New Rider Needs Help!

DQ Rider

Wannabie Member
Apr 26, 2016
7
1
1
Eau Claire Wisconsin
I ride a
50cc scoter
Hi I am 17 and I am currently on a moped, I have only been riding for 4 months so I am obviously very inexperienced. I am just wondering if I could get some advice on anything that would help me out please? Safety tips, gear/bike essentials, etc. and I am very interested what everybody has to say

-DQ Rider
 
  • Like
Reactions: RangerRide

Lurch

Administrator
May 5, 2014
5,527
2,067
113
Yorkshire
I ride a
2016 Street Triple R and a 1999 Honda NT650V Deauville
Bike lessons.

As for gear, get approved stuff you've heard of or has recognised approval marks on it for safety. Get a helmet that is a good fit ahead of a good price. An expensive helmet that doesn't fit well is worse than a cheap on that does fit.
 

SighBored

@thesighbored
Jan 18, 2015
2,662
1,235
113
Malaysia
www.thesighbored.com
I ride a
2012 Kawasaki ZX-6R
Top of the list would be riding gear, try to get the complete get-up.

Don't ride beyond your limit, never assume other road users can see you/know you are there. Always be defensive.
 

Reize

2 Wheeled Islander
Jan 20, 2016
580
291
63
Singapore
www.reizeprimus.tk
I ride a
DRZ400SM / Shadow 400 ACE / ZX6R
Bike lessons.

As for gear, get approved stuff you've heard of or has recognised approval marks on it for safety. Get a helmet that is a good fit ahead of a good price. An expensive helmet that doesn't fit well is worse than a cheap on that does fit.
Really depends on the country.

Like in Singapore, we have a statutory board for safety equipment called the PSB. And only helmets with their seal are certified approved as safe for use in Singapore.

Problem is, a cheap 40 dollar Zeus 3/4 helmet or no name brand can have that seal, but many Shoei and Arai FF helmets don't get that seal of approval, because to get it approved, manufacturers have to send in a couple of batches for testing that will result in several helmets destroyed.

So these no name brands can afford to do so by virtue of it being cheap, but Arais can't. Even though it's pretty obvious which one is far safer.
 
  • Like
Reactions: SmokyOwl

Leon Loco

Roar at things.
Mar 30, 2016
62
16
8
NY/NJ/FL/TX/etc
leonloco.com
I ride a
Many loud things.
Gear tips:

- Spend until it hurts on a helmet. Your brain won't grow back.
- Spend as much as possible on gloves. If you're like most people, you'll be screwed without the use of your hands for a few weeks if you go down.
- Other gear is less critical, but an absolute minimum for me would be kevlar reinforced jeans and some manner of torso armor. If you have the bucks, going far beyond that is a good idea.

Bike tips:

- If you have anywhere remotely close that you can ride off-road, buy a dirt bike. Going splat in the dirt hurts quite a lot less than on pavement, and riding off road will build confidence and experience much faster than on the street in my experience. People who start on dirt generally keep their skin and other bits attached on the street with greater ease. Plus, you can always supermoto it.

Riding tips:

- Assume everyone in a car is trying to kill you at all times, and ride as such.

- Always mirror check at lights and intersections. Getting rear ended sucks. Always have an escape route you can rapidly use if some bluehair comes blasting up behind you with no intention of stopping.

- Always slow down a bit while nearing intersections, and plan an escape route incase some dumbass runs a red. Same deal with riding in the right lane near any kind of entrance or exit to a mall or area frequented by morons.

- Loud pipes and loud horns save lives. Likely yours.

- Most importantly: Have fun! And remember that chicks dig motorcycles.
 
  • Like
Reactions: DDR and DQ Rider

Sidewinder

Sidewinder2180
Mar 29, 2016
332
88
28
44
I ride a
2011 Honda Shadow VT750RS
I would recommend an approved motorcycle safety course. I actually enjoyed it! Don't worry about buying a expensive helmet. Worry more about a good fit first! And certification DOT, SNELL, ECE, All three are good.
 

Bonehead

Testing the Boundaries Every Day!
Apr 27, 2016
19
5
3
I ride a
Ninja Zx 14R and Ninja 300
Learn in the dirt. The last thing you want to do is figure out how to ride and handle the bike with cars around you. Defensive riding is key and response/reaction will save you. A weekend course gives you the base to ride but putting on the miles and getting acquainted with your bike is key. If you're worrying about handling the bike, you won't be aware of whats really going on around you - bad drivers in cars. Handling the bike should be second nature and automatic. Coming from a motocross background, I'm biased. Dirt riding has given me the skills to handle my bike extremely well and in turn, given me the ability to save my life many times.
 

RoadSprock

Original Vlogs
Mar 7, 2016
878
174
43
United Kingdom
I ride a
KTM 690 Supermoto/ Triumph Speed Triple 1050
Hi I am 17 and I am currently on a moped, I have only been riding for 4 months so I am obviously very inexperienced. I am just wondering if I could get some advice on anything that would help me out please? Safety tips, gear/bike essentials, etc. and I am very interested what everybody has to say

-DQ Rider

Get some decent gear - helmet/jacket/trousers/boots and gloves
Get some lessons - check out local riding schools that could offer this
Watch videos of advanced riding on YT, watch the MotoGP too ;)
 

Motorpsych

Wannabie Member
Feb 27, 2016
179
59
28
44
Japan, near Tokyo
I ride a
Honda VTR250
Read Twist of the Wrist or watch the latest version of it on YouTube. Especially if you plan to get a sport bike. There's a lot on how to avoid the survival reactions like target fixation, and grabbing a fistful of brakes when you see an obstacle in the road.
 

RangerRide

RangerRides
Apr 25, 2016
98
16
8
tucson
I ride a
07 trx250ex
Hi I am 17 and I am currently on a moped, I have only been riding for 4 months so I am obviously very inexperienced. I am just wondering if I could get some advice on anything that would help me out please? Safety tips, gear/bike essentials, etc. and I am very interested what everybody has to say

-DQ Rider
a secret tip dont go cheap on gear unless you have to because hospital bills rack up debt and nothing hurts worse then have no skin on parts of your arm from your wrists to your shoulder
 

Ryder115

Wannabie Member
May 4, 2016
9
2
1
I ride a
Taotao racer 50, ke100
I learned to ride on a dirt bike and took a motorcycle safety course before ever going anywhere near the street. I'm a fairly new rider when it comes to street riding, but in my opinion I think a moped's not a bad thing to start out with. It lets you have fun and learn the road while you're still working up to a full size bike. I'm on a scooter myself right now.
 

DDR

Wannabie Member
May 17, 2016
35
10
8
I ride a
Honda CB125F
I'd say more important than getting an expensive helmet is to get a high-visibility helmet. Most of the drivers I talked (politely AND hostile-ly) to complained & pointed out that the helmet is the most visible part of the rider. :\ I would agree, I'd see a lime/neon green ball-ish object from 100 meters away at night lol
 

RoadSprock

Original Vlogs
Mar 7, 2016
878
174
43
United Kingdom
I ride a
KTM 690 Supermoto/ Triumph Speed Triple 1050
Just to touch up on the gear, I had an expensive helmet in a head-on crash with a lorry and the plastic from the helmet casing broke up into shards from the impact force and went through my neck.. So imagine what the cheap ones would do! You also only get the one set of skin and bones.
 

SmokyOwl

Hey dude, your hair is on fire.
Jul 3, 2016
48
16
8
Southern Wisconsin
I ride a
KZ1100 A2 Shaft
Just to touch up on the gear, I had an expensive helmet in a head-on crash with a lorry and the plastic from the helmet casing broke up into shards from the impact force and went through my neck.. So imagine what the cheap ones would do! You also only get the one set of skin and bones.

That....will ruin your weekend.
 

NJBIKELIFE

YouTube MotoVlogger @ NJBIKELIFE
Jul 6, 2016
31
3
8
35
I ride a
2010 Yamaha WR250R / 2005 Yamaha FZ6S
Most important thing on a bike is visuals. Be sure to be visual all times and be able to be see everything you can.
 

p51motov

Wannabie Member
May 3, 2016
6
2
1
32
I ride a
Yamaha R3
For me:

#1: Spend money on gear. For your first bike it HURTS it costs so much. Goof quality helmet is a must, although it doesn't have to be a Shoi. I have an HJC FG-17 and it's a decent helmet. You could get away with less. The Euro standard is supposedly the best, but it should at least be USA DOT certified (even if not in the US, that's a decent minimum standard).

Then get gloves that are strong enough to absorb some real sliding. Then get a jacket with decent protection. It doesn't have to be race grade, mesh with armor is passable. Leather with armor kicks ass. Pants and boots come in a little lower on the list but are a good idea too.

If you aren't wearing all your gear, take it easy on the roads.

A lot of the expensive stuff is expensive because of style, not protection.
 

Ton

Rock n' Ride
Jul 7, 2016
47
26
8
43
I ride a
2015 Ducati Scrambler Classic
I will promote what some others have said, get off road if you can! The lessons you learn in the woods will benefit you more that you realize. You will learn clutch and throttle control as well as being aware of your surroundings. If you do fall, dirt or mud is much more forgiving than tarmac and vehicles :)
 
  • Like
Reactions: Moto Verse

Moto Verse

Wannabie Member
Aug 14, 2016
59
17
8
37
Omaha, NE
I ride a
2016 Kawasaki Ninja 300 EX
i wish i could have learned off road. MSF course helped me a ton. they teach you a lot, and the teachers are open to any questions you may have. You can even stay after class while they are putting bikes away, and moving cones and chat them up with any extra questions you may have. (My teachers were cool like that)
 

Winners Video

Website Supported by Ipswich SEO

Latest posts