Unofficial Royal Enfield Community Forum

Royal Enfield Motorcycles => Bullet Iron Barrel => Topic started by: Monty on December 20, 2007, 12:38:48 am

Title: hard to ride
Post by: Monty on December 20, 2007, 12:38:48 am
I know that I have post a couple of other question out there, but this time, I just want ot know is it difficult to learn and ride a bike?  I have riden a few 4 wheelers and some mini bikes in my day, but never a motorcycle.  would love to hear some feed back...
Title: Re: hard to ride
Post by: Bullet500Dude on December 20, 2007, 12:41:00 am
  If you can ride a bicycle.  You can ride a Bullet   ;)   Please take a rider safety corse.
Title: Re: hard to ride
Post by: Vince on December 20, 2007, 01:33:03 am
Monty, if you have to ask this question I'm not sure you are going in with the right attitude. You gotta believe it. You gotta want it. The basic mechanics of riding are simple, and easy to to learn. You don't have to achieve professional racer skills to have a safe fun riding experience, but you can't be half hearted. Take a class NOW. Then get your bike and practice what you learned. Then ride! It's a blast!
Title: Re: hard to ride
Post by: c1skout on December 20, 2007, 03:04:04 am
Ditto on the class. I had been riding for twentysome years before I took the free MSF ridercourse here in PA and I was amazed at what I didn't know.
Title: Re: hard to ride
Post by: RagMan on December 20, 2007, 09:19:30 am
Most certainly, go to a class that supplies a bike for you, take the lessons seriously, and pass their test. Then, get a book on Motorcycle proficiency - there is one, the details of which I cannot remember - It is invaluable in tips to keep you riding.

The Bullet is one of the easier bikes to ride - the sitting position is natural - no putting feet in front of you, and no crouching uncomfortably over the tank - this enables you to ride upright, and in full control of the bike, in any conditions.  I ride mine on road, off road, on grass, and in the rain - I have not ridden is snow - too slick for any road bike, I feel. (though I have a 2wd Ural, which is ridden in anything, snow included.)
Title: Re: hard to ride
Post by: cyrusb on December 22, 2007, 04:08:07 am
See this video yet?          http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=53K1IgqjMS8
Title: Re: hard to ride
Post by: LotusSevenMan on December 22, 2007, 06:40:04 pm
Get some training! I know it sounds boring etc but a little training can help you avoid being like this guy!!!!!  :o
We want you have have fun and stay having fun OK?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qZlAPD67jfQ (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qZlAPD67jfQ)
Title: Re: hard to ride
Post by: luoma on December 22, 2007, 06:54:44 pm
Cute video. Too bad this type of thing is so common. I started out on small dirt bikes, and I still think that should be mandatory. Learn to use body english, learn what it's like to dump it, experience unpredictable terrain. Too many people mistakenly think that riding a bike is like driving a car: learn to steer and use the controls, and off you go. A bike is totally different. You don't just operate it, you wear it. Any body movement you make is transferred to the machine. You can sometimes get away with driving on auto pilot (zoned out), but a bike demands you be involved every second.
Title: Re: hard to ride
Post by: SRL790 on December 23, 2007, 06:17:02 pm
My wife and I own a couple of small dirt bikes that, over the years, have taught many friends, young and old, the basics of riding and falling off (or how not to).  Best way to start is a small bike in the center of a big field.

The MSF course should be mandatory, in my opinion, for anyone starting out or returning to motorcycling after a long break.

I would also recommend taking an advanced rider course once you have a little experience.  I did it 25 years ago and still use the techniques learned every time I ride.
Title: Re: hard to ride
Post by: cyrusb on December 23, 2007, 07:30:38 pm
How old are you? I would not recommend street riding to any newbie over 50. The papers are full of these guys dropping like flies here on long island. If you are in a rural setting, maybe not so bad. I've been on a bike of somekind since 1971 (legally )and at 52 I would be a liar if I  said my skills were not slowly diminishing.
Title: Re: hard to ride
Post by: LotusSevenMan on December 23, 2007, 07:54:13 pm
Most motorcycle deaths in GB now come from the 40-50 year age group who are 'born agains' as we say. Used to ride in their youth. Got rid of it when courting/romancing for a car & then got married, had kids etc. Once through University the kids left. Some money left over now from good investments/good job/mortgage paid off or whatever, so spend it on the latest Yamaha R1 etc with matching leathers.
Result? You go figure with the slower reactions. More traffic on the road and less riding ability and appreciation of modern fast machines speed capability.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2htSFO21MRE (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2htSFO21MRE)

It doesn't have to be your fault either!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jRkmTAxA3G0&feature=related (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jRkmTAxA3G0&feature=related)
Title: Re: hard to ride
Post by: charte on December 24, 2007, 05:24:36 pm
Monty, I haven't ridden anything since I was about 18.  That was 20 years ago for me, and I can't say I was ever an expert.

I'm back into it with an RE.  I can tell you that if you're looking at an RE, it's a solid, easy ride (relative to the super powered bikes mentioned above).

I can also tell you that it's taken me some weeks to get used to it.  It wasn't automatic.

I would suggest the Electra since you get all the latest stuff.
Title: Re: hard to ride
Post by: LJRead on December 25, 2007, 12:57:40 am

Those YouTube videos are pretty scary.  Where I live there are no courses one can take and what little riding I have done was before anything like a course was available.  I went in some days ago to buy my motorcycle extension, cost me something like $5 U.S. and I was out the door in five minutes.  At my age (sixth decade) I don't think I would be riding on the freeways of the U.S. on a bike, in fact, I'd think that even if I were young.  The videos make a good case for just tooting along on the back roads of rural America, staying in the slow lane.  And they make a good case for slower, less quirky bikes like the R.E.My reflexes don't seem that bad, and the speed limit here is under 45 mph.  I'll have to take in slow until I develop some instincts.  After that I'll take it slow because there is nowhere to want to get to fast.

So what's with all the talk of riding fast and riding at freeway speeds?  I'm still too young to die.
Title: Re: hard to ride
Post by: charte on December 25, 2007, 01:22:46 pm
I've gotten up to 60 to 65 mph on the highways here in India, and I don't think I'll ever do that again ;-)  Trucks change lanes randomly, bullocks carts swerve into the main lanes, dogs run all over the place, cows just go where they want, and I nearly hit some dude running across a 4 lane highway...no one behind me for a kilometer and he decides to run in front of me.

I'm with the cruising idea!
Title: Re: hard to ride
Post by: prof_stack on December 25, 2007, 05:36:09 pm
Statistics seem to indicate that is safer to ride on freeways because of the one-way traffic and lack of cross traffic.

Riding in the city is more dangerous than it was in my youth because of more traffic, larger vehicles, driver distractions (cellphones, etc), and my being older and a little slower of reflexes (hey,   it happens...)

Rural riding is the most enjoyable for most motorcyclists but there is more unpredictability.  One night a bull got out of his pen and found his way to the road and gored the front of the stopped truck in front of me.  I could see the truck shudder from the impact.  I turned around and went the other way!  BULL vs BUeLL, no contest!   :o
Title: Re: hard to ride
Post by: fredgold52 on December 25, 2007, 07:25:05 pm
I agree with the good Professor.  The two lane black-tops are where the fun and satisfaction is for me.  I am on them all the time with my scooter and when the weather clears a bit I'm sure the 65 will get more than it's fair share of these roads.

I'm not looking for the 65 to be any faster than the scooter which will cruise at 65 with an Indian speedometer, just a smoother and more pleasant ride of a different kind. 

I find such riding to be good for the soul as well as for the body.  It clears my head and nourishes my spirit.




Oh, by the way,  it seems that most accidents still happen within 20 miles of home.  So you better move away from there fast.

 ;)
Title: Re: hard to ride
Post by: David R on December 25, 2007, 09:25:15 pm
 ;)If you find you are having problems try using one of these!

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