Just Bought my First Motorcycle!

V

Valkyrie

New member
Hi Brats,

I've always been interested in bikes, but never got around to buying one. That changed today!

I just bought an '08 Kawasaki KLR650 with 7200 miles on it. It had some extras added to it by the previous owner - taller windshield, different handlebars and foot pegs, heated handgrips, Givi box on the back, different sprocket (for better highway cruising), carb jetting and so on. I got a good deal on the price and they agreed to put on a new front tire and store it for two months for free. Riding jacket and gloves are on the list, too.

Next, I've signed up for a safe riding class (I'm a newbie), bought a couple riding books, an expensive helmet and have to go through the licensing process. My wife and I are aware and concerned, (especially Marcia) of the dangers involved, but I figure at age 60 I'm not as likely to do the boneheaded things that I would have about four decades ago and I approach life much more cautiously now.

Bottom line: I'm cranked up and really ready for warm weather!

Regards,

Nick
"Valkyrie"
 
Nice bike! I ride a 2005 DR650 for now and my riding buddy has an 08 KLR like yours. We have done trips up to 3000 miles- ten days long with all camping gear onboard and they are both perfect all purpose bikes.

Be safe out there and get off the paved roads sometimes with that bike for highest level of fun.

Greg
 
Nice choice. I have a 2001 myself. Lots of fun. I know some good websites for accessories for the KLR. Check out the photos in my album in the motorcycles folder. I'd tell you more but, I'm posting from my phone right now.
 
Been riding for about 40 years, dirt and road bikes. My advice is definitely take that safety course before spending much time in the saddle. It’s not the dumb things that get you killed, it’s the dump inexperienced things you do that get you killed. Make yourself as visible as possible like riding with you lights on at all times and watch out the other guy, he or she is not looking for you. Make your intentions well known like pumping your bakes a few time or flashing you high beams.
I’m sure you’ll do fine, just take your time.

Perhaps a new bike for me this spring, have been too busy fishing and boating to justify it the last three years.

Enjoy your new ride.
 
Have fun with the new addition, Nick! Nice bike. Great idea to take the motorcycle class... Even long-time riders can benefit from that.

Ride safe and enjoy!

Best wishes,
Jim (V-Strom rider)
 
I've always loved big singles. They're so straightforward and easy to ride. Glad to see they're still in vogue.

Have fun and keep the rubber side down. Watch out for little old ladies in Buicks and Volvos.

Boris
 
Your going to love riding. It becomes addictive.
I have been riding Honda Goldwings for many years. I love to ride in the mountains and here the weather is vary accommodating. I see riders out most months of the year.
The m/c course is a great idea. You have to constantly think that the other drivers out there don't see you. I try to drive in a manner that allows for an out when they attempt to occupy my space on the road.
Good luck on your new adventure.

Andrew
 
I'm basically coming off two-wheels and on to the water.
xr650l.jpg

I rode this bike from Mn to Newfoundland and back a couple summers ago. Before picking up my CD I passed it on to my brother and kept my smaller Suzuki DR200SE. Any temps over 45 degrees finds me on this bike with a some sattle bags looking for good fishing holes. You will LOVE having a dual sport.
 
OK, Nick, now you have done it. There is an extremely high chance that the bike, riding and maintainance will get into your blood and you will be stuck, just like an addict. Hey, your up in my age bracket so you will have a cooler head, and calmer throttle hand, but once you start breathing the ambient air, you will get hooked. It's OK. Keep it simple, just a few basic rules.
1. Ride like you are invisible to every car on the road. Hey, they don't see you half the time anyway so that just evens up the odds.
2. Ride like every car on the road is out to get you. Half of them are, and you don't know which half, so again, it evens up the odds.
3. Never, ever, ever, turn left. Never get into that left turn lane, It is a kill zone. Make 3 rights instead. You will live much longer.
4. Headlight on ALWAYS, and if it doesn't have one, get a pulser. Gets you noticed from oncoming traffic way much sooner.
5. Enjoy and have fun. Do the MC safety course and get the insurance discount for your maturity.

Drive on.

Harvey
SleepyC :moon
 
starcrafttom":1cc3ft20 said:
what type of helmet did you get. Not a full face I hope.
Click to expand...

Uhhh..OK, I'll bite.

Why would anyone concerned with safety wear anything other than full face? There's zero rational debate on this...35% of head impacts are in the chinbar area, where nothing but a full face will protect you.

Here's a fairly well known image from a study on the issue, showing the percentage of helmet impact areas in crashes. Wear whatever you want on your noggin, but don't believe for a second there's anything safer than full face.

jl3v5G.gif
 
Congrats, Nick - you've just bought the best motorcycle made. Not because it does anything well...quite the contrary. It's very mediocre at just about everything. But, it can DO just about everything. :mrgreen:

I've tons of thoughts on how to rig a KLR...but were I starting over from scratch, I'd move up the priority of safety gear over mechanical upgrades. I started out with barely adequate gear...a good helmet, boots, a cheap motorcycle jacket and gloves. The more I rode, and the more I read about the tumbles that everyone encounters sooner or later...the more I decided to bite the bullet, and get the best protective gear I could find.

Motoport was what I settled on, and while not cheap, it's far less expensive than crashing with lesser gear. It's custom fit, has armor options that are second to none, and the kevlar material simply won't rip - it easily surpasses leather in this regard, and is more comfortable in a wider range of temperatures to boot. Since you've stepped into the wonderful world of dual sport, I'm sure you're familiar with ADVrider.com - you might read up on it over there, where many crash reports have been made from those wearing it.

My biggest problem after getting the KLR, was figuring out how to go on trips without sacrificing something. The lovely wife has no desire to ride, and normally one has to choose between bike and boat. I figgered out how to have it all...wife, dogs, KLR and boat. The hitch hauler shown below, has an integral Class III hitch than can tow a CD16. Woo hoo!

2011-02-10_13-38-02_544.jpg
 
Hi,
Better make some arrangements for a pony tail, a couple tatoos and some piercings. Avoid Friday nights and rush hour traffic if possible. Never take for granted that they (the people in cars) see you. Always wear clean underwear cause you never know when you will end up in the hospital. :)
D.D.
 
Congrats on the new bike. I had a KLR250 a long long time ago. a 1992 model year. It was fun riding, a little underpowered for highway use though, ok for light off-road, but too heavy for any serious off road riding, but had a lot of fun with it when I was young. A few years ago I decided to get back into it and bought a Suzuki Bandit 600. I decided to take a safety course also. The most important thing I remember from the course is turn your head where your eyes want to go and your body will follow. This was particularly important when doing the slow speed figure 8 for the road test. Everyone who looks down right in front of the front wheel, had to put their foot down, and that's an automatic failure. Not sure if you have your license yet, just something to keep in mind. Not to sour your thoughts on motorcycling but I had the new bike for only a year, I just don't have to nerves to ride in traffic on the highway like when I was younger. Every time I took the bike out, I felt my life was on the line. You're just not big enough for cars to see you easily. Too many near misses. Talk to any motorcyclists and if they've been motorcycling for any significant amount of time, they more than likely had a bad crash.

-Mark
 
Congrats on the new bike. I had an 04'klr 650 and it was great fun until I realized every time I got on it I became invisible. At least here in the greater Seattle area you have to ride as if thats the case. But really the klr is a fun ride. Jack of all trades, master of none. Kind of like the 22.

Enjoy,
Karl
 
Hi Guys,

Thanks for all of the encouragement and advice, especially the Motoport link, DaNag.

Safety: it is my primary concern and, quite frankly, I am a bit intimidated at this point which I hope indicates some degree of intelligence, or at least awareness. When I went to Barnes and Noble the other day, the first chapter in the first book I picked up was "Bob's Last Ride." Welcome to riding!

I bought a full-face helmet - a Scorpion Exo-900 in neon yellow, looking to increase the visibility factor. The guy at the dealership mentioned that was the first helmet that they had sold in that color because most found it too gaudy. At this point, gaudy seems good to me. I plan on getting a high-viz, contrasting jacket, as well, probably from Motoport, but have a great deal of looking to do first.

As all of this transpires, Marcia has been supportive, if a bit concerned and commented, "Just what we need, another hobby. Would it be too big for me to learn to ride?"

She was a bit disappointed when I told her that even after I get my endorsement that I couldn't legally have a passenger for a year, according to Ohio law.

Another item on edit: I was just on-line looking for riding classes and all of the state sponsored classes are full until mid-June. I found some privately run classes that taught by state-endorsed instructors and upon completing the class the state-mandated riding test is waived. The good news-Marcia wants to take it with me and get licensed, too!

Thanks again, guys.

Nick
"Valkyrie"
 
I'm glad to hear others shared their safety tips!

A full face helmet saved my life period (head on collision in my 20's). The silly half head caps are not helmets.

I also suggest full body safety gear - rigid riding boots that come just short of your knee (work boots do not work on motorcycles), leather or strong textile pants with knee and hip pads, leather or strong textile jacket with armor on the shoulders and elbows, and riding gloves with solid plastic knuckle protectors. I joke with my wife that when I ride I am dressed like a Gladiator. You would be thanking every single inch of it if you were ever in an accident.

I don't say the above to scare just sharing my lessons learned. A motorcycle riders safety course will be hugely helpful.

If I had more time I would own a motorcycle but I spend one day on the weekend on Napoleon and one day with the wife (sometimes I combine the two :) I take 1000 mile trips every few years with the boys now. Our next ride is September - can't wait!

Enjoy the experience!
 
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