from Mama: it was once noted that the way a response is worded can help a rider better visualize how to go about overcoming a challenge, and in many cases, the very fact that others have managed to learn a way that works for them is the "proof positive" that in fact it can be done! That then gives someone learning the encouragement to go out and work on the skill with a greater knowledge of what specific details to observe and correct as needed. I'm glad to hear your confidence is much higher than before!) Monday, April 3 Dear VTwin Mama, On Sunday I helped my parents with a lot of stuff and then it was about 5:30ish or so when I had started down. I didn't realize it, but a 30 foot stretch of snow that didn't bother me too much yesterday had melted, then refroze and was now a 30 foot sheet of ice with ruts all over it. I slowed way down to around 5-7 mph and started across thinking it was thin and would break apart. Instead it held together and the bike had no traction. It went down and I rolled off and way. Thankfully, ice is one of the few cases where steel stops the bike faster than rubber. It stopped in short order and then the engine died. First I was thankful that the bike hadn't slid off the mountain. Of course, I was happy I was ok as well. I righted the bike without too much effort, but was terrified that the shifter had been destroyed or something major like that was gone, as I never put the old engine guard back on. It wasn't touched. Instead, my windshield had broken 3 of the 4 brackets attaching it to the bike. (FYI, its a National Cycle Plexistar 2, and though I'd recommend it for most street applications, I find the brackets don't hold up to well when its used as a bumper). I saw nothing else amiss, and shoved the windshield away from the controls and restarted it. I didn't really feel scared or anything. Mostly, "Well, that sucks." Well, 10 feet of ice down, 20 to go. This time, I kept my feet down and used just the front brake. Basically, the front wheel was locked the whole time but my feet made fine outrigger wheels and I stayed up through the ice. Once off the dirt road and back onto the bike's native element about 15 minutes later, I stopped and check the bike for any missed problems or damage. The left front signal lens was busted, and packed with snow and ice. I figured something was amiss, as the indicator was going crazy. The bulb wasn't broken but had popped out of the base. I put it back in emptied the snow out and replaced the lens. The signal worked properly. I secured the windshield with zip ties enough to get to Wal-Mart to get some duck tape. It was about 8 miles away and on my route anyway. The windshield has some awful scratches on it, but they are actually on the part that protects your hands and you can't see them when riding the bike. I checked over the bike again at Wal-Mart, finished securing the windshield and found nothing else wrong. I headed home and was amazed that the windshield was still in the proper position to offer wind protection. I made the remaining 90 miles without any further problems. All in all, I figure I was pretty lucky. Plus, since I went down on the dirt, it really doesn't count. – Ben Dear Ben, Tuesday, April 4 Dear VTwin Mama, I decided if she was brave enough to buy a brand new bike, she felt confident enough in her MSF class to do this. I am so proud of her for getting out there. I stood in the middle making sure she did good head turns and focused her eyes where they needed to focus. I had her practice a lot of right circles so by the time she crossed over to do left turns, I could see how much more comfortable she was with her left circles. It was awesome. I wanted to let you know since you have influenced so many of us and here is one way we can thank you, by extending ourselves to others. Obviously I understand the challenge of being responsible when teaching someone else. If I didn't feel comfortable with the exercises, having practiced them over and over myself and have a lot of experience teaching sports, I would not have even considered it. Here is to a great riding season! – Sandra Dear Sandra, Tuesday, April 4 Dear VTwin Mama, The booker quoted me: full coverage is $1717 per year because I have driving record on the car, before, without driving record, is $1200 per year. $500 difference. Even though I got the safety certification on the bike. Is it true??? Thank you for your help, – Bruce Dear Bruce, It does no good to lie, because if they find out, they can cancel your insurance. In looking at course certifications, there is no promise that premiums will be reduced, just that some companies may offer reductions, and of course, that is fully within their discretion. It sounds like you've enlisted the help of an independent insurance agency to look for a company to insure you and your bike. I would go one extra step and more fully explore things. For instance, as a male, if you are 25 and under, the premiums may automatically reduce upon reaching a certain age (I think it's still 25). Also, your driving record will eventually clear the points (depending on the violations), and understanding the timeline of that will help you discuss your motorcycle insurance with greater confidence. For instance, if $1717 is the best that can be done now, when can you expect reductions down the line? If your driving record is clear for a year, will that have an impact? So, what will have to happen with your overall driving to bring premiums down? Although independent agencies are fine, you may wish to contact the top insurers on your own (they'll have toll free numbers) like Progressive, etc. It might be that if you switch your car insurance to that company, the motorcycle deal will be less expensive. It's hard to say, as the car insurance may bump up. Of course, insuring the bike for just the bare-bones minimum that your state requires would bring down the premium, but I'd be careful on that step, especially if you have a newer bike. Given the amount of money involved, I would make a chart and start dialing out and comparing different ways to go until you're satisfied that you have the best deal possible. It's a pain, but well worth your time. – Mama Tuesday, April 4 Dear VTwin Mama, Dear Brian, In doing a bit of research, I found this page on the JC Motors site, and although they don't have your bike engine listed, on that page you'll find the contact info. I'm thinking, given that they work a lot with Honda engines, they may have a source or be willing to search with their industry contacts for you, and it's clear that they do have solutions for the older bikes. You might also want to try the Old Bike Barn, which specializes in parts and pieces, including engines, for older metric bikes. Again, although they may not have the engine you seek, their connections may prove to be useful. You might also try going to this CBR Forum I found and post a message or this FireBlades forum for CBR 600 (all F models) or the CBRWorld.net forum. – Mama Tuesday, April 4 Dear VTwin Mama, 1. Local Classifieds I am needing to sell my bike and don't have a lot of money to waste on methods that most find don't work that effectively. Of course, every situation is different. I am just looking for a general consensus, ideas, thoughts, etc. Thanks a lot, – Don't Want to Sell, But Have To : ( Dear Don't Want to Sell, But
Have To, When I needed to sell my last bike quickly (because I was moving and didn't want to transport it) and it was an older Harley that wouldn't appeal to that many people, I went immediately to the two biggest papers in my area and placed a classified ad. I received only one offer to see it, and then reduced the price to conclude the deal. Since the riding season is just beginning in many areas, it's a good time as many will be looking for a bike. I would start with the dealers of that make and see if they post notices for bikes for sale, or, if the bike is of interest to them (some carry a used inventory, but some only if you are trading up . . . ask!). I also see independent car lots offering bikes for sale . . . this may be a better route than just parking your bike in a busy area with a for sale sign (riskier for potential theft). Why not check in to it?! Then I would call or email every riding organization in the area and tell them what you have. It can't hurt. Also, is there a rally coming up that you could park at with a for sale sign? Then I would type in "free motorcycle ads" in a search engine and post your ad (with picture is better if they allow it) on anything that is free (this only would cost your time to do it), but make sure you understand if they charge a fee upon the sale of the bike (set fee or a percentage of bike sale price). I would be more than glad to post your bike on my site, so please email back with particulars (year/make/model, miles, condition, location, contact info). I list these on my limited Buy and Sell page! Do all these things and set an acceptable time limit. If it doesn't sell, then I'd move on to paid opportunities. Readers, any thoughts to share? – Mama Wednesday, April 5 Hi again VTwin Mama, Dear Shelley, As in any learning experience, it is next to impossible to predict immediate success. To quote Milton Berle, "We owe a lot to Thomas Edison - if it wasn't for him, we'd be watching television by candlelight." Ok, that's just funny! But the one I keep in mind is, "The greatest risk is not taking one." This reminds me that the journey is just important as the outcome. So please do not go into that course without understanding that despite your best efforts, you may not grasp every concept right off the bat. Otherwise, if something isn't going well on the first try, you may mentally collapse under the pressure you have set up for yourself. So, what to do while you wait. Short of getting a bike or finding someone with a bike for some initial hands-on time, perhaps you could check into whether you could sit on the sidelines of the riding portion of a class and watch the instructor put students through their paces. That would help you see people learning and give you a better idea of what you'll actually be doing when your class comes around. Readers, any other ideas? – Mama Wednesday, April 5 For Bruce who is trying to noodle out motorcycle insurance: I just thought I'd chime in as well as saying that you are right (as you probably always are) about going directly to the big insurance companies. [hee, hee, nope, sometimes I have to give myself an Ann Landers "wet noodle" and why reader responses are so important to the VTwin Mama site!] I went with Progressive, full coverage and high limits on everything, and only pay a little under $300, which is as good as the brokers I was calling could do. Funny thing is, Geico wanted over $700, which meant that they wouldn't save me 15%, but rather, charge me more than twice what Progressive wanted. I got tired of getting tons of Geico emails after getting a quote and wrote back suggesting that "I would be more likely to purchase insurance from the Lizard if he wasn't getting smoked on his moped while Progressive was riding a Harley in the proverbial quote race." I never got another email from Gieco so I guess they got the point. I wonder if Bruce might have something that says "sport" as part of its title. Sport bikes are extremely high to insure as I'm sure many know, partly because of all the expensive body work. But even "sport tourers" tend to get slammed. My MSF instructor said he tried to insure something that was more tourer than sport and he wasn't some teenager who wanted to go 120 mph, but because of the "sport-tourer" in the name, he was going to have to pay huge bucks. – Ben (note from Mama: you've got a wicked sense of gecko humor! Thanks for pointing out the possible connection to a sport-style bike . . . that didn't occur to me as I've never had one in that classification. In doing a little research, it is indeed suggested that not just the bike age, predicted miles/year, and parking situation affect premiums, but the type/style of bike does as well. I'll add that at some companies, if you are a northern state rider, you may qualify for a "lay-up" policy, which keeps just the comprehensive coverage in place during winter no-ride months, thus reducing the premium to some degree . . . just make sure you're actually not really going to ride!) Wednesday, April 5 Dear VTwin Mama, Plus, I
find that my female friends are so fearful that I can’t even share my
excitement with them. They think I am crazy and they can’t get past
telling me that I need to be careful. I’m a 47 year young, harp playing,
Psychology studying mother of three for heaven’s sake and I am
surrounded by fearful “in the box” thinkers that are raining ALL OVER
my parade. I have
had my bike in third but have not gotten it up past 30 mph. Everything is
still so deliberate . . . starting, gear changing and stopping that is. I
ride for about 30 minutes and I am ready for a rest as every aspect of my
being is spent!!!!! BUT I LOVE IT!!!!! Dear Susan, People raining on your parade is part of the process. While they may appreciate poetry, then don't understand that riding a motorcycle is poetry in motion. To them a car may just be transportation, and a bike a form of transportation that is risky at best. And yes, it's a pill that you can't share all your feelings with the very people who you have shared so much of your life with already. That said, you're right, it's time to seek out women riders who are simpatico with your new adventure! I think you will find local chapters of just about every women's riding organization in your area, so venture onto my Women's Sites page and look them up. Send an email, attend a meeting, introduce yourself, and see if a mentor possibility evolves. The VTwin Mama Mentors are excellent for email chat and I know a number of new riders have benefited from having a one-on-one cheerleader no matter where that mentor actually is. I don't know if any of them are actually in your area. I do have a number of "sisters" listed on my Let's Ride page in the NJ area . . . again, send an email and see if anyone is available and willing to join you on beginning level rides. I wish you well for your upcoming course! – Mama Wednesday, April 5 Dear VTwin Mama, I was looking for the 2" brackets and will drop the arms on the triple tree an inch to match (since there's plenty of room there) and it will be an inch total lowered. If you have any links to such a kit or maybe post the question so others that may know of this kit can respond, we would appreciate it. Thanks in advance! – VTX Predator in NC Dear VTX Predator, Thursday, April 6 Tulsa Ladies Meet & Greet Event Sunday, April 30 Dear VTwin Mama, Thursday, April 6 WITW Gator Girls Benefit Run Sunday, August 20 Dear VTwin Mama, Thursday, April 6 For Laura who was looking for a pink DOT approved helmet a while ago: Hello! I have a very large motorcycle leather and helmet store online called Leather Lollipop. We used to only have the pink helmets in the novelty version, but we now have it in DOT. You may purchase it with or without snaps and visor. We have many other girly type DOT helmets including roses, butterflies, leopard prints, pink, and more. – Wynter (note from Mama: fun, fun, fun!) Thursday, April 6 For Shelley who is waiting for her riding class that doesn't start for 2 more months: The instructor of my course (who was
awesome) told me that people who have never ridden are the best pupils,
because they don't know everything. Remember that you will have to
practice and have patience. Keep up the desire and dedication and
you will truly enjoy riding. Here are a few things that I would
recommend trying before taking the course:
Remember
that riding a motorcycle is equally serious as it is exhilarating. Learn
well and pick the brains of your instructors. Take the course as
many times as you would like. It is always possible to learn
something new or better than before. To get ready for the MSF course you can buy a bicycle and start riding it to learn balance and control -- take it to a parking lot and start riding the bike in ever decreasingly smaller circles and then work on figure eights. The feeling of the bike's handlebars will get you used to the idea of extreme steering and pushing and pulling on the bars to go the direction you want -- just like you will do on a motorcycle later on. As for not driving a stick shift car -- that's ok -- driving a manual car and riding a motorcycle are 2 totally different experiences anyway! Just be aware that riding a motorcycle is MUCH harder than driving a stick shift car and involves many more activities happening all at once. – Dorathy Biddinger (note from Mama: what a cool idea! Readers, Dorathy owns an independent riding school which you can find on my Learning to Ride page.) I was in your place 18 years ago. Taking the MSF course is the best move you can make to learn to ride. I know it is scary but just relax and stay positive. I ran into my instructor (thank goodness it was at a very slow speed) and still passed the course. The next weekend after I passed, my boyfriend took me out to a country road and put me on his rigid frame, kickstart, apehanger Shovelhead. He told me to ride down to the bridge, turn around and come back. Well, as I was making the turn, one of my instructor's repeated comments from the class ran through my mind "when turning look where you want to go, not where your front wheel is going." Of course, I was looking exactly where my front wheel was going as I went right into the ditch. Knowing that I had to get the bike out of the ditch, I grabbed a handful of throttle and found that the Shovel was much more powerful than the little Honda I had learned on. I corkscrewed the bike right into the ground. Nobody hurt and I found that adrenalin can help you lift a big twin as you watch your boyfriend walk calmly down the road to your rescue. We discussed what I did wrong and he made me do it again. I was successful turning the bike around the second time. Needless to say, he still married me even after I put his "baby" in the ditch. However, he did not build me my own bike for 6 more years. I took the MSF course a 2nd time right before I got my bike and I've never looked back. I enjoyed my time behind my hubby but having your own set of handlebars is an unexplainable rush. Good luck with your MSF course, enjoy yourself and remember always look where you want to go and not where your front wheel is going! – Tricia on her '64 HD rigid Sporty and '05 HD 883L (note from Mama: touché! Riding a bike is soooo much a mental "game," as much as it is about the technical aspects of it, but as you have chronicled, the ultimate success comes from never giving up, treating everything as an opportunity to learn, and realizing that some lessons come when least expected!) Thursday, April 6 For Susan who is just getting started and finds that levels of support vary greatly: Congratulations on your accomplishments so far! Keep it up, you won't be sorry. I, too, had several people try to rain on my parade, some still do, I've been riding a year now. I started on a Honda Rebel also, and hubby helped me so much in the parking lot. Soon you'll feel just fine going 55 down the road, it just seems to happen. I tried to practice every day or every other day for even an hour, it seems to help getting on your bike often, rather than just all day Saturday. Then I took the MSF course, and was ready, so passed easily. Now I ride my Triumph just as easily as I did the Rebel. You can do it, it will be so much fun very soon! If I were in your area, I would ride with you. Tell your hubby "great bike choice!" Ride safe, – Penny from Iowa (note from Mama: that whole "when is it going to click" can be elusive, but I agree that if a rider keeps practicing, the moment will arrive eventually, and trusting that it will is as important as anything!) Susan sounds like me. My neighborhood rides were short in the beginning and I thought I'd never get past the stage where everything was deliberate. It's like anything else "new" that you learn, keep doing it and one day it just clicks. After a short ride, I would come home drained, emotionally and physically, but so happy! That gets better as well. Good luck with the riding course. Try to relax and enjoy it, because you have your own bike and you're already riding! That aside, I understand how Susan feels about getting flack from friends about her beloved new venture. I like Macs, motorcycles and roller coasters (yes, I go coastering) and my friends think I'm a freak. Oh yeah, and I just turned 50. Oh well. When you beat your own path, you can't expect everyone to follow. – Linda C. (note from Mama: as I've aged, hopefully with some grace (!), I find that I more easily champion any pathway a friend wishes to follow as I know that in their heart this is the way they wish to go. Sigh . . . if only everyone adopted that attitude we would all more likely pursue our dreams sooner rather than later!) Thursday, April 6 Dear VTwin Mama, Your website and my wonderful supportive non-riding husband have gotten me back on the road. Yesterday was a beautiful 77 degrees, my only day off this week, and I spent most of it inside doing nothing because I was afraid to get the bike out by myself and ride up and down the street by our house. Well . . . my husband came home from work and said "Why aren't you out on your motorcycle??" So, off we went, him sitting in the front yard as I drove up and down the street with him and the neighborhood kids cheering me on. At one point I got the bike up to a whopping 25mph!! Ok, I know . . . it's not fast . . . but it FEELS fast when you're new to riding and are just used to a car. Quick question though, my hands got tired kinda fast. Are there any exercises I can do to help with this? Or will it just get better over time with more riding? – Tegan Dear Tegan, Now, as to tired hands. Yes, part of that is just you getting use to having to use them so much, as neighborhood riding is a lot of clutching and braking. You may also not quite realize how tense your overall body actually is, so it's really a whole body and mind experience. I'm not sure what solutions are available for the Yami TW200 on actual lever change-outs, but you might want to check with the dealer if more "ergonomically correct" clutch and brake systems are available. This means that they are easier to pull and/or are more curved in so your hand isn't grabbing such a wide distance (if you think this might be part of the tired hand challenge). You might want to check in with ASV, as they make adjustable, pivoting levers that might work for your bike. Otherwise, get one of those hand-squishies that they tout for stress relief (!) and work on hand strength. Yes, it makes a difference, as does general stretch/strengthening exercises that build up tummy muscles (that make the back stronger) and arm/shoulders. – Mama Thursday, April 6 For Don't Want to Sell, But Have To who is noodling out best pathways to selling a bike: On selling a bike, any free options are worth trying first. Just wanted to mention that when I sold my Virago, I put an ad in Cycle Trader, which also went on the web. I had a heck of a time finding the web ad though, and I knew what I was looking for! However, the printed ad was in the book a week when I had the bike sold. It was a 250 and this was before the gas prices were jacked up last summer. I also live just outside a major city in an area nuts about motorcycles. They're everywhere here. FWIW (for what it's worth). – Linda C. (note from Mama: thanks for sharing your experience between how the online and printed version played out with Cycle Trader . . . very useful information!) Friday,
April 7 Harley Softail
Raffle for Cancer Research Dear VTwin Mama, Friday, April 7 For Tegan whose hands are getting tired quickly: For anyone interested in building hand strength, check out the Gripmaster. These little hand exercisers are great for hand workouts. I noticed a big difference in my hand strength and not having my hands so tired and crampy after regularly using this little exerciser. I started with the medium (red). Between that and some other exercises I do to strengthen my grip and forearm, I am about to graduate to the black one. – Amy (note from Mama: a high-tech squishy that looks like it would do the job. Now, how do we get motorcycle riders on their official "Who Should Use Gripmaster" section on the left side of the page?!?!?!?!) Friday, April 7 Dear VTwin Mama, Dear Sandra, Friday, April 7 For Penny and Linda C. who wrote in to encourage Susan in her quest for support: Thank you, Thank you, Thank you
!!!!!!!!!! Penny, I really wish you were here to
ride with me . . . what I find so lovely is that you went from a Rebel to
a Triumph. I ride a Rebel and my English-born and raised Hubby, rides a
Triumph-Bonneville. To those of you who are just starting
out . . . REACH OUT through this site. You will find more help and
encouragement . . . and that encouragement makes ALL the difference in
those low moments!!!! I contacted the only woman (registered
through this site) who lives minutes from me and though she is a more
experienced rider, I know that I will eventually be a great ride partner
for her and her for me. Because we need the support of other free minded,
free spirited, loving women who want to go into the rest of their lives
experiencing the confident-self and the benevolent-self , we can become a
community that knows no bounds when it comes to self –growth and
community outreach that effects great change!! . . . in our own lives and
the lives of many others. I am sooooo proud to be a new member
of the biking community!!!!!!!!!!! You all are awesome!!!!!!!!!!!!! Monday, April 10 1978 Hondamatic for Sale Dear VTwin Mama, Monday, April 10 Dear VTwin Mama, Dear Witchymeme, From what little I could see doing an Internet search, the bike you refer to was made in the 1970s. If you go to this page on eBay, you can look at pictures of a 1976 model. The bottom line is that this is an interesting vintage bike and if you're just learning to ride it would work just fine as a 250cc engine a good size for starting out. Whether it's running and your husband can keep it running is another point to consider. If it's seriously being considered, the main point is that you need to make sure the bike fits you in terms of your arm/leg reach to controls and feet-to-ground contact . . . as it's highly unlikely you would find stuff to modify the bike to fit. If it doesn't fit, don't get it unless your husband is a lover of old bikes and wants to restore it. – Mama Monday, April 10 For Susan who is appreciative of the support she is getting at the VTwin Mama site: I agree that the VTwin Mama site has helped and encouraged many women riders, and Petra is very knowledgeable, not only about motorcycles, but about common sense and the simple joys in life. All of us, especially us newbies, cannot thank you enough, Petra! My husband and I lived in Suffolk County, England, for five years. That is one reason I ride a Triumph. We loved living there, the people are great, and the country is beautiful. Sure hope your hubby likes living in the US! Not many roundabouts or passing places here! We are planning to go back to England for a vacation, and will rent bikes when we get there. Best of luck, Susan, ride safe. – Penney from Iowa (note from Mama: it's my pleasure to support the efforts of all women riders and help meet challenges throughout the entire adventure!) Monday, April 10 Dear VTwin Mama, Dear Lesa, Yes, you'll have more power at your fingertips, but the basics still apply! So, when you get the bigger bike, fire it up and in neutral, rev the throttle to get use to the new sounds. Get a feel for how "touchy" or "sluggish" the throttle is compared to the Rebel. The first time you let out the clutch and give it throttle, make sure you have plenty of empty space in front of you and just ease things out, even if you dump the clutch and stall . . . you know from experience that a few practice rounds will get your "combo" in tune. And remember, if you find yourself all of a sudden zooming forward, pull in the clutch lever to remove power from the rear drive and ease on the brakes to stop. Then try it again! And again and again and again! Then move onto practicing your shifting, turns, curves, etc. in baby steps so that you don't overwhelm yourself. My guess is that within a few practice sessions you'll be confidently taking your first road ride and smiling the whole way! – Mama Monday, April 10 Dear VTwin Mama, Dear Short Stuff/Christie, First, will you or have you taken a riding course? I truly believe that it helps define a new rider's first bike in that taking a course more clearly defines the actual realities of what you'll be able to handle as a new rider and give you many more clues about how a bike needs to fit (feet to ground is important, but so is arm/leg reach to controls). The MSF typically starts you off on a 125cc or 250cc bike while Riders Edge uses the Buell Blast (492cc) in many instances. You can find links to these national level courses on my Learning to Ride a Motorcycle page. This doesn't mean you can't learn to ride on your own, or with the help of a friend . . . I did! But the first bike choice becomes more of a wild card as you have nothing to gauge it against. And in this letter you're comparing a 250cc bike with a mid-range 500cc bike which can be a big difference for someone just starting out. There are plenty of other 250cc bikes to consider other than that Ninja, like the Honda Rebel, Honda Nighthawk, Suzuki GZ250 and Yamaha Virago 250. At your height it can be a challenge finding a bike that fits right off the bat and the modifications you noted are typical solutions. You don't mention how many dealers you have visited to sit on various bikes, but I'd be visiting every dealer in a 60 mile radius and doing just that! Bring along a notebook and jot down thoughts and discuss lowering options as part of the sale price (that might include a lower profile seat, lowering kit, etc.). Look at bikes up to the cc range you think you're in the market for. Do this even if your intention is to buy a used bike from a private seller. If you do decide to go for the GS500, make sure you understand how much you can shave off that seat. Some of those sport bikes have molded seats with no padding or are already very padding "light." On the boots, you need to make sure that the heel choice allows your feet to rest/hook on the pegs and still have a decent foot angle to comfortably operate the clutch and back brake. Ok, hopefully this is some food for thought for you to noodle out your next shopping steps! – Mama Tuesday, April 11 2005 Yamaha Virago for Sale Dear VTwin Mama, Tuesday, April 11 2003 HD XL 1200 Custom for Sale Dear VTwin Mama, This bike will not disappoint - it's simply gorgeous. If anyone is interested, send me an email at drh7157@yahoo.com - I can send pictures upon request!! Thanks a billion. – Harley for Sale Tuesday, April 11 Dear VTwin Mama, Dear Diane, Tuesday, April 11 For Tegan who is thinking she needs to strengthen her hands to ease frequent clutching: I sympathize with Tegan, since I felt I was developing carpal tunnel symptoms last fall with my bigger bike, but since I started working on the exercises for the last few months, I started off this riding season without any pain! I've been using a NordicTrack hand gripper and a THERA-BAND Hand Exerciser Set (4 small balls of varying compression). They're used for hand, finger and forearm strengthening, as well as hot and cold therapy. I got my set from Flaghouse. I also use a set of Chinese meditation balls to relax and increase circulation in my hands. My garage did check and lubricate the cable, and I made sure the position was at a good ergonomic angle, but I was advised I couldn't fit one of the 'clutch ease' mechanisms to my '97 Vulcan Classic. I wouldn't trust it to get better over time - it could become chronic like mine was heading. – Anon (note from Mama: thank you for sharing your exercise solution!) Tuesday, April 11 Dear VTwin Mama, Dear M. Peter, Tuesday, April 11 Dear VTwin Mama, Dear Lizard, Wednesday, April 12 Dear Petra ( VTwin Mama), The
instructors told me they felt I had problems because my handlebars are too
wide (my bike has the wide reach handlebars). Even though I didn’t
finish the class, that one poopie exercise gave me some invaluable
information. I have always avoided tight turns, but never thought about
why I was so spooked by them. Now I know why. Whenever I need to really
turn the handlebars, I can’t cover the control on the big reach side.
So, on tight turns to the right, I can’t cover the clutch. Looking
back, I’ve dropped this bike 4 times. I was amazed to realize that each
and every time I dropped it, I was attempting to execute a tight right
turn! That was a BIG light bulb moment for me, and the additional
input from the other riders and the instructors helped me to understand
why tight turns are such disasters for me. THE DARN HANDLEBARS ARE TOO
WIDE FOR ME!!!! I would NEVER have figured that out on my own; I would
have just gone on, avoided tight turns like they were the plague. The
good news is: the bike’s OK. Not even a scratch. The bad news is: my
right knee is very, very unhappy. I just got home from seeing my family
doc and have added a lovely knee brace and a pair of crutches to my
every-day wear. The X-rays were inconclusive so we’re off to the
orthopedic surgeon on Thursday. I’m hoping and praying this is just a
bad sprain and not serious damage, but either way, the doc said I’m
gonna be laid up “quite a while." I’ve learned the hard way that not only do you have to fit the bike, the bike has to fit you, too. I’m grateful this happened in a supervised atmosphere (with relatively minimal damage, hopefully . . . ) so I was able to discover the solution at the same time. I know what to do to fix the problem (different handlebars, duh), and I believe I will be a safer rider because of it. Even so, I’m still having a giant pity party ‘cause my bike and I will be parked while premo riding weather passes us by . . . – Laurie (High Maintenance) Dear Laurie, It's true of course that how a bike is set up impacts the handling characteristics but as you have noted, we are not always immediately aware of that fact. Many times a rider struggles to master a skill not realizing that the bike's set up is working against them the whole time. We end thinking we're just somehow deficient in learning and that's just not the case. So, thank you for sharing your insight as it serves as a wonderful reminder to all riders that being one with a bike is twofold: the bike itself and personal skill level. My prayers, as well as every sister rider out there, are with you that the knee recovery is a matter of time rather than a necessity of surgery and your swiftest return to riding. – Mama Wednesday, April 12 Dear VTwin Mama, Dear Sliver Thursday, April 13 2005 HD 883 Custom Sportster XL for Sale Dear VTwin Mama, 2005 Harley-Davidson 883 Custom Sportster XL - with 4,850 miles - Sunglo Blue color - The 2005 Sportster Custom has a rubber-mounted engine, 4.5 gallon gas tank and forward controls. I am just under 5'5" and it fits me very comfortably. It has not been lowered yet, so could be easily for a shorter rider. Extras on the bike are the HD security system, chrome engine guard, and stage 1 with Vance & Hines straightshots HS pipes and SE air cleaner. It has been garage kept and only premium gasoline has been used. The Sunglo Blue paint is in excellent condition and freshly waxed. This bike has been maintained well and runs great -- it's ready to ride away! I am the original owner with a clear title. Included in the sale price is the 2005 HD Sportster service manual ($50 value). Asking price: $6,700 OBO. I am in Odenton, Maryland (the Baltimore-Annapolis area), contact: dianeking9@msn.com. Thanks, – Diane King Thursday, April 1 3 For Laurie who learned something about her bike setup the hard way: Sorry to hear about your troubles and injuries. Hope you can heal naturally and not have any surgery. I sure wish people who sell bikes would take more time to learn about short rider needs. I often go with my students when they are buying their first bike. I like to know that they can be flat footed and also that they can turn the handlebars "lock to lock." I work with new riders going at an idle speed so they learn balance and to feel at one with their bike versus moving at speed which provides a gyroscope effect and essentially the bike will stay up on its own. Once a rider has found their "zero" and is balanced they can then begin to work at extreme steering bit by bit in making tighter and tighter circles and figure eights. This is done in a parking lot and then when riding on streets, making turns and corners is no longer a scary event. – Dorathy (note from Mama: I'm going to try to remember to add this handlebar message in future responses to riders seeking a bike . . . at 5'10" I don't always recognize all the short rider challenges and appreciate both your and Laurie's message on this. I'm leaning too!) Thursday, April 13 Dear VTwin Mama, Dear Tim, According to an online page, the 2004 FLHT Ultra Classic Electra Glide had three CB systems available, part # 12000040002, part # [62000040020, or part # 62000040002. I'm sure a quick call to the local dealer will the right part # for the overall system will quickly reveal the replacement cost of the antenna, which can be avoided if you want to first try out the used part and see what happens. So, it's a matter of how much time you want to dink around with the whole thing. – Mama Friday, April 14 Note from VTwin Mama: someone (sorry, can't find that original email) contacted me asking if I knew how to get in contact with Evil Bettie Motorwear, as there is no info on the site. I found it (while searching for something else in my email archives). Elisabeth Smith is the owner and her email is egsdesigns1@earthlink.net. Friday, April 14 Dear VTwin Mama, I have since called Progressive back and they did mention something about emissions. However, after talking with the dealer on Ebay that I purchased the bike from, the emissions meet all EPA and government standards on the 2005 LF250. However, there have been some issues with the 2006 model regarding emissions which they are working out right now. But my model is in fact the 2005. So the emissions shouldn't be an issue. – Maria, Confused in VA Dear Maria, Yesterday I had a wonderful chat with Marcy Gray, Product Manager for Progressive's Motorcycle Insurance Products (she oversees all m/c issues and just got a HD NightRod after recently selling her BMW and has been riding for over 30 years). It turns out the imported bikes are difficult to value and calculate depreciation on in case of a total loss as the imports are relatively unproven commodities. Then there is the issue of parts and service, and she noted that in some cases, yes, emission standards can gum up the works. This is all even more true of the smaller cc engine ATVs, scooters, and yes, motorcycles. On top of everything else, training thousands of agents nationwide is a huge task, especially on something that isn't more of a standard here in the states. In many cases, Progressive agents will turn to the NADA guides for value, but you won't find Lifan in there. So now we see the agent's hands tied. Marcy went on to say that she is constantly revisiting this issue as more and more imports from around the world arrive in the U.S. and gain popularity. I'll stay in touch with her as the VTwin Mama site is getting more and more questions about imported bikes. – Mama Friday, April 14 Dear VTwin Mama, Dear JT, Yah, yah, I know, the bikes are finally broken in properly and blammo . . . the Capacitor Discharge Ignition box, i.e. the Black Box (basically, an ignition with no points) goes to heck. To quote Dan's Motorcycle Repair Web Page, "To top it off, most motorcycle CDIs are expensive to replace, and when they go out, the bikes are too old to justify the expense of replacement." But that's just Dan! So I headed to the Old Bike Barn, but it looks like they are only carrying Kawi and Yami CDIs, but hey, the number is toll-free, so you might want to call and see if they have a lead for you. Warning: I saw prices from $200 to $400 . . . omigosh! You could also try the Honda Rebel Online site, truly all things Rebel. Call the number at the bottom of the page and see what's up. There's nothing like a cycle/salvage guru to perk up the possibilities! – Mama Friday, April 14 Hi VTwin Mama, Curves are killing me. I read your post saying that doing the posted speed limit on a curve should be fine. I'm glad to know that, cause I didn't before, and could not figure out how to judge the speed with which to enter a curve, if you could not see the conclusion of the curve. My biggest fear now is downhill tight curves that "wind" down a hill. We have several roads here that fit that description. I was told to never use my brakes in a curve, but if your on a downhill curved run with no "straights", how the heck do you slow down? Thanks for taking the time to answer this, I'm gonna to go back and spend a lot more time exploring your site! – JoJo Dear JoJo, Brakes in curves: bad. Ok, ok, light rear brake feathering is ok (little taps) help keep the bike upright when you need just a little speed adjustment. Using the engine: good. To get use to what I'm talking about, go down any straight-shot road at 60mph in 5th gear for one minute. Now do the same speed in 4th gear. Do you feel how much more the engine needs to work in 4th and how differently the throttle reacts in these different gears at the same speed? Aha! Ok, same thing on a tight curvy downhill. If you ride it at speed, but in a lower gear, the engine naturally wants to slow you down and you actually have to do more throttle work to keep speed up. Voila! Control! Now, that said, trusting that the bike's wheels will stay in contact with the road on a lean will come with time. Improving your skills through excellent counter-steering handling comes with practice. Add that to engine gear choice and throttle control and you've got the complete picture. All these work together and the only way to learn how far you feel you can push it is by piling the miles on. No substitutes! So, off you go to try. First the straight runs for gear/engine feel. Then light back brake on a curve to see how it pulls the bike up from the lean. Then back to that curvy road downhill on a no- to light-traffic day to try combos. Remember, you'll need less Pepto at the end of the run if you keep your eyes and head trained on where you wish to go . . . if you keep sneaking peeks at where you don't want to go, it'll be ulcer time before you know it! – Mama Friday, April 14 Dear VTwin Mama, Realizing how important it is for your bike to fit you, where can one turn to for help looking at the myriad of issues to be considered, including fork length, handlebar height (in addition to width), distance from seat to handlebars, placement of foot pegs in relation to seat placement, overall bike length and the list can go on at some length. I find that while I can arguably think of a number of these issues, I don't how to analyze the impact of any changes to things like length, distance, placement, etc. In hindsight, it makes perfect sense that Laurie was having trouble with tight right hand turns because the handlebars are too wide, but like her, I wouldn't have figured it out myself. And while talking about these types of things, (bike ergonomics?), helps, it's just not the same as a hands-on approach with you on your bike and someone simply going over the different types of factors that will effect a bike's performance given the particular rider. So, oh Wise and Wonderful Mama, any ideas where to go for this type of information? And by the way, I can't help but think this would be a good workshop topic at a bike conference or rally. Keep up the good work Mama, and you go girl as you make the move to being a full time Mama. – Ab Dear Ab, Now, on to bike fit. You're right . . . what a pill. I've often thought that someone should design a machine booth that you could sit in with your arms and legs in a comfortable, relaxed riding position, and lasers would measure everything up and ta-da . . . the basic bike of your choice (engine size, style) would then be configured at the right height and outfitted with protruding parts that make sense! Do I smell an entrepreneurial whiff of intelligent design here?! Is anyone listening? No. So, we're back to square one where you get a bike you think that will be pretty darn close, you spend thousands of miles on it, modifying as you go along, and then, when you've got it as close as possible to perfect, you decide you need more cc power and start all over again . . . although with more clues. Dastardly you say? Not fair? Well, we're not in the business of manufacturing and selling bikes, are we?! And that's why the VTwin Mama site exists . . . to discuss issues at hand and share information. The fact is that even if a miracle measuring machine was available, it can't take into account our presence of mind. And by that I mean, each rider develops at a different pace in a different way with a different bike setup and a . . . wait for it . . . different outcome! One person is going to love wide handlebars for the comfort and look and to heck with the tight turns . . . they'll duck walk the darn thing! Maybe we can pitch the topic for the next AMA/FIM Women's Conference! I'll make a note to send an email after this upcoming one. Meanwhile, let's hang out together at VTwin Mama and keep talking! – Mama Friday, April 14 Dear VTwin Mama, Well, it wasn't raining but the roads were a little wet. The forecast looked a bit better and my friend Wendy said it wasn't raining out by her, so I left to meet her out there. She has her license, so she came with me to drive the examiner around (they don't make it easy to get your license in NY). 5 miles from home the rain began, and the roads were wet almost the whole way. My bike was a mess from the rain, but I did fine on it, and it wasn't too bad out at the road test site, just some light sprinkles for a bit. We had to wait a while because I was behind about 10 other people, but finally it was my turn. I handed the examiner (a woman) my documents, and she asked for my drivers license, too. I thought I had my wallet, but I had left it at home. Oh, no! It could have been a real problem, but she was real nice about it and she called in my name just to be sure I had one. What a relief! I was nervous during the test, but she said I did fine, and everything was great. Afterward I went with Wendy to her house to help her mount her new saddlebags on her bike, since she helped me out with the road test. We were laughing about how I had to ride over 100 miles round trip to get my license. Riding home it was sunny and beautiful. Definitely better in the warm sun with my license than in the cold rain with only a permit. My husband and I went out to dinner to celebrate, and my two boys are glad I'm finally legal. (so am I). I never rode in the rain because it made me nervous and the bike gets dirty, but it's not so bad. You just have to take it easy, and stay smooth. Keep up the great work, I always enjoy reading the letters on your site. I look at it almost every day. Best wishes, – Jennifer on Long Island Dear Jennifer, |
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