New Rider

[seeingred]

Well, I finally did it, I went out an bought myself a 1982 Yamaha Vision XZ550RJ. ?I have been riding for years behind my husband and I love it but I have had enough of looking at the back of his head. ?I have everything I need except the experience. ?I got the bike yesterday and rode it around the block a dozen times. ?I have no problem riding but this taking off and stopping is not as easy as it looks. ?I love the bike it is nice and small and light. ?I am only 5"2 and 130 lbs and I wanted something I could hold up and monouver. ?This bike is perfect. ?I can't wait to get it out on the roads of the North Georgia mountains but something tells me I need to spend a little more time in the neighborhood. ?Well, tomorrow we are haveing a starting and stopping lesson. ?I am will ride for a few yards and then stop. ?My husband thinks this will help with my confidence. ?It sounds like a good idea to me. ?I think I am going to take a motorcycle safety class. ?What do you think of them? ?Is it worth the time and money? ?My husband has been riding for 20 years and is teaching me how, I trust him but if it will get me out on the road faster than just practining everyday I will do it. ?Well Happy Ridding I hope to see you on the road SOON. :-*

[h2olawyer]

Welcome & congratulations on becoming a Visionary!  The motorcycle courses that are sponsored or approved by the Motorcycle Safety Foundation are excellent.  Here in Colorado and in many other jurisdictions, they will substitute passing an approved course for the riding portion of obtaining a motorcycle license.  They are well worth the time & money.

Remember to take things easy as you learn and don't try to impress anybody.  If you have a large parking lot nearby that is unused at a convenient time, those make fabulous places to practice.  Getting that balance between clutch and throttle can be tricky.  I'm sure you'll get used to it in fairly short order.

Enjoy your V!

H2o

(FYI, in the US, the '82 model is XZ550RJ & the '83 is XZ550RK)

[gbranche]

Well, tomorrow we are haveing a starting and stopping lesson. ?I am will ride for a few yards and then stop. ?My husband thinks this will help with my confidence. ?It sounds like a good idea to me. ?I think I am going to take a motorcycle safety class. ?What do you think of them? ?Is it worth the time and money? ?My husband has been riding for 20 years and is teaching me how, I trust him but if it will get me out on the road faster than just practining everyday I will do it.

While I'm sure your husband has the best intentions, it could also be the worst way for you to learn how to operate a motorcycle. Learning from a family member or friend may be counterproductive, in that they'll be teaching you the bad habits that they've picked up from 20 years worth of riding.

Call the Motorcycle Safety Foundation (MSF) at (800) 446-9227, or visit their web page at http://www.msf-usa.org/, and locate the nearest, or soonest, available RiderCourse. The MSF has been developing their curriculum for 30 years or so, and have had great success with instructing riders of all skill levels. The RiderCourse is designed to take someone who has never ridden a motorcycle before, and give them the equivalent of 6 month's worth of experience in a 20 hour course. 8 hours are spent in the classroom, and 12 hours are spent on the motorcycle (supplied by the course). It may cost you a couple of hundred dollars, but it'll cost you much more in the long run if you DON'T take the course.

Oh, and welcome to the front half of the seat. I'd bet that you'll never again be satisfied riding on the back half...

Greg
(former MSF and CMSP instructor)

[seeingred]

I called and got into a MSF class scheduled for this Sunday!!!  Can't wait.  I love my husband and want to stay married so I decided not to have him teach me.  Thanks to all for the wonderful advice. :-*

[Walt_M.]

You have made an excellent choice! Can you get your husband to join you? I got my wife to start the MSF course and, since I know everything, I did not. Wish I had because she dropped out and doesn't want to ride now. If I can get her interested again, I will join her. Good luck

[seeingred]

Well, I think I am finally getting this clutch thing down.  However, not without a mishap or two.  I popped the clutch in the driveway, I was off balance and dropped the bike :'(.  No real damage was done but I did scratch the wind screen and cracked the right mirror.  If anyone has one they are looking to sell, I am looking to buy. That was early yesterday and I have improved much since then.  Tomorrow I take my motorcycle safety class.  Maybe by next week I will leave the neighborhood, I am sure my neighbors would appriciate that.  

PS.  I changed my name, CAK4030 was boring.  My vision is red and so is my hair.  So seeingred works.  Thanks again for the encouragement.

[kiawrench]

red--
   GA Wolf is going to do the kia seat fix for you if you want, i gave him full training session on it , isnt hard to do ,, he can make the bike fit you, if any trouble ,either of you can call me anytime except tues or weds next week ( hospital trip again )
  same fix will also cure that unwanted hot spot, it fixed the one on my bike .
   just a quick point no one saw, there are "relief holes" in seat pan, that is where you are getting the hot spot from, the seat mods will fix that too, but still let the seat cushion breathe and dry out when needed.

[fiddlesticks]

Congrats red. I  just bought my first bike this week. I am also a shorty at 5"2 and this is the only bike Iv ever sat on that I can touch the ground. I cant wait to take her outta the neighborhood too. Of course common sense dictates a few more weeks of driving in circles. And the old start stop of course. Yay for us.

[GA_Wolf]

My wife is 5'2", raise the front fork so that it sticks up an inch above the top of your triple tree, Unless you are more than 180lbs, drop your rear shock setting to the lowest preset, and redo your seat to remove the majority of foam.  She can at least get a decent plant on the balls of her feet now..seeingred and kiawrench did the same things...email anyone of us and we'd be glad to give you drections on how to modify your saddle.