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2K views 22 replies 14 participants last post by  Whiteblackmatt 
#1 ·
Hello,

My name is matt. I have a 2005 yamaha vstar650. I am new to motorcycles and working to tune uo this bike and use it as my first rider. Looking for tips and suggestions. Thanks guys.
 
#5 ·
Welcome from Atlantic Canada. You picked a nice bike to start out on - reliable and powerful enough for commuting and highway riding. You'll find the people here are knowledgeable and helpful so post any questions you have and you'll get some answers. We're kinda big on pics here so please post one when you get a chance.
 
#7 ·
Welcome from Houston, Texas. Glad you joined us. Here's a few interesting threads to check out when you get a chance.






Go to last page for current hunt :

Ride often and safe.
 
#11 ·
click on my user name to the left
and my showcase photo for the 650

we have the same make and year and color bike

that Raspberry red color glows in the sunlight - from 100 yards away it looks like a thousand watt lightbulb in the sunlight

you got a great bike
 
#13 ·
Welcome to the forum from East Tennessee! Yes pics are a must and you’ve purchased one the most reliable bikes ever produced. If you have questions, we have answers or at least we’ll find one for you. I also highly recommend the MSF course, I got 10% off my insurance.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
#15 ·
Welcome to the forum from East Tennessee! Yes pics are a must and you’ve purchased one the most reliable bikes ever produced. If you have questions, we have answers or at least we’ll find one for you. I also highly recommend the MSF course, I got 10% off my insurance.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Yes, i will definetly take the course before i begin any serious riding. Right now the most i will do is an ops check down the street and back. I cant register the bike without having a license and I cant get a license without taking the course and i dont know anyone who has a bike that would let me borrow it for the class. I head back to the states this year so will do it then. For now im happy just getting the bike fixed and fully operarional.
 
#16 ·
If you have not been on a motorcycle before and cannot take the class yet

the single most important thing you need to know is that motorcycles steer backwards

its called counter steering - the physics behind it are not easy to explain

but the implementation is simple:

when you are going down the road with any speed (over 10mph... but lets say 40mph for example) and you want to turn or curve or ease the bike over to the right
you push the right grip forward, and the bike will lean down on the right side, and the bike will curve to the right

the more pressure you apply, the faster it will turn

when you stop pushing on the grip, the bike will do what it wants to do - resume going straight on its present heading (direction)

the 2nd most important thing you must know: always look where you want the motorbike to go, because its GOING to go where you are looking

this is even harder to understand, but its true. You cannot rubberneck on a motorcycle and site see and check out babes on the side of the road

if you look sideways the bike will start going sideways

if something is blocking your path and you look at it (a stopped car) you will drive right into it

if you look at the ground between your wheels, that is where you will end up, on the ground

These are the two things that literally kill new riders, who think they know how to ride a motorcycle because they know how to ride a bicycle.

if you are puttering around a parking lot at 5mph, then it steers and rides like a bicycle - you can practice slipping the clutch in the friction zone, and practice duck walking and turning around in circles and figure 8s

but when you get on the road and get out of 1st gear, remember those two golden rules
 
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