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Silvrav
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  #3221918 23-Apr-2024 19:34
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jonherries: Thanks for the feedback guys

@Silvrav - I’m in Wellington so unfortunately wont have the benefit of your guidance.

Interesting about the wheelies @cruxis will have to have a practice sometime ;)

Recently had a cyclist try and tell me off for riding my moped in the bus lane in WLG, he had just finished a rant at a Mercedes driver (telling him his car was ruining the world) so figured he was wound up and just ignored him.


Jon

 

 

 

You will need to learn to ignore a lot of traffic violations and angry cagers (what we bikers call cars ;) ) - its more apparent and you need to look out for it, so best to just ignore it unless you comfortable to teach/inform then rather get angry.




  #3221923 23-Apr-2024 20:16
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I was recently riding the Vespa in a bus lane when I came upon a police officer who had just released car driver after giving them a ticket for driving in the bus lane. He just smiled and gave me a wave as I zipped quietly passed. 


jonherries

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  #3221993 24-Apr-2024 07:11
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Any thoughts on bike options - has anyone got a cfmoto and can recommend (or not)?



Silvrav
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  #3222054 24-Apr-2024 08:26
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jonherries: Any thoughts on bike options - has anyone got a cfmoto and can recommend (or not)?

 

I would not recommend a Chinese bike as first time bike, and CFMOTO is unknown to me so no idea on reliability and quality.

 

The Ducati is a street bike, a hell lot of fun but not the best seating position for longer rides (anything over an hour for a new biker will be heavy on the wrists) but you get used to it and it's easier if you are young. I used to commute on an RR1000 for 3 hours a day.

 

The Kawasaki is a cruiser? Do I have the right one here - are you talking about the vulcan or the ninja?


tdgeek
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  #3222064 24-Apr-2024 08:58
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This:   Understand counter-steering and practice using it,  from Steve above

 

If you find yourself turning and its not enough, counter steering is what you need to practice. Turning left, need more in a hurry due to the white line or an obstacle? Turn the handlebars slightly right, that will lean the bike to the left and it will corner/turn more 


paulgr
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  #3222286 24-Apr-2024 13:03
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Braking.
Apply most braking effort through the rear wheel, your rear brake is the safest one. If you brake too hard and lock up the back wheel you will usually be ok.
Never hit the front brake too hard, especially on a loose surface or icy road.you will probably fall off and hopefully your bike will not land on you.
Never brake hard on a curve. If you hit a few loose bits of gravel you could end up sliding across the road, hopefully not being runover by a vehicle coming the other way.

 

I was young and stupid when I had a bike. I did these things so you don't have to.

 

 


mudguard
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  #3222450 24-Apr-2024 16:19
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I look at a lot of motorbikes for work, my partner has a KTM Duke and has been asking occasionally when I'll get one. At the risk of taking it too far off topic but I think if motorbikes have any kind of future then they need to start pushing DCTs for bikes. 

 

The reason we see an explosion of high performance cars everywhere instead of remaining niche is probably down to auto transmissions. Once upon a time the high performance vehicle was relatively niche as they were manual only. However autos are so good now, that if I was in a position to afford an expensive sports car, I genuinely don't know if I'd get a manual anymore. 

 

 

 

To be clear, I have a manual project car, which I adore driving, I can ride motorbikes and have no issue with manual transmissions. But I was chatting to a motorcycle dealer who was lamenting the lack of sales and pointed out some expensive Euro saloon that drove past and said, people can afford those. But the thing is, anyone can actually drive those. If bikes came with full DCT type transmissions it would open a much bigger market. I was looking at the Stark motocross bikes recently, amazingly well built, so slim. And of course electric. Now not cheap, in fact they are very much high end. But they could actually save a few motocross venues as they obviously make no noise. And the other thing I like as a mountainbiker, is you can have a rear brake lever instead of the foot brake as they obviously have no need for a clutch. 

 

Interestingly Honda are bringing out something almost perfect, their new CB650R is coming with an auto option. It will be interesting to see how it reviews, as it's an add on to the gearbox which does all the clutch stuff, so it's kind of something in-between. But it's also able to be switched off and you have a normal manual gearbox. 


 
 
 

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frankv
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  #3222467 24-Apr-2024 16:37
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I think the problem is that cars are too cheap now. In the past, if you were poor you had a motorbike, if you were rich a car, if you were really poor a pushbike. If you were poor, you could take a motorcycle engine apart and fix it yourself.

 

The option of fixing it yourself has pretty much evaporated with modern motorcycles. And, nowadays you can buy a pretty good car for the same price as a pretty good motorbike, so economics is less an issue than personal preference. And, finally, not many people prefer to ride in the rain and the snow and at night. So, often, a motorbike is an add-on that you buy after you've bought a car. It's a hobby, not a necessity.

 

So I don't think it's a matter of gearboxes... anyone can learn to use a clutch and a pedal. (As an old-schooler, I'm not sure I want to trust a machine to change gear or not change gear in the middle of a corner, for example).

 

 


gzt

gzt
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  #3222522 24-Apr-2024 20:05
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Something reminded me.

Pack a brake lever and a clutch lever and tools to replace those with. Expect to replace a few mirrors, an indicator or two, and maybe handlebars.

Rear brake levers, depending some will bend back into shape. Gearshift lever likewise tools to remove but usually not hit hard it's small enough to pack, usually bends back into shape, to an extent. Also: Re-refer to earlier riding gear post ; ).

jonherries

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  #3222582 25-Apr-2024 07:01
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Silvrav:

jonherries: Any thoughts on bike options - has anyone got a cfmoto and can recommend (or not)?


I would not recommend a Chinese bike as first time bike, and CFMOTO is unknown to me so no idea on reliability and quality.


The Ducati is a street bike, a hell lot of fun but not the best seating position for longer rides (anything over an hour for a new biker will be heavy on the wrists) but you get used to it and it's easier if you are young. I used to commute on an RR1000 for 3 hours a day.


The Kawasaki is a cruiser? Do I have the right one here - are you talking about the vulcan or the ninja?



In the Kawasaki it goes ninja -> Z650 -> Vulcan in terms of riding position (same engine).

Z650 here https://www.kawasaki.com/en-us/motorcycle/z/supernaked/z650

Jon

gzt

gzt
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  #3222586 25-Apr-2024 07:39
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Vulcan is apparently 40kg heavier than Ninja. It would not surprise me if some aspect of gearing is different on Ninja even if only sprockets.

mudguard
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  #3222710 25-Apr-2024 11:21
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frankv:

 

So I don't think it's a matter of gearboxes... anyone can learn to use a clutch and a pedal. (As an old-schooler, I'm not sure I want to trust a machine to change gear or not change gear in the middle of a corner, for example).

 

 

 

 

I do wonder if anyone would learn to ride a motorbike, without having driven a manual car? I look at my neice and nephew. My neice (20) will probably never drive a manual and shows no interest. My nephew (16) is determined and has had a few goes in my old Civic, which to be fair is probably not an ideal car as the flywheel is a bit light and the clutch is aggressive.

 

I think bikes are at real risk of ageing out. The adventure market dominates sales now, riders ageing out of big cruisers and super sports and are buying bikes they can ride more often, on more roads, in more weather. 

 

 

 

That said, Kawasaki make some gorgeous bikes at the moment. Z650 (in red) and Z900. Triumph has just brought out a couple of great looking 400s too. CFMoto have a 650 with honestly an iPad stuck on the dash. That was probably the big thing when my partner was shopping for her Duke, was how average a lot of the screens were on the big brands. 


sdavisnz
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  #3222719 25-Apr-2024 11:41
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hey OP, 

 

 

 

I've just got into it too, got my licence in November last year, and put about 8000kms on my bike since then.

 

 

 

i went for a ktm adventure 390, they are really light weight and easy to move around. servicing at the dealer is not cheap, so I did the last oil filter and oil change myself, just watched a few youtube videos, came out at less than a quarter of what the dealer charged me. but will need to get the chain tightened at some point.

 

 

 

right now you need to decide If you want a cruiser (harley, triumph), or a sport/tucked in (Japanese) or a adventure/upright (plenty of brands)

 

 

 

I went for adventure as much nicer on off road and speed bumps.





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elpenguino
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  #3222781 25-Apr-2024 12:53
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sdavisnz:

 

i went for a ktm adventure 390, they are really light weight and easy to move around. servicing at the dealer is not cheap, so I did the last oil filter and oil change myself, just watched a few youtube videos, came out at less than a quarter of what the dealer charged me. but will need to get the chain tightened at some point.

 

 

Good on you for racking up the kms. Time in the saddle is really good for developing balance and fine control at slow speeds.

 

Tensioning the chain is easy - it's the kind of thing the rider needs to know how to do on the side of the road. The bike's tool kit should have everything needed to tension the chain.

 

Google has some videos how to do the procedure.





Most of the posters in this thread are just like chimpanzees on MDMA, full of feelings of bonhomie, joy, and optimism. Fred99 8/4/21


olivernz
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  #3224034 29-Apr-2024 10:53
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Most important things I learnt in my riding:

 

  • ATGATT - Remember when you buy your bike it will cost a few $1,000 more for good gear. Don't EVER skimp on gear. It is more important than the bike.
  • Ride your ride. Stick to your capabilities and only push and learn when you can do it safely
  • Do courses in regular intervals
  • Learn what counter steer is, how suspension works and how to maintain your bike
  • Love your brakes (there will be a day that you'll find out if you do)
  • Never ride with alcohol in your bloodstream
  • If you don't feel it turn around and park it up you can't force a ride

....oh and if you have a family, get good life insurance and trauma cover. 


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